The Abused Female Protagonist In The Angst Novel Is Actually A White Lotus - Chapter 31

“May I… may I go see her?” Shen Sijing suddenly felt overwhelmed by the Empress Dowager’s unexpected permission to visit Consort Yu. Now that Consort Yu had been banished to the Cold Palace, surely the truth behind the matter had come to light.

The Empress Dowager smiled at Shen Sijing’s flustered expression. “Of course you may. Consort Yu has become the scapegoat of the entire Imperial Palace. We’re only preserving her title and status out of consideration for the Chen family’s dignity, and keeping it quiet.”

Shen Sijing nodded. The Empress Dowager couldn’t personally visit the Cold Palace, so she instructed a Matron to escort Shen Sijing while she remained in the palace to await her return.

As they walked, Shen Sijing speculated about the Empress Dowager’s motives. Could this be a test of my discretion, to gauge the Shen family’s loyalty? Or has something happened recently to arouse suspicion about Shen Zhiyuan and his wife?

Shen Sijing wasn’t simply touched by the Empress Dowager’s kindness. She glanced back several times, meeting the Empress Dowager’s affectionate gaze, and felt a pang of guilt. How could I doubt her when she’s been so kind to me?

So, Shen Sijing stopped looking back and followed the Matron, accompanied only by Yun Nian. The three of them walked toward the Cold Palace.

“Matron… is the Cold Palace really scary?” Shen Sijing asked. “I’ve heard it’s damp and full of strange things.” She knew she shouldn’t say such things in the palace, but she wanted to get closer to the Matron, so she pretended to be more childish.

Seeing her innocent expression, the Matron couldn’t scold her. Instead, she warned cautiously, “Young Miss, you must never say such things in the palace. The Son of Heaven reigns here, and this is a realm of clear skies and bright sun. How could such things exist?”

After Shen Sijing’s naive question, the Matron began to treat her like her own granddaughter. Noticing how thin Shen Sijing’s clothes were on this cool day, she took off her own robe and draped it over the girl. As the Empress Dowager’s personal maid, the Matron enjoyed privileges that surpassed even those of noble ladies outside the palace. The robe, though its patterns were somewhat subdued, was of excellent quality.

Shen Sijing smiled gratefully. As they approached the Cold Palace, a chill in the air grew stronger. After all, she was here to visit Consort Yu. The mere thought of Consort Yu reminded her of the hanged palace maid she had glimpsed around the corner of the palace corridor—a sight that would haunt her for a long time.

Back and forth we went, and it only got colder. The matron’s cloak arrived just in time.

Shen Sijing didn’t know how long she had been following the woman, but the seemingly endless street finally came to an abrupt end, blocked by a solid wall. Turning back, she realized the dilapidated courtyard she had come from was none other than the legendary Cold Palace.

Contrary to its name, the Cold Palace was not silent. Instead, it buzzed with a cacophony of voices. The Matron pushed open the door slightly, allowing Shen Sijing to peek inside. The women within still wore their imperial robes, but the garments were now filthy from being dragged on the ground. Each woman appeared deranged, their hair disheveled like chicken nests.

Shen Sijing had never imagined the Cold Palace would be like this. Startled, she turned to the Matron for guidance.

The Matron bowed. “Young Miss, you should go inside and ask. Consort Yu’s mind is still… relatively intact.”

Relatively intact? Shen Sijing suddenly felt like shedding a bitter tear. This meant she would have to personally ask for any information she wanted.

Is this what the Empress Dowager is trying to tell me? Shen Sijing didn’t dwell on the thought. The Matron had already unlocked the door, and Yun Nian pushed it open for her. Yun Nian remained standing in the doorway, choosing not to enter.

“Young Miss… when the Empress Dowager sends this old servant back to report, she instructed me to take this month’s silver stipend and distribute it to the staff. Since the return journey to the palace is circuitous and might delay my report, I thought I’d fetch the silver from the Imperial Household Department first and return to you later. Would that be alright?” The Matron spoke with the same kindness as the Empress Dowager, and though it was phrased as a question, Shen Sijing knew that even if she refused, the Matron wouldn’t go.

But… who could refuse to show deference to someone from the Empress Dowager’s circle? Shen Sijing nodded and waved her away, leaving Yun Nian to stand guard at the door.

When the concubines of the Cold Palace saw Shen Sijing, they showed less surprise than one might expect, as if this were a common occurrence. One of them, though covered in mud, still maintained the poise of her days as a concubine. She glanced at Shen Sijing and drawled, “I wonder which new Lady of Beauty the Emperor has taken this time? To be cast into the Cold Palace with such a flower-like beauty? As the saying goes… ‘Since ancient times, the imperial family has known no love.'”

Shen Sijing found the woman’s sardine-like voice unsettling, but she refused to stoop to the level of these poor, broken women. Instead, she focused solely on searching the crowd for Consort Yu.

Though the Cold Palace’s main gate and courtyard appeared rather plain, it was still a palace, complete with a main hall where the deposed consorts could rest at night.

As Shen Sijing glanced around, she immediately spotted a woman in red standing at the main hall’s entrance. The crimson robes were all too familiar—identical to the ones the palace maid had worn when she hung herself for Consort Yu. At the time, Shen Sijing had thought it excessive for Consort Yu to curse herself so violently just to regain the emperor’s favor. Yet now, someone was actually wearing those very robes, standing there as if nothing was wrong. Did ancient people not consider such things taboo?

“Isn’t that… the Eldest Young Miss Shen?” Consort Yu recognized Shen Sijing at once, her voice still as irritatingly sassy as ever.

Shen Sijing, facing a deposed consort, felt no need to bow, nor did she expect one in return. Still… she had come this far, and she needed to ask the right questions to make this visit worthwhile.

“I wonder why Your Ladyship has come to such a place?” Shen Sijing approached Consort Yu slowly. As she drew near the group, a foul stench assailed her nostrils.

She covered her nose, ignoring the nauseating smell as she stared intently at Consort Yu, determined to get the answers she sought.

When Consort Yu saw Shen Sijing, she suddenly burst into a chilling laughter, her smile sending shivers down the spine. Her eyes seemed deranged, as if her mind had already begun to unravel. If Shen Sijing had arrived even a few days later, she might never have gotten the answers she sought.

Consort Yu grinned maliciously, her fingers tightening around Shen Sijing’s neck. “Do you think… just because you’re standing here safely now, you’ll remain safe forever? Do you think the Shen family’s influence will protect you from want for a lifetime? My fate might be yours tomorrow, ha ha ha ha… You dare to act so compassionate now, like a cat pretending to cry for a weasel? Don’t you realize you might be next?”

Her words sounded like a venomous curse, yet also like a prophecy. The certainty in her voice momentarily stunned Shen Sijing, paralyzing her with fear.

As the suffocating sensation grew stronger, Shen Sijing desperately tried to struggle, but her body refused to obey. Her vision blurred, and just as she thought she was about to die, a refreshing fragrance suddenly filled the air. She could breathe again. The next moment, someone pulled her into their arms, the overwhelming sense of safety making her burst into tears.

“You dare, Consort Yu? A deposed consort still dares to act so arrogantly?!”

The voice… it sounded so familiar…

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