Chapter 215

Chapter 215

Su Yi watched her with a serene smile, appearing like a gentle and patient person listening without interruption. Her expression, though tender, carried an unsettling incongruity.

Under such a gaze, the Junior Concubine's voice gradually trailed off.

Danger!! Escape from here!

Her instincts had already sensed the danger before her conscious mind could react, instinctively urging her to flee immediately. Yet, the Junior Concubine forcefully suppressed this instinct. If she were to truly flee now, all her previous efforts would be in vain.

Wouldn't all the suffering she endured before be in vain!

The Junior Concubine firmly held back her urge to escape, still kneeling steadily beside Rong Noble Consort, slightly lowering her head to appear more docile.

At that moment, a delicate, soft hand reached out toward her. This time, the Junior Concubine couldn't suppress her instinct and instinctively avoided it. The delicate hand paused mid-air, seemingly wounded by her evasive action.

"...Hmm?" The owner of the hand let out a simple sound of inquiry.

By the time the Junior Concubine realized what had happened, she had already evaded. She immediately regretted it and hurriedly tried to explain and make up for her earlier avoidance.

"Your Highness, I was just a bit unaccustomed earlier, that's all. It didn't mean anything else," she said, moving closer as if to prove her words were genuine.

In reality, she was on high alert, constantly watching Rong Noble Consort's every move.

Rong Noble Consort was too unpredictable, and the Junior Concubine couldn't let her guard down, only able to cautiously navigate the situation.

Su Yi chuckled softly at her actions, likening her reaction to a bristling cat, ready to hiss even before a hand was extended.

The hand that had paused mid-air didn't withdraw but instead gently landed on the Junior Concubine's face, as if that had been the intention all along.

Su Yi signaled for her to lift her head, preventing her from avoiding eye contact by lowering her gaze.

Su Yi looked into the Junior Concubine's slightly flickering eyes, filled with apprehension, and spoke to her in a kind tone,

"Are you unwilling to agree to my earlier proposal?" As if afraid of startling her, Su Yi's words carried a hint of indulgence.

The earlier incongruity in her gentle demeanor appeared to have vanished. She now seemed like a truly gentle and understanding older sister, eager to hear the other's true thoughts.

She was referring to her earlier proposal of having a way for the Junior Concubine to return and stir up trouble, aiming to eliminate Xiao Hesheli before she entered the palace.

Su Yi spoke as if she were a benevolent master, her tone implying that any concerns or dissatisfaction could be voiced.

Yes, it was all so gentle and accommodating, showing respect for the other's feelings.

But the Junior Concubine dared not take it at its word. The more Rong Noble Consort acted this way, the more it sent shivers down her spine.

She carefully analyzed the situation, saying, "Your Highness, I'm just concerned that if that woman uses some sorcery to escape again, it might expose Your Highness prematurely. Once she enters the palace, she'll be on guard against you, making it harder to act later."

The Junior Concubine spoke while keeping an eye on Rong Noble Consort's expression. "It might be better to wait quietly for the right moment, letting her guard down. Then, when the time comes, it will be easier to achieve success. I don't mean to refuse, but I just want to be more cautious."

She chose her words carefully, ensuring she didn't appear evasive. However, Rong Noble Consort's expression remained calm throughout, showing no extra fluctuations.

After listening to such a long explanation, Su Yi extracted the key point: Oh, she's unwilling.

Well, that's fine, right? She declined in a roundabout way, not directly stating it, which is already quite good.

Su Yi nodded, seemingly satisfied. "So, you're saying that in the past few days, you haven't mentioned me to her, and she doesn't know I'm targeting her."

Her hand moved gently and casually, as if petting a cat or dog, with no other actions beyond that.

Such actions made the Junior Concubine feel humiliated, but she hid it well. However, because of the other party's relaxed attitude, the Junior Concubine relaxed a bit, seeing that Rong Noble Consort wasn't angry, and her earlier words had worked.

"Yes, Your Highness," the Junior Concubine quickly responded.

She hadn't meant to help Rong Noble Consort hide anything, but at that time, she was only thinking about getting back at Xiao Hesheli, only thinking about how to make her suffer, so she didn’t mention Rong Noble Consort’s involvement. Xiao Hesheli had no idea how she’d been found, thinking it was just karma.

