Forced Into the Palace: Becoming the Emperor's Favorite-Chapter 382: Mysterious Death

The Yihua Palace was bustling with activity.

This made the Palace East Garden seem all the more desolate.

Lady Ming sat alone by the bright window, taking sips of her sorrowful drink.

When the palace maid Pei’er came in from outside, she happened to witness this scene.

Under the moonlight, Lady Ming, dressed in white, looked as ethereal as a moonlit fairy.

Her hair lazily draped down her back, tied carelessly with a white ribbon.

This added a touch of allure to the lady.

Unfortunately, from the right side, she still looked like a celestial being, but hidden in the shadow of the left was a large red burn scar.

From the lower left face to the neck, it appeared quite ghastly.

Even though she had used medication, the effect was negligible.

Now, there was not a single Linhua Copper Mirror in her room, but every time she touched the uneven places, she would fall into endless madness.

She once prided herself on her beauty, but now she exuded a sense of hopelessness.

She couldn’t even bring herself to step outside, let alone into the sunlight.

So, she picked up the wine beside her and took a deep swig.

Pei’er felt heartache watching this, but didn’t know how to console her mistress.

To have one’s youth destroyed like a flower, who could accept that?

The least she could do was stay silently by Lady Ming’s side, hoping to offer some comfort.

Wine fuels sorrow, turning it into more sorrow.

In moments of deep sadness, thoughts of ending it all would emerge.

Yet the palace rules were strict.

As a concubine, she couldn’t commit suicide, or her whole family would suffer the consequences.

So, not even death was a reprieve; she could only live in torment.

Thinking this, Lady Ming was filled with regret.

"Pei’er, do you think if I hadn’t greedily wanted to enter the palace, I wouldn’t have ended up like this? Is Heaven punishing me?"

Then she collapsed onto the table, crying.

Her cries contained no longing for life, only endless regret.

Pei’er couldn’t help but feel sorrowful.

On the night of the fire, she coincidentally wasn’t on duty, and for some reason had trouble sleeping.

Getting up, she strolled outside the courtyard.

Little did she know that shortly after leaving, the palace caught fire.

It spread rapidly, and by the time she rushed back, several rooms were burnt down.

In the end, it was she and a eunuch who risked their lives to drag the unconscious Lady Ming out.

If not for that, she would have perished in the blaze.

But now, seeing Lady Ming’s living hell, Pei’er sometimes wondered if her past actions were correct.

If she hadn’t saved Lady Ming, would she have been happier?

At least she wouldn’t face her disfigured self now, nor be bound by palace rules, living freely.

So, Pei’er wept too.

"I’m sorry, mistress, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t left that day, I could’ve heard something and saved you from this plight. It’s all my fault!"

Pei’er spoke repeatedly.

But Lady Ming didn’t respond, only continued crying alone.

Wishing she could just drink herself to death.

Their lamenting voices reached He Changzai next door.

Tonight, being Mid-Autumn Festival, there were few people moving around the traveling palace.

The previously quiet night was now eerily disturbed by their cries.

He Changzai had just lain down, but was now agitated by the sobs from Lady Ming and Pei’er.

Since being promoted to Changzai, she’d become somewhat arrogant.

Perhaps it’s because she endured many grievances before and now wanted to vent all at once.

Unable to sleep from tossing and turning, she sat up irritably and cursed.

"Why didn’t that fire back then kill her? Now her crying is so eerie at night, isn’t she afraid spirits will come to her door?"

She continued cursing and ordered the maid Qiao Xin to shut the doors and windows tightly.

But it was to no avail.

Instead, with the doors and windows closed, the room felt even more stifling.

Frustrated, she got up and began to fan herself vigorously.

Yet the breeze felt like mere drops against a raging fire, and the more anxious and irritable she became, the more suffocating it felt.

In the end, He Changzai was so upset that she slammed the fan onto the ground.

Then angrily called Qiao Xin over and whispered at her ear.

Qiao Xin looked troubled and worried.

"Mistress, that Knockout Powder is a forbidden drug in the palace, the madam specifically instructed us not to use it unless absolutely necessary, or else it would be problematic if discovered."

"Isn’t now a time of absolute necessity? How many days has this madwoman been crying? Since we’ve been at the traveling palace for over a month, she’s been crying the whole time. If she continues, none of us will get any sleep! Let’s all tough it out together!"

This attitude of frustration made Qiao Xin feel deeply troubled.

In the end, she had to comply.

After all, it was the command of her mistress.

And with Lady Ming having no possibility of recovery, Qiao Xin took a bold step forward.

Soon, a whiff of knockout powder drifted over from the adjacent courtyard.

Completely overwhelmed by their emotions, Lady Ming and Pei’er naturally didn’t notice.

Later, they grew drowsy.

Then silence fell.

Qiao Xin watched through the window until the two were asleep, then left relieved.

Before leaving, she carefully swept the residue of the knockout powder into the grass.

Unless thoroughly examined, no one would notice.

She then returned to the courtyard to report to He Changzai.

After so many days of frustration, they could finally get a good night’s sleep.

He Changzai opened the window comfortably.

Finally, with the gentle summer breeze, she drifted into deep sleep.

Early the next morning.

The Emperor and Lin Wanyi had just gotten up and were having breakfast with the children.

When Qin An from the Inner Court Department walked in with a grim expression.

The sight was so alarming that Lin Wanyi furrowed her brows.

But with the children around, Qin An didn’t dare speak rashly.

So, under the pretext of showing Lin Wanyi the traveling palace’s accounts, he excused her outside.

The Emperor, seeing this, also claimed he had eaten enough and excused himself to the study to handle official business.

The children remained oblivious, eating merrily as usual.

Meanwhile, the Emperor and Lin Wanyi heard a shocking piece of news.

"Your Majesty, madam, Lady Ming and the palace maid Pei’er are dead."

"What?"

Neither the Emperor nor Lin Wanyi expected such an event to occur in the palace.

Especially not on the first day after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

It all sounded rather terrifying.

Since the fire incident last year, Lady Ming had been recuperating at the traveling palace.

Although no one had seen her leave, the palace maid Pei’er had been coming and going daily.

Today was supposed to be the day Pei’er collected her monthly stipend, but after a long wait without her arrival, Qin An sent someone to inquire.