Princess Wei Yang - C1
1- The Deposed Empress
2- The Unwanted Daughter
3- Slave no more
4- First revenge
5- The Pigs Have Escaped!
6- Seventh Prince, Tuo Ba Yu
7- Returning to the Li’s Estate
8- Benevolent Mother, Filial Daughter
9- Surrendered by Xiaojies
10- Li Zhang Le
11- Prime Minister, Li Xiao Ran
12- Tea Brewing Skills
13- Tit for Tat
14- Battle of Wits
15- Da Furen
Princess Wei Yang
๑‿︵‿୨🌸୧‿︵‿๑
Chapter 1
The Deposed Empress
Under the roof of the Cold Palace, Li Wei Yang counted six fleas in her long hair. It had been years since she last bathed, leaving her feeling as if a thick layer of armor enveloped her body. Catching fleas had become her only way to pass the time.
Twelve years. She had been imprisoned in the Cold Palace for twelve years. Wei Yang lifted her head to the sky. Every time it rained, her legs ached so painfully that it drove her to the brink of madness.
She was the biological daughter of Prime Minister Li Xiao Ran. Unfortunately, she was born to a mistress, not the first wife. Her mother had been a lowly maid. To make matters worse, she was born in the seventh month of the lunar calendar, known as Ghost Month, when it was believed that any girl born then would bring misfortune to her family. Consequently, her father sent her to live with a distant relative in foster care. However, even that relative refused to keep a mere stepchild born of a maid and sent her off to a rural area to survive on her own. Despite her father being the Prime Minister and belonging to one of the most powerful families in Da Li, she had to fend for herself.
She felt abandoned and forgotten. If it hadn't been for her older half sister, Li Zhang Le, refusing to marry a certain suitor, her father and Da Furen would probably never have given her a second thought.
Zhang Le[1] and Wei Yang[2]; their names alone set them worlds apart. One person would spread happiness, while the other would feed animals.
When she finally returned to the Li estate, she was filled with joy and hope, naively believing that her father had finally remembered her. However, she soon overheard him telling her beautiful and elegant half sister, Li Zhang Le: “Xian Hui, you can be at ease now. Wei Yang will take your place and marry Tuo Ba Zhen instead.”
Her older sister, Li Zhang Le, was also known as Xian Hui. It was a truly beautiful name, at least in Wei Yang's eyes at that time. Soon, however, that name would become her worst nightmare.
Eventually, she accepted her father's decision and married the Third Prince, Tuo Ba Zhen, instead of Zhang Le. She willingly and wholeheartedly helped Tuo Ba Zhen realize his ambitions, supporting him as he rose from Third Prince to Emperor. She even gave birth to his son, Yu Li. Within just eight years, after Tuo Ba Zhen ascended the throne, he made her Empress.
Tuo Ba Zhen once said that she had soft skin and was a first-class beauty. But obviously, a first-class beauty could not be compared to a fairy with ethereal beauty.
She trusted him. She loved him. He was her everything.
Every time Li Wei Yang thought back to that particular day, she burst out laughing. She laughed bitterly at her young, naive self, at how different her past self is from her present self. Lies. All lies.
She could still vividly recall that fateful night. Her palace maids, along with everyone in Kun Ning Palace, were killed on the spot, as if determined to bring the matter to a swift conclusion and keep it a secret. The maids weren’t even taken to the torture chamber; the killings took place right outside her bedchamber.
The entrance to Kun Ning Palace was locked, and those who were being killed had their mouths stuffed to prevent them from screaming. In an instant, the palace was transformed into a bloody scene. Li Wei Yang was dragged in front of Emperor Tuo Ba Zhen.
In Tuo Ba Zhen’s usually calm gaze, there was now an icy coldness and a ruthless look. “You wretch! She is your blood-related sister, and yet you tried to harm her so cruelly!”
Li Wei Yang was filled with anguish but retorted, “Harm her? I have never harmed her!”
Tuo Ba Zhen struck her mercilessly in the chest, causing blood to spill from Li Wei Yang’s mouth. He looked at her with disdain. “How could you? Zhang Le was in labor, and I wasn’t there. A maid came looking for you, pleading for your help, but you closed your doors and turned away. It’s clear you were trying to harm her! If I hadn’t returned in time, both mother and child would have died!”
