Transmigrated as the Short-Lived White Moonlight, I Ended Up Happily Ever After With the Female Lead - Chapter 13

Ji Yan’an had been holding Song Yi’s hand. Though she herself was very scared, she still turned her head to comfort Song Yi: “Don’t worry, I’m here! I definitely won’t let them make things difficult for you!”

Song Yi nodded, indicating that she believed her.

As they spoke, the two had already arrived at the front entrance of the main hall of the Palace of Eternal Peace. Looking up, they saw red wood used as beams on the ceiling, with a huge luminous pearl embedded in the treasure crown of the hall, suspended high above. On this slightly overcast day, it outshone candlelight, making the entire hall glitter brightly.

The windows, carved from dark gray tiles, and the palace walls, stacked with jade stones and engraved with patterns of graceful peacocks displaying their tails, gave the entire hall a sense of vitality amidst its heavy and vulgar opulence.

It was so dazzlingly splendid that it almost blinded Yan’an’s eyes. Even the current Empress Dowager was not so extravagant and wasteful, yet this Consort Liu managed to achieve it.

Standing at the entrance, they could see Consort Liu sprawled obliquely on the couch inside. Ji Yan’an was terribly nervous, and the palm holding Song Yi’s hand was slightly sweaty.

As if sensing her unease, Song Yi stepped forward to enter first, but was stopped by Ji Yan’an. Ji Yan’an merely straightened her dress and hair ornaments, and with a look of fierce resolve, like going to her death, she stepped forward. Song Yi smiled faintly and followed suit.

“This subject’s daughter, Ji Yan’an, greets the Honored Consort.”

“This subject’s daughter, Song Yi, greets the Honored Consort.”

Two pleasant voices rang out. Liu Wanwan on the couch slightly opened her eyes. The seductive huadian (forehead decoration) on her brow made Liu Wanwan look like an enchantress, capable of captivating souls with a single glance. Ji Yan’an blinked, somewhat unable to believe that the woman rumored to have a viperous heart could possess such beauty.

The original text’s description of Liu Wanwan’s appearance merely stopped at being good-looking. Who would have thought she was so bewitchingly charming? If her ambition hadn’t been so great… she would likely have had a very good ending.

“Yan’an, rise quickly. Why did you come too?” Liu Wanwan didn’t hide her surprise, a fleeting dark light merely flashing in her narrow eyes.

Ji Yan’an was a little stunned by the sight, and it took a while before she stood up. Seeing that Ji Yan’an was practically staring at her, a hint of indescribable displeasure arose in Song Yi’s heart.

As it happened, Liu Wanwan had only told Ji Yan’an to rise. Just as Song Yi was about to stand, the eunuch Fu Ji, who had followed them in, tripped her. Her knees hit the floor heavily with a dull thud.

Ji Yan’an snapped back to reality. Turning her head, she instantly remembered: no matter how beautiful she was, what did it matter? The viciousness remained unchanged. Ji Yan’an immediately demanded: “Why must she still kneel?”

Liu Wanwan smiled and adjusted the pearl flower that was about to slip from her hair: “I never told her to rise. Yan’an, why don’t you sit nicely beside me? Why bother with her?”

This statement was quite suggestive, and it was impossible for Ji Yan’an not to understand that Liu Wanwan didn’t want her to meddle.

However, Liu Wanwan underestimated the relationship between the two. Ji Yan’an would rather offend her than see Song Yi suffer.

Ji Yan’an walked with an imposing air, pulling Song Yi without a word and heading straight for the exit.

Seeing that things were not going as planned, Liu Wanwan disregarded the pearl hairpins and ornaments on her head, suddenly stood up, and commanded the eunuchs: “Stop them!”

Her voice was sharp and jarring, entirely devoid of its earlier charm, filled only with ruthlessness.

The eunuchs had initially hesitated to act against them, mindful of Ji Yan’an’s status. Now, having received Liu Wanwan’s command, they all glared, restraining them one by one, and delivered them to Liu Wanwan as if they were escorting criminals.

