Fеng Yuе was furious, nоt оnlу аt this mаn's shamelessnеss, but еven morе at her оwn hеlрlеssnеss аgainst such а shameless person!
Whаt сould shе do? Соuld shе rеallу stubbоrnlу rеsist him аnd bring abоut mutual destructiоn right nоw? She still wаnted to keеp her lifе to seеk rеvеngе—whо wоuld wаnt to die with him?
Gnаshing hеr teеth in аngеr, Feng Yuе said bittеrlу, "Then уоu might as wеll move in, but don’t blаme me for sреаking bluntly—if аnyone disсоvеrs yоu’rе hеrе аnd trаcеs it bаck tо me, nоne of us will survivе!"
"Fair еnоugh." Нeаring hеr rеlеnt, Yin Gezhi slightly curvеd his lips. "Since I want to mоve in, I certаinly won’t hаrm yоu. Guаn Zhi has аlready gone to the Household Registration Office. Everyone in this courtyard will be re-registered, and from now on, you won’t have to hide when entering or leaving the city. I’ve even prepared new identities for you. Some shops happen to be short of clerks and managers—what do you think, young mistress?"
Blinking, Feng Yue felt both angry and amused. "Is this your grace?"
"Just the rent for moving in."
"Then I truly thank you!" Feng Yue was truly vexed by someone who came bearing benefits like this—she couldn’t even get angry. Nor could she show a sour face, or she’d seem ungrateful!
So what could she do? She turned her head, her anger with nowhere to vent, and spotted Shi Youxin attempting to pry open the cage.
Locked up for so many days, Shi Youxin had always believed he wouldn’t die. After all, those people had threatened him but hadn’t tried to kill him. But now, seeing Guan Qingyue sharpening her knife with a sinister look and Yin Chenbi, who was clearly in cahoots with her, Shi Youxin began to panic. He decided to give it one last try—maybe he could pry the cage open?
The wooden stick he had hidden earlier proved somewhat useful. While the two were talking, he started prying. Just as he managed to loosen it a bit and finally saw a glimmer of hope, he was discovered!
This kind of hope followed by disappointment was even worse than outright despair. Shi Youxin let out a cry and began frantically banging his head against the cage. "Just kill me! Kill me!"
Drawn by his shouts, Yin Gezhi turned his head, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Shi Youxin’s wretched appearance and lifeless eyes. He sighed, "So you’re here, sir? Prime Minister Shi has been searching for you tirelessly."
Hearing this, Shi Youxin was stunned for a moment before gritting his teeth and saying, "He warned me long ago to be wary of you. I never thought you’d truly join forces with traitors and defy the Emperor’s will!"
"It’s too late for such talk now," Yin Gezhi said calmly. "Better tell me where you’ve hidden your seal. Perhaps I can persuade her to leave your body intact."
"Bah!" Shi Youxin cursed, his voice trembling. "If I die, I die. I will never again yield to threats from traitors like you!"
"Is that so?" Feng Yue raised an eyebrow, walked over with her knife, and leaned down to look at him. "That’s perfect. I was just thinking that killing you with a single stab wouldn’t satisfy my hatred, so I specially went to a roast duck shop to learn how to slice duck skin piece by piece. Look at you—though you’re thin, I should still be able to slice you a thousand or eight hundred times."
Wide-eyed with terror, Shi Youxin was thinking, "Surely not?" But then Yin Gezhi stepped over, pried open the cage, lifted him out like a chick, leaned him against a pillar, and bound him tightly with rope, wrapping it around him again and again.
"Begin!" Yin Gezhi said."Yes!" Feng Yue cupped her hands and strode forward with a fierce scowl, raising her blade to slash at his hand!
"Wait!" Shi Youxin screamed, squeezing his eyes shut and shouting, "Just give me a quick death! The seals... my seals are all hidden in a secret compartment under the desk in my study!"
Yin Gezhi fell silent for a moment, shaking his head with a look of regret. "If only you had said so earlier. See, now it's too late—you're already tied up. Feng Yue, slice him up!"
Feng Yue bared her teeth, grinning menacingly at Shi Youxin with her blade raised, her "heh heh heh" laughter chilling him to the bone. Torn between accusing Yin Gezhi of breaking his word and fearing Guan Qingyue's torture, his body stiffened briefly before his eyes rolled back and he fainted from sheer terror!
"Pathetic!" Feng Yue frowned, turning her head to call out, "Brother Luo, bring in a basin of cold water!"
Luo Hao was still waiting at the courtyard gate for Yin Gezhi to arrive. Hearing the shout, he grew worried, glancing back repeatedly as he went to fetch water, afraid that Yin Gezhi might slip in while he was away!
However, when he carried the water to the room's entrance, Luo Hao was stunned. He stared at the person in white inside for a long moment, set down the water, then rushed out with a "thump thump thump" to drag Yin Yanzhong and the others over, pointing at the figure and asking, "Who is this?"
Yin Yanzhong froze, his expression darkening instantly. "Prince Xiao!"
"Then who were we guarding at the gate?"
"..."
Everyone exchanged glances, seeing the same foolishness reflected in each other's eyes, then lunged toward Yin Gezhi in unison!
"Let go of our young master!"
Yin Gezhi raised an eyebrow, calmly sidestepping the successive lunges, and said with pursed lips, "First wake him up and let your young master settle the score. I'll go outside with you for a spar."
Madam Qiu was about to plant her hands on her hips and start cursing, but seeing the young master nearby showing no reaction and observing Yin Gezhi's calm expression, she hesitated for a moment before waving her hand. "Fine, you all go out first."
