…Zhan clicked his tongue loudly in pure irritation and straightened himself. There was no trace of fear in him as he walked further into the room. He moved straight to the mirror while removing the bracelet from his wrist, not even bothering to look back at where Cao sat in anger.
He said coldly,
"So with just one brief encounter, you were scared enough to reveal yourself....like a foolish little duck bathing in dirty water stolen from others. I thought your so-called power would at least let you continue attacking me through dreams."
"If you think you're capable, then try me," Cao replied in a harsh, bitter voice that carried poison from deep within her heart.
Zhan gave a short, mocking laugh and turned around, leaning lightly against the mirror with his arms folded across his chest. The look in his eyes shifted into something terrifying.
He looked Cao up and down slowly. Her own eyes burned like glowing embers.
"Old woman, ability has nothing to do with age or experience in wickedness. Don't play with this filthy scar of darkness....it will drag you down until you drown in it. If your power was truly complete, you would have succeeded when I knew nothing… back when I was helpless.
If a mere three-day-old child could block your sight and hearing, then your so-called insight was already blind. You were close to victory, yet you still failed. That alone proves you are nothing more than a lost fool with an empty, rotten mind.
From the moment I fully awakened to myself, you dropped far beneath the soles of my shoes. So you're just a small witch after all, clinging to the weakness of others to reach your goals. You are nothing but a miserable, hollow shell of a creature.
Even now, if death called you, you would answer immediately..... erased as easily as the one who gave birth to you. And you… you dare to dream of ruling a land like Beiping? The world itself? What a grand, ridiculous foolishness…"
"You....! A tiny creature we created ourselves....!!" Cao burst out.
"Silence!" Zhan cut her off sharply.
He raised his finger and pointed at her, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"You are nothing but a bloated parasite, created to feed the fire of chaos. You.....cursed, rotten, worthless thing. Who are you to even dare imagine creating life? You can't even form the lowest crawling insect without carrying filth with you.
This is your final warning. From today onward, if your foot.....or that ridiculous ritual chair of yours.....ever crosses into my space again, I will erase you completely. I will end you in the only way a creature like you deserves."
After saying this, Zhan suddenly clenched thick flower vase in his palm and flung it with force.
The vase exploded across Cao's face.
It struck with the sharpness of a blade, as if forged from iron.
Cao's large nose was sliced clean off, the flesh severed completely as it dropped onto the floor.
A horrific scream tore from her throat. Her body began to shake violently as she clutched her face with both hands, blood pouring freely between her fingers.
Zhan grabbed another vase to throw again, but before it could strike, Cao vanished like a flash of lightning.... leaving only her severed nose and splashes of blood staining the floor and walls.
Zhan still hurled the vase, and it struck the place where Cao was trying to slip through the wall using her dark arts.
"Run, little witch. Run and see how demons are hunted in the real world," Zhan said, bursting into wild, sharp laughter.
He laughed until he lost balance and dropped onto the bed.
Only then did he reach up and press his hand to his head, still aching badly.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Zhan granted entry, already knowing it was one of his attendants. Indeed, she entered holding the milk he had ordered to be prepared.
With respect, she placed it where he pointed. Before he could instruct her to clean the place where Cao's blood had splattered, something strange caught his attention.....the severed nose was gone. There was no trace of it, as though something unseen had come and taken it away.
¦
¦
It felt as though she had been hurled like a ball from a great distance when Cao crashed back onto her ritual chair in the middle of clusters of dark bamboo huts deep inside the forest.
Her startled screams and groans of pain echoed through the woods. In response, figures began pouring out of the darkness.....people with twisted, unpleasant appearances. They wore no real clothes: children and adults, men and women alike, almost completely bare, their bodies only partially covered with leaves.
Within moments, they surrounded her. A few elderly figures....about five of them, two men and three women.....moved forward.
They lifted her, along with the chair. One of them quickly wrapped a red cloth over her face, which had been torn and cut open by the blood loss.
They carried her into one of the bamboo huts. The room was newly built and surprisingly large, but it was filled with black figurines and dark idols decorated in red. They set the chair down and began circling her, whispering and bowing, moving as though performing a ritual dance.
Outside, more of them gathered at the hut's entrance....adults and children standing in lines. When those inside chanted, the people outside responded, bowing and rising in unison.
The forest fell into complete silence except for their low chanting.
After some time, those inside scooped water from large earthen bowls and poured it over Cao, continuing to circle her. They washed the blood from her face. Her nose was gone.....leaving her face even more distorted and frightening.... but the bleeding finally stopped.
They applied thick medicinal pastes to her wounds. Her face had been badly torn, not just at the nose. After a while, her harsh breathing eased, though she still lay weakly.
