The Fourth Prince's residence was a gift from the Emperor to Jiang Chi on his twelfth birthday.
The mansion is located in the most prosperous area of the capital.
Yuan Yuan was imprisoned in a prison cart and paraded through the streets.
Along the way, there were crowds of onlookers.
Yuan Yuan huddled in the narrow prison cart, wearing heavy shackles, looking out through the wooden bars.
Dark clouds obscured the sun, and the autumn wind was chilly.
The onlookers stood in the autumn wind, watching him with sorrowful and desolate eyes, full of sympathy.
If it were anyone else, as a remnant of the traitorous party, they would probably have been buried alive by rotten vegetables and eggs long ago...
Yuan Yuan withdrew his gaze and looked at the tips of his shoes.
There are always kind people in this world...
After parading through three long streets, the prison wagon was transported into the palace.
Upon entering the palace, Yuan Yuan was dragged off the prison cart.
Jiang Chi, wearing a dark purple cloak and a black fur collar, reached out and pulled hard on the iron chains binding Yuan Yuan's hands.
Yuan Yuan staggered several times before finally regaining his balance.
Along both sides of the palace road, palace servants stood respectfully with their heads bowed.
After the Crown Prince's death, the Emperor grieved for a few days, and then began to favor Jiang Chi.
Give us whatever you want.
Jiang Chi was incredibly arrogant in the palace...
Before dawn, a young eunuch from the Fourth Prince's residence entered the palace and summoned many palace servants to wait at the palace gate.
Jiang Chi led Yuan Yuan along the palace path, laughing wildly as he went, "What are you all standing there for? Call him Eunuch Yuan!"
The palace servants greeted in unison, "Greetings, Eunuch Yuan..."
Yuan Yuan remained expressionless.
Suddenly, Jiang Chi tugged at the iron chain.
Yuan Yuan stumbled again, gritting his teeth.
Seeing his reaction, Jiang Chi scoffed, his voice laced with smugness and malice: "From now on, Eunuch Yuan will be on duty at Ruyi Palace!"
Ruyi Palace, meaning "good fortune and auspiciousness", was once the residence of Empress Han, who was the most favored concubine in the palace.
Because she gave birth to a son and a daughter, Lady Han served as Empress for a period of time. Later, she was implicated in a family incident and was demoted to Consort Jing.
Later, the Han family was suspected of treason, and the entire clan was either beheaded or exiled. Consort Jing was banished to the Cold Palace, along with her young son and daughter.
Two years later, Consort Jing died in despair.
Now, only Consort Jing's two children live in the Cold Palace.
The dusty, dilapidated gate of the Cold Palace was slowly pushed open.
With a creak, the desolate and dilapidated courtyard of the Cold Palace came into view.
Although the Cold Palace was desolate, it was very clean and tidy.
Apart from a few fallen leaves, there wasn't a speck of dust on the ground.
It's obvious that it's been cleaned daily...
Jiang Chi raised his foot and kicked Yuan Yuan: "Go inside!"
Yuan Yuan fell heavily to the ground.
He was covered in injuries, and the impact tore his wounds open.
Fresh blood seeped through the thin clothes.
The wound on his palm split open again, revealing the stark white bone, and blood gushed out uncontrollably...
The glaring blood excited Jiang Chi immensely.
He stood at the entrance of the Cold Palace, smiling smugly: "Yuan Yuan, the Cold Palace is quiet and secluded, perfect for recuperating!"
Look how good I am to you!
Enjoy this favor slowly!
Yuan Yuan: "..."
In the cold palace, no one cares about you at all; you'll probably die even faster there.
Oh……
Jiang Chi glanced at the desolate, cold palace that was now only frequented by crows, and then looked at Yuan Yuan, who was covered in wounds and barely alive. Suddenly, he felt a deep emptiness in his heart.
His face darkened, and he said to his lackeys, "Close the door!"
The lackeys, eager to show off, rushed forward to close the door...
With a creak, the heavy door was slammed shut from the outside once more.
The Cold Palace was so quiet that only the sounds of the wind and birds could be heard.
"This place... is probably safe now..."
Yuan Yuan turned over, gazed at the gloomy sky, and slowly closed his eyes...
Yuan Yuan had been on the run ever since the entire Yuan family was beheaded.
For a long time, he had never had a full night's sleep.
After being confined to the cold palace, he finally relaxed completely for the first time. Wearing heavy shackles, he lay on the cold ground and fell asleep without worry.
A very, very long time passed...
"Sister, he opened his eyes!"
A tender boy's voice rang joyfully in his ears.
Is anyone there?
