Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 437: Love and Hate Clearly Defined

Qiuyue sat in the dungeon, surrounded by darkness, trembling all over from the cold.

She hadn’t eaten for a day, and her stomach was growling.

In the past few days, King Wei’s people feared she might starve to death, so they delivered food once a day, but today, no one came.

Qiuyue thought to herself: If they keep not delivering food in the coming days, she might starve to death.

Lost in thought, Qiuyue dared not cry, for if her tears ran dry, she wouldn’t even have water to drink.

At the moment of her utter despair, suddenly, footsteps echoed from the dungeon entrance.

A torchlight shone in, and Qiuyue bit her lip; someone coming in the dead of night—were they here to silence her?

A few days ago, Si Jun’s people even whipped her.

Scared, Qiuyue huddled further into the corner, closed her eyes, and resolved that if she couldn’t endure the whipping, she’d bite her tongue to end it all!

After all, living like this was meaningless, but she wasn’t sure if biting her tongue would really kill her.

As the footsteps drew nearer, Qiuyue felt like her heart would leap out of her mouth.

The torch illuminated the entire cell, and Qiuyue instinctively squinted, unable to discern who it was.

She stammered, "This servant knows nothing... you, you can beat this servant... this servant still knows nothing!"

The door was opened, and Qiuyue hugged her head, hiding in the corner in fear. Moments later, she sensed the footsteps halt before her.

With a death wish, Qiuyue boldly looked over, ready to bite her tongue.

But in the next moment, under the glow of the torch, a gentle hand patted her head.

Something felt off to her; she widened her eyes, vision slowly clearing, seeing Zhan Lan’s face half-lit by torchlight, half in shadow.

"Qiuyue, come home with me." Zhan Lan’s voice blew softly like a warm breeze against Qiuyue’s ear.

Dazed and dreaming, Qiuyue was helped up by Zhan Lan.

Qiuyue trembled as she spoke, "Miss, is it you?"

Zhan Lan frowned at the injured Qiuyue, "Qiuyue, you’ve suffered."

Hand in hand, Zhan Lan led Qiuyue hobbling out of the dungeon.

The moonlight cast on Zhan Lan’s cheek; the warm touch from Qiuyue’s hand made her believe the young miss really remembered her and even came to rescue her personally.

"King Wei, he..." Qiuyue gazed at the large courtyard full of Iron Armor Guards, understanding this was no simple matter.

Zhan Lan smirked, "Something has happened to King Wei."

Qiuyue was startled; Zhan Lan wrapped her arm around her, supported her while they continued walking forward.

Choking up, tears uncontrollably fell from Qiuyue’s eyes. She pulled away from Zhan Lan’s hand, "This servant is dirty..."

"No matter." Zhan Lan indifferently put Qiuyue’s hand on her shoulder, seeing her bare feet covered in filth and blood.

She also had some whip marks; a maid so loyal and enduring was exactly who she needed!

Zhan Lan waved, a carriage approached, and she helped Qiuyue onto it.

Qiuyue, overwhelmed, watching the young miss with her noble status personally help her onto the carriage, moreover with the Regent King present.

What merit, what capability did she have to warrant such two prominent figures personally fetching her?

Qiuyue’s tears fell silently, her heart stirred and excited.

Having followed Zhan Xuerou for so long, with her arrogance and mistreatment for the servants when dissatisfied, over the years, Qiuyue had become sensitive and self-conscious from watching others’ expressions.

If she didn’t behave, her fate might be like Chunhua’s.

The current joy seemed unbelievable, like a stray cat covered in wounds and stench taken home by its owner, Qiuyue was overwhelmed with emotion.

Mu Yan’s affectionate gaze fell on Zhan Lan; his Lan’er had clear likes and dislikes, yet she minded the life and death of such a humble maid, showing Zhan Lan had a spirit of loyalty and righteousness.

Be it friends or servants, as long as they were sincere, she would repay them richly.

Thus, she had so many friends willing to risk it all for her and loyal servants during critical times.

Soon, the carriage arrived at the Regent Prince Mansion.

Back at the mansion, the cook had prepared a midnight snack, and Mu Yan went to the study to tend to business.

Qiuyue wolfed down the delicious meal.

Once fellow maids of the General Mansion, Xiao Tao and Liu Xi recognized Qiuyue’s current state and couldn’t help but feel sympathetic.

"Eat slowly!" Zhan Lan pushed a bowl of warm iced sugar pear soup towards her.

Qiuyue obediently said, "Thank you, Miss."

She didn’t know what Zhan Lan would do with her after she finished the meal.

After all, she had once followed Zhan Xuerou; which miss would like a maid groomed by others? Perhaps the young miss wouldn’t want her.

Her indenture contract was still at the General Mansion; maybe the young miss would send her back there, and if she returned, those workers disliking Zhan Xuerou might target her again.

Qiuyue, full after eating, looked at Zhan Lan, nervously asking, "Miss, are you going to send this servant back to the General Mansion?"

Zhan Lan looked at her, "After eating, wash up; Liu Xi will bandage your wounds, and then rest."

In her heart, Qiuyue fretted, thinking if the young miss planned to send her back tomorrow morning.

"Yes!" She lowered her head and agreed, as long as she didn’t have to follow Zhan Xuerou, anything was fine.

She looked up at Xiao Tao and Liu Xi, who smiled at her, inwardly envying their chance to work for the young miss.

After a night’s rest, early the next morning, Qiuyue had washed up.

She donned the azure dress and satin embroidered shoes Zhan Lan prepared, ready to return to the General Mansion.

After all, she had no luggage and could leave at any moment.

Waiting for a while, she suddenly saw Zhan Lan running with small sandbags tied to her legs in the courtyard.

Qiuyue respectfully called out, "Miss."

Zhan Lan wiped the sweat from her forehead, looked at Qiuyue, and nodded, "Very pretty, your wounds are on your feet, avoid too much movement these days."

Qiuyue nervously picked at her fingers, not knowing how to voice that she didn’t want to go back to the General Mansion.

But, as a maid, she had no right to choose.

Seeing her hesitant expression, Zhan Lan asked, "What’s wrong, didn’t sleep well last night?"

Qiuyue quickly waved her hands, "No, Miss, this servant slept very well, the beds in the manor are big and soft, this servant has never slept on such a nice bed."

Zhan Lan smiled and tilted her head, asking, "Then, do you want to sleep here every night?"

Qiuyue was a bit taken aback, not quite understanding the young miss’s meaning.

Did the young miss mean she agreed for her to stay at the manor?

Her pupils dilated, and the words weighing on her heart finally came out, "Miss, do you mean this servant can stay in the Regent Prince Mansion?"