Warning!! Sensitive people don't read!
Hua Qingyan stepped into the apothecary. Dressed in her usual men's clothing, she carried herself with quiet confidence, her sharp eyes scanning the neatly arranged rows of medicinal herbs.
Behind her, Meixi followed closely, clutching a small pouch of coins. She couldn't help but glance around, wary of anyone who might recognize her lady.
The shopkeeper, an elderly man with keen eyes, greeted them warmly. "What may I help you with, young master?"
Hua Qingyan kept her voice steady and firm. "We need medicine for someone who was poisoned through the blade."
The shopkeeper's expression turned serious. "A grave injury, indeed. You'll need a potent antidote to cleanse the toxins before they spread further."
He swiftly gathered several dried herbs, carefully wrapping them in parchment. "These should be brewed into a strong decoction. Make sure the patient drinks it three times a day."
Hua Qingyan nodded, placing the payment on the counter. With a courteous bow, she turned to leave, Meixi following close behind.
But just as they stepped outside, a familiar voice rang out.
"Hey! You!"
Hua Qingyan's footsteps halted briefly, but she didn't look back.
Meixi, however, scowled as she turned toward the source. It was the same handsome man from before, the one who had mocked their empire's archery skills. He stood with his arms crossed, his dark eyes gleaming with curiosity.
He smirked. "You again."
Hua Qingyan didn't respond. She merely adjusted her sleeves and made to leave.
But the man stepped forward, blocking her path. "At least tell me your name. Mine's Jiang Yao."
Meixi huffed, ready to scold him for his insolence, but Hua Qingyan raised a hand, stopping her.
She looked at him, her expression unreadable. "I'm Mei… Qing."
Jiang Yao narrowed his eyes. "That's totally made up, isn't it?" He tilted his head with a teasing smile. "Come on, tell me your real name. I just want to know you."
Hua Qingyan gave him a blank look. "That's my name. Believe it or not."
And with that, she turned and walked away.
Jiang Yao stood there, watching her retreating figure, an unfamiliar tightness blooming in his chest. His usual easy confidence wavered as he clenched his fists. What is this feeling?
For the first time, someone had left him feeling… unsettled.
And strangely enough, he found himself wanting to see that person again.
---
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Prison…
Zhao Lianyi sat curled in the corner of her dark, damp cell. Her once radiant face was pale, hollow, and streaked with dried tears. The chains around her wrists clinked as she shivered.
Her nails, once perfectly manicured, were now broken and dirtied from clawing at the stone walls in desperation.
No one has come…
Her breath hitched as she stumbled toward the cell door, her hands gripping the cold iron bars.
"Hey!" she shouted hoarsely, her voice cracking from days of crying. "Take me to the Emperor!"
The guard barely glanced at her.
"I have something to say to him!" she continued, her voice growing more desperate. "I'm telling the truth! Just take me!"
Her fingers tightened around the bars, her knuckles turning white. "Please!"
Silence.
The guards remained indifferent, their gazes never even flickering in her direction.
Her heart pounded erratically, fear gripping her throat.
She was truly abandoned.
She sank to her knees, her lips trembling.
This isn't how it was supposed to be…
Tears streamed down her face as she rocked back and forth, muttering the same words over and over.
He'll come. He has to come. He has to…
But the walls only answered with silence.
---
One Day Later…
A foul stench spread through the Imperial Prison, thick and suffocating.
The guards covered their noses, frowning as they followed the putrid smell down the corridor.
When they reached Zhao Lianyi's cell, the sight before them made their stomachs churn.
Her lifeless body lay on the cold stone floor, her face twisted in despair. Her once-beautiful features were now sunken, her lips dried and cracked.
The delicate hands that had once held a prince's affection now lay stiff, cold, and curled as if grasping at an unseen hope.
No one knew whether she had succumbed to sickness, starvation, or poison.
But in the end, Zhao Lianyi...the once-proud noblewoman...had died alone, abandoned, and forgotten.