The muffled sound of court maids whispering gossip to one another could be heard. Some of them were gossiping for the sake of it. Others were genuinely concerned.
As Xiaoling opened her eyes, faint sunlight from the closed windows struck them. The candles were all melted since no one had come to put them out. The room was full of smoke, and there was no vent to escape.
Xiaoling slowly pulled her body up from the bloody ground but in vain. Each joint of her body ached, immobilizing her. She didn't know how long it had been since she was left here to rot. She could only frown and sob at her misery.
Realizing she couldn't even get up from the floor, she dropped her head back down, sobbing over the pain and sadness it brought her.
Somewhere around her leg was a wound that was the most severe. Shards of the broken qin had pierced her leg. Every time she breathed or moved slightly, the shards would move, making her scream in pain.
