She Holds the World After Being Reborn-Chapter 476 - 475 The First Step, Achieved

Huai Xinmei was imprisoned in the Imperial Family’s secret dungeon.

Yan Lingzhen’s current status was not suitable for entering the palace.

After much consideration, she wrote a letter and had the Hidden Guard deliver it.

Night fell.

The lights within the palace were brightly lit.

Tonight, Xiao Pingfeng had to continue dealing with government affairs and estimated that he would only be able to rest around midnight, so he had to let his attendants inform Yan Wanqing not to wait for him.

"That just gives me a reason to visit the secret dungeon," Yan Wanqing thought to herself.

Xiao Pingfeng had given her a token that allowed her to enter and exit the secret dungeon freely.

Since Xiaoliu had asked, she was determined to make the trip.

Huai Xinmei was full of schemes; others would surely be unable to get anything out of her.

Only she could do it.

She called Cong Ge over to change into a set of neat clothing and put on a hood before heading to the secret dungeon.

The secret dungeon was damp and cold, and the lanterns cast especially long shadows on the dark, narrow path.

"Greetings to the Crown Princess Consort," Lu Yin paid her respects to Yan Wanqing and then left carrying a food box.

Yan Wanqing stood still and glanced at her, then asked casually, "Has this maid been looking after her all this time?"

Cong Ge nodded, "After returning to the palace, this maid took the initiative to come take care of her."

"Voluntarily?" Yan Wanqing pondered this word.

She smirked, "The secret dungeon is dark and damp, and Huai Xinmei is not easy to deal with; it’s not a desirable task."

"Probably because Lu Yin is nearing the age to leave the palace, she wants to earn some extra Silver Coin," Cong Ge explained.

Yan Wanqing nodded; such a reason seemed logical.

The heavy prison lock was undone, and as she walked in, Huai Xinmei was sitting on the bed wrapped in bedding.

"Look at this, what kind of wind has blown our esteemed Crown Princess Consort into the secret dungeon today?"

As soon as she opened her mouth, Huai Xinmei’s words were pointed and barbed.

She hadn’t spoken for a long time, and her voice was somewhat hoarse. The look in her eyes as she gazed at Yan Wanqing was filled with hatred.

Lifting the hood with her fair hand, revealing a beautiful face, Yan Wanqing spoke indifferently, "It’s been a long time, Huai Xinmei."

"What are you here for?" Huai Xinmei tightened the blanket around herself.

The conditions in the secret dungeon were harsh, and even though she had always paid attention to her health, the dampness still seeped into her bones.

Now, every day, she was tormented by the cold to the point where it was difficult to sleep.

She didn’t know when such days would end.

Yan Wanqing didn’t waste any time and directly stated her reason for coming.

"Of course, I have," Huai Xinmei tugged at the corners of her mouth, revealing a ghastly white grin full of endless malice. "But why should I help you? After all, you’re the main culprit who caused my current plight!"

"You have no choice," Yan Wanqing said with a cold look. "If it weren’t for the Concentric Gu, you would already be crossing the Naihe Bridge with the people from the Northern Border."

"Isn’t that my own skill?" Huai Xinmei remained unmoved. Suddenly thinking of something, she threw aside the blanket and stood up. The once plump Miss of the Marquis Residence now appeared as thin as a bamboo pole, as if a gust of wind could blow her away, frail and weak.

"How about this, I’ll agree to your terms if you move me to another place of imprisonment. The dungeon is too cold; I can’t stand it. I won’t survive until winter, and if I die, the noble Crown Prince won’t live either."

"Will you speak or not?" Yan Wanqing uttered only those few words.

She would not feel sympathy for the woman in front of her.

No matter how much she suffered, it was not worth pitying.

If it weren’t for her, Huai Yu would still be alive, and Piji would be by her side...

Instead, at such a young age, they now lay in eternal rest beneath the ground.

Every time she looked at Huai Xinmei’s face, a thousand layers of hatred stirred in Yan Wanqing’s heart.

Clenching her hands tightly, she averted her gaze from that desolate and decadent face, forcing herself not to strike.

"How so? Without my speaking, do you have other ways to torture me?" Huai Xinmei sneered, her hands forcefully ripping at the front of her clothes to reveal the mottled scars on her body.

