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Chapitre 15

"Is Xu'er shy? Haha..."

"Aunt, if you say that again, I'll go back to the palace and won't tell you any more funny stories!" She stamped her foot shyly and glared angrily at the Empress Dowager who was still laughing to herself.

"Alright, alright, Aunt won't say anymore. But if you want to, tell me, where did that scholar end up?"

"Speaking of that scholar..."

The court was filled with joy and harmony, while the princess suffered terribly. They were both her nieces, so why was there such a vast difference in their treatment? The world is so unfair!

Favoritism! It's unfair, this is so unfair! Rongyue, sprawled on the long wooden bench, howled inwardly with resentment! Although she didn't expect the Empress Dowager to be overly affectionate towards her, at least she shouldn't be constantly picking on her, bringing her over every now and then to 'educate' her! She'd had enough! Being a royal daughter-in-law was truly difficult! Leaving the palace was imperative!!

A deafening clap of thunder jolted Rongyue awake from her unconsciousness. Slowly pulling open her heavy, sore eyelids, she was met with a rustling bamboo forest. Startled, she looked around. The trees swayed, the wind howled, and lightning flashed amidst the rain. Looking down, she saw she was soaked to the bone, her hands sticky with mud. Rongyue realized with a start that she had been abandoned in an unknown royal forest.

Leaning against a nearby bamboo grove, Rongyue endured the pain in her back and struggled to her feet. These two vicious, heartless women had actually abandoned her, wounded, in the overgrown woods, leaving her to fend for herself in the wind and rain. They were truly two venomous scorpions! Taking advantage of the prince's foolishness, they bullied his wife like this—it was truly hateful! At the same time, she resented that foolish man who claimed to love her, yet was powerless to protect his woman, allowing her to suffer repeated injustices and harm…

Sigh, it seems she's really been beaten senseless, she's even started to feel sorry for herself! We should find somewhere to shelter from the rain first, otherwise her injury might get infected and worsen, and then she'll be going to the underworld to complain.

It was already dark. In the starless and moonless night, Rongyue could only stumble and stagger towards the edge of the bamboo forest by the light of the lightning. She walked and helped herself along the way. The muddy path made it even more difficult for Rongyue to walk, but with her tenacity, she managed to walk out of the desolate forest and finally saw the palace not far ahead.

Victory is just around the corner! She clenched her fist in a victory sign, cheered herself on, and started running, stumbling and staggering, towards the palace.

Whew—she let out a long sigh of relief. They had finally arrived! Hiding under the eaves, Rongyue wiped the rainwater from her head and looked at the torrential rain falling from the sky. A sense of desolation and the vicissitudes of her life welled up in her heart.

The cold wind was penetrating everywhere, and it made Rongyue shiver. Looking down at her damp clothes clinging to her body, Rongyue frowned, glanced up at the dilapidated palace, and finally made up her mind to grasp the door knocker and gently knock on the door.

"Creak—" To Rongyue's dismay, the door opened slowly and automatically to both sides as soon as she touched it, emitting an ancient and dull thud. And at the very moment the door opened, a blinding bolt of lightning struck, illuminating the red-painted wooden door, inexplicably reminding her of Hong Kong and Taiwan zombie movies.

"Boom!!" The outstretched foot was abruptly retracted, and Rongyue's heart clenched. This scene also reminded her of the scene in her dream. Go in? Don't go in? A fierce internal struggle raged within Rongyue. Undeniably, this moment truly terrified her, making her hesitate, because the palace instilled in her an indescribable fear. Although a thousand voices in her head told her not to go in, inexplicably, her foot stepped into the palace again. Amidst the rumbling thunder, she followed the path, as if guided by something ahead, step by step approaching the last room on the southern side of the palace…

If time could turn back, she would never have touched that eerie door, nor would she have stepped into this palace, approached this room, or crossed the threshold. Then she wouldn't have seen the nightmare that would haunt her for a lifetime...

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in life. What's meant to happen will happen, and there's no escaping it. That's fate!

The instant the lightning struck the room, she clearly saw a woman being placed in a jar!

What terrified her even more was that when she brushed aside the woman's hair covering her face, she discovered that the woman looked exactly like the 'mother' from her dreams!

Horror, fear, pain, longing, shock, bewilderment... a barrage of emotions overwhelmed her, making it hard to breathe. Her body suddenly lost its support, and she slumped to the ground, taking two steps back as she looked at the person in the urn.

"Mother...Mother!!" She suddenly scrambled towards the jar as if possessed, her hands trembling as she cradled the woman's head, her heart aching as if pierced by an awl. Tears quickly blurred her vision; at this moment, she could no longer distinguish whether she was Liu Rongyue or Jian Dan. Perhaps, at this moment, or from a very long time ago, Liu Rongyue was Jian Dan, and Jian Dan was Liu Rongyue.

