That night was pure torture for Adrian Night and Lucian Vane, who’d just snuck into the palace—once inside, they had zero sense of direction and couldn’t tell east from west.
At that moment, even though they weren’t together, both found themselves wondering the same thing: who the heck designed this imperial palace? Why are there so many twists and turns, so many mysteries—it’s literally a maze!
What freaked them out even more? After killing a few eunuchs for directions, all they got was “no clue.” Turns out, each eunuch only knows their own tiny section and isn’t allowed to wander. So even if you ask another, they won’t know where you are either.
Adrian was seriously pissed when he heard this. Jude Song really is terrified of dying—so paranoid that even the eunuchs and maids aren’t allowed to know the palace layout. Obviously, he’s scared someone will break in and threaten them, point out their exact location. These two villains are total cowards!
Meanwhile, on the other side, Ivy Shen lay unconscious on the bed, her whole body finally relaxing. She was exhausted and needed real rest—but even when she seemed totally at ease, she kept a sliver of vigilance. It was a habit built over years: as long as she was breathing, she’d always stay alert.
“Your Highness, the wounds on this girl’s shoulders and back are way too deep. Luckily the whipping stopped when it did, or she—she really wouldn’t have made it.” Fu Ping, who’d just smuggled Lucian Vane into the palace and stashed him somewhere safe, saw a crowd rushing this way, saying the Crown Prince urgently wanted him inside.
Fu Ping was terrified someone would spot Lucian, so he hurried off with everyone. Even now, he was still super worried about his benefactor’s life. On the carriage ride, he’d already explained every safe route he knew, including the lotus pond and the maids’ quarters nearby. But he couldn’t help worrying—this palace is just too huge, like a total maze. Most people would never find their way out.
“Is she okay now?” Jude Song glanced at Ivy Shen, still sleeping on the bed, and asked anxiously.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. Her injuries are really serious, but I promise her life’s not in danger now. As for the wounds... I’ll need time to heal them—they’re just so deep.” Fu Ping nervously checked the motionless girl on the bed.
“Good. You’re to use every skill you have to treat her, got it?”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
“Alright, you may leave now.”
“This humble servant takes his leave.”
Jude Song looked at Ivy Shen, all bandaged up. Of course, the bandages on her chest were done by Silver Consort—he’d never let any other guy touch her!
Right now, looking at Ivy’s pale face, Jude’s heart ached. He unconsciously grabbed her hand. “Sherry... Sherry...”
Having her hand suddenly grabbed, Ivy was super annoyed—but she couldn’t fight back right now. She had to make full use of him, use him to provoke Cao Wan’er and show her what real madness looks like!
“Mom... Mom...” Suddenly, Ivy started calling out in a daze.
“Sherry... Sherry...” Seeing this, Jude realized she must be dreaming about something.
“Mom... your daughter’s fallen for someone she shouldn’t have... I know my status is so low... Mom... Sherry’s in so much pain...” Ivy shook her head in agony, clearly suffering.
Seeing this, Jude blurted, “Sherry...” In that moment, a strange sweetness flooded his heart. So this is what love feels like—so this is what sweetness is.
“Don’t... don’t go, Your Highness... don’t leave...” Suddenly, Ivy grabbed Jude Song’s hand, tears streaming down her face.
“Sherry, I’m not leaving, I’m not leaving! Wake up, please wake up!” Jude Song clutched her hand tightly, shouting in panic.
“Empress... Empress, I promise you, I promise I won’t... won’t see him anymore... I promise... I’ll give up my feelings... Empress, please have mercy, I won’t ask for anything else...”
“No, don’t give up on me, don’t give up on me!” Jude Song gripped her hand, burying his head in her palm, heartbroken. Sherry, don’t give up on me, please...
But Jude was so caught up in his pain that he didn’t notice Ivy’s lips curling into a cold smirk as she ‘slept.’ Ivy had to admit, her acting skills were next-level—if she ever got back to the modern world, she should totally apply to Beijing Film Academy. If she didn’t win Best Actress, it’d be a crime against herself.
