Chapter 1: Desperate Situation
The night was as dark as ink, and a sudden cold wind made the dilapidated courtyard gate even more decayed.
Several rough-handed maids hurried through the yard. The one at the front was slightly broader in build, wearing a blue cloth jacket with sleeves rolled halfway up, carrying a food basket as she headed toward the innermost room.
An unusual smell lingered in the courtyard. The younger woman following behind whispered, "It really stinks. I don’t know why the master wants that thing brought over—it’s terrifying." As she spoke, she glanced around and couldn’t help but lean closer to the head maid’s ear. "Could it be that he’s going to—"
"Shut up, don’t say another word," the blue-clad maid snapped irritably. "If others hear you, you won’t be spared."
The woman quickly fell silent.
When they reached the door of the room, a young round-faced maid came out, took the food basket from the blue-clad maid, and went back inside.
After a while, she came out with the now-empty basket. The blue-clad maid took it and said to the round-faced maid, "The master has ordered that the person be brought to his room."
"Is he going to—" The round-faced maid gasped in shock.
"That’s not for us to know," the blue-clad maid sighed, then called to the woman from earlier. "Come here, let’s move her over."
The room was now lit with lamps, brightening the space somewhat. The woman pinched her nose, and after a long while, she finally saw something sitting in a wooden basin.
At the first glance of that thing, she nearly vomited. Though she had come every day with the blue-clad maid to deliver food, she had never clearly seen the appearance of the person inside.
The thing in the wooden basin could no longer be called a "person." Only a bare torso remained, propped up in the basin. The hair was tangled into a mess, splattered with filth. One could faintly make out the semblance of a woman.
The blue-clad maid watched, a flicker of pity in her eyes. Though she didn’t know who this woman was, to end up in such a state was truly lamentable. Moreover, now that the master had suddenly ordered her to be taken away, the outcome was likely grim.
"Hurry up," she urged.
The younger woman was horrified and disgusted beyond measure, but she dared not disobey. Steeling herself, she lifted the wooden basin and carried it out of the room.
The woman inside was docile, neither struggling nor crying, as if she had already fallen asleep.
Following the order, she placed the basin in the master’s bedchamber. The young woman couldn’t help but wonder—why would the master keep such a horrifying thing in his room? Suddenly, the woman in the basin opened her eyes, locking gazes with her.
Strangely enough, despite the woman’s terrifying appearance, her eyes were extraordinarily beautiful—seductive and full of emotion, yet clear and untainted, as transparent as a mountain stream in early spring, chilling yet captivating.
The young woman stood frozen for a long moment before turning and fleeing the room as if escaping.
Jiang Ruan slowly opened her eyes.
Having spent so long in darkness, she was momentarily disoriented by the brightness before her. When she finally took in her situation, she couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.
She was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Minister of War, once Consort Ruan—yet now, she had been turned into a human pig, with no hope of ever rising again!
She thought back to when she was sixteen, before entering the palace, and her father’s words: "Ruan’er, now that you’re entering the palace as a consort, the entire Jiang family stands behind you. You have nothing to fear."
Her younger sister had clasped her hands, wiping away tears. "Elder sister, you are Su Su’s benefactor. Even if I were to die, I could never repay this debt of gratitude."And he, holding her hand, said: "Wait a little longer, just a few more days, and I will surely give you the status of a properly wedded wife."
But now, her father had risen to the position of Assistant State Chancellor, holding the highest official rank, her stepmother had long become the State Chancellor's Wife, her younger sister was the Empress of the world, and that man had ascended the throne as Emperor! They had already cast her aside, even abandoned and killed her!
At the age of six, her birth mother passed away early, and her aunt was elevated to the position of stepmother. A passing Wandering Taoist calculated that her Eight Characters brought misfortune to her parents, so Jiang Ruan was sent to a rural estate. A few years later, her elder brother died in battle. When she turned fifteen and reached the age of adulthood, Jiang Quan, remembering she was his own flesh and blood, brought her back to the residence. Soon after, news came from the palace that the newly selected consort list included a daughter of the Jiang family.
The Emperor suspected the Jiang family of colluding with the Eighth Prince. Summoning someone into the palace at this time was not without ulterior motives—it was merely to exert control.
The Jiang residence had only two legitimate daughters. Jiang Susu was frail in health and had a gentle, naive personality. Unable to defy the imperial decree, Jiang Quan gave the order, and Jiang Ruan entered the palace, becoming Consort Ruan.
No matter how much she endured, she could not bear to submit herself beneath the Emperor, withering away in the deep palace at the prime of her youth. Had it not been for the Eighth Prince’s constant comfort and care, she would have long hanged herself with a white silk ribbon in the depths of the palace. From childhood to adulthood, apart from her deceased brother and mother, no one had ever shown her such tenderness. She gave her heart to him, calmed down, and willingly became a pawn for the Jiang family and him in the palace, passing messages. Who could have expected that when the coup d'état came, the Emperor was brutally killed, yet they imprisoned her, falsely accusing her of murdering the Emperor and branding her as the Nation-destroying enchantress!
When she stood on the steps and saw the cold indifference in her father’s eyes, she finally understood—she had become a discarded pawn. The cunning hare is dead, and the hunting dog is cooked!
Locked in a dark dungeon, she was rescued, thinking she had escaped death, only to find it was the beginning of a nightmare.
Her ethereally beautiful younger sister, smiling faintly, watched as her limbs were severed, leaving her in unbearable agony.
Despair, resentment, and fury overwhelmed her, but then she heard the fairy-like voice say: "Elder Sister knows, little sister has always been fastidious—not a single grain of sand is tolerable. Elder Sister, this grain of sand, little sister has endured for over a decade. Now, it’s time to pluck it out."
