Chapter 89
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
On this day, Yang Liusheng spent a long time painting.
Since he was painting a beauty, he painted with great enthusiasm and was quite satisfied with his work. As for what to do with the painting afterward, Yang Liusheng was only allowed to paint portraits of Jiang Juan. The decision about the painting’s fate was not in his hands. That evening, Yang Liusheng drank two jugs of white wine in frustration and cried to his friend all night. His friend couldn’t even cover his mouth and looked pale with fear.
After this day, Jiang Juan’s life also began to fall into a routine.
He woke up early and went to bed early, with a fixed schedule each day—accompanying the Crown Prince to handle state affairs during the day and sleeping with him at night. Being the Crown Prince Consort made Jiang Juan feel the grind of a corporate worker. Despite all the hard work, he only got a meager amount of lunchtime, and he could no longer lie down and relax whenever he wanted. He was constantly jolted awake, and Jiang Juan truly felt the world’s harshness.
During this time, Prime Minister Gu also made a special visit to meet Jiang Juan. He praised Xie Bailu’s abilities in flood control and various inventions.
Since it was a matter of life and death, Jiang Juan took the initiative to ask, “Is he unwilling to head south? Should I and His Highness go invite him?”
Prime Minister Gu, hearing this, quickly waved his hand. “No need.”
He smiled and said, “As soon as he heard it was recommended by the Crown Prince Consort, he immediately agreed, eager to head south tomorrow to manage the flood control. He said that if the Crown Prince Consort needed him, he would even go through fire and water for her.”
Jiang Juan: “…”
Alright then.
Compared to the protagonist shou and Marquis Anping, their situation was going too smoothly.
In summary, during this period, except for poor sleep and persistent eye issues, Jiang Juan’s life was going smoothly. However, a turning point was approaching.
It was an afternoon when Jiang Juan, while sleeping, rolled over to the side but found no one holding him. Groggily, Jiang Juan lifted his head and saw that the bed was empty; His Highness was no longer there.
“Where is His Highness?”
Jiang Juan asked in confusion. Lan Ting, who was outside, lifted the curtain and smiled, “It seems that His Highness had to handle some matters.”
Jiang Juan responded with an “oh,” intending to turn over and go back to sleep. But then he suddenly noticed something and sat up quickly. “Lan Ting, I think…”
Lan Ting: “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Juan: “I think I can see a bit.”
The reason he said “a bit” was that his vision hadn’t fully recovered yet, and he could only see faintly. But that was enough.
Imperial Physician Sun had said not to worry, that Jiang Juan’s eyes would improve soon. However, as days went by, there had been no sign of recovery. Lan Ting had been very worried, but now she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. “That’s wonderful.”
Jiang Juan didn’t react much.
With His Highness not around, and no one bothering him, Jiang Juan could sleep as long as he wanted. He lay back down, hoping to rest fully.
But unfortunately, trouble came swiftly. Before Jiang Juan could fall asleep, someone ran in, pale-faced and crying, “Crown Prince Consort, Crown Prince Consort, the cat is missing.”
Jiang Juan: “…”
How could this happen?
Jiang Juan liked the cat quite a bit. Lan Ting quickly approached to inquire, discovering that the four-eared cat often sneaked out despite their attempts to keep it in. It would wander around the entire residence, and usually, it would come back by mealtime, so the maids didn’t pay much attention.
However, since last night, the cat had not returned. The maid had checked several times today and searched everywhere, but it was still missing, causing her great distress.
Lan Ting asked, “Have you checked the places where the cat usually plays?”
The maid replied, “I’ve looked, but it wasn’t there. I’ve searched almost the entire residence except for Lixue Hall… I’m afraid to go in there, so I haven’t checked it.”
Jiang Juan, curious, asked, “Why are you afraid to go into Lixue Hall?”
Lixue Hall…
The maid’s fingers trembled slightly. The Crown Prince Consort might not know this, but those who served knew all too well. When His Highness was still the prince, if someone offended him but he didn’t want them dead, they would be taken to Lixue Hall for torture, making them wish they were dead but unable to die.
Lixue Hall was essentially a torture chamber.
The maid did not dare to tell Jiang Juan the full truth and could only vaguely explain, “Without His Highness’s permission, we are not allowed to enter.”
It sounded quite mysterious. Jiang Juan assumed it was a place similar to a study, where entry was restricted to others but not to him. So he said, “Alright, I understand. You keep looking elsewhere. I’ll go check it out.”
“Young Master….”
