A beautiful woman ambled through the dark hallways, her pace leisure, her eyes mocking.
It was Jiang You You, the di daughter of the Prime Minister and first wife of Eight Prince; she had once been known as the most capable lady in the entirety of Tian Ning before her marriage.
At the age of seventeen, she married Eight Prince as his first wife making people exclaim 'a match made in heaven!'. A talented youth and a beautiful virtuous lady, they deserved each other. Her each step, each gesture, each word was a pinnacle of perfection and had countless officials exclaim words of acclamation.
Jiang You You spared Xiang Qiao a glance before letting out a meaningful smile. Xiang Qiao's whole body started shaking. At the verge of fainting, she kowtowed at once. "Seeking Your Highness forgiveness. This lowly servant came here at her own violation, it has nothing to do with Her Highness (Jiang Miao)"
"Impudent! Guards, drag her out. This servant has conspired to get a rebel out of prison. Following the palace rule, she would be sentenced to death by Lingchi." Jiang You You exaggerated her crime. But in this time and place where she held power, no one questioned her.
"Understood Princess Consort." Two burly guards grabbed her.
"Crown Princess!" Xiang Qiao cried out in panic. No matter what, she was still a delicate lady. To be put to death by 'Lingchi', it was too terrifying for her.
If it was her then so be it. But if it was her close ones who suffered because of her, Jiang Miao would not take it lying down "Jiang Yao Yao!" Jiang Miao cried out of anger. "How can you be so heartless? I'm already in such a state. Why do you have to vent your anger on a servant?!"
"Does Mei Mei likes what she sees?" Jiang You You didn't reply, instead, she smiled. She twirled around to show off her attire.
Jiang Miao's eyes traveled across Jiang You You, taking in her appearance and observing that she was wearing even more luxurious clothes.
"The bolt of clothes had been gifted by His Majesty after Eight Prince brought down Crown Prince rebellion. For that, we have to thank Mei Mie. After all, without your information, how could we succeed in entrapping the Crown Prince."
"Jiang You You, what is the meaning of this? Did we not agree that Crown Prince would only be disposed of? Why was he executed? Why did the Eight Prince plead on his behalf?"
"That's only what we told you. After all, we had to make you agree to help."
"W-What do you mean?! Jiang You You, how could you!"
"Dare to raise your voice? Do you think you are still the Crown Princess Consort? Let me remind you, Jiang Miao, Crown Prince is dead. You are no longer the Crown Princess Consort, you are just a no-one, a rebel awaiting Hig Majesty's punishment. How dare a no-one question the Prince Consort?" Jiang You You sneered. Even in the destitute state, Jiang Miao's eyes were clear. They were bright and excused a certain charm that Jiang You You could only dream to attain. Suddenly, Jiang You You's heart was grappled with a suffocating emotion. "Just a daughter of some low-ranked concubine, low birth and shameful, not even capable to be shown in the public. Yet you dared to compare with the di daughter of the Prime Minister? You deserve this ending! Do you think you are above others and Eight Prince would cherish just because you inherited these seducing looks from your slut mother? Eight Prince is not licentious who would be easily seduced by the likes of you. Truly like Mother, like daughter."
Jiang Miao could not believe it. Was it the same kind-hearted, virtuous elder sister she had known her whole life?
Jiang Miao knew that Jiang You You didn't approve of her because of her affections towards Eight Prince but she had no idea that Jiang You You viciousness and hatred ran so deep.
Jiang You You laughed, not even letting Jiang Miao time to recollect herself. Today, she was firm on shedding all disguises of cordiality and let on her true self. After all, after today her younger sister would be no more. "Jiang Miao, let me tell you one thing, Eight Prince had never had you in his heart. He had always tolerated your pestering just because you had a certain use for him. How do you think your brother met his end? If it wasn't for Eight Prince personally submitting the evidence of his involvement in Crown Prince rebellion, why would His Majesty sentence your brother, the Great General of Tian Ning, to death and confiscate his Manor overnight?"
Jiang Miao's whole world shattered. Her heartfelt emotions, her devotion, her sacrifice, Jiang You You words made them appear like a joke.
After spending a month in the desolate, cold prison, she had realized that Xia Cheng was not as warm she appeared to be but to personally bring her closest kin to the gates of death, Xie Cheng's ruthlessness knew no bounds!
"Impossible..." She mumbled in denial, she felt like a sharp dagger cut through her soul, agonizingly slow and torturing her.
Jiang You You placed her hand before her mouth and giggled gracefully. "Now, you don't believe me?"
"I don't!" Jiang Miao temper flared. She grabbed onto the prison bars and screamed. "Where is Xie Cheng, I want to see him! I will ask him myself!"
Jiang You You smile vanished. "Do you think he'll be willing to dirty his eyes by visiting you now that you no longer have any use for us? Truly overestimate yourself." Jiang You You said, "This part of the prison is under strict surveillance. How do you think I was able to come here if not for Eight Prince's intention?
"What do you mean?" Jiang Miao felt as if something was not right. She staggered back. "What do you want to do? Where is Eight Prince?!"
Only now Jian Miao noticed that she didn't recognize any of the maids who accompanied Jiang You You. In fact, the maids didn't appear to be delicate palace maidservants. Rather, they appeared tough, burly, and vicious.
"Oh, Mei Mei guessed it only now?" Jiang You You smiled, "I just made His Highness believe that you are too dangerous to be left alive. You know too many secrets. And you know what? He readily understood my concerns." Jiang You You smile morphed into a vicious sneer. If all those officials who sang songs of praises for Jiang You You as the kind-hearted gracious bodhisattvas saw the current expression she wore, they would be no less shocked than Jiang Miao. "The deposed Crown Princess couldn't endure being separated from her husband. She decided to end her life and hung herself in the prison. How does that sound? Wouldn't you be exclaimed as a virtuous lady? You should thank His Highness for granting you an intact corpse and virtuous reputation before your death." As Jiang You You spoke, her maidservants had already started moving forward.
Opening the prison bars, they had already seized Jiang Miao.
"You! Stop it!" Jiang Miao staggered back but she was no match for the maids Jiang You You brought.
"Jiang You You, what I have ever done to harm you?!" Jiang Miao seethed in deep hatred.
"You should blame your lowly birth for ending up like this." Jiang YouYou said with disdain.
A strip of cloth wrapped around Jiang Miao's delicate neck. Jiang Miao was unresigned, hatred had sept deep into her bones. She struggled with all her might.
But a month of lack of nutrition had weakened her drastically.
"One day, I'll have you pay a thousand times for this," Her fierce glare pierced Jiang You You as she struggled. Her eyes were bloodshot red.
A shiver ran down Jiang You You spine. "What are you waiting for? Kill that abominable thing at once!"
The cloth tightened around her. Her struggles grew weaker.
Before her vision darkened, the last view she saw was not only the smug look on Jiang You You face but an indifferent look on the face of the man she had devoted her life to.
No one realized when he had slipped into the prison. He stood far in the cold hallway of the prison, his visage barely distinguishable from the sheer darkness. His handsome face contained only contempt towards the struggling lady.
"You are to be blamed," He said, "For your ignorance and inability to see the situation. How could you imagine I would ever admire a woman like you? Truly disgusting."
And before Jiang Miao had even breathed her last, his patience ran think, he turned and left with a simple sweep of his sleeve. As if the mere sight of hers tainted his vision.
Glossary.
Mei Mei: A loving manner to address one's younger sister.
Lingchi: Death by thousand cuts. A torturous way to kill someone.
Princess Consort: Title of the legal wife of a Prince.