Wei Yang was utterly shocked.
She lifted her head slowly, her heart racing as she met Tuo Ba Zhen’s piercing gaze. He was just as striking now as he had been the first time she laid eyes on him, with his chiselled features and an almost ethereal aura that shimmered in the light. The truth was, she had never truly grasped the complexities of the man before her. One moment, he could envelop her in gentleness, his voice a soothing balm that made her feel cherished; the next, he would turn into an impenetrable fortress, cold and ruthless, striking fear into the hearts of those around him. She felt like a fool, a lovesick girl pining for someone who didn’t see her in the same light, blinded by her affections and failing to recognize that he had never truly needed her — she was merely a fleeting pawn in his world.
Li Wei Yang laughed coldly. “Your Majesty may only think of jiejie, but have you ever considered Yu Li, our son? On the same day that you and Jiejie’s child were born, my Yu Li was critically ill and suffering on his deathbed! Was it wrong for me to call upon the Imperial Doctor? Zhang Le is human, but so am I! She successfully gave birth, and her child was named Crown Prince, while my Yu Li had almost died! You once promised me that you would let Yu Li become the Crown Prince. Why did you change your mind? Why!?”
His face was cold, and he looked at her with indifference. “I have already given you the title of Empress, but you still don’t think that’s enough! You’re greedily eyeing the title of Crown Prince, too!”
Li Wei Yang could only taste blood in her mouth. Her voice was as cold and frosty as glaciers. “Empress? That’s right, I am the Empress, but the royal decree to depose me is already sitting in front of you. You were merely waiting for Zhang Le to finish giving birth before you stamped your seal! Tuo Ba Zhen, what have I done wrong? I have been married to you for eight years. How have I treated you?” she asked, pulling open her outer shirt to reveal a harrowing scar on her chest.
“In the 38th year of Xiandi, I shielded you from an assassination attempt, which left a scar right here in the middle of my chest. In the 40th year of Xiandi, knowing that the Crown Prince had poisoned the wine, I drank it in your stead. In the 41st year of Xiandi, knowing the Seventh Prince wanted to kill you, I traveled day and night for thousands of miles just to inform you! In the 42nd year of Xiandi, when you were aiding in disaster relief and got infected, I cared for you alone for 48 days straight! After you became Emperor, do you even remember what you promised me? You said that as long as you are Emperor, I will always be the Empress. But right after that, you became infatuated with Li Zhang Le. Not only did you let her son become the Crown Prince, but you also want to depose me! Tuo Ba Zhen, do I deserve this? Have you forgotten all this now that you are the Emperor?”
Tuo Ba Zhen stared at her with an indifferent expression. His cold attitude was so natural, as if he were born with that countenance. His expression made her heart feel as if it were being squeezed tightly, as if a very small but very sharp needle had suddenly stabbed deep into it at the moment she least expected it. She took in a sharp breath of air. However, on her face remained a stubborn look, but deep in her gaze was grief and loss.
“Zhang Le is the person I love. Even though my original intention was to depose you, I was still going to let you reside in the palace so that you don’t have to worry about food and shelter and live comfortably for the rest of your life.”
“Live comfortably for the rest of my life?” Something sharp poked a hole in her chest. First, the hole was small, but slowly, little by little, the hole became bigger, until it felt like her heart had been completely crushed. Li Wei Yang was like a mirror about to crumble and shatter into pieces. They were a married couple for eight years, experiencing the ups and downs together. At his most difficult time, she was the only one by his side, but when he became Emperor, he suddenly loved Zhang Le. He wanted to depose her, but at the same time, said he didn’t want her to worry about food and shelter.
“Everything I’ve done was for you. Just to protect you, I didn’t even care about my own life, but in the end, all I’ve received is a saying to not worry about food and shelter? 8 years! We’ve been husband and wife for 8 years, but it can’t even be compared to Li Zhang Le’s beauty, right? A comfortable life? Who needs a comfortable life? All of the danger and suffering I endured is to achieve what I have today, but you so easily handed it to some other woman who has no decency and stole my husband?! Yet you want me to be grateful towards you guys?”
Tuo Ba Zhen pounded his hands down on the table. The teapot fell to the ground. He frowned. “Shut up! What other woman?! Zhang Le is your sister!”
