"Second Brother, do you realize what you're doing?" Su Su said anxiously.
With the ongoing war between Xia and Zhou kingdoms, Ye Chu Feng, as the son of a general, was actually kneeling and begging before the enemy. Not only was this a disgrace to his scholarly integrity, he was disregarding the entire Ye family!
Ye Chu Feng remained kneeling, his tears soaking his robes.
He understood the consequences of his actions better than Su Su. He knew the fox Sprite behind him had harmed many people, and he had once thought of severing this ill-fated bond.
But when the fox Sprite's tails were severed one by one, on the verge of being tortured to death by Tantai Jin, he could no longer restrain himself. Stumbling and staggering, he rushed out.
Ye Chu Feng, in tattered clothes, had traveled thousands of miles pursuing a Sprite. He didn't dare look at his younger sister in the cage. He was more clear-headed than anyone, yet more desperate than anyone.
Behind him, the fox Sprite screamed miserably, blood soaking through his robes. He had once cherished her so deeply that even her tears pained him. Fresh tears streamed down Ye Chu Feng's face as he woodenly kowtowed again. "I beg Your Highness to spare her life."
Tantai Jin said, "Second Young Master Ye is an intelligent man. To ask for something, one must offer something in return. Whether she lives depends on what you can offer."
Ye Chu Feng said, "I possess nothing of value. In this lifetime, I am willing to go through fire and water for Your Highness, even if it means dying ten thousand deaths."
Avoiding Su Su's shocked gaze, Ye Chu Feng closed his eyes. "I only beg one thing of Your Highness... please don't make... your subordinate act against the Ye family."
Tantai Jin said, "Dealing with the Ye family doesn't require your involvement."
He took out a jade box and commanded Ye Chu Feng, "Hold out your hand."
As Ye Chu Feng received the jade box, a completely emerald-colored insect emerged from it and burrowed into Ye Chu Feng's body.
Ye Chu Feng's lips turned pale, his body trembling slightly. He endured it without making a sound.
After the insect disappeared, Tantai Jin said coldly, "Remember your oath today. If you betray me, ten thousand insects will devour your heart."
Ye Chu Feng clutched his chest and silently picked up the bloodied fox Sprite from the ground.
The fox Sprite was named Pian Ran, now transformed into a small yellow fox. Her three tails had been severed, blood gushing from the stumps.
Tantai Jin drew a sword from a Night Shadow Guard.
The cold gleam of the sword reflected on his face as he smiled. "Ye Chu Feng, have you ever seen blood?"
Su Su pressed her lips tightly together. She certainly knew Tantai Jin wasn't simply asking if Ye Chu Feng had seen blood, but whether he had killed anyone.
Ye Chu Feng shook his head.
"Is that so," Tantai Jin said. "Then your first task is to kill this Corpse Demon."
Tantai Jin threw the sword at Ye Chu Feng's feet. Ye Chu Feng looked up in disbelief. "Your Highness!"
The fox Sprite struggled in his arms, and Ye Chu Feng's face turned deathly pale.
If he killed the Jiangshi Jiang Rao in front of Pian Ran today, she would hate him forever.
Tantai Jin remained silent, watching Ye Chu Feng with a faint, mocking smile. His eyes were icy cold, leaving no doubt that he was serious.
Ye Chu Feng lowered his gaze, his body stiff, and picked up the sword.
The previously quiet Pian Ran let out a sharp scream and bit fiercely into Ye Chu Feng's arm.
Unmoved, Ye Chu Feng raised the sword and brought it down upon Jiang Rao.
Without the Mingluo Pearl, Jiang Rao was merely an ordinary corpse unable to move. His head rolled away, not even shedding a drop of blood.
Tears of hatred streamed from the fox Sprite's eyes as she viciously bit off a piece of Ye Chu Feng's flesh.
