Chapter 004: Stable

Thank you, two elder brothers. Even in such a dire situation, even in such a state of decline, Dongfang Ningxin remains poised and graceful, demonstrating the cultivation befitting the eldest daughter of the Dongfang family. Regardless of the reasons that led the late emperor to favor such a person back then, it must be said that she is indeed worthy.

But when she smiled so gently, the expressions of mockery and sympathy from the crowd could not help but fade away, as if it were quite inappropriate to direct mockery and sympathy towards her, because... she was not affected in the slightest by the outside world

Wow, the prince is so cool

Dongfang Ningxin, even when hiding in the corner, could not bear it, and the wound on her forehead made her feel somewhat dizzy. With blood-stained hands, she tightly clutched the beautiful yet impractical wedding dress. After confirming that no one was around, she finally opened her eyes, allowing fear to surge in her heart

"Your Highness, we have arrived..." The guard pointed to the stable in front of them, which was difficult to mask the foul odor. His tone was not without sarcasm, and they pretended not to notice the injuries on Dongfang Ningxin's face, as it was not as if looking would kill anyone.

Tears flowed slowly down, tracing along her cheeks in a winding manner. She was so afraid, truly so afraid. When she was in the Eastern Palace, although her beauty had been ruined and she was no longer favored, she had the late emperor's decree to protect her. She had never endured such humiliation before

"It is not bad to die; an early death leads to an early rebirth"

Uh, the princess please... ...

However, the moment she thought of the scene where her mother sacrificed herself to save her, Dongfang Ningxin erased any thoughts of taking her own life from her mind. Her life was bought with her mother's life, and she could not die. She would bear all the humiliation herself

Once again, the sounds of murmurs reached Dongfang Ningxin's ears—mocking, sympathetic, supportive—but none of these had anything to do with her. Silently dismissing those voices, Dongfang Ningxin shook her head, trying to awaken herself a little, striving to live clearly in her own world

However, the reality is not like this. Dongfang Ningxin is actually a bit afraid of horses, or rather, afraid of such tall and fierce creatures. She just knows that she does not have the right to change this, so she accepts it, embracing it with the most optimistic mindset.

The coarse breathing of horses echoed in her ears, while a cold wind swirled around her, piercing to the bone. Dongfang Ningxin once again pondered whether her existence was truly worthwhile, and whether she should have perished alongside her mother in that great fire.

With a gentle nod, Dongfang Ningxin walked into the stable without any struggle. She was not hideously ugly; she had merely disfigured her face. The left side of her face was slightly overshadowed by a palm-sized darkened area. However, what everyone saw at that moment was indeed ugliness, due to the blood covering her face

The two guards initially looked down on her, but upon witnessing Dongfang Ningxin's actions, for some reason, at that moment, they could not see the scars and flaws on the woman's face; all they perceived was her composed and graceful demeanor, dignified and beautiful

Those who had originally gathered here to watch the jokes of Dongfang Ningxin were instantly dumbfounded upon seeing a woman dressed in a bright red wedding gown, her face smeared with blood, casually strolling through the stable. As soon as they realized there was no excitement to be had, they all left in a huff, while Dongfang Ningxin's injuries were, of course, once again overlooked by the crowd

Suppressing her fear and terror, Dongfang Ningxin appeared composed yet took each difficult step into the filthy, chaotic stable that was filled with shame

It is unclear whether it is due to the overwhelming number of onlookers or other factors, but the once calm horses have now become agitated. Dongfang Ningxin feels a sense of fear, and coupled with the injury on her forehead, her body becomes unsteady. She moves more forcefully towards the corner, ... then closes her eyes, enduring this torment and pain alone ...

The acrid smell is not the most terrifying; what is truly frightening is the horse's head and its powerful legs, which appear even more menacing in the night. Beasts lack humanity; they will not refrain from bullying you simply because you are weak. Quietly and cautiously, she stepped inside, and Dongfang Ningxin chose the farthest corner from the stable to stand in. This corner is usually used for storing horse feed, and there she stood, drenched in blood, completely unaffected.

The night grows deeper, the dew becomes heavier, and the weather turns increasingly chilly

... ...

Calm the mind, calm the mind, when the heart is calm, everything is naturally tranquil, the East calms the mind and tells itself to endure

Heavens, how could a dignified princess associate with livestock

Look, her face is still bleeding. Is she going to die from this?