Li Wei Yang sneered. “Sister? She is the fairy sent from heaven; she is the noble young lady of the Li family. And what about me? I’m merely the concubine’s daughter, a misfortune that my father wouldn’t even look at, like the dirt on the ground! If she had really thought of me as her sister, how could she steal my husband from me? How could she steal the position of Crown Prince from my son?”
Tuo Ba Zhen scoffed softly, lowering his gaze onto Li Wei Yang’s pale face. His eyes were wicked and intimidating, capable of making a person forget how to breathe. “Zhang Le is pure and kind-hearted. She wouldn’t even kill an ant. You can’t compare yourself to her! And as for Yu Li, he lacked respect and filial piety. He dared to speak disrespectfully to Zhang Le. He has no right to be the Crown Prince!”
Wei Yang began to laugh hysterically but suddenly stopped, staring at the man who, in her mind, was no longer her husband but a stranger.
Pure and kind-hearted? Li Wei Yang remembered how, since childhood, she was always the one helping others and doing good deeds, yet her sister reaped all the benefits. It was solely because her sister had the face of an angel, so beautiful that others believed her heart reflected her appearance.
Li Wei Yang wanted to laugh at herself. Tuo Ba Zhen’s words were like swords, stabbing straight into her heart and causing her to bleed. She felt hot tears streaming down her face.
Filled with overwhelming despair, she said, “I know I can’t compare myself to the perfect Zhang Le, but Yu Li is innocent. He’s just a four-year-old child and doesn’t understand many things. He sees his mother hurting and crying, which makes him feel some resentment towards Zhang Le. But you are so cold-hearted that you locked him up for three days and nights without food or warmth!”
Tuo Ba Zhen stared at her emotionlessly, saying nothing.
Her heart shattered even further. "If it weren't for that, his lungs wouldn't be infected, and he wouldn't have to die at such a young age! He is your flesh and blood. All because you deemed him too disrespectful, you treated him like this. Was I wrong for calling all the Imperial Doctors to treat him? I did it because I want to save my son! You only think about Li Zhang Le. My Yu Li was suffering from a high fever. He told me he was in pain. Do you understand how painful that was for me? If I could, I would trade my life for his. That precious other son of yours has you and Li Zhang Le, but Yu Li only has me! Why should I go see Li Zhang Le and take care of her? In that moment, my Yu Li was fighting for his life. Right now, I don’t want anything. All I want is for Yu Li to live again! I hate Li Zhang Le; I hate this slut to death. I wish I could tear her apart! She destroyed my family; she is responsible for the death of my son. You see only her pretty face, but not the evil darkness inside her. She is a monster!”
“You bitch!” Tuo Ba Zhen exclaimed, filled with fury, disgust, and disdain for the woman before him. “If you want to hate someone, then hate me! She didn’t want to enter the palace, but I forced her to become the Empress. She’s innocent and kind-hearted. How could she possibly have such an evil sister like you?” He stepped towards Li Wei Yang, roughly pulling her hair. “I will not forgive you! I want you to suffer for the rest of your life! Guards! Break this bitch’s legs and throw her into the Cold Palace!”
Wei Yang suddenly noticed something yellow amidst the darkness of the somber palace. That bright object dominated her vision, shining even more intensely than the candlelight and cutting through the gloom. It was then that she realized that it was the Emperor’s royal decree declaring her deposition as Empress.
The Eunuch announced the decree. Somewhere, some eyes felt like poisonous arrows, aimed to pierce her heart. Her soul felt lost, and her mind went blank, consumed by two thoughts: revenge and hatred. She couldn’t hear a word; her devastated soul had long flown away to a far, distant place.
Tuo Ba Zhen, you are a demon!
Clutching her heart in anguish, she sank to the cold, unforgiving ground, gasping for breath. Her eyes shimmered with a mix of shock and betrayal, yet he didn’t spare her a second glance as he looked away, his expression one of cold indifference. With a swift, cruel motion, he lifted his foot and delivered a merciless kick to her side. The impact reverberated through her body, causing not just a sharp surge of physical pain but also a deep, visceral blow to her dignity and spirit. In that moment, it felt as though her essence was being trampled beneath him, leaving her feeling utterly helpless and shattered.
