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墨書 Inktalez
I thought I would be filled with reluctance, but unexpectedly, I was able to leave with a smile. After stepping off the stage, I left. However, I was still escorted back to the prison by those waiting outside. But that no longer mattered; after days of hesitation, I had finally awakened to my decision.
I walked quickly and resolutely. My hands were bloodied from strumming the guitar. The pain was excruciating, yet I continued to smile. In truth, I wasn't worried at all. That day, in order to kill those wicked men, Feng Fei had expended too much energy and had fallen into a bit of slumber. Once it awakened, it would naturally restore my body.
I walked with determination and did not look back, so I was unaware that after I left, a eunuch and a woman dressed in a green palace gown stood dazedly in the crowd, tears streaming down their faces. I also did not know that after my departure, Consort Wang giggled and said, "Your Majesty, I wonder if you are satisfied with this grand gift that This Servant has prepared for you. Let everyone be entertained."
Consort Wang believed the Emperor would praise her and be delighted, but she was mistaken. Like someone awakening from a dream, the Emperor revealed a captivating smile that made the other Consorts blush and lower their heads in shyness. Their faces flushed slightly, making them all the more alluring.
However, what he said next was terrifying like that of a demon: "Did Consort forget? I have said that anyone who approaches Sky Prison or privately visits the criminal Xie Weiying will face severe punishment without mercy. Did Consort forget?" The Emperor cast her a cold glance; there was no longer any warmth or affection in his eyes—only an icy chill: "Could it be that Consort is also part of the Rebel Faction, deliberately approaching the criminal in an attempt to help her escape?"
Everyone looked at the Emperor, who seemed different from before; he no longer appeared as the gentle and soft-hearted ruler he once was—he seemed like a completely different person. His gaze was filled with brutality and cruelty.
Consort Wang hurriedly explained, "I did not! This Servant did not go to visit her; rather—"
"And what is it?"
A flash of unspoken malice appeared in Consort Wang's eyes: "She deserves to die! She deserves to die!" Thus, she would use the most direct method to deal with the notorious Four Monsters from the Western Regions; she wanted to torture her to death, to make her suffer more than death itself, to force her into confession.
The Emperor remained silent and suddenly called out loudly: "Come here! Take her away and throw her into the dungeon."
The dungeon?! Consort Wang's face turned pale instantly, devoid of any color. She couldn't believe it; how could the Emperor possibly imprison her? She was his most favored consort! But when she met those emotionless eyes—cold as frost—she felt despair; everything was real.
Everything went dark before her eyes as Consort Wang fainted on the spot.
The guards approached and paid no mind to whether she had fainted or not; they simply dragged her away from the ground.
Throughout it all, the Emperor did not spare her a single glance. There was not an ounce of pity or compassion.
The dungeon existed alongside Sky Prison. It was said to be a hellish place where those who entered would never return alive. There were countless methods of tormenting people to death within its depths. It was often used to imprison special criminals—those who could not be brought to light. Usually guarded by secret doors leading into the dungeon.
The dungeon was ominous and terrifying; no one knew what lay within. Occasionally, palace servants passing by would hear agonizing moans and screams echoing from deep underground—a sound that sent chills down one's spine. Those who had been there were long forgotten in this world.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! My daughter is ignorant; please forgive her," Wang Dun, the elder of the Wang family and a former court minister, trembled as he stepped forward and knelt down to plead for his daughter.
In contrast, Consort Wang's brother, Wang Dao, looked coldly at her. This sister of his—who had always been arrogant and unruly since childhood—was born of a different mother and had never been close to him. At this moment, how dare she insult that person? She deserved death a thousand times over. He felt no sympathy whatsoever.
Their family's existence was originally for him.
Wang Dao, clad in a gray robe that exuded elegance and simplicity, stood up and walked respectfully to his father, kneeling before him. The emperor, seeing this subject who had grown up alongside him, sharing both friendship and the trials of stabilizing the realm, felt his expression soften slightly.
Just when everyone thought he would plead for his sister, he unexpectedly spoke: "My sister is ungrateful and has offended the imperial decree; her crimes deserve death a thousand times over. Our Wang family has no objections; Your Majesty's command is absolute. Long live the Emperor!"
With his declaration, all the ministers present knelt down in unison, chanting, "Long live the Emperor!" Their voices echoed through the hall, lingering in the air.
The emperor merely said, "All of you may rise," before turning to leave.
He passed through the palace walls, along lengthy corridors adorned with exquisite rockeries and gardens blooming with vibrant flowers.
As he turned a corner, suddenly, a guard who had been following him collapsed, unconscious. I stood there in confusion, looking around to understand what was happening.
"Sister Ying! Sister Ying! It's me." A head popped out from behind a dark red pillar.
I looked over, slightly startled. It was Yaya.
"What are you doing, Yaya?" I asked.
She approached me sneakily, her face adorned with her characteristic youthful innocence and naivety.
Sticking out her tongue playfully, she smiled and said, "Sister won't mind, right? The Emperor asked me to bring you to see him. But those guards are so tall; how would I know if they would believe what I say? What if they don't let you come with me? The Emperor would surely blame me. It's rare for him to trust me today. So, I used some sleeping powder on them—put them to sleep." She reached out to grab my arm. "Sister, let's go."
I remained puzzled. "Where to?"
She looked at me incredulously. "Didn't you hear what I just said? Of course, we're going to see the Emperor! I knew you were wronged; how could you possibly do such a thing? The Emperor must have realized that’s why he sent me to find you. You know what? The Emperor just imprisoned Consort Wang. She tried to humiliate you." She chattered on as we walked.
When she mentioned Consort Wang, I felt a twinge of sorrow for that woman. Not sympathy; I wasn't one to be kind-hearted after being hurt by others. All I could do was refrain from hating those who had harmed me.
At this moment, if it were anyone else telling me that someone wanted to see me, I wouldn't believe it. But since it was Yaya—my childhood friend—I chose to trust her regardless of what might happen in the end.
After all, I was already a person on the brink of death with little value left and no schemes against anyone.
She led me to a secluded courtyard. Looking outside, the walls appeared crumbling and ancient. How could such a place exist within the palace? I thought Li Jiu's Miyu was the only one of its kind. Little did I know—there was another place here that felt like a hidden paradise.
Yaya looked at me with a pleasant smile and urged, "Come on in. The Emperor is waiting for you inside." I gazed at her deeply, hoping to find a hint of guilt or something I was searching for within her. But inside was nothing but clarity.
I smiled lightly at her and suddenly said, "Yaya, be happy, okay?"
She paused for a moment, surprised. When she looked back at me, I had already stepped inside.
This strange courtyard had an equally strange name: Memory Pavilion.
I never expected that even at this moment, a sliver of hope still lingered in my heart.
Without time to think further, I walked in under Yaya's watchful gaze.
I didn’t notice the peculiar smile behind me.
I had never imagined that upon entering, I would uncover such a shocking secret.
About me, about him. About love.
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