Palace maid Shuoning

(One)

That night, Jiang Shuoning was suffering terribly from drug addiction when he heard the news.

Baozhong personally severed ties with the mortal world.

She felt a sudden, heavy blow to her chest, a sweet taste in her throat, and she vomited a mouthful of blood. Her vision went black, and she fainted.

Looking at the chaos before him, Huo Xiao realized that this was the first time he had ever encountered such a completely out-of-control situation.

Zhou Zhengyin ordered everyone to leave in a deep voice, leaving only Jiang Shuoning, who was unconscious, behind.

That night, Jiang Shuoning fell into a long and tragic dream.

The ancient temple was filled with the heavy smoke of incense and the dim light of Buddhist lamps. She knelt on the cold blue stone, kowtowing repeatedly.

His forehead struck the hard stone steps, and blood slowly spread, soaking the futon beneath him.

Her voice was hoarse and broken, tears mingling with beads of blood on her forehead as she prayed tremulously before the Buddha statue:

"The devout woman Jiang Shuo Ning humbly begs the Bodhisattva for mercy."

I pray that all this bad news is just a dream, and that the Bodhisattva will protect Baozhong and keep him safe and sound.

If the believer was originally granted the lifespan of eighty, then the believer does not wish for the remaining decades of her life.

The woman is twenty-two years old this year, and only asks to live for another eight years.

With only fifty years left to live, the woman is willing to give them all up in exchange for Bao Zhong's safety and Zhou Zhengyin's safety.

The believer has only asked for so little in her life, wishing only that the two of them would no longer suffer hardship or endure excruciating pain.

If the Bodhisattva is merciful, please also sever the heart-wrenching and soul-crushing relationship between the believer and Baozhong with a single stroke.

In the long years to come, he no longer needed to worry about the believer, nor would he need to suffer for her.

May he be free from all burdens, live a long and peaceful life, and enjoy a long and healthy life.

We also pray that the Bodhisattva will protect Zhou Zhengyin, ensuring his safe growth, a peaceful and sunny future, and that he will be free from turmoil.

All the ill-fated relationships, unrequited love, and suffering, let the faithful woman bear them all alone.

Before her prayer was finished, she continued, her forehead repeatedly striking the bluestone, new blood appearing on the old bloodstains, over and over again, whispering the prayer in her heart.

The wisps of smoke drifted gently, enveloping her slender figure, slowly passing over her as she continued to kowtow, extending deeper into the main hall, and finally settling before the statue of a Bodhisattva with lowered eyes and bowed head.

The Buddha statue remained motionless, silent and unresponsive, simply gazing down upon the scorching, futile, and utterly unsettled sorrow of the human world.

Inside the room, candlelight flickered.

Zhou Zhengyin knelt before Jiang Shuoning's bed, tightly grasping her icy hands.

Jiang Shuoning was fast asleep, motionless, with only tears silently streaming down his face, soaking the pillow.

"aunt……"

Zhou Zhengyin's eyes were bloodshot. He gently pressed her cold hand to his cheek, his throat tightening with sobs, each word laced with broken tears:

"I remember you loved it when I called you 'Auntie,' and you didn't like me calling you by your given name, Shuoning. From now on, I'll call you 'Auntie' and never make you sad again."

Aunt, this poison of acacia seeds is so deadly. I'll stay with you through it. We'll slowly wean ourselves off it. We'll get through it all.

I know you were hurt because you heard about Baozhong's situation. How could you two be so foolish?

Huo Xiao's expression just now didn't lie to me. I could tell long ago that you and Bao Zhong had already met before returning to the Prince's Mansion.

I am not an ignorant, immature child. Don't always shield me from your protection and keep everything from me.

Bao Zhong never truly sided with the Crown Prince, did he? He's still Bao Zhong on our side, isn't he?

Huo Xiao is willing to help me not only for your sake, but also because he was entrusted by Bao Zhong, isn't that right?

