“Princess Consort!”
“Murderous bastards! You mustn’t treat the princess consort so rudely!”
Everyone in the prison cells was roaring in anger. These past few days, they had watched Qin Yining being abused, but they were all confined and could only watch helplessly, utterly powerless. Their princess consort was a resolute person who had never cried out in suffering. But they saw everything she endured. Never mind that she was just a weak woman—even a man being confined daily in a prisoner’s cart parading through the streets in this harsh winter might not be able to bear it.
They were locked in prison all day, several people crowded together yet still shivering from the cold. The princess consort was locked alone in a cell, her fox fur coat long since taken away, with nothing to keep warm. Now she had just returned from parading through the snow and was directly doused with cold water!
“His Majesty hasn’t said what to do with the princess consort, yet you act this way—aren’t you afraid that if something happens to the princess consort, you won’t be able to answer for it!” Xie Yue’s throat was already hoarse from shouting.
But the jailers laughed loudly: “Don’t say that—we’re acting with good intentions. The princess consort is of noble status with a refined nature, naturally unable to bear filth. She must have felt terrible carrying all that blood these days, right? Isn’t it good to clean her up like this?”
Qin Yining was already numb from the cold. She had just wiped the water from her face when another basin of cold water splashed directly at her.
The blood stains were washed clean, but her clothes were also soaked through, clinging tightly to her body.
Qin Yining couldn’t catch her breath. After struggling for a while, she painfully crawled to the wall, sat with her back against it, and could no longer summon half an ounce of strength.
She closed her eyes, her fan-like long eyelashes dripping water as if she were crying.
Qin Yining’s ears were buzzing. She knew Xie Yue, Ji Yun, and others were arguing with the jailers again, but she currently had no energy to spare for anything else.
Each day now was torture, yet she had to grit her teeth and persist. Just thinking about having to parade through the streets again tomorrow made Qin Yining’s heart tremble with fear.
It was too cold outside. As a southerner born and raised in the south, she simply couldn’t adapt to the northern harsh winter, especially without cotton clothes to wear.
Her hands and feet were already frostbitten, all the whip marks and stick wounds from along the journey were inflamed, and after being doused with three basins of cold water that chilled her to the bone, Qin Yining was now gritting her teeth enduring the torment, feeling miserable enough to cry.
But she still gritted her teeth and endured, even though her body trembled like a leaf blown by strong wind, still supporting herself through sheer willpower.
Because she couldn’t be certain how her children were!
Most of the time, Qin Yining told herself to persevere, to hold on—only by staying alive was there hope to save her children.
But now, as Qin Yining trembled all over, her eyes closed and rigid with cold, she somewhat doubted whether her choice was correct.
No matter what Li Qitian wanted to do to her children, she was powerless to stop it. Continuing this torture, she knew her body couldn’t hold out much longer. Perhaps before Pang Xiao’s people came to rescue her, she would already have collapsed.
Since she could do nothing now and staying alive would only make her another bargaining chip for Li Qitian to threaten Pang Xiao, what exactly was she persisting so bitterly for?
The jailers stood outside the cage, having enjoyed enough of Qin Yining’s miserable state, finally humming a tune as they carried the empty wooden basin out.
Arriving outside the prison door, the jailer had just set down the empty basin and picked up his lantern when he saw two people approaching. The old woman in front was the client who had given him silver some days ago, asking him to properly “take care of” the princess consort. The woman behind her wore a brocade purple sable-trimmed cloak that covered her head and face—he couldn’t see clearly.
The jailer hurriedly bowed.
The old woman in front said, “How is it? How was Princess Consort Zhongshun today?”
“In response to you, following your instructions, everything has been arranged clearly. We just gave the princess consort a cleaning—she’s trembling inside right now.”
The old woman nodded with satisfaction, turning back to look at the richly dressed woman.
The jailer looked puzzled.
The woman said, “Open the door. I want to go in and see.”
The jailer hurriedly smiled apologetically, explaining, “You’re making things difficult for this humble person. His Majesty’s decree states that no one may visit at will.”
“Stop talking nonsense.” The woman threw back her hood, sneering, “Seeing this palace, you still won’t step aside?”
The jailer looked bewildered at the woman before him.
The old woman scolded, “This is Princess Imperial Helan! How dare someone like you look upon her—kneel and pay respects immediately!”
Princess Imperial Helan, the Son of Heaven’s only sister, whose prince consort was Duke Dingguo—this backing was far too powerful!
The jailer fell to his knees with a thud, calling to several brothers who had come out and were still chatting and laughing, all of them bowing to Li Helan together.
Li Helan looked disdainfully at the people before her. “This palace wants to go in and see—is that not acceptable?”
“This… in response to Princess Imperial, Princess Consort Zhongshun is a major criminal. Without His Majesty’s orders, according to regulations, visits aren’t permitted.”
“Insolent! Are you all blind? With this palace here, you dare obstruct me.” Li Helan kicked the speaking jailer in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground.
The jailer never imagined that Princess Imperial would be such an arrogant person. Grimacing with a bitter smile, he thought about who was currently imprisoned—they would all die sooner or later anyway. Princess Imperial was the current emperor’s only sister and Duke Dingguo’s wife. Offending such a noble person over this matter truly wasn’t worth it.
