Outside the window, Wei Tingyu watched the scene unfold, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
It seemed that Pang Kunbai wasn't entirely without brains. In the original timeline, he had indeed followed Wang Yingxue's plan and kidnapped Dou Zhao—but at that time, Dou Zhao had merely been the unloved Second Young Miss of the Dou household.
Now, however, Dou Zhao had risen to become the honored wife of the Marquis of Jining! Even if Pang Kunbai had the courage of a tiger, he wouldn't dare to make a move against her now.
And yet, Wang Yingxue… this woman still hadn't given up on framing her!
As expected—so long as this venomous woman remained unchecked, peace would forever elude him.
Though Dou Zhao was under the protection of both himself and the Shadow Guards, as the saying went: "A thief may lurk for a thousand days, but a guard cannot stay vigilant for a thousand nights."
Having such a stepmother-in-law, constantly scheming against one's wife, was enough to rob a man of sleep!
"No… there is but one way to ensure Ming'er secures her place!"
Inside the room, Wang Yingxue paced back and forth, her fan fluttering gently in her hand. After rolling her eyes in thought, she still could not devise another plan that would help her daughter Dou Ming ascend to the position of Marchioness.
"If Pang Kunbai proves useless, I shall find another! Surely, where there is a heavy reward, there shall be a brave soul willing to act! I refuse to believe that gold cannot buy such a deed!"
What a woman! Truly obstinate to the end.
Wei Tingyu narrowed his eyes as he observed from outside. Though Wang Yingxue plotted maliciously, one could not deny her grace and allure.
Especially as she swayed with that fan in hand, her willow-like waist moving gently with each step—her posture could sway the hearts of men! Even Wei Tingyu, a man of iron will, felt his thoughts begin to waver.
It seemed that her elegance at the banquet was no act. She naturally carried such charm.
Alas, such a beautiful figure housed a heart as venomous as a serpent's!
In the world he sought to control, such women would have no place—at least, not a peaceful end.
But should he… save her from falling into the abyss while there was still time?
The thought amused him. As a man, how could he not understand such temptation?
With practiced ease, he pried open the window, creating a gap just wide enough for a man to slip through. A light leap—and he was in.
At that very moment, Wang Yingxue had just shut the door behind her. The soft thud from behind startled her. Turning swiftly, her eyes widened in shock to see a masked man—his face hidden behind a jade fox mask—leaping in from the window.
"Ah—!" she gasped, spinning toward the door to flee.
But before the scream left her throat, two chopsticks flew from the intruder's hand, striking the door latch with uncanny precision—clang! clang!—nailing it shut.
What kind of martial prowess was this? There was no escape.
Wang Yingxue was no fool. In the span of a single breath, she understood her predicament and immediately clamped both hands over her own mouth.
She knew well—screaming now would be meaningless. Even if the servants heard, they would not be able to help her.
Worse, her daughter Dou Ming was just in the next room. If she were drawn into this, it could ruin everything!
"How very perceptive of Madam," Wei Tingyu quipped with a smirk, lowering his voice as he stepped forward. He couldn't help but admire her composure. As malicious as she was, her maternal instincts were genuine.
To protect her daughter, she was willing to confront this terror in silence. Admirable, in a twisted sort of way.
"What brings Young Master to a lone woman's bedchamber at such an hour?" Wang Yingxue asked, her voice steadying as she exhaled deeply and forced a faint smile. The fear hadn't left her eyes, but she managed to suppress it.
To her mind, this man—though mysterious—clearly wasn't here to kill her. With such skill, he could've ended her life in the blink of an eye with those chopsticks. Why waste words otherwise?
If not for her life… then was it for wealth? Or… something else?
Her eyes flickered with thoughts. The man's bearing was far from that of a vulgar intruder. In fact… his posture, his presence… reminded her strangely of her son-in-law, Wei Tingyu.
But how could the dignified Marquis of Jining be sneaking into her boudoir in the dead of night? She dismissed the notion immediately. The world held many with similar faces.
"I travel through Chang'an and take great delight in unearthing the secrets hidden within noble estates," Wei Tingyu said with a casual air, flicking open his folding fan and striding forward with the ease of a dissolute nobleman. "It was mere happenstance that I passed by this courtyard and decided to take a peek."
What kind of eccentric hobby was this?
Wang Yingxue inwardly scoffed—she didn't believe a word of it. A man with such skill and poise wouldn't waste his days eavesdropping in wealthy homes. Who was he trying to fool?
"Then… did Young Master happen to hear my earlier conversation with my nephew?" she asked cautiously, more concerned with the exposure of her scheme than anything else.
"Of course I did," Wei Tingyu chuckled coldly. "The fangs of the green serpent and the sting of the yellow bee—neither are as venomous as the heart of a woman. Tonight, this Young Master has found truth in the words of the ancients."
Wang Yingxue's heart skipped a beat, but she showed no shame. She had long embraced the fact that she was a venomous woman.
"That being the case… does Young Master intend to report this lowly woman's crimes?"
What she feared most now was exposure. If word got out, not only would Dou Ming lose her chance at marrying into the Marquis' household—her name would be dragged through the mud as the daughter of a ruthless, scheming mother.
Even a common marriage might become unattainable.
"That won't be necessary," Wei Tingyu said coolly. "Besides, what benefit would it bring me to make such an accusation in court?"
"Indeed! Indeed, Young Master speaks with great wisdom!" Wang Yingxue's eyes brightened. This masked gentleman might not be an enemy after all.
Could she perhaps… persuade him to stand by her side?
A new scheme slowly took root in her mind.