The bronze lock on the side hall of the Cold Palace glowed a dull gray in the twilight, resembling a solidified tear stain. A broken key remained jammed in the keyhole, a testament to the desperate struggle of some long-forgotten prisoner. Shen Mingyue’s fingertips brushed against the peeling vermilion paint; the chilling sensation spread across her palm, the cracked texture mirroring the unhealed scars of her past life. Cobwebs hung in the corners, cradling a withered crabapple petal, and in a trance, she was transported back to the final night of her previous life—crouched on these same damp tiles, hearing news of her brother’s execution, watching her fingernails dig deep into her palms until blood stained her wedding gown.
The Jade Pendant at her waist suddenly grew hot, pulling her back to reality. Mottled moonlight filtered through the lattice, casting a web-like pattern on the floor that overlapped with the phantom bloodstains in her memory. The carvings on the window frame were decayed, resembling twisted, ghostly faces. Where the wall plaster had flaked away, a yellowed mural emerged, revealing half a peony, ravaged by time—much like her own shattered fate.
"Creak—" The rotten wooden door was pushed open a crack, emitting a dying groan; patches of dry moss clung to the hinges. Gu Jinghong slipped in like a night owl. His black combat attire was damp with dew, and broken dead leaves clung to his shoulders. There were clear signs of blade slashes along his hem. As he …
Chapter 59