Chapter 2 ….
The Trap
Yue-ling looked once again at the clear, transparent pond.
Could it be like those legendary ponds in martial arts novels that purify the whole body?
The water was so crystal clear that it looked freezing cold. But her body was already battered beyond recognition—surely it couldn’t get any worse. With the thought that she had nothing to lose, Yue-ling gathered what little strength she had and threw herself into the pond.
Splash!
Just as expected, the water was cold. Yet Yue-ling felt as if her body didn’t even have the strength left to feel pain. She soaked in the pond for more than ten minutes, but nothing happened.
Disappointed, she climbed out and drank some more water from the pond. After quenching her thirst, her mind seemed to clear a little.
If people outside realize I’ve disappeared, that’ll be a problem… But what is that bamboo pavilion?
Yue-ling wanted to explore the place, but her strength and mental energy were already exhausted. In the end, she had no choice but to give up.
She lay quietly on the grass.
It felt like a warm spring day. The refreshing scent of grass drifted along with the gentle breeze. In this space where none of the companions who had betrayed her or the family members who had abused her existed, there was a peaceful calm.
While resting like that, Yue-ling suddenly thought of something important.
How do I get out of here?
The moment that thought crossed her mind—
In the blink of an eye, she was back in the room where she had originally been.
Since it was her first time experiencing spatial movement, she lost her balance and rolled off the bed. The bed curtains collapsed, and the table rolled across the floor with a loud crash.
Because of the commotion she caused, Yue-ling didn’t notice that the gold pendant hanging from her neck had changed. On the phoenix wings engraved in the gold, one small feather had become much darker than before.
“Good heavens! Sister, you’re awake? How could you servants attend to her like this? You’d better prepare to be punished!”
Along with a loud scolding directed at the servants, a light green curtain embroidered with lotus patterns was pulled aside.
A young girl stood there, wearing a lotus-colored silk skirt with peach-colored trim.
Her glossy black hair, smooth like ebony, had been carefully combed and pinned up with a golden phoenix hairpin. Beneath her softly curved brows flowed a deep, gentle gaze. Yet the cherry-red lips curled into a slight smile somehow carried a faintly irritating air.
The girl walked gracefully toward the bed, as elegant as a lotus swaying in the wind.
She was truly a beauty of unparalleled elegance.
Compared to the girl calling her “sister,” Yue-ling’s appearance looked shabby. But Yue-ling was no longer the timid Shen Yue-ling who used to be too frightened to even raise her voice.
“Sister, are you feeling a bit better now? Those lazy servants made you suffer. I’ll definitely scold them later.”
Yue-ling quietly looked at Shen Yun-jin, the daughter of her stepmother and the second daughter of the household.
On the surface, Yun-jin acted sweet and caring, but behind the scenes she committed all sorts of wicked deeds. Yue-ling had already been driven to death by her hands, yet she still shamelessly played the role of a kind younger sister.
And now this same Shen Yun-jin was even trying to steal Yue-ling’s position as the future wife of Gu Gyeong-chang, the kingdom’s greatest general and loyal subject, the Prince of Loyal Fidelity.
So it was you who killed me.
And yet you dare to come see me? Bold, aren’t you?
But things are different this time. I won’t just sit here and suffer. Since you want to stage a play, I’ll make sure to dance with blades on your stage.
Yue-ling vowed to turn this tragic stage into something brutal and unforgettable.
As Yun-jin scolded the servants, the area quickly fell silent. Yue-ling’s maidservant Bi-luo and her wet nurse stood there with pale faces.
Yue-ling looked at Yun-jin, forced a faint smile, and coughed weakly.
“I feel a little better today. It’s just suffocating lying here all day. I think getting some fresh air outside should be fine.”
The only people Yue-ling could rely on were her loyal maid and the wet nurse her mother had left behind. If Yun-jin used this incident as an excuse to punish them, she would truly have no one left.
That would be troublesome.
Meanwhile, Yun-jin felt puzzled. Yue-ling still looked weak and haggard, but something about her seemed strangely different. Suppressing her suspicion, Yun-jin smiled innocently.
“Sister, hurry and recover. Father is busy with official duties, and Mother is busy managing the household. But they both wish for you to get well soon. Don’t feel too hurt that they haven’t come to see you.”
Her tone sounded so sincere that anyone unaware of the truth would easily be deceived.
Parents who don’t even bother to visit their sick daughter… and she says that like it’s something to brag about.
Yue-ling sneered inwardly but only smiled weakly outwardly.
