Chapter 265 - Broken Youth

Lei Xing woke up a while after the Emperor had left for Court. After greeting her, the next thing Xiao Ruo said was, "Your highness...Concubine Chen has been waiting for you outside."

"Who?" Lei Xing groggily asked as she stretched. She did not remember a concubine Chen.

"Concubine Chen..." Xiao Ruo repeated. 

"Your cousin." Ah Jin usefully supplied. 

"Ah, her..." Lei Xing said with a yawn and then she froze and knit her brows, "What? What is she doing here?" Lei Xing exclaimed as she blinked at them. As far as she was concerned, she and Chen You had no business.

Xiao Ruo knit her brows, "She did not say...We told her you were not seeing anyone but she insisted on waiting so she has been standing outside your palace for a while now..." They all knew not to wake Lei Xing up for insignificant people, even the Emperor never requested for them to bother her asleep. 

Lei Xing immediately frowned.

{...What the hell does she want?... Whatever, I'm not interested -_-)'...}

"Send her away." Lei Xing dismissively said as she walked out of the room with a yawn. Lei Xing went to the bath room and just as she settled into her bath with a relaxing sigh, Xiao Ruo loudly burst into the room, "Your highness! -"

"What?! What? It's too early to be bugging me like this!" Lei Xing irritatedly went, she woke up with a headache today and the last thing she needed was someone shouting right now.

Xiao Ruo immediately bowed and haphazardly went, "I apologize, Your highness. It's just Concubine Chen - I told her you could not see her and she - she said it was urgent and e-even on got her knees and pleaded with me. She's still like that now and she - she...she said she'll die if you don't see her!" 

Lei Xing scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Tell her to go die then..."

{...What a drama queen (◔_◔)...}

"Your highness!" Xiao Ruo exclaimed, "This is serious, s-she really doesn't look good. She said she won't get up until you see her...She says she'll die. If she die-"

"Relax, she's just being dramatic...Leave her alone, she'll get up when she's tired." Lei Xing dismissively said, then she took a deep breath and dove under the water. The discussion was over.

{...Guess she learned a thing or two from that Chun Hua...But who the hell does she think she's threatening with that bullcrap? Like I care about her life! I could have her dragged out of here if I freaking wanted. Stupid brat (◔_◔)...}

Lei Xing continued her bath at a leisure pace while Xiao Ruo continued fretting. At some point, she riled up her courage and said, "Your highness, what if she really kills herself?"

Lei Xing did not respond and simply relaxed with her eyes closed.

{...If she's crazy enough to kill herself, then what if she wants to take me with her? ( ¬_¬)...}

Xiao Ruo stopped talking and by the time Lei Xing got out of the bath, she realized that it was because Xiao Ruo had left the bath room. 

Xiao Ruo returned a while later while Lei Xing was almost finished getting her hair towel dried. She glanced over at the fidgety Xiao Ruo through the mirror, sighed and then asked, "Is she still there?"

Xiao Ruo looked at Lei Xing sheepishly and nodded, "Yes...She seems scared of something...Perhaps, someone is after her. It could be something concerning that could possibly endanger other lives in the palace. Even Your highness could be affec-"

"Fine, I'll see her..." Lei Xing said rolling her eyes, she stood up and then said, "Have her brought to the reception hall."

Xiao Ruo nodded and promptly left the room while the maids brought over an outer robe for Lei Xing to wear. After putting it on, Lei Xing then made her way to the reception hall with a sigh.

{...I hope I don't regret this -_-)'...}

Today, Lei Xing chose to sit on her main seat to receive Chen You. She had never done this before, but then again Chen You had never tried to kill her at those times.

Lei Xing was very skeptical of Chen You's visit and was really only seeing her because she did not want to add fuel to the bad rumors about her. Chasing away a bereaved relative who was on her knees pleading to her would definitely make her look more like a devil once it spreads. And knowing Chen You, it will definitely spread. 

Lei Xing would see her but maintain the maximum distance from her, both physically and mentally. But as soon as Chen You walked through the doors, Lei Xing instantly understood why Xiao Ruo was so bothered. 

Chen You looked like a great mess.

She was much thinner than Lei Xing remembered and almost a sickly pale. She also seemed very fidgety and walked in with hesitant steps while her eyes kept darting around the room as if she was worried someone or something was going to jump out at her. Her hair was undone and all over her face, her clothes looked haphazardly put on. 

Chen You truly looked as if she would pass out at any moment. In all honestly, she looked like a ghost and Lei Xing was completely taken aback by this foreign entity before her. 

Chen You stopped at the foot of the steps, glanced up at Lei Xing up on her main seat, and then bowed, further shocking Lei Xing. She would have never thought that Chen You would ever bow to her. 

{...What exactly is this girl on now? O_O)...} 

Chen You straightened up and stood there with her head lowered, she looked very jumpy and ready to run at a moment's notice.

When Lei Xing did not say anything, Chen You glanced up at Lei Xing and hesitantly went, "Ji-jiejie..." bringing Lei Xing out of her surprise.

