The Vicious Woman and the White Moonlight are both me - Chapter 18

Pei Chengyun had no interest in the Qixi Festival banquet—actually, none of the young men present cared for this kind of gathering. They were merely there as a decoration. So, now that they were free to move around, he naturally wanted to head somewhere quieter. By coincidence, he ran into Third Imperial Brother and the others.

“Fifth Brother, what should we do with the trinket that Princess Zhaohua gave you?”

Sixth Princess held up the trinket. Pei Chengyun shot it a glance and replied irritably, “You were the one who took it willingly. Why are you asking me what to do with it now?”

The thing was easy to accept but difficult to deal with. If he threw it away or gave it to someone else, it would be disrespectful to Song Zhaoyan. So, of course, he had no choice but to keep it.

Pei Yarong had deliberately asked the unnecessary question.

While they were talking, the group arrived at a pavilion and naturally heard the sounds coming from inside.

“What’s going on? Is someone hurt?” Pei Chengxuan said, immediately giving Pei Yalong and Pei Yayu a meaningful look.

Pei Chengyun’s expression was full of confusion. He remembered that Pei Chengxuan had suggested earlier that all the siblings walk together, so he had dismissed the palace attendants—meaning none of them had any servants with them now.

Standing closest to the pavilion, Pei Chengyun didn’t lift the curtain to check. Instead, he said to Sixth Princess and Seventh Princess. “From the sound of it, it’s a young woman. Who knows what’s happened? To avoid suspicion, why don’t the two of you go take a look?”

However, Sixth Princess and Seventh Princess shrank back, retreating several steps saying, “Fifth Brother, I don’t dare.”

Their reaction didn’t arouse Pei Chengyun’s suspicion. After all, no one knew what was happening inside. If someone was injured and there was bl00d everywhere, it would indeed be frightening.

But Pei Chengyun still felt uneasy. He glanced at Pei Chengxuan, who immediately said, “Fifth Brother, why don’t I go check with you?”

Pei Chengxuan understood that if he also refused, Pei Chengyun would definitely start to suspect something, so he spoke up first.

Unfortunately for him, Pei Chengyun hesitated. “Perhaps we should send someone to inform the Empress instead.”

“Oh, come now. Even if we’re going to tell the Empress, we still need to know what actually happened before we can report it properly!”

Pei Chengyun had no choice but to nod, and the two of them headed toward the pavilion to investigate.

The two approached together, and just as Pei Chengyun lifted the curtain, Pei Chengxuan—his mind full of calculations—suddenly shoved him hard from behind. Although Pei Chengyun had been on guard the entire time, he was still caught off guard and naturally fell inside.

Having trained in martial arts since childhood, he reacted quickly. He immediately reached back and yanked Pei Chengxuan in with him.

The Sixth Princess and Seventh Princess were shocked by the sudden turn of events. After exchanging a glance, they hurriedly lifted their skirts and rushed forward, pulling Pei Chengxuan out.

However, as soon as they stepped inside, they felt a blur before their eyes—then a strong hand struck them from behind, shoving them violently into the pavilion as well.

Zhan Xinyue sat motionless behind the artificial rockery like a wooden puppet, staring blankly at everything unfolding before her. Her eyes were filled with disbelief.

Everything that had happened in the palace today had completely overturned her understanding of the world.

Who had slipped her that paper ball? Who was trying to help her? Who was that expert who had crossed moves with her just now? Had her encounter with the Ninth Prince been intentional? And what was going on with the Third and Fifth Princes?

It was summer, and her clothes were thin. Her damp sleeve brushed against her skirt, and her thigh could already feel the faint chill of spilled wine.

If she really had drunk the wine and fallen for the trap, and the Third Prince had pushed the Fifth Prince into the pavilion… wouldn’t her reputation and the Fifth Prince’s be ruined together?

Who was plotting against her?

Countless questions flashed through Zhan Xinyue’s mind, yet she couldn’t find a single answer.

She watched that figure emerge from the pavilion, toss something back inside, and then, from the lowest edge of the curtain, a faint white smoke began to rise.

Then, that figure returned to the back of the artificial rockery, standing beside Zhan Xinyue, while no one inside the pavilion came out. Instead, bursts of laughter—men’s and women’s—floated from within.

A moment ago, Zhan Xinyue had only shocked. Now, she was truly afraid.

She couldn’t defeat this person. She didn’t even know who they were—only that they were a master. Not only that, but she felt like a fish lying out on the chopping board.

