Chapter 49: A Pain That Pierces to the Bone, Driving One to Madness

Chapter 49: Bone-Chilling Pain, Pain to Madness

Tonight was destined to be anything but peaceful.

The Imperial Noble Consort had been disfigured, and the culprit was either an insolent servant or someone from the Empress Dowager’s palace—who was immediately executed by the enraged consort herself with a beating. This was nothing short of spectacular and shocking.

Half the palace nearly revolted under the Empress Dowager’s orders, only for the investigation to circle back to her own head—it was enough to make one laugh bitterly.

The Empress Dowager and the Imperial Noble Consort were aunt and niece. Their relationship was an immense weight pressing down on all the other concubines, even making the Empress herself seem inferior.

The pressure they exerted was immense, and now that they were embroiled in internal strife, those around them felt a certain relief, secretly hoping both would be utterly destroyed and vanish completely.

But clearly, that was impossible. The death of a mere servant was trivial, far too insignificant to shake the bonds of blood.

Still, even so, it was worth watching the drama unfold, a chance to vent their frustrations.

The only one left trembling with fear was Jiang Feixue.

To witness a living person executed by beating right before her eyes—her cousin had truly done something extraordinary. Though she appeared soft and fragile, when provoked, she was lethally ruthless.

—

Whatever others thought, Ye Wanwan no longer cared. She only knew that if Hongchang were allowed to live, she would lose her mind.

Back in Guanju Palace, she lay down once more, exhausted, her mind heavy as if her very soul was too weary to move, yet sleep eluded her entirely.

Her noble status and the Empress Dowager’s protection meant living without revenge and avoiding those conspiracies wouldn’t be difficult.

Without offspring to threaten the other concubines, no longer feared by Zhao Yi, her life was actually quite peaceful.

Yet she felt unbearable pain. All her past sorrows were etched deep within her soul, a piercing and bone-deep agony only those who had suffered could understand. How could she forget?

No matter how splendid the palace, every glance around was a reminder of the enemies who had cast her into hell. Every breath of this air felt like her lungs were being crushed in pain.

Too distressed to sleep, yet too weak to withstand the intensity of her thoughts, Ye Wanwan eventually slipped into unconsciousness.

Half-awake and half-asleep, she seemed to return to the past, feeling the sharp knife scrape against her cheek, blood splattering, flesh torn. She could almost feel the blade striking her skull.

Pain—bone-chilling pain, maddening in its intensity.

If the initial pain was of flesh and blood, the ensuing torment was of heart and soul, corrosive and consuming.

“Look, isn’t that Imperial Noble Consort Ye? Such a beautiful face, now turned into this… it’s terrifying.”

“Shh, don’t let her hear or we’re done for.”

“Why fear? She’s no longer a consort but a crippled wreck. Her face ruined, her hands useless. I heard… she was… you know.”

“Know what?”

“You know, in the prison with so many men, and she’s so beautiful—do you think they’d let her be? Probably filthy and vile things happened to her. Good that her face is ruined, so she won’t seduce anyone.”

“Ha, no wonder the emperor rejected her, how disgusting.”

“She’s ugly and disgusting.”

—

“Oh, isn’t this Imperial Noble Consort Ye? Haha, no, you’re no longer a consort. Don’t you dare fail to bow before me.”

“Don’t think you can still rely on the Empress Dowager’s backing, you wretched creature. Now that you look so hideous, even ghosts would be afraid. Do you think the emperor would ever glance your way again?”

“Such shamelessness, so ugly and yet you still dare show your face. If I were you, I’d hang myself from a beam to save others the shame and fright.”

“Truly hideous. Just looking at you gives me nightmares and makes me want to vomit.”

Mockery, exclusion, ridicule, and sarcasm—some blatant, some veiled—all because she had fallen from grace and was met only with scorn and cold stares.

At that time, Ye Wanwan had already numbed herself to the pain. Though she heard and saw everything, she showed no reaction. They thought she was too broken to care, but she was far from indifferent.

Each word, every sentence, pierced her heart like needles, trampling on her pride and dignity, leaving her bleeding. Her lack of response was only because she was numb from the pain.

(End of chapter)