Strings To A Puppet 1

ChunHua's eyes jolted in fear, her fingers curled around Hongyue's foot, trying to dispel the pressure on her throat. However, that made Hongyue leaned forward and rammed down even harder. ChunHua, who was out of air, seemed to have accepted her fate and stopped fighting. She welcomed her head, becoming faint before Hongyue finally let her go skillfully, retracting her leg. Hongyue gazed down at the unsteady miss with contempt.

Want to die? That easily? Hongyue sneered.

Hongyue stretched out and hauled ChunHua up by her hair, her eyes gleaming.

"Death seems too easy for you. Why don't we arrange something else?" Hongyue taunted.

ChunHua's mind gradually cleared as she listened to Hongyue's words, her eyes overflowed with horror. Did Hongyue intend for her to not even die peacefully? Nevertheless, she succeeded in croaking her final threat out of her aching throat, praying to stop Hongyue's killing intent.

"My mother won't let you go! She'll never forgive you!"

Hearing this, Hongyue stomped down on ChunHua's hand. She deliberately increased the pressure as she spoke, "Oh~ When did this miss ever needed her approval to do what I want? Your mother won't have the time to worry about you. She'll be too busy worrying about herself."

ChunHua's eyes widened, "W-what do you mean?!! Don't you be too insolent! The gods will never forgive you!"

Hongyue paused, her mouth curling up. The gods will never forgive her? How absurd, she hadn't forgiven them for all her suffering, yet the gods dare interfere with her business?

"Oh, but do I care?" Hongyue declared cheerfully.

The sentence seemed to linger in the air, piercing in the ears of both Black and ChunHua. The second miss trembled before she attempted to collect herself together. What else could she say? The sister before her feared nothing.

As long as she didn't have to die, then she'll be willing to do anything. ChunHua bowed her head weakly before she asked shakily, "What do you want to do then?"

Hongyue's eyes shone dangerously as her hand reached out for ChunHua's neck.

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During the quiet night, footsteps hurriedly entered inside a lavish courtyard; ChunHua sat propped up in her bed weakly. A luxurious red blanket covered her body, and her throat was encased in a bandage. Perspiration dripped down her forehead, and the nearby lamp revealed her haggard state. Attendants rushed back and fro, attempting to care for their injured miss. Footsteps sounded busily through the room, but it did nothing to calm ChunHua's heart. Curling and uncurling her toes, ChunHua tried to smile at the woman who was quietly wiping her forehead.

"Mother," ChunHua softly called out.

The second concubine looked at ChunHua but didn't respond. Instead, she dipped a piece of damp rag back into a wooden tub of water and twisted the water out. The concubine appeared to be rooted in thought as she moved her hands. The lamp reflected her troubled expression as she thought about the general.

"Mother," ChunHua called out again.

Finally, the concubine sighed and carefully wiped ChunHua's face. She pushed the stray pieces of hair away from her daughter's face and gently stroked ChunHua's cheeks. Her loving eyes reflected a worn-out ChunHua.

"How did you get into this state?" The concubine finally asked.

ChunHua hesitated, her eyes settled on a thin silver thread that dangled in front of her eyes. She knew one end of the thread was tied tightly about her neck while the other end led to the person holding her life in their hands. Her voice quivered as she lied, "This daughter messed up during her magic lessons."

Magic lessons often ended up in injuries, so the second madam didn't overthink it, however second madam happened to mistake ChunHua's distress for grief, "Is that so? Are you still upset about your aunt's death? I told you not to worry about it."

ChunHua glanced away and did not respond. She stared blankly at the thin thread, her mind complicated. Seeing her daughter like this, the second concubine sighed and put away the tub of water. She sat down close to her daughter.

"Tell mother what you're so worried about," The second madam murmured, her hand gently stroking ChunHua's hair.

ChunHua turned back to face her mother, but she couldn't speak out the words she really yearned to. If she even uttered one word out of term, she knew the thread would be drawn, and her head would roll off before she could even scream. ChunHua tilted her head downwards so her mother wouldn't be able to see her fear.

"Are you sure the poison will work?" She finally choked out.

The second madam instantly furrowed her eyebrows in displeasure, "Didn't I tell you not to worry about it?!"

ChunHua stared dumbfounded at her mother's anger, "Fourth Au-"

A resounding slap cut her short. The second concubine huffed in anger, "Fourth Aunt this, Fourth Aunt that! I'm your real mother! She's already dead!"

"B-but Mother, Hongy-"

The concubine sighed, her hand rubbed at her temples in irritation, "Mother has her way to make that brat die, so you needn't worry about it. Worry about your father more."

ChunHua looked confused, "Father? But doesn't father always trust you?"

The second madam chewed her bottom lip, her eyes flickering unease, "It's because he's busy with military affairs recently... never mind that. Go to sleep."

The concubine gently pushed ChunHua down onto the bed and arranged the blanket over ChunHua's head. She blew out the candle and stepped out the door. The servants quickly came forward and lightly locked the doors. The room grew peaceful once again. However, ChunHua couldn't help feeling bitter inside her heart. Her hand reached up and touched her burning cheek, her eyes filled with unwillingness.