摘要：今日，是她青梅竹马的未婚夫，景渊侯柳寻安，迎娶丞相千金的大喜之日。而她，这个被他嫌弃貌丑、当众退婚的前未婚妻，却被亲生父亲和继母像拖死狗一样，从将军府的偏僻小院里拽了出来，押到了这喜气洋洋的侯府大堂。
“云知微，侯爷开恩，许你侧室之位，还不跪下谢恩？”
继母尖利刻薄的声音像一根淬毒的针，狠狠扎进云知微的耳膜。
今日，是她青梅竹马的未婚夫，景渊侯柳寻安，迎娶丞相千金的大喜之日。而她，这个被他嫌弃貌丑、当众退婚的前未婚妻，却被亲生父亲和继母像拖死狗一样，从将军府的偏僻小院里拽了出来，押到了这喜气洋洋的侯府大堂。
“寻安，你……你当真要如此羞辱我？”云知微抬起头，半边脸颊上那块狰狞的红色胎记，在满堂的红绸映衬下，显得愈发丑陋可怖。泪水模糊了她的视线，她看着那个曾许诺她一生一世的男人，如今正意气风发地站在高堂之上，身边依偎着貌美如花的丞相千金。
柳寻安的目光扫过她的脸，没有半分怜惜，只有毫不掩饰的厌恶和一丝施舍般的不耐：“云知微，本侯念在与你自幼相识的情分上，才愿给你一个名分。你这副尊容，能入我侯府做侧室，已是你天大的福气，别不识抬举。”
“哈哈哈哈！”满堂宾客爆发出哄堂大笑。
“将军府的丑八怪，侯爷肯收了她，真是菩萨心肠啊！”
“可不是嘛，你看她那张脸，晚上看了都得做噩梦！”
“能给丞相千金做洗脚婢都是抬举了，还想当正妻？”
这些话语像无数把刀子，将云知微本就破碎的心凌迟得血肉模糊。她的父亲，镇国将军云长雄，非但没有为女儿说一句话，反而厉声呵斥：“孽女！侯爷宽宏大量，你还不快跪下叩头谢恩？非要丢尽我将军府的脸面吗？”
继母王氏更是直接上前，一把按住她的肩膀，想强迫她跪下。
“不……”云知微拼尽全身力气挣扎，“我云知微便是死，也不为妾！”
屈辱、背叛、绝望……所有情绪在这一刻冲上了她的头顶。她看着柳寻安那张冷漠的脸，看着父亲和继母狰狞的嘴脸，看着满堂宾客的嘲讽与鄙夷，心中最后一丝眷恋也化为了灰烬。
她猛地挣脱王氏的钳制，用尽此生最大的力气，狠狠撞向了大殿中那根雕龙刻凤的赤金梁柱！
“砰——！”
一声闷响，鲜血顺着她的额头瞬间流下，染红了她的眼。世界在旋转，耳边的嘲笑声渐渐远去。她感觉到，自己脖子上挂着的那枚母亲留下的贴身玉佩，正被她温热的鲜血浸透。
就在她意识即将消散的瞬间，那枚玉佩骤然发出一道灼热的光芒，直冲她的眉心！
【神医传承开启……】
【九转回魂针……天香续命丹……百草经……毒经总纲……】
无数陌生的记忆和知识，如同决堤的洪水，疯狂涌入她的脑海。那些晦涩的医理、精妙的针法、神奇的丹方，仿佛在一瞬间就成了她与生俱来的本能。
她脑中一片清明，原本因撞击而昏沉的头脑，此刻竟前所未有的清晰。身体的痛楚还在，但心中的懦弱与自卑，却被一股冰冷的恨意和决然所取代。
原来，她脸上这块根本不是胎记，而是一种名为“血色蛛网”的慢性奇毒，常年累月侵蚀她的容貌和身体。原来，她母亲并非病逝，而是被人下毒谋害！
原来，她过去十六年活得如此卑微，如此可笑！
“还愣着干什么？把这个不知好歹的贱人拖下去，别污了侯爷和新夫人的眼！”王氏见她没死，气急败坏地吼道。
两个粗壮的婆子立刻上前，就要来拖拽云知微。
就在这时，一个清冷如冰雪，却带着无上威严的声音，从大门外悠悠传来。
“我看谁敢动她。”
声音不大，却像一道惊雷，瞬间让整个喧闹的大堂陷入死一般的寂静。
众人骇然回头，只见一个身着玄色锦袍的男子，坐在一张紫檀木轮椅上，被缓缓推了进来。他面容俊美如天神，却苍白得没有一丝血色，眉眼间笼罩着一股挥之不去的阴郁戾气。一双修长的腿无力地搭在踏板上，昭示着他的残疾。
可即便他坐在轮椅上，那股睥睨天下、生杀予夺的气势，也压得在场所有人喘不过气来。
是……是摄政王世子，封决尘！
那个传闻中权倾朝野、喜怒无常，因坠马残疾后变得更加暴戾嗜血的活阎王！他怎么会来这里？
