The next morning, sunlight shone through the narrow cracks in the dungeon, finally bringing some warmth to Xu Yuehuai's body.
She blinked, waking from her deep dream.
As her vision cleared after sensing the light, she saw a group of guards outside the iron gate in front of her, all staring at her with indifferent expressions.
"Wake up and get to work!"
One of the guards shouted, and the next moment he kicked the iron gate, making a loud thud.
Upon hearing the other person's voice, Xu Yuehuai slowly stood up and walked out of the dungeon.
Then, the guards led her along the path, and soon they arrived at the backyard of the palace.
The sun was shining everywhere, but Xu Yuehuai's mood was shrouded in gloom.
"You just stay here and keep digging for stones!"
Xu Yuehuai never expected that she would be assigned to a team to dig for gemstones, just like a prisoner.
Nearby, there were many people in tattered clothes, working monotonously.
Xu Yuehuai took a deep breath, picked up the tools beside her, and joined their operation.
She smiled bitterly to herself, "Fate has made me destined to be connected with this precious stone."
However, as she dug, she unexpectedly discovered that the stones in the back mountain were of much higher quality than those she had seen outside. Not only was the texture delicate, but the color was also warm and lustrous like jade, making them truly rare gems.
"These stones are extraordinary. No wonder they wanted to occupy this place. So there was another reason behind it."
The rare stones here seem inexhaustible. Could it be that the entire palace is covered by rare stone veins?
She was thinking to herself, why not secretly hide a few gemstones and take them back for research?
However, the surveillance around her was so tight that she had absolutely no chance to take advantage of the situation.
Helpless, she could only abandon the idea and continue silently carving out the gemstone.
The afternoon sun was scorching, and there was nowhere to find shade. The people wouldn't give Xu Yuehuai any water or food either.
Xu Yuehuai could only continue to work hard under the scorching sun, but seeing that the miners around her did not complain, she could not help but work even harder.
After the sun set, the aliens finally spoke and led her away from there.
When Xu Yuehuai returned to the cold and damp dungeon, she realized that the environment here was actually quite nice. Compared to being exposed to the scorching sun outside, it was like a fairyland!
"Hey!" The guard threw a few shriveled buns on the ground.
Are we really going to eat this much today?
These people don't even treat her like a human being!
Even the donkeys in the production team wouldn't be given such little food!
If she didn't eat, she would surely starve to death here. One must be flexible; it's just a few steamed buns, she'd eat them!
Xu Yuehuai immediately picked up the steamed bun and ate it in big bites. The way he wolfed it down made the guards next to him laugh out loud.
"This is actually the Regent's Consort of the Great Zhou Kingdom? She looks no different from a dog in the village!"
"I didn't expect her to eat everything! Looks like we can prepare some even more delicious food for her later! Hahahaha!"
"Yes, let me think about what I should prepare."
The guards chatted and laughed outside, but Xu Yuehuai remained unmoved. If these people wanted to provoke her, it was all in vain. She was long past the age of being irritable, and she wouldn't waste her energy on such words.
After finishing the steamed bun, Xu Yuehuai looked up at the moonlight outside the iron bars.
"Aze, are you alright?" she murmured to herself.
As she looked at it, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, but in the next instant, her resolve hardened.
Even if she's in hell, she's determined to live on!
On the other side, in the mansion of the Underworld Moon Kingdom.
Qi Guze slowly opened his eyes in the darkness. His eyes were dull and lifeless.
After he calmed down for a while, his eyes gradually regained their light, but a layer of indifference remained in his eyes.
"Master, you're finally awake." Yan Qing rushed into the room after sensing Qi Guze's vigorous aura.
He stood by the bed and said weakly, "The princess went to Dongsang alone."
Upon hearing this, Qi Guze simply replied with a faint "Mm".
It was as if he didn't care about Xu Yuehuai at all; this state seemed extremely strange.
Yan Qing couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, aren't you worried about the Princess at all?"
Qi Guze glanced at him and said coldly, "Don't talk nonsense."
After saying that, he closed his eyes, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart.
Yan Qing stood there dumbfounded, at a loss. He hadn't expected that Qi Guze would become as cold and ruthless as before after waking up. He thought he would never see such a prince again. Unexpectedly, after all the twists and turns, everything seemed to have returned to the starting point.
Qi Guze didn't say anything more, and Yan Qing quietly withdrew.
A few breaths later, Qi Guze opened his eyes again and asked the guards in another location, "Where is Song Luo?"
"It's already been sent to the young master and the others," the guard replied.
Qi Guze ordered, "Go and bring her back."
Upon receiving the order, the guards were stunned, just like Yan Qing had been moments before.
But seeing how serious Qi Guze was, he had no choice but to agree and do it.
One evening, in a secluded valley.
Song Luo casually swept the courtyard with a broom, her face full of resentment and bitterness, but she dared not stop sweeping, after all, someone was watching her from the shadows at all times.
If she slacks off even slightly, the other person will throw pebbles at her.
Song Luo tried to escape many times during these days, but all attempts ended in failure.
After being injured time and time again, she now has no choice but to learn her lesson and stay quietly in this valley.
"Song Luo!" The guard approached Song Luo.
Song Luo thought she had misheard, until the other person called her name again, at which point she looked up.
"I'm here."
"The prince wants you to come back," the guard said calmly.
What?
Should we take her back?
Is this not a hallucination?
Song Luo's heart was pounding wildly; she never expected her luck to come so quickly.
"Brother, have you finally remembered me? Take me back quickly!" She couldn't wait to throw down the broom in her hand and go to the guard's side.
But Qi Zixin heard their conversation and immediately stepped forward to stop them.
"You're not allowed to leave!"
The guard calmly replied, "Miss, this is the master's arrangement."
Helpless, Qi Zi'ang stepped forward and pulled Qi Zixin back, "Sister, Father must have something urgent to tell her. Just stay here and don't stop him."
After some persuasion, Qi Zixin had no choice but to let Song Luo leave.
"When you go to my father's place, don't try anything funny."
"If I find out you've been messing around, you're finished!"
Just as Song Luo was about to leave, Qi Zixin put her hands on her hips and said some harsh words.
Song Luo didn't take the little brat's words seriously. "Hmph, wait until I get back, I'll give you a good spanking!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com