Chapter 106 The woman in the underground (2)
“Niangniang1, what’s the matter?”
Chun Xing, the palace maid approached her. Seeing that Yue Lan Zhi was shivering through her whole body, she wanted to call people here, but was stopped by Yue Lan Zhi.
“Chun Xing, bengong2 is fine.”
“Niangniang, is it that you don’t like the emperor coming here?”
Chun Xing looked around and saw that there was no one else here, but she still whispered that sentence. Although Chun Xin was a new palace maid, but after staying for a few days in Long Autumn palace, she could see that something was strange was going on here.
It seemed that every time the emperor wanted to come, niangniang would become afraid. Besides, whenever Yue Lan Zhi saw Wanyan Lie, she was like a mouse who saw a cat.
Once, Chun Xing saw Wanyan Lie smile at Yue Lan Zhi. Yue Lan Zhi’s face immediately paled from fear. Although she was surprised that this consort who was seen as the favorite consort in the eyes of others, was someone like this, Chun Xing was no fool. She knew the rule of this palace very well. So, she firmly closed her mouth and didn’t say anything. Now, it appeared that imperial noble consort wasn’t living as brightly as outsiders believed.
Hearing Chun Xing mention Wanyan Lie, Yue Lan Zhi shivered. It was not only that she didn’t want him to come; she doesn’t want to see him ever again! This man was simple not a human. He’s a demon!
“Chun Xing, don’t talk anymore, otherwise, you and bengong won’t be able to continue living.”
Chun Xing was already her sixth maid. Those from the past had all died. Chun Xing was a good person. She saw Chun Xing as her little sister. That’s why she reminded her.
Seeing Yue Lan Zhi’s pale face and her serious expression, Chun Xing nodded: “Niangniang, don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”
“Come, dress bengong up. Then bring out that snow clothes. The emperor likes it when I wear white.”
Although she was afraid, but Yue Lan Zhi knew she couldn’t escape. She could only endure. Only by making him happy, could her day be good. Besides, her family and tribe were in the hands of Wanyan Lie. Even if she didn’t do it for herself, she needed to do it for her father, mother and little brother.
After Yue Lan Zhi dressed up neatly, a ‘the emperor has arrived’ was heard. Yue Lan Zhi took a deep breath and smiled in front of the mirror. She then turned and walked out.
“Chenqie3 welcomes the emperor. Long live the emperor for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years!”
Yue Lan Zhi bowed full of smiles in front of Wanyan Lie. Wanyan Lie humphed once coldly, waved his sleeves and entered Long Autumn palace.
What’s going on here? The servants of Long Autumn palace were very surprised. Was the emperor in a bad mood today? Yue Lan Zhi’s expression was not one bit good. Wanyan Lie’s mood not being good meant that her day won’t be good either.
“Emperor, what’s the matter with you today? Is it that those old things angered you again at court?”
After taking a deep breath, Yue Lan Zhi followed behind Wanyan Lie, full of smiles. She let Chun Xing bring the white fungus lotus soup.
“Lessen your anger a bit! Don’t lower yourself to their level. Come, try the white fungus lotus soup chenqie personally stewed. Chenqie made it specifically for you!”
From beginning to end, Yue Lan Zhi maintained a beautiful smile, making the expression on Wanyan Lie’s face turn slightly better.
“Come! Chenqie will feed you!”
Yue Lan Zhi carefully blew on a spoonful of white fungus and then brought the spoon to Wanyan Lie’s mouth.
“Your majesty, have a taste!”
“Not bad!”
After tasting one bite, Wanyan Lie grabbed Yue Lan Zhi’s hand and pulled her to him. He gestured with his hand. The other people retreated. In the room, there were only Wanyan Lie and Yue Lan Zhi left.
Yue Lan Zhi’s heart beat very fast. Although the grasp made her feel pain, but she didn’t dare to utter a sound. On her face hung a soft smile. She gently asked Wanyan Lie: “Your majesty, what’s the matter? Is there something on Yue er’s4 face? Or is it that Yue er’s make-up isn’t good today?”
Wanyan Lie didn’t speak. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Yue Lan Zhi’s beautiful face. He didn’t move a bit. He maintained this posture about the time of making tea. Wanyan Lie loosened his hand.
“Zhen5 previously said to be more noble. How come you were taught for so long and still haven’t learned it? In the end, you truly came from a low family. No matter how much silver and gold you wear, it couldn’t change the sour and poor aura of your body!”
Wanyan Lie’s words were very harsh. Yue Lan Zhi felt that it was very difficult to bear, but she could only endure. After bowing respectfully to Wanyan Lie, Yue Lan Zhi smiled gently: “Chenqie will follow your majesty’s teaching! Chenqie will definitely learn it in the shortest time possible!”
