The ground was covered in a shocking, vivid crimson. The Empress’s final cry faded into the cold air, leaving the Hall of Mental Cultivation in a deathly silence.
Beside them, Wang Decai felt his eyes grow hot and his heart ache. He still remembered when the Empress first entered the Prince’s manor; her eyes had been clear and bright, filled with nothing but love for the Emperor. She had been gentle, kind, and pleasant to all the servants.
He did not know when she had changed into this ruthless, unrecognizable creature. Perhaps it had started when Jin Weige repeatedly summoned the Emperor away, leaving the Empress to face the empty chambers alone. Or perhaps it was when more and more women were brought into the manor, and the Empress found herself lucky to receive the Emperor’s favor even twice a month. Those periods of neglect had been like cold, sharp blades, slicing away her gentleness and kindness piece by piece.
Chapter 280