Li Wei Yang laughed hysterically again. She had once said she loved Jiang Nan’s landscape. One day, when everything had come to an end, she wanted to go to Jiang Nan to admire its scenery, drink good tea, listen to the best folk songs, and travel the world. Tuo Ba Zhen had promised to remember those words for the rest of his life. She understood that killing her was not enough. He wanted to humiliate her, to punish her to the core. She had said once she wanted to travel the world, so he broke her legs. She had said she wanted to be Empress, so he deposed her and threw her into the Cold Palace. Tuo Ba Zhen, you are truly a cruel monster.
Twelve years. She had been imprisoned in the Cold Palace for twelve years. Wei Yang lifted her head to the sky. Every time it rained, her legs ached so painfully that it drove her to the brink of madness.
She was the biological daughter of Prime Minister Li Xiao Ran. Unfortunately, she was born to a mistress, not the first wife. Her mother had been a lowly maid. To make matters worse, she was born in the seventh month of the lunar calendar, known as Ghost Month, when it was believed that any girl born then would bring misfortune to her family. Consequently, her father sent her to live with a distant relative in foster care. However, even that relative refused to keep a mere stepchild born of a maid and sent her off to a rural area to survive on her own. Despite her father being the Prime Minister and belonging to one of the most powerful families in Da Li, she had to fend for herself.
She felt abandoned and forgotten. If it hadn't been for her older half sister, Li Zhang Le, refusing to marry a certain suitor, her father and Da Furen would probably never have given her a second thought.
Zhang Le[1] and Wei Yang[2]; their names alone set them worlds apart. One person would spread happiness, while the other would feed animals.
When she finally returned to the Li estate, she was filled with joy and hope, naively believing that her father had finally remembered her. However, she soon overheard him telling her beautiful and elegant half sister, Li Zhang Le: “Xian Hui, you can be at ease now. Wei Yang will take your place and marry Tuo Ba Zhen instead.”
Her older sister, Li Zhang Le, was also known as Xian Hui. It was a truly beautiful name, at least in Wei Yang's eyes at that time. Soon, however, that name would become her worst nightmare.
Eventually, she accepted her father's decision and married the Third Prince, Tuo Ba Zhen, instead of Zhang Le. She willingly and wholeheartedly helped Tuo Ba Zhen realize his ambitions, supporting him as he rose from Third Prince to Emperor. She even gave birth to his son, Yu Li. Within just eight years, after Tuo Ba Zhen ascended the throne, he made her Empress.
Tuo Ba Zhen once said that she had soft skin and was a first-class beauty. But obviously, a first-class beauty could not be compared to a fairy with ethereal beauty.
She trusted him. She loved him. He was her everything.
Every time Li Wei Yang thought back to that particular day, she burst out laughing. She laughed bitterly at her young, naive self, at how different her past self is from her present self. Lies. All lies.
She could still vividly recall that fateful night. Her palace maids, along with everyone in Kun Ning Palace, were killed on the spot, as if determined to bring the matter to a swift conclusion and keep it a secret. The maids weren’t even taken to the torture chamber; the killings took place right outside her bedchamber.
The entrance to Kun Ning Palace was locked, and those who were being killed had their mouths stuffed to prevent them from screaming. In an instant, the palace was transformed into a bloody scene. Li Wei Yang was dragged in front of Emperor Tuo Ba Zhen.
In Tuo Ba Zhen’s usually calm gaze, there was now an icy coldness and a ruthless look. “You wretch! She is your blood-related sister, and yet you tried to harm her so cruelly!”
Li Wei Yang was filled with anguish but retorted, “Harm her? I have never harmed her!”
Tuo Ba Zhen struck her mercilessly in the chest, causing blood to spill from Li Wei Yang’s mouth. He looked at her with disdain. “How could you? Zhang Le was in labor, and I wasn’t there. A maid came looking for you, pleading for your help, but you closed your doors and turned away. It’s clear you were trying to harm her! If I hadn’t returned in time, both mother and child would have died!”
Wei Yang was utterly shocked.