In that hoarse, awful voice of hers, she began to call out strange names.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Dark shapes dropped into the hut, landing heavily. There was no fear in them. They stood before her with their heads lowered in submission.
With burning rage in her eyes, she pointed at the dark beings appearing one after another.
"To the first one," she commanded harshly:
"From today, do not ever let the Inner one sleep peacefully. Cover her body with foul, rotting sores that no one can touch....not even her own child. Terrorize her both when she is awake and in her sleep."
"As you command, and as I shall carry out," the creature answered, before vanishing like wind.
She then pointed to the next one.
"Go to the son we created for her.... Yibo. From today, do not let him think clearly. Turn him unstable. Make him laugh and break down constantly. Let him loathe that so-called husband of his more than anything in the world. In just a few days, his life will be within our reach."
"As you command, and as I shall carry out," it replied, and disappeared.
She pointed to another.
"Go to that old woman.....Dowager Ruyan. Help Banou finish the task. Within three days, her life will be ours."
"As you command, and as I shall carry it out, Cao, heir of the Mother."
"Zambo, go to that miserable boy and kill that flesh inside his body. Torment him, haunt him through his waking life, until he knows exactly who Cao is before I finish with him."
"As you command, and as I shall carry it out, Cao, heir of the Mother."
"Gamberu! I need the blood of the cursed parents who gave birth to that boy Zhan, by our command."
"As you command, and as I shall carry it out, Cao, heir of the Mother."
She burst into wild, unhinged laughter.
"I will see their downfall. I will destroy their lives. I will crush them. Since they denied us a place in our own land, they don't deserve to live either. I will rule Beiping. I will rule the world. I will become the most powerful force that exists.
That miserable old man.....Zhan's grandfather.... just wait for me. With my own hands, I will tear you apart in the heart of Beiping. Hahahaha!"
Everyone around her began to laugh as well. The forest echoed with their voices, carrying their laughter through the trees.
:-*:-*:-*:-
"Sister, when someone is unwell, they must eat. Try to endure it… at least drink this milk and take your medicine."
Jasrah had just returned home after leaving the court session. She had gone to inform their elder brother about everything. He promised to come soon, especially since the king had already sent him a message. He was one of the king's advisors regarding the sentence of Prince Deng, being a respected scholar.
She went straight to Dowager Taihou's room and found she had woken up.
Seeing how weak her body looked, Jasrah sat down and tried to feed her warm milk before preparing bath water. But Dowager Taihou didn't respond at all. Her mind seemed completely gone, as if she had drifted far from reality.
Jasrah kept coaxing her gently until she managed to make her drink a little milk. Even the medicine was swallowed with great difficulty.
She stood up, went to the bathroom, and prepared warm water. When she returned, she helped guide her there.
Before leaving, Jasrah gently begged her to at least pour some water over herself.....even briefly.....so her body could regain a little strength.
Almost the moment Jasrah stepped out, faint laughter began to echo.
Startled, Dowager Taihou looked around in panic, but she saw nothing.
Then came the sound of crying.
Every part of her body froze. She jumped to her feet, suddenly stronger than she'd been moments before.
The laughter burst out again, louder this time.
Her entire body began to tremble violently, as if her heart might burst out of her chest. She kept turning around in fear....but the bathroom was empty. Only her alone.
With frantic speed, she rushed toward the door, trying to escape. But the door was tightly shut, refusing to open.
As she struggled to force it open, a long, harsh growling sound echoed:
"Harrrrr—!!!"
From the surface of the door, a horrifying, twisted face slowly began to form.
She stumbled backward in terror and released a piercing scream so frightening that it sent Jasrah.....who had been adjusting the bed outside.... sprinting toward the bathroom in sheer panic….
Jasrah ran into the bathroom, thinking that Dowager Taihou might have collapsed, since she had seen how weak she looked earlier.
She found her lying motionless in the middle of the bathroom, unconscious, her arm lying against a small metal decorative stand in the room.
Before she even realized it, a scream tore out of Jasrah's throat. Panic flooded through her. She rushed to shake her, but there was no response.
She burst into tears.
In her life, she deeply loved her sister. Dowager Taihou had become a mother to her when they lost their real mother. She had cared for her like her own child, never once treating her differently from the son she gave birth to.
In fact, many believed she treated Jasrah with even more affection than Yibo, who had been taken away from her presence early in his life. From the moment Jasrah could remember, Dowager Taihou had always been right in front of her.... indulging her in everything she liked, giving her whatever she asked for.
In moments of panic, when everything became overwhelming and she no longer knew what to do, all Jasrah could do was cry. Her sobbing was so intense that she forgot she was still inside the bathroom.
