Lately, Chu Ruo’s cough had grown severe. The racking, violent sound of it could often be heard by anyone passing her room. Her luck had truly run dry; not only had she been tortured until only half a life remained by Nan Menghua’s practice of her heretical arts, but she also had to endure the heart-piercing, bone-eroding agony of the Hundred Flowers Gu every single day. Recently, she had even caught a cold. Nan Menghua was only keeping her alive by a thread now, eager for Nan Muxue to see her in this wretched state from the dungeon so the two lovers could suffer together. Naturally, she had no intention of providing proper medical care.
"Drink your medicine."
It was Mo Fei’s voice. The task of guarding Chu Ruo had been handed to the Fifth Protector. Every time she brought the decoction, she uttered only those three words.
"It’s all the same whether I drink it or not," Chu Ruo said with a faint smile. She felt around to take the bowl and drained it in one gulp. She remembered how much she used to resist such bitter medicine. Now, this bowl tasted a hundred, a thousand times more bitter than before. She didn't know if it was the medicine that was bitter or her own heart; she only knew that in the past, she could afford to be willful only because of that person’s indulgence. There had been someone who would coax her into drinking it.
"Are you alright?"
Chu Ruo was somewhat surprised. Mo Fei was a woman of few words—or rather, in this Hundred Flowers Palace, no one dared to say a word to her, let alone Mo Fei. Mo Fei had defected to Nan Menghua, yet she had never truly done anything to harm them.
"I thought you hated me," Chu Ruo said, followed by a few more wretched coughs. "After all, Xue'er only sought you out to be my body double." Previously, Mo Fei had even been forced to have her hand scalded with boiling oil while disguised as Chu Ruo by Nan Menghua. Because of that, there should have been hatred in her heart.
The other woman did not answer. She simply packed away the medicine bowl. "Take care of yourself."
"I’ve drunk so many doses of this medicine, yet I’m not getting any better," Chu Ruo said, lying back and crossing her legs. "No, I should say, why aren't I dead yet? Hey, tell me, what did Nan Menghua put in here?"
Mo Fei truly admired such a person. Even in a predicament like this, one moment she seemed utterly miserable, and the next she was entertaining herself with a smirk. To say she didn't fear death didn't seem quite right, yet to say she did fear it was also wrong, as she didn't seem to hold the Palace Mistress in any regard at all. This Chu Ruo was truly a remarkable individual.
Mo Fei exited, closing the door behind her. But not a minute later, the door creaked open again.
"Did you forget—" Chu Ruo started to ask if she had left something behind, but the footsteps... no, that was wrong. It definitely wasn't Mo Fei. These steps were extremely light and steady. In the Hundred Flowers Palace, very few people possessed such skill. "Nan Yunshuang, it’s you."
Her tone was one of absolute certainty. The newcomer did not deny it and sat down directly. "Martial arts sealed, eyes blinded, yet your hearing has improved."
Faced with this woman, Chu Ruo was naturally on guard. "Do you want something?"
"I came to see if you were dead yet."
...This woman was truly not one for jokes, but coming from her mouth, why did those words sound so strange? "I don't believe I've ever offended you, have I?"
"What do you think of the Hundred Flowers Palace now?"
"Not much. What are you actually trying to say?"
"Everything that has happened today is because of you."
"Because of me? Nan Menghua was already insane. Whether as a Palace Mistress or a mother, is there a single good thing about her? The slaughter across the martial world is all thanks to her."
"And what about Xue'er?"
Chu Ruo froze, her lips trembling. "Xue'er..."
"Originally, she was the high and mighty Young Palace Mistress, above tens of thousands and second only to one. Though the Palace Mistress was strict with her, things would never have devolved to this point. For you, she violated the palace rules and betrayed her mother. Her entire martial cultivation has been wasted. And you—what can you do for her?"
Whether it was Nan Yunshuang, Nan Menghua, or Nan Muxue, whenever they became talkative, it was never a good sign. Chu Ruo slumped back, feeling utterly defeated. She knew—of course she knew—that she was just a useless burden. Aside from dragging her Xue'er down, she could do nothing. Yet when the truth was torn open so bloodily before her, it was still bone-chilling and heart-piercing. "I... yes, it was I who burdened her."
