Her Graceful War Song

Carissa didn’t find Florence’s words ridiculous. Instead, she felt a twinge of sadness. Regardless of the old woman’s current thoughts, it was clear she had once held those beliefs deeply.

Carissa chose not to counter Florence’s claims. From the way she secretly spared Daniel and his family from Eleanor’s wrath, it was evident her mindset had changed. The things she said now weren’t meant to persuade anyone else–Florence was merely trying to convince herself.

“Alright, since everything was done by you and Kurt and has nothing to do with Grand Princess Eleanor, why don’t you tell me how many women you’ve brought into Harmony Palace over the years, how many have died, and how many baby boys were killed?” Carissa asked.

Florence fell silent, her expression growing increasingly grim.

“They’re already dead. You owe them some justice and should let the families of the abducted women know they don’t have to search anymore. Besides, Grand Princess Eleanor has committed the heinous crime of treason and won’t escape death. By revealing the identities of those women, you would be accumulating some merit on her behalf,” Carissa pressed.

Slowly, Florence lifted her gaze to meet Carissa’s. Her lips trembled violently–perhaps from hunger or perhaps from the weight of that accusation of treason toward Eleanor.

Carissa didn’t push further. Instead, she fell silent and waited.

After a long pause, Florence’s hoarse voice finally broke the stillness, asking. “Could you bring me a cup of water?”

There was a jug of water on the table that had been prepared for Carissa. She hadn’t touched it, so she poured a cup and pushed it toward Florence.

“Here.”

With hands that resembled brittle twigs, the old woman shakily grasped the cup. She drank it all in one go, then cradled the empty cup in her palms. She managed to offer Carissa a smile that looked more like a grimace.

“I remember…everyone. You must have searched every corner of Harmony Palace by now, right? There’s an apple tree outside my room, and next to it is a stone bench that can be moved. If you shift that stone bench, you’ll find a box buried beneath it. Inside the box is a notebook where I’ve recorded everything.”

She set down the cup, her hands slowly falling to her sides. She could no longer hold herself upright, and murky tears spilled from her eyes.

“Those concubines aside, there were three baby boys I can never get over. The first one… he didn’t cry when he was born. Instead, he smiled at me while I held him in my arms, his little gums pink and perfect. Have you ever seen a baby who comes into the world laughing instead of crying? I had never seen anything like it. I treasured that moment, and I smiled when he smiled. All content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Florence covered her face with her hands, unable to continue, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Carissa clenched her fists, fully aware of the fate that had met all the baby boys in Harmony Palace. They entered this world and opened their eyes just long enough to catch a glimpse of it before being snuffed out. To inflict such cruelty on an infant was a heartlessness that made even a snake seem merciful.

After having cried to her heart’s content, Florence regained some composure and hastened in her

narration.

“Grand Princess Eleanor deemed the baby who smiled at birth unlucky. Despite just having given birth, the concubine tried to snatch him away and even dared to defy the grand princess. In a fit of rage, the grand princess killed the baby right in front of Lord Henry. As for that concubine, she had her fingers and toes chopped off and suffered for days before dying. I… I was the one who did it. I was also the one who threw that baby to his death.

“Three years later, there was a pair of twins. I carried one in each arm as I walked outside. I showed them to Grand Princess Eleanor, then told her I would take them outside to suffocate them. That was the first time I harbored a rebellious thought against the grand princess, I wanted to send them away. Once they were gone, their fate would be up to them…

“But it didn’t work out. That day happened to be your fourth brother’s Lunar Blessing Ceremony. Grand Princess Eleanor was absolutely furious and needed to vent… And just like that, not a single baby was allowed to live. It wasn’t only the boys. Not every baby girl survived either–it all depended on her mood.” Earlier, Florence had insisted she wouldn’t say a bad word about Eleanor, but now, she had done just that. It was clear she loved Eleanor, but those three boys would forever remain an insurmountable hurdle in her heart.