“Forget it!”
Wanyan Lie gestured with his hand.
“Wait here. Zhen wants to go down. Reflect well here! If you still can’t learn well, the fates of those previous women will also be your fate!”
Wanyan Lie stood up and walked to the bed. He turned the glowing pearl at the head of the bed.
With a squeak, the bed sank down and revealed a dark gateway.
After Wanyan Lie’s yellow figure disappeared in the gateway, Yue Lan Zhi’s legs went soft. She fell paralyzed onto the ground. Fortunately, everything went well today! Fortunately, everything went well today! She hoped that today could go by safely like this! She hoped that after seeing the underground ‘her’, his mood will get better and that he won’t torture her!
Wanyan Lie stepped on the ladder to go down. It was a tunnel. On both sides of the tunnel hung big and small glowing pearls. At the end of the tunnel was a bright spacious hall. In contrast to the cold of the outside, inside the hall was moderate temperature, as if it were spring.
The whole hall was adorned like a boudoir of a lady from a great family. Bed, wardrobe, table, chair, dressing table, even the rouge powder on the dressing table were readily available. If someone had entered the place by mistake, they would think they’d entered the boudoir of a lady. This lady seemed to love white. No matter if it was the canopy of the bed or the dresses in the wardrobe, everything was white, making people couldn’t help but think how pure the girl who lives here was.
In the middle of the hall was a white heatable jade bed. It brazed of heath. Unexpectedly, on the bed laid a woman in white.
“Yue er, big brother has come to visit you!”
In contrast to the rude and indifferent behavior of before; this time, Wanyan Lie was gentle and passionate. He came to the bed and held the hand of the woman on the bed. He put her hand on his face.
“Yue er, did you miss big brother? Are you happy today? After taking care of the court affairs, big brother came to see you, are you happy?”
Wanyan Lie talked to himself. The person on the bed didn’t speak. Her eyes and mouth were closed like she was sleeping. If Murong Qi Qi was here, she would’ve shouted from surprise. Because this woman and her looked seventy percent alike. And the Yue er from Wanyan Lie’s mouth was Wanyan Ming Yue, whom everyone thought had died fifteen years ago.
“Yue er, today big brother came because big brother has good news to tell you. Cang er is getting married. His bride this time is Xi Qi’s princess. Do you know who? She’s Murong Tai’s daughter, ah! Do you still remember Murong Tai? That year, Feng Xie was defeated at his hands, ah! Now Murong Tai’s daughter has became your daughter in law, how do you feel?”
“Oh, you definitely won’t be happy. You must hate Murong Tai to death! Because the war-god Feng Xie’s only losing battle was at Murong Tai’s hands. How would you be able to love Murong Qi Qi?! It’s just, Cang er likes this princess Zhao Yang very much. Truly destined, ah! Don’t you think so?”
“However, you don’t need to worry. Big brother loves our Yue er the most. Big brother can’t bear to see Yue er sad. So, I promise you, this time, Cang er’s bride would also not be able to live past the wedding night, what do you say? Hehehe, big brother likes our Yue er the most! Big brother will certainly help Yue er reach your wish!”
At this time, Bei Zhou’s emperor Wanyan Lie was not amiable and easy going like usual. His eyes flashed craziness. He grabbed Wanyan Ming Yue’s hand like an insane person. He gently kissed Wanyan Ming Yue’s fingers. His tongue spun on her fingertips. He happily enjoyed this feeling. Only when Wanyan Ming Yue’s tight hand was very wet did he put her hand down.
“Yue er, till when do you plan to sleep, ah?”
Wanyan Lie’s finger touched Wanyan Ming Yue’s smooth-like-jade face.
“Is it because you have a warm jade bed to protect your body, that’s why you can continue to sleep, ah? Yue er, if you continue like this, big brother will get old... What should I do if you wake up and don’t recognize me anymore? What should I do if you don’t like me anymore? Yue er, wake up, alright?! I beg you!”
The just now crazy Wanyan Lie laid on the heat-able jade bed. His face was tightly pasted to Wanyan Ming Yue’s face. He held Wanyan Ming Yue in his arms. Tears fell down his eyes.
“I beg you, Yue er, don’t leave big brother alone in this world. Big brother promises you to let you marry Feng Xie. As long as you like it, big brother would support you! Don’t sleep anymore, alright? Big brother loved you for so many years, went along with you for so many years, why don’t you want to open your eyes and look at big brother? Why?”
“I beg you, wake up! Don’t sleep anymore! I beg you...”
