Sheng Lengshuang raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow as she observed Luo Yang, who was dressed extravagantly and ostentatiously, yet couldn't quite shake off the air of a nouveau riche. "Oh, isn't this Madam Zhou's concubine? I heard you were kicked out of the Zhou family. Looking at you, it doesn't seem like you were. Where did you strike it rich?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Yang knew that Sheng Lengshuang was fully aware of everything that had happened to her, which only fueled her envy and resentment.
Her eyes, dark and shadowed, fixed on Sheng Lengshuang. Her fingernails dug into her palm, yet she felt no pain. Why should Sheng Lengshuang, a mere nobody from the palace, become the true daughter of the Sheng family and enjoy a life of honor? Why did someone as outstanding as herself have to endure such hardships?
She truly, deeply hated!
She wished she could drink Sheng Lengshuang's blood and eat her flesh.
"Princess Mingrui is joking."
She took several deep breaths, managing to suppress the resentment and unwillingness in her heart. Gritting her teeth, she said, "My lord has always doted on me, so how could he possibly have kicked me out of the Zhou family? Princess Mingrui should not listen to such baseless gossip, lest it ruin your reputation."
Sheng Lengshuang shielded Xiao Feng and stopped him from speaking with a look.
Her smile remained unchanged, but her eyes grew colder, a hint of mockery in them. "Lord Zhou dotes on you? Luo Yang, your words are truly laughable. Everyone knows Lord Zhou is guarding the imperial mausoleum; how could he possibly manage the affairs of the Zhou family?"
"Furthermore, it is common knowledge that Lord Zhou detests you. Please do not flatter yourself; it will only lead to a fall."
Luo Yang almost lunged forward, but the last shred of her rationality reminded her that she couldn't confront Sheng Lengshuang at this moment. She had to complete her mission first.
She cast a venomous glance at Xiao Feng and glared fiercely at Sheng Lengshuang. "Sheng Lengshuang, you don't need to be so smug. I'm telling you, it won't be long before your smugness disappears."
Sheng Lengshuang guessed that Luo Yang and the shadowy figures had new schemes in motion. Without betraying any emotion, she simply said, "To put it nicely, you are a concubine bestowed upon Zhou Wenxing by the late Emperor. To put it bluntly, you are a concubine who cannot even grace the stage."
"As long as I wish it, you can lose everything at any moment, and even be beheaded."
The word "beheaded" struck the last nerve in Luo Yang. Her face contorted as she roared, "Sheng Lengshuang, you... Ah! Let go!"
Seeing Luo Yang being restrained by a hidden guard, Sheng Lengshuang glanced around vigilantly before asking the guard to escort Luo Yang to a private room in a nearby teahouse.
In the private room.
Sheng Lengshuang told Xiao Feng to sit obediently on a stool and eat his snacks. She then walked up to Luo Yang and sat on a stool, looking down at her coldly.
"Luo Yang, who allowed you to appear before me? What do you want now?"
She clasped Luo Yang's face with one hand and held several packets of poison in the other, a smile playing on her lips. "I don't want to waste words with you. If you dare to utter a single false word, I will disfigure your face and let you experience the torment of a rotting face for the rest of your life."
Luo Yang's face instantly turned pale. Terrified, she shook her head violently, looking at Sheng Lengshuang as if she were a demon. "No, no, no! You can't do this! You have no right to do this! I am a concubine bestowed upon Zhou Wenxing by the late Emperor."
Sheng Lengshuang, too lazy to argue, casually picked a packet of poison and prepared to force it down Luo Yang's throat.
As the poison drew closer and closer, Luo Yang's pupils dilated and contracted repeatedly, as if she were about to die of fright.
"Sheng Lengshuang, if you dare to ruin my appearance, I will not let you off lightly!" she threatened, her voice laced with fear.
Sheng Lengshuang gave a perfunctory "Oh" and, with the help of the hidden guard, forced a packet of poison into Luo Yang. "Have you ever seen human skin peel off inch by inch? You will soon."
Satisfied to see Luo Yang on the verge of fainting from fear, she crossed her legs and leaned back against the chair, appearing relaxed and pleased.
Luo Yang's first instinct was to find a doctor to detoxify herself.
However, as soon as she made a move, her acupoints were sealed by the hidden guard, rendering her immobile and speechless.
She continued to make muffled sounds, crying until tears and snot streamed down her face. Gone was her earlier arrogance and smugness; she was now utterly pathetic and unsightly.
She clasped her hands together, begging Sheng Lengshuang to spare her. She didn't want to become ugly; she couldn't become ugly.
If she became ugly, how could she marry Prince Mingrui and become the noble Princess Mingrui?
Sheng Lengshuang remained unmoved. She played with Xiao Feng, occasionally laughing at her son's antics, but her peripheral vision was fixed on Luo Yang.
When she saw Luo Yang's skin beginning to peel, she used her body to shield Xiao Feng, preventing him from witnessing the gruesome scene.
Xiao Feng obediently held his mother's hand, showing no curiosity or inclination to peek. He wanted to be his mother's good son and not do anything that would anger her.
Seeing Luo Yang on the verge of collapse from the pain, Sheng Lengshuang finally deigned to look at her. "Luo Yang, have you thought about whether you want to confess? I have quite a few more excellent things here that I believe you will find very pleasing."
Luo Yang conveyed both refusal and willingness to speak through her eyes. She had personally witnessed her skin peeling off inch by inch, turning her into a ghastly sight. How could she dare to conceal anything further?
Sheng Lengshuang waved her hand, and the hidden guard unsealed Luo Yang's vocal acupoint. She warned, "You had better not say anything you shouldn't, or else..."
She clapped her hands near the packets of poison, the threat clearly implied.
Luo Yang repeatedly assured her that she would not do anything inappropriate. "Princess Mingrui, please give me the antidote."
Sheng Lengshuang glanced at the bloody flesh on the ground and the blood-soaked Luo Yang, then gave her an antidote. "This is temporary. If you lie, you know the consequences."
No matter how much hatred, anger, or resentment Luo Yang felt, she dared not lie. "I... actually, I don't know who helped me. One day, a maid from the Zhou family approached me, saying she could help me achieve my wishes, provided I helped her master with a favor."
Luo Yang truly did not know who the other party was, but since they could help her control the Zhou family, live a more honored life, and help her deal with people like Sheng Lengshuang, she did not ask any further questions about their identity.
The other party was very capable. In a short period, they helped her gain control of the Zhou family. At that time, she thought her dream was about to come true, so she didn't do anything for that person, believing she would soon be able to trample everyone underfoot.
"What did this person want you to do?" Sheng Lengshuang narrowed her sharp eyes.
Luo Yang saw that her skin had stopped peeling, leaving behind ugly and bloody scars. This made her even more resentful of Sheng Lengshuang, but she dared not express her anger or speak out.
"This person wanted me to use the Zhou family against the Sheng family, find an opportunity to eliminate you, and also cause trouble for Prince Mingrui."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Lengshuang tapped her fingers lightly on the table, contemplating the entire affair. "Continue."
Luo Yang recounted everything she knew. She hadn't followed the person's instructions, thinking nothing would happen. However, not long after... shortly after Zhou Wenxing arrived at the imperial mausoleum, she was driven out by those people from the Zhou family.
Afterward, a man found her.
"Who was that man?" Sheng Lengshuang asked.