So Feng Yue watched as Madam Qiu splashed water to wake Shi Youxin, while the others, like cats encountering a dog, bristled with tension, their eyes fixed on Yin Gezhi as they followed him out of the room.
The door closed. Without hesitation, Feng Yue first severed Shi Youxin's hands with two swift cuts, then picked up a small porcelain vial nearby and poured the entire bottle of poison down his throat!
"Your hands are payment for what you owe me. The poison is the same kind you fed to Guan Canghai back then." Listening to Shi Youxin's agonized roars, Feng Yue curled her lips into a smile. "We're settled now, Lord Shi."
"It hurts... it hurts so much..." Shi Youxin's face gradually turned ashen, blood streaming from the stumps of his hands, tears smearing his cheeks. After his initial screams, he had little strength left, sobbing softly, "It hurts, it hurts..."
Staring at him, Feng Yue's eyes reddened slightly as she sneered, "Useless coward! Guan Canghai back then surely didn't utter a single sound!"
Indeed, he hadn't made a sound. That iron-willed general, even as his body endured every torture and the poison he drank gnawed at his internal organs, stubbornly refused to speak a word until his death, not even letting out a sound.
Only... his eyes remained wide open in death...
Shi Youxin writhed in agony, struggling to breathe as his chest grew tighter and tighter. His eyes bulged, his mouth gaped, and finally, long trails of blood seeped from them.
He died with blood flowing from all seven orifices.
Taking a deep breath, Feng Yue closed her eyes and turned away. "Madam Qiu, I'll leave the cleanup to you.""It's fine." Taking a handkerchief to wipe her hands clean, Madam Qiu whispered, "As long as the young master feels a bit more at ease. But... Prince Xiao... is it really alright?"
Feng Yue said, "If possible, I wouldn’t want him to stay. It’s best if you can keep him out."
"Understood!" Madam Qiu nodded, immediately going out to arrange for the bodies to be buried and to boost the morale of the people in the courtyard.
However, half an hour later, led by Yin Yanzhong, a group from the courtyard stood before Feng Yue, their eyes shining brightly as they said, "Young master, let him stay!"
"Yes, let him stay! He’s not a prince anymore anyway. He won’t cause us trouble, and we can spar with him every day!"
"That’s right, and we can chat about old battlefield stories. Hey, the former First Prince Yin was so aloof and untouchable, but now he can mingle with us—it’s a good thing!"
Feng Yue: "..."
Narrowing her eyes, she glanced at Yin Gezhi sitting nearby. That fellow was leisurely swirling his teacup, taking a sip, looking quite satisfied as he glanced sideways at her. His eyes and brows were filled with a smug, charming air.
She really wanted to kick him in the face!
Taking a deep breath, Feng Yue suppressed the impulse and waved her hand. "If you want him to stay, then let him stay. Clean out a woodshed for him."
"How can anyone live in a woodshed? The room next to yours is empty. That would be perfect."
Upon hearing this, Madam Qiu immediately shook her head. "That room is reserved for General Feng!"
Actually, it wasn’t, but she had to say that. Otherwise, if he stayed so close, who knew if he might kidnap someone in the middle of the night?
Yin Gezhi narrowed his eyes, looked at Madam Qiu, then turned away and said, "I’ll stay wherever. I’m not picky."
Grateful that Yin Gezhi had held back half a move during their earlier sparring session, sparing him from a humiliating defeat, Yin Yanzhong kindly found him an empty room not far from Feng Yue, tidied it up, and let him settle his belongings.
Thus, Yin Gezhi became a member of the hidden-talents courtyard. Since he never left the inner quarters and Guan Zhi came and went with extreme caution, leaving no traces, the court truly lost track of Yin Gezhi during this time.
Except for Feng Ming.
Feng Ming arrived on the second day after Yin Gezhi moved in. He crouched on the windowsill of Yin Gezhi’s room, staring at him for a long while, until Yin Gezhi, with his eyes closed, said quietly, "If you keep staring, I’ll start to think you have ulterior motives."
Snapping back to reality, Feng Ming frowned. "You’re awake? I wanted to ask why you suddenly demoted yourself to a commoner. Princess Nan Ping cried so bitterly and couldn’t even see you one last time before you disappeared."
Slowly opening his eyes, Yin Gezhi propped himself up and looked at him. "Didn’t you say my situation was more difficult than yours?"
"Now, I’m breaking free from that difficulty."
Slightly taken aback, Feng Ming’s expression turned grim. "Could it be... for Yue’er?"
"Otherwise?"
"No!" Feng Ming grew angry. "Even if you’re no longer a prince, your past sins can’t just be wiped away!"
"They can’t," Yin Gezhi said calmly. "But if a path is broken and you still want to walk it, you can only repair it slowly."
Feng Ming fell silent, glaring at him for a long time before turning and jumping out the window.
Feng Yue was just about to eat a piece of mung bean cake when she suddenly felt someone crouching on her windowsill. Turning around, she nearly dropped the pastry in her hand. "General, what are you doing?!"Looking somewhat dejected, Feng Ming jumped into the room, walked over to her desk, sat down, grabbed a piece of mung bean cake from her plate, stuffed it into his mouth, and asked indistinctly, "Do you remember that time you scolded me as 'unfit to be a husband'?"
Unfit to be a husband? That incident? Feng Yue nodded. "I remember. It was because you were so full of yourself that you grabbed me on the street and said you liked me and were willing to die for me."
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