The imperial court and Yu State had completely fallen out with each other. Moreover, in this tearful struggle, the obvious winner was undoubtedly Mu Houchu. The public opinion had already been set up and was waiting for Mu Houchu to return to Yu State. Once he did, Yu State would no longer be part of Da Qian!
It wouldn’t be too surprising if Mu Houchu declared himself king, and it was even highly likely that he would wage war against the imperial court in a bid to usurp the throne!
Just thinking about this made the Emperor shudder, his gaze becoming colder and more ruthless. No matter what, he could not allow this to happen!
The only chance of turning the tables now rested entirely on Song Yalin. This was his only chance to turn the situation around, and he had to seize it. So, the Emperor couldn’t afford to be even the slightest bit negligent and, naturally, he had to meet Song Yalin personally.
As soon as the Emperor went out, a little eunuch immediately raised his shrill voice and shouted, "Prepare the carriage!"
——
In a small and elegant courtyard, the servants were all busy with their heads down and seldom talked. There was hardly any commotion as they went in and out. Finally, a doctor was sent away, and the maid who had escorted him respectfully returned to the room.
She pulled back the green bamboo-colored gauze curtain and said to the slender woman lying on the bed, "Side consort, it’s time for your meal."
Song Yalin shuddered all over, awakening as if from a nightmare that still lingered in her heart, filling her with fear.
Song Yalin buried her head even deeper, not responding at all.
The maid’s tone turned cold, her respectful attitude appearing rigid as she clearly looked down on Song Yalin from the bottom of her heart. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
"Don’t act like a child, my lady. It’s mealtime. If you don’t eat, how will you take care of yourself? How can you have a valuable body? How will I explain to the higher-ups if you get injured? If I can’t safely send you back to Yu State, I don’t know what other path you may have."
This polite statement carried a hint of a threat.
Song Yalin knew it was vital that she eat her meals, take her medicine, and obediently "become pregnant" to return to Yu State. Otherwise, the consequences could potentially be...
Song Yalin’s mind was instantly filled with the memory of her fear from that night.
What would happen if she disobeyed? Would that cold, heartless king throw her back into the same pit of fire again, make her suffer humiliation until her death?
Song Yalin let out a scream, immediately sitting up in her bed, trembling like a sieve, her face pale and ghostly: "I... I’ll eat."
The little maid’s mouth curled up in an almost imperceptible sneer: "Why didn’t you just do this sooner?"
With that said, the maid turned away, apparently going to fetch the meal.
Song Yalin buried her face in her hands and began sobbing quietly on her bed. From childhood till now, she had never suffered such humiliation. At the time when Rouyi Deputy Marshal pressed her against her will, stripped her naked in front of everyone, breaking her body, she only felt regret. Regretful that she chose this way, that she shouldn’t have jumped off the hillside to escape from Ji Xinhe and was caught by the Rouyi people.
But when she heard the emissaries from the imperial court speaking directly to the Rouyi Army that the Emperor ordered them to play with this woman, but to leave her alive, Song Yalin’s world went completely dark.
She didn’t know whether she was regretful or scared.
She really feels like she was wrong, wrong to choose such a partner, wrong to think that everyone has a bottom line, wrong to think that her value for the Emperor was actually very high, so high that he would protect her at any cost.
At first, the development path was indeed as she had expected, but in the end, she discovered that the cold king only wanted to protect her life and not her as a person. As for her as a person, she could always be used again at any time.
Sitting in the warmth of this room now, Song Yalin felt chilled to the bone, feeling no warmth whatsoever. The freezing white snow outside the window seemed to have frozen her heart, bringing back memories of the ordeal of almost dying from the Rouyi Army’s abuse, and made Song Yalin tremble unconsciously. She doesn’t know how to move forward or whether she will ever regain her former status.
At this moment, a sharp voice came from outside, "The Emperor arrives!"
Song Yalin trembled all over, her face turning even paler as she looked at the young king who strode in, as if looking at Yama: "Em... Emperor..."
A pair of eyes flickered with various emotions - fear, resentment, unwillingness, humiliation...
But ultimately, all of these emotions were overwhelmed by boundless fear, and Song Yalin couldn’t even utter a single word.
Because she had already experienced the cold-heartedness and despicableness of this heartless king!
The Emperor curled his lips: "How have you been recuperating these past few days?"
Song Yalin eyed the Emperor warily. The way he said it was as casual as asking "what did you eat for lunch?"
So carefree, so natural, as if the person who had treated her so cruelly before was not him at all.
Song Yalin backed away, her footsteps faltering.
A cold light flashed in the Emperor’s eyes, and the smile at the corner of his lips turned icy as he reached out to grip her chin: "Answer me when I ask you a question."
Song Yalin was terrified and couldn’t speak at all. Her eyes turned red, and she was about to burst into tears when the Emperor finally released her chin with a look of disgust. It seemed as if he was reminded of the many men that had tainted her body and felt dirty. He grabbed a handkerchief, wiped his hand with it, and threw it on the ground.
"How bold of you. I didn’t expect you to be so timid." The Emperor sneered. "I know what you’re thinking. I had you sent to the Rouyi Army as an apology gift, and I assumed that you wouldn’t be too pleased. But you should have thought earlier that you had to become pregnant with a bastard since Mu Houchu couldn’t sleep with you, and naturally, it must be other men doing it. Wasn’t this something you should have been prepared for earlier?"
Song Yalin was shaking, not daring to speak, and buried her head deep down. Indeed, she had thought about it, but she had assumed that the Emperor would want to control Yu State and the Pingyang Prince Mansion, and that he should naturally let her bear his child—but who would have known...
Song Yalin gave a bitter smile. After all, she had been too naive. The Emperor was so hateful towards Mu Houchu that it was impossible for him to want his valuable descendant to become Mu Houchu’s successor. Only a bastard produced by Myriad husbands could ease the Emperor’s hate.
Only now did she understand this truth, but it was too late.
"Yes..." Song Yalin said, lowering her head.
The Emperor coldly said, "You should know why you are still alive. It’s because I retrieved you from the Rouyi Army."
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