Chapter 512

“Oh, our glorious Secondary Consort, look at you now!” Tao Zhi said smugly, looking at Huo Yunzhi scavenging food from the ground. Huo Yunzhi said nothing. She simply picked up the rice from the floor as quickly as she could and shoved it into her mouth.

After all, these people were always finding ways to torment her.

This time, it was rice. Next time she got food, who knew when that would be.

She had to survive. Only by living could she take revenge.

Only by living could she take revenge.

Huo Yunzhi was waiting. Waiting for her brother to return. When that day came, she believed she would make all those who had wronged her pay back double. She would not spare a single one.

Especially Li Zhiwei.

At the thought of Li Zhiwei, hatred filled Huo Yunzhi’s eyes. If not for Li Zhiwei, how could the Huo family have been exiled?

And Prince Lanhuai.

That liar. If he hadn’t accepted the Huo family’s gifts and promised her the position of Secondary Consort only to go back on his word, she would never have ended up like this.

Even Princess Fuan.

If not for Princess Fuan’s orders, how could these servants have found every excuse to make her life miserable?

Even as these vengeful thoughts swirled in her mind, her hands and mouth never stopped moving.

Clearly, this was far from the first time such a scene had played out.

“Concubine Huo, who did you have to offend? Why her of all people? In this manor, aside from His Highness, the Princess is the one who calls the shots,” Tao Zhi said proudly, brushing off her skirt as she spoke.

She thought to herself that once she had dealt with this wretched woman on behalf of the Princess, she would surely be handsomely rewarded.

Prince Lanhuai frowned as he stepped into the dilapidated courtyard. What he saw was a maidservant riding roughshod over Huo Yunzhi, lording it over her.

If he hadn’t come here today, Prince Lanhuai would never have known that his own manor had such a desolate place.

He never imagined that Huo Yunzhi would be living in a courtyard like this.

He didn’t even need to ask—someone like her had surely never lived in such conditions before.

Let alone being trampled on by a servant.

At that moment, Prince Lanhuai remembered he still needed what the Huo family had given him to achieve his plans. Without a second thought, he roared, “How dare you! Which insolent slave dares to bully your mistress like this?”

Having said that, Prince Lanhuai stepped forward quickly, intending to help Huo Yunzhi up. But the truth was, she had been living worse than a beast in that small side courtyard.

Bathing was out of the question; even food and clothing were a problem.

Prince Lanhuai could barely stand the smell emanating from her.

“Greetings, Your Highness!” Tao Zhi, upon seeing Prince Lanhuai, bowed in terror.

“Wretched slave! Who gave you the nerve to bully my Secondary Consort like this?” Prince Lanhuai struck Tao Zhi without mercy.

“Mercy, Your Highness!” Tao Zhi fell to her knees in terror, begging for forgiveness.

Fear consumed her. She had no idea why Prince Lanhuai would come looking for Huo Yunzhi. Hadn’t the Princess said this woman had fallen out of favor?

Thinking this, Tao Zhi felt utterly lost. She might have been acting on the Princess’s orders, but if something happened to her, the Princess would never save her.

“Guards! Drag this wretch away!” Prince Lanhuai signaled Changsheng with his eyes.

It was clear he intended to deal with Tao Zhi.

“Your ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‍Highness, spare me!” Tao Zhi cried out, terrified.

The Prince’s judgments were merciless.

“Your Highness, this servant was only following the Princess’s orders!”

Tao Zhi, desperate now, shouted without caring about anything else.

“Changsheng!” Prince Lanhuai was displeased. Why was Changsheng letting this servant make such a racket?

Changsheng immediately gagged Tao Zhi and dragged her away.

“My Consort, you’ve suffered greatly,” Prince Lanhuai said with a tender smile, reaching out as if to help her up.

Huo Yunzhi looked at him, puzzled. What was this man planning now?

Hadn’t he been the one who caused her current misery?

“Your humble consort greets His Highness,” Huo Yunzhi said, unsure of his intentions.

Still, if she could escape this godforsaken place, who would choose to stay?

If Prince Lanhuai had come looking for her now, it meant he still needed something from her.

After everything she had been through, Huo Yunzhi had grown.

Since Prince Lanhuai needed her, she would make the most of this chance to turn things around.

Opportunities like this didn’t come every day.

In this manor that devoured people alive, the only one she could rely on was this heartless Prince Lanhuai.

“My Consort, you’ve been wronged. Someone, escort the Secondary Consort out at once!” Prince Lanhuai barked.

Inwardly, he cursed Princess Fuan for being such a fool, torturing the woman so badly.

Would Huo Yunzhi still be willing to reveal the truth about the Huo family’s iron mine?

At the thought, Prince Lanhuai forced himself to suppress his disgust and personally helped her to her feet.

“Your Highness, you should leave this place at once. Don’t let it dirty your feet. Your humble consort has grown used to it here,” Huo Yunzhi said softly. She did not rage or wail. Instead, she looked reluctant to let him stay.

“My Consort, rest assured. From now on, you will never have to live in such a place again.” Prince Lanhuai promptly ordered his attendants to take her away.

He even personally escorted her to the Xiaguang Courtyard.

“Your Highness?” Huo Yunzhi looked at him with feigned confusion. Everyone knew that Xiaguang Courtyard was the best residence in the manor, second only to the Prince and Princess’s own quarters.

It was said that even Princess Fuan had wanted this courtyard, but Prince Lanhuai had refused her.

For him to bring her here today meant whatever he wanted would come at a high price.

Huo Yunzhi wondered what her brother had told Prince Lanhuai.

Or rather, what did the Huo family possess that Prince Lanhuai wanted so badly?

But since she had the chance, she was determined to take Xiaguang Courtyard.

She would have to send word to her brother later.

“My Consort, you’ve suffered enough. From now on, you will live here in Xiaguang Courtyard!” Prince Lanhuai had originally intended to keep it for some other purpose. But now, to get what he wanted from the Huos, he had to give Huo Yunzhi some real benefits.

After all, Princess Fuan had treated her far too cruelly.

Without something substantial, she would never relent.

“Your Highness, your humble consort is only a concubine. How could I possibly live here? Let me return to the side courtyard. That place suits me better,” Huo Yunzhi said, though her heart raced with excitement. She put on a look of deep humility.

She even turned as if to head back to the side courtyard, repeatedly calling herself “your humble consort” to emphasize her lowly status.

“Nonsense! You are my Secondary Consort. There’s nothing improper about you living here. Who would dare say otherwise?” Prince Lanhuai quickly denied her words.

He thought to himself that he might have to register her on the imperial rolls—after all, one had to give something to get something. A Secondary Consort’s title was a small price to pay.