CHAPTER 79: BETRAYAL AND LOSS

Concubine Keshun, however, lay lazily on the bed. She then asked, "When will you come again?"

After last night’s passion, her brows and eyes were filled with seductive charm.

"I cannot enter the palace too often. If someone sees us, it will be trouble." Keshun Sanfeng spoke coldly while adjusting his collar. "You should use your energy on him. With just one word from him, Shen’er will gain great benefits. Do you not understand?"

After hearing this, Concubine Keshun angrily threw the pillow beside her onto the floor. "In his eyes and heart, there is only that dead woman and that vixen in Tianxin Hall. When has he ever cared about me? If I did not resemble that dead woman a little, he would not even bother to pretend to visit me each month."

A trace of disgust flashed through Keshun Sanfeng’s eyes, but he hid it quickly.

"Exactly because of that, you need to use more methods. Do not think too highly of your noble status. Between a man and a woman, on the bed it is just those few things. If her skill is good enough, even a whore can become a concubine."

Concubine Keshun laughed in anger.

She stepped down from the bed while wearing only a thin layer of silk and barefoot, she then walking close to Keshun Sanfeng and said, "Do you think I don’t know what tricks are in your heart? You are just like him. In your heart, there is only that dead woman. Too bad she is dead and her bastard child is also dead with her! Hahahahaha!"

"Madwoman." Seeing Concubine Keshun’s crazed expression, Keshun Sanfeng no longer wanted to argue with her. He turned around and left the room swiftly.

After being left alone, Concubine Keshun collapsed to her knees.

She keep laughing and laughing while her nails stabbed deep into her own flesh.

Drops of bright red blood fell onto the white carpet and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I hate you. I hate you. Even dead, you do not let us live in peace. One day, when Shen’er takes power, I will dig up your grave and crush your bones into dust."

The personal maid of Concubine Keshun entered the room as usual while carrying the basin of water for washing.

However, she was shocked to see Concubine Keshun who should have been asleep kneeling on the floor wearing only a thin silk robe.

"Your Highness..." the maid exclaimed in fear and the basin of warm water slipped from her trembling hands and spilling across the floor.

The maid’s cry woke up the enraged Concubine Keshun.

She then stood up after wiping the tears from her face and approached the maid, she looking down at her with a cold glare and said, "What did you just see?"

The maid is an older servant that has been long accustomed to palace life, she knew very well that such a question from Concubine Keshun carried deadly intent.

She collapsed weakly to the side, too frightened to even kneel properly and could only sob with tears streaming down her face.

"I... I didn’t see anything, Your Highness. Please, spare me... please spare me..."

But her pleas did not move Concubine Keshun.

She cast a cold glance at the trembling maid and immediately spat ruthless words: "Beat her to death."

Immediately, the eunuchs outside dragged the collapsed maid away.

The screams of the maid echoed from outside the door.

On Concubine Keshun’s face appeared a strange smile and a cruel satisfaction in her expression.

Elsewhere, a white fog spread around and Rong Qinglei had no idea how he had arrived here or even where "here" was.

He walked forward in confusion and suddenly a bright light appeared ahead.

He ran toward it, only to see his mother lying on a sickbed, barely alive.

The light came from the oil lamp beside her bed.

The woman on the bed reached out her thin and dry like reeds hands.

Every vein stood out sharply, twisting across the back of her hand like ugly parasites.

Rong Qinglei stepped forward two paces and tightly held the woman’s hand.

He had long forgotten that his mother had died eight years ago.

Her hand was so cold.

"Mother!" Rong Qinglei cried out, like a wounded trapped animal.

The woman lifted her hand and weakly touched his head. "Qing... Qing’er... Mother was weak... could not protect you... poor you, alone in this devouring palace... what will you do..."

"Mother, what’s wrong? What are you saying?" Rong Qinglei no longer had the calm wisdom others attributed to him.

Panic immediately overtook him, like an eight year old child and tears streaming down his face.

The woman stroked his cheek and worry filling her eyes. "Mother has wronged you, bringing you into this royal family. This is a place that devours people. There is no true love, no friendship here. When I am gone... what will you do?"

"Mother, don’t leave me..." Rong Qinglei buried his hands in hers and crying like a child.

A faint glow appeared in the woman’s eyes, her cheeks tinged with red.

Like a dying candle in the wind, she tried to shine one last bright light.

She grasped Rong Qinglei’s hands tightly. "Qing’er, Qing’er... I give my life for fifteen years of safety for you. Remember what I say. Remember it clearly... my sister killed her elder sister. Remember!"

Rong Qinglei held her hands tightly and whispered, "My sister killed her elder sister..."

The woman on the bed looked at Rong Qinglei with deep reluctance.

She struggled once more, then finally exhaled her last breath.

Rong Qinglei seemed to sense her passing and cried out in anguish, "Mother!"

"Mother!" Rong Qinglei suddenly sat up on the bed.

The light of the setting sun filtered through the window, spilling across the bedding.

For a moment, he couldn’t tell whether he was still dreaming or if this was reality.

His face felt wet and when he reached up to touch it, his hands met with tears.