Ye Chu Feng held her tightly, his eyes empty and desolate.Su Su's eyes welled up with tears, uncertain whether to hate Ye Chu Feng or pity him. He had abandoned everything to feed himself to the demon, yet the demonic creature deeply resented him.
Among the four young masters of the Ye residence, Ye Chu Feng had always lived the most difficult life.
Su Su had once hoped that after leaving the fox demon, Ye Chu Feng would achieve success in the imperial examinations and no longer suffer the cold treatment from the family. But the moment he knelt before Tantai Jin, his fate was sealed in eternal damnation.
Tantai Jin seemed completely indifferent to their suffering. Toying with the Nether Pearl, he said, "I have no use for incompetents. Go to Cangzhou and prove your worth. Someone will tell you what I need you to do. If you perform well, this wretched beast lives comfortably. If you fail, I'll need a new fox fur coat before spring arrives."
The Night Shadow Guard took the barely breathing fox demon from Ye Chu Feng's hands.
Ye Chu Feng was covered in blood, indistinguishable whether it was his or the fox demon's. He let out a bitter smile, gazing at the fox demon.
But the fox demon refused to look at him, instead staring fixedly at Jiang Rao's severed head while vomiting blood profusely.
Ye Chu Feng averted his gaze and said, "This subordinate obeys."
Before leaving, he bowed deeply to Tantai Jin: "My younger sister is young and ignorant. If she has ever offended you in the past, I beg for your mercy and forgiveness."
Tantai Jin replied ambiguously, "Naturally."
Approaching the cage, Ye Chu Feng said to Su Su, "Little sister, Ye Chu Feng has been disloyal, unfilial, and unjust. From now on, Ye Chu Feng no longer exists in this world."
He untied the jade pendant from his waist and placed it in Su Su's palm. This was the jade token representing the identity of Ye family men, possessed by every Ye descendant.
Su Su bit her lip and threw the jade back at him, her heart filled with sorrow and complexity: "Get lost! My second brother died long ago!"
The jade shattered on the ground. With red-rimmed eyes, Ye Chu Feng left without looking back.
Watching Ye Chu Feng's retreating figure, Su Su knew that from this day forward, he would likely become an enemy working behind the scenes against Great Xia and the Ye residence. With his remarkable talents, he would surely become a sharp blade pointed at the Ye family.
After everyone had left, Su Su clutched her chest, coughing weakly.
Her mouth was filled with the taste of blood - she had been injured during the fight with the Seven-tailed Fox and Jiang Rao.
The Night Shadow Guard gripped the fox demon's neck and consulted Tantai Jin: "Your Highness, how should we deal with this demon?"
Tantai Jin looked at Su Su while casually answering the guard: "Lock it up somewhere, just keep it alive. If Ye Chu Feng proves useless, kill it directly, skin it and make soup."
The fox demon was taken away.
Tantai Jin touched the Black Iron Cage and crouched down to look at Su Su.
The young girl curled up in the cage, glaring at him fiercely.
His expression remained cold as he met her gaze.
Su Su asked, "You disappeared these past few days to contact your subordinates?"
Tantai Jin replied, "Yes."
"You discovered the Seven-tailed Fox long ago?"
"Correct."
"You also knew Ye Chu Feng followed us?"
"That's right."
Su Su said, "You deliberately tricked me into saving you?"
Tantai Jin fell silent.
No, only this had been beyond his expectations. The teleportation array formed by the longevity lock - only Jing Lan'an knew its final destination. Even the Night Shadow Guard had taken several days to find him.
Instead of answering, he reached out and touched the blood at the corner of Su Su's mouth.
Su Su was startled and quickly retreated: "What do you think you're doing?"
Unfortunately, her back was against the cage bars, trapped within the black iron with nowhere to escape.
Just then, a Night Shadow Guard brought a key: "Your Highness, this was found on the Corpse Demon. It should be the key to unlock the Black Iron Cage."Tantai Jin took the key, which was also forged from black iron. It was evident the fox demon had put considerable thought into Jiang Rao's safety.
