Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Song Duhe once accidentally saw my arm.
At that moment, he froze in shock for a split second before his ears turned red and he hurriedly averted his gaze, running away.
Dinner that day was exceptionally lavish.
He kept his head down while eating, remaining silent the entire time.
After we finished, he handed me a jar of ointment with downcast eyes. A flush crept over his porcelain skin, and his earlobes were as crimson as drops of blood, the deep-seated shyness in his bones plain for all to see.
It was a jar of scar-removal cream. He told me to start using it, then frantically cleared the table and rushed out as if he were fleeing for his life.
He tripped over the threshold, stumbling forward a few steps, yet he still held onto the bowls tightly.
We were too poor; we couldn’t even afford to break a single bowl.
That jar of scar cream was bought with money he had saved for a long time. It was a small jar, so I used it sparingly.
He eventually managed to get several more jars, urging me to apply more each time, while he himself lived in embarrassing frugality, cutting back on his own expenses for brushes and ink.
Later, I told him to stop buying them.
The scars in my heart had faded; I didn’t actually care much about the scars on my body anymore.
Song Duhe, however, acted as if he hadn’t heard me.
“The master of the household where I teach is about to settle my wages. He said I teach very well and plans to introduce me to a few more clients. Once I’ve earned enough money, I’ll take you to see a doctor who specializes in treating scars.”
“Alright, I’ll wait for you.”
My voice was very quiet, but the sound of my heartbeat was thunderous.
That was the happiest period of my life.
It was peaceful, warm, and cozy. Though we were poor, my heart was full.
Since then, the Fifth Princess couldn’t be bothered to deal with me anymore.
She drew up another list, intending to pick a few more daughters from her enemies’ families to bring into the palace to meet their deaths.
She had a palace maid who could write draft the list, while she circled and dotted names herself. She couldn’t even hold a brush properly, so she simply gripped it haphazardly.
I pressed my hand over hers and said softly, “Your Highness, you won’t get your revenge this way. You will only exhaust the Emperor’s favor. If the day comes when His Majesty grows weary of you, what will become of you?”
The Fifth Princess was stopped in her tracks, her heart full of rage, yet she found herself unable to say anything to refute me.
She flung my hand away and said coldly, “None of your business!”
I gripped her hand even more firmly, making it impossible for her to break free.
This move was truly bold, but at that moment, I didn’t care at all. I only wanted to take a gamble.
“Your Highness, do you know Song Duhe?”
“Do you know that he was thrown into the Imperial Prison for trying to overturn the cases against the Crown Prince and the Song Family? Do you know where he is now?”
“If you know nothing, then what is the use of the favor you’ve gained now?”
“You are a princess, yet you cannot even find out any news regarding your own maternal family. Are you truly favored, Your Highness?”
“Aside from bullying a few discarded daughters abandoned by your enemies, what else can you do? Have you truly harmed those enemies of yours?”
“Which family would send a truly beloved daughter into the palace for you to vent your anger on? They are all unloved daughters like me, or daughters adopted halfway through.”
“What is the use of taking your anger out on them? Your enemies won’t feel sorry for them. They might even wish for you to kill them so they can have something to use against you.”
“Your Highness, if you truly want revenge, you must listen to me.”
“I will seek revenge with you. You must trust me, Your Highness. I am worthy of your trust.”
The Fifth Princess was stunned by my questions that day.
Her mouth hung open as she stared at me in a daze. Suddenly, her eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her face.
“I don’t know… I don’t know anything. I always thought I was alone…”
I pulled her into my arms and gently patted her back, letting her cry it out.
She must have had so many grievances and desperately needed an embrace to vent them.
She had no family by her side, only enemies and spies everywhere.
She didn’t dare fully trust the palace maids and eunuchs around her.
She had no one to confide in, no one to consult with. She could only follow her own crude ideas in how she treated others and herself.
A startled bird, even if given a magnificent house, will still be frightened by the sound of a bowstring.
What she needed was someone who would stay by her side wholeheartedly and trustworthily, growing up with her, helping her dissolve the resentment in her heart, and seeking revenge together.
That day, she cried for a long time until she was exhausted and fell asleep.
When she woke up, her face was calm, and she asked me in a raspy voice:
“Sister, I want to know about my cousin. How is he? How did you two meet?”