He carefully brought his tear-streaked face close to the woman's, the warm, wet tears wetting her pale cheeks. The warm touch startled the woman; she turned her head, making muffled noises as if asking for the newcomer's identity.

"Mother! You...you..." She couldn't believe she was still alive! The words 'human pig' suddenly flooded Rongyue's mind! Suppressing her pounding heart, Rongyue trembled as she slowly reached her hand into the jar...

"Ah--" Rongyue ran frantically into the rain, running wildly in the pouring rain, letting the merciless rain drench her petite body.

Eyes, ears, tongue, limbs! Who, who is so cruel! So cruel to her!! Why not let her die, why not let her die!! Who is so ruthless, allowing her to live a wretched life, making her wish she were dead!!

No, no, she's not her mother. Her mother was poisoned. She's not her mother, no, no... no!

Whoever she is, it's none of her business; she has absolutely no connection to her! Yes, no connection, nothing at all. She's not Liu Rongyue; she's Jian Dan, Jian Dan, not Rongyue, not, not...

Liu Rongyue, she is not your mother. Things can look alike, people can resemble each other; the world is full of wonders. She is not your mother; she just looks similar, that's all...

Liu Rongyue, leave! Don't bother her anymore! Please, if you're going to die, just disappear quickly!

She is simple, she is not Rongyue, she is not Rongyue!!!

Ahhhhhh--

Having some memorials to attend to, Dongfang Lie headed to the Imperial Study after his visit to Consort Li. On the imperial carriage, he was squinting, planning matters of the court, when his concentration was suddenly interrupted by approaching footsteps. His face darkened, and he glanced displeasedly towards the source of the sound. Dongfang Lie saw a petite figure stumbling and running frantically towards him in the torrential rain.

"Who goes there!" The accompanying guards drew their swords as Rongyue approached the imperial carriage, the sharp blades pointing directly at the disheveled Rongyue.

However, Rongyue, with her empty eyes, seemed completely unaware of the outside world. She covered her ears with both hands, shook her head repeatedly as she ran, and passed straight through the imperial carriage, continuing to run wildly in the torrential rain.

"Stop her!" Dongfang Lie pointed at Rongyue and commanded.

"twitter!"

Two guards immediately flew forward, one grabbing Rongyue's shoulder and forcibly bringing her to the imperial carriage.

"No... I'm not... I'm not..."

"Liu Rongyue?!" Dongfang Lie exclaimed in astonishment, then grabbed Rongyue's arm and pulled her onto the imperial carriage.

"Liu Rongyue, what tricks are you playing now?" Dongfang Yao asked the trembling Rongyue in a cold tone, brushing aside her wet hair.

Rongyue remained dazed, her face pale and terrified: "No, it wasn't my mother...it wasn't..."

"Liu Rongyue!" Dongfang Lie thought Rongyue was acting, that she wanted to disobey him again, and his face darkened. The hand holding her arm gradually tightened.

"You're talking nonsense, nonsense!! I'm not! I'm not Liu Rongyue, I'm not! She's not my mother! No!! Ah--" The name Liu Rongyue completely aroused her fear. She kicked, punched and bit Dongfang Lie like a madwoman. Taking advantage of the moment when Dongfang Lie let go, she turned around and jumped off the imperial carriage.

But before her feet even touched the ground, Dongfang Lie, who had regained his senses, intercepted her around the waist and pulled her back into the imperial carriage.

"Let me go! Let me go—" At this moment, Liu Rongyue was like a wounded wild beast, her eyes filled with bloodthirsty madness. She desperately bit at Dongfang Lie, who was holding her, as if venting her anger and repelling her fear.

Dongfang Lie then realized that Rongyue was really not right! He tightly gripped the furious Rongyue and ordered his servants to turn around and head towards his bedroom, Qiankun Palace.

"Hmm..." Caught off guard, Dongfang Lie was suddenly bitten hard on the arm by the irrational Rong Yue, the sharp pain causing him to groan involuntarily. Damn it, what's wrong with her!

Losing his patience, Dongfang Lie simply knocked her unconscious, finally calming the crazed little beast down.

Shaking his bleeding arm from the bite, Dongfang Lie looked at Liu Rongyue, whose face was pale, with a suspicious expression. What happened to her?

His slender hand slowly slid towards Rongyue's rain-streaked face, seemingly with pity and longing, moving back and forth for a long time without putting his hand down, as if reluctant to part with the smooth touch.