Chapter 3: I Must Escape the Palace, Even If I Die

Night falls.

Two guards escorted her, and Wan Tang arrived before Li Defu.

Li Defu was originally stationed in front of the Qianqing Palace gate; a single door away, inside was Chu Yunzheng.

Li Defu evidently had already made arrangements.

He walked over and said to Wan Tang, "Follow me."

【Wan Tang, run!】

【Li Defu is a pervert, and doesn't even know how to torture you.】

【The wooden hut ahead is his residence, filled with many torture devices; if you go with him, you're doomed.】

Wan Tang felt bitterness in her heart.

Run? How could she possibly get away?

Li Defu was a eunuch who had served the emperor since childhood and made major contributions during the fight for the throne.

He is also the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department.

He holds various powers, is a prominent figure by the emperor's side, and even the Empress must give him a sliver of respect when she sees him.

Moreover, two guards follow right behind him.

She is merely a shadow, not even a senior palace maid; what can she use to resist?

The wooden door was pushed open.

Li Defu said something to the two guards, and they left.

Li Defu licked his lips and stopped pretending.

He pointed inside and said, "Aren't you going in yet? Do you need me to hold you and bring you in?"

Even though she had guessed it in her heart, at this moment Wan Tang's heart hammered like thunder, a mix of terror.

She could only clutch tightly the object in her hand.

She forced herself to stay calm and adapt.

She did not expect Li Defu's thick hand to grip her arm tightly and throw her into the wooden hut.

Wan Tang's back pressed against the cold wooden stake.

Li Defu let out a hoarse laugh, "The Noble Consort said your beauty could topple a city; I must personally inspect the goods."

His greedy gaze examined Wan Tang.

He reached out to pull Wan Tang's dress.

Wan Tang suddenly flexed her knee, striking his abdomen hard.

Yet this desperate counterattack only earned Li Defu's harsher suppression.

Her back slammed heavily against the door panel.

Li Defu seized the chance, stepped forward, and brushed a mole on her face.

Li Defu's fingertip brushed her reddened eye corner, "So you're such a celestial being…"

His mouth corner stretched to his ear, revealing yellowed teeth.

"Tonight I will let you see how deft these hands of mine, which have served the Emperor, truly are…"

Before he finished speaking, Wan Tang suddenly bit his reaching wrist.

Li Defu raised his hand and slapped her face.

"You filthy little thing, daring to bite me."

"I originally wanted you to enjoy a session, but now it seems you only deserve to sit on that wooden donkey…"

Li Defu with a swish pulled back the curtain.

Behind the heavy drape were various extremely cruel torture devices.

Any one of them would make Wan Tang break into a cold sweat…

Li Defu slowly picked up an uneven wooden stick.

He stepped toward Wan Tang step by step.

A feral grin on his face: "I love this thing the most; your mother, the Noble Consort, asked me to handle matters, so I will definitely handle them first."

"It may hurt a bit at first, but over time you'll get used to it and it'll be fine."

Li Defu pursed his lips, signaling Wan Tang to obediently remove her clothes.

【For Xu Luoyan, Wan Tang has sacrificed too much.】

【Why can't I understand? Yesterday Wan Tang was flirting with the emperor, wasn't she? Wasn't she preparing a token for the emperor so he'd now come to rescue the heroine?】

【From the preview, it seems Wan Tang submits to this eunuch and then completely exits the story. Ah, no way, she hasn't revealed her true appearance before exiting!】

【Another brain‑dead female side character? I'm done, changing channel.】

Submissive? Exit?

Impossible!

Wan Tang's eyes stared straight at Li Defu.

With the power disparity, she is no match for Li Defu and can only wait for the most opportune moment.

The distance is very close now.

The disgusting grin and the withered face like a chrysanthemum were within arm's reach.

"Still shy, haha, I'll help you…"

Li Defu leaned down…

The moment has arrived.

Wan Tang's hand reached out from her waist, already holding a handful of ash, and she slammed it onto Li Defu's face.