"Oh...sit." Lei Xing awkwardly went as she skeptically scrutinized Chen You. 

Chen You immediately shook her head and went, ' I'll stand..."

"Okay...why are you here?" Lei Xing bluntly asked, frail or not, she was honestly not interested in Chen You. 

Chen You looked down, knit her brows and then immediately fell to her knees and went, "C-can you ask the Emperor to send me back to Fen Li temple?"

Lei Xing raised her eyebrows in surprise and went, "What?" That was not what she was expecting at all. 

Chen You glanced up at Lei Xing's face and went, "Jiejie, I'm very sorry - I didn't mean - Well, maybe I did. It was a mistake but I - I really can't stay here. The Empress dowager is going to kill me, she'll kill me..."

Chen You sniffed and shakily covered her ears as tears rolled down her face, "I heard her! She came to kill me, she was there with a sword, I saw - I heard. I don't know anymore, she's going to kill me...P-please I really can't stay here, I'll die..." Chen You pleaded. 

Chen You had not been at ease since stepping foot in the palace. She had not been able to eat or sleep. Every time she heard any noise she jumped thinking that the Empress dowager had finally sent for her or worse come for her. After just a day here, she felt like she was going mad. She spent all night plagued with waking nightmares and throwing up her empty guts in fear.

Her father's aspirations for her were impossible at this point. Even if the Emperor forgave her, it did not mean she would get his attention. And honestly, she did not think she could stand being around him at this point. He was another scary entity to her right now, she was even too scared to go to talk to him which was why she was here.

Lei Xing was not scary and the Emperor would listen to her. Lei Xing would also help her, after all, they were relatives. Therefore, Lei Xing could not forsake her. 

Chen You had honestly been thinking about leaving everything behind the last few days. Even though her mother never blamed her and told her not to blame herself, home without her mother was incredibly depressing.

Everything in the manor reminded her of her mother's death and the scene itself tortured her mind and her nagging father did not help matters at all.

It was actually her father's constant scolding and talks of disappointment and badgering that made her decide to return to the palace. She had thought life in the palace would be better than being at home but this has proven to be even worse, just one night was driving her crazy.

She really could not stand being this close to the Empress dowager. She felt the Empress dowager's presence in everything here, she heard the swing of a sword, she heard the Empress dowager's irate screams...And it was honestly driving her insane.

She could not stand being in the palace but she could not return home either. Her father would not approve and now that she thought about it, the Empress dowager could easily follow her home.

No, she would follow her home.

The only other place that came to her mind was Fen Li temple. It was far from the palace, far from the Chen manor and far from the Empress dowager.

"Do you truly want to go there?" Lei Xing skeptically asked with knit eyebrows, pulling Chen You out of her thoughts.

This was truly unexpected and it both confused and shocked Lei Xing. Even though she and the Emperor had already agreed to send Chen You off, her coming to ask for it herself was bizarre

Chen You glanced up at Lei Xing and fervently nodded, "Pl-please..."

Lei Xing scrutinized her for a bit and then let out a breath and then said, "Alright then...I shall let the Emperor know of your request." Even if it was already decided, Chen You did not need to know that. Since it was like this, it was better for her to think they were doing her a favor rather than punishing her.

Chen You fidgeted, hesitated, and then went, "...Ah, ca-can I leave today?" Chen You asked as she glanced about the room in fear. 

"You want to leave today?" Lei Xing asked blinking down at her, another surprise.

{...What the hell happened to this girl? O_O)...}

Chen You fervently nodded again, "P-please...the Empress dowager, i-i-if not sh-she w-will kill me...again..." She said as she began shivering. It appeared that she was cowering in fear. 

Lei Xing sighed, "I'll see what I can do...In the meantime, you go back to your residence and wait for news." Lei Xing tentatively said, this was so odd and awkward. 

Chen You nodded, kowtowed, and then she shakily got to her feet. She looked up at Lei Xing and Lei Xing stared back down at her. Finally Chen You lowered her head with a frown and mumbled, "Thank you...Lei Xing." 

Lei Xing blinked at her but did not respond. Chen You bowed and then turned and swayed out of the hall. Lei Xing stared at Chen You's lonely and frail...broken back as she exited the hall.

Lei Xing was not sure exactly how she felt. Chen You had always been out for head demise and so Lei Xing knew she should be feeling victorious at the moment, but all she felt was an odd sense of emptiness.

Although she did not care for Chen You, she felt saddened by what Chen You had become. The young vibrant girl was now gone leaving behind a damaged and frazzled mess.

It was truly a depressing sight.

Lei Xing sighed and turned to Xiao Ruo, "Have someone escort her back...and send a physician to see her..." Xiao Ruo nodded and quickly went to pass along the orders. 

Lei Xing sighed again and turned back to look at the doors. She was no longer in the mood for breakfast or practicing the qin.

Chen You truly was the embodiment of all Lei Xing hated about the palace and her mood was dampened by this loss of innocence and confidence.

Lei Xing honestly hoped that Chen You would be able to find peace and solace in the temple.