Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Because I wanted to protect Song Youshu, they told me I was too late.

Song Youshu had already been poisoned to death in prison-two lives lost in one body.

In my fury, I swept the teacups from the table and sent them crashing to the floor. My voice came out hoarse as I demanded, “Must I be the one to give birth to the emperor’s eldest son? Why should I give birth at all? So he can be born a puppet too, manipulated by all of you at will?”

“Since you look down on Zhao Ling so much, why insist that I bear his child? In the end, it is all for your own interests, so the Hu and Xu families can command wind and rain and stand at the center of power. For that, you would disregard whether I live or die and wring every last use out of me!”

Hu Zhihe slapped me hard across the face, his mustache trembling.

“You wretched thing! I exhausted every scheme to help you ascend to the empress’s seat. I planned everything for your sake. Was it all so you could anger me like this?!”

Lady Hu née Xu burst into tears. “Ah Rong, what madness has gotten into you? Everything the family has plotted to this point-was it not all for you?”

“For me? Offering me up to Prince Liang as a transaction was for me too?”

“Father, he is even several years older than you. Tell me, how does it feel to sell your daughter for glory?”

“You! How dare you speak to your father like that! Insolent! You have turned against me!”

Hu Zhihe was so enraged his hands shook. He rushed forward to strike me again.

My elder brothers stopped him, their faces full of pained reproach, accusing me of always having been sensible and saying I should not speak to our father this way.

Amid Lady Hu née Xu’s sobs, I looked at them coldly and backed away step by step.

“A noble family, with filthy methods. What an ugly spectacle.”

By the time I left the Hu Family, dusk was falling.

Inside the sedan, I trembled uncontrollably, my expression dazed and terrified, helpless to the extreme.

Then, very quickly, I realized we were not headed back to the palace.

When I questioned Cui He, I saw him lower his head, his voice thin and reedy. “Your Majesty, someone from Prince Liang’s Mansion came just now. They have invited Your Majesty to enter the mansion for a conversation.”

My mind buzzed. My face went deathly pale. “No. I am going back to the palace. Turn around at once!”

Cui He said nothing.

I leaned forward and seized his arm. “Cui He, take me back to the Hu Family.”

“This servant is only a servant. I cannot make that decision.”

“I will die. You know it. I will definitely die.”

Ever since I entered the palace, Cui He had been the one managing all matters in Jiaofang Hall, always thinking of ways to coax me into a better mood.

I had always considered myself a kind mistress. Even knowing he belonged to Prince Liang, I had never taken my anger out on him.

Because I knew that, as he said, he was only a servant-a dog belonging to Prince Liang.

A dog that defied its master would not live.

And after he died, there would be a Zhang He, a Qian He.

Zhang He and Qian He might not be as easy to talk to as he was.

Cui He had served by my side for three years. There was at least some measure of affection between master and servant.

So after a moment of silence, he said, “If Your Majesty does not go, all of us will die as well.”

I paused. Slowly, I withdrew my hand.

Cui He suddenly lowered his voice again. “Your Majesty, do not panic. Cai Juan and the others split into three groups just now to deliver messages to the Duke’s Mansion and the Xu family. We also sent someone to His Majesty.”

“They will not come.”

When one’s heart was reduced to ashes, despair, in turn, could make a person calm.

Leaving aside the fact that I had just fallen out with the Hu Family-

If they were willing to come save me, they would never have abandoned me in the first place.