柳寻安脸色一白，连忙躬身行礼：“不……不知世子殿下大驾光临，有失远迎，恕罪恕罪！”
封决尘连眼皮都未曾抬一下，他的目光越过所有人，径直落在了额头淌血、狼狈不堪的云知微身上。那双深不见底的黑眸里，情绪难辨。
他身后的侍卫上前一步，手中展开一卷明黄色的婚书，声音洪亮地宣读：“景渊侯柳寻安与将军府庶女云知微，八字不合，婚约作废。钦此！”
婚书作废？
柳寻安一愣，随即心中涌起一阵快意。他正愁这门亲事退得不够彻底，没想到摄政王世子竟帮他解决了这个麻烦。他连忙叩首：“谢世子殿下！”
然而，侍卫接下来的话，却让他脸上的笑容瞬间凝固。
只听侍卫收起婚书，冷冷地扫了柳寻安一眼，继续道：“本世子的人，也配给你做妾？”
什么？！
本世子的人？
在场所有人脑子都“嗡”的一声，彻底懵了。
封决尘的侍卫再次展开一卷圣旨，高声宣读：“奉天承运，皇帝诏曰：兹闻将军府庶女云知微，娴熟大方，温良敦厚……特将其指婚于摄政王世子封决尘为正妃，择日完婚。钦此！”
正妃！
这两个字如同一道天雷，劈在每个人的天灵盖上！
刚才还被所有人鄙夷唾弃、连做妾都不配的丑八怪，转眼间，就要成为当朝权势最盛的摄政王世子妃了？！
柳寻安的脸瞬间涨成了猪肝色，他引以为傲的侯爷身份，在摄政王世子面前，连提鞋都不配！他刚刚还像丢垃圾一样丢掉的女人，一眨眼就成了他必须跪拜的皇婶！
这简直是天底下最荒唐、最讽刺的笑话！
丞相千金，也就是今天的新娘子林婉儿，更是嫉妒得快要发疯。她费尽心机才抢来的侯夫人之位，跟世子妃比起来，简直就是个笑话！
她看着一身狼狈却被无上荣光笼罩的云知微，眼中的恶毒几乎要溢出来。她娇躯一晃，发出一声惊呼，软软地向后倒去，做出一副西子捧心的柔弱模样：“哎呀，我……我头好晕……”
她身边的丫鬟立刻尖叫起来：“夫人！夫人您怎么了？是不是这个丑八怪冲撞了您，让您犯了心悸之症？”
这是最拙劣的栽赃陷害。
放在以前，云知微只会百口莫辩，任人欺凌。但现在……
她缓缓站起身，脑海中神医的记忆已经完全融合。她冷冷地看着倒在柳寻安怀里“昏迷不醒”的林婉儿，嘴角勾起一抹冰冷的弧度。
“侯爷不必惊慌。”云知微的声音不大，却清晰地传遍全场，“林小姐并非晕厥，只是气血逆流罢了。”
柳寻安正手忙脚乱，闻言怒斥道：“你这毒妇，胡说八道什么！婉儿分明是被你克的！”
云知微不理他，径直上前。她从发间取下一根细长的银针，在指尖轻轻一弹，动作娴熟得仿佛演练过千百遍。
“你……你要干什么？”柳寻安惊恐地护住林婉儿。
“救人。”云知微淡淡道，她的眼神冷得像冰，“林小姐之所以会气血逆流，皆因长期服用一种名为‘合欢散’的秘药。此药虽能一时增添媚色，但用久了，便会损伤心脉，导致经期紊乱，乃至今日的假性昏厥。我这一针下去，能为她疏通堵塞的经脉，保她无虞。”
合欢散？！
这三个字一出，满堂宾客的表情瞬间变得精彩纷呈。谁不知道这种药是青楼女子用来取悦男人的东西？堂堂丞相千金，竟然服用此等污秽之物？
柳寻安的脸瞬间绿了。
林婉儿也装不下去了，她猛地睁开眼，尖叫道：“你胡说！我没有！”
“有没有，一试便知。”
云知微根本不给她反应的机会，手腕一抖，那根银针已经快如闪电地刺入了林婉儿腹部的一个穴位。
“啊——！”林婉儿发出一声惨叫。
下一秒，一股难以言喻的骚臭味，伴随着一阵“噗”的怪异声响，迅速在喜堂中弥漫开来。众人只见林婉儿身下的红色喜裙，正以肉眼可见的速度被一片深色的水渍浸染……
她，竟然当众失禁了！
整个大堂先是死寂，随即爆发出压抑不住的窃笑声。
“天啊！这……这是什么味道？”
“丞相千金……竟然……太丢人了吧！”
林婉儿又羞又愤，一张俏脸涨得通红，恨不得当场找个地缝钻进去。她怎么也想不通，这个丑八怪怎么会知道她的秘密，还用一根针就让她……