Yuan Yuan slowly opened his eyes.
"You're finally awake?" A girl dressed in a simple gray and white coarse cloth dress sat happily on the edge of the bed.
The girl was dressed in a drab gray dress, thin and frail, with a sallow complexion due to malnutrition. Her dry, yellowish hair was casually tied into two small buns.
Fortunately, her bright and clear eyes added a lot to her charm.
If she were to grow up a bit more and have fairer skin, she would definitely be a stunning beauty.
Yuan Yuan struggled to his feet, his voice hoarse as he said, "Greetings to Princess Liuyue, greetings to the Sixth Prince..."
"Get up quickly!" Liu Yue hurriedly tried to help him up.
Yuan Yuan reacted instinctively, his body trembled slightly, and he shrank back.
He doesn't want to be touched.
Liu Yue paused, withdrew her hand, and casually smoothed the hem of her clothes before asking, "You know about me and Ah Xian?"
Beside them, a little boy with similarly sallow skin came closer, his eyes wide, and asked, "Have you seen me and my sister before? Who are you?"
“I…” Yuan Yuan’s eyes dimmed.
Jiang Xian opened her big eyes and tilted her head to look him over: "You're wearing a eunuch's clothes. Are you the little eunuch sent by the Emperor to take care of us?"
But why are you wearing chains?
"Ah Xian!" Liu Yue saw that Yuan Yuan looked terrible and quickly stopped Jiang Xian: "This young master is seriously injured. He is just temporarily staying at Ruyi Palace."
Ah Xian, the young master has been sleeping for a long time and must be thirsty. Could you go and fetch him a bowl of water?
Jiang Xian thought for a moment, then obediently nodded: "Okay!"
Liu Yue smiled gently at him: "Ah Xian is the best! Drive carefully on the road, don't hurt yourself!"
Jiang Xian left happily, skipping and hopping.
After Jiang Xian left, Liu Yue looked at Yuan Yuan and asked, "May I ask your surname, young master?"
Yuan Yuan replied in a hoarse voice, "My surname is Yuan, Yuan Yuan."
Liu Yue nodded, then pointed to Yuan Yuan's hand: "I tried for a long time, but I couldn't break those chains."
pull?
Yuan Yuan frowned and coughed twice before saying in a daze, "This is locked; you need a key to open it."
key?
Liuyue asked, "Can it be split open with an axe?"
Yuan Yuan shook his head.
The iron chains Jiang Chi used to lock him must have been made of a special material.
An ordinary iron axe simply couldn't split it...
Liu Yue asked anxiously, "Then, what should we do?"
Yuan Yuan shook his head again.
Just then, Jiang Xian came in from outside, carrying a chipped porcelain bowl, and said as she walked, "Sister, the water is here."
Liu Yue softened her expression, took the water from Jiang Xian's hand, and placed it on the old, worn-out table beside the couch: "Drink some water first. The matter of the iron chains isn't urgent. We'll think of another way."
“Okay…” Yuan Yuan nodded.
Liu Yue added, "This cold palace is inhabited only by me and Ah Xian. Every half month, someone from outside will bring us food."
If you don't mind, you can stay here and recuperate for now.
"Thank you..." Yuan Yuan said in a hoarse voice.
Liu Yue smiled gently at him: "You're welcome!"
Yuan Yuan then took a temporary rest at Ruyi Palace.
Liu Yue sewed him a rough garment overnight, changed him out of his eunuch clothes, and even shared half of her food with him.
During this period, Yuan Yuan's wound became inflamed, ulcerated, and oozing pus, and he had several episodes of high fever.
Liu Yue had no choice but to secretly take out the silver she had saved up for a long time and wait at the gate of the Cold Palace every day, asking a passing eunuch to get her some medicine...
After a while, it took a full half month of back and forth.
That day, Yuan Yuan drank the medicine and broke out in a sweat. He was unconsciously shedding tears and talking incoherently.
Liu Yue was extremely anxious. After hesitating for a long time, she said to Jiang Xian, "No! Ah Xian, we must remove the chains from Ah Yuan's hands!"
As long as he's chained, his injuries will never heal!
Jiang Xian opened her eyes wide, and said in a daze, "But, sister, we can't take off these chains..."
After pondering for a long time, Liu Yue made up her mind: "If we can't break the chains, the only way to save A Yuan's life is to break his hands!"
Jiang Xian trembled in fright: "Sister..."
Liu Yue's eyes reddened: "There's no other way... Ah Xian, you stay with Ah Yuan, I'll go to the woodshed to get the axe..."
"Wait!"
A slightly deep, youthful voice hurriedly came from outside the room.
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