With a smile, she added: "The Eighth Prince is going to make me his Empress. The glory Elder Sister never got to enjoy, little sister will enjoy in your stead."
Only when pain reached the marrow did she understand what numbness was. Jiang Ruan truly could not fathom why Jiang Susu hated her so much.
Yet Jiang Susu seemed to guess her thoughts and laughed: "Wasn’t Elder Sister’s mother the young lady of the General's Residence? Didn’t Elder Sister rely on this status to look down on little sister? What a pity, what a pity." She rested her chin on her hand, tilting her head as she said: "Yesterday, the General's Residence was executed at noon on charges of rebellion." Staring at Chang’an, she enunciated each word: "One hundred and three lives—the entire family executed."
Jiang Ruan felt as if struck by lightning, her mind in chaos. The General's Residence was her maternal grandfather’s home. Though her mother had angered General Zhao by insisting on marrying beneath her status to Jiang Quan, severing all ties, blood was still thicker than water—how could she not feel as if her heart were being sliced apart?
She glared at Jiang Susu with deadly hatred, but the other only sneered: "Elder Sister is angry already? Don’t worry, I have another grand gift for you. We’ll meet again soon."Thus, Jiang Ruan was confined to a dimly lit room, struggling through several days until today, when she finally saw light again.
The door creaked open.
A corpulent man reeking of alcohol grabbed the person before him and threw them to the ground, his expression twisted with malice.
It vaguely resembled the figure of a young boy, desperately struggling. When Chang'an caught sight of the boy's face, she was instantly horrified.
It was—Pei Er!
Women in the palace often had fleeting fortunes—many failed to bear imperial sons, and many who did died shortly after. Pei Er's birth mother was merely a lowly palace maid who passed away after giving birth to him. The Emperor held little regard for this son of humble origins, but later, likely for the sake of political balance, he entrusted the child to her care.
Over six years, she and Pei Er had developed a bond as deep as that between mother and child. During the palace coup, she had ordered her personal maid to flee with Pei Er, but they had still been unable to escape.
"Mother! Mother!" Pei Er cried out, writhing in pain, but he couldn't evade the hands tormenting him.
Jiang Ruan felt as if her entire body had turned to ice. The world knew of Marquis of Lasting Appearance Li Dong's unspeakable atrocities, yet now, she could only watch helplessly as her own son was defiled by such a monster.
She screamed, but only hoarse, incoherent sounds escaped her throat.
Li Dong cast a disgusted glance at her. "I don’t know why Her Majesty insisted on having this thing watch me. It’s utterly revolting."
After a moment’s thought, he ultimately yielded to imperial authority, not daring to act further, and focused on tormenting the unconscious boy.
Jiang Ruan sat in the wooden basin. Only now did she understand why Jiang Susu had spared her eyes alone—she wanted her to witness the death of her last remaining kin before her very eyes.
Like a lifeless puppet, she sat numbly in the basin. Memories flashed before her eyes—her mother’s ashen face before death, her father’s cold smile, the Eighth Prince’s promises, Jiang Susu clasping her hands in gratitude, the Emperor’s indifferent gaze, the suffering of the harem—until finally, they all dissolved into the image of Pei Er, struggling and wailing before her.
Li Dong turned his head absentmindedly and, catching sight of the woman in the basin, was so startled he tumbled off the bed, shouting, "Guards! Guards!"
The woman in the basin wore an expression of utter emptiness, twin trails of bloody tears streaking down her cheeks, evoking an eerie, ghastly aura. The servants who burst through the door froze in place, feeling as if they had glimpsed a vengeful spirit from hell, their bodies chilled to the bone.
"Stop gawking! Beat her to death!" Li Dong barked, his voice laced with panic. In his terror, he had already forgotten the Empress’s orders. After all, the courtyard was filled with his men, and there was no fear of word leaking out.
The servants snapped out of their daze and charged forward with clubs, raining blows upon her without hesitation.
No one heard the deepest curse in the heart of the woman in the basin: Even if it meant eternal damnation, even if her soul were to scatter like ashes, she would willingly become a vengeful ghost in life and death! She would ensure those who wronged her paid in blood!
Meanwhile, in Yangping Palace.
"Your Majesty looks exceptionally spirited today," Jiang Susu remarked with a light laugh.
The new Emperor lifted his gaze to the woman before him. Adorned in a phoenix coronet and robes of rank, her delicate features were elevated by the resplendent attire, making her appear otherworldly—like an immortal descended from the heavens. Indeed, Jiang Quan’s youngest daughter was peerlessly elegant.
"Any news of Jiang Ruan yet?" he suddenly asked in a low voice.Jiang Susu's expression darkened. "No, elder sister must have escaped with Pei Er. She has suffered these years, but no matter what, she shouldn't have distrusted His Majesty..."
The new emperor thought of Jiang Ruan, yet no matter how hard he tried to recall, she remained but a vague shadow in his memory. With her tarnished reputation, she was at best a woman of some beauty. What he had married was the power behind the Jiang family—Jiang Ruan and Jiang Susu were no different to him. Since Jiang Ruan had already been the previous emperor's woman, he would never marry her.
Though Jiang Ruan was now a discarded pawn, he still hesitated slightly. Over the years in the palace, he had relied on her to navigate many dangers—she had indeed helped him greatly. But why had she fled the secret prison before he could make his decision?
He disliked this feeling of losing control.
With a cold snort, the new emperor said, "Ungrateful wretch. The hour has come—let us go."
Jiang Susu curtsied and placed her hand in the man's palm.
In the eighteenth year of Huide, the new emperor ascended the throne, took a Jiang as his empress, and personally crowned her, symbolizing their eternal union.
(End of Chapter)
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