A Beautiful Duchess with a Dark Heart – Chapter 86

Chapter 86

The Wen family, even with their status, wasn’t qualified to have an audience with Prince Wu and his Princess Consort.

Being able to participate in this banquet was already a great honor.

Entering the garden, enjoying the scenery, tasting tea, watching plays and listening to music, chatting with acquaintances, and making small talk with strangers, they were always on the move.

Old Madam Wen paused to talk with a Madam.

Wen Yu turned her head and unexpectedly saw Madam Qi surrounded by a group of people!

Looking closely, it seemed they all had young ladies with them, giggling and chatting…

The bait had been cast; whether it worked or not, there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t join them now… Moderation was key!

The family sat down. On the stage ahead, the Prince’s dancers and musicians performed one song and dance after another.

There were snacks and tea on the table. As soon as they sat down, maids came to serve them. This was the Prince’s residence after all, everything was well-organized and luxurious…

Old Madam Wen spotted Madam Zhang. “Oh, Madam Zhang!”

Magistrate Zhang’s wife, accompanied by Zhang Moqing, Zhang Jinqing, and two other young ladies from the Zhang family, walked over.

Though Old Madam Wen’s character wasn’t exemplary, she admired Madam Zhang and hurried over. “I didn’t see you yesterday, and I was wanting to talk to you!”

“There were too many people yesterday, and these past few days have been exhausting. I left as soon as it was over.”

The young ladies of the Zhang family also started chatting and laughing with the young ladies of the Wen family.

✿✿✿

Yang Ruishi walked through the garden, surrounded by laughter, music, and the rhythmic beat of the dancers’ drums.

Those who saw her on the path only looked at her with respect and didn’t dare to approach or speak to her.

She walked slowly, taking in the scenery. The Princess Consort was right, this place was “familiar” to her.

…She was kidnapped from here, if her memory served her correctly!

So, she easily avoided the most crowded areas and headed towards a secluded spot.

Just then, Wen Yu caught sight of her.

That silhouette had a sense of detachment from the world.

Wen Yu watched silently, and the image of exploding fireworks appeared in her mind. Though beautiful, it seemed as if in the next moment, they would vanish, returning to darkness.

This feeling was suffocating.

Suddenly, a female official came over and addressed Old Madam Wen. “Are you Old Madam Wen?”

Old Madam Wen quickly replied, “I am, Madam.”

“Her Highness has a message. She will receive you in an hour. Please prepare yourselves beforehand.”

Old Madam Wen was overjoyed. “Thank you, Madam! The Wen family will be ready!”

Nurse Song discreetly handed over a beautiful embroidered pouch.

“This is a little something embroidered by the young ladies, a gift for your enjoyment,” Old Madam Wen said with a smile.

The light pouch contained a silver note.

The female official was very pleased. “You are too kind, Old Madam. There’s no need to rush. Her Highness is benevolent and won’t make things difficult!”

Hearing this, Old Madam Wen was even more delighted and repeatedly agreed…

After the official left, Old Madam Wen spoke to Madam Li and the young ladies. “Being received by Her Highness is an honor for the Wen family. From now on, you girls, don’t drink any water. Go and relieve yourselves, tidy yourselves up, and come back early. Grandmother still has things to tell you.”

The girls agreed, wanting to take advantage of the time and stroll around a bit more.

✿✿✿

Yang Ruishi walked past a small garden where a young boy and a few little girls were playing.

A servant chuckled beside them. “Young Prince, please be careful. The Princess is a young lady after all, it’s not proper for her to be running and jumping like this with you!”

The children’s laughter made her eyes sting, and she walked deeper into the woods.

Many years later, she realized that she only possessed beauty but lacked intelligence; she was even foolish!

She couldn’t do anything and couldn’t see through people’s hearts.

Prince Wu had been keeping her captive, but she was completely unaware. She considered him her heaven, her father, her brother, the most important person in her life.

She didn’t know what the outside world was like, nor was she curious. Until, on the journey south, she met her sister-in-law.

Heaven knew how much she adored her sister-in-law!

She was witty, knowledgeable, gentle, considerate, and skilled. It seemed she could do anything!

