The Legend of Concubine Su

Chapter 158 The Sorrow of Concubine Hua

The innermost reaches of the imperial palace, a forbidden zone shrouded in power and conspiracy, the atmosphere so heavy that even the air seemed frozen, making it almost impossible to breathe. Concubine Hua, once the most powerful and favored woman in the imperial court, now seemed like a phoenix with broken wings, trapped in despair, unable to spread her wings and fly again.

It all started with a common harem feud, yet this one, like a boulder dropped into a tranquil lake, stirred up a raging tidal wave. Concubine Hua, always domineering, relied on the Emperor's favor to run rampant within the harem. This time, she lost her composure, provoking a thorn in the Emperor's side, sending him into a rage and leaving him completely heartbroken.

"Take Concubine Hua away, strip her and punish her with a cane, and lock her up in the cold palace. She is not allowed to come out without my order!" The emperor's voice echoed in the empty palace, cold and resolute, without a trace of emotion, as if he wanted to wipe out all the warmth and past.

Concubine Hua's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't seem to comprehend why the man who had once doted on her would treat her this way. "Your Majesty, how could you treat me like this? I refuse to accept!" Her voice was shrill and desperate, filled with endless anger and resentment.

However, the emperor just glared at her, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger. "Even now, you still don't repent!" His voice was like ice, piercing Hua Fei's heart.

Hua Fei remained stubborn. She looked up at the Emperor, her eyes filled with love and determination. "Your Majesty, everything I did was out of love for you. You can't do this to me!" Her voice was filled with pleading and reluctance.

However, the Emperor remained unmoved. He waved his hand gently, as if sweeping away a cloud of dust. The guards rushed forward like wolves and tigers, surrounding Hua Fei. Hua Fei struggled hard, her gorgeous clothes becoming disheveled and shattered, just like her current mood, shattered.

"How dare you touch me, you dog slaves!" Hua Fei's curses echoed throughout the palace, but the guards dared not disobey the emperor's order and forcibly stripped her clothes. Hua Fei was filled with shame and anger, her eyes full of humiliation and unwillingness. She had once been so proud, but now she had to endure such humiliation.

The eunuch standing by said in a shrill voice, gloatingly: "Empress Hua, you'd better save your energy. This is all the Emperor's will." His words were like a knife, stabbing Hua Fei's heart.

The caning began, the heavy boards falling again and again on Concubine Hua. At first, she gritted her teeth, enduring the excruciating pain, refusing even a whimper to beg for mercy. "I did nothing wrong. It's those bitches who are jealous of my favor!" Her voice was filled with a hint of stubbornness and unwillingness.

However, as the board continued to fall, her body finally couldn't bear the pain anymore, and screams broke out of her throat. Her voice was hoarse, and tears and sweat mixed together, washing away all her pride and dignity.

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten the love you once showed me?" Concubine Hua called out to the emperor in pain, her voice filled with despair and unwillingness. However, the emperor just watched it all coldly, without a trace of pity or sympathy in his eyes, as if he was watching an insignificant drama.

"Keep beating her until she admits her mistake!" the Emperor shouted coldly. His voice was like ice, completely extinguishing the last glimmer of hope in Hua Fei's heart.

Hua Fei screamed at the top of her lungs, "Your Majesty, you are so cruel!" However, her cries went unanswered. The caning finally ended, and Hua Fei was already on the verge of death. She was dragged into the cold palace by the guards. The shabby door slammed shut behind her with a dull thud, a despairing and heavy sound, just like her current mood.

The cold palace was dark and damp, emitting a stench of decay. Concubine Hua lay on the cold ground, her wounds paralyzed. Her eyes were empty and hopeless as she recalled the past. Once, she had commanded the empire, her doting caressing her beyond her control. She had thought she could live in this glory forever, but she had never imagined this would be her fate.

"It was all those bitches who framed me, and the Emperor didn't even believe me." Hua Fei muttered to herself, her heart filled with resentment and unwillingness. However, these resentment and unwillingness were like headless flies, running into walls everywhere in the cold palace, unable to find a way out.

The cold palace was exceptionally quiet at night, with only the occasional rustle of a mouse. Concubine Hua's wounds began to inflame, and the pain kept her awake. She gazed at the faint moonlight outside the window, her heart filled with a longing for freedom and warmth. However, these longings were like shimmering flowers in the water, ever-elusive.

"Perhaps, this is my fate." Hua Fei smiled sadly, her laughter full of helplessness and self-mockery. She knew that she had no chance of turning things around and could only wait for death in this cold palace.

As the days passed, Concubine Hua grew weaker and weaker. No one came to visit her, no one cared whether she lived or died. Her former followers, fearing repercussions, distanced themselves from her. Amidst this loneliness and despair, Concubine Hua's spirit gradually collapsed. She alternated between loud curses and silent tears, like a shell without a soul.

One day, the door to the cold palace suddenly opened, and in walked a maid who had been bullied by Concubine Hua. She looked at Concubine Hua's current state, her eyes filled with gloating joy. "Empress Hua, you have come to this day." Her words were like a knife, piercing Concubine Hua's heart.

Concubine Hua raised her head and glared at her fiercely, her eyes filled with anger and resentment. "How dare you, a lowly servant, mock me?" However, her words were like a powerless struggle, unable to change her current fate.

The maid sneered, her heart filled with satisfaction as she looked at Concubine Hua's current appearance. "You are no longer the high and mighty Concubine Hua. You will slowly wait for death in this cold palace." With that, she walked away, leaving Concubine Hua alone in the cold palace to face death.

Hua Fei's eyes grew more desperate, knowing she had no chance of recovery. She could only wait for death in this cold palace. A few days later, Hua Fei developed a high fever, and her consciousness began to fade. In her hazy state, she seemed to see the scene when she first entered the palace. Back then, she was young, beautiful, and full of energy, full of longing and hope for the future. Yet, now, she could only lie in this cold palace, waiting for death to come.

"Your Majesty..." Concubine Hua softly called out to the man who once loved her deeply, but her voice grew weaker and weaker, and finally she closed her eyes, ending her tragic life. Her body gradually grew colder, just like the cold palace, without a trace of warmth or life.