With Caleb Wang's face full of worry, Serena Feng stepped into the Royal Country Villa under the escort of the imperial guards.
Watching Serena Feng disappear into the villa, the unease on Caleb Wang's face only deepened. "General Yu, I can't shake the feeling that something will happen to Serena inside."
"Trouble will definitely arise, but who's going to suffer isn't so clear. Serena Feng is the kind who takes everything in stride, but she never lets herself be taken advantage of. Relax, she won't die." General Warren Yu patted Caleb Wang's shoulder, signaling him to move along.
As long as Serena Feng is alive, she must appear at the Peach Blossom Festival. Only if she dies could she avoid attending—otherwise, Princess Serenity would use it as an excuse to punish her.
The Peach Blossom Festival is a women's event—aside from imperial guards and eunuchs, no ordinary men are allowed inside. Even if he wanted to help Serena Feng, he couldn't.
"But I really am worried about her. My brother is still waiting for her to treat his eyes—if she dies, what happens to him?" Caleb Wang was half-dragged, half-hoisted onto a horse by General Warren Yu.
General Warren Yu's group rode back to the city in a grand procession.
"Can Serena Feng really cure your brother's eyes?" General Warren Yu rode closer to Caleb Wang.
He'd thought this was just a scheme by William Wang Jinling to help Serena Feng, but it turned out to be real.
"She can. Serena Feng said she's ninety percent sure." Caleb Wang nodded firmly—there was no room for lies in this matter, because the consequences would be huge.
"Is that so..." General Warren Yu dragged out his words, secretly wondering if he should join the betting pool in the capital. After all, he had insider information—he couldn't lose.
Serena Feng, didn't you say, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you'll never lose a hundred battles?"
Don't worry, I'll make good use of that advice.
All the way, General Warren Yu kept probing for information about Serena Feng. Caleb Wang knew he was doing it on purpose, but still ended up telling him everything—both what he should and shouldn't say.
The Wang clan needed to cultivate goodwill with General Warren Yu. All their previous ties had been spent rescuing Serena Feng this time. Of course, Caleb kept quiet about the corneal transplant—he'd sworn an oath.
One was willing to ask, one was willing to answer—General Warren Yu and Caleb Wang chatted easily all the way. When they parted, Caleb imitated Serena Feng's bold style and promised to treat General Yu to drinks another day.
Serena Feng had no idea that the drinking culture among Eastlyn officials was actually sparked by her.
......
Outside the Royal Country Villa, Lance Quinn shook his head in the shadows. He glanced at the red walls and blue tiles of the villa, hesitated a moment, then quietly slipped inside.
"Serena Feng, you really aren't simple. I want to see just how much you can impress me."
If he hadn't accidentally overheard Princess Serenity talking with her maids, Lance Quinn wouldn't have bothered with Serena Feng's troubles. After all, the debt between them was already settled.
The Royal Country Villa was heavily guarded—even Lance Quinn couldn't move freely inside.
As Serena Feng walked farther in, the path became more and more remote. She sensed something was wrong, but with two guards leading the way and two following behind, she tried asking several times—each time, they just said, "We're almost there..."
Heh... Serena Feng let out a light laugh, acting unconcerned as she kept walking forward.
General Yu's personal soldiers saw her enter the villa—if she died tragically here, how would the royals explain themselves?
Serena Feng was certain Princess Serenity wouldn't dare make things too obvious.
Sure enough, after passing through a peach blossom grove, Serena Feng was led by the guards to a side courtyard. Waiting outside were palace maids and eunuchs. As soon as Serena arrived, two maids with cinched waists and exposed chests swayed over to her.
Serena Feng was momentarily dazed—it felt just like stepping into the Tang Dynasty.
"Miss Feng, the princess requests your presence." The two maids looked at her with thinly veiled contempt, as if waiting for a good show.
Serena Feng nodded and, guided by the maids, stepped into the small courtyard.
Creak...
The moment Serena Feng stepped into the courtyard, the door slammed shut behind her. The fresh scent of peach blossoms was locked outside, replaced by a cloying, sickly-sweet fragrance that clung to the air...
Something's wrong!
Serena sniffed the air, subtly sizing up the two palace maids. She noticed the seductive look in their eyes and the flush blooming across their cheeks, like scattered peach blossoms.
Even if Serena were an idiot, she’d know by now that there was something wrong with this scent. She slowed her pace and adjusted her breathing, trying to limit the drug’s effect.
Just as she neared the doorway, Serena’s steps suddenly faltered.
Ouch...
She collapsed to the ground, her whole body seeming to give out.
“Miss Feng, are you alright?” The two maids turned in alarm, a hint of panic in their eyes.
As expected, there was something wrong with the room.
Serena lowered her head, hiding the sharp glint in her eyes. She put on her most pitiful voice: "Sisters, I think I twisted my ankle. I can't walk anymore."
She even tried to squeeze out a few tears, but barely managed it—her eyes just turned red and watery.
"How did you even twist your ankle? Miss Feng, you really are careless." The two maids grumbled, but seeing Serena about to cry, they held back further complaints.
Suppressing their unease, the maids bent down, one on each side, and supported Serena: "It's fine, we’ll help you inside. The princess is waiting—you mustn’t keep her waiting."
With that, they ignored her protests and half-dragged, half-pulled Serena to her feet.
"No, really, sisters, you don’t have to trouble yourselves." Serena protested weakly, but her frail act was convincing—soon, the maids had her up and were dragging her toward the room.
As they neared the doorway, the two maids finally relaxed. But just then, Serena dropped her weak act.
"Sorry about this, sisters."
Serena spun and lunged at one of the maids, pulling out her anesthetic. With a swift motion, she jabbed the needle into the maid’s carotid artery.
The maid cried out in pain and struggled, but Serena ignored her. She turned on the second maid, ready to inject the rest of the anesthetic, but the woman panicked, shoved Serena away with all her strength, and broke free.
"Help! Somebody help!" the maid screamed. With a loud bang, she crashed the door open.
Inside, four men stood, their faces flushed and eyes wild. Their shirts had been ripped off, bodies radiating feverish, animal hunger as they fought to restrain themselves.
When they spotted the maid and Serena, their eyes lit up. Drool seemed to glisten at the corners of their mouths.
"Princess Serenity, you’re truly ruthless." Serena took one look and instantly understood the trap.
To be raped at the Peach Blossom Festival...
Serenity wanted nothing more than to ruin her utterly.
A royal princess, resorting to such filthy tricks—disgusting.
At that moment, Serena couldn’t spare a thought for the maid. She spun and bolted for the door.
Escape—she had to get out, or she was finished.
"Quick! Catch her, that's Serena Feng! Don’t let her escape!" The maid, sprawled on the floor, shouted to the four men inside.
Though drugged by the aphrodisiac in the air, the four men hadn’t entirely lost their senses. Hearing the maid’s cry, they charged out after Serena.
Bastards!
Serena sprinted for the gate as fast as she could.
She knew that if she could just get out of this courtyard, she’d be safe.
This might be a royal villa, but even Princess Serenity couldn’t cover the sky with one hand. What she’d done was filthy—she’d never dare let these men appear in front of everyone.
At that moment, a chilling thought flashed through Serena’s mind:
Wendy Wan, her old maid—was she raped and killed on Serenity’s orders? Was Serena’s humiliating awakening in the wilderness after her aborted wedding also Serenity’s doing?
If so, then the royal family was truly rotten. Even an unmarried girl could stoop to such depravity.
At last, Serena reached the gate—but...