Chapter 492 - Prince Yongzheng Would Stoop This Low
Ying Lili grasped the hand of Bai Yaling, gently and looked at the deep red bruise on her palm. Ying Lili's heart palpitated seeing the sight of Bai Yaling. Court Lady Xu brought her hand near her mouth seeing the wound.
"Sister Lili, it will heal--"
"It will never heal if Sister Bai does not dress it. This wound is not from slipping in the bathhouse, instead, it is from someone's beating," Ying Lili spoke finally. There was agony in her voice. "Did by any chance the Second Prince hurt you?" Ying Lili asked Bai Yaling, who shook her head.
"Sister, at least be truthful in front of me. I selected you as the wife of the Second Prince, so this is partially my fault too." A tear rolled down Ying Lili's cheek and she told the Court Lady Xu to call the Royal Physician.
"Sister Lili, I beg you," Bai Yaling said and pulled her hand back. She lowered her head and continued, "Please do not call the Royal Physician." Bai Yaling started to cry. Ying Lili then instructed Court Lady Xu to bring a few herbs from the Royal infirmary. "Do not let anyone enter inside. Pass this to all the maidservants," Ying Lili told Court Lady Xu, who nodded her head and walked out.
Ying Lili pulled Bai Yaling up from her arms and brought her to the bed. Making her sit on the bed, Ying Lili sat beside her. She wiped the tears off Bai Yaling's eyes. "Forgive me. You underwent so much pain because of me. There is no one here. I promise you this will be between us and if needed I will take the help of the Crown Prince," Ying Lili stated.
"I do not need any help, Sister Lili. I do not want to say anything. It was not your fault. It was my destiny to be with the Second Prince," Bai Yaling asserted and again started to cry. Ying Lili could not believe that Prince Yongzheng would stoop this low and raise his hand on his wife. It made her more guilty because she was unaware of the fact or she never tried to look towards the other Princesses.
"Sister Bai, if you do not tell me then I will take it to the Emperor," Ying Lili used the threatening way. Bai Yaling pleaded with Ying Lili not to do that.
"I have to if Sister Bai will not tell me," Ying Lili menacingly stated. "Sister Bai, the Second Prince has no right to treat you this way. You are a human," Ying Lili's eyes again became watery. "It seems he hit you with a sharp object," Ying Lili said with a heavy heart.
Bai Yaling had no words left. Indeed, Prince Yongzheng took his anger out on her. She had never thought her life would end up like this.
"Sister Bai, please tell me. You can trust me," Ying Lili said while caressing Bai Yaling's cheek.
"Sis-Sister Lili, Prince Yongzheng was in anger last night, so he p-pushed me away. I could not balance myself and get hit against the edge of the table first. I tried to calm him down when he again pushed me and my hand touched the blade of the knife," Bai Yaling narrated to Ying Lili and started crying.
"Did the Second Prince occasionally do this to you?" Ying Lili asked.
Bai Yaling lowered her eyes. Ying Lili understood her answer. "Did you get injured anywhere else?" Ying Lili asked.
Bai Yaling nodded her head. "My back and lower waist, my left arm and near the collarbone," Bai Yaling told Ying Lili, who ended up crying. She wanted to kill Yongzheng for treating his own wife in this way. Ying Lili hugged Bai Yaling tightly.
"Sister Bai, you will not suffer anymore. An-Ying Lili promises you that she would end your pain and punish the culprit," Ying Lili gave Bai Yaling her words, who pulled back.
"No, Sister Lili. I am fine. He is my husband," Bai Yaling stated. Ying Lili could see the fear in her eyes and at the same time the love she had for Yongzheng. But he did not deserve that love.
"You might end up dying this way!" Ying Lili remarked. This was true though. The wound on Bai Yaling's hand was enough to show how violent Yongzheng was to her. "Sister Bai, even if he is your husband, he has no right to raise his hand on you," Ying Lili pronounced. "You have an identity, Sister Bai. You did not marry in this family to get abused like this," she made her understand.
"Sister Lili, what good will happen if I raise my voice? You also know that this is a society led by men. Only our image will tarnish. My parents' names can get dragged into this. I am happy that Sister Lili understood my pain. These wounds will go away soon. Prince is loaded with work, that's why he sometimes gets angry. I will bear it," Bai Yaling was not ready to let Ying Lili take action. She had the fear that her husband might leave her and might get a second wife.
"It's your life, Sister Bai. You have your own self-respect. No one can hurt it. Even though the Prince is loaded with work, it does not mean that he will treat you this way. He shall leave work if he cannot bear the pressure," Ying Lili suddenly got angry. "Sister Bai, I am getting hurt only by hearing all this. I cannot even imagine how much you are suffering!" Ying Lili asserted.
"Sister Bai, nothing will happen. Trust me. You do not need to be scared. You have not done anything wrong," Ying Lili consoled her.
Court Lady Xu came by then and put the tray on the table. "Your Highness, I made sure that no one saw me," Court Lady Xu reassured Ying Lili, who nodded.
Ying Lili stood up and took the mortar from the tray. She ground the herbs in it into a coarse paste. Ying Lili then cleaned the hand of Bai Yaling before applying the herbal paste.
"Ahh," Bai Yaling winced in pain, so Ying Lili blew the air while applying the paste. "Sister Bai, if you don't mind then will you show me your other wounds?" Ying Lili humbly asked her after dressing Bai Yaling's hand.
Bai Yaling gave permission to Ying Lili. Court Lady Xu came forward and helped Bai Yaling in taking off the clothes.
Oppositely, Ying Lili had made up her mind to punish Yongzheng. 'The Second Prince has not improved. The reason for Prince Yongzheng's anger might be us. However, he is not showing this to anyone, especially to Sheng Li.' Ying Lili thought. She checked the arm and back of Bai Yaling.
Her eyes were misty seeing Bai Yaling's back. The marks of the bruises left had turned violet. Ying Lili applied the paste on those bruises. "Sister Bai, do not let him harm you. Please raise your voice if he does wrong to you and do tell me if he raises his hand again at you.. I do not want to see you in this state anymore," Ying Lili affirmed.