柳寻安也彻底傻眼了，他抱着怀里散发着恶臭的女人，只觉得一阵反胃，下意识地就想把她推开。
“看来林小姐的经脉已经疏通了。”云知微缓缓收回银针，用帕子慢条斯理地擦拭着，仿佛做了一件微不足道的小事。她目光冰冷地扫过柳寻安和林婉儿，一字一句道：“恭喜侯爷，贺喜侯爷，娶得佳人。”
说完，她不再看这对狗男女一眼，转身，一步步走向那个坐在轮椅上的男人。
他一直静静地看着她，那双深邃的眼眸里，第一次有了一丝不易察察的波澜。
云知微在他面前站定，微微屈膝，声音里没有半分从前的怯懦，只有平静与从容：“云知微，谢世子殿下解围。”
封决尘看着她额角的血迹，和那双燃着复仇火焰的清亮眼眸，淡淡开口，声音带着一丝不易察觉的沙哑：“上车。”
“是。”
在全场宾客震惊、嫉妒、恐惧、悔恨的复杂目光中，云知微，这个刚刚还任人践踏的将军府丑庶女，被摄政王府的侍卫小心翼翼地扶上了那辆象征着无上权力的华贵马车。
车帘落下，隔绝了身后那个肮脏的世界。
从此，云泥之别。
* * *
马车平稳地驶向摄政王府。
车厢内，云知微与封决尘相对而坐，气氛有些凝滞。
“为什么选我？”云知微率先打破沉默。她不相信这个权倾朝野的男人，会无缘无故地发善心。
封决尘的目光落在她的脸上，那块狰狞的红色胎记在他眼中似乎与常人无异。他声音平淡地开口：“因为你够丑，够卑微，够无用。娶了你，可以打消宫里那位对我最后的一丝忌惮。”
他口中的“宫里那位”，自然是当今皇帝，也是他的亲叔叔。
云知微瞬间明白了。他需要一个挡箭牌，一个不会为他带来任何外戚势力、甚至能让他显得更加“可怜”的世子妃。而她，京城第一丑女，将军府最不受宠的庶女，无疑是最佳人选。
“我明白了。”云知微点了点头，非但没有感到被利用的屈辱，反而觉得这笔交易很公平，“世子殿下给了我新生，我便是殿下的盾。只要殿下不休弃我，我便会安分守己，做好这个世子妃。”
封决尘看着她冷静得过分的模样，眼底闪过一丝讶异。这个女人，与传闻中那个懦弱自卑的云家庶女，判若两人。
“你懂医术？”他又问。
“略懂一些皮毛。”云知微没有暴露自己的神医传承，只是轻描淡写地说道。
封决尘不再多问，闭上了眼睛，似乎是在假寐。
云知微也不再言语，她悄悄运转脑海中的医经心法，一股微弱的暖流开始在四肢百骸中流淌。她知道，这是心法在修复她常年被毒素侵蚀的身体。同时，她也在暗中观察封决尘。
神医的传承让她拥有了超越常人的洞察力。她能“看”到，封决尘的体内，同样盘踞着一种极其霸道阴狠的寒毒。这寒毒不仅侵蚀了他的双腿经脉，更在不断蚕食他的生机。若非他内力深厚，强行压制，恐怕早已是个死人了。
坠马残疾？呵，恐怕又是一桩精心策划的谋害。
他们，竟是同病相怜。
回到摄政王府，云知微被安排住进了主院“听雪阁”。刚安顿下来，一个不速之客便找上了门。
来人是摄政王妃苏氏，封决尘的继母。她一身华服，保养得宜，看起来温婉贤淑，但那双精于算计的眼睛却暴露了她的本性。
“你就是云知微？”苏氏高高在上地打量着她，目光里的轻蔑和厌恶毫不掩饰，“真是闻名不如见面，这张脸，也配进我王府的门？”
云知微屈膝行礼，不卑不亢：“儿媳见过母亲。”
“别叫我母亲，我可生不出你这样的女儿。”苏氏冷哼一声，直接开门见山，“决尘那孩子性子执拗，被你这狐媚子蒙蔽了。你开个价吧，要多少金银珠宝，才能离开王府？”
云知微心中冷笑。这就是府中最大的敌人了。她嫁进来，挡了苏氏亲生儿子的路，苏氏自然视她为眼中钉。
“王妃说笑了，”云知微抬起头，直视着苏氏的眼睛，“我是皇上亲赐的婚，便是死，也是封家的鬼。除非……”
她故意顿了顿，勾起一抹意味深长的笑：“除非王妃有本事，让皇上收回成命。”
苏氏脸色一变，她没想到这个丑八怪竟如此牙尖嘴利。她怒道：“放肆！你以为有圣旨在手，就能高枕无忧了？我告诉你，王府不是你这种卑贱之人能待的地方！来人，给我掌嘴！”