Lan Ting, gripping her hands, had a bad feeling. “Your eyes have just recovered; you should rest properly. Perhaps I should go find the steward and ask him to help look for the cat?”
Jiang Juan wanted to sleep but was concerned about the missing cat. He felt uneasy and wanted to search himself. “It’s fine.”
Lan Ting hesitated. She had sensed the maid’s unnatural demeanor and suspected that Lixue Hall was not a suitable place to go. She felt that Jiang Juan should avoid it.
However, Jiang Juan had already made up his mind and did not listen to her concerns. “Lan Ting, are you coming with me?”
“I…”
Lan Ting was still considering how to dissuade him. When Jiang Juan paused, thinking Lan Ting was unwilling, he began to leave. Seeing this, Lan Ting, despite her growing anxiety, decided to follow him. “Young Master, be careful. I’ll support you.”
Lixue Hall wasn’t very far.
The guards stationed outside saw Jiang Juan and hesitated briefly before allowing him to enter, not daring to stop him.
Thus, Jiang Juan entered Lixue Hall unimpeded. He looked around while instructing Lan Ting, “Lan Ting, I can’t see clearly. Please help me look for Tuanzi.”
Indeed, besides “Xue Dog,” Jiang Juan had also given his cat a more affectionate nickname, “Tuanzi” (meaning “dumpling”), depending on the situation. If the cat was involved in something troublesome, it was called “Xue Dog,” but in peaceful times, it was affectionately called “Tuanzi.”
Lan Ting acknowledged, “Yes, Young Master.”
They walked and stopped frequently until they reached the main hall. There were several guards stationed outside. Jiang Juan was initially indifferent and did not plan to go in, but he vaguely heard faint meows and a familiar voice.
His Highness and the cat?
Jiang Juan turned his head. The door was closed, so he couldn’t see inside. He asked the guards, “Is His Highness inside?”
“Yes.”
Jiang Juan responded with an “oh” and raised his hand to knock on the door.
Inside Lixue Hall, Xue Fangli was holding someone by the hair, forcing them to look up. This person had been tortured for days, looking emaciated and covered in blood. Upon seeing Xue Fangli, fear seemed to take over him. His eyes widened, sweat beaded on his forehead, and he trembled uncontrollably, his lips quivering.
“Do you want to die?”
Xue Fangli spoke in a calm tone. “Did I say you could die?”
Steward Gao stood beside him, holding the cat. He glanced at the man, thinking it was rather optimistic of him to seek death when he had harmed the Crown Prince Consort. He was trying to end it all.
But how could His Highness let him off so easily?
Steward Gao shook his head, realizing that Xue Fangli was far from finished. As expected, Xue Fangli continued, “Lord Li, I have said I will peel your skin and chop you into pieces. You’re still far from that. Why are you seeking death?”
“Thanks to you, my Crown Prince Consort is still suffering from his eye injury. How could you die now?”
Xue Fangli smiled, his tone filled with regret. “I initially planned to let you see how you’re being dismembered, but now I’ve changed my mind. — Guards, gouge out his eyes and stuff them into his mouth, make him swallow them!”
The guards moved forward at the order, but just then, the door was knocked on.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Inside Lixue Hall, such disturbances were rare unless there was an urgent matter. Steward Gao glanced at Xue Fangli, saw him nod, and then stepped through the blood-soaked floor to answer the door.
“Why…”
Before he could finish, Steward Gao stood frozen in place.
The Crown Prince Consort? Why is the Crown Prince Consort? here?
Jiang Juan was also stunned.
The room was dimly lit, the bamboo curtains drawn to block the afternoon sun. The strong smell of blood filled the air. In one corner, a man was held down by guards, covered in blood and filth, with his legs dragging on the ground, looking as though the flesh had been skinned away, exposing the stark white bones.
Xue Fangli took a damp handkerchief and began wiping his fingers one by one. Perhaps noticing Steward Gao’s prolonged silence, he lazily asked, “What’s the matter?”
He glanced up, and his movements came to an abrupt halt.
“…Tuanzi is missing.”
Seeing such a bloody scene for the first time, Jiang Juan was a bit frightened. Though usually slow to react and lacking in crisis awareness, at this moment, he became acutely aware that he couldn’t let Xue Fangli know he could see.
Jiang Juan asked, “I heard a cat meowing earlier. Is Tuanzi here?”
It’s right here, being held by Steward Gao. At that moment, Steward Gao was truly scared out of a cold sweat. It was only when Jiang Juan asked like that that he realized Jiang Juan couldn’t see.
