LF Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Excerpt (2)

Inside the Imperial Prison in the first month of the new year, the dim daylight was like a dark night swept by dark clouds, leaving only a sliver of cold moonlight.

The train of Jiang Jingche’s plain clothes, three feet long, dragged across the cold stone steps. The heavy smell of blood made her unconsciously frown.

The sound of iron chains locking echoed through the empty prison, she sat upright before the desk, listening to the clanging sound of the chains getting closer and closer.

Yan Wanzhi was wearing prison clothes, disheveled and covered in dirt. The whip marks on her body were mixed with thick, scabbed blood, sticking to her clothes. Her thin body was wrapped in heavy shackles, and her already pale face was now completely bloodless. Her once crimson lips were chapped, a pathetic sight.

The prisoner was dragged by the jailers and kicked onto the table. Her soft, weak body slumped powerlessly.

Her heavy eyelids lifted slightly, and a bright black and gold brocade robe appeared before her eyes. She struggled to kneel up straight, her voice hoarse as she spoke with difficulty: “This sinful subject kowtows to Your Majesty.”

“How was the taste of the Black Iron Whip?” Your Majesty’s voice was calm, without any emotion, light and airy.

“This sinful subject is ashamed to be worthy of Your Majesty’s grace.” Yan Wanzhi knocked her head heavily on the ground, prostrating herself to confess her guilt.

“You still know how to feel ashamed! I thought you were heartless!” Your Majesty suddenly raised her voice in question.

“This sinful subject would never dare. Wanzhi’s life belongs to Your Majesty. If not for Your Majesty’s grace in saving me and recognizing my talent, Wanzhi would have died in the Wan River twelve years ago. This kindness is difficult for this sinful subject to repay in this lifetime,” Yan Wanzhi sobbed.

“You still have the face to mention repaying kindness? Daring to seduce my sister, is this how you repay my kindness?” Your Majesty lifted her from the ground, glaring at her with resentment, and questioned her coldly.

Perhaps the movement was too great and involved the open wounds on her body, the person before her trembled all over and inhaled several breaths of cold air.

“If you can’t get it from me, you set your sights on Hua’er. You are very capable, actually making Hua’er disobey me and the Empress Dowager at the cost of her life. If I had known this would happen, I should have ordered your death that night,” Your Majesty said angrily, kicking her to the ground.

Upon hearing this, Yan Wanzhi, disregarding the pain on her body, struggled to get up and knelt at Your Majesty’s feet, crying, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This sinful subject deserves to die. Please do not vent your anger on the Little Princess, it is all this sinful subject’s fault. It was this sinful subject’s inability to control my emotions that harmed the Princess. As long as I can protect the Princess, I am willing to suffer the punishment of a thousand cuts.”

“Hehe, what a ‘couldn’t control my emotions.’ Since you are so deeply in love, I won’t kill you. Hua’er is about to get married, and in the future, she will have to bear royal nephews for me. I want you to taste the bitterness of loving someone you cannot have,” Your Majesty sneered and said slowly.

“Oh right, Hua’er already knows that you personally killed Prince Yong. But I won’t tell her that you did it to protect her. My sister cannot indulge in personal feelings, and it is even more absurd for her to fall in love with a woman like you,” Your Majesty left these heart-wrenching words and quickly left the Imperial Prison.

Watching Your Majesty’s resolute departure, Yan Wanzhi murmured with tears in her eyes, “Hua’er, are you really going to marry…”