Chapter 4: The Imperial Decree

“You are not Scarlett!” Tiffany screamed.

She retreated behind Lady Eleanor, pointing a trembling finger.

“Scarlett is weak. Scarlett is stupid. She would never dare strike anyone!”

Scarlett stepped over the fallen guards.

“I am Scarlett.”

Her voice remained quiet, but each word carried a chilling certainty.

“I simply woke up.”

Lady Eleanor forced herself to remain composed.

“You must have suffered a terrible shock. Come inside, and I will prepare your medicine.”

“The medicine you have served me for five years?”

Scarlett’s gaze settled on her.

Lady Eleanor’s smile stiffened.

“It was prescribed for your illness.”

“It certainly had a powerful effect.” Scarlett touched one of the dark blemishes on her face. “But I think I’ve taken enough.”

A flicker of panic crossed Lady Eleanor’s eyes.

She knows.

The thought was clear on her face even though she said nothing.

Her hand shifted slightly, signaling the guards to draw their weapons.

Before they could act, a loud voice rang from the courtyard entrance.

“The Imperial Decree has arrived! All members of the Duke’s Estate shall kneel and receive the Emperor’s command!”

An elderly eunuch entered while holding a golden silk scroll above his hands. Several imperial guards followed him.

Harrison hurried behind them, his face pale and his forehead covered with sweat. When he saw the injured guards and Scarlett’s ragged appearance, rage flashed across his face.

He had no opportunity to question her.

“Kneel!” Harrison hissed.

Everyone dropped to the ground.

Scarlett studied the imperial guards before lowering herself onto one knee. It was not complete obedience, but the eunuch chose not to comment.

The scroll opened with a soft rustle.

“By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Scarlett, eldest daughter of the Duke’s Estate, is of noble birth, virtuous character, and suitable conduct. She is hereby granted in marriage to Arthur, Regent King and Grand General of the Great Yuan Dynasty. The wedding shall take place in three days. All parties shall obey without delay. Respect this decree.”

Silence followed.

Harrison bowed until his forehead touched the ground.

“We thank the Emperor for his boundless grace.”

Scarlett’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The decree praised her noble character and virtue, yet everyone in the capital supposedly believed her to be ugly and foolish. The marriage was clearly not a reward.

It was a political arrangement—or an execution disguised as one.

The eunuch handed the decree to Harrison and gave Scarlett a curious glance before leaving with the imperial guards.

The moment they were gone, Harrison rose and struck the nearest pillar with his fist.

“Scarlett!”

His voice shook with fury.

“You shameless disgrace! Do you understand what you have done?”

Scarlett stood and brushed dust from her robe.

“I returned home. Apparently, that was enough to upset everyone.”

“The Emperor has married you to a crippled monster!”

“A crippled monster?” Scarlett raised an eyebrow. “That sounds peaceful compared with this household.”

“You fool!” Harrison snapped. “Arthur was once the terror of every kingdom surrounding the Great Yuan Dynasty. He controlled half the empire’s military forces before he was poisoned. Now he is said to be paralyzed from the waist down, and his temper has become violent and unpredictable.”

Tiffany recovered enough courage to step from behind her mother.

“He has already killed three women sent to marry him,” she said with a delighted sneer. “Everyone knows it. None of them survived more than a month inside the Regent King’s estate.”

Lady Eleanor pretended to look distressed.

“Scarlett, we tried to protect you. Unfortunately, an imperial decree cannot be refused.”

Scarlett understood the situation.

Lady Eleanor and Tiffany had likely expected her to disappear before the marriage. With Scarlett dead, another daughter might have been offered in her place—or the Duke’s estate might have used the scandal to bargain for a different arrangement.

Now that she had returned, she would be delivered directly to Arthur.

Scarlett thought of the freezing man in the forest and the predatory darkness of his eyes.

Could that stranger have been Arthur?

The possibility was amusing, but she had too little information to reach a conclusion.

Tiffany folded her arms.

“Enjoy your final three days, sister. Once you enter the Regent King’s gates, you will never come out alive.”