He tentatively inserted the key into the lock, while Su Su watched unblinkingly.
With a click, the cage unlocked. But in the next moment, he twisted his wrist and relocked it. Tantai Jin even turned the key several more times, as if trying to secure the black iron cage even tighter. He gazed at the helpless girl trapped inside, a strange light flickering in his eyes.
Rising to his feet, he ordered the Night Shadow Guard, "Take her away."
Su Su’s expression remained impassive. Fortunately, she hadn’t held out much hope, so she skipped the formalities and cursed him vehemently in her heart.
She discreetly tested her escape talisman, but it showed no reaction. This cage had clearly been designed to restrain Taoist practitioners—once inside, there was no way out.
Unless Tantai Jin opened the cage.
Su Su was taken to a residence.
Tantai Jin no longer held a respectable status. His elder brother had become the emperor of the Zhou Kingdom, while he himself was a fugitive from Great Xia. Neither Zhou nor Great Xia would let him off easily.
Su Su overheard a large group of people discussing matters in the next room.
"Tantai Minglang… demonic creatures… ambush… victory… Prince Xuan… Ganrui County… expedition… Great Xia’s emperor…"
She couldn’t make out the details clearly but pieced together fragments of information.
It seemed that Tantai Minglang had raised demonic creatures to ambush the border of Great Xia. Caught off guard, the enemy had won a battle. Xiao Lin was personally leading an expedition to Ganrui County to confront them.
If Xiao Lin was heading to the front lines, it meant Ye Xiao couldn’t handle the situation and had no choice but to seek reinforcements from the court.
A sense of heaviness settled in Su Su’s heart.
The discussion gradually quieted down.
Tantai Jin pushed the door open and entered. He had changed out of the peasant clothes he wore earlier and now donned a black robe embroidered with cloud patterns, exuding an air of undeniable nobility.
He seated himself before the desk.
Maidservants warmed wine nearby. Su Su noticed their distinctive hairstyles and attire—most likely, they were women of the Yiyue tribe.
Soon, the warm fragrance of wine filled the room.
Spring had yet to arrive, and a chill still hung in the air.
Tantai Jin rested his chin on his hand, sipping wine leisurely, completely ignoring Su Su in the cage.
He seemed relaxed, leading Su Su to suspect that this residence was under the Yiyue tribe’s protection.
Among those attending to him was a man with a shifty gaze and a thin mustache, who flatteringly asked, "Your Highness, shall we summon the dancers and musicians?"
This man, Yang Ji, was the Yiyue tribe’s envoy at the border. Silver-tongued and skilled in socializing, flattery, and business, he had prepared entertainment in advance, treating Tantai Jin as if he were a highly esteemed prince of Zhou—though Yang Ji knew little about his new master’s background.
Tantai Jin looked amused but did not refuse. "Summon them."
Su Su thought to herself, He’s putting on quite the act. Anyone would think he really grew up as a Zhou prince.*
Soon, graceful dancers filed into the room.
Despite it being winter, the performers wore only thin, translucent white gauze robes with long flowing sleeves. Their slender waists were faintly visible, creating an ethereal beauty.
The dancers bowed before Tantai Jin. As the musicians began to play, they started their elegant performance.Su Su crouched in the corner, watching for a while. Still injured, she felt a dull ache in her chest. Such a scene was unsuitable for her current condition. Weakly leaning against the cage, she grew drowsy.
Yang Ji tapped his fingers to the rhythm of the music, watching the dancers with a look of intoxication.
Tantai Jin propped his chin on his hand, his gaze shifting away from the dancers. Through their white dresses, he was watching the girl in the cage.
Behind the white veil, Su Su hugged her knees and closed her eyes.
Even in such a state, her face showed no humiliation. She neither begged for mercy nor appeared afraid, still treating him with disregard.
