I muttered to myself, having grown accustomed to talking alone, to speaking to the sky by myself.
I knew that even those who knew me would hardly recognize me now. My once fair skin had darkened from six months of hard labor, and I hadn’t bathed in who knows how long. But these days would be over after today, and everything would be fine.
I looked at the green trees ahead. Today they seemed so lush.
Just as I was lost in thought, footsteps approaching from behind broke my reverie: “Come here!” The footsteps sounded like a horse’s. A rough voice with a foreign accent called out behind me.
After six months, I didn’t want to pay attention to this unfriendly person.
I continued to stand leisurely, looking at the scenery.
“I told you to come here!” The voice behind me suddenly rose, almost cracking.
Probably because I ignored him, he swung the riding crop at me viciously. I wouldn’t resist because of the agreement between Cang Lian and me, but this person had no right to hit me.
I turned and reached out, grabbing his whip and pulling hard, unexpectedly pulling him off his horse. I had only meant to snatch the whip but didn’t expect to pull him down as well.
His body rolled to my feet.
Upon closer look, he was injured, with a large, blood-red patch clearly a knife wound.
I didn’t immediately help him up; I carefully examined him. His deep eyes showed he wasn’t from the Cang country, with messy, slightly curly long hair and an eagle-like, overly high nose revealing he was a foreigner. His attire was also strikingly out of place.
After observing him, I turned to leave. Yin Can had taught me that sometimes it’s best not to meddle, or you’ll get burned.
But before I could take a step, he grabbed my foot: “Save me!” His voice was weaker now, clearly more injured from being pulled down and thrown.
I reached to remove his hand gripping my foot. But as soon as I stepped, his hand grabbed my leg again.
“Sir, I can barely save myself. I truly have no ability to save you!” I said flatly, again trying to pull free. But he seemed determined, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t pull away.
“Save me! I can give you freedom!” His voice grew weaker, barely a whisper.
I looked at the wound on his back. The originally red patch had turned a faint dark color. He was probably poisoned.
If it were just a knife wound, I might have saved him, but he was poisoned, and I wouldn’t save him. Yin Can had been poisoned last time too.
“I don’t need you to give me freedom. I’ll be free tomorrow!” I wasn’t very interested in his offer.
Slave (2)
“If you don’t save me, you’ll regret it!” His weak voice, carrying an inherent arrogance, reached my ears.
I didn’t even raise my head, removed his hand, and walked towards the slave camp. This world doesn’t need too much compassion. That would only bring me disaster.
When I stepped into the simple slave quarters with just one bed, the palace maid I had once stabbed with a hairpin was already waiting there.
Seeing me arrive, she respectfully bowed: “Miss, the King sent me to take you to see him. The King said the six-month deadline is tomorrow, and tonight you should do what you were supposed to do six months ago!”
“Go tell your King that he’s forgotten what he once said! He said he never wanted to see me again!” My somewhat panicked voice rang out in the air.
“Miss, I am just following orders. If you have something to say, go tell the King yourself. I am only responsible for bringing you before the King!”
I glared at her fiercely, looking with disgust at this lowly servant, unleashing all my anger on her: “Get lost! Were you born to be a servant?”
” I spoke without thinking, no longer knowing what I was saying.
But, what good would scolding her do? I was still destined to meet Cang Lian.
“I understand. Let me prepare myself first. You can go out now!” After saying this, I turned my back to her and stopped talking.
As soon as she left, I jumped out the window and headed towards the grove of trees. I didn’t know what would happen when meeting Cang Lian today, and I was even more afraid that something might disrupt our six-month agreement. Since that person said he could give me freedom, I needed to prepare my way out.
I walked into the grove and found the person still lying there. Seeing his darkened face, I knew his injury was already severe. Although my medical skills aren’t capable of curing every illness, I am still relatively skilled.
I checked his pulse and fed him the medicine I originally used to extend my own life. I always carried some wound medicine and other self-healing drugs on me, as I was deeply afraid the poison Silver Remnant might have given me could act up at any moment.
After a short while, I checked his breath, which had stabilized considerably, and his complexion had improved. I could only help him this much.
“Hey, whether you’re awake or not, I’m telling you that I saved your life. When you wake up, don’t forget the promise you made. Remember that your life was saved by me.”
” I even left a silk handkerchief on him to prevent him from denying it later.
“If I can return here tomorrow, I will definitely make you repay this life-saving kindness. If I don’t return tomorrow, I’ll collect my payment whenever I see you!” Looking at his unconscious state, he didn’t seem like someone who would keep his promise or give me freedom.
After finishing these tasks, it was already late, and I knew the palace maid was probably anxious.
I settled the man under a tree, covered his body with leaves, and then turned to leave.
Some things, I ultimately had to face. What will be, will be!
Punishment (1)
When I stepped into the imperial palace again, I couldn’t help but sigh that my life for these years had been revolving around this palace. No matter how hard I tried or struggled, I couldn’t escape from here.
“Your Majesty, I have brought the miss to you!” Unknowingly, I was already before Cang Lian. The palace maid still called me “miss” as always, humbly prostrating before Cang Lian, kowtowing submissively.
I watched the palace maid kneel to the ground and could only kneel as well. I didn’t have the capital to argue with Cang Lian now; I was still hoping he would keep his promise and release me.
Cang Lian looked down at us from high above, with no intention of letting us rise. He just stood up and came down from the steps, approaching me and looking down at me.
“How does it feel to be a slave?”
His lazy voice reached my ears, sharp and sarcastic. I wasn’t angry; life as a slave would probably be more comfortable than staying in the palace.
I bowed my head and replied respectfully: “Yes, Your Majesty! This slave is doing very well. This is the reward from the King!” Hearing my own dull voice was somewhat laughable. I had never been this respectful to Cang Lian before; this was probably the first time, and also the last.
Though I couldn’t see my own expression, I could still feel the coldness emanating from him.
His cold voice sounded above my head: “Raise your head and look at me when speaking. I don’t like people talking with their heads down!” Before he finished speaking, his hand gripped my chin, forcing my face to look at him.
Even if I was furious, I could only restrain myself because my freedom tomorrow depended on today.
I obediently raised my head to look at him, a smile hanging on my face.
“Yes!” I said again.
He seemed extremely dissatisfied with my attitude; his expression became increasingly malicious, the anger in his eyes no longer concealed, and his words more sarcastic.
“It seems you’ve had a pretty good time these past six months, quite comfortably!
” He said through gritted teeth, the anger in his eyes about to burst forth the next moment.
