Chapter 75: Hurtful Words

The Cold Palace was even more devoid of life. Concubines banished there either became so depressed they fell ill, or they slowly lost their sanity. Most maids took detours to avoid getting anywhere near it. Some were even terrified to the point that they fainted. Gradually, less and less people were willing to step foot in the Cold Palace.

The eunuch had heard about the rumors. He bunched his shoulders up nervously. The emperor threw him a glare. “If you can’t control yourself, get the hell away from here.”

The eunuch fell silent and followed the emperor without a word. The emperor traced the sound of the flute into where people considered to be the land of filth. The Cold Palace presented itself before him.

The ground was covered in wilted leaves. It was clear that no one had been here to sweep them. Concubines banished to the Cold Palace were crammed into the limited space. Many had lost their beauty as they aged. Because of the lack of sunlight, their faces were littered with hideous pigment spots. They looked at one another with unfocused eyes. The emperor couldn’t help but frown.

The empress was the first consort...