She lifted her head slowly, her heart racing as she met Tuo Ba Zhen’s piercing gaze. He was just as striking now as he had been the first time she laid eyes on him, with his chiselled features and an almost ethereal aura that shimmered in the light. The truth was, she had never truly grasped the complexities of the man before her. One moment, he could envelop her in gentleness, his voice a soothing balm that made her feel cherished; the next, he would turn into an impenetrable fortress, cold and ruthless, striking fear into the hearts of those around him. She felt like a fool, a lovesick girl pining for someone who didn’t see her in the same light, blinded by her affections and failing to recognize that he had never truly needed her — she was merely a fleeting pawn in his world.
Li Wei Yang laughed coldly. “Your Majesty may only think of jiejie, but have you ever considered Yu Li, our son? On the same day that you and Jiejie’s child were born, my Yu Li was critically ill and suffering on his deathbed! Was it wrong for me to call upon the Imperial Doctor? Zhang Le is human, but so am I! She successfully gave birth, and her child was named Crown Prince, while my Yu Li had almost died! You once promised me that you would let Yu Li become the Crown Prince. Why did you change your mind? Why!?”
His face was cold, and he looked at her with indifference. “I have already given you the title of Empress, but you still don’t think that’s enough! You’re greedily eyeing the title of Crown Prince, too!”
Li Wei Yang could only taste blood in her mouth. Her voice was as cold and frosty as glaciers. “Empress? That’s right, I am the Empress, but the royal decree to depose me is already sitting in front of you. You were merely waiting for Zhang Le to finish giving birth before you stamped your seal! Tuo Ba Zhen, what have I done wrong? I have been married to you for eight years. How have I treated you?” she asked, pulling open her outer shirt to reveal a harrowing scar on her chest.
“In the 38th year of Xiandi, I shielded you from an assassination attempt, which left a scar right here in the middle of my chest. In the 40th year of Xiandi, knowing that the Crown Prince had poisoned the wine, I drank it in your stead. In the 41st year of Xiandi, knowing the Seventh Prince wanted to kill you, I traveled day and night for thousands of miles just to inform you! In the 42nd year of Xiandi, when you were aiding in disaster relief and got infected, I cared for you alone for 48 days straight! After you became Emperor, do you even remember what you promised me? You said that as long as you are Emperor, I will always be the Empress. But right after that, you became infatuated with Li Zhang Le. Not only did you let her son become the Crown Prince, but you also want to depose me! Tuo Ba Zhen, do I deserve this? Have you forgotten all this now that you are the Emperor?”
Tuo Ba Zhen stared at her with an indifferent expression. His cold attitude was so natural, as if he were born with that countenance. His expression made her heart feel as if it were being squeezed tightly, as if a very small but very sharp needle had suddenly stabbed deep into it at the moment she least expected it. She took in a sharp breath of air. However, on her face remained a stubborn look, but deep in her gaze was grief and loss.
“Zhang Le is the person I love. Even though my original intention was to depose you, I was still going to let you reside in the palace so that you don’t have to worry about food and shelter and live comfortably for the rest of your life.”
“Live comfortably for the rest of my life?” Something sharp poked a hole in her chest. First, the hole was small, but slowly, little by little, the hole became bigger, until it felt like her heart had been completely crushed. Li Wei Yang was like a mirror about to crumble and shatter into pieces. They were a married couple for eight years, experiencing the ups and downs together. At his most difficult time, she was the only one by his side, but when he became Emperor, he suddenly loved Zhang Le. He wanted to depose her, but at the same time, said he didn’t want her to worry about food and shelter.
“Everything I’ve done was for you. Just to protect you, I didn’t even care about my own life, but in the end, all I’ve received is a saying to not worry about food and shelter? 8 years! We’ve been husband and wife for 8 years, but it can’t even be compared to Li Zhang Le’s beauty, right? A comfortable life? Who needs a comfortable life? All of the danger and suffering I endured is to achieve what I have today, but you so easily handed it to some other woman who has no decency and stole my husband?! Yet you want me to be grateful towards you guys?”
Tuo Ba Zhen pounded his hands down on the table. The teapot fell to the ground. He frowned. “Shut up! What other woman?! Zhang Le is your sister!”
Li Wei Yang sneered. “Sister? She is the fairy sent from heaven; she is the noble young lady of the Li family. And what about me? I’m merely the concubine’s daughter, a misfortune that my father wouldn’t even look at, like the dirt on the ground! If she had really thought of me as her sister, how could she steal my husband from me? How could she steal the position of Crown Prince from my son?”