Now, it seemed to have helped her.

Rong Noble Consort wasn’t stupid. If Xiao Hesheli found out, it’d be better to act fast.

If she stayed in the dark, it would be wiser to wait until Xiao Hesheli entered the palace, striking while she was still vulnerable and unprepared before making a move.

"I see," Su Yi seemed to think for a moment, as if considering the current situation. The Junior Concubine waited on edge.

She worried Rong Noble Consort might still force her to kill Xiao Hesheli. Xiao Hesheli might have some tricks she didn’t know about. This time, she hadn’t fallen into Xiao Hesheli's hands, but if pushed too far, Xiao Hesheli might fight back.

If that happened, even if she perished, Rong Noble Consort wouldn’t care—she’d just see her as useless. Only if they fought each other could she catch a break!

"When you thought this, you didn’t have any selfish reasons, right?" Su Yi suddenly asked.

She didn’t mention how to deal with Xiao Hesheli but instead inquired about the Junior Concubine's personal motives.

Was Rong Noble Consort doubting her intentions?

The Junior Concubine felt a twinge of guilt but brushed it off, becoming more resolute.

Why feel guilty? Rong Noble Consort had betrayed her first, refusing to save her when she could have, only acting like she cared after she died!

But given the current circumstances, she had no choice but to submit.

"Of course, Your Highness. I have nowhere else to go now. Even if I were to leave, no one would see me. Wandering aimlessly, waiting to fade away, is too painful," the Junior Concubine said, her face showing a mix of confusion and fear, recalling her time wandering outside.

Even if she was acting, it felt real and looked real.

Who really wants to be a lost soul?

Su Yi gently comforted her, her expression showing a hint of empathy, as if she deeply understood the Junior Concubine's feelings. She began to console her, saying, "Actually, you don't need to feel so distressed, because—"

Her words trailed off, replaced by a serene and elegant smile. She lightly patted the Junior Concubine, as if unsure how to continue, resorting to this gesture to make the other feel better.

"Thank you for your comfort, Your Highness. Rather than drifting aimlessly outside, staying by Your Highness's side, serving you, and joining forces to deal with that woman is also a way to avenge myself. If there is any selfish reason, then this is it."

The Junior Concubine knew that claiming to have no selfish reasons would seem too fake. This way, her words sounded more genuine.

Who doesn’t have a bit of selfishness?

It sounded more reasonable and aligned with her current state of mind.

However, her hatred for Xiao Hesheli was real, and her hatred for Rong Noble Consort was equally real!

She only hoped that the two of them would clash and weaken each other, giving her a chance to strike when they were vulnerable...

"Ah!" The Junior Concubine's expression suddenly changed, her face contorted in pain as she collapsed to the side. Her trembling hands tried to clutch her neck, but even lifting them was an immense struggle.

Pain shot through her neck, as if she were reliving the agony of her death. The fiery red flame-like mark on her neck began to glow.

Experiencing it again, she knew this was anything but normal. It could only mean...

The Junior Concubine could barely speak, her eyes lifting to meet Rong Noble Consort's gaze. "...Why...?" she managed to choke out. Hadn't she already submitted?

She even went so far as to offer advice, fully adopting a submissive and humble demeanor.

She had also been keeping an eye on Rong Noble Consort's actions, how could it be so sudden...!

Wasn't Rong Noble Consort just comforting her a moment ago?! How could she change her attitude so quickly?!

And she didn't even know how Rong Noble Consort had done it!

Su Yi retracted her hand and leisurely smoothed out the wrinkles on her clothes, her movements flowing and graceful, exquisitely elegant.

She showed no surprise at the Junior Concubine's predicament.

After all, this burn was not due to her unwarranted benevolence.

When she heard the Junior Concubine asking why, Su Yi chuckled softly, her tone gentle, "I really like you too much, but," her voice carried a faint sigh, "you are not very obedient, aren't you? I say one, and you come up with so many twos."

She also seemed somewhat displeased, "Are you telling me what to do?"

This is completely unacceptable.

Hearing Rong Noble Consort's words, the Junior Concubine, in her anger, managed to gather enough strength to speak coherently, almost shouting, "No!! You are clearly doing it on purpose, you are toying with—ugh!"

