Chapter 260: Seeing the Light of Day Again (1)

Rapid and chaotic footsteps came from outside the door. Qingfeng was too weak to pay attention. She only heard a "clatter" as the locked door suddenly opened. Qingfeng could feel a group of people standing outside the door, and the bright torches made her eyes sting. After finally adapting to the light of the torches, Qingfeng saw a man walk into the prison with a grin, muttering to himself, "Congratulations, young lady! No, no, it should be Concubine Qing. Please, hurry. Chief Gao is waiting for you outside."

He is? When she first entered the Heavenly Prison, he was the "Official Zhang" whom the guards were eager to please. He should be the head here. What did he just call her?

Qingfeng's chaotic thoughts hadn't been sorted out yet, but the man had already walked to her side and roared at the jailers behind him, "What are you standing there for? Why don't you hurry and help the concubine out."

"Yes." The two jailers hurriedly ran over, each supporting an arm, and carefully helped Qingfeng up from the ground without using too much force.

Barely standing straight, Qingfeng looked at the jailer supporting her. This was the person who had sprinkled sand and gravel into the bowl. Meeting Qingfeng's gaze, the man didn't dare to look at her. Qingfeng could feel his hands trembling, and even his breathing was rapid.

What exactly was going on? They called her concubine. How could this be possible? How could that cold-blooded man Yan Hongtian let her have an easy time?

Qingfeng was still secretly pondering, but she had already been helped out of the cell. When the cell door closed, the woman who had been hiding in the corner slowly raised her head, looking at the empty cell opposite, her eyes full of desolation. She had indeed gone out as she said, but what would happen after she went out?

Qingfeng was brought out of the Heavenly Prison, and the night wind blew on her face. She couldn't help trembling. The chill started from her chest and spread to her limbs.

"What's wrong with her?"

The familiar voice made Qingfeng raise her head slightly. The person speaking was? Gao Jin? Qingfeng understood. He had returned, which meant Yan Hongtian already knew that the matter of sending the wrong person was not a conspiracy between her and her eldest sister. Even so, Yan Hongtian didn't need to reward her. The word "guilt" would never appear on him, and she had indeed attempted to assassinate him.

Qingfeng's face was pale to the point of turning blue, and her expression was listless, looking like she was terminally ill. Gao Jin asked casually, but Zhang Chenyang broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly replied, "Concubine Qing hasn't been feeling well these past few days, but Chief Gao, please rest assured, Imperial Physician Huang has seen her, and she is taking medicine every day. After recuperating for a few days, she will definitely recover."

Gao Jin waved his hand at the two palace maids beside him, and the two immediately understood, walked to Qingfeng's side, and took Qingfeng from the guards' hands.

"Let's go." Gao Jin didn't say anything to Zhang Chenyang, and the few of them hurried away.

Zhang Chenyang looked at Qingfeng's back as she walked with unsteady footsteps and sighed secretly. He had misjudged this time. In this palace, taking one wrong step could lead to eternal damnation. Hopefully? She wasn't a vengeful person! In any case, he would have to be more careful in his dealings in the future.

The two palace maids looked thin, but their strength was not small. They dragged Qingfeng for a long time without even turning red or out of breath. After walking for about half the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the two finally stopped.

Qingfeng raised her head again and saw a palace that was not too big but exceptionally magnificent. The semicircular courtyard was full of pink and white peonies, and the fragrance of flowers filled the room. The open hall door and bright candlelight allowed her to see at a glance, amidst the pink and purple gauze curtains, that tall and lonely figure, which was out of place with the beautiful decorations around it.

Qingfeng sneered. He really couldn't let her go easily. Yan Hongtian was indeed a terrifying man. Every time she faced him, she needed courage and strength. Qingfeng took a deep breath, endured the pain in her chest, forced herself to hold her head high, and stepped into the brightly lit hall.

Entering the hall, Gao Jin said to the tall figure standing with his back to them, "Greetings, Your Majesty." The two palace maids were about to help Qingfeng kneel, but Qingfeng suddenly broke free from their hands and refused to bend her knees.

When Yan Hongtian turned around, he happened to see her pushing away the palace maids and staring at him while standing alone. Scattered hair covered half of her face, and her dirty and torn clothes made her look disheveled. However, those hateful and unyielding eyes were still as bright as to be almost piercing. Yan Hongtian was not angry because she didn't salute; instead, he smiled happily, "I really missed the way you look when you're angry."

There were many beauties in the palace who wanted to use the "hard-to-get" tactic to attract his attention, and she was definitely not one of them. The hatred in her eyes when she looked at him was like a ball of fire, fierce and fervent, wishing to burn him to ashes, just like now.

Yan Hongtian raised his hand slightly, and Gao Jin understood. He gave a look to the two palace maids kneeling on the ground, and the two immediately bowed and retreated.

Yan Hongtian walked slowly in front of Qingfeng, deliberately ignoring her fervent gaze. His black eyes looked at the exquisitely decorated palace, and he smiled, "Are you satisfied? This will be your place from now on."