This expert had saved her, yet they were framing two princes and two princesses.

Acting so boldly—weren’t they afraid of being discovered and punished by His Majesty?

Aside from her eyes, Zhan Xinyue couldn’t move at all. Curiosity about the person beside her mixed with worry for the Ninth Prince.

Their encounter just now—had it been deliberate?

This scheme against the princes and princesses inside the pavilion—was it something orchestrated by the Ninth Prince?

If the Ninth Prince had no power of his own, then… could it be that Princess Zhaohua was the one behind all this?

The thought flashed through Zhan Xinyue’s mind, startling even herself.

Princess Zhaohua had someone this skilled at her side? Did His Majesty or the Empress know? What exactly was Princess Zhaohua trying to do?

She had guessed the process was wrong, but the conclusion was right. She simply had no way of saying it aloud.

As for Pei Shen, who had yet to return—he wasn’t doing so on purpose. He knew very well that with his status, no one would pay attention to his pleas for help. The only person he could turn to was Song Zhaoyan.

But his attempt to seek help had been blocked by Xuezhi. Not only did she stop him, she even said that if Pei Shen came back, he must wait here and wasn’t allowed to go anywhere.

Pei Shen was burning with anxiety, still worrying about Zhan Xinyue, who was alone.

After all, a girl who had grown up on the border probably hadn’t seen the treacherous side of the deep palace. To be drugged and trapped the first time she entered the palace—now that he had crossed paths with her. If he didn’t save her, wouldn’t he regret it for the rest of his life?

So, he ignored Xuezhi’s obstruction and charged inside with all his strength, shouting loudly for Song Zhaoyan, even if she woke up and blamed him afterward.

Xuezhi panicked. If Pei Shen really woke Princess Zhaohua, her anger was something they absolutely could not endure.

She immediately ordered the attendants to restrain Pei Shen and gag him.

Bound so tightly he couldn’t move, Pei Shen was filled only with regret. If he had gone directly to the Empress, he might still have had a chance to save Zhan Xinyue.

He had no idea what state Zhan Xinyue was in now.

______________

Pei Chengxuan had planned everything from the start. After he lured Pei Chengyun to the rear courtyard, someone was supposed to come and “accidentally” catch Pei Chengyun and Zhan Xinyue in a compromising situation.

That task had been assigned to the Sixth and Seventh Princesses. They had invited several young ladies, announcing that in a short while they would search the rear courtyard for hidden treasures. Whoever found the items they had hidden would receive a mysterious reward.

This treasure hunt was far more entertaining than the Empress’s official games, so the young ladies quickly spread the word. Before long, quite a few young men and women had gathered.

One step linked to another—Pei Chengxuan and his group’s scheme was truly vicious.

Song Zhaoyan crouched down, her gaze fixed on the distant crowd. She patted Zhan Xinyue’s shoulder and said,

“When you head out later, if you want to watch the show, blend in at the back of the crowd. If you don’t, then leave this troublesome place as quickly as you can.”

With that, Song Zhaoyan released the pressure point, sealing Zhan Xinyue’s movements. Her figure blurred into an afterimage—so fast that Zhan Xinyue couldn’t even see her clearly—before vanishing entirely.

Zhan Xinyue moved her limbs gently, testing her body. She watched as the crowd laughed and walked forward until strange sounds drifted out from the pavilion. The crowd froze in shock.

That sound… what was going on?

They had come here for a treasure hunt, so what had they stumbled upon instead?

Once everyone was sure they had all heard the noises from inside the pavilion, someone immediately ran off to inform the Empress.

People at the scene exchanged bewildered glances. No one dared lift the curtain to check what was happening.

Even those who knew part of the plan looked completely stunned. They had been told that Miss Zhan would be the one embarrassed, but clearly there was more than one woman’s voice inside. What in the world was going on?

After all, this was the imperial palace and there was more than one voice coming from inside. Who knew who might be in the pavilion? If they accidentally walked in on some noble’s private affair, wouldn’t they be the ones punished?

Just then, someone suddenly said, “Could it be that Princess Zhaohua is inside?”

The moment those words fell, the confusion on everyone’s faces shifted into barely concealed excitement—like spectators ready for a good show.

Catching other princes or princesses in an embarrassing situation wasn’t that frightening. But catching Song Zhaoyan? That was something they absolutely had to see.

There was safety in numbers. They refused to believe that no matter how much His Majesty favored Princess Zhaohua, he would punish all the officials’ sons and daughters just to protect her.

