Chapter 279: Cold Heart, Cold Feelings (1)

"Clang!"

"Bang—"

Fuling huddled in the corner, quietly watching Qingfeng venting frantically in the room. After returning, she had locked herself in the room for the whole afternoon. As soon as the sun set, she began smashing things like a madwoman. The porcelain and ornaments in the room were all smashed. Perhaps this was good; it was more reassuring than her sitting there with a gloomy face, not saying a word.

Everything that could be smashed had been smashed. Qingfeng seemed unable to vent the hatred in her heart. She grabbed the thin gauze of the window curtains and tore it down with a swish. She threw all the silk and brocade from the bed onto the floor. Grabbing a pillow, Qingfeng smashed it with force, hitting the screen dead center. With a loud bang, the gold-threaded screen collapsed, and the cotton batting from the pillow flew everywhere. A small white silk pouch fell out along with the cotton.

Fuling bent down to pick it up. The pouch was very light, and the contents inside had been ground into powder—no wonder it hadn't been discovered while hidden in the pillow. Gently touching the pouch, a faint scent of sandalwood drifted out; one wouldn't notice it without smelling carefully.

Which maid was so thoughtful to put sandalwood in the pillow? Bringing the pouch closer to smell it again, Fuling frowned. Besides the sandalwood scent, there seemed to be a faint fishy smell? Fuling opened the pouch and found that the powder inside was contained in a very breathable, thin silk bag. Ordinary palace maids wouldn't have such exquisite things.

Doubts arose in her heart. Fuling examined the contents of the pouch more carefully. Upon closer inspection, there were tiny, pale white specks alive within the sandalwood shavings. Fuling lowered her head to smell it again...

This is...

Fuling's expression suddenly changed drastically. Qingfeng had been silently watching Fuling's every move and had already guessed that it wasn't anything good. She asked coldly, "What is it?"

Fuling was slightly startled. She looked up and met Qingfeng's cold, fierce gaze. Calming her mind, Fuling replied in a low voice, "Ju Xin Grass."

Qingfeng took the pouch to examine it closely. It was just some powder with the scent of sandalwood. She would occasionally smell it when she slept and had originally thought it was something the maids put there to help her sleep. Now it seemed that this was the culprit. Fuling remained silent for a long time. Qingfeng looked up at her. Fuling paused, pondering how to say it; Qingfeng had already suffered enough stimulation today.

"Its scent is similar to sandalwood, but... long-term exposure to this thing will make a woman..."

"Speak." Even if it were a deadly poison, she wouldn't be surprised.

"Unable to conceive."

Unable to conceive? The four words slowly entered her brain. Having suffered too many shocks today, Qingfeng's brain couldn't think for a moment. Yan Hongtian no longer sought her out, and she had already drunk the abortion medicine. What else did they want? To make her unable to have her own children for the rest of her life? How ruthless! Her head felt like it was tearing apart, and her heart felt like it was being stabbed. Qingfeng lost her balance and fell to the floor. Looking up at Fuling, Qingfeng murmured, "Why do they treat me like this?"

Why? For status in the palace, for the future throne, for the Emperor's favor—there were too many "whys," and yet there were no "whys." Qingfeng sat on the floor, her haggard face ashen. Her red, swollen eyes looked at Fuling with both confusion and despair. Fuling couldn't say a word.

Suddenly, Qingfeng burst into laughter. She didn't know if it was laughter born of extreme rage, but the sound was as sharp as a blade piercing the heart.

She hated Yan Hongtian, but for the sake of her sisters being able to survive in Qiongyue, she had already decided not to seek revenge. She disdained fighting for anything and just wanted to live her own life. Even if she had to go to the Cold Palace, she wouldn't care. Now it seemed she had been truly foolish, truly stupid!

The pouch she clutched in her hand still emitted a faint fragrance from time to time. This thing had been hidden in the place closest to her, on the bed she thought was safe. She had been lying on it every day, lying on a poisonous blade, and she hadn't even known it. It turned out that you couldn't survive just by not fighting or competing. She couldn't protect herself, let alone her sister...

Suddenly raising her head, Qingfeng stared at Fuling and asked, "Fuling, will you betray me?"