Her chest burned with pain, but Qingfeng felt cold all over. The bright candlelight in the hall and the swaying gauze curtains actually made her feel dizzy. Everything in front of her was blurry, and even Yan Hongtian's expression, she couldn't see clearly. Not wanting him to discover her abnormality, Qingfeng lowered her head slightly, hoping that the dizzy feeling would pass quickly.

"Not rare?" Qingfeng's silence, in Yan Hongtian's view, was disdain. Pinching her chin and lifting her head, Yan Hongtian smiled, "Then you must not care for the title of 'Concubine' either?"

Hearing his words clearly, Qingfeng was startled. He really conferred her the title of concubine? Her chin was pinched tightly, she couldn't move, and she didn't have the strength to struggle. Staring at Yan Hongtian's deep and unpredictable eyes, Qingfeng asked in a low voice, "What do you want?" He would confer her the title of concubine; there must be some purpose, and she didn't have much ability to think now. Just standing in front of him had used up all her strength.

He guessed that she definitely wouldn't show joy, but at least she should show some disgust or aloofness. Her calm appearance made Yan Hongtian unaccustomed, and that hoarse, low voice that could barely be recognized as a woman's voice also made him frown involuntarily. He remembered that although her voice was cold, it was still considered pleasant.

On her raised face, without the cover of hair, Yan Hongtian saw the scars on her face more clearly. The deep knife wound almost reached the bone, completely ruining her beautiful right face. His hand touched the uneven scar, and Yan Hongtian sighed in a low voice, "You were quite ruthless." Qing Ling also had two scars on her face, but compared to hers, they were not worth mentioning. It was said that they ruined their own appearances. This woman, being so decisive even toward herself, was indeed fierce enough.

She was ruthless? Qingfeng sneered, "Not as ruthless as you." Taking by force, relying entirely on his own preferences; in his eyes, human life was simply not worth mentioning. If it weren't for him, how could her parents have died, and how could they sisters have ended up like this!

"A sharp mouth." Qingfeng's sarcasm only earned a cold smile from Yan Hongtian. The next moment, Qingfeng only felt a heat on her lips, and a hot blood rushed to her head. Yan Hongtian's breath instantly enveloped her. He actually? Kissed her! Qingfeng struggled desperately, but the big hand around her waist wouldn't let her break free. The pain in her chest and the shame and anger in her heart struck at the same time. Qingfeng saw darkness before her eyes?

The woman who had been struggling constantly suddenly let him do whatever he wanted? Yan Hongtian let her go and looked down—

The woman in his arms had a slightly red face, her eyes closed tightly, and she softened in his arms. It was very clear that she wasn't being submissive, but had fainted! She actually fainted just like that? While he was kissing her? Yan Hongtian was stunned for a moment, a trace of anger rising in his heart, and then he couldn't help but laugh.

"Someone. Summon Huang Jiao."

"Yes." Gao Jin had never dared to stay too far away. Sure enough, not long after, he heard Yan Hongtian's voice coming from the hall, but the deep voice seemed to carry a faint smile.

Picking up the unconscious woman horizontally, Yan Hongtian carried her into the inner room and placed her gently on the silk quilt. After several days of prison life, the blue palace dress was already dirty and unbearable, the black hair was covered in dust, and the originally fair and delicate skin was full of dirt. Such a her was not compatible with the beauty and nobility of the room at all. Yan Hongtian sat beside her indifferently, staring at a fainted woman with such leisure for the first time. Under the candlelight, she no longer looked as pale as paper, her chapped lips were not at all seductive, but her brows were always slightly furrowed.

"Qingfeng?" Murmuring her name lightly, his fingertips traced over her ruined right face, and Yan Hongtian's mouth curled into an arc, "Little cat, protect your little claws well. I haven't had enough fun yet?"

Wu'er stood behind the screen, carefully watching her mistress who was still embroidering in the inner room. After the Emperor had dinner with the mistress tonight, he didn't stay overnight in Lingyun Palace. Usually, if there were no urgent state affairs for the Emperor to decide, the Emperor would stay in Lingyun Palace, but today, after the Emperor left, he didn't return to the Imperial Study, but went directly to Qingfeng Hall.

"Where did the Emperor go?"

Hearing the question from the inner room, Wu'er walked out from behind the screen and whispered, "Replying to my mistress, the Emperor? Indeed went to Qingfeng Hall."

The hand holding the embroidery needle paused, and Zhen Zhen said in a low voice, "All of you withdraw."

"Yes." Wu'er and the palace maids retreated quietly immediately. The moment the hall door closed, the silk, which had been more than half embroidered, was thrown fiercely to the ground.

In front of the exquisite red sandalwood carved bed, Huang Jiao took the woman's pulse. Whether it was because Yan Hongtian was standing behind him or because the illness was really that serious, his brows were always locked, and cold sweat was seeping from his forehead.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 261 =====