Her sister-in-law effortlessly opened a window for her, allowing her a glimpse of the outside world…

This glimpse was enough to ignite an insatiable desire. So, she went to Prince Wu and told him she wanted to go out, to have her own friends.

But Prince Wu refused, and he even stopped her from seeing her sister-in-law.

She was furious and argued with him relentlessly…

What happened next… she couldn’t understand. None of her plans came to fruition, but she was muddledly taken advantage of by Prince Wu…

And she became pregnant.

Then, she was sent here.

✿✿✿

She wasn’t afraid, nor did she understand what being pregnant meant.

She was fascinated and delighted by everything here. She even found ways to disguise herself and sneak into town, visiting Heavenly Dragon Temple, finally seeing different scenery.

But unexpectedly, she was targeted and kidnapped.

She struggled desperately, crying and making a fuss, but the two men ignored her. They treated her roughly, threatened her, and beat her.

She bled…

Only then did the two men realize she was pregnant and cursed angrily…

One said he wanted to sell her.

The other said he wanted to take her away and make her his wife.

They fought…

During this ordeal, she could do nothing but cry. Later, they took her onto a boat.

One of them, ignoring the fact that she was still bleeding, violated her…

That filthy and repulsive man violated her…

Only then did she realize how ridiculous it was to run away blindly, seeking knowledge and experience.

Finally, she found an opportunity and jumped into the river.

When she regained consciousness, several years had passed.

She was already married to Mr. Hu.

Mr. Hu was very, very good to her. He cared for her tenderly, taught her, took her out to eat, and said that if she wished, he would show her the world’s wonders, even to the ends of the earth.

But she didn’t want to anymore…

She didn’t leave the house or see guests.

She just wanted to be alone. She would spend the entire day lost in thought. When she fell ill, she would be delirious for a long time.

Mr. Hu never pressured her and stayed by her side quietly.

Until last year, Prince Wu found her.

Only then did she vaguely recall some events, but those memories made her feel nauseous and gave her headaches.

A while ago, Mr. Hu was nearly assassinated. The shock triggered her memory, and she suddenly remembered everything!

She finally remembered the conversation between the two men on the boat. One of them had said, “They want her dead. Taking her away already breaks the agreement. And you still want to marry her? Do you know who she is? Aren’t you afraid of dying?! Sell her, get a good price, and we can run away.”

Only at this moment did she understand that the disaster wasn’t caused by her own recklessness, but because she had become a thorn in someone’s side…

Who could it be? Who else would recognize her?

It was her always cheerful sister-in-law…

Prince Wu kept contacting her secretly, wanting to see her.

She also wanted to see him, to ask him about her past.

But he… only desired her body…

Then, he said he had investigated for a long time, and the conclusion was that the two men had acted on their own after seeing her beauty. After she jumped into the river, his men caught up to them, and they committed suicide.

He also said that he had investigated everyone around her and found nothing suspicious.

Nothing suspicious?

“I understand…”

✿✿✿

She sat alone in a corner, gazing at the sky. The distant bustle and excitement had nothing to do with her.

Over the years, Mr. Hu had been very good to her, never forcing her to do anything.

But she wasn’t happy. In this life, she didn’t know what true happiness was!

At this moment, a servant in black attire appeared, holding a tray and softly saying, “Madam, would you like a cup of tea?”

Yang Ruishi sat there motionless, like a stone sculpture. She asked softly, “Is there wine?”

The servant lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly. “Yes, Madam.”

“Pour me a cup!”

The servant’s posture holding the tray wasn’t perfect, but she still steadily poured a cup and handed it over.

Yang Ruishi took it, took a sip… paused, and looked down at the wine in her hand.

Then she turned and looked at the woman who had poured the wine.

The woman had delicate features and looked at her blankly. The hands holding the tray trembled slightly.

“I’ve seen you before,” Yang Ruishi said softly. “You… were very fierce towards me. Later, you even came to Mr. Hu, shouting and making a scene… What did you say? I don’t remember…”

The woman in black couldn’t speak, only staring at her blankly.

Yang Ruishi glanced at the wine in her cup again and suddenly laughed…