Fuling knew this might be the last chance Qingfeng was giving her to choose: to stay with her or to flee? Where could she flee to? Back to her old life? To continue being chased from one palace to another? Waiting for the endless day of leaving the palace, or dying of old age in the palace? Or perhaps offending someone she didn't know and dying in an "accident"? She had lived like this for more than ten years and didn't want to live like this anymore.

Meeting that gaze filled with hope and a faint plea, Fuling smiled. Being needed and trusted was also a kind of gain. Taking a deep breath, Fuling replied calmly and firmly, "I will not."

"Master, get up first. The floor is cold." Supporting Qingfeng's arm, Fuling gently pulled her up.

Tightly gripping Fuling's hand, Qingfeng slowly stood straight. She handed the pouch, which she had almost crushed, to Fuling and said in a low voice, "Take this away. Replace it with sandalwood shavings of a similar scent, sew it up well, and put it back in the pillow. Don't let anyone discover it, especially those in the Qingfeng Palace."

Fuling gripped the pouch tightly and nodded.

Glancing at the messy room, Qingfeng's expression regained some calm. She said, "Get it fixed by tomorrow morning, then have someone clean up. You may go."

"Yes." Fuling tucked the small pouch into the innermost pocket at her waist before gently opening the door and retreating.

The moment the door closed, the room fell back into darkness. Qingfeng stood quietly by the window, slowly raising her hand to touch the window paper, caressing the bright moonlight and the warm orange palace lanterns that were blocked out by the paper. After a while, Qingfeng withdrew her hand. Those warm feelings no longer belonged to her; all that was left for her was this room of darkness and cold, just like her heart.

It is you who forced me—

Fuling stepped outside, and Lan'er hurriedly greeted her, taking her hand to the tree in the courtyard. Xia Yin, who usually didn't like to gossip, was also there. Looking left and right to make sure no one was around, Lan'er lowered her voice and asked, "Sister Fuling, what... what happened to the Concubine?" When the Concubine walked in, her face was pale, and the dried blood and bruised wounds on her forehead were already scary enough. After entering the room, she smashed who knows how many things, not to mention the wailing cries and sharp laughter that could be heard in the courtyard—it gave her goosebumps!

Xia Yin also said softly, "Fuling, we are also worried about the Concubine, and even more afraid of being clumsy with our words and accidentally saying something wrong that would anger her."

Fuling shook her head gently and replied, "Don't worry too much. The Master is just... tired. Don't go in to disturb her tonight. Clean up the room tomorrow." After speaking, Fuling didn't wait for the two to respond and turned back to her own room.

Lan'er snorted, "So stingy, as if she's afraid someone will compete with her for favor!" After saying this, she also returned to her room.

Xia Yin looked back at the tightly closed door. There was no candlelight inside, and no more crying sounds; it was terrifyingly quiet.

Ming Mansion

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse; a cool summer breeze brushed against their faces. Laughter and conversation could be heard from time to time in the flower hall behind the corridor. The large courtyard was planted with balsams, and the delicate flowers swayed in the wind, filling the air with a rich fragrance. Unfortunately, the person under the moonlight wished to leave immediately, but the foot he had stepped out had to stop because of his mother's bitter pleading that afternoon.

Ming Ze stood with his arms crossed at the corner of the corridor, standing there for a long time. Although he didn't leave, he refused to walk toward the lively flower hall. In fact, no one cared whether he came or not. After so many years, hadn't his mother seen through it yet? In this Ming residence, there was no place for him and his mother. What was she fighting for? What was she seizing? And on what grounds? She treated him like a puppet, like a tool, never caring about his feelings; she only thought of herself. The most ridiculous thing was that she overestimated him; he was nothing in this family.

—Her safety is more important to me than anything else—

Qingfeng's words from that rainy night suddenly echoed in his mind, along with that dazzling, flower-like smile under the lightning. Ming Ze chuckled; she was still luckier than him, at least she had relatives worth protecting. He was on duty today, following the Emperor and Prime Minister Lou to the Imperial Garden, and had witnessed that farce of falling into the water. Not to mention the palace, which large mansion didn't have these "accidents" that could or couldn't be seen? It was just that Qingfeng's back, like a walking corpse when she left, made Ming Ze feel pity.