Tuo Ba Zhen scoffed softly, lowering his gaze onto Li Wei Yang’s pale face. His eyes were wicked and intimidating, capable of making a person forget how to breathe. “Zhang Le is pure and kind-hearted. She wouldn’t even kill an ant. You can’t compare yourself to her! And as for Yu Li, he lacked respect and filial piety. He dared to speak disrespectfully to Zhang Le. He has no right to be the Crown Prince!”
Wei Yang began to laugh hysterically but suddenly stopped, staring at the man who, in her mind, was no longer her husband but a stranger.
Pure and kind-hearted? Li Wei Yang remembered how, since childhood, she was always the one helping others and doing good deeds, yet her sister reaped all the benefits. It was solely because her sister had the face of an angel, so beautiful that others believed her heart reflected her appearance.
Li Wei Yang wanted to laugh at herself. Tuo Ba Zhen’s words were like swords, stabbing straight into her heart and causing her to bleed. She felt hot tears streaming down her face.
Filled with overwhelming despair, she said, “I know I can’t compare myself to the perfect Zhang Le, but Yu Li is innocent. He’s just a four-year-old child and doesn’t understand many things. He sees his mother hurting and crying, which makes him feel some resentment towards Zhang Le. But you are so cold-hearted that you locked him up for three days and nights without food or warmth!”
Tuo Ba Zhen stared at her emotionlessly, saying nothing.
Her heart shattered even further. "If it weren't for that, his lungs wouldn't be infected, and he wouldn't have to die at such a young age! He is your flesh and blood. All because you deemed him too disrespectful, you treated him like this. Was I wrong for calling all the Imperial Doctors to treat him? I did it because I want to save my son! You only think about Li Zhang Le. My Yu Li was suffering from a high fever. He told me he was in pain. Do you understand how painful that was for me? If I could, I would trade my life for his. That precious other son of yours has you and Li Zhang Le, but Yu Li only has me! Why should I go see Li Zhang Le and take care of her? In that moment, my Yu Li was fighting for his life. Right now, I don’t want anything. All I want is for Yu Li to live again! I hate Li Zhang Le; I hate this slut to death. I wish I could tear her apart! She destroyed my family; she is responsible for the death of my son. You see only her pretty face, but not the evil darkness inside her. She is a monster!”
“You bitch!” Tuo Ba Zhen exclaimed, filled with fury, disgust, and disdain for the woman before him. “If you want to hate someone, then hate me! She didn’t want to enter the palace, but I forced her to become the Empress. She’s innocent and kind-hearted. How could she possibly have such an evil sister like you?” He stepped towards Li Wei Yang, roughly pulling her hair. “I will not forgive you! I want you to suffer for the rest of your life! Guards! Break this bitch’s legs and throw her into the Cold Palace!”
Wei Yang suddenly noticed something yellow amidst the darkness of the somber palace. That bright object dominated her vision, shining even more intensely than the candlelight and cutting through the gloom. It was then that she realized that it was the Emperor’s royal decree declaring her deposition as Empress.
The Eunuch announced the decree. Somewhere, some eyes felt like poisonous arrows, aimed to pierce her heart. Her soul felt lost, and her mind went blank, consumed by two thoughts: revenge and hatred. She couldn’t hear a word; her devastated soul had long flown away to a far, distant place.
Tuo Ba Zhen, you are a demon!
Clutching her heart in anguish, she sank to the cold, unforgiving ground, gasping for breath. Her eyes shimmered with a mix of shock and betrayal, yet he didn’t spare her a second glance as he looked away, his expression one of cold indifference. With a swift, cruel motion, he lifted his foot and delivered a merciless kick to her side. The impact reverberated through her body, causing not just a sharp surge of physical pain but also a deep, visceral blow to her dignity and spirit. In that moment, it felt as though her essence was being trampled beneath him, leaving her feeling utterly helpless and shattered.