Scarlett smiled.

“Is that a promise?”

Tiffany’s confidence faltered.

Scarlett approached until only a few steps separated them.

“Because if I survive, I will return.”

Her gaze moved from Tiffany to Lady Eleanor and finally to Harrison.

“And when I do, we will settle every account.”

Chapter 5: Purging the Venom

For the following two days, Scarlett remained inside her ruined courtyard.

Harrison forbade the servants from visiting her, partly to prevent rumors and partly because he considered her a dead woman awaiting burial. No one wanted to waste resources on a daughter destined for the Regent King’s estate.

The isolation suited Scarlett perfectly.

Before confronting her enemies, she needed to restore her body.

Through careful examination, she identified the chronic poison in her bloodstream as Ghost Weed. In small doses, it caused fatigue, confusion, memory loss, and emotional instability. With prolonged exposure, it damaged the skin and gradually weakened the meridians.

Lady Eleanor had administered it for years.

The poison explained the original Scarlett’s foolish behavior and the dark blemishes covering her face. It had also made her easier to manipulate, ensuring that no one would believe her accusations.

Scarlett sat cross-legged on the narrow bed and regulated her breathing.

“The frost energy weakened the poison’s core,” she murmured.

Her encounter with the mysterious man had done more than neutralize the aphrodisiac. The freezing toxin inside Arthur had clashed with the Ghost Weed, breaking apart several of its most dangerous components.

Without that accidental treatment, Scarlett would have required months to recover.

Even so, traces remained in her organs and meridians.

Mia, the only servant who had consistently shown kindness to the original Scarlett, secretly returned that evening carrying several bundles of herbs.

The young maid’s eyes filled with tears when she saw her mistress.

“My lady, everyone said you were missing. I thought…”

“I’m alive,” Scarlett said gently.

Mia wiped her face.

“The estate physician refused to see you, so I bought everything you requested. But these herbs are common. Can they truly help?”

“They can when prepared correctly.”

Scarlett examined the ingredients. None were rare, but each served a specific purpose. Combined in precise quantities, they would force the Ghost Weed from her bloodstream.

She crushed the herbs, added them to a small clay pot, and heated the mixture over a low flame. A foul smell soon filled the room.

Mia covered her nose.

“My lady, are you certain this is medicine?”

“Medicine is rarely required to smell pleasant.”

When the liquid turned black, Scarlett poured it into a chipped bowl and drank it without hesitation.

Pain struck almost immediately.

Her stomach felt as though it had been cut open. Heat spread through her chest, followed by waves of nausea and dizziness. Thick black sweat emerged from her pores, carrying years of accumulated toxins.

Mia rushed forward.

“My lady!”

“Stay back,” Scarlett ordered. “Whatever happens, do not interrupt me.”

She returned to the bed and used controlled breathing techniques from her previous life. Although this world’s understanding of meridians and qi differed from modern medicine, the principles of circulation, nerve control, and pressure remained familiar.

Hour after hour, Scarlett guided the toxins toward the surface.

Several times, the pain became so intense that darkness crept across her vision. She refused to surrender.

The original Scarlett had endured years of suffering without understanding why.

This single night was nothing by comparison.

Shortly before sunrise, Scarlett exhaled slowly.

The pressure inside her body vanished.

She opened her eyes.

For the first time since entering this world, her thoughts were completely clear. Her limbs felt lighter, her hearing sharper, and her breathing deeper. Even the weakness in her meridians had begun to improve.

Scarlett crossed the room and stood before the cracked bronze mirror.

She dipped a cloth into cold water and wiped the black residue from her face.

Layer by layer, the blemishes disappeared.

A face of astonishing beauty emerged beneath them.

Her skin was smooth and pale like polished jade. Her lips held a natural crimson color, while her dark eyes shone with sharp intelligence. The features once hidden beneath poison were delicate yet striking, possessing a beauty capable of drawing attention in any court.

Mia stared at her reflection.

“My lady…”

Scarlett touched her jaw.