“If they saw me in this state, they would only feel worse. That would be the greatest unfilial act. How could I feel hurt? But I’m still unwell today, so perhaps you should return for now. If you caught my illness, that would be terrible.”
Yun-jin clearly understood the meaning but pretended not to.
“Sister, once you recover, let’s go horseback riding together.”
Then she rolled her eyes slightly and smiled meaningfully.
“And the Prince of Loyal Fidelity’s residence is waiting for you to recover so the engagement can be confirmed. So you must get well soon.”
The prince probably just wants me dead.
Her acting deserves an award.
But if it’s acting you want, I can play along too.
Yue-ling grasped Yun-jin’s hand with an emotional expression.
“You’re truly the only one who cares about me, little sister. Don’t worry. I’ll recover quickly—for your sake.”
Yun-jin was startled by the unexpected gesture.
While she stood frozen with a forced smile, Yue-ling ordered the servants to bring food.
Then she smiled brightly at Yun-jin.
“I thought I couldn’t swallow anything, but since you worry about me so much, I’ll try again—for you.”
Seeing Yun-jin’s face twist like she had bitten into a bug made Yue-ling feel unexpectedly satisfied.
Did you think I’d fall for such a shallow trick after coming back from death?
Once my body recovers, I’ll repay the debt for killing Shen Yue-ling.
While the two sisters smiled sweetly at each other, pretending to be affectionate siblings, the maids hurriedly brought the meal.
Yue-ling realized she was hungrier than expected. She finished two bowls of porridge, a piece of rice cake, and several side dishes.
Ah… I suppose this body is still sick. I could eat more…
After finishing the meal, Yue-ling smiled warmly at Yun-jin, as if saying:
See? I wasn’t lying.
I’m trying very hard to survive, so stop worrying.
Yun-jin studied Yue-ling carefully while she ate.
It was definitely the same person—but something felt different.
But I clearly poisoned the food… so why is she eating it so happily?
Was it fake poison? No… I have to ask Mother.
Unable to sit still any longer, Yun-jin quickly said a few polite words and hurried away.
Later
As soon as Yun-jin left, Yue-ling hurriedly asked for the chamber pot.
In truth, the moment she finished eating, a sharp pain stabbed through her stomach.
Ah! Did I eat too much?
Or did that pond water have some kind of cleansing effect?
Bi-luo and the wet nurse panicked. One rushed to bring the chamber pot while the other supported Yue-ling anxiously.
“Miss, are you alright? Please don’t scare us…”
Behind the folding screen, Yue-ling collapsed onto the pot.
The moment she waved them away—
A thunderous sound erupted from her stomach.
Everything inside her bowels burst out all at once.
Throughout the night, Yue-ling had to relieve herself seven times. By the end, her legs trembled and her entire body felt drained.
After the last time, she collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep like a corpse.
But soon a strange smell woke her.
When she lifted the blanket, she saw her entire body covered in a sticky black substance, greasy and slippery like oil.
Ugh! What is this?
She looked like a mud-covered eel.
There was no way she could let anyone see her like this.
Peeking outside the bed curtains, she saw that it was still dark. A dim lamp flickered in the room, and beyond the curtain she could hear the wet nurse snoring softly.
After thinking for a moment, Yue-ling quietly took the clean clothes placed beside the washbasin.
She stuffed pillows under the blanket to make it look like someone was sleeping—
Then she slipped back into that mysterious space, where the bamboo pavilion and the pond were located.
The space felt warm.
She quickly removed her clothes and stepped straight into the pond to wash herself.
For nearly two hours, she scrubbed away the black grime covering her body. Only then did the oily filth finally disappear.
“My whole body is red…”
But soon the swelling and redness faded, and her skin returned to its usual pale tone.
Although her mind was still confused, one thing was certain.
The black substance that had come out of her body was poison that had accumulated before the phoenix spirit had entered her body.
This pond clearly had detoxifying effects.
Now that the poison had been expelled, her whole body felt refreshed and her mind clear.
Still, nothing miraculous like the bone-washing transformations described in martial arts novels had happened.
Yue-ling clicked her tongue in disappointment.
“In those novels, soaking in water like this gives you decades of inner power…”
“Looks like this pond doesn’t do that.”
Even so, the pond wasn’t useless. Despite bathing in cold water after severe diarrhea, she didn’t feel cold at all. Instead, a strange warmth seemed to rise from deep within her body.
I’m so weak… I should eat something.
After putting on fresh clothes, Yue-ling looked toward the small two-story bamboo pavilion in the distance.
I wonder if there’s anything to eat in that house…
