CHAPTER 818: CHAPTER 238: DISTORTION_4

It all made no sense.

Jiang Li thought over and over again, and felt that the problem lay with the Empress Dowager. She feared that what had initially appeared to be an accidental tragedy was actually a premeditated scheme. Yu Hongye, completely off guard, became the first pawn to be sacrificed.

"You come now to question me, expecting me to admit it?" The Empress Dowager smoothed her temples, a gesture which, if made by a young girl, might come across as coy, but coming from her at this moment, felt grotesque, sending shivers down the spine. She said, "The people are already dead, what difference does it make whether I admit it or not? Indeed, it was I who deliberately allowed Yu Hongye to barge in. Why should that whore always be an eyesore in front of me, a mere prostitute from the Brothel, and yet someone to be cherished and held in the palm of the hand. On what grounds? Born into a prestigious family, I could not even make my own marital decisions, and yet Yu Hongye, a whore, managed to live so merrily? Isn’t that unfair?" She lifted her chin, her mouth curling into a pleased smile, "I just made her die like a dog, with no dignity at all!"

In Jiang Li’s heart, this woman was the epitome of insanity.

Having said that, the Empress Dowager seemed quite pleased with herself, laughing heartily, her gaze sinking into memories.

Jiang Li was not wrong. It was indeed Lin Roujia who had deliberately let Mei Xiang’s mother—her wet nurse—lure Yu Hongye there, to catch her and Yin Zhan in the act and use it as an opportunity to kill Yu Hongye. Roujia detested Yu Hongye, but as the Empress Dowager, confined within the deep palace, and Hongye being the General’s Wife, she found no way to act personally and thus had to use Yin Zhan as her executioner. In the end, she was successful. Yu Hongye indeed died a tragic and painful death, a fact that left Roujia feeling as if a weight had been lifted off her chest, completely at ease.

But why did Roujia hate Hongye to the extent of risking everything to kill her? In truth, there was no direct conflict between Lin Roujia and Yu Hongye. Even in the years before Roujia was married, when she heard of the Yu Family’s misfortunes and knew the beauty of the capital had fallen into the Brothel, she even felt sympathy. At the same time, she felt fortunate being from the Lin Family, not having to endure those terrifying things, the fate of being manipulated by others.

When exactly things changed, Lin Roujia could no longer remember clearly, but perhaps it was from the time she was given in marriage, from when she became the Crown Princess Consort, that the Roujia of the past ceased to exist. Later on, in the palace, married to a man she did not love—who in turn did not love her—engaged in constant intrigue and competition for favor and affection within the palace women, she lived unhappily, and began to hate her identity as a member of the Lin Family.

Just at this time, Yu Hongye’s life underwent a complete transformation. From the fallen daughter of a condemned man in a Brothel, she became the Main Wife of the Jinwu General.

How Lin Roujia envied Yu Hongye. Jih Minghan, defying his entire family and even appealing to the Emperor, compromised and struggled for a long time before finally marrying Yu Hongye. His care and protection for Hongye were enough to make anyone envious.

Hate born of envy when one has and another does not, Lin Roujia had a status and position that originally Yu Hongye lacked, but now Hongye had it too. The right to be together with one’s love, a bright and happy marriage—everything Roujia lacked—Hongye had. What Roujia could not have, the very person she had once looked down on, even pitied, now possessed, felt like a harsh slap in the face for Lin Roujia, leaving her dizzy and hysterical.

Sometimes Jih Minghan would bring Yu Hongye into the palace. With each visit, the content smile on Hongye’s face would deeply wound Lin Roujia. Even after she had Yin Zhan’s protection, she was like a rat that couldn’t stand the light, unable to appear in public forthrightly. Yet Hongye could; even as Jih Minghan and Yin Zhan were both renowned generals, her identity as a Lin family young lady seemingly became a bigger obstacle than that of a Brothel’s condemned daughter. How could it be that she was the one unable to obtain anything?

Her heart twisted imperceptibly, with this resentment and jealousy peaking upon learning that Yu Hongye was pregnant.

At that time, the Late Emperor was on good terms with Jih Minghan, frequently summoning him to the palace, and naturally, Yu Hongye accompanied him. Lin Roujia was also forced to exchange a few words with Hongye. Seeing Hongye’s belly grow rounder day by day, Roujia could hardly stop herself from wanting to push Hongye over, to make her taste the pain of losing a son.

Yin Zhan was unaware of the deep secrets in Lin Roujia’s heart, and would often talk about his good friend’s happy news. The more he did so, the more desperate Roujia became. He rejoiced for his brother’s blessing of a son, but did he ever consider that between him and her, they would never be able to have a child together openly and honourably!