两个膀大腰圆的嬷嬷立刻上前，目露凶光。
云知微不闪不避，只是幽幽地开口：“王妃可想好了？我这刚进门第一天，若是脸上添了伤，明日宫中贵妃娘娘循例召见，问起来，我该如何回话？是说我自己不小心摔了，还是说……王妃对皇上的赐婚心存不满呢？”
苏氏的动作僵住了。贵妃是她的亲姐姐，也是她最大的靠山。但正因如此，她才更不能落下任何把柄。皇帝本就对摄政王府处处提防，若此时传出她苛待新妇、藐视皇权的风声，后果不堪设想。
“你……你敢威胁我？”苏氏气得浑身发抖。
“儿媳不敢。”云知微垂下眼眸，语气恭顺，“儿媳只是在提醒母亲，凡事三思而后行。”
苏氏死死地盯着云知微，她发现自己完全看不透这个丑女。她的眼神、她的语气，都带着一种洞悉一切的冷静，让她心中无端生出一股寒意。
最终，苏氏只能咬牙切齿地甩袖离去：“好，好得很！我们走着瞧！”
打发了苏氏，云知微立刻关上房门。她从包袱里取出随身携带的银针和一些不起眼的草药，开始为自己治疗脸上的“血色蛛网”。
她先是用银针刺破指尖，挤出几滴已经变得有些暗沉的血液。然后将草药捣碎，混合着自己的血液，制成一种墨绿色的药膏，小心翼翼地涂抹在右脸的胎记上。
一股清凉的感觉瞬间传来，仿佛有无数只小虫在啃噬着皮肤下的毒素。
她知道，这毒已经深入骨髓，想要彻底清除，至少需要七七四十九天。但她不急，她有的是时间和耐心。
接下来的日子，云知微深居简出。白天，她以调养身体为名，闭门不出，专心为自己解毒。晚上，她则会借着给封决尘送安神汤的机会，暗中观察他的病情，并悄悄在他的药里加入一些能克制寒毒的药材。
封决尘自然察觉到了汤药的变化，但他什么也没说，只是默许了她的行为。两人之间形成了一种微妙的默契。
而府外的柳寻安，却快要疯了。
自从那日大婚上的奇耻大辱后，林婉儿便成了整个京城的笑柄，丞相府和侯府也颜面尽失。他整日与林婉儿争吵不休，心中对云知微的悔意和不甘，像野草一样疯狂滋长。
他想不明白，为什么那个对他百依百顺、任他搓圆捏扁的丑女，一转眼就变得如此光芒万丈，如此遥不可及？
他开始疯狂地派人打探云知微在王府的消息，甚至不惜重金买通王府的下人，只为能见她一面。
这天，他终于逮到机会，在云知微按例回门省亲的路上，拦下了她的马车。
“微微！”柳寻安一脸憔悴，眼中布满血丝，他拦在马车前，声音嘶哑地喊道，“你下来，我有话对你说！”
云知微掀开车帘，冷冷地看着他：“侯爷请自重，我现在是摄政王世子妃，你的皇婶。”
一声“皇婶”，让柳寻安的心脏像被针扎一样疼。他痛苦地说道：“微微，我知道错了！那天是我鬼迷心窍，你原谅我好不好？你跟我走，我马上休了林婉儿那个贱人，我娶你为正妻！”
“呵。”云知微发出一声嗤笑，像是听到了天大的笑话，“柳寻安，当初你弃我如敝履，如今又何必惺惺作态？是你自己说的，我这副尊容，给你做妾都是抬举。怎么，现在后悔了？”
“我后悔了！我真的后悔了！”柳寻安激动地上前，想要抓住她的手，“微微，我知道你心里还有我，不然你那天为什么要帮我……帮林婉儿解围？”
他竟然还以为，她那天的“一针之恩”是为了他？
云 an's eyes turned icy. "Help you? Liu Xun'an, you overestimate yourself. I did that simply because I despise her. Seeing her publicly humiliated brought me joy. As for you," she paused, her gaze sweeping over him with utter disdain, "you are not even worthy of my hatred."
