Chapter 275: Chapter 272: AdmirationAlas, He Ying’s heart belonged to another, and he had not even the slightest interest in her.

    Because of his indifference, her deep affections only amounted to annoyance and disgust for him.

    Especially since she dared to set her sights on Sang Yan.

    The mockery in He Ying’s eyes deepened, and he sneered coldly, "It wasn’t I who asked you to stay, it was the Empress who, out of consideration for Ms. Lin’s face, allowed you to remain in the palace a while longer. Sang Ruoshui, I have no time to watch your acting. You’d best put away your little tricks and behave. Once Ah Yan and I are married, I’ll find an excuse to send you out of the palace. By then, it will still not be too late to be grateful to Ah Yan. If you stir up any more of those vulgar schemes, don’t blame me for not showing the Sang Family any respect!"

    In truth, he did not fear the ministers pointing out issues with Sang Yan, it was just that he couldn’t bear for them to pick on her.

    His Sang Yan was perfect in a thousand ways, ten thousand ways.

    He would not let anyone speak ill of her.

    Sang Ruoshui’s little antics were meaningless.

    They were nothing but an annoying nuisance.

    Still, they warranted punishment.

    "Now, get back to your Yuesang Palace and don’t come out unless summoned!"

    Was he confining her within her quarters?

    Sang Ruoshui was so frightened that she fell to the ground with a thud.

    As she came to her senses, her tears flowed like floodgates opening.

    She crawled on her knees from the ground, intending to grab He Ying’s robes, but was shocked into stillness by his icy gaze.

    Daring not to advance any further.

    She could only cover her chest helplessly with both hands, crying pathetically and miserably, "Emperor, this concubine doesn’t know how deep your misunderstanding of her is, but no matter what this concubine has done, it is all because of her love for you. You may not know, but from the moment this concubine was brought to the Dragon Bed, upon first encountering your divine visage, she became helplessly enamored with you—"

    She fervently and sincerely expressed her love.

    He Ying frowned as he listened, "I have no interest in you; do not humiliate yourself."

    He shifted his body backward, as if to avoid any scent of Sang Ruoshui’s makeup.

    "Pei Muyang!"

    He called someone over, commanding, "Take her away!"

    Then, dusting off the perfume that did not exist on him, he ordered further, "Have someone prepare water for my bath; this scent is sickening."

    Sang Ruoshui: "..."

    She listened to those hurtful words—the Emperor actually despised and loathed her to such an extent.

    "Emperor—"

    She was so devastated that she did not know what to say.

    Thus, in a daze, she was escorted back to Yuesang Palace by someone from Pei Muyang’s detail.

    All along the way, she wept.

    Her tears flowed freely, as if they cost nothing at all.

    Partly because she felt genuine grievance.

    She loved He Ying, yet he found her so repugnant.

    Secondly, she wanted the palace attendants to see how Sang Yan was monopolizing and favoring herself!

    The walk from the Imperial Study to Yuesang Palace was not far.

    The palace attendants who saw this scene couldn’t help but sigh.

    "Lady Princess Consort Sang is having a rough time these days."

    "The Emperor’s heart belongs only to the Empress, and the Empress also monopolizes the Emperor’s affection. In my opinion, isn’t the Empress disregarding sisterly bonds too much?"

    Two little palace maids carrying trays walked by, whispering to each other.

    The one who spoke the latter sentence had a melon seed-shaped face.

    She looked towards the direction Sang Ruoshui had left, sighing heavily, "The Empress was originally sent to the palace to accompany Princess Consort Sang, and look what’s become of it now."

    "Hush, Ting Lan, such words must not be carelessly spoken."

    The speaker was a round-faced little maid.

    Ting Lan’s words startled her, and she eyed her suspiciously, "Ting Lan, what’s been going on with you lately? You never used to speak so recklessly. Why does it seem like you’ve become a different person?" Sёarch* The ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Ting Lan didn’t expect such a reaction and replied with an unnatural smile, explaining, "Have I changed? Not really, right? We’re all women here; I just feel some sympathy for Princess Consort Sang. Come on, let’s go. We still need to deliver soup to the Empress."

    The round-faced palace maid responded with an "Oh" and walked with her.

