Episode Forty-Six: Heaven Does Not Protect Her

The Crown Prince entered the hall, and the Empress waved her hand. All the court ladies and eunuchs, including Official Song, lowered their heads and withdrew.

Yu Shengsheng sighed inwardly; truly, Heaven was not protecting her.

Having spent a year at the suburban manor, she had not wasted her time and had learned some of the Empress’s likes and dislikes.

It was said that there once was a rather stunning talented lady in the palace who initially won great favor with the Emperor. Later, however, for reasons unknown, she contracted a skin disease, and her body broke out in red, swollen, and ulcerated patches.

Naturally, the Emperor refused to see her anymore. To demonstrate the benevolence and virtue of the mother of the nation, the Empress had personally led people to collect the dead woman's body.

Ever since then, the Empress could not bear the sight of anyone with red spots or rashes on their body.

And Yu Shengsheng knew that whenever she ate yellow fruit, she would break out in red spots, stinging and burning, with bloodshot whites in her eyes and a throat that would become congested and hoarse.

It was terribly uncomfortable, but it was still far better than being tortured by the Empress.

She had thought she could escape this calamity, but she never expected the Crown Prince to arrive.

The Crown Prince cared nothing for such things.

He leaned over Yu Shengsheng, staring at her with burning eyes.

"I heard you were at the Suppression Office, and I even went to ask for you. The mere thought of you being beaten by others makes me feel thoroughly unsettled."

"Yu Shengsheng, you listen well to me: as long as I am willing, no one can protect you—Hao Mengye included."

The Crown Prince grabbed her hair. "Look at you, haven't you obediently come into the palace now?"

"Xiao Lan is hungry. What do you suppose we should do?"

Yu Shengsheng trembled slightly, even her eyelashes fluttering. Seeing her in this state, the Crown Prince was filled with utmost delight.

He patted her face, producing crisp, slapping sounds.

"Rest assured, even Xiao Lan would despise this ghostly look of yours. I certainly don't want it eating dirty blood."

The Empress sat quietly, watching with a smile, saying nothing.

The Crown Prince turned and caught sight of a tray to the side. The cold glint of needles reflected in his eyes, flashing with a bizarre light.

He picked one up—thin, sharp, and trembling slightly.

With his other hand, he pinched Yu Shengsheng’s fingers.

Yu Shengsheng widened her eyes slightly, wanting to struggle yet not daring to.

The more she struggled, the more ruthless the Crown Prince would become.

"Don't be afraid. Such a fine needle won't bleed. There might just be the slightest bit of pain."

Yu Shengsheng forced her eyes shut and clenched her teeth.

One, two, three.

"Yu Shengsheng, I really grow more and more fond of you."

The Empress's smile faded slightly. "Crown Prince."

The Crown Prince did not even turn his head, his voice laced with a smile. "What is Mother Empress anxious about? This son knows what he is doing, and knows what needs to be done."

Yu Shengsheng clearly saw the smile on his face freeze and crack, replaced by a vicious glare.

"Yu Shengsheng, listen well: Kong Dezhao will be entering the capital shortly. If your marriage with him succeeds, I might treat you a bit better. But if it fails..."

The Crown Prince thrust down another needle. "Then don't blame me for being ruthless."

Sweat dampened the hair at Yu Shengsheng's temples. Her vision blurred slightly, yet her heart felt as though it had been crushed by a massive boulder.

Kong Dezhao entering the capital shortly? Was this true or false?

At that very moment, Hao Mengye's voice rang out in the courtyard.

"Empress, Your Majesty, this subject has an urgent matter to report."

The Empress said in a low voice, "Crown Prince."

Without undue haste, the Crown Prince pulled the needles out of Yu Shengsheng's fingers one by one, tossed them back into the tray, and stood up.

"Commander Hao, what business brings you here?"

Hao Mengye's footsteps stopped at the entrance of the hall. "Reporting to the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince: I have just received news and must hurry back to handle critical business. I wonder if Her Majesty's instruction of Miss Yu has concluded?"

The Empress’s gaze darkened slightly, her tone turning a few degrees colder. "Commander Hao has matters to attend to, so go ahead. Later, this palace will send Shengsheng back."