Li Wei Yang laughed hysterically again. She had once said she loved Jiang Nan’s landscape. One day, when everything had come to an end, she wanted to go to Jiang Nan to admire its scenery, drink good tea, listen to the best folk songs, and travel the world. Tuo Ba Zhen had promised to remember those words for the rest of his life. She understood that killing her was not enough. He wanted to humiliate her, to punish her to the core. She had said once she wanted to travel the world, so he broke her legs. She had said she wanted to be Empress, so he deposed her and threw her into the Cold Palace. Tuo Ba Zhen, you are truly a cruel monster.
๑‿︵‿୨🌸୧‿︵‿๑
Under the Cold Palace’s roof, Li Wei Yang slightly narrowed her eyes.
In a grand ceremony, Tuo Ba Zhen elevated Li Zhang Le to Empress and crowned her son as Crown Prince, celebrating their newfound power and glory. Meanwhile, Li Wei Yang, a former empress, was forgotten and abandoned, with her son remaining only a memory as the new rulers thrived in love and happiness.
To Li Wei Yang, survival became a bittersweet struggle, merely a means of prolonging her existence, as if each breath she drew were a reminder of her unfulfilled ambitions and of the affection she had lost. She clung to a resolute vow, one that echoed in her heart with every passing day: she would outlive Li Zhang Le. The thought became her only source of strength, fueling a fierce determination to persevere, a relentless drive to endure longer than the Empress who had taken everything from her. She must survive, not just for herself, but to prove that her spirit could not be extinguished, even in the face of oblivion.
Just then, the doors to the Cold Palace opened. Li Wei Yang saw a faint ray of light through the crack in the door.
“Li Wei Yang, kneel and accept the decree!”
Kneel? Her legs were broken, so how could she kneel?
Li Wei Yang didn’t understand what the man was saying. His voice was hoarse yet sharp to the ears. She was dragged out into the hallway by someone.
“The Emperor has decreed: the deposed Empress Li has no virtues and does not reflect on her wrongdoings, instead cursing the new Empress day and night. She is to be granted poisoned wine!”
“Consort Li, don’t blame others. The Empress has been terrified and restless, losing sleep at night. The Emperor consulted a diviner who determined that your karma opposes the Empress. You should hurry and prepare for reincarnation!”
Poisoned wine. Of course, it was going to be poisoned wine! She had spent her life as a good wife. She had done everything for him. She had been a good Empress. On the battlefield, she had put her own health aside to boost the soldiers’ morale. During times of natural disaster, she had immediately donated silver and gold to the citizens. Even when he became angry with her, she helped point out and correct his faults. She treated the palace maids and eunuchs with tolerance and kindness. But what had happened to her now? In her misfortune, no one had come forward to help her.
Li Wei Yang's laughter echoed in the dimly lit room, a chilling sound that resonated with both madness and triumph. Her eyes sparkled with a wild intensity as she fixed her gaze on the eunuch. “Tuo Ba Zhen, Li Zhang Le,” she yelled, her voice dripping with hate, “you’ve really outdone yourselves, haven’t you? Treating me so well!” A flicker of bitterness crossed her face, quickly replaced by a resolute determination. “Mark my words—In the next lifetime, I, Li Wei Yang, swear I will never trust another soul again! If our paths ever cross once more, Tuo Ba Zhen, Li Zhang Le, know this: you will suffer a million times more than I did.” Her words were a solemn vow, each syllable laced with the weight of her experiences and the pain they had caused her —a promise of vengeance that hung in the air like a dark cloud.
The senior eunuch looked at the deposed Empress with pity and sighed deeply. “Drag her down.”
Miles away, Li Wei Yang's voice echoed through the vast corridors of the palace, a haunting sound that lingered in the air long after it had faded. Her laughter, sharp and hysterical, filled with a deep, painful suffering, resonated like the tolling of a bell in the stillness of the night. Each note of her laughter carried an unsettling weight, akin to endless curses woven into the palace walls. It sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it, instilling a profound fear that seeped into their hearts.
Then came the silence...
Under the Cold Palace’s roof, Li Wei Yang slightly narrowed her eyes.
In a grand ceremony, Tuo Ba Zhen elevated Li Zhang Le to Empress and crowned her son as Crown Prince, celebrating their newfound power and glory. Meanwhile, Li Wei Yang, a former empress, was forgotten and abandoned, with her son remaining only a memory as the new rulers thrived in love and happiness.