Wanyan Lie’s sad voice was particularly lonely in the hall. No one could see this side of this emperor. It seemed that all his pride fell apart before the sleeping woman on the bed. What was left was only whispers and sobbing.
This time, Wanyan Lie was down for a long time. Yue Lan Zhi nearly fell asleep. When her chin became sore, Yue Lan Zhi opened her eyes in panic. She found out Wanyan Lie with a sinister expression stood in front of her.
“What, you became impatient from waiting? You feel asleep? It seems that zhen needs to remind you who your master is!”
Not waiting for Yue Lan Zhi to understand, Wanyan Lie tore her clothes open, revealing the pink undergarment inside. Embroidered on it was a pair of mandarin ducks above water. Seeing this pink color and also that pair of loving mandarin ducks, Wanyan Lie’s eyes turned red. He rudely pulled off the mandarin ducks undergarment. Wanyan Lie tore the mandarin ducks undergarment into pieces.
“Is it that you’re still thinking to live and fly away together with Feng Xie? Is that why you embroidered this pair of mandarin ducks? Mm?”
Wanyan Lie’s hand fiercely grabbed Yue Lan Zhi’s neck.
“Talk! Are you still thinking about that bastard?”
“Emp, emperor, it’s you who told me you liked it last time and let me embroider it, ah!”
Yue Lan Zhi’s tears fell. The confinement on her neck made it difficult for her to breath. Her white face became pink because it became difficult to breathe.
“Emperor, chenqie didn’t...didn’t lie, ah!”
“It’s zhen? You are saying that these mandarin ducks you embroidered are you and zhen?”
Hearing Yue Lan Zhi say that, Wanyan Lie’s hand slowly loosened. Aside from the disbelief, in his eyes was also surprise.
“Yue er, you are saying, this pair of mandarin ducks, one is you, one is zhen?”
“Yes!”
Yue Lan Zhi nodded frightenedly. She didn’t know which nerve of this man would be touched in tge next moment. If one day she dies at his hands, she wouldn’t be surprised. Those women who lived here before, didn’t they all die at Wanyan Lie’s hands?
“Hahahaha! Yue er, you heart does indeed have me! You indeed love me! I also love you, ah. Ming Yue, do you know, when you were born, I held you. The moment you smiled sweetly at me, I fell in love with you. I love you, ah!”
Yue Lan Zhi wanted to struggle. Unexpectedly, Wanyan Lie went rudely at her skirt. He pushed her skirt to her waist. Then, swollen feeling stimulated Yue Lan Zhi.
“Yue er, big brother loves you!”
Again...Yue Lan Zhi looked at the roof in despair. Every time, it was like this. Every time, he called another woman’s name and recklessly trampled her (YLZ).
Yue Lan Zhi’s beautiful eyes were open with emptiness. It was not the first time such a thing happened. As long as he desired or wanted it, she had to bear everything he brought every time.
Even when she was pregnant, she had to meet his desire which was like that of a wolf. That’s why... she miscarried her child. That’s why he wasn’t even two months old and had left her! All of that was because of this demon!
Tears of hatred rolled down Yue Lan Zhi’s cheeks onto the ground. Wanyan Lie bit on her body like a mad dog, leaving a trace of purple bite marks.
Yue Lan Zhi seemed to no longer feel pain for those. She had long regarded herself as a walking corpse. In this big palace, there was no one who didn’t envy her. There was no one who wasn’t jealous of her.
Everyone thought she had gotten Wanyan Lie’s love. Although she wasn’t the empress, but she had enjoyed treatment better than the empress. However, who knew that the truth behind it was like this?
This man who was chased by all women of the harem was a demon she wanted to escape from. If she could choose, she would rather live at a remote place, and not know what palace was, not now who the emperor was, would not enjoy this wealth and also didn’t have to bear this reckless pillaging.
Sometimes, Yue Lan Zhi truly hated, hated herself for having a similar face to that woman. She hated that woman who was lying in the underground even more. All of this was because of her. That’s why he was so crazy!
It’s because of this face that made her bear such a inhumane treatment. Like now, this man would be crazy for a moment and normal for another moment. Another moment, he would want to kill her because of a little dissatisfaction. Another moment, because of one word from her, he would become happy. This was a demon-like man, making her body, as well as her heart, afraid of him!
“Yue er! My Yue er!”
Wanyan Lie’s hand grabbed Yue Lan Zhi’s hair, forcing her to look at him.
“Say! Who do you love the most?! Say, who is the man in your heart? Say! Is it Feng Xie? Mm? Do you love Feng Xie or I? Is it that Feng Xie is more powerful or that I’m the best?”
