After speaking, George wiped his sleeves and left.Helena collapsed on the ground, her arms reaching out helplessly, her face twisted with desperation and despair."No— Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please don't abandon me! Your Majesty!"How could this happen? How could he not need her heart's blood? Wasn't his Thiberium poisoning incurable by anyone else?'Why? Why?'Helena clenched her fists tightly, her eyes red and brimming with tears.Was she really going to be exiled?"No!"-George returned to Tyrian Palace, his expression cold as frost, remaining unchanged for a long time.Steven attended to him carefully, watching the king's expression closely.Although he didn't know the full details, the exile of Helena and the king issuing a decree of self-reproach were shocking enough.George sat at his desk, picking up a brush to write out a passage from the Calming Chant that the female assassin had taught him.At this moment, he desperately needed clarity and composure.The
Jane went to the adjacent room, where she incapacitated the two guards escorting Helena and rummaged through their belongings. She found official documents and a passage permit for Helena's exile.As expected, George had shown mercy. Though officially labeled as exile, it was in reality a chance for Helena to start anew with a different identity.'What about Wendy? Did Wendy get the opportunity to start over?'Jane tore the permit into shreds. Her gaze turned sharp and filled with murderous intent as the pieces scattered in the air.Helena woke up to find herself in a desolate burial ground, surrounded by rotting corpses reeking of decay. In the dark, pairs of glowing green eyes stared at her before dispersing.When she reached out, her hand touched something sticky and foul. She screamed, "Ahh!"Frantic, she scrambled to her feet, trying to escape.Suddenly, a gleaming sword appeared, and she felt a sharp pain in her ankle.Her legs gave out beneath her as she fell to the grou
Helena trembled all over, terrified of being sent to the brothel.As soon as Wallace loosened his grip, she collapsed onto the ground. She directed a question at Jane."The Foster family protected the future queen so well. Before you got married, even a simple trip outside the mansion was conducted in utmost secrecy."Have you ever thought that even if I did instruct the bandits to abduct you, how could I have known when you'd leave the mansion and which route you'd take without someone tipping me off?"Jane's face turned icy as her sharp gaze fell on Candace.Candace nodded, her response steady."Your Majesty, she's right. Your father was exceptionally cautious. Miss..."Candace glanced at Helena, then quickly adjusted her words."Miss, during your past outings, the accompanying guards were all trusted confidants of your father. The carriages were deliberately low-profile, and the return routes were changed constantly. Not even the mansion staff knew you had left."However, t
After dealing with Helena, Jane changed into simple men's attire, put on a mask, and returned with Candace to see Wendy.Inside the room, Wendy was being cared for by Luke. She seemed to have regressed to her childhood, curling up timidly in the corner of the bed, trembling in fear at the sight of anyone.When Jane approached, Wendy immediately shrank back and screamed, "Stay away! Ahh! Don't touch me!"The harm inflicted on her clung to her like an unshakable shadow, impossible to erase.Jane's eyes showed a trace of pity as she lowered the curtain, allowing Wendy to remain alone inside.Luke's medical skills were remarkable. Over the past few days, Wendy had been taking the medicine he prescribed, and her condition had shown some improvement, especially her ability to sleep through the night. However, she was still far from normal. Like a startled bird, even the slightest disturbance would throw her into a state of panic and unease.Jane instructed Candace to stay in the room
Wallace had urgent news, so Jane dismissed Candace, instructing her to return to the room and look after Wendy.The moonlight was cold and faint, casting a hazy glow over Jane. Her expression was calm and reserved."What is it that has you so worked up?" she asked.Wallace, already bursting to speak, began, "That woman… I followed your orders. I used medicine to temporarily make her mute and sent her to the brothel."The madam there, following their usual practice, inspected her first to decide whether to take her in. I waited outside, but not long after, the madam stormed out and started cursing at me. Can you guess why?"'Guess?'Jane shot him a sharp look, signaling her impatience.Wallace quickly abandoned his theatrics, unable to hold back any longer."The madam said she's not even a proper woman—turns out, she's a stone maiden!"Jane's eyes flickered at the revelation.A stone maiden? That meant Helena couldn't have complete intercourse with a man, couldn't bear childre
Wendy had been staying in Serene Palace for the past two days, evidently seeking Dina's protection.Steven tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, if Queen Wendy is with the queen dowager, and Lady Dina…"George lifted his gaze, his eyes cold and commanding."Lady Dina isn't someone who would overstep her bounds."Two days were long enough.-At Serene Palace, Jane soaked in the hot water, her body relaxed, but her mind remained burdened and uneasy.Knock, knock, knock!"Queen Wendy, His Majesty summons you."Thirty minutes later, Jane entered the royal study with plain attire. Her hair was adorned with minimal embellishments. She looked every bit the image of someone coming to admit her guilt which, in truth, she was.She knelt respectfully."Greetings, Your Majesty. I've come to admit I'm guilty."George's gaze remained cold."You admit your guilt—have you considered what punishment you deserve under the palace rules?"Jane lowered her gaze slightly."I am at Your Majesty's