To Li Wei Yang, survival became a bittersweet struggle, merely a means of prolonging her existence, as if each breath she drew were a reminder of her unfulfilled ambitions and of the affection she had lost. She clung to a resolute vow, one that echoed in her heart with every passing day: she would outlive Li Zhang Le. The thought became her only source of strength, fueling a fierce determination to persevere, a relentless drive to endure longer than the Empress who had taken everything from her. She must survive, not just for herself, but to prove that her spirit could not be extinguished, even in the face of oblivion.
Just then, the doors to the Cold Palace opened. Li Wei Yang saw a faint ray of light through the crack in the door.
“Li Wei Yang, kneel and accept the decree!”
Kneel? Her legs were broken, so how could she kneel?
Li Wei Yang didn’t understand what the man was saying. His voice was hoarse yet sharp to the ears. She was dragged out into the hallway by someone.
“The Emperor has decreed: the deposed Empress Li has no virtues and does not reflect on her wrongdoings, instead cursing the new Empress day and night. She is to be granted poisoned wine!”
“Consort Li, don’t blame others. The Empress has been terrified and restless, losing sleep at night. The Emperor consulted a diviner who determined that your karma opposes the Empress. You should hurry and prepare for reincarnation!”
Poisoned wine. Of course, it was going to be poisoned wine! She had spent her life as a good wife. She had done everything for him. She had been a good Empress. On the battlefield, she had put her own health aside to boost the soldiers’ morale. During times of natural disaster, she had immediately donated silver and gold to the citizens. Even when he became angry with her, she helped point out and correct his faults. She treated the palace maids and eunuchs with tolerance and kindness. But what had happened to her now? In her misfortune, no one had come forward to help her.
Li Wei Yang's laughter echoed in the dimly lit room, a chilling sound that resonated with both madness and triumph. Her eyes sparkled with a wild intensity as she fixed her gaze on the eunuch. “Tuo Ba Zhen, Li Zhang Le,” she yelled, her voice dripping with hate, “you’ve really outdone yourselves, haven’t you? Treating me so well!” A flicker of bitterness crossed her face, quickly replaced by a resolute determination. “Mark my words—In the next lifetime, I, Li Wei Yang, swear I will never trust another soul again! If our paths ever cross once more, Tuo Ba Zhen, Li Zhang Le, know this: you will suffer a million times more than I did.” Her words were a solemn vow, each syllable laced with the weight of her experiences and the pain they had caused her —a promise of vengeance that hung in the air like a dark cloud.
The senior eunuch looked at the deposed Empress with pity and sighed deeply. “Drag her down.”
Miles away, Li Wei Yang's voice echoed through the vast corridors of the palace, a haunting sound that lingered in the air long after it had faded. Her laughter, sharp and hysterical, filled with a deep, painful suffering, resonated like the tolling of a bell in the stillness of the night. Each note of her laughter carried an unsettling weight, akin to endless curses woven into the palace walls. It sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it, instilling a profound fear that seeped into their hearts.
Then came the silence...
[1] *Zhang Le* "Zhang" is a common Chinese surname meaning "archer," "to open up," or "to spread," derived from the character 张 (zhāng). The name "Le" can have multiple meanings, but when used as a Chinese given name, it typically means "joy" or "happiness" (乐). Therefore, a given name Zhang Le can be interpreted as a combination of these meanings, such as "joyful archer" or "happy to spread"
[2] *Wei Yang* Weiyang (未央) is a Chinese given name of ancient origin that carries profound cultural and poetic significance. The name is composed of two characters: "wei" (未), meaning "not yet" or "not," and "yang" (央), meaning "center," "middle," or "end." Together, Weiyang traditionally translates to "not yet ended," "unfinished," or "eternal," conveying concepts of continuity, perpetuity, and boundless potential. However, it can also mean to feed (a child, domestic animal etc) to keep to raise (an animal).
[2] *Wei Yang* Weiyang (未央) is a Chinese given name of ancient origin that carries profound cultural and poetic significance. The name is composed of two characters: "wei" (未), meaning "not yet" or "not," and "yang" (央), meaning "center," "middle," or "end." Together, Weiyang traditionally translates to "not yet ended," "unfinished," or "eternal," conveying concepts of continuity, perpetuity, and boundless potential. However, it can also mean to feed (a child, domestic animal etc) to keep to raise (an animal).
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