The carriage curtains fell, shutting out Liu Xun'an's devastated face.
But this encounter was merely a prelude. The real storm was brewing within the Prince Regent's manor.
Consort Su, after several failed attempts to frame Yun Zhiwei, finally resorted to the most direct method: poison. She bribed Yun Zhiwei's personal maid to put a colorless, odorless poison called "Seven Days' Death" into her daily meals.
However, with her divine medical knowledge, Yun Zhiwei detected the poison the moment it was served. She feigned ignorance, secretly taking an antidote each day while pretending to grow weaker and weaker.
On the seventh day, Yun Zhiwei "collapsed" in her courtyard, "vomiting" black blood, her life hanging by a thread.
Consort Su was ecstatic. She immediately rushed over with a group of people, ready to declare Yun Zhiwei's "sudden illness and death" and close the case.
"Oh, my poor child! How did this happen?" Consort Su cried crocodile tears, while secretly signaling the coroner she had brought to confirm the death.
Just as the coroner was about to touch Yun Zhiwei, a cold voice interrupted.
"What are you all doing here?"
Feng Juechen appeared in his wheelchair, his face ashen with a chilling aura.
Consort Su was startled but quickly regained her composure. "Juechen, you've come just in time. This girl... she's passed away from a sudden illness. I was just about to arrange her funeral."
"Sudden illness?" Feng Juechen's gaze was sharp as a knife. "I think not."
At that moment, the "dead" Yun Zhiwei suddenly sat up, wiping the "black blood" (a mixture of ink and animal blood) from her mouth. She looked weakly at Consort Su and said, "Mother, you seem very eager for me to die."
Consort Su's face turned pale as a ghost. "You... you're not dead?"
"Thanks to Mother's 'care,' I'm still hanging on," Yun Zhiwei said sarcastically. She pointed at the maid trembling in the corner. "This maid, under someone's orders, has been poisoning my food for seven days. The poison is called 'Seven Days' Death.' Fortunately, I have some knowledge of medicine and have been secretly suppressing the poison. Otherwise, I would have truly fulfilled Mother's wish."
The maid, under Feng Juechen's terrifying gaze, immediately collapsed and confessed everything, pointing a shaking finger at Consort Su.
The evidence was irrefutable. Consort Su's face was devoid of color. Poisoning the princess consort bestowed by the emperor was a capital crime.
"Juechen, listen to me... it was a misunderstanding... she framed me!" Consort Su panicked.
Feng Juechen looked at her with utter coldness. "Take her away and confine her to the ancestral hall. Without my permission, she is not to take a single step out."
This was a severe punishment, stripping her of all authority in the manor. Consort Su was dragged away, screaming and cursing.
After the crowd dispersed, Feng Juechen looked at Yun Zhiwei, who was now perfectly fine. "You planned all this?"
"An eye for an eye," Yun Zhiwei replied calmly. "I merely gave her a taste of her own medicine."
Feng Juechen looked at her for a long time, then a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his lips for the first time. "Well done."
The incident solidified Yun Zhiwei's position in the manor. No one dared to underestimate this "ugly consort" anymore.
Meanwhile, the treatment for both of them was progressing steadily. The "birthmark" on Yun Zhiwei's face was fading day by day, revealing the smooth, jade-like skin beneath. And Feng Juechen, under her careful treatment of acupuncture and medication, could already feel a faint warmth in his numb legs.
Their relationship was also subtly changing. They were no longer just partners in a transaction but had become comrades-in-arms who trusted and relied on each other.
Soon, the annual palace banquet arrived. As the Prince Regent's heir and his consort, they had to attend.
This was the perfect opportunity. Yun Zhiwei decided it was time to reveal her true face to the world.