    She was really overthinking it: Ting Lan had been working with her for so long, why would she feel as if Ting Lan had become a different person? Maybe, as Ting Lan said, it was just womanly sympathy for Princess Consort Sang. Otherwise, could there really be two identical people in this world?

    Yuesang Palace

    Sang Ruoshui had left for the Imperial Study in all her splendor, only to be sent back in total disarray.

    She was too ashamed to face anyone now.

    It felt like all the attendants in Yuesang Palace were laughing at her.

    "Out, all of you! Get out of my sight!"

    After the eunuchs had left, Sang Ruoshui began to furiously throw things around.

    Bang, crash, thud...

    Once done, she locked herself in and wailed loudly. When had she ever suffered such indignity? Since birth, she had been cherished above all else by Sang Kun. Although she was aware much of it was motivated by selfish interests, he never treated her poorly.

    Now what?

    She was furious, hateful, distressed, her meticulously applied makeup ruined.

    The red rouge mixed with white face powder and black eyebrow powder on her face, a grotesque kaleidoscope of colors, made her look like a deranged and terrifying ghost.

    Too horrifying.

    Seeing the woeful woman in the mirror, Sang Ruoshui felt like she was looking at the version of herself that existed in dreams.

    Thus, she wept even harder.

    Women are made of water.

    Sang Ruoshui could cry for hours on end without feeling exhausted, and the palace maids who served her didn’t dare enter and risk provoking her further.

    Not until night fell.

    A tall, slender woman returned under the moonlight.

    It was Xiang Ying, who had claimed to be visiting relatives but was in fact out gathering information.

    She stopped at the entrance of the hall, heard the crying inside, rolled her eyes, and immediately started scolding the palace maids at the door, "Foolish creatures! Her Ladyship is wailing like this, and you still don’t know to go in and console her? What use are you!"

    Hearing the rebuke outside, Sang Ruoshui’s crying momentarily ceased. How had she not realized Xiang Ying’s kindness before? Indeed, there were still people in this palace who cared about her.

    Believing that Sang Ruoshui must have heard her, Xiang Ying pushed open the door and briskly entered.

    Seeing Sang Ruoshui crying miserably, she pulled out a handkerchief and began to wipe her tears, "Oh my, my dear lady, what great injustice you must have suffered. Please stop crying. It pains my heart to see you like this."

    Sang Ruoshui was already tired of crying.

    Now coaxed and with her tears wiped away, she no longer cried, but stared at Xiang Ying with swollen eyes and asked, "Did you find out what I asked you to?"

    "Rest assured, my lady, I have taken care of everything as you instructed."

    Xiang Ying stood by Sang Ruoshui’s side and ordered a basin of warm water to be brought in. As she assisted Sang Ruoshui in washing her hands and face, she quietly responded, "Everything is just as you suspected, my lady. I’ve heard—"

    She leaned in close to Sang Ruoshui’s ear and whispered the information she had gathered.

    Sang Ruoshui listened, stunned, and suddenly grabbed Xiang Ying’s hand, "Really?"

    "Absolutely true."

    Xiang Ying nodded emphatically and continued, "The newly enthroned Emperor of Beiqi, while still the Ninth Prince, was said to have captured the Empress and reportedly shared a room with her for a long time. Now, tell me, when a man and a woman live together for that long, isn’t it inevitable that something happens?"

    She winked suggestively, the intimations clear as day.

    Sang Ruoshui, as if entranced, merely stared at Xiang Ying before suddenly raising her voice and bursting into tears again.

    "Lady, why are you crying again?"

    Xiang Ying’s tone was caring, though she was actually becoming a bit impatient.

    She had been out gathering information for a day and a night, and now back in the palace, she still had to soothe her mistress. It seemed her own life was considered worthless.

    Sang Ruoshui no longer had the energy to cry; she was simply distressed, heartbroken, wronged, and resentful, "Tell me, Sang Yan has been so humiliated, why does the Emperor still love her? Doesn’t he feel uncomfortable when near women? He used to feel discomfort when close to me, so why is he comfortable with Sang Yan, that filthy, seductive vixen?"

    She posed the question, truly on the brink of collapse, "He would rather have an unclean woman than me... wuu wuu..."