Tantai Jin drank from his cup, feeling somewhat vexed.
Yang Ji didn’t notice Tantai Jin’s unusual mood, occasionally enthusiastically explaining some customs of the Yiyue tribe. Tantai Jin listened attentively, as this knowledge might prove useful in the future.
The next day, Su Su developed a fever.
It was first noticed by a Yiyue tribe maid who went as usual to deliver food to the girl in the cage, only to find her in poor physical condition.
The maid hurried to inform Tantai Jin.
At that time, Tantai Jin and Yang Ji were having a meal in the courtyard.
Upon hearing this, Yang Ji chuckled and said, "Your Highness, I’ve been meaning to ask, who is that girl?"
Yang Ji thought to himself that he couldn’t figure out Su Su’s identity at all.
Locked in a cage, dirty, and listless—it seemed His Highness despised her.
He allowed her to eat but not to heal her wounds.
But if he truly hated her, why keep someone he disliked so close? Could it be that he found satisfaction in watching her suffer daily?
Tantai Jin ignored Yang Ji and asked the maid, "She’s sick?"
The maid replied, "Yes."
Yang Ji said, "Your Highness, should we call a witch doctor to examine her?"
Tantai Jin said coldly, "No need. She’s no honored guest."
Yang Ji, quick-witted, asked, "Did this girl do something to offend Your Highness before?"
Tantai Jin said, "Something like that."
Today, there was still singing and dancing. The border climate had warmed, and a few flowers had bloomed in the courtyard. Tantai Jin drank silently, his eyes fixed on the dancers. Suddenly, he said, "Go ask her if she’s willing to come dance for my amusement. If she dances well, I’ll have her treated."
Though he didn’t specify who "she" was, everyone understood.
Yang Ji pondered, what did this mean?
Even he, who knew everything, couldn’t guess Tantai Jin’s thoughts this time.
Soon, the maid returned and reported, "That girl agreed, but..."
"But what?"
"That girl needs to change her clothes."
Tantai Jin curved his lips into a smile. He threw the key to the maid and said, "Have someone keep an eye on her. Don’t let her escape. If she runs, I’ll use you all as human lanterns."
When he said "human lanterns," his tone was exceptionally gentle. The maid trembled and left to carry out the order.
After bathing and changing clothes, Su Su’s cheeks were flushed red. She looked at her reflection in the mirror—clearly seriously ill.
She rubbed her face to clear her mind. Her thoughts were muddled. Her true form never fell ill, and Ye Xi Wu’s body was usually healthy. It was rare for her to be sick like this.
Noblewomen of Great Xia were versed in poetry, music, and dance. Though Ye Xi Wu knew how to dance, Su Su did not. Those fragmented memories were of no use.
After putting on the Yiyue tribe dancer’s attire, she vaguely understood a part of Tantai Jin’s intentions.He was repaying the humiliation he had suffered from his former master and himself. As a dancer, her status was lowly. Tantai Jin wanted her to dance for him, to see her bow her head and submit to him, just like Ye Chu Feng.
He wanted to see her fawn over him.
Tantai Jin had previously been in an extremely humble position. Whether in the cold palace or in the Ye residence, no one had ever treated him kindly. Now that he had turned the tables, this was the only way he could vent the pent-up frustration in his heart.
If one had to explain this mentality, Su Su felt it was probably twisted to the point of being pathological.
After all, Tantai Jin was inherently domineering, cruel, suspicious, and cautious. He took pleasure in others' suffering, and if they weren't suffering, he would create some for them.
Su Su tied her belt and tucked the teleportation Yellow Talisman into her chest, feeling a sense of relief.
No one would check this place.
With a smile in her eyes, she thought that before leaving, she might as well indulge that hateful and cowardly young man.
She would dance for him haphazardly, and when he was in the best mood, she would make him watch helplessly as she escaped. She wondered if he would be so enraged that he would spit blood.
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