Su Xi-er carefully listened for the direction that the sound of iron chains was coming from. She then reached out her hand to push Ruo Yuan aside as a warning to remain behind before walking into the woods.
Afraid as she was, however, Ruo Yuan didn’t quite understand Su Xi-er’s intentions, instead following directly after her.
The sound of the iron chains suddenly vanished before sounding out again not long after.
Su Xi-er stood up straight and continuously surveyed the surroundings. “Liu Ye-er, Old Maidservant Zhao is already dead. You can just come out.”
Ruo Yuan was standing behind her with her lips pursed and her whole body taut.
After a while, the sound of iron chains got increasingly louder. A woman clad in grey coarse clothes walked out from behind a large tree. She still had a dirty appearance, her unkempt hair completely covering her face.
She walked over step by step before finally stopping three metres away from Su Xi-er. “Old Maidservant Zhao is dead?” Her voice was very soft and .
Su Xi-er nodded. “Mhm, she was beaten by the plank until she died. Her corpse has already been carried out of the palace.”
The silence of the woods meant that only the sound of the wind in their ears could be heard.
The area was pervaded by a strange atmosphere.
All of a sudden, Liu Ye-er cackled. “She’s dead. Haha, serves her right! Who asked her to betray Paternal Aunt!”
Paternal aunt? Su Xi-er instantly caught hold of the keywords. Is Liu Ye-er’s paternal aunt the Pure Consort?
Liu Ye-er chortled foolishly before suddenly becoming sorrowful. “If she’s dead, how is she going to take me to see him? If I can’t see him, what is the point in me continuing to be alive? I have done so many things for him.”
The more Ruo Yuan listened, the baffled she was. What paternal aunt? What him? Who did Liu Ye-er carry out tasks for?
Just as she was perplexed, she heard Su Xi-er beside her speak.
“Dress yourself up and you’ll be able to see him.” Su Xi-er walked to Liu Ye-er’s side and reached out her right hand to push aside the hair covering her face.
Liu Ye-er had a pair of good-looking willow-leaf shaped eyebrows. Even if her face was filthy, her eyes were still emitting radiance.
“I can really see him?” Liu Ye-er eyes were filled with delight.
“You can, it’s just that…” Su Xi-er suddenly moved closer to her and lowered her voice, “You must tell me what you have done for him.”
Liu Ye-er’s gaze turned blank. She looked at the iron chains in a daze and muttered to herself, “I can’t. If I tell you, he will definitely not want me anymore.”
Su Xi-er’s voice became increasingly low. “It has been so long, but has he come to visit you? He probably stays in the Commandery Prince Residence every day and embraces beauties all day right? Tell me, and I will take you to the Commandery Prince Residence.”
The otherwise obvious lie was enough to give Liu Ye-er hope that, as long as she admitted her deeds, Su Xi-er would be able to bring her to the Commandery Prince Residence.
“Paternal Aunt is the Pure Consort. When I entered the palace and accompanied Paternal Aunt, it was right when she was favoured. Roughly one year after I entered the palace, I got acquainted with Commandery Prince Xie and we fell in love with one another. He also likes me very much. Although Paternal Aunt said that beauties can’t obtain love and would all die, I simply believed him.” As Liu Ye-er immersed herself in her memories, the corners of her mouth were also upturned.
She glanced at Su Xi-er before she continued in a low voice, “More than half a year passed again. He told me to secretly take a certain item. It was His Majesty’s…”
When she was at the most crucial point, Liu Ye-er’s expression suddenly changed. Her body started trembling as blood flowed from her head like a river. Soon, blood began to leak from the corners of her mouth as well.
“His Majesty’s…” However, no matter how Liu Ye-er tried to move her lips, she couldn’t utter a single word.
