"Please, Your Highness, persuade Doctor Yan to save my mistress," Lian Xin pleaded.
She dared not return empty - handed. She couldn't bear to imagine Rong Wan's agony alone.
But Yan Zhao didn't say a word, and Doctor Yan flatly refused. "You stupid girl! Can't you understand? I've said I won't treat your mistress. If she wants to live a few more years, she'd better stop having such devious thoughts."
He had been in the mansion for three years and had heard many servants' comments about Rong Wan. They all said she was arrogant due to the favor she received. In front of Yan Zhao, she was gentle and graceful, but behind his back, she was cruel and punishing.
Such a person used to make him feel disgusted just by looking at her!
Lian Xin was helpless. She remembered an excuse her mistress had once used. As long as the old lady was mentioned, His Highness would surely go to see her.
But...
She also remembered what Yan Zhao had said on the wedding day: "There won't be a next time."
She dared not plead anymore, nor did she dare to stand up. She just lowered her head and knelt on the ground. Due to fear, tears welled up in her eyes and dropped continuously.
Doctor Yan couldn't stand to see someone cry. Seeing her like this, he comforted her, "You're really a loyal girl to protect your mistress so blindly. How did you end up with such a mistress?"
Lian Xin's mind went blank. Yes, how did she end up with such a mistress?
She only remembered that five years ago, she was just a little girl bought by a tooth - woman and was later chosen as a maid by the young lady of the mansion.
She thought she had climbed to a higher position and would enjoy endless glory and favor.
But it turned out to be the beginning of her doom.
Her mistress had some unknown perverse habits, and she was the one who suffered all of them.
Over the past five years, there was not a single part of her body that was intact. Her body was covered with countless scars, big and small, but no one had ever noticed.
She lowered her eyes and absent - mindedly looked at the new wound on her wrist. For the first time in her heart, she had the thought of resistance. "Please, Your Highness, save Lian Xin."
She rolled up her sleeve, showing the bleeding wrist and the old and new scars on her arm. A gentle touch would cause unbearable pain and make tears stream down her face. "This slave doesn't want to follow the young lady anymore. This slave wants to live!"
Lian Xin wanted to take off her clothes to show all the wounds hidden under them, just to let Yan Zhao see more clearly. "For the past five years, whenever the young lady was in a bad mood, she would beat and scold this slave!"
Lian Ye and Lian Zi stopped her and took her to an empty room next door to check her wounds.
Some of Lian Xin's new wounds were shocking. The blood was still sticky, and it had even glued to her inner clothes. When they tore it off, they could only hear Lian Xin's soft sobs.
She didn't even dare to cry out loudly in such pain. It showed how harsh Rong Wan had been to her!
Lian Ye and Lian Zi couldn't help but look at each other. They were glad that they hadn't become Rong Wan's maids. Otherwise, Lian Xin's pain would be their future.
Soon, Lian Ye came out and counted Lian Xin's wounds. "Lian Zi and I roughly counted. There are 88 old wounds in total, including scratches from hairpins, stab wounds from scissors, and puncture wounds from needles. The time ranges from half a year to five years. There are also more than 50 new wounds, which seem to have just happened in the past two days. Lian Xin's inner clothes are still stained with blood."
Coldness welled up in Yan Zhao's eyes. He only blamed Rong Wan for hiding so well in front of him. He had never known that she was so vicious that she could even treat her personal maid like this.
Ning Yuwan was also angry after hearing Lian Ye's report. Lian Xin's experience was really similar to what the original body had suffered when she was forced to marry into the Tang family.
She had been beaten every day and was never treated as a human being.
Doctor Yan was also shocked. He went back to his room and found a box of ointment. "Apply this to her first. How can a young girl with so many scars get married in the future?"
Then, he looked at Yan Zhao. "I said, Your Highness, your adopted sister is really good at hiding! Who would have thought that she could do such disgusting things right under your nose!"
Yan Zhao closed his eyes. If possible, he also didn't want Rong Wan to be his adopted sister!
At that time, after he "lost" his younger sister Yan Xi, Wen Sui, who was already in a state of confusion, became even more out of control.
She often sneaked out of the mansion to look for the lost Yan Xi on the street.
One day, she saw Rong Wan, who looked a bit like the young Yan Xi, and mistakenly thought she was Yan Xi, so she brought her back.
At that time, Rong Wan was just a beggar in the city. Since Wen Sui needed her, she deliberately acted cute and called her "mother".
When Wen Sui regained her senses and found that Rong Wan was not Yan Xi, she wanted to send her away.
But Rong Wan, who had seen the ways of the world since childhood, pleaded pitifully to stay and said she was willing to be a maid.
But when Wen Sui was in a state of confusion, she coaxed her to adopt Rong Wan as her adopted daughter.
At that time, Wen Sui was already resentful towards Yan Zhao for losing Yan Xi, so she ignored Yan Zhao's opposition and finally kept Rong Wan.
Later, Wen Sui fell seriously ill. Rong Wan took care of her day and night, which gradually made Yan Zhao approve of her.
Wen Sui once suggested that Rong Wan marry Yan Zhao, but Yan Zhao refused. So, before she died, she asked Yan Zhao to take good care of this remaining "sister".
Yan Zhao had been taking care of Rong Wan under this bondage. He never thought that in the past five years, Rong Wan had been hiding her bad nature secretly and had vented all her anger on Lian Xin behind his back.
If it weren't for Lian Xin's plea and complaint today, he might have been deceived by Rong Wan for the rest of his life.
"Lian Xin, are you brave enough to confront Rong Wan face - to - face?"
Yan Zhao felt regret and guilt. Although his hands were also stained with blood, those people were not innocent.
But Lian Xin was just a little maid. She had suffered Rong Wan's beatings innocently, and as the head of the mansion, he had been kept in the dark!
Hearing the name "Rong Wan", Lian Xin trembled involuntarily and slumped to the ground. It took her a long time to say, "This slave is willing."
Since she had spoken out, there was no turning back.
If Rong Wan found out, she might really not be able to escape death.
But she really didn't want to go back to the old days. The daily beatings and scolding had caused her great mental pain!
Moreover, Rong Wan had once told Lian Xin that she would never be allowed to get married and would serve her whole - heartedly for the rest of her life!
Lian Xin didn't want to agree. She also hoped that one day she could marry the man she loved.
So, she was willing to seize the chance that Yan Zhao had given her!
Ning Yuwan motioned for Lian Ye to go forward and help her up, comforting her, "Don't be afraid. This princess will protect you!"
As soon as she finished speaking, more bitter tears welled up in Lian Xin's eyes. She looked at Lian Ye and Lian Zi enviously. If only she could follow the princess!
The group walked towards Huiyu Pavilion in a grand manner. Except for Lian Xin, who couldn't stop crying in the wind, the rest of them were all cold - hearted!
Only Doctor Yan was too lazy to get involved in the affairs of the mansion and didn't come with them.
At this moment in Huiyu Pavilion.
Rong Wan covered her chest and cursed secretly. "That stupid Lian Xin! She's been gone for so long and still hasn't brought Brother Zhao and Doctor Yan here! Useless thing! If she comes back, I'll surely punish her severely!"
She regarded Lian Xin as a dog. Although she knew that this dog was dissatisfied, she never thought that this dog would betray her one day.
She tilted her head and took another pill. Only then did she feel a little more comfortable. This was the third pill she had taken today!