Chapter 408: Disfigured Concubine
The name of this illegitimate son sent for marriage is Yun Qi… Tsk, truly an abandoned child forsaken by his family, even his name is so carelessly chosen. Sang Luo felt a touch of pity for this young man she had never met.
Sang Luo recalled the identity of the servant from earlier; he was Kong, Yun Qi's personal attendant.
Kong was brought over by Yun Qi from his family, and the two had shared hardships together.
After Yun Qi lost his eyes, Kong had been taking care of him personally. Originally, the concubine was not favored by the princess, and most of the servants in the mansion would judge people based on their status, making things difficult for the master and servant. One can imagine how difficult their situation is now, yet Kong remains loyal and devoted.
Sang Luo casually summoned a servant to inquire about the situation, and only then did she learn the reason.
Ever since Yun Qi had his eyes gouged out, he had been staying in his room all day, rarely going out. This morning, he said he wanted to go out for a walk to get some fresh air, and he sent Kong away on the pretext of being thirsty. But when Kong returned, he found that the concubine had disappeared.
Kong searched the entire Princess Manor but couldn't find him. He was afraid that something had happened to the concubine, so he had no choice but to seek help from the princess. However, Ji Wan showed no pity upon hearing the news and even ordered everyone in the mansion not to help him, otherwise they would be punished the same!
As soon as these words came out, no one dared to lend a hand, fearing implication and ending up like the concubine.
Thus, the scene from earlier occurred.
Sang Luo rubbed her forehead.
Headache.
…
It was now the season of the Cold Moon. The sky was gloomy, and the snow was falling harder and harder. The scattered snowflakes turned into goose feathers, and the bare branches were bent over. The roof was covered with half an inch of snow, and the lake surface had frozen into a mirror-like layer of ice.
Sang Luo wore a lotus-root pink fur-collared cloak, holding a small fragrant stove in her hands to warm them, and went out for a walk surrounded by several attendants.
She walked quickly, looking around, as if searching for something.
"Your Highness, slow down! Be careful, it's cold and the road is slippery!"
Two attendants, trying to lift her heavy skirt, could barely keep up.
Sang Luo ran to the edge of Dongxin Lake.
Her face was flushed, she was panting slightly, and her palms were clenched tightly around her cloak. The body of this pampered princess was actually somewhat weak, not comparable to her original body.
The largest artificial lake in the mansion was covered in white snow. The lake surface had already frozen into a layer of ice, but there was an inconspicuous corner that was empty, not obvious under the snowy landscape. Melted snowflakes condensed into thin shards of ice, slowly forming.
"You guys! Quickly go down and save him!" she shouted.
The servants were dumbfounded. Save someone? Save who?
There was someone under the lake?!
No one thought of the missing concubine, because everyone knew how much the princess hated this fox clan's illegitimate son who had been sent for marriage. She took pleasure in tormenting him every day, wishing he were dead. She wouldn't show such anxiousness for him.
How could a blind man want to go out for a walk in the heavy snow? He must be—looking for an opportunity to kill himself!
No matter how unloved Yun Qi was by the princess, he was still a concubine. Usually, many eyes were watching him, and the princess would not allow such an unlucky event as a death to occur in her mansion. It wouldn't be easy for him to commit suicide, but jumping into the lake would allow him to die silently.
How desperate must the young man be to want to end his life and escape all this.
Soon, a strong beaver beastman dragged a slender young man ashore.
Both of them were soaked, and as soon as they came into contact with the cold air outside, ice quickly formed on their bodies.
The beaver beastman shivered from the cold. Sang Luo had someone throw him a thick coat and gave him a few beast crystals. "This is your reward."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Sang Luo then looked at the young man who was unconscious on the ground.
He was wearing a thin white inner robe. His messy black hair was completely wet, covering most of his face. His hair had frozen into icicles, and his entire body was swollen and purple from the cold, almost unrecognizable. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of his chest, perhaps no one would suspect that this was a dead person.
"You guys, carry him back to his room! And call the mansion's witch doctor over! Quickly!"
"Yes! Princess."
Two strong beast servants busily carried the man back, and the witch doctor arrived very quickly. With the princess's orders, no one dared to be negligent in this matter.
It wasn't until three days later that Sang Luo heard the news that Yun Qi had woken up. She had someone take some nourishing items and send them to the West Courtyard.
"Why is Your Highness concerned about that concubine?" a servant who had served her for many years asked curiously.
Sang Luo cracked melon seeds and casually said, "At any rate, he is also the concubine that this palace has formally married. It hasn't been long since he entered the door. If he really dies unclearly in my Princess Manor, wouldn't this palace become a laughingstock to the whole world? And how would Father face the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan's inquiries? Wouldn't we be giving them a handle for nothing?"
No matter how much the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan doesn't value this illegitimate son, Yun Qi is still a child of the clan, the clan leader's own son. It would be bad for the reputations of both clans if the news spread.
The Nine-Tailed Fox Clan might even feign affection, pursue this matter relentlessly, and demand compensation from the Red Fox Clan.
Princess Ji Wan is cruel and domineering, but she is not a fool. This behavior is also in line with her persona.
From a personal point of view, Sang Luo really pitied this young man. Calculating the timeline, Yan should be acting as his young master now, and the young man can be considered his own younger brother.
Love of the house extends to the crow, on the one hand, but if the young man's death really causes the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan and the Red Fox Clan to become enemies, with a feud of killing a relative separating Yan and the princess, how would they develop in the future?
Everything she did should also be based on the original storyline of time and space.
Sang Luo thought for a moment, got up and walked outside, "Forget it, I have nothing to do today. This princess will go see him by the way, so that he won't try to seek death again in the future and disturb my peace."
"I will change clothes for Your Highness."
…
West Courtyard.
The young man, recovering from a long illness, stood by the window. The plum blossoms outside the window were in full bloom, with snow piled on the branches.
He was wearing a white inner robe, with a dark cyan robe draped over his shoulders. His slightly dry black hair hung down his back, and his figure was slender and frail, as if he would fall with a gust of wind.
He spread out his palm, and a few snowflakes fell on his palm, slowly melting…
When Sang Luo arrived, she saw such a beautiful scene like a painting, and paused in a slight daze.
The servants were about to bow, but she came back to her senses, extended a finger and placed it on her lips, softly "Shh"-ing.
The young man had already heard the footsteps and turned to salute, "Greetings, Your Highness."
Sang Luo was stunned when she saw his face. She hadn't noticed it last time they met, but half of his face was disfigured, and his voice was also rough and unpleasant.
No wonder the princess didn't like him.
Sang Luo looked at the young man's tightly closed eyes and said in a calm tone, "You knew I was coming?"
"I recognize Your Highness's footsteps." Yun Qi said neither humbly nor arrogantly, but Sang Luo caught a glimpse of his fingers clenched tightly and trembling slightly in his sleeve. He was afraid of the princess.
