Chapter Forty-Three

[A/N - Very tiny description of someone who went through torture.]

Meng limped down the palace hallway quickly toward her room. Not a single part of her didn't hurt, however it was rude to leave Feng Qi waiting any longer.

She was never the type of person to shy away from her responsibilities. Yet, having so many of them made Meng frustrated.

She tried her hardest to focus on helping Feng Qi, yet her mind kept drifting back to the emperor. Inside of her mind ran countless possible issues that will arise in future because of her recent actions. Anxiety attacked her heart until it felt choked.

Her thought process had become utterly jumbled inside causing a piercing head ache to take form.

[Pah!]

The sound of her hand meeting her cheek resounded through the hallway followed by a gasp of pain.

Meng held her right arm closely to her body as her eyes welled up with tears. The action wasn't exactly how the books described, but the result came out satisfactory. The pain did bring her back to her senses after all.

Meng started to think about what she should do for the actual problem at hand.

From her previous knowledge she knew that the original Ru Gu Meng had a torture collection in her room, therefore she decided to go there first. She could use that in order to complete whatever path she takes with Feng Qi.

Walking into her room, Meng made her way to her closet and used her hand to feel around the top shelf.

'It should be here.... yep!' She pulled out a leather belt with small tools dangling from the side. Looking at the weird object Meng's eye started to twitch.

From her memories of the book she knew where Ru Gu Meng hid her most treasured things, however she had no idea it would be so... eccentric.

How did she even carry this thing around?

Reaching her hand back up, she felt around the top shelf a bit more. The previous person should have a bag for it right? Carrying it around the waist would draw too much attention....

Unfortunately, Meng couldn't find anything that could possibly be used as a case for the object.

To be able to carry around tools like this, the original soul was truly deranged. Meng knew that she wasn't one to talk, nevertheless compared to this she was the most rational person alive.

She reluctantly wrapped the belt around her waist and made her way toward the door in low spirits. This humiliation she could deal with for Feng Qi.

Nearly about to leave the room Meng's heart froze when she noticed someone standing in the room trying to clean things. Before she hadn't noticed their existence because she was focused on finding the torture tools. Now it was impossible to ignore.

It was definitely the maid who lost an arm, but she looked far worse than before. She was of course missing an arm; however someone had gone a step farther and craved (slave) into her forehead.

Meng's face became grim. "Do you hate me?" She looked questionably at the maid who was still trying to fix the bed sheets.

The maid stopped her actions and met Meng's gaze without saying anything.

Meng's lips lifted into a sad smile. She knew those eyes all too well.

Empty. The person had become just as empty as she was before Feng Qi. Meng wasn't one to meddle in others business unless it included Feng Qi. But, because of those familiar eyes she might make an exception just once.

After fixing Feng Qi she would come back for this person.