While Wendy Wan failed to please her new master and was humiliated instead, Serena Feng was escorted into the imperial palace by the palace guards.
There was no other way—Serena Feng’s status was simply too unique.
No matter how far the Feng clan had fallen, unless the imperial family made a statement, Serena Feng was still the Seventh Prince’s betrothed.
Even though the palace guards knew that harsh punishment awaited Serena Feng, they dared not lay a hand on her lightly—this concerned the royal family’s honor.
Any matter, no matter how trivial, could become a major issue as long as it involved the royal family.
Within the palace, the only one who could handle this situation was the Seventh Prince’s mother—the Empress herself.
At this moment, Serena Feng was kneeling outside the Empress’s chambers, awaiting her judgment.
The red silk on her body was already torn beyond repair, unable to cover her. Her skin was exposed, showing large bruises for all to see. Most people didn’t dare look directly at her, only sneaking glances from the corners of their eyes.
The cold marble pressed against her skin, the chill seeping straight into her bones. Serena Feng’s lips were purple from the cold, her teeth chattering uncontrollably, yet she didn’t dare make a sound or move an inch, for fear of giving anyone an excuse to punish her.
Serena Feng didn’t raise her head, but she could sense the contempt and disdain in the gazes of the palace maids passing by.
Those looks—they treated her as if she were something filthy, too dirty to even glance at, yet they couldn’t help but keep staring.
A bunch of hypocritical women.
You think I’m dirty? As if you’re any cleaner than I am.
Women in the palace—if they’re not waiting for the emperor’s favor like prostitutes, they’re clinging to eunuchs for power, sharing meals with ‘useless’ men.
Compared to you, I—Serena Feng—am far cleaner.
Heh...
Serena Feng pressed her lips together, hiding the bitter smile at the corner of her mouth.
The sky was dark and oppressive, the air thick with dampness—it looked like rain was coming...
Serena Feng looked at the shredded silk that couldn’t cover her and secretly wondered if, when she left the palace, the Empress might spare her a piece of clothing.
She remembered asking several people for clothing before, only to be met with cold ridicule...
Serena Feng had originally thought the worst outcome would be a broken engagement, but now it seemed someone wanted her dead.
In a world where a woman’s chastity mattered more than her life, a scandal like this was enough to drive any girl with a shred of dignity to suicide.
But she wasn’t just anyone—she was Serena Feng.
She followed the rules of this era, but she also held fast to her own principles.
The Serena Feng of today would never seek death. No matter how bitter or difficult, she would survive—because in her eyes, nothing was more important than life.
It didn’t matter that she hadn’t lost her virginity—and even if she had, so what? Why should she pay with her life for someone else’s mistakes...
Every person only gets one life. She would never sell hers just to please others or to satisfy some family code...
Time slipped by quietly. Serena Feng calculated that she must have been kneeling here for over two hours now.
The Empress had finished breakfast and even had snacks. From time to time, noblewomen came and went, and as they passed Serena Feng, they couldn’t help but mutter:
“The Feng clan’s young lady—what a disgrace. If she were my daughter, I’d have already handed her a three-foot white silk and told her to kill herself, just to spare us the shame...”
“A child with no parents turns out just like this—what shame could she possibly have? If it were me, I’d have killed myself long ago...”
...
All sorts of cruel words reached her ears, and Serena Feng had to force down the urge to kill.
Insulting her was one thing, but why drag General Feng and Lady Feng into it?
Although Serena Feng lost her mother young and her father was always away at war, she still received the full upbringing of a noble lady.
If the former Serena Feng hadn’t been so meek and rule-bound, so weak and useless, she wouldn’t have died...
Smack—a single tear slipped from the corner of her eye.
Serena Feng couldn’t tell if it was hers, or the body’s.
She’d been through so much today and hadn’t cried, but now she just felt so wronged she wanted to sob.
It was as if the Empress had forgotten her, leaving her to be exposed, letting noblewomen and palace maids parade past and gawk, forcing her to kneel here like a dog outside the palace doors.
Empress, isn’t this just your way of trying to drive me to suicide? I, Serena Feng, will never let you get your wish...
Old witch, rotten old witch—if Serena Feng’s mother hadn’t risked her life to save you, would you even be Empress today?
A bunch of ungrateful wretches. Lady Feng gave her life for you, and this is how you treat her daughter.
The royal family is the coldest of all—how true that is. If they’re heartless toward their own kin, how much less would they care for outsiders?
The Feng clan must have been blind—General Feng died defending this country, Lady Feng died saving you, Empress, and now Serena Feng is left to die because of your cruel, heartless son.
Eastlyn imperial family, just look—how much do you owe the Feng clan?
Her heart was full of resentment, but Serena Feng stubbornly endured. Her limbs were stiff, yet she kept kneeling, forcing herself to stay conscious...
She, Serena Feng, would never die just to fulfill the Empress’s wish!
In the blink of an eye, it was already noon. The sky stayed gray and oppressive, but the rain still refused to fall...
Inside the Empress’s chambers, the Empress dismissed the noblewomen who had come to pay respects, then asked the maid loudly, “Is she still kneeling out there?”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” The maid stepped forward, kneeling at the Empress’s feet.
“Did she say anything?” The Empress raised her eyebrow, surprised that a young woman could have such stamina—kneeling all morning and still holding out.
“No, Your Majesty. It seems Miss Feng is in a trance.” The maid couldn’t understand how Serena Feng could let her skin be exposed, or how she could fight with men in public like that.
Completely mad!
“In a trance? Hmph... Even if she is, I’ll make her wake up. It’s not that I don’t remember the Feng clan’s life-saving favor, but the Fengs are hopeless.” The Empress slammed the table hard.
How could her royal son marry a woman with no influence at all?
She’d hinted at it many times over the years, but Serena Feng always acted as if she didn’t understand, refusing to break off the engagement. Truly infuriating.
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If not for concerns about the royal family’s reputation and the fact that too many people knew Lady Feng saved her life, calling off the engagement would’ve caused a scandal. Otherwise, the marriage would’ve been broken off long ago...
“Your Majesty is right.” Everyone in the Empress’s chambers—eunuchs and maids alike—immediately prostrated themselves, faces full of caution and respect.
The servants’ fear put the Empress in a slightly better mood, but the thought of leaving Serena Feng out all morning and still not seeing her try to kill herself made her irritable. Her tone was anything but kind:
“Any word from Prince Rowan? What does His Majesty say about this?”
“Your Majesty, Prince Rowan sent word that he’ll be joining you for lunch,” a young eunuch hurried forward.
“Hmm...”
Just then, a servant entered and knelt: “Your Majesty, Prince Rowan has arrived...”
The Empress brightened: “Go, notify the imperial kitchen—prepare Prince Rowan’s favorite dishes.”
“Yes, Your Majesty...”
The servants filed out, passing by Serena Feng, sometimes casting her a curious or sympathetic glance.
Seeing Serena Feng’s exposed skin, a few young maids covered their faces in shame as they hurried away...
Serena Feng was long used to such stares—she simply didn’t care.
She just knelt quietly, eyes closed, silently counting in her heart—two hundred and seven, two hundred and eight...
Until a steady, powerful set of footsteps approached. Serena Feng was startled—those steps weren’t light like a woman’s, nor soft like a eunuch’s. At this moment, a man? What was the Empress up to?
Who could it be? Had this matter reached His Majesty himself?
Serena Feng was right—the matter had indeed reached the emperor. But the visitor wasn’t him. She wasn’t important enough yet for a personal audience...