Chapter 41

In the cold palace, Yuan Liu Niang saw Yuan Zhen, who was in a terrible state.

Looking at the girl whose eyes were filled with resentment and hatred, she felt as if she were seeing her former self.

"What? This little setback has defeated you?"

His slightly raised tone seemed to be addressed to Yuanzhen, or perhaps to someone else.

"You gave up the opportunity for a grand wedding and chose to become a concubine in the palace. If you give up so easily, wouldn't everything you've done before have been in vain?"

The word "concubine" stung Yuanzhen's nerves. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she suddenly stood up from the tattered bed, straightened her dirty coat, raised her chin high, and tried her best to maintain the dignity that a noble lady should have.

"Who do you think you are?! How dare you speak to me like that?! I am His Majesty's Consort Zhao! How dare you, a lowly servant, address me so casually?"

Zhaoyi? Isn't Zhaoyi a concubine?

"As long as the Empress is alive, even if you rise to the position of Consort or Imperial Noble Consort, you will always be a concubine! A concubine who can be discarded at any time and is of no use except for bearing children."

Yuan Liu Niang's tone was very cold. Outside the hall, Yuwen Zhe sat in a wheelchair, his face extremely complicated.

Once, as soon as he ascended the throne, he conferred the title of Consort on Wenluo, and then less than half a year later, he promoted her to Imperial Noble Consort.

He thought Wenlu would be happy, because this was the result of his efforts to suppress all the memorials criticizing him for appointing women to brothels, and he had given her a position second only to the emperor.

However, on the day of her investiture, in front of the officials of the Ministry of Rites and all the concubines in the harem, she threw the imperial edict and the seal of the Imperial Noble Consort at his face.

"So what if she's a Noble Consort? So what if she's an Imperial Noble Consort? No matter how prestigious the title, she's still just a lowly concubine. Yuwen Zhe, I know my place. I know that a courtesan like me is unworthy to be your wife. I don't need you to remind me of that again and again!"

The woman's alluring lips curved into a mocking smile, and her teasing tone, delivered in front of everyone, made Yuwen Zhe extremely embarrassed. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, only that she was ungrateful! But hearing those words again now, he felt a different kind of embarrassment…

Perhaps he disappointed Wenluo?

Inside the hall, Yuan Zhen was so angry at Yuan Liu Niang's words that her lips trembled. She raised her hand to hit her, but Yuan Liu Niang easily subdued her.

"Consort Yuan, there's no need to be angry. I didn't come here today to fight you."

Shaking off her arm, Yuan Liuniang flexed her wrists and flashed a bright smile.

"If you don't want to be just a concubine, you'd better let me finish what I have to say."

The main hall of the Cold Palace was utterly empty. Yuan Liu Niang's words were immediately dispelled by the draft. Even Yuwen Zhe couldn't hear what she said to Yuan Zhen afterward.

After they left the Cold Palace, Yuwen Zhe remained silent for a while before asking, "Sixth Sister, are you very concerned about your official title?"

Status?

These two words made Yuan Liuniang chuckle.

"A title? What's that? Can you eat it?"

Yuwen Zhe turned around to look at her in surprise, but she met his gaze without flinching, her indifference obvious.

Even if he were to live again, this man still wouldn't understand. What she cared about was never those ephemeral titles and statuses, but rather her unwavering sincerity.

**

After Lin Qiang returned home, Yuan Liuniang had not yet returned. He summoned Feng Zhi and began to arrange things for the next night.

Although Yuwen Jing was inexperienced, if he told Yuan Su about it, that old fox would be difficult to deal with, and things would get very troublesome. Therefore, he had to make proper arrangements to ensure that he could escape unscathed without implicating Fengyun Bank.

Moreover, if he wanted to take Yuan Qiong away, that girl would definitely not agree; she was not someone to be trifled with. If she turned hostile, he would inevitably have to resort to some forceful methods.

"Boss, Sixth Sister is back."

In the study, after Lin Qiang finished giving all the instructions, Feng Zhi withdrew, and then the fourth brother, who had been guarding the door, came in and spoke.

“She has been kneeling in the courtyard for quite some time, saying that she wants to ask you for punishment.”

"Let her in."

"promise."

Lin Qiang sat down in a chair, rubbing his forehead in exasperation. Just then, Yuan Liu Niang walked into the room, lifted her clothes, and knelt down on the floor with a "thud!" The sound of her knees hitting the floor made Lin Qiang frown.

"I acted without orders and request that you punish me, Master."

She knelt there, her back ramrod straight, her eyes lowered so that her emotions were unreadable, awaiting the man's judgment.

Punishment?

In the past, according to the rules of Fengyunxu, her behavior today would indeed have warranted severe punishment. But now, Lin Qiang has roughly guessed the reason for Yuan Liuniang's change, and he doesn't want to force her to shed everything from her past, so naturally he won't punish her anymore.

"Get up," he said calmly. "I'll be going back to the village in a couple of days. Since you like the capital, I'll entrust everything in Fengyunxu to you from now on. I believe you won't let me down."

"What?!" Yuan Liuniang was stunned, instantly holding her breath, and asked in a trembling voice, "Boss, you're leaving?"

"Um."

It's better to guide than to suppress. Since the plot can't be avoided, let's keep Yuan Liu Niang here. With the manpower of Fengyunxu and the help of Lao Si, he has done more than enough for her. What she does next is beyond his control, and he doesn't want to meddle anymore.

