Prince Nolan slowed his pace—not just to accommodate Beanie’s injuries, but because there was still no official explanation for Master Wenyuan’s death.
Until the ‘true culprit’ behind Master Wenyuan’s murder was found, Prince Nolan would not return to the Capital and risk giving the Emperor an excuse to move against him.
Prince Rowan’s personal guards and Princess Vivian’s party, having heard that Prince Nolan was also heading to the Capital, kindly waited for them on the road. But after several days with no sign of Nolan, they discovered he hadn’t gone north at all—he’d gone south.
Prince Rowan’s guards were shocked, unable to believe Prince Nolan dared to head for Jiangnan. Traveling to the Jiangnan prince’s fiefdom without an imperial decree—if taken seriously, that’s tantamount to rebellion.
On receiving this news, Rowan’s guards were energized, immediately sending a letter back and racing day and night to return to the Capital, eager to watch Prince Nolan’s downfall.
But this forced march soon brought trouble: Princess Vivian fell ill—and seriously so.
Haunted by guilt over Master Wenyuan’s death, burdened by heavy thoughts, and pushed through endless travel—even riding in a carriage, Princess Vivian couldn’t endure it.
When illness struck, treatment was needed, causing delays on the road. Rowan’s guards grew anxious, but unable to abandon Princess Vivian, they started subtly and openly making things difficult for her.
A Southlyn princess with no support in Eastlyn—Rowan’s guards didn’t truly respect Princess Vivian, only offering surface-level courtesy in the past.
Neglected and cold-shouldered, Princess Vivian’s spirits sank, her condition worsened, and soon she was so ill she could barely get out of bed.
“Princess Vivian is ill.” When Prince Nolan received this news, he immediately shared it with Serena.
“Did you do something?” Serena’s first reaction was suspicion.
Prince Nolan shot Serena an annoyed look. “I wouldn’t stoop so low as to target a defenseless woman.”
“Then congratulations on your words coming true—Princess Vivian really is gravely ill.” Serena quickly changed tack and asked, “How did she get sick? She’s not exactly a frail girl.”
“She’s a princess—naturally pampered and delicate. Forced to travel day and night, she couldn’t handle it. Add in her unresolved guilt and anxiety, and it’s no surprise she fell ill. Remember, Princess Vivian may be scheming, but she’s only a teenager. She never expected Master Wenyuan’s death and feels deeply guilty.
On top of that, with Master Wenyuan dead and Prince Damien defeated, she has no way out. If she returns to Southlyn, she’ll be killed—neither Prince Nathan nor House Zhan will spare her. The Empress and Prince Rowan are her last hope. If Rowan’s guards neglect her, anxiety and despair could easily make her seriously ill.” Prince Nolan hadn’t seen it firsthand, but his guess was almost certainly right.
“I feel sorry for her—a pitiful woman who ran into that psychopath Prince Damien. Anyone would lose their mind.”
Su Wan, Su Rou, and the late Concubine Su—so many Summers women had their futures ruined by Prince Damien. And the man who destroyed them all is himself a member of the Summers clan.
“She won’t die yet. I’ve already sent someone to save her. Letting her die of illness would be too easy. More importantly, Princess Vivian’s trump card hasn’t even been played—if she died now, it’d be a waste.”
“For a moment I thought you really couldn’t bear to let her die. After all, she’s a woman you spent effort on.” Serena looked at Prince Nolan, half-smiling, reminding him of what happened in Southlyn.
Prince Nolan coughed awkwardly and looked away. “At the time, I was just testing her.”
“Testing her? Who are you kidding? Back then, Princess Vivian didn’t have this kind of scheming. She only became what she is now because of you all. If Prince Damien hadn’t fallen, she would’ve quietly lived as a Southlyn princess, spent some time in Eastlyn with Yana Zhan, and eventually returned home with Master Wenyuan.
With her royal status and Master Wenyuan’s reputation, she could have married into a noble family and lived a peaceful, ordinary life. But because of your power struggles, you pushed her onto the political stage. You ruined her life—and Yana’s too.” Serena had wanted to say this for a long time, but never found the chance. Now that Prince Nolan brought it up, she let it all out.
Serena’s words were sharp. Prince Nolan stared at her in shock for a long time before finally saying, “Standing at the center of power, I had no choice. If I hadn’t seized the chance to bring down Prince Damien, I don’t know when I could have toppled him.”
Dealing with a foreign prince isn’t as simple as outsiders think. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have needed to scheme for so many years.
“So women like us are destined to be sacrificed for your ambitions.” Serena thought of what happened to her in Prince Damien’s hands, tears glimmering in her eyes.
If she hadn’t had some ability to protect herself, her fate would have been even worse than Princess Vivian’s.
Serena closed her eyes, choking back a sob. “You know, when I fell into Prince Damien’s hands, I nearly died. If it hadn’t been for the women of Heartshadow Pavilion, you’d have found only my corpse.”
That danger was brought on by Prince Nolan, yet afterwards he never said a word—not even a single expression of concern.
“Serena, I…” Prince Nolan reached out, wanting to pull her into his arms, but Serena dodged him.
Serena blinked away her tears and forced a smile. “Why bring this up? It’s all in the past. I survived, didn’t I?”
Precisely because she survived, Prince Nolan felt no guilt and never considered himself at fault.
Maybe only after she died would Prince Nolan realize that even the most perfect plan can go wrong—and one small accident could cost her life.
She’s human, not a deity. She can’t always be lucky enough to escape unharmed.
Serena’s accusation, and the meaning behind her words—Prince Nolan understood, but…
“Serena, any woman who stands with me is destined to face such dangers. I walk a razor’s edge—every step must be cautious, yet bold, even risking my life. Otherwise, even if I don’t fall, my end will still be disastrous.” Prince Nolan pulled Serena into his arms again. This time, she didn’t resist, though she was a little stiff.
Leaning against Prince Nolan’s chest, Serena stared blankly ahead, her eyes clouded with confusion.
Sometimes she felt exhausted, but she couldn’t bring herself to give up. She’d been working hard to build her own power, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t keep up with Prince Nolan.
She had only just gained a foothold in Eastlyn, and Prince Nolan had already moved into Southlyn. By the time she was ready to go to Southlyn, he’d already withdrawn.
“What should I do?” Serena buried her face in Prince Nolan’s chest, whispering softly.
Prince Nolan heard her but didn’t answer—he simply patted her back gently, offering silent comfort.
Serena had already done extraordinarily well—it was Prince Nolan’s reckless stride that made it so hard for her to keep up…
It wasn’t Serena’s fault—it was his.