The Night Before Leaving the Palace, Reduced to the Tyrant's Plaything - chapter 20

With a sharp “crack,” Wanyu’s body tensed involuntarily.

But she quickly realized that the whip falling on her was more noise than pain, not nearly as harsh as she had imagined.

She was stunned for a moment, and when the second lash landed, she thought of Xu Qingzhan.

The executioner must have been instructed by Xu Qingzhan to go easy on her.

Yet mercy only went so far; after enough lashes, it was still unbearable. Her clothes were soon torn, and a dull pain began to spread across her body.

She didn’t know how many lashes had fallen when suddenly someone outside shouted, “Stop!”

The eunuch administering the punishment immediately withdrew the whip.

Moments later, Sun Liangyan entered, holding his Horsetail Whisk.

Zhang Youdao hurriedly rose to greet him. “Chief Steward Sun, what brings you to such a filthy place?”

Sun Liangyan glanced over at Wanyu, seeing her bound to the punishment post, face pale and clothes in tatters. Fortunately, he had arrived in time-there were no obvious wounds yet.

He quietly breathed a sigh of relief, a trace of pity flashing in his eyes, but he had no choice but to announce the imperial decree:

“By order of His Majesty: The crime of theft committed by Jiang Wanyu has been investigated and confirmed. No further trial is necessary. In light of her five years of meritorious service before the throne, her death sentence is commuted. She is to be sent to the Lateral Courts as a slave, forbidden to leave the palace for life unless summoned by imperial decree.”

Wanyu jerked her head up.

This decree was like a bolt from the blue. If her hands weren’t tied to the punishment post, she would have collapsed to the ground on the spot.

“Ah, ah…”

She hadn’t resisted while being beaten, but now she struggled desperately, trying to break free from the restraints on her wrists-and even more, from the shackles imposed by that cold, heartless man.

Why?

Why did they have to treat her this way?

What had she done wrong?

As a daughter of the Jiang family, she had never enjoyed a single day of luxury. Why should she bear the consequences of her father and legitimate sister’s mistakes?

Why?

She thrashed about wildly, screaming, her eyes bloodshot as if they might bleed.

Sun Liangyan, unable to bear the sight, gestured for Zhang Youdao and the two eunuchs to leave.

Once the door was closed, Sun Liangyan personally stepped forward to untie her.

As the ropes on Wanyu’s hands were loosened, her body collapsed toward the floor.

Sun Liangyan caught her in time, gently persuading, “Miss Wanyu, I know this is hard to accept right now, but His Majesty’s word is law-it cannot be changed. Crying will do no good. It’s better to calm yourself and come with me to the Lateral Courts, take some time to recover, and then consider your next steps. I will do what I can to help you.”

Leaning on his support, Wanyu steadied herself, tears streaming down her face like broken pearls.

Sun Liangyan sighed, took out his own handkerchief, and handed it to her. “Good girl, I know you are strong and resilient. You won’t be easily defeated. As long as you keep your spirits up, there will come a day when the clouds part and the sun shines through.”

Wanyu took the handkerchief and pressed it to her face, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

Sun Liangyan waited quietly for a while, until she lowered her hands, straightened her back despite her swollen eyes. Only then did he remove his cloak and drape it over her shoulders, supporting her as they slowly walked out.

“Don’t lose hope. His Majesty treats you differently. The moment Hu Jinzhong took you away, he issued the decree-clearly, he didn’t want Shenxing Si to punish you.

Of course, I’m not saying this to make you submit to His Majesty, but to let you know that as long as he still feels some pity for you, you can find a way to break through.

We don’t know where that breakthrough is yet, but if you keep trying, you’ll find it. Don’t give up on yourself, and don’t even think of ending your life. Think of all you’ve endured these years. If you really died, I would feel it was a waste, and deeply unfair to you.”

When Wanyu heard the word “unfair,” tears nearly fell again.
How could she be willing? But for the lowest slave to rebel against the highest imperial power-how could that be easy?

All she could wager was this wretched life of hers.

She closed her eyes, enduring the pain in her chest that felt like a knife cutting through, and stepped out of the punishment chamber.

Whether she lived or died, she had to give it her all. Until the very last moment, she would never give up!

At some point, snow had started falling again from the sky, swirling down in the wind.

Outside Shenxing Si, many eyes-some intentional, some not-were watching her.

Sun Liangyan helped her pull the hood of her cloak over her head, speaking softly, “The ladies of the harem must have already heard that you didn’t manage to leave. They’re probably more anxious than you are, and perhaps right now, they’re thinking of ways to help you!”

Wanyu looked at him in surprise.

He actually knew even this, and yet hadn’t told Qi Rang.

Who was he, really, and why did he treat her so well, without condition?

Wanyu signed with her hands: “Why are you helping me? I have nothing to give you.”

Sun Liangyan smiled faintly. “I am just a eunuch, with no extra needs. There’s no need for you to give me anything.”

“Then why are you good to me?” Wanyu asked again.

“No reason, I just can’t bear it,” Sun Liangyan said. “If you must have a reason to feel at ease, then let’s say my hands are stained with too much blood, and I occasionally do a good deed to accumulate some merit for myself.”

Wanyu didn’t believe him, of course.

But since he didn’t want to say more, it was pointless to press further. For now, she could only go to the Lateral Courts and make plans from there.

The Lateral Courts were located in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City. It was where lower-ranking palace maids lived and worked, and also where the families of disgraced officials were detained, and errant consorts and palace maids were punished.

A place like this, the Chief Steward of the Imperial Presence, Sun Liangyan, would hardly visit once in eight hundred years. Now, suddenly coming in person, he startled the entire Lateral Courts.

Wu Shuzhen, the Chief Gugu of the Lateral Courts, and Lai Sanchun, the Chief Eunuch, both came out to greet him, nodding and bowing with smiles more eager than if they were meeting their own fathers.

“Chief Steward Sun, what rare breeze brings you here today? Please, come to the main hall and have a cup of tea, so we may have the honor of serving you.”

Sun Liangyan couldn’t be bothered, flicking his Horsetail Whisk and replying coolly, “Spare yourselves, both of you. We are all servants of His Majesty, just like you, and I am not worthy of your service. I am here today on His Majesty’s orders, to deliver a palace maid who has made a mistake to serve here.”

Wu Shuzhen and Lai Sanchun exchanged glances, then both looked at Wanyu, who stood with her head bowed at Sun Liangyan’s side.

For five years, Wanyu had served in Qianqing Palace and rarely ventured out, so she wasn’t familiar with many in the palace.

The Lateral Courts were remote, and palace rules strictly forbade contact between those inside and outside, so Wu Shuzhen wasn’t familiar with her either.

But Lai Sanchun, upon seeing her, his bulging frog-like eyes immediately lit up. “Oh, isn’t this Gugu Wanyu from before His Majesty? What mistake did she make to be sent to the Lateral Courts by the Emperor?”

Sun Liangyan instinctively disliked his reaction, his face darkening. “Chief Eunuch Lai, you are truly well-informed. As the Chief Eunuch of the Lateral Courts, how do you recognize a female official from before His Majesty?”