That night, she spent a long time in front of her bronze mirror. The "Seven-Colored Spiderweb" poison had been completely eradicated. The person in the mirror had crescent-moon eyebrows, starry eyes, a delicate nose, and cherry-red lips. Her skin was as white as snow, and her beauty was so breathtaking that it could cause the downfall of a nation.
She put on a light veil, covering her peerless beauty, and followed Feng Juechen into the palace.
At the banquet, all eyes were on them. People were curious to see the legendary "ugly consort." Liu Xun'an was also present, his gaze fixed on Yun Zhiwei's veiled figure, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
During the banquet, the Empress Dowager, who had always disliked Feng Juechen, deliberately made things difficult. "I've heard that the Young Consort is talented. Why don't you remove your veil and perform a dance for us all to enjoy?"
This was a blatant humiliation. Everyone knew she was "ugly" and was waiting to see her make a fool of herself.
Yun Zhiwei stood up gracefully. "Your Majesty, my dancing skills are poor, and I would not want to embarrass myself. However, I have recently learned a new tune on the guqin. I would like to play it for you."
"Very well."
A guqin was brought. Yun Zhiwei sat down, her slender fingers gently plucking the strings. A beautiful, ethereal melody flowed out, captivating everyone present.
As the music reached its climax, a gust of wind blew through the hall, lifting the veil from her face.
In that instant, the music stopped, and the entire hall fell silent.
Everyone stared dumbfounded at the face revealed under the veil. It was a face of unparalleled beauty, so stunning that it seemed otherworldly. The moonlight pouring in seemed to pale in comparison.
"Clang!"
The wine cup in Liu Xun'an's hand fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. He stared at Yun Zhiwei, his eyes wide with disbelief, his heart filled with a pain so intense it felt like it was being torn apart.
It was her... but it wasn't her. The ugly birthmark was gone, replaced by flawless skin. This breathtaking beauty... was the woman he had discarded like trash?
Regret, immense and suffocating, engulfed him like a tidal wave. He had personally pushed away a priceless pearl, treating it as a worthless stone.
The Emperor was also stunned by her beauty, and a hint of possessiveness flashed in his eyes.
Just as the atmosphere became strange, a sharp cry broke the silence. A prince suddenly clutched his chest, his face turning purple, and he fell to the ground, convulsing.
"Poison! He's been poisoned!" the imperial physicians exclaimed in panic after a brief examination. "It's the 'Heart-Devouring Gu,' a rare poison from the southern border! We... we don't know the cure!"
Panic spread through the hall.
At this critical moment, Yun Zhiwei stood up. "Your Majesty, I might be able to help."
She walked over, took the prince's pulse, and her expression changed slightly. She turned to Feng Juechen, and their eyes met. They both saw the same answer in each other's eyes.
This poison... the Heart-Devouring Gu... was the exact same poison that had crippled Feng Juechen's legs and killed her own mother years ago.
It was all connected. A giant, sinister conspiracy that spanned two generations was slowly being unveiled before her.
* * *
The atmosphere in the grand hall was tense to the extreme.
“You?” The head imperial physician looked at Yun Zhi微 with suspicion. “This is the Heart-Devouring Gu, a poison that has no cure. Young lady, this is no time for jokes.”
Yun Zhi微 ignored him. Her gaze swept over the panicked crowd and landed on the Emperor. “Your Majesty, time is of the essence. If we delay any longer, the prince will surely die. Please allow me to try.”
The Emperor hesitated. The poisoned prince was his favorite son. But seeing Yun Zhi微’s calm and confident demeanor, and recalling the shock of her unveiled beauty, he finally gritted his teeth and nodded. “Go ahead! If you can save him, I will grant you whatever you wish!”
Yun Zhi微 wasted no time. She produced a set of silver needles and, with lightning-fast movements, inserted them into several major acupoints on the prince’s body, sealing his heart meridian to prevent the poison from spreading.
Then, she did something that shocked everyone. She took a small knife, made a swift cut on her own fingertip, and squeezed a drop of her bright red blood into the prince’s mouth.
“What are you doing? This is witchcraft!” someone exclaimed.
But the next moment, a miracle occurred. The prince, who had been convulsing and on the verge of death, suddenly coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of black, foul-smelling blood. A small, black insect, no bigger than a fingernail, was wriggling in the blood.
The Gu insect was expelled!
The prince’s purple face gradually returned to normal, and his breathing stabilized.
The entire hall was in an uproar. The imperial physicians rushed forward to check his pulse and found that although he was weak, his life was no longer in danger. They looked at Yun Zhi微 as if she were a goddess.
