Chapter 520: The Empress’s Intention
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation | Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Teacher Fang, what do you mean?” Moon asked in a trembling voice.
Teacher Fang gave a scornful sneer. “What do I mean? Do you lowly peasants really think that the Empress wants you to study and paint? You people were born lowly. The Empress said to let all of you use your bodies to exchange for food and clothing. That is also your blessing. Wash yourself clean. Don’t spoil the guests’ mood.”
After saying that, Teacher Fang turned around and walked out.
Moon was so frightened that she wanted to flee, but the two maidservants knew some martial arts and quickly restrained her.
“No one can run away after coming here. Don’t worry. You lowlife peasants are only worth a little money on the first night. After this matter is over, you will still be sent back to study.” The maidservants sneered as they took off Moon’s dress and threw her into the bathtub.
Moon struggled desperately with a face full of despair. The maidservant found her annoying and forced her to drink a bowl of soup with the muscle-weakening drug. Soon, Moon did not even have the strength to
struggle…
When she woke up again, Moon was surrounded by noises.
She opened her eyes and saw a faint yellow light. She was lying on a chair, surrounded by thin gauze curtains. Through the gauze curtains, she could vaguely see the men and women sitting behind the gauze curtains.
Moon struggled to get up, but she found that she could not move at all. “500 taels starting bid. This is this girl’s first time and she is among the top-grade goods that the Empress has personally picked out. The highest bidder wins.”
“600 taels.” Soon, someone started to raise the price.
“700 taels. I must extend some courtesy to the Empress.”
“Hahaha! I’m bidding 1,000. The rest of you can forget about fighting with me.”
A thousand taels of silver for a commoner girl’s first night was too expensive.
The others didn’t want to bid anymore. In the end, the deal was closed at the price of 1,000 taels.
Moon listened to their conversation and felt like a commodity that was waiting for a good price to get sold.
What was even more shocking to Moon was that all of this was orchestrated by the Empress from behind the scenes!
Moon was carried into a room on that chair.
The incense burner in the room emitted a faint white smoke with a fragrant smell, but Moon felt nauseous when she inhaled it.
“Young Master Hu, don’t worry. This is definitely an innocent one who has never done it before. I know you like this type. Enjoy yourself
“Hehehe! I like those who haven’t been trained.”
The door was pushed open and a figure walked to the bed. Moon looked at the man standing in front of her and begged piteously.
-Please let me go, young master. I… I’m not those… I’m a good woman… I’m begging you, Young Master…”
The man rubbed his hands together in a lewd manner. “Your Young Master here likes a good woman like you. Hahahaha…”
“Argh!”
The emotion in Moon’s scream gradually morphed from fear to despair, and finally, she could not make a sound anymore.
The pervert played with her until the latter half of the night before he finally fell asleep beside her with satisfaction.
Moon opened her eyes, but her gaze had already become numb. She stared at the top of the bed canopy in a daze, completely unresponsive.
After an unknown period of time, another person pushed open the door and carried her out. After washing her body and helping her change back into the academy uniform, she then placed Moon on the horse carriage.
Teacher Fang sat opposite Moon with the same smile on her face that Moon was familiar with. If Moon hadn’t experienced it herself, how could she believe that the person in front of her was capable of such a thing?
Teacher Fang took out an exquisite pouch and stuffed it into her hand. “Here’s 20 taels of silver. Your parents who sell rice cakes can’t earn that much in ten years, can they? Study hard after you go back. Don’t make the Empress displeased. Otherwise, no one will end up well.”
Moon’s hands trembled as she gripped the pouch tightly. The hard silver ingots almost crushed her bones.
The horse carriage stopped in the academy’s compound. At this point, everyone was still sleeping and had no idea what was going on.
Moon’s two legs went weak as she got off the horse carriage and almost fell to the ground.
Teacher Fang held her up, and Moon pushed her away in horror.
“Don’t touch me!”
Her sharp scream resounded throughout the entire back courtyard. Teacher
Fang’s face darkened and she slapped Moon viciously on the face.
“Bitch!”
Moon fell to the ground, her eyes filled with fear.
Teacher Fang glared at her icily. “I’m warning you. If anyone finds out about what happened last night, you can just wait for your family to be buried with you!”
The patrolling guards in the academy heard the commotion and walked over.
When they saw Moon sitting on the ground, they asked with puzzled expressions, “What’s going on? Everyone is still sleeping. Why are you here?” Teacher Fang’s expression did not change as she went forward to help Moon up. As soon as she touched Moon, Moon wanted to break free from her hand, but in the blink of an eye, she saw Teacher Fang’s warning gaze and was so scared that she did not dare to say anything.
“It’s nothing. She is experiencing stomach discomfort. I said I’d take her to the female doctor.”
The guard looked at Moon. “Is that true?”
Moon gritted her teeth tightly. After Teacher Fang pinched her waist hard,
Moon could only nod stiffly with a “Yes.”
“Look! This child is almost crying from the pain. I’d better take her to see the female doctor first. Don’t delay us anymore.1
The guards no longer doubted them and told them to leave quickly. After the guards left, Teacher Fang warned Moon again before letting her return to the dormitory.
Moon pushed open the door of the school dormitory and looked at her classmates who were still sleeping. Her heart felt like dead ashes.
A classmate heard the commotion and woke up. She looked at Moon in surprise. “Moon, you’re back. How are you? Are you feeling better?” Moon’s eyelids quivered. She shook her head numbly and walked to her bedside to sit down. However, as soon as she sat down, she felt a sharp pain in her lower body, and tears instantly flowed out of her eyes.
Her classmate became very frightened by her behavior. “Moon, what’s wrong with you? Didn’t you take sick leave yesterday? Why did you come back when you haven’t recovered? Don’t worry. I’ve learned diligently. I can teach you later.”
Moon cried and shook her head, but she did not dare to cry too loudly. She was worried that she would alarm the other classmates and the matter would blow up.
The other party was the Empress. How could people like them fight against the Empress!
“Chestnut, you… you’d better stop learning. Go now. Find an excuse to leave this place immediately today. Just say that you’re getting married or that you’re sick or whatever. Just don’t stay here anymore.”
Chestnut looked puzzled. “Why? It’s not easy for us to have such an opportunity to study. How can we leave just like that? Besides, Sister Xiangrong also said that if we can’t find any job after we finish our studies, she can help us. By then, we will be able to earn our own money. I don’t want to leave.”
Chestnut was the first good friend Moon made after she came to the academy. Moon felt as if her heart was being cut by a knife when she saw Chestnut’s innocent gaze full of anticipation. She had thought the same when she first came, but the truth was so dark and sinister that it was hard to accept!
“Moon, what’s wrong with you? Is it because your family won’t let you attend school? Let Teacher intercede for you and get your parents to make an exception.”
“No, that’s not it… not… I… I…” Before Moon could finish her words, her eyes rolled back and she fainted..