Chapter 278 - 277: No Longer Human

「At Zhaohua Pavilion, with Honored Lady Lan.」

Lianlian and Molli had rested for a night and felt somewhat better.

During the night, Lianlian had lit the Calming Incense again.

When Honored Lady Lan woke up the next day, her spirits were reasonably good.

After washing up and having breakfast, Lianlian smiled and said, "My Lady, Xia Jieyu said yesterday that you should go for a walk when you feel better!"

"My Lady, your complexion is quite good today. Why don’t I pick out some clothes for you, and we can go visit for a while?"

Lianlian was still the same as before: diligent, kind, and always smiling.

If she hadn’t known about the malice in Lianlian’s heart, Honored Lady Lan might have been deceived by that smile.

But no matter what, Lianlian had not yet truly shown her fangs to her. So, Honored Lady Lan had not yet broken off relations.

She glanced at her vanity case and said indifferently, "I’m feeling a bit tired today; I don’t want to go."

What would be the point? Xia Jieyu has been kind to me; I can’t harm her! Lady Xi has always been trying to push me towards Xia Jieyu, probably wanting me to harm her too. But why should I? What reason do I have to harm Xia Jieyu?

No sooner had she finished speaking than Lianlian’s expression changed. She said in a somewhat forceful tone, "My Lady, Xia Jieyu has summoned you. You should go. Otherwise..."

Honored Lady Lan’s gaze turned cold. "Otherwise what?"

Lianlian paused, surprised.

Has this blockhead started to resist?

She felt a flicker of astonishment, which was quickly followed by an urge for even greater oppression.

"Otherwise... about that Calming Incense... you should stop using it for now!"

Having said that, Lianlian left without another word.

Honored Lady Lan panicked. "Calming Incense!"

The Calming Incense is in Lianlian’s hands?

She suddenly felt utterly desperate.

Why? Why does such a distressing thing exist in this world? I don’t understand; I can’t comprehend. I’ve done nothing wrong, so why must I suffer such a punishment?

「...」

After breakfast, Honored Lady Lan was reading in the courtyard. But as she read, something began to feel amiss. She started to feel unwell: a tightness in her chest, dizziness, and a headache. Pain wracked her body; she ached everywhere. She was also continuously thirsty, yawning, and her eyes watered uncontrollably.

Her complexion, which had been reasonably good when she had first woken up, now turned deathly pale, twisted, and hideous.

"Ah..." she cried out. "Someone... help..." She threw the book aside, her body convulsing as she collapsed to the ground.

Molli was tied up by the well in the back courtyard. She heard the commotion but couldn’t come to help.

In the end, it was Lianlian who appeared.

Honored Lady Lan lay on the ground, shaking desperately, saliva and tears streaming down her face. "Give it to me... Quickly, give it to me!"

Lianlian smiled. "My Lady, I told you already, but you wouldn’t listen!" Then she gloated, "Weren’t you so formidable? Didn’t you love to put on airs as the master? Go on, keep acting!"

Honored Lady Lan’s ears were buzzing, as if a thousand bees were swarming inside her head.

"Please... I’m begging you! Quickly, give it to me!"

A triumphant feeling surged through Lianlian. She stood upright, glanced around, and then sat down in the master’s seat, high and mighty. Settling in comfortably, she mocked, "Give it to you? Fine! Just agree to three conditions, and I’ll give it to you immediately. How about that?"

Honored Lady Lan hurriedly nodded. At that moment, she would have agreed to anything, be it thirty conditions or even three hundred.

Lianlian snorted coldly. "First, kneel and kowtow to me three times! Second, you will call me ’My Lady,’ and you will be the servant! Third, from now on, you must obey my every command!"

Without a second thought, Honored Lady Lan collapsed to her knees and began to kowtow.

Lianlian’s eyes shone with an intense light. "This Calming Incense really is something else, turning a perfectly fine person into a dog! Hahaha..."

Honored Lady Lan continued to kowtow, speaking frantically, "Quick... give it to me!"

Lianlian looked down at her. Seeing Honored Lady Lan in this state, she took a small piece of incense from her sleeve and threw it towards her. "Here you go, my servant!"

Honored Lady Lan reached for it, but Lianlian suddenly snatched her hand back. "Have you called me ’My Lady’ yet? You have the nerve to take it without doing so! Shameless!"

With that, she kicked Honored Lady Lan, tossing the incense onto her.

Honored Lady Lan was knocked to the ground by the kick, showing no trace of displeasure or resistance. She cried out "My Lady" incoherently. She immediately scrambled up, crawled forward a few steps, and frantically picked up the piece of incense. Then she crawled towards the house, muttering, "The burner, the burner!"

She no longer resembled a person. She was nothing but a madwoman—a crazed, delirious lunatic!

In the room, Honored Lady Lan, shivering, lit the incense. She leaned close to the incense burner, breathing in deeply.

After an unknown amount of time, her complexion finally returned to normal, and with it, her sanity.

She knelt on the ground in anguish, wailing.

The most devastating part wasn’t that she had committed these shameless acts. The most devastating part was that she remembered all of it!

「...」

After tidying herself up and getting dressed again, Honored Lady Lan finally left with Lianlian, heading for Qingya Residence.

Regrettably, Xia Jieyu was not there; she had gone to the Imperial Study Room to accompany His Majesty.

Honored Lady Lan let out a huge sigh of relief.

After returning, two more days passed without incident.

「On this day.」

Honored Lady Lan was once again compelled to visit Xia Ruqing.

Xia Ruqing had received word long ago.

It seems I can’t avoid it this time,

she thought. She had Xiao Xizi and the others set up a table in the courtyard. When Honored Lady Lan arrived, Xia Ruqing invited her to sit.

Xia Ruqing, seeing that her complexion wasn’t too bad, smiled. "When you last visited, Honored Lady Lan, you were still ill. You appear to be much better now?"

Better? As if! Addicted to opium, how could she possibly be okay?

Honored Lady Lan forced a dry smile. "Speaking of which, I haven’t yet thanked Xia Jieyu for the bird’s nest!"

Xia Ruqing waved her hand. "Oh, it was nothing!" As she spoke, she stood up and walked around a little.

I don’t want to be too close to that Lianlian.

Luckily, I’m less than three months pregnant and wearing last year’s clothes, so it doesn’t show at all.

Lianlian watched Xia Ruqing closely, observing her again. She once more confirmed that Xia Ruqing wasn’t pregnant. Relieved, she let go of her worries.

It’s good she’s not pregnant. If she dies, she dies. If it were one death resulting in two lives lost, then I wouldn’t survive either. Yes, it’s for the best that she’s not pregnant!

After confirming this, Lianlian said bluntly, "My Lady, it’s getting late. We should head back!"

Honored Lady Lan clearly had more to say, but upon hearing Lianlian, she abruptly cut herself off. She hastily stood up. "Thank you for your hospitality, Xia Jieyu. It’s getting late; I will take my leave now!"

Xia Ruqing nodded. "Zi Su, see them out."

Zi Su acknowledged and went to do so.

Xia Ruqing remained in the courtyard a while longer. Watching their retreating figures, she sneered. "Look at that Lianlian, she’s really aiming for the sky!"

Zi Su couldn’t help but vent as soon as she returned. "My Lady, Honored Lady Lan is completely obedient to her!"

Xia Ruqing scoffed. "Addicted to opium, what choice does she have but to obey?"

Zi Su was furiously resentful but felt powerless.

Zi Yue, standing nearby, looked somewhat concerned. "My Lady, you must take good care of yourself and not let this trouble you."