“My blood contains antibodies to this poison. It can temporarily suppress the Gu insect and force it out,” Yun Zhi微 explained calmly, wrapping her finger with a handkerchief. “However, the poison in his body has not been fully cleared. He will need a course of treatment for the next month to fully recover.”
She had not only saved the prince but also revealed the nature of the poison. Her medical skills were nothing short of divine.
The Emperor was overjoyed. “Brilliant! Truly brilliant! Tell me, what reward do you desire?”
Yun Zhi微 took a deep breath. This was her chance. She looked directly at the Emperor and said, “Your Majesty, I do not seek any reward. I only have one request. I want to request a thorough investigation into the origin of this Heart-Devouring Gu!”
Her voice was firm, her eyes filled with a deep-seated hatred. “Because the poison that harmed the prince is the same poison that crippled my husband, the Prince Regent’s heir, and the same poison that murdered my mother, the late Madam Zhen, years ago!”
Her words were like a bombshell, stunning everyone present.
The crippling of Feng Juechen and the death of Yun Zhi微’s mother were two separate, old cases. Who would have thought they were connected by the same rare poison?
Feng Juechen, sitting in his wheelchair, clenched his fists, his eyes turning bloodshot. He had long suspected his "accident" was no accident, but he never imagined it was linked to the Yun family.
The Emperor’s face turned grim. This was no longer a simple case of poisoning but a major conspiracy that involved a prince, a powerful heir, and a general’s family.
“Investigate! We must investigate this thoroughly!” the Emperor ordered, his voice filled with fury.
The palace banquet ended in chaos. Yun Zhi微’s name, however, once again shook the entire capital. She was no longer just the "ugly consort who married up" but a peerless beauty with divine medical skills.
Liu Xun’an left the palace in a daze, as if he had lost his soul. The image of Yun Zhi微’s stunning face and her brilliant display of skill replayed in his mind over and over. He realized with bitter despair that he had lost her forever. She had soared into the nine heavens, while he could only look up from the mud.
Consort Su, still confined in the ancestral hall, was terrified when she heard the news. She was the one who had poisoned Feng Juechen back then, using the poison provided by her family. She never thought Yun Zhi微 would be able to identify it. If they investigated further...
Panic-stricken, she decided to take a huge gamble. She secretly sent a message to Liu Xun’an, who was drowning in regret and resentment. She promised to help him get Yun Zhi微 back if he would help her frame Feng Juechen for treason.
Driven by his twisted obsession, Liu Xun’an agreed.
A few days later, Liu Xun’an submitted a memorial to the throne, accusing Feng Juechen of secretly colluding with the enemy state of Northern Yan, intending to usurp the throne. He presented "evidence" in the form of forged letters.
At the same time, Consort Su’s supporters in the court also stepped forward, claiming that Yun Zhi微’s "divine medical skills" were actually witchcraft from Northern Yan, used to bewitch the Emperor and control the court.
The Emperor was old, muddle-headed, and deeply suspicious of the powerful Prince Regent’s family. Faced with the "irrefutable evidence" and the courtiers’ clamoring, he flew into a rage.
An imperial decree was issued. Feng Juechen and Yun Zhi微 were arrested for treason and thrown into the imperial prison, to be beheaded in three days.
The news shocked the entire nation. Everyone thought the Prince Regent’s family was finished.
In the dark, damp prison cell, Yun Zhi微 and Feng Juechen were chained to the wall.
“Are you scared?” Feng Juechen asked, his voice hoarse.
Yun Zhi微 leaned against his shoulder, her heart surprisingly calm. “With you here, I’m not scared.” Over the past months, their hearts had grown closer. They were no longer just allies but soulmates who had found solace in each other.
“Don’t worry,” Feng Juechen said, his voice low but firm. “They think this is the end. But for us, it’s just the beginning.”
He had been planning for years, waiting for his enemies to reveal themselves. Now, they had all jumped out. It was time to close the net.
The day of the execution arrived. The execution ground was packed with spectators.
Yun Zhi微 and Feng Juechen were brought to the platform, their hands and feet in heavy shackles.
Consort Su and Liu Xun’an stood on a high platform nearby, their faces filled with triumphant smiles.
Liu Xun’an even approached Yun Zhi微, feigning sympathy. “We-wei, if you beg me now, I can still plead with the Emperor. As long as you leave Feng Juechen and come with me, I can save your life.”