With that thought, eagerness flickered into everyone’s eyes.

Zhan Xinyue wanted to leave, but she had barely taken a few steps when she saw the Empress already hurrying toward them with her attendants.

She didn’t know the palace well, and she had never been to the Penglai Pavilion before. She had no idea where else she could go to escape.

Helpless, she could only return and blend into the crowd when the opportunity arose.

She knew exactly what was happening inside but didn’t say a word.

Finally, someone bold enough stepped forward and lifted the curtain. Once one person moved, a second and third followed. Afraid of missing the best viewing spot, everyone surged forward.

But when they saw what was inside, the crowd screamed in shock. The young ladies from noble families immediately covered their eyes and stumbled backward.

Naturally, there was nothing romantic or indecent happening in the pavilion. Song Zhaoyan wouldn’t stoop so low as to use aphrodisiacs. Instead, she had exchanged something from the system, like wushi powder—something that caused hallucinations, nothing more.

The items had been placed in the sachet, mixed with the last bit of hallucinatory smoke. By now, the smoke had mostly dissipated. Even if someone investigated, they wouldn’t find anything. In the end, it would likely just be dismissed as drunken misbehavior.

The four people inside each had very different illusions. The Sixth and Seventh Princesses wanted nothing more than to beat Song Zhaoyan, venting years of suppressed anger. Each assumed the other was Song Zhaoyan and tore at one another viciously.

Pei Chengyun and Pei Chengxuan needed no explanation. Both harbored ambitions for the crown. In their eyes, the person before them was the ailing Crown Prince Pei Chenghao. A dying heir naturally stirred their deepest desires—they wanted to eliminate him personally, leaving the way clear for the throne.

So, both struck with lethal force, showing no mercy.

Summer clothes were already thin, and with such brutal fighting, they were torn and ruffled even more.

By now, all four were bruised, their hair and clothing in disarray. The surrounding young men and women turned away to avoid witnessing indecency, though they couldn’t resist stealing curious glances.

The light outside the pavilion finally seemed to bring a measure of clarity. The fighting and tearing gradually ceased.

The four looked at each other with dazed eyes, then at everyone outside the pavilion.

Zhan Xinyue, blending into the crowd, felt as if time had frozen. The dense mass of people around her stood completely silent.

It wasn’t until the Seventh Princess could no longer hold back and let out a sharp scream that the silence was finally broken.

“Ah——”

Those who hadn’t yet realized what was happening scrambled, hastily pulling back the curtains and rushing out of the pavilion.

Some who had been standing farther away tried to leave this troublesome place as quickly as possible. But it was already too late—the Empress had arrived in the rear courtyard with her attendants.

“What happened? Why are you all gathered here?”

No one dared answer. The young men and women from noble families knelt in a line, and all that could be heard from the pavilion were continuous sobs.

On the way here, the Empress had already learned the general outline of the situation. Now, she was furious beyond measure.

Someone had dared to cause trouble at a banquet she organized! If she found out who it was, she would have them torn limb from limb without mercy!

“Everyone, go to the front hall. Men and women, separate. Do not discuss this matter. Zou Wenkang, go summon His Majesty. Qiu Sui, send the clothing inside!”

After giving her orders, the attendants efficiently carried them out.

On the way to the front hall, no one dared to look back or whisper. Their minds were still unsettled. Some had genuinely come for the treasure hunt, while others had hoped to watch a spectacle. None had expected to stumble upon such a scene.

Princes and princesses fighting each other—if rumors spread, a schemer could twist it into accusations of incestuous misconduct between siblings!

The front hall was nearly in chaos. Upon receiving the news, Xuezhi went quickly to the side hall to wake Song Zhaoyan.

Song Zhaoyan sat up, still annoyed, letting Xuezhi arrange her hair.

“What’s the matter? Why are you in such a hurry to wake me up!”

“A major incident, Princess,” Xuezhi quickly recounted what she knew to Song Zhaoyan. Despite being aware of the situation, Song Zhaoyan feigned surprise.

“Really? Do you know who did it?”

“This servant doesn’t know, Princess. But His Majesty is enraged and has already rushed to Penglai Pavilion. Princess, you must be careful with your words when you speak!”

No sooner had Xuezhi finished than the chief eunuch at His Majesty’s side arrived at the side hall to deliver a message.

“Princess Zhaohua, His Majesty summons you!”

Song Zhaoyan glanced at him from afar, curling her lips into a slight smile.

“Understood. I’ll be there immediately!”