"Old injuries overlaid with new ones. Every time they start to heal, that damned girl comes up with new methods to torment me. So now that she’s in trouble, why should I go save her?" She tugged at the corners of her lips, enunciating every word, "I wish she were dead!"

"She won’t die," Yan Wanqing clarified the fact, "because I forbid it."

"Yeah, with a powerful elder sister like you, the girl can throw her weight around, hahaha!"

"You don’t need to use such indignant rhetoric or play for sympathy in front of me. You should know, Huai Xinmei," Yan Wanqing paused, "that everything you are suffering now is what you deserve."

Recollections were too painful, Yan Wanqing closed her eyes, struggling not to remember: "Right now, you are merely repaying your debts."

Huai Xinmei’s sneer rippled, "Words are spoken by those who win. Of course, I know."

She sat down on the bed: "Same as before, I want out of this dungeon, or else you, Yan Wanqing, won’t get a word out of me today, even if I’m slashed by a thousand knives."

The two faced off for a moment.

Yan Wanqing’s expression was cold, "So you fear death after all."

"Who doesn’t fear death?" Huai Xinmei’s face showed scorn, "Do you not fear death? Does the Crown Prince not fear death? If you weren’t afraid, you wouldn’t have let me live this long! Stop joking, Yan Wanqing, no one in this world is unafraid of death."

She now needed to live on, for only by living could there be hope.

"Fine, I agree to your terms," Yan Wanqing said.

Upon hearing these words, half of Huai Xinmei’s face emerged from the shadows, revealing a terrifying, bloodthirsty smile.

Her voice was cool as she replied, "Then many thanks to the Crown Princess Consort for your magnanimity."

Huai Xinmei no longer concealed her motives: "Prepare the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone."

"Someone come here," ordered Yan Wanqing, and the prison guard quickly arranged it. Huai Xinmei took up the brush and wrote down the name of the poisonous insect poison with aphrodisiac effects.

"I won’t draw the picture; let that girl figure it out herself, she claims to be the Red Buddha’s Hand after all." After writing down the name of the poisonous insect, Huai Xinmei flung the brush onto the table, causing ink to splatter everywhere, with some landing on Yan Wanqing’s skirt.

Cong Ge was furious and about to step forward.

Yan Wanqing raised her hand to block him, "Fine, you’ll be moved tonight."

The prison guard collected the dried piece of paper and handed it to Cong Ge, who folded it and put it into his chest. Yan Wanqing, having obtained what she wanted, left without looking back.

Behind her, Huai Xinmei hummed a tune joyously, beginning to dance in the dungeon.

The prison guard, used to her madness, paid her no more attention.

"Let’s go." After a moment, the new place was ready, and the prison guard escorted Huai Xinmei out.

But then Huai Xinmei turned back to grab the tattered quilt from the bed.

"There would be quilts in the new place," the guard reminded her.

Huai Xinmei looked at the quilt as if looking at a lover, "Old things are of course better."

"Suit yourself," the guard said, uninterested. With the dirty quilt in her arms, as long as he didn’t have to touch it, that was fine with him.

The two walked out of the dark and terrifying dungeon one after the other.

Following behind the prison guard, Huai Xinmei revealed a chilling smile, her lips almost stretching to her ears, and her eyes glinting with a strange light. If the guard had turned around at that moment, he would have been scared out of his wits.

The first step.

Getting out of the dungeon.

Achieved.

It certainly wasn’t easy, Huai Xinmei.

At the gate.

Due to the rainy weather, there was no moon outside; it was damp and cold, and the wind carried droplets of rain that felt chilly on one’s skin.

When the guard heard no movement behind him, he turned back.

He saw the crazed woman, head tilted back toward the sky, eyes closed as if savoring the moment.

"Are we going or not?!" The guard cursed impatiently, swinging his soft whip, "If you don’t move, I’ll beat you to death. Don’t delay my shift change!"

Huai Xinmei slowly opened her eyes and quizzically tilted her head as she looked at the guard, "Don’t you think this rain feels warm?" Compared to the dungeon, this air and rain were indeed much warmer.

"Crazy!" the guard cursed outright, waving his whip, "Move it or I’ll flog you to death, don’t hold up my shift change!"

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