Diwa, who was standing at the doorway holding a lunch tray she had prepared for Dowager Taihou, heard Jasrah's cries.
She had been the one to prepare light food and had followed behind with it.
She was not allowed to enter the room without permission, but the sound of Jasrah's distressed crying frightened her. With trembling hands, she placed the tray down and rushed to the wing of Dowager Ruyan.
In the sitting room, Daneen was gently persuading Mah to stay the night again. Mah was insisting that she needed to return home to prepare for the bridal reception the next day, when Diwa suddenly rushed in, visibly shaken.
Everyone stared at her in shock. Chuchu, known for her fiery nature, almost shouted at her for such bold and improper behavior.
Dowager Ruyan quickly stopped her.
"No, Chuchu, this is not normal. Slow down. You.....what happened?"
Diwa collapsed to the floor in tears, pointing back behind her.
"I beg your forgiveness. Something is wrong.....truly wrong. Aunty Jasrah is crying in Dowager Taihou's room. Something serious has happened. The doctor was check on her between yesterday and today…"
Everyone's faces fell instantly. None of them remained calm, especially since they had only just discussed her absence from court earlier. Chuchu had even suggested she simply chose not to attend, knowing her nature.
Not wanting that conversation to upset Mah, who was still a visitor, Daneen quickly changed the topic.
They all rushed toward Dowager Taihou's wing, leaving only Mah behind.
They passed Banou, who was standing by the flowerbeds with a stranger, unreadable expression on her face.
Her eyes followed them with a dark, unsettling look, but she said nothing.
Dowager Ruyan and the others didn't even bother getting into a car; they hurried on foot to Dowager Taihou's quarters.
The attendants there were already in chaos. Almost all of them had heard Jasrah's cries by now.
Ignoring their greetings, they rushed inside, and the sound of Jasrah's crying grew louder as they approached.
They found her still in the bathroom.
With difficulty, Daneen lifted her and hugged her close, trying to calm her down.
Meanwhile, Dowager Ruyan moved straight to where Dowager Taihou lay unconscious and began checking her condition.
Chuchu stood aside.....strangely calm, showing no sign of fear or panic.... only scanning the bathroom with narrowed eyes and lips pressed together.
With great difficulty, Daneen managed to calm Jasrah enough for her to give a brief explanation.
A doctor was immediately summoned, and servants rushed in. They carefully lifted Dowager Taihou and laid her on the bed.
When the doctor arrived, he confirmed that she had not died.... she had only lost consciousness.
Everyone released the breath they had been holding, while the doctor began his efforts to revive her.
Dowager Ruyan stood close by, whispering soft comforting words as she watched over her.
Suddenly, Dowager Taihou sucked in a sharp breath and jolted upright with such violent force that the doctor had to place his hand on her to hold her down....yet even he could not manage alone.
Jasrah and Daneen had to rush forward to help him.
But they struggled, because a frightening kind of strength surged through Dowager Taihou. She thrashed wildly in panic, twisting and fighting uncontrollably.
(This situation is truly serious…)
Chuchu thought to herself, pressing her lips together.
Although no one knew what she was thinking, everyone else was desperately trying to calm Dowager Taihou. Dowager Ruyan stayed close, murmuring soothing words into her ears.
They barely managed to restrain her. Sweat poured down their bodies just as it poured down hers.
Her breathing became erratic, shaking her entire frame.
The doctor continued his work, eventually forcing her back into a drugged sleep....but even that refused to fully take hold.
Each time he tried to adjust her, she would jolt awake again and they would have to press her gently back onto the bed.
What started as urgency quickly turned into panic.
More doctors were summoned, and stronger injections were brought in.....far stronger than the first.
Within a very short time, news of Dowager Taihou's illness spread throughout the royal residence.
Some people were filled with sympathy.
Some whispered with satisfaction.
Others began interpreting it as something far deeper and more ominous.
Almost instantly, it became the hottest topic inside the palace..... along with the unresolved matter of Prince Deng's judgment.
Meanwhile, our royal highness Zhan was sleeping peacefully through all of this, completely unaware of the chaos.
He didn't wake up until around four o'clock.
He bathed, dressed, and after finishing his grooming, stepped out in search of food because hunger twisted painfully inside him.
His attendants, who had been gossiping among themselves about Dowager Taihou's condition, quickly stood up when they noticed him.
Zhan cast them a single cold glance and looked away. His mood was still dark.
He sat down and gave a short command for his food to be brought to him there.
Within moments, his trusted attendant arranged everything neatly in front of him.
When she opened the cover to serve him, Zhan stopped her, his eyes locked onto the dishes.