You two have hidden it so well, endured so much hardship.

His shoulders trembled violently, his head hung low, and tears streamed down his face, falling onto the bedding as he sobbed uncontrollably.

"He went to such lengths for me, was it worth it? Why didn't I, Zhou Zhengyin, see through him sooner and understand him sooner?"

Baozhong has never changed; he just hates that I was a hopeless case in the past.

I had been hiding under the protection of the two of you for so long that I forgot that he also gets tired and feels pain.

Aunt, I'm so tired. I don't want all this fighting and power struggles anymore.

I long to go back to the past, back to the days in the library, those were the happiest times of my life.

I still remember in Changmen Palace, it was Baozhong who taught me to read and write, gave me pointers again and again, and made plans for me.

I miss the old days when it was just the three of us, peaceful and quiet, without grudges or bloodshed.

Please, please wake up.

The three of us should stop torturing each other and stop suffering like this.

"You two are driving me crazy."

(two)

Xie Mansion.

He stood under the eaves, the cold wind ruffling his clothes, his expression somber. He turned to look at Xia Kun beside him, his voice filled with incomprehension and coldness:

"Why do you have to do this to yourself? You finally regained your manhood, and now you're doing this to yourself."

If you hadn't noticed and reported it in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Our bodies, hair, and skin are gifts from our parents; to destroy them in this way is unfilial!

Xia Kun bowed deeply and replied in a low voice:

"Your Highness is wise. In my opinion, this matter is most likely related to Consort Jiang. I have heard that many people are talking about it in private, and that the two of them had feelings for each other back when they were in the palace."

In addition, the concubine recently suffered a major change, and Prince Jingchen has been in turmoil for days. Under the pressure of all these factors, he was forced to take such an extreme action.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiao scoffed and said:

"This is utterly absurd. This Xie Jinghuai acts without any regard for the Xie family or the continuation of the Xie family line."

To put it bluntly, his self-harm stemmed from his fear that his personal feelings would become a burden to His Highness in the future. In that sense, it could be considered a display of unwavering loyalty to His Highness.

Before he finished speaking, Zhou Heng, carrying a box of expensive tonics, rushed into the courtyard, panting.

"I heard that Baozhong had an accident, so I specially sought out the best tonics. I consulted ancient books, and this combination of ingredients is even better than before."

The Crown Prince frowned slightly and remarked with a faint sigh, "My fourteenth brother is indeed kind to Baozhong."

Zhou Heng gently stroked the medicine box, his voice soft and gentle, carrying a hint of nostalgia from years past:

"It's all because Baozhong helped me back then. When I was in dire straits, he secretly returned the bracelet that my mother had left me, leaving me with a keepsake. I've remembered this kindness to this day."

The Crown Prince nodded slightly, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes, his tone chillingly deep:

"Zhou Zhengyin is truly a complete madman. It seems that ever since Jing Huai pledged allegiance to the Crown Prince, he has never been able to resolve his inner conflict."

The affair with Consort Jiang has caused endless turmoil in the Eastern Palace and the Xie family. Once his injuries stabilize and he is fully recovered, I will personally teach this Zhou Zhengyin a lesson!

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Xiao, Zhou Heng, and Xia Kun all lowered their eyes and remained silent, none of them daring to utter another word.

The atmosphere in the courtyard was somber and oppressive, while the interior of the house was a scene of utter chaos and bloodshed.

Before long, Judge Lou came out from the inner room, and my heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was relieved a little.

He washed the blood from his hands in the copper basin, then looked up and saw Zhao Xiaodie still kneeling on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. He sighed softly, stepped out of the room, and bowed to the Crown Prince in return:

"Your Highness, thankfully the rescue was timely, and the vital organs were not completely severed. I have done my best to stabilize the injury, and from now on, I only need to rest and recuperate for a month and take good care of myself."

The crown prince's gaze was deep, he nodded slightly, and looked up at the sky.

The east was gradually brightening, but the coldness in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest.