vrcanaries Chapter 1448 She Will Make the Prince of Jin Pay the Price
Chapter 1448 She Will Make the Prince of Jin Pay the Price
But this frustration stemmed more from considerations of self-interest; he didn't feel much genuine sorrow for the lost child.
With so many women in the household, even if Lady Qi can't have children, there will always be someone else who can.
He will have no shortage of offspring, as long as he is willing.
However, the Prince of Jin still wore a look of grief and guilt on his face.
He waved for the physician and maid to leave, then slowly walked to the bedside and sat down.
Looking at Consort Qi's pale, haggard face, streaked with tears, Prince Jin reached out and gently stroked her cheek with his fingers, his movements full of pity and tenderness.
"My beloved concubine..."
He sighed, his voice filled with self-reproach: "It's all my fault, I'm such a bastard!"
"I was so angry today that I attacked you so severely... harming our child and hurting your health."
At this point, Prince Jin leaned closer to Consort Qi, gazing deeply into her empty eyes, and assured her, "You believe me, this is the last time!"
"From now on... from now on I will never lay a hand on you again, never!"
"Take good care of yourself. If you want anything, just tell me..."
Consort Qi shuddered as she felt the Prince of Jin's touch.
This familiar assurance, this feigned tenderness, reminded Consort Qi of the most unbearable scene from the depths of her memory…
Many years ago, she helped Prince Jin get rid of a troublesome opponent and was happily asking him for credit, but she angered him with a trivial remark.
That was the first time the Prince of Jin laid a hand on her.
He did the same thing back then. After his outburst of anger, he held her, stroked her wounds, and said in the same gentle tone that it was the last time and it would never happen again.
At that time, she believed it.
Consort Qi thought it was just an accident, that the prince was under too much pressure and lost control.
But what happened next?
The Prince of Jin attacked her a second time because he was in a bad mood.
The third time was because she glanced at a certain minister at the banquet.
Then there was a fourth, a fifth...
For the umpteenth time!
The reasons are varied and numerous, or perhaps no reason is needed at all.
Consort Qi also went from being shocked, aggrieved, and fearful at the beginning.
Later, numbness and forbearance set in.
And finally... she even began to distort herself, trying to find a morbid enjoyment in the pain and humiliation.
They were searching for proof that the Prince of Jin still cared about her.
Only in this way could she convince herself to continue enduring the boundless darkness and avoid going completely insane!
She gave everything for Prince Jin.
Youth, talent, dignity—it even distorted their own perception!
She helped him strategize his power, managed his palace, offered him tenderness when he needed comfort, and silently endured his frustrations when he needed to vent!
But why?
Why would the Prince of Jin take away the child she had finally gotten?!
Why should she be deprived of the right to be a mother forever without even knowing it?!
Just because of his uncontrollable violent temper?!
Just because of his arrogant and cold-hearted attitude, treating women like ants?!
The Prince of Jin's seemingly remorseful caress, in the eyes of Consort Qi, was full of nauseating hypocrisy!
She had been suppressing her grievances, fears, and resentment deep inside, as well as the forced enjoyment she had concocted for survival.
At this moment, they were utterly destroyed by the sudden pain of losing their child and the tragedy of sterilization!
Consort Qi felt an unprecedented surge of hatred!
But she still didn't move, nor did she push away Prince Jin, nor did she utter a single word of resentment.
But deep within those empty eyes, something shattered completely, then coalesced into a thick, venomous resentment!
She'll make Prince Jin pay the price!
Prince Jin was unaware of the dramatic inner changes in Consort Qi.
Seeing that she was still silently weeping, he assumed that Consort Qi was still immersed in grief and continued to comfort her with insincere words.
What the Prince of Jin was thinking about was how to get other women pregnant as soon as possible in order to stabilize the situation.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Consort Qi finally managed to compose herself.
She knew that now was not the time to take revenge on Prince Jin.
The man in front of her was suspicious by nature; if she appeared too calm, it would surely arouse his suspicion.
She couldn't let the Prince of Jin notice anything.
Consort Qi took a slow breath, and when she opened her eyes again, a hazy, watery light appeared in them.
"Your Highness, please don't say that..."
She gently shook her head, gazing at Prince Jin with a dazed look, seemingly still immersed in his feigned tenderness, and said as before, "It's my fault... I must have done something wrong to anger Your Highness."
"Your Highness is willing to discipline me...it is my blessing. Your Highness hitting me...it is also because you care about me..."
However, Consort Qi knew that she couldn't pretend nothing was wrong.
It would be abnormal for a woman who has just lost her child and learned that she is no longer fit to be a mother to not feel any grief.
Tears welled up in her eyes again, her voice choked with genuine pain: "I just... I just felt sorry for that child... who hadn't even seen the world yet..."
"It's because I'm useless, I couldn't protect our child..."
"From now on... from now on, I will never be able to bear children for Your Highness again, sob sob sob..."
As she said this, Consort Qi buried her face in Prince Jin's shoulder, her shoulders trembling slightly as she let out intermittent sobs.
As expected, seeing her so understanding and showing sadness that was in line with common sense, the last trace of doubt in Prince Jin's heart dissipated.
What he needed was a woman who could help him handle affairs, satisfy his desire for control and his perverse needs, and who wouldn't truly rebel against his violence.
Consort Qi has always done a very good job.
A rare sense of satisfaction flashed through Prince Jin's heart. He reached out and patted Consort Qi's back, gently comforting her, "Don't be sad anymore, or you'll hurt yourself by crying."
With so many women in the household, are you worried about not having offspring?
"If you like, whoever has a child in the future can take it to your lap and raise it; it will be no different from your own child."
He said it lightly.
It's as if losing a child and the right to be a mother is nothing more than a trivial matter.
To him, all women were merely tools.
Little did she know that these words only intensified the burning hatred in Consort Qi's heart!
In his eyes, were her child and fertility so worthless, so easily replaceable?!
She could barely control the murderous intent surging within her!
Consort Qi bit her tongue hard, the sharp pain instantly bringing her back to her senses.
She can't let all her efforts go to waste!