Yun Zhi微 looked at him as if he were a pathetic clown. “Liu Xun’an, you will soon regret every single thing you’ve done today.”
The executioner raised his gleaming executioner's blade. The supervising official threw the death warrant to the ground.
“The time has come! Execute them!”
As the blade swung down, the crowd screamed.
But the expected scene of blood splattering did not happen.
A loud “CLANG” echoed through the square. The executioner’s blade was sent flying by a powerful kick.
Everyone stared in utter shock at the source of the kick. Feng Juechen, who was supposed to be a cripple, had stood up from his wheelchair! He stood tall and straight, his shackles shattering to pieces around him, exuding an aura of terrifying power.
“Treason?” Feng Juechen’s voice was like thunder, rolling over the entire square. “The ones who are truly committing treason are you!”
He raised a golden plaque high in the air. “The late Emperor’s Imperial Gold Plaque is here! All Imperial Guards, listen to my command!”
The plaque, which granted supreme authority, stunned everyone, including the Emperor who was watching from a distance.
In an instant, thousands of heavily armed soldiers, who had been hiding in the surroundings, swarmed the execution ground, taking control of the situation.
Consort Su and Liu Xun’an’s faces turned ashen. “Impossible! How could you… your legs…”
“You thought a little poison could truly cripple me?” Feng Juechen sneered. “I have been feigning disability for years, just waiting for traitors like you to show your true colors!”
He threw a thick stack of evidence onto the ground. “This is the evidence of Consort Su and her son colluding with Northern Yan, poisoning me, poisoning the prince, and even placing a slow-acting poison in the Emperor’s daily incense, attempting to usurp the throne! The evidence is conclusive!”
The Emperor, upon hearing this, was both shocked and furious. He realized he had been a puppet, nearly killing the very people who were protecting him.
But the shock was not over yet.
Yun Zhi微 stepped forward. She took out a delicate jade pendant, one that bore the royal family’s insignia. “Your Majesty, I have something to report. My mother, Zhen Wan, was not the daughter of a general. She was the only daughter of Princess Anle, who was swapped at birth years ago! I am the granddaughter of Princess Anle, a true descendant of the royal family!”
She presented her mother’s last letter and the testimony of the old servant who had been involved in the swap back then.
The double reversal of identity and power left everyone reeling. A cripple who stood up to command an army, and an ugly duckling who was actually a long-lost royal descendant.
The truth was finally revealed. Consort Su and her son were arrested for treason. Faced with the iron-clad evidence, they confessed to all their crimes. Liu Xun’an, for his part in framing them, was also arrested.
The verdict came swiftly. Consort Su and her son were sentenced to death by a thousand cuts for their heinous crimes. Liu Xun’an was stripped of his title and all his possessions, and exiled to the most desolate borderlands, to never return to the capital for the rest of his life.
As he was being dragged away, he looked at Yun Zhi微, who stood beside Feng Juechen like a radiant goddess. His eyes were filled with endless despair and regret. He had lost everything, all because of his own arrogance and stupidity.
The Emperor, filled with guilt and gratitude, recovered under Yun Zhi微’s care. He officially restored Yun Zhi微’s status as a郡主 (Commandery Princess) and, to reward Feng Juechen for protecting the nation, he bestowed upon him the title of Prince Regent, to assist in governing the country.
The clouds of conspiracy dispersed, and the sky over the capital was clear once more.
One month later, another grand wedding was held, one that was a hundred times more magnificent than Liu Xun’an’s.
The Prince Regent, Feng Juechen, married the Zhaohua Commandery Princess, Yun Zhi微.
On this day, Yun Zhi微 wore a magnificent wedding gown, her beauty outshining all the jewels in the world. She sat beside Feng Juechen, who was no longer in a wheelchair but stood tall and proud. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with deep love.
All the officials and nobles who had once mocked her now knelt before her, their heads bowed in reverence.
She had gone from being a despised, ugly庶女 (concubine's daughter) to the most esteemed woman in the land. She had not relied on pity or charity, but on her own wisdom and strength, rewriting her own destiny.
As the wedding ceremony reached its climax, Feng Juechen leaned in and whispered in her ear, his voice filled with a devotion he had never shown anyone before.
“Zhiwei, from now on, I will protect you and our kingdom for the rest of our lives.”
Yun Zhi微 smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons. “And I,” she replied softly, “will be your staunchest shield and sharpest blade, forever.”
Their hands clasped tightly, a silent promise of a shared future, one where they would stand together against all challenges, their legend just beginning to unfold.
来源：小蔚观世界