Yu Shengsheng knelt on the spot, teetering on the verge of collapse, while silently screaming in her heart, praying that Hao Mengye would not leave.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Miss Yu is currently a suspect in the Suppression Office, not a guest. Since I brought her into the palace, I naturally must escort her back, and I dare not trouble Your Majesty."

The Crown Prince's expression turned icy, and he was about to speak when the Empress gave a warning reminder: "Crown Prince."

"No matter what, Yu Shengsheng is someone trained by this palace. Commander Hao, I trust you will investigate the truth swiftly and clear her name, so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings when the Prince of Nanshun's Heir enters the capital in the near future."

"When her name is cleared then, I must ask Commander Hao to serve as a witness."

Hao Mengye paused in brief contemplation. "Yes."

"Since that is the case," the Empress's gaze swept toward Yu Shengsheng, "then you may return with Commander Hao."

"Mother Empress!" The Crown Prince's expression showed refusal.

He had originally thought that since he had managed with such difficulty to bring Yu Shengsheng into the palace, he would somehow take her back to the Eastern Palace and keep her there for a few more hours.

How could he let her go so easily?

"Crown Prince, you must consider the bigger picture," the Empress warned.

Enduring the pain, Yu Shengsheng kowtowed in salute. "This maid takes her leave."

Gritting her teeth, she stood up, lowered her head, and retreated. It was only when she reached the hall entrance that she turned and walked out.

Hao Mengye was standing just outside the curtain. Seeing her emerge and catching sight of her rash-covered face and blood-red lips, his pupils constricted slightly.

Yet he said nothing, turned on his heel, and walked away. Yu Shengsheng hurried to keep up behind him.

At the palace gate, Official Song stood waiting, seemingly lingering there specifically for Yu Shengsheng.

"Miss Yu, do not forget the Empress's teachings this time. Oh, and by the way, make sure to properly apply medicine to your fingers when you return. With your delicate skin and tender flesh, you must not let any lasting ailments develop."

Her fingers were already red and swollen from the time Official Song had stepped on them earlier.

Yu Shengsheng curtsied. "This maid thanks Official Song."

Hao Mengye uttered not a word, striding forward with long, rapid steps without any intention of waiting for her. Yu Shengsheng exerted herself to keep pace.

Seeing this, Official Song smiled disdainfully. "Wretch."

It was not until they turned a corner, far away from the vicinity of the Empress's palace, that Hao Mengye slowed his pace.

Breathing slightly, Yu Shengsheng felt deeply uncomfortable and sweaty; her undergarments were soaked through and clinging to her skin.

Walking slowly for a few steps, Hao Mengye suddenly asked, "Why do you refer to yourself as 'this maid'?"

Yu Shengsheng didn't react immediately; she paused for a moment before replying, "Learning palace etiquette before the Empress, referring to oneself as a maid was established when I first arrived at the manor."

"You are a young lady of an official's family, not a maid."

Yu Shengsheng gave a self-deprecating smile. "Given my background, Commander Hao has surely heard some rumors. Who would ever treat me like some young lady of an official's family?"

Hao Mengye said no more.

All the way until they reached the palace gate and she boarded the carriage, the red spots on her body still had not faded, and her swollen fingers remained a shocking sight.

"Your face... was it because you ate yellow fruit?"

"Yes." Yu Shengsheng admitted candidly.

Hao Mengye thought to himself, *So that was it.*

In this regard, she was quite similar to the Chief Commander, who could not drink alcohol; whenever he drank, he would get drunk and break out in red spots as well.

Yu Shengsheng climbed into the carriage and dropped the door curtain. Only then did she let out a heavy sigh, her hands trembling as she furrowed her brow tightly.

A tide of emotion rose in her eyes, but she refused to cry.

Tears were the most useless things of all.

There was an ice basin inside the carriage. Placing her hands into it made her feel somewhat better.

Sitting inside without looking outside and with no one speaking, the journey seemed much longer than the trip there.

When they returned to the Suppression Office and stepped down from the carriage, Yu Shengsheng noticed that there was an extra person behind the carriage.

A man in his fifties carrying a medicine chest—a physician.

"Go inside," Hao Mengye said.

As Yu Shengsheng climbed the steps, Jin Baobao rushed out to welcome her inside. Before her smile could fully bloom, it froze.

"Miss, you're injured?"