C1 Three Thousand White Hairs Are Not as Dazzling as the White Silk in My Hand!

In the bustling capital city, every corner exuded prosperity, painting a picture of grandeur. Yet, beneath the eaves of a secluded palace, Lo Qiuli traced her fingers over the slender scars that marred her face. Her skin was a tapestry of scars, winding like venomous snakes, a chilling sight to behold.

She was the daughter of Lo Zhan, the prime minister, born into a prestigious family, destined for a life of privilege. However, she was not the child of the household's main wife but rather the offspring of a lowly maid. At her birth, a torrential storm raged, and as she emerged, a large, dark birthmark was visible on her forehead. From that moment, she was deemed an ill omen by the household.

Lo Zhan frowned, his mind etched with the image of his eldest daughter's delicate beauty, and when he glanced at his second daughter's unfortunate appearance, he couldn't help but feel disdain. "So be it," he remarked dismissively. "Born this ugly, she shall live in the back hills of the estate."

With those indifferent words, she was cast aside. From then on, Lo Qiuli's only companions were the mountains, as her appearance was thought to bring shame to the family. She had little contact with others and was forbidden from leaving the hills, which fostered her timid and fearful nature.

Fifteen years passed in obscurity. She had resigned herself to a life confined to the hills, until one day, news arrived from the estate. A nanny came to escort her down the mountain and brought her before Lo Zhan. The only time she had seen him was at her birth, and since then, she had never laid eyes on her father.

Returning to the estate, Lo Qiuli felt a flutter of excitement and hope. Her father had finally remembered her and was bringing her back into the family fold. However, the reunion was not what she had envisioned. Instead, she was met with Lo Zhan's cold and unfamiliar words: "Your appearance is delicate, but it's a pity about the mark on your forehead. It mars your beauty. Thus, you will marry in your sister's place."

The red veil was lifted, and she became the Fifth Prince's wife. Unable to control her own fate, she accepted her role and devoted herself to supporting him, ultimately helping him ascend to the throne.

Everyone assumed that with his rise to emperor, she would become the empress. However, as he took the throne, his position was unstable. To consolidate power, he gave the empress title to Murong Ziqian, the cherished daughter of the Murong family, and appointed several other consorts. Her name was conspicuously absent from the list of those honored.

So, where was her name?

"Lo Qiuli," Xiao Hongfei's voice was cold and devoid of emotion, "I have become emperor, and the empress position was meant for you. But you couldn't bear the loneliness and, as my woman, you were involved with the Ninth Prince, which is disgraceful. However, in recognition of your past loyalty and support, I will spare your life. Yet, while you escape death, you cannot escape punishment."

His once tender affection had turned into sheer cruelty.

Lo Qiuli was stunned, staring at his handsome face in disbelief. "When did I ever have an affair with the Ninth Prince?"

Xiao Hongfei looked down at her with scorn and disdain. "I say it is so, and thus it is."

"Accuse me of anything, and you'll find a reason," Lo Qiuli said after a long silence, suddenly laughing coldly and mockingly. "The Ninth Prince once vied for the throne, and now that you are emperor, you naturally want to eliminate him to secure your position. You've likely gathered plenty of evidence. By adding an affair with the royal consort to his charges, you can secretly execute him without public outcry. Meanwhile, imprisoning me in the cold palace makes you appear compassionate and magnanimous for sparing my life. You gain both reputation and advantage. Truly, a win-win for you, Your Majesty."

"I've spared your life; you should be grateful," Xiao Hongfei remarked coldly, showing no trace of sympathy for Lo Qiuli's pale demeanor. His voice was icy, "With your unattractive appearance, staying by my side for years was already a privilege."

So, this was why she ended up in the cold palace. It was all because of that unsightly birthmark on her forehead that disgusted him every time he saw it.

"From the moment I married into the Fifth Prince's mansion, you were already tired of my looks. But back then, I still had some use, so I managed to survive," Lo Qiuli's smile was bitter and filled with regret. "I remember the year when a spy tried to poison you. I was so worried about your safety that I tasted your food myself. I remember the year you were poisoned, and I tested the antidote on myself to save you, leaving me unconscious for seven days. I remember the year when an assassin attacked, and I took a blade for you, nearly dying. All those memories are vivid. I may not have beauty to enchant anyone, but I gave you my heart, hoping for genuine affection in return. Yet, after giving so much, all I received was the cold palace."

"This place seems too noisy," Xiao Hongfei's eyes were cold as he looked at Lo Qiuli, unmoved by her words. Instead, he was even more detached. "If you hate it so much, maybe you'll feel better if you can't speak."

A sharp pain seared through her tongue, the flash of a blade, and blood covered her lips. In that moment, she lost her voice, unable to speak again. Her pain was overwhelming, both physically and emotionally.

With a gaze full of hatred, she stared intently at him. Xiao Hongfei noticed and narrowed his eyes slightly. In the next moment, as he lifted his gaze, he issued a cruel command: "For years, I've grown weary of the unsightly mark on Lo Qiuli. Since it's a birthmark that can't be concealed, let's cover it with some scars."

After speaking, he turned and left, unwilling to spare her another glance. Blood still fresh on her body, new cuts on her face began to bleed again, the crimson trails staining her white dress, a pitiful sight.

Yes, with just a word of disdain, her entire face was ruined, leaving no part unscathed. Once, she was a constant companion in the secluded hills of the Prime Minister's estate; now, she was imprisoned in the cold palace, waiting as the seasons changed.

That night, in the depths of winter, as snow fell, an imperial decree echoed through the chilling air: "Lo Qiuli, your resentment disrupts the peace of the palace. You are granted three feet of white silk to end your life..."

Her once dark hair, now white as snow, paled in comparison to the stark white silk in her hands. She hadn't married him by choice, but as his wife, she stood by him, wholeheartedly supporting and helping him, even facing death's door multiple times.

Yet, instead of honor and splendor, what awaited her was an order for her death. The wind swept through the corridors, flinging open the cold palace doors, overturning stools, and lifting the disheveled strands of her hair, echoing in the emptiness...

In this life, she gave everything, only to be hurt, betrayed, and abandoned by those she trusted. If there were a next life, she vowed not to let anyone bully her. Those who harmed her would perish, those who betrayed her would meet their end, and she would ensure they had no place to rest in peace.

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