"Master... are you angry with Sixth Sister? Angry that she disregarded your orders and acted on her own?"

She naturally sensed the dismissive tone in his words, and immediately looked up in a panic, kneeling and moving forward a few steps, trying to grab the hem of his clothes as if she were trying to grasp the only light in her life, anxious and desperate.

"Sixth Sister knows she was wrong! Sixth Sister truly knows she was wrong! Please, please don't give up on Sixth Sister! Sixth Sister will never do it again!!!"

A tremendous fear washed over her, and memories from her three lifetimes flashed through her mind like rolling waves, trying to drag her, who was helpless, into the deep sea. The dark, foul-smelling seawater seemed to be drowning her, and Yuan Liu Niang's rationality collapsed instantly.

No... I don't want to get involved there!!!

Don't leave me... Don't abandon me...

"Boss...please! Save Sixth Sister! Save me!!!"

The woman's hoarse sobs seemed to contain boundless fear. She knelt on the ground, clutching tightly at the corner of his clothes, as if she had grasped the only piece of driftwood, her salvation!

She didn't know what she was afraid of. It seemed as if some unknown force was coveting her, spying on her, trying to drag her back to the same catastrophic state she had been in her past life...

"Help me..."

The fourth brother, who was outside the study, felt a pang of pity as he listened to the suppressed sobs inside. He didn't know what Sixth Sister had done wrong and wanted to go in to see what was wrong, but he was afraid of angering his eldest brother. So he had to endure it and listen carefully to the sounds coming from inside the room.

The moment Yuan Liuniang broke down, Lin Qiang felt a sharp pain in his heart, and waves of heartache and sorrow spread from the bottom of his heart. His heart felt like it was being squeezed.

This isn't his emotion!

"......."

Damn it! It must be the lingering obsession of the original owner! (Fuck!) Didn't the original owner leave?! How can it still affect his body?!

Lin Qiang clutched his throbbing heart and irritably went to help Yuan Liu Niang.

"Shut up! Stop crying! I won't abandon you!"

The pain made his vision go black in waves, and Lin Qiang cursed the black-bearded man in his mind many times.

What the hell?! How the hell is he supposed to make Yuan Liu Niang happy?! How the hell is he supposed to make Yuan Liu Niang happy?!

After restraining Yuan Liuniang, whose emotions were clearly out of control, Lin Qiang pressed her pressure point to induce sleep. The moment she fainted, the intense pain in his heart subsided.

"Fourth brother! Come in!"

The fourth brother, who was always ready, rushed in through the creaking door: "Big brother! What happened to Sixth Aunt?!"

“She’s a bit off, so I used acupressure on her. Take her back to her room and let her get a good night’s sleep. Also, find a doctor to prescribe some calming medicine for her.”

"promise."

The fourth brother carefully picked up Yuan Liu Niang, and felt somewhat embarrassed to see that she was still tightly clutching Lin Qiang's clothes.

"Big brother, um... the hem of your shirt..."

Lin Qiang, expressionless, picked up the corner of his clothes and ripped it open with a "rip."

He wanted to ask Yuan Liuniang why she had lost control of her emotions, but seeing his elder brother's pale face, he didn't dare to speak and carried Yuan Liuniang out of the study.

"Damn it! What kind of mess is this?!"

Rubbing his still slightly aching heart, Lin Qiang felt extremely gloomy. He was supposed to take Yuan Qiong away tomorrow, and not wanting to cause trouble at this critical juncture, he hadn't bothered to investigate what Yuan Liu Niang and Yuwen Zhe had done in the palace.

But given the current situation, he had no choice but to act. His plans for tomorrow absolutely could not go wrong!

**

Once Yuwen Jing recovered and his initial excitement subsided, the first thing he did was rush to the Zhaoyang Palace to see the Empress and share his joy, only to be turned away at the door.

Yuwen Jing was somewhat displeased, but he knew that his relationship with the Empress had recently become strained, so he couldn't force his way in. He could only return to Weiyang Palace dejectedly.

"Sister Qiong must still be angry with me, angry that I trusted Yuwen Ting and let the tiger return to the mountain."

Now, Yuwen Ting has openly rebelled, showing no regard for brotherhood whatsoever. His intentions are despicable!

"Summon Zhao Shixian to the palace; I have something to discuss with him."

"promise."

Yuwen Jing thought: Zhao Aiqing is the one who understands my thoughts the most, and he will surely be able to share my worries and solve my problems!

Author's Note: I just took on a brand promotion project right after 618, and I'm so busy I'm about to explode. Yet, I still managed to come up with a new idea?! But I don't have time to write it down. It's inexplicably frustrating.

This feeling is like having a breath stuck in your chest, unable to exhale, choking you uncomfortably. I really want to grab my boss and beat him up! Why is he always looking for trouble?! I've booked countless full-body massages and spa treatments this month, and I haven't been able to go even once!!!

That's enough, that's enough, don't get angry, getting angry will only make you sick and that's even more worrying.

If one day you see me taking a break from updating and going on to write something else, like that short horror story, don't be angry or doubtful. I'm just bursting with pent-up ideas, like I'm going to explode if I don't write them down.

So... I'll just bow to everyone and pray that my project goes smoothly, that I work less overtime, that the masseur's skills improve, that the author's typing speed increases, and that there are fewer wild ideas. Maybe then I'll be able to update faster...