Clara had served Helena for many years, just like Timothy, and had committed numerous heinous acts on her behalf.Jane couldn't let her leave. If one made a mistake, one had to face the consequences. Thus, Clara was sent to the Department of Discipline."Queen Wendy deceived me! She lied to me!"But no matter how much Clara screamed, no one paid attention to her.-At Zen Palace, Jane had decided to visit the forest where Wendy was abducted and conduct a thorough investigation.After nightfall, she quietly left the palace. She left Wallace to look after Wendy and brought Candace along to the forest.Candace, having experienced the events of that day firsthand, remembered everything vividly. The experience had etched itself into her memory and would stay with her forever.She pointed to a specific spot and recounted, "Your Majesty, it was right there! Our carriage was stopped by bandits, and the guards fought with them. Evonne and I helped Miss Wendy escape from the carriage and
The cemetery's eerie atmosphere was enough to make anyone's hair stand on end. Wallace, carrying a shovel, cast a half-smirk at Jane."Commander Foster, are you sure we're at the right place?"Before coming here, Jane hadn't mentioned that they'd be digging up family graves! All the Foster family ancestors rested here—how improper this was!Jane didn't waste words and walked straight ahead. She stopped in front of a tombstone bearing Evonne's name and gave a firm order."Dig it up."The guards buried at the same time as Evonne were interred nearby, their graves easy to locate. Jane instructed Wallace to dig those up as well.Realizing it wasn't the ancestral graves being disturbed, Wallace raised the shovel and got to work."Here we go!"Two hours later, several corpses, now heavily decomposed, lay on the ground. Unidentifiable fluids leaked from every orifice—eyes, noses, mouths—the scene was nauseating.Even Wallace, who was no stranger to death, was overwhelmed by the stenc
Contraceptive medicine was not something that could be taken openly, especially by members of the harem.Jane instructed Lily to sneak some medicine while bestowing rewards upon the physicians.Lily handled the matter swiftly, successfully obtaining the medicine and secretly brewing it in the kitchen. However, Maya caught sight of this.Lately, Maya had been in high spirits. With Wendy pregnant, her position as chief maid was no longer the same as before. Now, she was on guard against anyone trying to harm the queen's child, keeping a close watch on everyone in Zen Palace.She had never expected to catch someone in the act.Lily was acting suspiciously, brewing medicine that had not been prescribed by any physician. Something was off. She first had someone divert Lily away, then quickly lifted the lid to inspect the contents. With her seasoned experience, she immediately identified the presence of musk, a powerful substance.This was outrageous.If the queen suffered a miscarr
George sat upright, his robe loosely draped over him. It exposed his toned waist and abdomen that were still marked by the scratches she had left the night before.He gripped Jane's chin, turning her face toward him. His gaze, once predatory, had softened into something almost tender, an emotion Jane had never seen before."Last night–"Jane's gaze remained calm. "I was drunk. If I offended you, please forgive me. This won't happen again."His brows furrowed, and whatever warmth had been in his expression vanished instantly."You promised last night that you would conceive an heir as soon as possible. Is once truly enough?"Jane frowned. How could she have agreed to such an absurd thing?"The words of a drunkard cannot be taken seriously," she said.Upon hearing this, a chill settled in George's eyes."So, because you were drunk, it didn't count? Wendy, you were the one who initiated it last night. You held onto me and begged me to take you! Did none of that count either?"Hi
In the abandoned temple, one man after another came and went.At first, Jocelyn cried and screamed, but eventually, she fell silent. She lay on the pile of straw, her eyes wide open, staring at the door. Like a soulless clay doll, her entire body had gone numb.She never could have imagined that Jane would do this to her. It hurt so much. Jane had promised to protect her for a lifetime. Jane was a liar.-Meanwhile, at Zen Palace, outside the inner chamber's cedarwood door, Lily had intended to bring in some coffee, but she suddenly heard strange noises. The moment she realized what was happening, she froze.Her jaw dropped in shock, and her heart pounded with fear and anxiety.Just then, Steven appeared out of nowhere and yanked her away.Lily's face went deathly pale.She wanted to rush into the inner chamber and stop it from happening, but she couldn't. She was useless. She couldn't protect Jane.-In the banquet hall, after the king left, the concubines quickly lost int
