However, when she was yelling, she didn’t realize that Princess Yoona was whispering something to the guards’ ears and passed them several silver coins. Right after that, five big guards, equipped with whips and handcuffs, began approaching Seulgi’s cell. Seulgi, knowing what might have happened next, prepared her fighting position, ready to attack any guard who’s out to harm her. The first guard quickly opened the cell’s door. Then, two guards hastily ran inside, attacked, and apprehended Seulgi, allowing the other two guards to use their whip and flogged Seulgi’s body. Blood started oozing heavily from Seulgi’s body, complimented with Seulgi’s silent cry for help. Seulgi always tried to fight the guards off, but her energy seemed to have drained by every whip that landed on her muscular body. After having satisfaction from lashing the captain, the guards put on a full-body cuff on Seulgi and slammed her body to the floor, continued by the guards’ beating on Seulgi’s entire body. Swollen eyes, bloody nose, and tainted back didn’t seemed to satisfy the head of guards as he pulled out his knife and cut Seulgi’s long hair. Before they went out, the spitted on Seulgi’s helpless body and left her out to dry.

On the other hand, Princess Yoona began walking to Princess Joohyun’s chamber and exclaimed as she slammed the chamber’s doors wide open, “How are you doing, my beloved niece?”.

As soon as Princess Joohyun saw her aunt and cousins, she immediately sighed heavily and eyed Seungwan who was combing her hair.

“I’m doing well, Aunt Im, considering the hard situation I’m in right now,” Princess Joohyun answered nonchalantly.

 “I need to talk to you in private, my dear niece. Seungwan, please take my daughters to Joohyun’s flower gardens. It’s been a while since they saw it,” Princess Yoona ordered, looking sharply at Seungwan.

Seungwan instantly had a quick eye contact with Princess Joohyun, who was reassuring her that it’s okay to leave her alone.

After getting Princess Joohyun’s approval, Seungwan approached the other two princesses and said, “Princess Sooyoung, Yerim, let me take you to Princess Joohyun’s garden.”

Both Princess Yoona and Princess Joohyun waited until Seungwan and Princess Joohyun’s cousins had exited the room. Right afterwards, awkward tension could be felt roaming around the air, followed by the execution of Princess Yoona’s evil plan.

“Oh, my beloved niece. You should stop being all gloomy and sad because the dynasty needs you to replace your mother. This dynasty’s condition will just get worse if you don’t go back up. If you rule this dynasty with this attitude, it’s better if you just step down from being the throne princess,” Princess Yoona said as she approached Princess Joohyun.

“I’ll be fine, Aunt Im. It’s just that the news is very abrupt and it just shook me. I guess I just need some time off from everything that’s been going on right now. I hope you’d understand me, Aunt Im,” Princess Joohyun replied, successfully nudging Princess Yoona’s first devilish tactic.

“I understand you completely, my dear. It’s also hard for me to lose the only sister I have. I lost my husband at battlefield and now, I lost my sister at an accident at sea. Ah, what a poor life I have,” Princess Yoona commented with her fake sympathetic tone, cueing a silent gag out of Princess Joohyun’s mouth.

“Aunt Im, can I have my private moment please? I need to have some time on my own before I’m going to address the public about my condition,” Princess Joohyun pleaded.

“Take all the time you need, my dear. I’ll be going now. See you later,” Princess Yoona obliged as she stepped out of Princess Joohyun’s chamber.

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