Serena Feng kept telling Caleb Wang what was needed here, what was needed there. Caleb grew more and more frustrated, several times wanting to throw down his brush and walk away, but under Serena's eager gaze, he held back. And what was the result of his patience?
Just more and more demands.
Serena Feng simply had no concept of moderation.
"Serena Feng, even building a palace isn't this much trouble."
"This is for saving lives—of course it's stricter than building a palace. Hurry up, we're almost done. The sooner it's built, the sooner your brother's eyes can be healed." Serena's gaze was unwavering, making it clear to Caleb she wouldn't budge.
"You..." Caleb was so angry he wanted to tear up the drawing, but he couldn't bear to destroy his own work.
"Alright, alright, don't get so worked up. We're really almost finished. Once we're done, we can go check out the betting scene and maybe make some money off it." Serena tried to comfort Caleb with a smile.
Classic: a slap with one hand, a candy with the other.
"I'm putting up with you, but I swear I'll never work with you again. Women really are trouble." Caleb gritted his teeth and kept drawing according to Serena's demands.
Drawing should be a calm and peaceful process, but Caleb was anything but calm right now. Fortunately, his skills were excellent, and drawing a building didn't require much inspiration or artistry. Soon, Serena's ideal operating room took shape under Caleb's hand.
Serena Feng was delighted, holding the blueprint carefully in her hands, reluctant to put it down. "Caleb, you're amazing! It looks just like the real thing—it's beautiful!"
Compared to his, hers really couldn't be shown to anyone.
"Beautiful? It's just square and cold, not a trace of warmth. What kind of lousy building is this?" Caleb looked smug, though he pretended to be humble.
"You don't get it. This is exactly what I want. Only in a cold, emotionless place can I stay calm." Serena ignored Caleb, clutching the blueprint and happily heading off to find someone to start construction.
William Wang Jinling, I will make sure your eyes see light again.
Just as Serena was thriving, Princess Serenity—the one who'd invited her to the Third-Month Peach Blossom Festival—was busy smashing things in her palace, furious.
"Serena Feng, what right do you have? What right? The eldest young master actually humbled himself for you, went to Feng Manor, and risked the Wang clan's reputation!"
Bang—a waist-high vase smashed to the floor, shards flying everywhere.
"Serena Feng, what are you even worth? You don't even deserve to speak to the eldest young master!"
"Princess, Princess..." The palace maids huddled in the corners, trembling, afraid to approach yet worried the shards would hurt their mistress.
"Get out, get out! All of you, get out of my sight... ah!"
Princess Serenity let out a miserable scream as blood pooled beneath her foot.
"Quick, summon the imperial doctors—the princess is hurt!" The maids panicked, half dragging, half carrying Princess Serenity to her bed, then hurried to clean up the shards.
The imperial doctors and medical maids arrived quickly. After bandaging Princess Serenity's wound, they said, "The cut is deep. There will be a scar on the sole of the princess's foot."
Hearing this, Princess Serenity cried so hard she fainted. When the Empress arrived, she had all the palace maids beaten to death for 'neglecting their mistress.'
The maids wept and begged for mercy, but Serenity was unmoved. She clung to the Empress, sobbing, "Mother, mother, what am I going to do? What am I going to do?"
"Enough, enough. It's just a scar, and it's on the sole of your foot—no one will see it. It won't affect your marriage prospects." The Empress was nearly driven mad by the headache, but still forced herself to soothe her daughter.
"Mother..." Tears streaked Serenity's face as she crawled out of the Empress's arms. But her eyes, washed clear by crying, were now full of ruthless resolve. "Mother, issue the order to kill Serena Feng, please. I never want to see her again."
"Serenity, enough!" The Empress snapped at the mention of that name.
"Why, Mother? She's just a nobody. Please help me—kill her, won't you?" At the Empress's rebuke, Serenity stopped crying, but kept pleading in a small voice.
The Empress looked as if she had a headache, rubbing her temples. "Serenity, don't be so childish. Your father doesn't want her killed, and for some reason, your brother has forbidden me to lay a hand on her."
"How is that possible?" Princess Serenity slumped onto the bed, forgetting her injured foot. "Mother, what does Serena Feng have? Why won't Father kill her? My brother hates her—why won't he kill her? And why is the eldest Wang helping her?"
That last question was the real point.
"Stop worrying about it. Focus on healing. The Peach Blossom Festival is in three days. Serenity, if you want Serena Feng dead, then let it happen in broad daylight at the festival." The Empress's tone didn't change; to her, Serena was as insignificant as an ant. Last time she survived—this time, absolutely not.
"No, that's not good enough, Mother! If Serena Feng dies, who will treat the eldest Wang's eyes? She can die, but only after she cures him!" Serenity shook her head repeatedly.
"Serenity, give up on that idea. I will never let you marry into the Wang clan." The Empress's expression turned cold as she stood up.
Of course, she understood Serenity's intentions.
"Why not, Mother? If the eldest Wang's eyes are healed, he'll be the next head of the Wang clan. Marrying him wouldn't be beneath me."
"Serenity, that's not for you to decide. Just remember what I've told you: Serena Feng can die, but her death must not be linked to us. Now, stop worrying about the rest and focus on healing. The Peach Blossom Festival is coming." With that, the Empress left.
On her way out, she ran into Adrian Dongling, who had come to check on Serenity. She stopped him immediately.
"Adrian, Serenity is fine. Come, keep your mother company for a while."
Adrian Dongling nodded. In the evening light, dressed in purple, he was strikingly handsome.
Seeing this son, a trace of pride flashed in the Empress's eyes—quickly hidden away.
Back at her palace, the Empress dismissed all the maids and eunuchs. "Adrian, what do you make of the Wang clan's high-profile support for Serena Feng?"
"Edward Wang Su is an old fox—he'd never do anything that isn't to his own advantage. There must be some benefit in this." Adrian Dongling's tone was calm, but his furrowed brow showed his displeasure.
He had just punished Serena Feng, and now the Wang clan was publicly backing her. Wasn't this a direct challenge to him?
"What is it about Serena Feng that makes the Wang clan intervene? Or maybe they're just using this to show they're not on our side." The Empress was deeply worried; the situation was far too complicated.
The Wang clan's bold move shattered the peace of the imperial capital.
If the Wang clan wasn't allied with the Seventh Prince, then other princes—including the Crown Prince—could start courting them.
"Mother, if Serena Feng can restore William Wang Jinling's sight, does that mean she could also cure the Crown Prince's illness?" Adrian Dongling ventured.
His biggest advantage was the Crown Prince's short life expectancy. If Serena Feng cured him, the Crown Prince would become a true rival.
If that happened, then Serena Feng—this woman as insignificant as dust—would hold the fate of Eastlyn in her hands.
The Empress's face changed dramatically. "Adrian, Serena Feng cannot be allowed to remain."
"Maybe she isn't that capable. The Crown Prince's illness is a heart defect—no one in history has ever cured it." Adrian Dongling tried to reassure the Empress, though he himself doubted Serena Feng's abilities.
The Crown Prince's heart has a hole in it. Even if Serena Feng had miraculous skills, she couldn't take out his heart and mend it!