“Your Highness! Your Highness!” Suddenly, Gavin Wang rushed in, followed by Cao Wan’er, Silver Consort, and Luna.
Seeing this, Jude Song’s face instantly went cold. “Mother.”
“This woman is that demon’s accomplice!” Cao Wan’er shouted. After her earlier analysis, she was sure this woman was behind all the chaos.
Jude Song frowned slightly at her words.
“Your Highness, someone’s broken into the Demon-Sealing Cell!” Gavin Wang blurted out, panicked.
“What?” Finally, worry showed on Jude Song’s face. “Who was it? Did you catch them?”
“Heh, who? That person is right there on your bed,” Cao Wan’er said coldly, glaring furiously at Ivy Shen.
“Mother, what are you talking about?” Jude Song’s frown deepened. Why was his mother always targeting her?
“What am I talking about? Go look at her injuries—they’re clearly arrow wounds. Don’t let her fool you.” With that, she glanced over at Luna.
Luna immediately got the hint, hurried over to the bed, and yanked back the quilt. Instantly, all the wounds that hadn’t been bandaged were on full display.
“Your Majesty...” Luna frowned. “Her injuries are all blurred from the whipping.”
Cao Wan’er stepped forward and examined the wounds. She could still faintly see marks that didn’t belong to the whip. “Jude, look closely: besides the whip wounds, there are others too.”
“Enough!” Jude Song snapped, furious.
“Your Highness...” Silver Consort quickly came to Jude Song’s side, holding his shoulder and shaking her head, signaling him not to speak to the Empress that way.
Cao Wan’er’s eyes flashed coldly. “What, you still don’t believe your mother? Heh, this woman is truly cunning—she provoked me on purpose, just so I’d torture her. That way, she could use the injuries as her excuse. What a sly little demoness!” No matter how well she played it, she still couldn’t fool Cao’s eyes.
Jude Song’s voice was soft but clear: “If things are really as you say, Mother, then how did she know you’d come to her tonight? How did she know you’d use a whip to punish her? Does she have x-ray vision or something?”
“Your Highness, she brought that whip herself!” Luna blurted out.
But as soon as she said it, Jude shot her a cold look, and Luna shut up immediately.
“That’s exactly why she’s dangerous—this demoness planned everything!” Cao Wan’er snapped, having Luna hand her the whip. “Look, she brought this whip herself. Do you really think the palace would use something so crude? Even if we did, it’d be much fancier. Here, see for yourself.” She tossed the whip to Jude for inspection.
Jude picked up the whip and examined it carefully. After a few seconds, he set it down in silence.
“Well? You believe me now?” Cao Wan’er asked smugly, raising an eyebrow.
“Mother, have you had enough?” Jude suddenly looked up, eyes blazing with anger.
“Your Highness...” Silver Consort called out worriedly, hoping her voice would help ease the tension.
“Look closely—what’s engraved on this whip?” Jude said, handing it to her.
Cao Wan’er took the whip and examined it, her face suddenly changing. “This... this must be another trick by that demoness!” she shouted, angrily throwing the whip to the floor.
On the whip’s handle was a small but clear mark: Shangguan.
Ivy Shen smirked coldly to herself from the bed. She’d predicted this scene perfectly—that’s why she’d never be so stupid as to leave any evidence. She’d found the whip in Bamboo Ju Shangguan’s room; if she hadn’t, she’d have made a plain one herself, and even then, she’d make sure they couldn’t trace it back to her.
All she’d done was smear a layer of mud-colored paint on the whip. She hadn’t expected that idiot Bamboo Ju Shangguan wouldn’t even recognize her own whip.
Cao Wan’er turned to glare angrily at the person on the bed, her heart burning with rage. This demoness had planned everything—what a cunning woman!
“Let’s go!” Cao Wan’er snapped, flicking her sleeves and storming out first. She knew if she kept arguing, Jude wouldn’t believe her anyway. If this woman wanted to play mind games, Cao would see who’d win in the end!