Huang Yu slammed the door and left.
The room fell into silence.
I stared blankly at the portrait of Xiao Yue on the floor.
How did Huang Yu and I end up like this?
Memories began to unfold.
When we had just gotten married, we loved each other deeply.
We were harmonious, our bond strong.
But why did resentment grow between us?
I remembered.
It was because we cared too much for each other, leaving no room for even a grain of sand.
In moments of heightened emotions, we said many hurtful things to one another.
Even though we once loved each other.
Loved each other?
Did we really love each other?
I suddenly felt a bit dazed.
Reflecting on the years we spent together, it seemed I had been tirelessly striving for Holy Favor, working hard to gain more power.
Did I lose something important in the process of gaining?
Those things I thought were right, but were actually completely wrong.
How could I have done that?
I...
I pressed my hands against my head in agony, my thoughts a chaotic mess.
I felt like my head was about to explode.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I began to hurt myself.
The wounds on my arms bled profusely, yet I felt a twisted sense of pleasure.
The pain nearly shattered me.
The next day, I was emotionally drained and mentally exhausted.
I couldn't cry out, couldn't move, and lay numbly on the ground, sprawled out alongside the portrait.
Until morning, when the sunlight fell upon me, I was awakened.
I climbed to the desk and opened the ink and paper in the study.
I was going to write a small note about Huang Yu and Xiao Yue's affair; I wanted everyone to know.
However, at the moment I put pen to paper, a sharp pain shot through my chest.
I clutched my heart, staring in disbelief at the bloodstains on my hands.
My emotions had turned into a blank slate.
I casually flipped open a painting on the desk; it was of Huang Yu's sleeping form that I had secretly drawn three years ago.
He looked so sweet and defenseless in his sleep, how wonderful that was.
The happiness from that time was so real.
But now, it could never return.
The maid Xiao Ling urged me, "Princess, announcing your separation by harming yourself seems too reckless. If the Consort deliberately slanders you, it will be a messy situation for both of you. In the end, it will be the princess and the Consort who suffer."
I shook my head. "If he has done wrong, he must bear the consequences. If he chooses to make a scene, let him. In any case, it will ultimately end with him facing himself; as long as he isn't afraid."
Xiao Ling hesitated to speak.
I smiled and rubbed my temples. "I know what you're trying to say; you're worried that my actions will hurt him again, right?"
Xiao Ling nodded slightly.
I lowered my gaze, looking at the shattered portrait on the ground, and let out a self-deprecating smile.
"I always wanted to protect his innocence and beauty, but I never expected that I would delay his growth in doing so. Now, I will repay him for the hardships life has dealt him all at once; for him, it may not be a bad thing."
I stood up and looked out the window.
"Moreover, I no longer have the time or energy to comfort him or take care of him. He can do as he pleases."
"Princess, have you really thought this through?" Xiao Ling looked at me with concern. "You used to rely on Consort so much."
I smiled lightly. "I relied on him, but he saw me as an enemy. Since that's the case, why should I be overly sentimental?"
"Go prepare; we will meet Your Majesty shortly."
"Princess?"
"Huang Yu has tarnished the reputation of Princess Manor and should be expelled from it," I said calmly. "In the past, I wouldn't have treated him this way. I would have given him some face and allowed him to maintain the dignity of Princess Manor. But now, it's hard to justify that."
"But he has been with you since your youth; can you really bear to..."
"He followed me when he was young, and I enjoyed his most beautiful and vibrant energy. I should give him a dignified exit. But you know as well as I do that now, it's impossible."
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