Besides, as long as the person wasn’t lost, that should be fine.
Thinking of this, the jailers all respectfully invited Princess Imperial to enter for her visit.
“Please, it’s dark inside—this humble one will prepare more lanterns for you.”
Only then was Li Helan satisfied. With Nanny Tong’s support, she walked into the prison by the dim lamplight.
Upon entering, the moldy, unpleasant smell that hit her face made Li Helan frown tightly.
“What is this smell?”
“Please watch your step—heh, the air in this prison is naturally poor, especially with those prisoners being so filthy.”
Li Helan covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve, frowning as she walked deeper inside, not forgetting to look around.
Xie Yue and others had long heard the commotion, nervously watching the people moving outside.
Jingzhe and others had long followed Qin Yining, so they naturally recognized Li Helan.
“It’s Princess Imperial Helan,” Jingzhe whispered in the ears of Xie Yue and the others.
Xie Yue’s brow jumped as he nervously stood up again.
Having long followed Pang Xiao, he naturally knew about Princess Imperial’s feelings for Pang Xiao and knew she hated the princess consort to death. At this time, if Princess Imperial wasn’t here to kick someone when they were down, he wouldn’t believe it!
Xie Yue understood clearly, and Ji Yun and Bingtang were even clearer.
They nervously stood up, staring fixedly at the cell across from them.
“Princess Imperial, it’s here.” The jailers brought her to the front of Qin Yining’s cell door, then bowed and withdrew.
Li Helan looked puzzledly at the huddled figure in the cell. Seeing her completely soaked, wretched, and filthy appearance, where was there even half the brilliant radiance of before?
Li Helan suddenly laughed.
“Haha! This is too funny! Qin Yining, you have this day too! Deserved! Well deserved!” Li Helan laughed wildly and freely, slapping her thigh as if she hadn’t encountered such a delightful thing in a long time, laughing until she swayed back and forth, unable to control herself.
Bingtang clenched her fists, tears spinning in her eyes.
Ji Yun wished she could directly kill Li Helan.
Li Helan’s sharp laughter echoed through the prison, startling Qin Yining awake from her semi-conscious state.
She felt her entire body’s flesh and blood had stiffened. She painfully lifted her head, seeming to hear her bones making “crack crack” sounds.
“It’s you.” Her soft voice had become hoarse, as if scraped by sandpaper.
Li Helan laughed until she nearly got a stitch in her side. “How is it? I’m still considerate of you, right? Knowing you’re a clean person, I specially ordered people to give you a cold water bath—otherwise wouldn’t you reek unbearably? Tsk tsk, who would have thought, who would have thought you’d grown such skills, actually able to bite someone to death with your teeth. Do you know what people outside are saying about you?”
Li Helan gripped the cell door bars, leaning in close to the prison: “You’re just a savage, fundamentally a malicious vicious woman! Someone like you—how could you be worthy of Brother Xiao!”
Qin Yining currently had no strength to argue with Li Helan. Knowing she was down and out now, it wasn’t strange that Li Helan was eager to come watch her misfortune. She simply didn’t resist, letting her mock away.
“You admit it, right? Qin Yining, look what you look like now! You’re like a homeless dog! You vicious woman, bringing misfortune to father, mother, husband, and children—there’s no one around you who isn’t cursed by you. You should have died long ago! You’re fundamentally unworthy of Brother Xiao!”
Qin Yining was too tired to lift her eyelids and originally didn’t want to pay attention, but when Li Helan mentioned Pang Xiao again, a fire suddenly rose in her heart, making her eyes snap open.
“I’m not worthy—so you are?”
Qin Yining reluctantly stood up, her body swaying twice, making Ji Yun and others cry out in alarm.
“You’re the current Princess Imperial, your prince consort is Duke Dingguo, yet you constantly covet another’s husband. With such character, are you worthy of being Princess Imperial? Quickly go back to your Princess Imperial mansion and stay there—don’t come out and make a spectacle of yourself.”
“How dare you! Vicious whore, you shameless woman!” Li Helan pointed at Qin Yining and cursed furiously.
Qin Yining again felt bored, shaking her head: “In the end, it’s just that Pang Zhixi has never looked favorably upon you, and you have a knot in your heart. If you have the ability, chase him to the battlefield yourself, get your prince consort to divorce you, then have your imperial brother uphold justice for you and make Pang Zhixi marry you. What use is it for you to shout at me here?”
“Bah, nonsense!” Li Helan’s hand with gold rings and bright red nail polish reached into the cage, trying to claw at Qin Yining’s face.
But there was a distance between them, and Li Helan couldn’t reach Qin Yining at all.
Seeing her completely disheveled yet still speaking to her in such a superior manner, Li Helan sneered: “Just keep being stubborn and proud. Let me tell you—your two little brats have already been killed by my imperial brother! Their bones were even used to make wine! You’re still putting on airs in front of me—later I’ll have my imperial brother kill you too! No, a whore like you belongs in a military camp—that’s your best destination. Let’s see how much longer you can be arrogant!”
Qin Yining’s pupils suddenly contracted, her body swaying as she nearly couldn’t stand steady.
Impossible—Li Qitian wasn’t stupid enough to kill both children now. It must be Li Helan talking nonsense to anger her!