4 Even if the world stops believing (1/2)

Year 198 of the dragon, Ancient World

A graceful figure of a young girl is seen in the dark night, leaping smoothly across the palace walls.

All the lights in the palace were put off and only a dim light from a lamp could be seen in the inky black night.

When the moon comes out of the clouds, its light falls on the figure jumping across. The girl's silver hair glows when the moonlight falls on it, painting a beautiful image in the dark night.

Her heart shaped face frowns when she notices a guard in front of the palace. Lavender tinted eyes grow dark as the girl plans what to do next. After a moment, she picks up a stone from the ground and throws it such that it falls a few feet away from the guard.

Startled by the noise, the guard immediately rushes towards the place where the stone had been thrown.

Soft pink lips curl up in a satisfied smile and the girl quickly enters the palace with a jump. The guard frowns when he sees that no one was there and returns back to his original place thinking that it was probably an animal.

Back in the palace, the girl quietly returns to her room. Her footsteps stop when she reaches a small, rundown room. With a slight push, the door in front of her opens with a creak. The room was so small that even the meagre number of furniture made it look cramped.

The girl enters the room and without a noise closes the door. A lamp kept on a small table, burnt steadily, allowing the girl to see. With a sigh, the girl sits on her hard bed,which creaks loudly.

The room smelled musty and foul as it was in the corner of the palace. The girl leaned and opened the window beside her small bed. Fresh air swept into the room, ridding it of the foul smell. The girl took a deep breath of the cool air.

Her face muscles relaxed and her tensed shoulders sloped down. The girl slowly removed the coat like layer of clothing from her *hanfu. The slightly wet from sweat coat was laid to dry on the small table. Pale white skin was exposed as the girl stretched, her limbs tired of practising.

When a strong wing blew inside, the flame of the lamp flickered and blew out. The girl looked at the lamp with a strange look and went closer to it. Her fragile hands formed a seal and her mind concentrated on the wick of the lamp. The girl anticipated the flame rising again but to her disappointment, there was no trace of a flame rising at all. The energy in her stomach was unable to be of any use to her.

”Have faith Yi Meng. You can do it. Even if the world stops believing, never lose faith in yourself.” The girl comforts herself in an enchanting voice.

Yi Meng takes a matchstick and lights a flame, the orange glow, making her tender face look even more beautiful. She then lays on her bed, looking at the moon with a wistful face. As the moonlight becomes dim, the beautiful girl's eyes also slowly closes, until she finally falls asleep.

Shadows dance across her face as a peaceful look, rarely seen on her, overtakes her face. A childlike innocence is seen as the beauty sleeps.

Yi Meng wakes up to the sound of her bedroom's door being banged. Her body straightens up immediately, a reflex. Her eyes remain a little unfocused as she hurries to open the door.

A girl of Yi Meng's age is standing there, with a furious look on her face. She couldn't be called the most beautiful woman but her features showed her as a weak and delicate woman who needed protection. Many men were enchanted by her and often pursued her, only to be turned down with an innocent smile.

Yet now, this delicate woman had an ugly expression on her face. She was Yi Ruo, Yi Meng's cousin.

”What are you doing sleeping so late!? Why haven't I got my tea yet?!” Yi Ruo's loud voice almost makes Yi Meng cringe and she takes a step back with her head down.

”I'm sorry, I woke up late. I didn't mean to. In future, this will certainly not happen. Please forgive me this time.” Yi Meng's soft voice says in an apologetic tone, yet her heart squeezes in pain as she has to show humility to the person in front of her.

Yi Ruo's hand bangs on the door in anger and with a sneer she says” You think that this apology will be enough! Kowtow in front of me ten times and say that 'Yi Ruo is the most beautiful woman'.”

A flash of anger is seen in Yi Meng's eyes but she only grits her teeth secretly and with a low bow, kneels down.

She proceeds to kowtow saying those words ten times. Her heart burns in humiliation and she swore thaf she would have her revenge.

A satisfied look passes through Yi Ruo's face and she gloats in her mind. ”Good that you know your position. Trash like you will remain trash. Hmph, I wonder why you still hang on to the position of being the crown prince's wife.”

Yi Meng only clenches her fist. Of course she knew her position. When she was thirteen years old, she was labelled as trash without any Qi in her body. She had been raised as an orphan as her parents were killed in an accident. Since then, everyone treated her like dirt. Even a thirteen year old girl had more power than the seventeen year old Yi Meng. Yi Meng knew better than anyone the pain she had suffered. The only thing that helped her stay alive was her status as the crown prince's betrothed.

Even that status, had made her the target of being bullied from all the women who fancied the crown prince.

One of those women, was none other than Yi Ruo standing in front of her. Yi Ruo was said to be a genius in the girls of their generation, who had managed to reach new levels in a rapid pace.

With her excellent acting skills and powerful qi, she was able to supress Yi Meng-her trash cousin. She felt that she was the most deserving of the position of being the crown prince's wife.

Yi Meng had no objection. She didn't have any feelings for that playboy prince. She was only thankful that he didn't increase her problems and sometimes, if he felt like it, he would even help her.

But he had no idea how worse Yi Meng's condition truly was. For the past four to five years, Yi Meng was whipped bareback when she messed up some work. If that wasn't enough, salt water was poured on those fresh wounds of hers. The inner part of her arms that were usually covered by the long sleeves of her dress, had burn marks all over. In short, her cousin Yi Ruo and the members of the branch family of her clan had made sure to put Yi Meng in such a state that even if the crown prince married her, he would be disgusted to even touch her on seeing the marks.

They thought that the prince was a playboy and would throw Yi Meng away after seeing her. Yi Meng couldn't retaliate. She didn't have the power to do so. Yet, for the past four to five years, she trained like hell to improve but there were no changes. Her qi remained the same as before and couldn't be channeled through her body. In such a case, Yi Meng could only train her mind.