Su Yunmo's indifferent voice drifted from afar.
"Whatever."
Looking at the teeth marks on his face, it wasn't clear who was bullying whom.
Ye Jingguang stomped his feet in anger.
Su Yunmo shook him off and walked around the back garden towards a secluded area. Weaving through the passing palace attendants, she entered the Cold Palace.
She no longer clung to the notion of family affection.
However, if there was a chance, she hoped to help Ye Jingyu reclaim this hard-won familial bond.
The Cold Palace was desolate. Though it was only late summer, stepping inside brought a bone-chilling coldness.
Logically, there should be palace attendants serving in the Cold Palace.
But in this hierarchical and self-serving imperial court, who would dare to serve concubines who had no hope of regaining favor?
However, this presented an opportunity for Su Yunmo.
Consort Liang resided in the innermost palace hall.
As Su Yunmo made her way, the palace gates loomed.
Before reaching the hall, she heard the incoherent ramblings and giggles of a woman from within.
She pushed the door open.
The clanging of chains echoed from a corner.
The room reeked of foul odor.
In a corner, a woman was curled up. Her hair was disheveled. Hearing the movement, she clutched her head with both hands and shrank desperately into the corner, her face filled with terror.
A chain on her ankle was attached to the leg of a nearby bed. The iron lock had chafed her ankle raw, leaving it bloody and stained. The chain itself was rusted.
It was evident that this was the result of years of suffering.
"Consort Liang?" Su Yunmo called out tentatively.
The woman did not respond, instead shrinking further back.
Su Yunmo knew at a glance that she had been abused.
With Ye Jingyu's capabilities, it was impossible for him not to know his mother's condition. Knowing yet being unable to rescue her meant...
Su Yunmo turned and left. Indeed, she saw someone sneaking away in the distance.
Su Yunmo caught up and blocked him at a turn.
It was an eunuch. He was about to cry out when he suddenly stopped, his eyes becoming unfocused.
Su Yunmo's gaze flickered with a hint of bloodlust as she coaxed, "You saw no one today, heard nothing. Everything in the Cold Palace is as usual."
The eunuch blinked, repeated the words, then turned and walked away with a vacant stare.
Su Yunmo returned to the room, looking at the terrified, imbecilic woman in the corner, her heart aching.
The woman's skin was pale from lack of strong sunlight and emaciated from chronic malnutrition, her original appearance completely lost.
Yet, even so, one could faintly discern her distinct features. Before her descent into idiocy, she must have been a peerless beauty.
Such a beauty now had to suffer here.
Over the years, whether it was Consort Liang or Ye Jingyu, who had been biding his time outside,
How had mother and son struggled to survive under the Empress's control!
"Mmm-ah~" Consort Liang was still muttering, her eyes devoid of light.
Su Yunmo stepped forward and crouched beside her. "Consort Liang, I know your son. Don't be afraid, let me help you, alright?"
Su Yunmo's approach made Consort Liang fearful and uneasy.
She hugged her knees and slowly raised her head, wary and panicked, not understanding Su Yunmo's words.
Su Yunmo's heart ached again. She gently soothed, "I won't hurt you. Can you extend your hand? I need to take your pulse."
If her mental state was due to long-term abuse, then simple medication might not be enough.
For now, she could only hope it wasn't the worst-case scenario.
Consort Liang tilted her head, looking at Su Yunmo. After a while, she grinned foolishly and reached out to touch Su Yunmo's hair. "Ah~ mmm..."
Su Yunmo leaned closer, allowing the woman to play with her hair while she subtly took her pulse.
A moment later.
Su Yunmo's expression changed drastically, her brows furrowing intensely.
Soul-Devouring Soup!
She had been poisoned with Soul-Devouring Soup!!
Although the soup's toxicity wasn't high, anyone who drank it, no matter how intelligent, would immediately become foolish and dull-witted, unable to distinguish basic things!
More importantly, as time passed, the root of the tongue would gradually harden, making speech impossible.
There was no antidote for this poison!
Luo Yun'e was truly ruthless!
"Mmm-ah~" Consort Liang seemed to be trying to imitate Su Yunmo, her speech slurred as she mimicked.
Su Yunmo held her hand and said word by word, "Your Highness, believe me, you will get better soon!"
Ye Jingyu would also be able to see his mother soon!
Su Yunmo left the Cold Palace and went directly to Chang Street. After buying some herbs from the pharmacy, she returned to her residence and went straight into the alchemy room.
Consort Liang's condition was severe. The medicine within the Glazed Lock was insufficient to counteract the effects of the Soul-Devouring Soup.
Unless...
Su Yunmo's gaze fell upon her hands.
Her special abilities were obtained from the Glazed Lock. This talent meant that her vital blood and qi were different from others.
Perhaps she could try.
For seven consecutive days, apart from eating normally, Su Yunmo rarely left her room.
Zi Yuan sensed something was amiss and, without Su Yunmo's permission, barged in.
Su Yunmo was sitting on the floor, leaning against a table, her face terribly pale.
"Mistress!" Zi Yuan was shocked and quickly went to help her up. The moment she touched her, her expression changed.
"Why are you so cold? You've been using your abilities to refine medicine! You know very well that with your current condition, you shouldn't overuse your abilities!"
Previously, at the Marquis's manor, the mistress had also used her abilities to refine medicine once.
Transferring vital energy to the furnace fire and into the medicine was extremely draining of physical strength and vital essence.
That time, she had only persisted for a day and a night and had to rest in bed for more than ten days!
This time, it had been seven days. The mistress was risking her life!
Su Yunmo shook her head, finding it difficult to even move her fingers. She could only use her eyes to signal Zi Yuan to look at the medicine furnace.
"I'm fine. I just need to rest a bit to recover. Consort Liang's illness is urgent."
Zi Yuan's eyes turned red. "Mistress, why must you do this?"
She had never agreed with the mistress's willingness to sacrifice so easily for others, yet she knew she couldn't dissuade her.
Zi Yuan helped her up and let her lean on a soft couch, then went to examine the pills.
"A total of sixty pills, all formed and usable."
Sixty pills, one a day, for two months.
It was enough, more than enough.
Su Yunmo, who had been holding on with sheer willpower for days, finally relaxed and closed her eyes.
"Mistress!"
Su Yunmo had fainted from exhaustion. It was too difficult for her current body to continuously sustain the use of her abilities.
When she woke up again, it was already the next morning.
Zi Yuan was guarding her bedside. Seeing her awaken, she finally felt relieved and couldn't help but choke back a sob. "Mistress, please don't scare me like this again."
For an entire day and night, her body temperature had been dropping. She had truly feared that her mistress would just fall asleep forever.
Just like... the last time.
Su Yunmo moved her wrist, surprised to find that her condition was far better than the last time she had used her abilities to refine medicine.
Her body wasn't sore at all, and she didn't feel tired.
"What are you afraid of? Isn't it said that surviving a great disaster brings good fortune?"
Perhaps this body was truly gifted, more adaptable to her abilities than her previous one.
If that were the case, she would be incredibly lucky.
Zi Yuan pursed her lips, disbelieving. "Are you really alright?"
Su Yunmo simply got up and jumped off the bed, shaking her hands and feet. "What do you think?"
Seeing her move agilely, Zi Yuan's fears gradually subsided, as she didn't seem as frightening as last time. However, she couldn't help but feel suspicious.
In the past, when the mistress overused her abilities beyond her physical limits, there were always significant after-effects. Why was there nothing this time?
Even if this body was more compatible, it shouldn't be to this extent, right?