All was harmonious in the palace hall during the New Year's Eve Banquet.For the time being, the concubines set aside their usual rivalries, laughing and chatting as they made wishes for the coming year. It was a lively occasion. Only the queen's seat remained vacant the entire time.George glanced at that empty seat multiple times.Dina noticed and asked, "The queen isn't feeling well. Should we summon a physician to check on her?"Rachel rose to her feet. "Lady Dina, I stepped out earlier to check on Her Majesty. She was exhausted and had already fallen asleep."Rachel had always been kind and meticulous. It wasn't surprising that she had thought of visiting the queen. No one suspected anything.Dina smiled kindly."Pregnant women do tend to be drowsy. George, you should take good care of her."George's gaze turned ice-cold. He lifted a cup of wine and drained it in one go.Everyone assumed he had ignored Dina's words. But as soon as he set his cup down, he stood up."Grand
"If Commander Morris dies, the north will fall into chaos. Do you know how many tribes are hungrily eyeing Nidora?""Do you really think you're Stanley?" Jane asked in a deep voice.Jocelyn gripped the blade of Jane's sword with her bare hands, preventing it from piercing deeper. Blood trickled from her palm. She spat out a mouthful of blood and sneered, unafraid."Yes, I impersonated Stanley. But you, Jane, married into the palace by pretending to be the queen! Besides, I'm an orphan with no father, no mother, and no siblings. But you? You have the Foster family behind you, and you care about the Morris family."Between the two of us, whose crime is greater? Who will drag down more people?"Blood continued to flow from Jocelyn's wounds. She gazed at Jane pitifully, then grinned menacingly."Think carefully, Jane. If you kill me, plenty of people will die along with me. I have people waiting outside. The moment I die, your secret–how you replaced the real queen–will spread everyw
Jocelyn's gaze at Jane was filled with vengeance."I have no regrets about doing this," she said coldly. "Haven't you taken enough from me since we were young? When I fainted from hunger at the Morris family's estate, with my obedient and well-mannered nature, I could have surely stayed there and been adopted as their daughter. "But no, Jane, you had to interfere! You made them take me in as a disciple instead! In the end, you became their adoptive daughter! That title–the Morris family's eldest daughter–was rightfully mine, and you stole it! "We were both abandoned by our birth parents, and we both ended up in the Morris family, but you just had to be above me!"Jane was stunned. Had Jocelyn hated her since then? Disappointment chilled her to the bone.Jocelyn actually thought that if Jane hadn't interfered, she would have been able to stay with the Morris family. She had no idea. Without Jane's interference, she wouldn't even have had the chance to become their disciple.For
Jane stepped out from behind the bed curtains. She had been waiting for this moment. With a swift motion, she raised her sword, the cold blade pressing against the intruder's throat.The mysterious figure stiffened in shock. They clearly hadn't expected an ambush.The room was shrouded in darkness, with no lamps lit. Jane held a fire starter in one hand. With a single breath, she ignited the flame, then tossed it aside, precisely lighting an oil lamp on the wall.Light flickered through the chamber.The intruder made a move to fight back, but Jane pressed the blade closer, a thin line of blood appearing on their neck. Her voice was icy."You can't beat me, Jocelyn."Underneath the mask, Jocelyn pursed her lips tightly together.Jane had hoped–countless times–that she would be wrong. But now, looking into those familiar eyes, her heart turned cold.Jocelyn was skilled in disguise, but she had never mastered altering the appearance of her eyes. Jane recognized them instantly.He
Jane retrieved a letter.Rachel's gaze followed it closely."See for yourself," Jane said coldly.Rachel stepped forward cautiously and opened the letter. Inside were indeed pieces of evidence incriminating her father.Her mind was in turmoil, but she forced herself to stay calm. She carefully put the letter back where it was and returned to her seat. Her thoughts were all over the place.This letter could have been forged. But she had already made one mistake, one that had cost her brother his life. She couldn't just stand by and let something happen to her father.Rachel was about to speak when she suddenly saw the queen place the letter over the oil lamp. As the flame caught the corner of the paper, it quickly spread, reducing the letter to ashes.Rachel was stunned. Without thinking, she shot to her feet."Your Majesty!"She couldn't understand what the queen was trying to do.Jane watched the letter burn to nothing, then cast a calm glance at her. "I won't hide it from y
Jocelyn sat in her room, the candlelight casting shadows across her face, making her look all the more sinister. The fact that Jane and George were truly in love had surprised her. She had never imagined Jane would become pregnant.Rachel was so useless.Jocelyn had handed such an important piece of leverage to her, intending for her to use it against Jane. Yet there had been no progress at all. Could she still be doubting the authenticity of the matter?What Jocelyn didn't know was that Rachel had already informed Teressa about it. However, because the queen was with child, the entire matter had been ignored.-At Fragrant Palace, Rachel sat in gloom, her heart heavy with frustration. The confidence she had before entering the palace had been utterly shattered, leaving her in a state of defeat.Aurelia stood beside her, not daring to utter a word.Rachel truly couldn't understand this. George had been devoted to Rosalie for so long. How could he now favor the queen instead?