“Not bad.”

Tears filled Mia’s eyes again.

“You were never ugly.”

“No,” Scarlett said. “I was poisoned.”

Mia’s expression changed from wonder to horror.

Scarlett placed a finger against her lips.

“Not a word to anyone.”

She understood the danger immediately. Lady Eleanor’s spies were everywhere, and the imperial marriage remained suspicious. If the household discovered that Scarlett had recovered both her appearance and intelligence, they would act before she could defend herself.

For the moment, the Ugly Fool was a useful disguise.

Scarlett mixed charcoal with yellow herbal paste. With careful strokes, she recreated the dark marks that had previously covered her skin. She changed her posture as well, lowering her shoulders and allowing her eyes to appear unfocused.

Within minutes, the breathtaking woman vanished.

The mocked eldest daughter of the Duke’s estate had returned.

Mia watched in confusion.

“Why hide your face?”

“Because people reveal their true intentions when they believe you are weak.”

Scarlett looked toward the distant walls of the estate.

Lady Eleanor believed she was still poisoned. Tiffany believed she would soon die. Harrison believed she was nothing more than a burden being sent away.

And somewhere in the capital, a dangerous man might be searching for the owner of a broken jade hairpin.

Scarlett’s lips curved into a cold smile.

“Let the show begin.”

Chapter 6: The Night Before the Storm

While the Duke’s estate prepared to send away a daughter it had long since abandoned, another storm was gathering behind the walls of the Regent King’s residence.

The estate appeared silent beneath the moonlight. Its black-tiled roofs and towering stone walls gave it the severe appearance of a military fortress rather than a royal home. Armed guards patrolled every corridor, their movements precise and disciplined. No servant spoke above a whisper, and no one lingered where they had not been ordered to stand.

At the center of the estate was an obsidian-colored study that few people were permitted to enter.

Inside, Arthur sat behind a broad wooden desk in a grand wheelchair. A thick black fur blanket covered his legs, while the dim candlelight emphasized the unnatural paleness of his face. His breathing appeared shallow, and one hand rested weakly on the arm of the chair.

To an outsider, he looked exactly as the rumors described him—a poisoned, crippled warlord waiting for death.

Only after the doors were shut and the final servant had departed did the weakness vanish from his eyes.

Arthur rose.

The movement was silent and effortless.

He cast the fur blanket aside and stepped away from the wheelchair with the controlled grace of a predator. There was no stiffness in his legs and no sign of paralysis. Although the Frost Poison still lingered within his meridians, the encounter in the forest had restored enough sensation for him to walk again.

For now, that fact remained one of the most closely guarded secrets in the Great Yuan Dynasty.

Luke stood several steps away with his head lowered. He had followed Arthur through countless battles and had seen entire armies tremble at the Regent King’s arrival, yet the pressure filling the study still made cold sweat gather along his back.

“Have you found her?” Arthur asked.

His voice was quiet.

That made the question more dangerous.

Luke immediately dropped to one knee.

“Your Highness, our men searched the forest, the nearby villages, and every road leading toward the capital. We found the remains of the Blood Sect assassins, along with traces of several poisons, but there was no clear sign of the woman.”

Arthur said nothing.

Luke lowered his head further.

“She left almost no tracks. The few footprints we discovered disappeared beside a rocky stream. Whoever she is, she knows how to conceal her trail.”

Arthur crossed the room and stopped near the window.

Moonlight fell across his face, sharpening the cold lines of his features. In one hand, he held a broken piece of jade.

It was scratched, inexpensive, and clearly belonged to a woman’s hairpin. Under ordinary circumstances, such an object would never have entered the Regent King’s study.

Yet Arthur had carried it with him since the night in the forest.

“She is not an ordinary woman,” he said.

Luke dared not disagree.

“She recognized the Frost Poison almost immediately. She understood meridians, pressure points, and the movement of toxins. More importantly, she managed to extract part of the poison without damaging my heart.”

Arthur’s fingers tightened around the jade.