“Emperor, chenqie’s heart only has you and loves only you! You’re the best!”
Yue Lan Zhi cried while trying to pull a smile. She endured the pain from her scalp and body as she tremblingly answered Wanyan Lie’s questions.
“Really? Really?”
While talking, Wanyan Lie suddenly stopped. Like the high above everyone emperor, he looked down at Yue Lan Zhi.
“Yue er, you need to be obedient and don’t lie! I don’t like the lying Yue er! If you lie, big brother will push you with the big stick, yo!”
“It’s true, truly, truly there’s only you!”
Yue Lan Zhi didn’t dare to struggle and she also couldn’t struggle. Her parents and little brother were in Wanyan Lie’s hands. So many people from the tribe were controlled by Wanyan Lie. If she accidentally angered him, then what was waiting for her was the same fate as those women before her.
“Hahahaha! I’m the best! Yue er finally knows! Yue er finally knows!”
Wanyan Lie jerked fiercely. Yue Lan Zhi’s face distorted from pain. The originally beautiful face paled very much from pain. She bit her lips fiercely and dug her fingernails into her skin. In the end, she really couldn’t bear it anymore and fainted.
After a long time, when Yue Lan Zhi woke up, the lights have been already lit. Outside was dark. Inside was bright from the light. Chun Xing was sobbing in a low voice. Her hand twisted the towel in the warm water. She gently rubbed Yue Lan Zhi’s body.
“Chun Xing...don’t cry...,” Yue Lan Zhi opened her mouth. A hoarse voice came from her throat. Seeing that Yue Lan Zhi had been tortured so much, Chun Xing cried.
“Niangniang, you’ve suffered!”
“Chun Xing, I hurt so much...”
Yue Lan Zhi wanted to turn over, but after just moving her lower body, she immediately felt so much pain that sweat appeared on her forehead.
“Niangniang, just now the imperial physician came. He said that niangniang needs to rest well and needs to remember...remember not to have intercourse. However, the emperor has always been like this. I’m afraid that niangniang’s body wouldn’t be able to take it...”
While Chun Xing was talking, she cried. Yue Lan Zhi struggled to sit up. She grabbed Chun Xing’s hand and covered her (CX) mouth.
“Chun Xing, in this palace, you know what should and shouldn’t be said...In the future, don’t let others see. Even if you cry, don’t let other people see...I’m telling you for your own good...”
Chun Xing knew that Yue Lan Zhi told her for her own good. She nodded, but her tears still couldn’t help but fall.
The people outside said that her master was too weak to even stand up to the wind and also said that she’s too delicate. That was why she couldn’t keep the prince. How could they know that little prince was killed by his own imperial father! If it wasn’t because Wanyan Lie forced Yue Lan Zhi to have intercourse while being pregnant, how would niangniang miscarry? How would her body still be weak like this?
“You’re not allowed to cry anymore!”
Yue Lan Zhi couldn’t help but raise her voice.
“Chun Xing, if you want to continue living in this palace, the first thing you need to learn is not to cry. Otherwise, if something happens, I may not be able to protect you!”
After saying so much in one breath, Yue Lan Zhi couldn’t hold it anymore. She fell on the bed. Her forehead was full of sweat and her face was red. Chun Xing quickly brought the medicine the imperial physician had boiled over. She carefully fed Yue Lan Zhi. After one bowl of medicine, Yue Lan Zhi’s face color turned a bit better. She gestured with her hand and closed her eyes to let Chun Xing retreat.
“How is she?”
Outside the palace, Wanyan Lie stood solemnly. His image now was opposite of the demon image from before.
“Answering emperor, niangniang’s body just had a miscarriage and hasn’t been nursed back to health. Plus, the fact that the blood attacked the heart, that was why she fell ill. This subject has already prescribed medicine. It’s just, niangniang’s body is too weak. Asking...”
“Mm?”
Wanyan Lie turned his face sideways to look at the old imperial physician’s bent back. His voice turned serious.
“Say, ask what? Don’t speak only half a sentence and hesitate!”
“Although emperor favors niangniang, but this subject asks emperor the times of intercourse to not be too frequent; otherwise, it would be difficult for niangniang’s body to recover well...”
While talking, the imperial physician lowered his head even more. The sweat on his forehead dripped, drop by drop, onto the ground, leaving small and big watermarks.
After Wanyan Lie listened to that, he was silent for a moment. This made the old imperial physician even more frightened. Although it was winter, but the imperial physician’s official robe was very wet (from sweating). He swallowed and didn’t dare to clean the sweat off his forehead. He feared that with one action, his head would fall off his neck.