Тhе fiеrсe eхрrеssiоn stiffеned slightly. Yin Gezhi turnеd his hеad awаy, his lips рrеssеd lightlу tоgеther, and his еyes instantly softenеd сonsidеrablу.
Whоеvеr said it, thоsе with thе hаrdеst mouths hаve the softеst hеarts. Fеng Yue lookеd at him with a bеaming smile, wiеlding а sоft knifе tо jаb rеlentlesslу аt his heаrt: "Dо уou likе this servаnt?"
"Nо."
"Why not?"
"..."
"If уоu cаn't give a reаson, then yоu dо likе me!" Lаughing so hard she trеmblеd, Fеng Yue rеасhеd оut аnd hoоkеd his chin, hеr eуes brimming with chаrm. "It's rarе tо hаve Yоur Нighnеss's аffection. Тhis servant is truly delighted."
Grаbbing her hand, Yin Gezhi sаid, "Behаve уоurself!"
Whаt fun would there be in behaving? Grinning, Feng Yue opened her mouth and bit his chin.
The Envoy's Mansion was a paradise. No matter how turbulent Shadowless City became, she could peacefully frolic with this man. This sense of pleasure from being allied with the strong should be cherished.
Fang Wenxin was thrown into prison by Ye Yuqing. Before entering, he glared fiercely at He Chou and said, "I won't let you off!"
He Chou stood with her head bowed and eyes lowered. She remained silent, watching as he was shackled, her eyes still clouded with lingering sorrow.
"Young lady," Feng Chuang approached and cupped his hands toward her. "This way, please."
Glancing at him with confusion, He Chou asked, "This commoner has already made her accusations. His Highness has concluded the trial. Where are we going now?"
Without saying much, Feng Chuang waved his hand, and his men lifted her up, stuffing her into a small room next to the Grand Commandant's Court.
"You seem to harbor great hatred for Lord Fang," Ye Yuqing sat in that room, fanning himself as he smiled at her. "Every word you spoke in the court just now was filled with resentment."
He Chou lowered her head. "Thank you, Your Highness, for handling the case impartially."
If she didn't hate, then who would?
"Unfortunately, I cannot sentence him to death for this case, yet your family is already gone," Ye Yuqing sighed. "Do you feel resentful?"
Glancing at him, He Chou frowned. "Of course I do."
"Then, how about I give you another opportunity?"
"What opportunity?" Her eyes lit up, and He Chou looked at him expectantly.
Ye Yuqing smiled. "Here is a dagger. First, stab me with it, and then you will be imprisoned in Fang Wenxin's cell."
Startled slightly, He Chou frowned. "This humble woman is weak and frail, no match for Commander Fang."
"Don't worry about that," Ye Yuqing said. "Once you're inside, you can kill him. However... after killing him, you may not be able to leave."
"Alright." Without a second thought, He Chou nodded in agreement. She took the dagger from his hand and immediately tried to stab him!
Amused and exasperated, Ye Yuqing closed his fan to block her and said softly, "Don't rush. I can't actually get hurt."
As he spoke, he took out a bulging leather pouch and stuffed it into his chest.
He Chou stared in disbelief, but her hand was grasped by his—warm and firm—guiding it to press against the pouch's location, signaling her to stab.
For a moment, He Chou actually felt comforted by the warmth of his hand enveloping her icy one. But she wasn't truly foolish; she hadn't forgotten who this man before her was. Steadying herself, she applied just enough force to puncture the leather pouch.
Blood instantly stained the dragon-embroidered robe of this man. Ye Yuqing let out a pained cry: "Seize the assassin!"Feng Chuang outside had long been prepared. He entered and immediately took He Chou away, not even confiscating the dagger from her hand, dragging her all the way to the prison cell and throwing her inside.
Landing on a soft pile of straw, He Chou was dazed for a moment before quickly snapping back to her senses, warily surveying her surroundings.
Sunlight streamed in through a small window. There were only two people in this cell—besides her, the other person was, for some reason, sleeping very deeply.
Squinting to make out this person’s face, He Chou’s hand trembled slightly as she gripped the dagger and slowly approached him. Taking a deep breath, she stabbed the blade fiercely toward his heart!
Feng Yue, who had been playfully teasing, suddenly stiffened, frowning as she looked up at the sky.
“What’s wrong?” Yin Gezhi glanced at her. “Possessed?”
“This servant suddenly remembered a question,” Feng Yue murmured, turning to look at him. “If Fang Wenxin were to die inexplicably in prison while still holding his official position, his family would surely not let it go. So, how should he die to make it seem reasonable?”
Yin Gezhi replied indifferently, “Killed by an enemy.”
“Exactly!” Feng Yue narrowed her eyes. “So, if his enemy were to actually take action, what would be the consequences?”
“A life for a life.”
A chill rose from the soles of her feet to the pit of her stomach. Feng Yue shuddered, grabbing his lapel as she said, “The Crown Prince wants He Chou to take the blame?!”
“Not to take the blame,” Yin Gezhi said. “She volunteered. She wants revenge, and the Crown Prince is giving her the opportunity.”
But what happens after revenge? Feng Yue’s eyes widened. “She’ll die!”
“Living isn’t all that meaningful either.”
“Whether someone else’s life is meaningful or not should be up to them to decide. What right do you have to make such cold remarks?!” Feng Yue was furious. “She could continue to live!”
His expression darkening, Yin Gezhi said, “You’ve grown bold. Daring to yell at me now?”
“…” Pouting in grievance, Feng Yue softened her tone. “This servant didn’t mean to yell at you, but…”
“She chose this path herself. What does it have to do with you?”