"Who cooked this food?" he asked, his voice low.
Trembling slightly, the attendant answered that the she and the new palace cook had prepared it. She pointed out the woman responsible.
Zhan fell silent, studying the woman. She stood with her head bowed deeply, unable to lift her eyes.
Zhan didn't even realize when he raised his voice and ordered her to look up.
It wasn't just her who froze....all the servants around were shaken. This was something Zhan had never done before.
He stared at the woman with a gaze that didn't feel human.
His body trembled slightly, and his eyes burned with a frightening intensity.
Anyone who looked at him felt a chill run through their spine.
It was clear to everyone.... This wasn't their sweet royal consort.
A sudden, brutal strike landed as Zhan grabbed the woman and slapped her so hard that she spun sideways. The other servants' bodies began to tremble uncontrollably.
He seized her by the throat with crushing strength, his fingers digging in as he growled in a terrifying voice that echoed through the hall.
"Who sent you here?"
Through choking pain, the woman.... who already felt the smell of death closing in....forced out a single word:
"Cao."
"Cao… Cao…" Zhan repeated slowly, like tasting the name.... and then he burst into harsh laughter before his expression turned cold.
His brows tightened. His eyes burned red with fury as he leaned closer, still gripping her throat.
"Oh… so she can't understand silent warnings. She can't understand threats unless I strikes first. Does she really have to anger me this much?"
"Must I show her the true color of my rage before she learns that I am stronger than her?"
With a furious roar, he slammed the woman onto the center table.
She screamed, her whole body shaking violently. The impact was so brutal that even though it was wood, her body rattled from the blow.
The other servants began to lose control of themselves in fear.
Zhan showed no awareness of the chaos....he kept striking her against the table again and again.
Only when her breathing turned faint and blood smeared across her did he finally pull her upright.
Turning sharply to his trusted aide, Zhan commanded, "Call two guards."
They arrived within moments.
He threw the woman at their feet. She collapsed heavily in front of them.
Coldly, he said:
"Take him. Chain him in the center of the royal grounds."
Trembling, they replied, "Your command is our duty."
Everyone stared in disbelief.....not just at what he had done, but because Zhan kept calling the woman "him," as if he didn't even recognize her gender.
Without giving anyone another glance, Zhan walked straight toward the dining handwash basin.
He washed his hands carefully, scrubbing away the blood, though his mind was still in turmoil.
He returned briefly to his bedroom, changed clothes, and emerged again in fresh attire.
The servants were still pressed flat against the walls in fear.
"Follow me with that food," he ordered.
They sprang upright immediately as he walked away.
He moved through the palace the way he always had....walking wherever he pleased.
But today, he ignored every greeting. He didn't even look at them.
He walked straight to the quarters of Dowager Ruyan.
Even there, he did not acknowledge a single servant.....only sweeping them with brief, cold looks.
Not finding the person he wanted, he suddenly shouted in a harsh, shaking voice:
"Banouuu!!!"
The shout didn't only bring Banou out.... even Mah and Wuxia rushed out in shock. Other servants in that wing, who hadn't even known he had arrived, stumbled out in panic.
Banou, her body shaking violently, dropped to her knees before him.
Zhan raised his hand and slapped her hard, then grabbed her collar and yanked her to her feet.
In a terrifying voice, he demanded:
"Where is your guest?"
It wasn't only Banou trembling. Everyone present was shaking.
Even Mah, who raised Zhan, found herself afraid of him.
Wuxia had already soaked her jeans in fear. Her body trembled so badly that her phone slipped from her hand without her noticing.
(Ahh... 😂 Wuxia, aren't you madly in love with Zhan's husband? Come on... Be a woman, Wuxia, fighting 💪)
Banou, nearly collapsing from terror, pointed shakily toward the woman who had been with her earlier....the one who stay when Dowager Ruyan went to Dowager Taihou's wing.
Zhan let Banou go....she dropped to the floor in a mess, crying out in pain.
With just one finger, he gestured for the woman to step forward.
She tried to speak..... he grabbed her violently and slammed her into the wall.
The entire hall seemed to shake from the noise.
Wuxia clung to Mah, bursting into tears.
In a thunderous voice, Zhan demanded:
"How many of you are here?!"
The woman trembled uncontrollably and stammered,
"Don't kill me… I promise I'll tell you everything you want to know… please…"
"I said....how many of you?!" Zhan roared again.
"Five," she whispered in panic.
"And what were you sent here to do? Why disguise yourself as a woman?"
She stammered in fear:
"I… I was helping Banou… to finish off the great lady… Dowager Ruyan… b-because she has stayed here with her for too long…"
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