A little lime was added to the incense ash, and the moment Yang went up, Li Defu's wail rang out immediately.

"My eyes!"

"Little Hoof, you dare to betray I (servant); I'll make you pay."

"Ah!"

Li Defu flailed his hands wildly, wailing in pain repeatedly.

Wan Tang pushed Li Defu aside in one swift motion.

She looked at the jade badge hanging from Li Defu's waist.

Wan Tang clenched the knotty wooden stick in both hands, used all her strength, and smashed it onto Li Defu's occiput.

"Dong!"

The wailing ceased.

Li Defu fell to the ground.

Wan Tang trembled as she leaned forward, carefully extending her hand to rest beneath his nostrils.

Fortunately, he was still breathing.

Even though she now wishes she could kill him, Wan Tang cannot do that.

Once a life is taken, even if she leaves the palace, she'll likely be unable to escape.

She steadied her breathing, calmed her emotions, and quickly slipped Li Defu's clothes onto herself.

Now no one can be relied upon; the only one she can trust is herself.

Only by leaving the imperial palace can she attain true freedom.

Before coming, she had already kept her household registration and the silver she had saved over the years close to her body.

Back then, preparing all this, she feared that the Noble Consort, knowing too much, would be uneasy about killing her.

But she was still somewhat naive, always thinking that even if the Noble Consort were ruthless, because of blood ties she would at least spare her a way out.

In the end she wagered away her humanity, but that's fine.

As long as she escapes today, she will be free.

In the dim night, Wan Tang took off her pass, clasped her hands behind her back, mimicking Li Defu's domineering manner, and walked out of the hut.

A chorus of cheers rang in her mind.

【Well done, Wan Tang, mighty.】

【I thought Wan Tang would just submit, but she had planned this all along.】

【Just leaving the palace like this? If it were me, I'd also loot all of Li Defu's treasures.】

Wan Tang tightened her expression, blew out the hut's candle, and locked the door from the inside.

Her figure vanished swiftly into the night.

The imperial palace is vast and its Palace Rules are strict; even after ten years inside, Wan Tang has many places she has never set foot in.

By moonlight, Wan Tang tries to walk where few people are.

Even if guards patrol by, seeing her in eunuch attire, they won't ask too many questions.

Gongmen is right before her eyes.

She only needs to cross this long blue‑stone road, and the distance to exit the palace is just one Gongmen away.

Wan Tang's steps paused briefly.

Staring at that imposing, heavy red gate, her heart was lodged in her throat.

Just as she was about to step forward, a palace maid, frenzied, ran ahead of her.

While running she shouted, "Twenty‑five and twenty‑five, how much time do I have?"

"If it's death, I'll die out there…"

Her pace was so frantic that before her front foot could cross the Gongmen, two guards had already yanked her back.

Amid the scolding, the maid was thrown to the ground.

A long killing rod struck her repeatedly.

The wailing grew weaker, and the scent of blood in the air grew stronger.

Wan Tang's fingers hanging from her trouser seam trembled uncontrollably.

In this gilded, resplendent place, it seems newcomers enter the palace daily, and corpses are carried out each day.

Within the deep‑red palace walls, those surrounded are merely a herd of prey.

The lofty Lady of Grace is the cruel hunter.

She does not want to stay in this man‑eating place.

Wan Tang looked up, feeling as if the sky were all blood‑hued.

After ten years in the palace, she has not seen bright moonlight again.

In her mind, chaos roared.

【The supporting female character is so stupid, this is pure adventure.】

【Freedom is more important than anything; staying in the palace, life is worse than death, better to take a gamble.】

【At least she still holds Li Defu's waist badge; Li Defu leaves the palace periodically and spends nights at his residence outside the palace.】

【If she claims she's going to fetch something for Li Defu, there's still a sliver of hope.】

【Where does that hope come from? Li Defu has already awakened, and now he's gone to complain to Xu Luoyan.】

The final sentence startled Wan Tang.

Even if it's more risky, she must gamble with her life.

She dares not linger another moment, clutches the waist badge tightly, and walks toward the Gongmen.