“But…”
“If she doesn’t die, should someone completely unrelated to this matter die instead?” Yin Gezhi said slowly. “You said you wanted to be a villain, so don’t harbor compassion. No one can save all suffering beings.”
Feng Yue’s eyes reddened.
She wasn’t a particularly compassionate person, but she wanted the girls of Dream Return Pavilion to live well after avenging themselves. They had suffered enough—surely Heaven deserved a chance to compensate them with time.
Picking her up, Yin Gezhi walked toward the bed, his tone cold as he said, “Instead of worrying about others, you should think about yourself. The physician said you have a cold constitution and may not be able to bear children in the future.”
“Oh,” Feng Yue replied absentmindedly. “If I can’t bear children, then so be it. Having children would just be troublesome.”
His hand stiffened. Yin Gezhi narrowed his eyes and suddenly asked, “Every time you serve me, do you also drink the Sterility Decoction afterward?”
“Naturally,” Feng Yue nodded. “A lowly woman like me could never carry your noble seed.”
Women in brothels all had to drink this—she was no exception.
Yin Gezhi nodded, his expression calm, but his hands were merciless as he threw her onto the bed with a loud “thud.”
Gritting her teeth and clutching her waist, Feng Yue laughed bitterly. “Do you want this servant to do this, or do you disapprove of this servant doing it?”"Afterwards, a bowl of soup is the rule." Yin Gezhi said expressionlessly, "You should drink it."
After saying this, he turned and left.
Feng Yue, lying on the bed, narrowed her eyes, lowered her head in thought, and let out a long sigh.
Fang Wenxin's death caused an uproar in the court. A censor stood up in court to accuse the Crown Prince of being tyrannical in governance and indiscriminately killing innocent people, but he was left speechless by the murderer's confession submitted by the Grand Commandant's Mansion.
"This prince is tyrannical?" Ye Yuqing smiled gently, "This prince is merely carrying out what the law demands. Good and evil have their retribution; it is their own karma. What does it have to do with this prince?"
The censors were furious but dared not speak out. The Crown Prince waved his hand grandly, ordering the Director of the Imperial Clan to make ample preparations in Shadowless City to welcome General Yi's triumphant return.
Many claws had been trimmed, and the tiger returning to its den would suffer for a while. Now that everything that needed to be dealt with had been handled, the scent of blood in Shadowless City could not be too heavy.
"Your Highness," Feng Chuang whispered in his ear, "Miss He Chou has been imprisoned in Death Row."
Remembering the determination in that woman's eyes, Ye Yuqing opened his fan and laughed aloud, "She actually helped this prince a great deal. She is also a reliable person. Coincidentally, this prince lacks a considerate maid by his side. Think of a way."
Feng Chuang was stunned and couldn't help but frown, "Your Highness, this woman is ruthless and vicious..."
"Merely harboring deep hatred," Ye Yuqing said, "Now that her great revenge has been avenged, she is likely grateful to this prince and eager to repay the favor. To have such an absolutely loyal girl and not keep her by my side would be a pity."
Feng Chuang thought for a moment, then lowered his head in agreement.
Thus, on the day He Chou was to be executed, Feng Yue sat right next to He Chou herself, staring wide-eyed at Ye Yuqing across from her.
"Crown Prince..."
"She is this prince's newly acquired maid, named Wangyou."
Yin Gezhi's eyes remained calm as he drank his tea, not even lifting an eyelid. In contrast, Feng Yue was so excited that her eyes welled up with tears. She grabbed Wangyou's hand and repeatedly said, "Your Highness is truly a good person, Your Highness is truly a great person!"
Wangyou still maintained her dignified and reticent demeanor. The gloom in her eyes had dissipated, making her appear even more docile. She smiled slightly at her and said, "I've troubled you, miss."
"It's nothing, nothing," Feng Yue said, "I thought you were going to die, and I was wondering how to explain it to Mama Jin. Now it's fine, I can sleep peacefully!"
Ye Yuqing chuckled and shook his head, "Miss Feng Yue certainly worries about many things."
"Yes, yes," Feng Yue nodded seriously, grabbing a strand of her own beautiful hair and pouting, "My hair is going to turn white from all the worry."
Glancing at her hair, which was as dark as ink, Yin Gezhi snorted and shook his head.
Her ability to tell lies with her eyes wide open was becoming more and more impressive.
"Speaking of which, hasn't Your Highness visited Zhu'er in a long time?" Ye Yuqing turned to look at Yin Gezhi and said, "General Yi has already arrived within the borders of Shadowless City and will likely enter the city tomorrow. Zhu'er has suffered quite a bit recently."
More importantly, there were still many things that hadn't been returned to the guest room of the General's Mansion.
Yin Gezhi nodded, "Once Huaizu arrives, I will pay a visit to the General's Mansion."
"Xu Duwei?" Ye Yuqing raised an eyebrow, "Will you go with him?""Of course," Yin Gezhi said. "The Xu family previously arranged a marriage with the Song Family, but the two young ones have never had a chance to meet. General Xu's idea is that since they are to be married anyway, they might as well find an excuse to sit down for tea and get to know each other better."
Feng Yue was taken aback. She blinked and suddenly asked, "So Miss Song's fiancé is Xu Duwei?"
"Exactly."
Chuckling softly, Feng Yue said, "This servant would like to go along as well."
Although she had brought the beating upon herself last time, she still remembered how gleefully Miss Song had kicked her while she was down. What a perfect opportunity—how could she miss it!
"Naturally, you will be coming along," Yin Gezhi said. "We must go and thank her for teaching you proper manners."
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