The Witch in the Woods: The Transmigration of Hazel-Anne Davis
Chapter 61: Nothing Could Top It

Chapter 61: Nothing Could Top It

By the time Lady Zhao returned to the banquet hall, her face had been rearranged into an expression of wounded dignity, lips tight and eyes brittle with barely contained rage. The Imperial Consort was beside her, composed as always, though anyone looking closely might have noticed the glimmer of satisfaction in her step.

The doors to the hall opened just enough for them to slip in—but behind them came the true spectacle.

Two guards entered first, dragging the disheveled figures of Zhao Meiling and Zhu Lianhua between them. Meiling’s outer robe was gone, and her hair, once artfully arranged, hung in wild disarray over one shoulder. A love bite was already blooming just above her collarbone. The Third Prince didn’t look much better—his belt was missing, the hem of his robes barely concealing his thighs, and his usually perfect hair looked like he’d fought a wild dog and lost.

The gasps that rippled across the hall were almost musical in their timing.

And at the center of it all, perfectly poised with her hands folded in her lap, sat Zhao Xinying, gracefully sipping her tea as if she had never left the room.

As if she weren’t the catalyst for everything that happened after.

She wore a calm, curious expression, as though she’d missed something mildly entertaining and was wondering if someone might catch her up. The Crown Prince didn’t look at her, but his fingers tapped against the side of his wine cup. Slowly. Deliberately.

Zhu Deming had also returned to his seat beside Zhao Xinying, sending up a united front between the two eldest brothers. Exhaling through his nose, he picked up his cup of wine and muttered, "Well, that didn’t take long."

"Did you think it would?" mused Xining, a soft smile on her face as she looked down at the cup in front of her. The cup that started it all. "I mean, I was actually surprised how long they waited to spring the trap. Then again, I guess they wanted to make sure that there was no other possible outcome."

Hearing her voice, if not the words, Lady Zhao’s gaze swept the room—and then stopped.

Her face turned an awful shade of white as her eyes locked on Zhao Xinying, sitting unbothered beside the Crown Prince as though she’d never left. Her mouth worked soundlessly for a moment before she forced words out.

"You," she stammered, clearly struggling to compose herself. "What are you doing there?"

Xinying tilted her head to the side slightly as her lips curled into a faint, amused smile. "Where else should I be, Lady Zhao? After all... I thought my place was by my husband’s side. I mean, that is my place... right?"

A ripple of suppressed laughter moved through the room like wind through tall grass.

Zhao Meiling whimpered as one of the guards adjusted his grip. Her legs gave out entirely, and she sank to her knees in the middle of the marble floor, trying desperately to pull her sleeves back over her shoulders as her cheeks turned red with embarrassment.

Zhu Lianhua, on the other hand, didn’t kneel. He didn’t even look ashamed. He simply stood there, his shirt loose at the chest, and his gaze distant. It wasn’t clear if he was sobering up or still drifting in the haze of Xinying’s mist. But either way, he was satisfied with what had happened.

"Your Majesty," the Imperial Consort said smoothly, stepping forward, "this behavior reflects poorly on the dignity of your house. For such an occurrence to have happened in the palace means that Zhao Meiling and the Third Prince have been in love for a long time. In order not the keep the two lovers apart, I request a royal decree. These two must marry. Immediately."

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed. "Do you believe marriage is enough to correct this?"

"If it is not," she said with a polite smile, already knowing that the Emperor would never say no to her, "then I’m happy to let you propose the alternative."

All around the room, ministers exchanged subtle glances, doing the calculations in real time. The scandal was public. The daughter of the Left Prime Minister had been caught with the Third Prince—neither of them denying it. And while the marriage would save face, it would also cut her off from the Crown Princess position permanently.

The Emperor, on the other hand, didn’t look away from the disgraced pair. After a long pause, he sighed, slightly disappointed. "We’ll arrange the marriage for the next auspicious date," he said, his voice heavy. "For now... I’m tired. Dismissed."

Only then did the nobles begin to rise, bowing low as the imperial family made their exit.

After a moment, Zhao Xinying stood. Not abruptly. Not with fanfare. She simply rose and smoothed her robe with quiet grace, as if she were preparing for a stroll and not about to deliver the final blow.

Her soft steps echoed across the hall as she approached the kneeling Meiling. And then—delicately, almost affectionately—she crouched down beside her disheveled sister and whispered:

"It’s really too bad you only got to stay one night at our place. Oh well... enjoy your time with the Third Prince."

Meiling’s head snapped up, horror spreading across her face as she realized.

Zhao Xinying knew. She planned this. She had gotten her way. She had won.

The Crown Prince rose as well, his sleeves sweeping across the table as he turned to where Xinying was crouched beside her sister. "Come," he commanded, his voice soft as he held out his hand. "We should return home."

Zhao Xinying turned, her voice brushed the air like silk, just for Meiling to hear: "Don’t worry. You’ll make a beautiful couple. He already treats you like his favorite toy."

And with that, she took Zhu Mingyu’s hand and rose to her feet. Passing by Lady Zhao, Zhao Xinying couldn’t stop herself. "Mother," she said gently, "thank you for all your support this evening. Truly, without you, it wouldn’t have been the same."

Lady Zhao flinched as if slapped.

After leaving her family, Zhao Xinying and Zhu Mingyu walked from the hall in silence, with Zhu Deming a few steps behind. The rest of the hall slowly rose to their feet, leaving quickly after the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

After all, nothing could possibly top that.