"Ming Ze."

A male voice filled with faint excitement sounded behind him. Ming Ze's sword-like brows furrowed, and he lifted his foot to leave. The only person in this family who would call him was him, and he didn't want to "waste words" with him.

Just as he was about to walk away, a tall figure quickly blocked his path. Ming Jian smiled with a familiar air, "It's not easy to come home once; shall we brothers have a drink?"

Blocked by Ming Jian, Ming Ze knew he couldn't ignore him this time. He replied indifferently, "I have to be on duty tomorrow." After speaking, he turned to leave.

Reaching out to grab Ming Ze's shoulder, Ming Jian sighed, "Ming Ze, we are brothers..."

Brothers? Ming Ze slapped his hand away and replied coldly, "I don't have that fortune." He couldn't afford to climb that high! Ming Ze turned his back coldly, clearly not wanting to continue talking to him. Ming Jian sighed heavily.

Ming family's third young lady, Ming Zhu, who had come out to find Ming Jian, saw Ming Ze's ingratitude and said loudly, "Brother, why bother with him? He's just a child born to a lowly concubine."

Ming Ze's back stiffened, and he strode toward the main gate.

"Ming Zhu!" Ming Jian scolded coldly. Ming Zhu pouted, looking unconvinced, but knowing her brother would get angry if she continued, she tightly grabbed Ming Jian's arm to keep him from chasing after him. Ming Zhu said coquettishly, "Alright, I won't say it anymore, okay? Mother has been nagging about why you haven't returned yet, and Grandmother must be in a hurry. Let's go, don't bother with him. Father will be angry if we're late."

Ming Ze had long since disappeared, and his little sister was pulling him incessantly. Ming Jian had no choice but to follow Ming Zhu toward the flower hall. Sigh, today was Grandmother's birthday; he had to think about how to help Ming Ze get out of this.

7:00 AM

The doors of each palace and hall opened slowly, and a new day began. While directing the maids to clean the courtyard and prune the flowers, Lan'er looked toward Fuling's room. Usually, at this time, Fuling should have gotten up to prepare for the Master's grooming. There was still no movement; should she go call her? While she was still pondering, the door of the main room suddenly opened, and Qingfeng walked out slowly.

Qingfeng wore an ice-blue long dress, a green jade ring at her waist, and a white jade hairpin in her hair. With her elegant steps, her knee-length hair and the gorgeous hem of her dress drew an elegant arc, like a clear, cool breeze blowing slowly. Qingfeng walked to the middle of the courtyard before the maids came to their senses, knelt, and greeted, "Greetings, Concubine."

Qingfeng didn't look at the slaves kneeling on the ground. She glanced at the peonies, which were carefully tended but were past their prime and gradually withering. Reaching out to pick a flower to play with, Qingfeng said in a low voice, "You may all withdraw."

"Yes."

"Lan'er." Lan'er had only taken two steps back when Qingfeng called out softly, forcing her to greet her again: "This servant is here."

Qingfeng gently stroked the petals, remaining silent for a long time. Lan'er was puzzled and quietly looked up, just in time to see a half-withered peony float down and fall at her feet. Qingfeng's indifferent voice sounded again: "Order someone to dig up all the peonies in front of the courtyard."

"Concubine!" Lan'er was shocked and said urgently, "Concubine, these flowers cannot be dug up!" Not to mention that these flowers were the favorite things of the late Consort De, just the effort the Emperor put into these peonies meant no one dared to touch them!

"Why?"

"This is... this is what the Emperor specifically..." Qingfeng leaned forward slightly, and the pressure that came with the faint fragrance made Lan'er's heart tremble so much she couldn't continue.

"Specifically chosen for Consort De, right?" Qingfeng reached out and gently pinched Lan'er's chin, making her look up. Meeting Lan'er's panicked eyes, Qingfeng's lips curled up, and she said softly, "Take a good look at the name of the palace bestowed by the Emperor. This is no longer the Shuyun Palace, and there is no Consort De here. Lan'er, you must remember, you are a person of my palace. Whatever the Master tells you to do, you do it. That is what makes a good servant, understand?"

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 280 =====