The pain in her neck intensified, instantly silencing her, unable to even cry out, rolling on the ground a few times, her spiritual form seemed even more transparent.

At the same time, her mind kept replaying the scene before her death, Wulang pulling out the hairpin he had given her and plunging it into her neck, over and over again, and even more terrifying, Wulang's face was replaced by that of Rong Noble Consort!

This simultaneous physical and mental torment pushed her to the brink of collapse, her hatred would deepen the flame mark on her neck, as if feeding it, and eventually, her hatred would destroy her.

"Huh?" Su Yi seemed to hear something amusing, "Why would you think that, I thought you would like this method."

Seeing that the Junior Concubine seemed too pained to hear clearly, she thought that perhaps too much pain makes it hard to understand words.

Not wanting to be left talking to herself, Su Yi casually snapped her fingers.

With that crisp snap, the flame mark on the Junior Concubine's neck dimmed, allowing her to escape from the agony of near-death.

Experiencing the pain before death over and over again, such pain is unbearable for most.

After finally recovering, the hatred almost consumed the Junior Concubine, but the previous punishment made her dare not give in to her hatred.

"Your Highness... you're joking," the Junior Concubine forced a smile, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere with a relaxed tone, deliberately not mentioning the suffering she had just endured.

Su Yi was not joking, but was serious, and so she earnestly corrected the Junior Concubine's words.

"How could it be? I really thought you would like me treating you like this."

Hearing this would really make anyone clench their fists.

Especially since Su Yi looked quite serious, not at all like she was joking, making it seem like she truly believed it.

Not just people, even ghosts would want to spit blood hearing this.

The Junior Concubine almost blurted out, who would enjoy being treated like this!

If this is what Rong Noble Consort calls 'like', then this 'like' is something unbearable, it is clearly Rong Noble Consort's greatest malice!!

Being 'liked' by Rong Noble Consort is truly terrifying.

But she dared not say it, could only bear it, but the hatred was almost driving her mad.

"That Wulang, didn’t he treat you the same way?" Su Yi said with some surprise, "And yet you still loved him."

His name wasn’t even on the vengeful spirits’ blacklist.

At the mention of that name, the Junior Concubine trembled as if hit by a bolt of lightning.

"You haven’t gone after him for revenge these past few days, and you don’t even hold a grudge against him. Instead, you harbor deep hatred for me and that person. So I figured, if I treated you the same way, you might be more obedient."

Su Yi spoke with a gentle gaze, as if looking at a lover, filled with lingering tenderness.

"After all, I adore you so much," she said with a beaming smile. Her words were like a lover’s whisper, but they sent chills down the spine.

Su Yi still seemed puzzled. "But the same approach doesn’t seem to work as well. Can't you respond to my affection as wholeheartedly as you did to Wulang?"

She leaned in, genuinely confused, and asked with persistent curiosity, "Why is that?"

When a love-struck mind meets an obsessive lover, it's hard to tell who is more frightened.

She’s insane! The Junior Concubine’s eyes filled with deep fear, and she almost blurted it out.

This Rong Noble Consort is completely insane! There’s no reasoning with her—she can flip her stance in an instant!

The Junior Concubine suddenly transformed into her ghostly form, her fingers clawing as she lunged at Rong Noble Consort, aiming for her face, but was repelled just before she could strike.

Using the momentum from the repulsion, the Junior Concubine flipped in mid-air, trying to escape—clearly, she had planned this.

Her plan was to use the force of the repulsion to put distance between them and make her escape. Rong Noble Consort was not someone to be reasoned with; returning to her was a grave mistake!!

Even making peace and teaming up with Xiao Hesheli would be better than ending up in Rong Noble Consort’s clutches!

But for a trapped prey, any attempt to escape is futile.

The flame-like mark on the Junior Concubine's neck flared up again.

This time, her entire spirit seemed to burn like the crimson flame mark, as if scorched under the blazing sun.

She thrashed on the ground like a burning figure, trying to put out the flames, but it was no use.

Then, Su Yi's gentle voice slowly rang out, "Game time is over."

Calmly watching as the flames consumed the other, she sincerely said, "Congratulations, you no longer have to endure the torment of waiting for release."

She was just helping her move on.