"I said long ago that I should have killed you with one stroke of my sword."
Chu Ruo curled her lips into a bitter smile. "So, are you here to kill me now? Fine. If you do it now, it’s not too late."
"Is there any point in killing you now? From the very beginning, Xue'er stood in front of you. She would only say one thing: 'Do not touch my Ruo'er.' Is the room warm? Is the bed soft? Have you enjoyed your stay during this time? You can't see this room now—how ironic. The person who least deserves to endure all this is the one currently suffering it."
"I will save Xue'er. I will save her..."
"Save her?" Nan Yunshuang’s voice was filled with contempt, disdain, and mockery. "With what? With those blind eyes or that half-dead body? Every time you show that you care, it only makes the Palace Mistress hate her more. It only makes her suffer more."
Chu Ruo clutched her head in agony. "I’ve harmed Xue'er. It’s me. it’s always been me. I’ve harmed my Xue'er."
Nan Yunshuang stood up coldly. Before leaving, she actually went to bolt the window. "The night wind is strong. You’d best look after that husk of yours; after all, it’s the only value you have left. The Palace Mistress is in seclusion today; you’re lucky. Here is today’s antidote for the Hundred Flowers Gu." She placed a pill on the table and let out a cold laugh as she left. "When she emerges tomorrow, you’ll have a lot to endure. The night wind is strong; put on more clothes."
"I want to see Xue'er."
"In the past, the Palace Mistress let you see each other only to watch you be tortured. Do you think there’s any need for that today?"
Behind Nan Yunshuang, a crystalline tear slid from the corner of Chu Ruo's eye.
At midnight, the Hundred Flowers Palace was as silent as the grave. Every room was pitch black. Mo Fei and two disciples stood guard at the door, visibly nodding off. The two disciples especially were in a deep daze, their heads constantly drooping and snapping back up.
*Swish! Swish!*
The two disciples were struck in their sleeping acupoints and collapsed instantly. Mo Fei startled awake and looked around, but in the next second, a silver needle was pressed against her throat. A low voice whispered, "Don't make a sound, or don't blame us for taking your life!"
It all happened too fast. Although Mo Fei was the Fifth Protector and had received guidance from Nan Menghua once, her martial arts were nowhere near the level of these people in night-traveling attire. She didn't dare resist and could only nod silently.
"Is Chu Ruo inside? Is she unharmed?"
Mo Fei opened her mouth to speak but stopped. Looking quite honest and dull, she nodded, then shook her head. This infuriated one of the intruders. "Speak! Nodding and shaking your head—are you a mute?"
"You told me not to make a sound," Mo Fei replied. It was a woman's voice. Seeing the slender figures of these intruders, could they be the women who were with Chu Ruo last time?
...The slightly aggrieved tone made the person holding the needle feel a bit amused; it really was somewhat similar. "What do you mean by nodding and shaking your head? Is Ruo'er inside or not?"
Lin Jianghong was impatient. "Agh, why bother asking her? We'll know once we go in!"
Phoenix stopped her. "Wait, in case it's a trap. This journey was too smooth. First, that mountain map appeared out of nowhere, and then when we were about to be discovered, those guards were knocked out by someone else. We must be careful."
Mo Fei spoke up then. "Chu Ruo is indeed inside, but she is ill..."
The constraint at Mo Fei's neck vanished instantly as a figure flew past. "Ruo'er~!"
***
"Was it successful?"
"Yes."
In the deep night of the dungeon, Nan Muxue actually had the inclination to slowly sip tea. "That’s good then."
"Now that she’s gone, you should worry about yourself."
"Is there anything left for me to do now?" In this bone-chillingly cold place, a pot of hot tea was a rare thing, yet it could not dispel the cold in her heart. There had only ever been one person who could give her warmth. She missed her—missed that warm embrace. "Did you break Ruo'er's heart today?"
"Since you asked me to go, you should have known what I would say. Besides, what I said was the truth."
"No," Nan Muxue said softly, a smile finally touching the corners of her lips. "My Ruo'er is the best."