Even the imperial physicians had failed to accomplish that.

Luke hesitated before asking, “Could she belong to the Blood Sect?”

“No.”

Arthur’s answer came without uncertainty.

The Blood Sect had spent years searching for a method to kill him. If the woman had been one of their people, she would have finished the task while he was helpless.

Instead, she had saved him.

Of course, her method of saving him had been so outrageous that the memory alone sent a flicker of anger through his eyes.

Arthur could still remember the heat of her body against his, the fearless mockery in her voice, and the way she had looked down at him as though he were nothing more than a convenient antidote.

No one in the empire had ever treated him with such insolence.

“Search the capital again,” Arthur ordered. “Visit the apothecaries, physicians, mercenary houses, and underground markets. Look for any woman who recently purchased herbs for poison treatment.”

Luke bowed.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Do not underestimate her. She may disguise her face, her voice, or even her identity.”

Arthur turned the jade fragment between his fingers.

“Even if you must dig beneath every street in the capital, find her.”

Luke’s expression tightened.

“Alive?”

Arthur’s gaze became unreadable.

“Alive.”

The single word left no room for interpretation.

Luke remained kneeling, but he did not leave. Arthur noticed immediately.

“What else?”

Luke took a careful breath.

“The wedding is tomorrow. The Duke’s eldest daughter, Scarlett, will arrive before sunset. How would Your Highness like the estate to receive her?”

Arthur released a quiet, humorless laugh.

The imperial marriage decree had arrived at a convenient time. Too convenient.

Everyone in the capital knew Harrison’s eldest daughter was said to be ugly, foolish, and weak. She had no political influence and no respected relatives willing to protect her.

That was precisely why the Emperor had chosen her.

A clever wife might help Arthur rebuild his power. A beautiful wife might attract allies. A daughter beloved by her family might connect the Regent King’s estate to another influential faction.

Scarlett offered none of those advantages.

To the imperial court, she was disposable.

Arthur understood the message hidden beneath the marriage decree. The Emperor wanted to humiliate him while placing a woman from Harrison’s household inside his estate. Whether Scarlett knew it or not, she could serve as a spy, a hostage, or a tool for spreading rumors.

“The Emperor thinks a useless woman will lower my guard,” Arthur said. “He believes he can place Harrison’s daughter beside me and learn what happens inside these walls.”

Luke’s expression hardened.

“Shall we prevent her from entering?”

“No. Refusing an imperial marriage would give the palace the excuse it wants.”

Arthur returned to the desk.

“Let her come.”

“And after she arrives?”

“If she understands her position and remains quiet, assign her an isolated courtyard. Give her enough food and servants to preserve appearances. She may live there without interference.”

Arthur’s eyes darkened.

“If she attempts to send information to Harrison or the palace…”

He did not finish.

He did not need to.

The temperature in the room seemed to fall.

Luke bowed until his forehead nearly touched the floor.

“Understood.”

He rose and moved toward the door, but Arthur spoke again before he could leave.

“Has the Duke’s daughter ever been associated with medicine?”

Luke paused.

“Not that we know of. Reports describe her as mentally impaired. She rarely leaves the estate and cannot read more than a few simple characters.”

Arthur’s expression remained cold, though something faintly dissatisfied entered his gaze.

“Then she is irrelevant.”

Luke departed.

The study returned to silence.

Arthur looked toward the distant western side of the capital, where the Duke’s estate stood behind its ornate walls.

He should have been thinking about the Emperor, Harrison, or the traitors who had lured him into the forest.

Instead, his mind returned to a scent.

Wild orchids.

It had lingered on the mysterious woman’s skin, delicate but unmistakable. Even now, he occasionally imagined catching the fragrance in empty corridors, and each time, an unfamiliar heat stirred beneath the frost in his blood.

Arthur lowered his gaze to the broken jade.

“Where are you?” he whispered.

The fragment creaked beneath the pressure of his fingers.

He loosened his grip before it shattered.

Whoever the woman was, he would find her.

And when he did, she would explain everything.