Chapter 466: Chapter 466
Yuan Yuan had been completely forbidden from leaving, and the originally planned participation in the National Day celebrations was now no longer an option for her. Of course, to make it up to Consort De, she was allowed to join the Emperor in the sacrificial rituals, which was probably the result that Consort De had hoped for, right?
Yuan Yuan sat in the pavilion of Yikun Palace, looking at the vermilion gate and the green glazed tiles, the golden palace roof, feeling an indescribable melancholy and sorrow.
That day, the Emperor was infuriated by her, but in the end, he did not utter the words to divorce her; instead, he ordered her to be taken back to Yikun Palace, locked from the outside, cutting off even the Empress Dowager’s people from visiting her.
In that instant, she wished she could transform into a little bird and fly away from this ruthless place, but she could not.
Ever since she was confined, the standard of meals had been getting worse. Fortunately, the vegetables in the courtyard had ripened, and the dishes sent over by the Imperial Kitchen became their side dishes; whatever they wanted to eat, they cooked themselves. At this moment, she was not the Empress but Yuan Yuan who enjoyed cooking.
The dishes she cooked grew better day by day, receiving continuous praise from everyone. But behind these smiles lay a representation of loneliness and wistfulness.
She had considered leaving numerous times, but with her cumbersome figure, how could she possibly walk out of the towering Forbidden City?
Afterwards, Yikun Palace seemed to be ignored by everyone in the Imperial Palace. Apart from the daily delivery of meals and vegetables, the side door of Yikun Palace was never opened again, even the Empress Dowager, who usually took great care of the Empress, seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Get full chapters from novel⁂fire.net
In the blink of an eye, summer turned to autumn. The corn she had planted ripened, yet no one came to visit them.
The court and servants of Yikun Palace witnessed Yuan Yuan becoming thinner and more vibrant with health each day.
At the end of autumn and beginning of winter, snow fell on the Forbidden City, the first of this winter. Yikun Palace had no charcoal fire or winter clothes; cold, she could only hide in bed.
Fortunately, the Empress Dowager could not bear to see this and ordered charcoal, food, and cotton clothes to be sent to her. Although no one entered, at least the items reached her hands.
Having charcoal and cotton clothes made Yuan Yuan’s life monotonous and uninteresting again, busy with the same routine every day.
Exercising outside, cooking, working in the space. No matter how difficult life got, she never mistreated herself. With such a large space, how could she let herself go hungry?
On New Year’s Eve, the Empress Dowager rewarded her with many things: a pile of items to eat and use, but Yuan Yuan was uninterested in them. She kept what was useful and stored the rest in the storage room.
Whether it was the previous National Day celebration or tonight’s New Year’s Eve, there were continuous fireworks outside, bustling with excitement. Yet Yikun Palace was as quiet as an ice cellar.
Yuan Yuan touched the flesh on her stomach and sighed heavily, "After all, losing weight too quickly has revealed you!"
She had now slimmed down to 330 pounds, shedding a full fifty jin, so there was a sign of sagging flesh on her stomach, a frightening sign. Therefore, what used to be a daily bath became thrice daily, worrying that the ring of flesh might one day turn into terraced fields, which would truly be the end for her.
At 330 pounds, she was no longer a walking sphere, no longer struggling to move like a wobbling penguin. There was no more painful chafing between her thighs, lifting her legs was no longer a heavy task, and even when sitting down, she no longer had to be extra careful, fearing she might collapse a bed or a stool.