Liu Wanwan regained her composure, sat back down languidly, and smoothed her slightly messy hair, in no hurry to pass judgment.

“This subject’s daughter does not know what offense she has committed to be stopped by Your Ladyship!” Ji Yan’an’s voice was loud, but her heart was weak. She had only crossed over a few days ago, yet all the people she offended were powerful and stunning beauties.

Her gaze instinctively turned to Song Yi, thinking that everything was for the sake of the beauty!

Liu Wanwan finally finished tidying her long hair, sighed, and said: “Ji Yan’an, you are arrogant and disregard authority. Are my commands merely wind in your ears? Fu Ji, give our young miss ten large strikes of the plank as a test.”

Fu Ji acknowledged the order. Looking at the delicate and lovely Ji Yan’an, he was initially reluctant to strike, but he knew too well the consequences of offending Liu Wanwan. He didn’t dare to hesitate and raised the plank to strike.

Ji Yan’an was terribly panicked, closing her eyes and bracing herself for the sensation of the large plank hitting her body.

“Ah!!” Ji Yan’an had never been struck before. This one large strike almost took her life, and her entire body trembled in pain.

Song Yi was held kneeling to the side, her legs already bruised and swollen. Yet, seeing Ji Yan’an being beaten, she tried several times to break free from the eunuchs holding her hands, intending to rush out and shield Ji Yan’an.

“Don’t worry. It wasn’t your turn just now. Now, let me think… how should I punish you?” Liu Wanwan’s narrow eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous light flickering in them. All sorts of cruel tortures flashed through Liu Wanwan’s mind.

Evidently, Liu Wanwan’s threat had no effect. Song Yi wanted to use the sleeve-needle, but suddenly remembered that she had changed clothes and forgotten to bring it. With the sleeve-needle unusable, Song Yi began to use brute force.

“This subject’s daughter does not know where she has offended Your Ladyship! That Your Ladyship would even risk offending the Ji family to punish me!” Song Yi struggled while shouting.

Anger surfaced on her cool, aloof face. Ji Yan’an had initially been kneeling, but the eunuch had knocked her flat after only the fifth strike. Yan’an lay on the ground, crying wretchedly, yet still paying attention to Song Yi’s situation.

Song Yi seemed genuinely enraged. With a strong push, she easily flung aside the other eunuch, then rushed over and draped herself over Ji Yan’an, taking a large strike of the plank squarely for Ji Yan’an.

“This subject’s daughter is unconvinced!” Song Yi gritted her teeth, not knowing if it was from pain or anger.

Liu Wanwan was not surprised by Song Yi breaking free. Instead, she used a bone-chillingly cold folding fan to lift Song Yi’s chin: “You and your father are equally repulsive.”

The mention of her father stunned both Song Yi and Ji Yan’an. Ji Yan’an looked at the culprit who had caused the death of Song Yi’s parents and felt an urge to curse.

Excuse me! You are the one who caused the death of her good parents; what right do you have to say the words “equally repulsive”?

Song Yi, however, closed her mouth, ignoring the bulging veins on her forehead. She gently supported herself with her arms, fully protecting Ji Yan’an in her embrace.

“Since you’re so willing to protect her, and I truly can’t bear to strike our Yan’an, then keep protecting her!” Liu Wanwan sneered repeatedly, a look in her eyes signaling the eunuch to continue: “You keep hitting. I will tell you when to stop.”

The meaning of these words was that she intended to coldly watch Song Yi be beaten for more than ten strikes.

“Get up quickly! I am the Ji family’s eldest daughter, she definitely wouldn’t dare to strike me too hard, so I’m fine! Don’t suffer these planks for nothing just to protect me!!” Ji Yan’an burst into tears again, struggling to control her voice as she secretly spoke to Song Yi.

Song Yi, however, kept her eyes tightly shut, neither speaking nor rising.

The two were pressed very close together…