Fortunately, fortunately.
His Highness had recently been worried about Crown Prince Consort discovering his true nature.
“It’s here.”
Steward Gao lifted his hand and placed the cat into Jiang Juan’s arms. Jiang Juan stroked it, “Why are you running around everywhere?”
The kitten meowed incessantly, turning its head to chase Jiang Juan’s fingers. Jiang Juan continued, “…Is His Highness here too? I think I heard his voice.”
“Yes.”
Xue Fangli replied, and Jiang Juan instinctively held the cat tighter, asking, “Your Highness, what’s going on? During the day, you forced me to accompany you, and then you disappeared on your own.”
Xue Fangli stared at Jiang Juan for a long time before slowly saying, “Come here.”
Jiang Juan was cautious and responded slowly, “I can’t come over, I don’t want Lan Ting to help. I almost tripped several times. You should come and carry me.”
After a pause, Jiang Juan added, “What’s that smell? It’s so unpleasant.”
Xue Fangli glanced at Steward Gao, who quickly opened the windows to let in fresh air. Xue Fangli then said, “I tried a new perfume.”
Jiang Juan responded with an “oh.” Xue Fangli walked over to him, wrapped his arms around Jiang Juan’s waist, and lifted him up.
“You can’t see, so why are you running around?”
“Lan Ting can’t enter Lixue Hall, so I said I’d take her in.”
Xue Fangli laughed nonchalantly, “She can’t come in, but you can?”
Jiang Juan responded with an “mm,” trying hard to maintain his composure. “Otherwise? I am the Crown Prince Consort, is there a place I can’t go?”
Xue Fangli didn’t respond. Jiang Juan, unable to see clearly, intended to bury his face in Xue Fangli’s chest but had to refrain due to the overwhelming smell of blood. He suddenly remembered that Xue Fangli had also smelled this way that night he returned.
“What’s wrong?”
Jiang Juan’s hesitation was noticed by Xue Fangli.
“Nothing.”
Jiang Juan shook his head. Xue Fangli sat down, with Jiang Juan on his lap, and held the kitten in his arms. Jiang Juan lowered his head, pretending to play with the kitten, but his heart was pounding rapidly.
He had heard from Steward Gao that Xue Fangli was interrogating Minister Li.
But how did Minister Li’s legs get like that?
Xue Fangli didn’t call for a halt, and the guards exchanged glances before carrying out the order to gouge out Minister Li’s eyes.
The blade sank in, causing intense pain. Minister Li tried to scream, but his mouth was tightly covered. Jiang Juan still heard a bit and asked, “Your Highness, what’s that sound?”
After hesitating for a while, Jiang Juan turned his head. It was a mistake. The sight nearly sent him into a panic.
In the next moment, his chin was pinched, and his face was turned back. Xue Fangli calmly asked, “Do you want some grapes?”
“Your Highness…”
Jiang Juan was slightly dazed. He didn’t answer, so Xue Fangli took it as a yes and offered him a grape.
Meanwhile, Minister Li’s eyes were gouged out, leaving only blood-filled sockets. On the other side, Xue Fangli peeled the grape, the red-purple juice dripping down his pale fingers, and brought it to Jiang Juan’s lips.
Jiang Juan, being held sideways, had to turn his head to see, but Xue Fangli was facing Minister Li’s side, his expression unchanging throughout.
Wasn’t Xue Fangli interrogating Minister Li?
What is he doing?
Why isn’t he stopping?
“Eat.”
Xue Fangli’s single word made Jiang Juan flinch. He opened his mouth and bit into the grape, his teeth trembling.
In reality, it wasn’t just his teeth that were shaking.
“What are you shaking for?”
Jiang Juan, bewildered, said, “Huh? Am I shaking? Maybe the grape is too sour.”
Xue Fangli lowered his gaze. “Is that so? Let me try.”
He leaned down and kissed Jiang Juan.
Jiang Juan, still in shock, suddenly recalled a detail.
That night, when Xue Fangli returned, he had clearly bathed, yet he still carried a strong smell of blood. It was clear the scene had been extremely bloody.
What exactly is His Highness doing?
Isn’t he supposed to be a good person?
Minister Li’s legs, Minister Li’s eyes…
Without His Highness’s command, how would the guards dare to act against Minister Li?
His Highness, His Highness—”Meow.”
The soft meow of the kitten roused Jiang Juan. He had always enjoyed being kissed, but today, for some reason, the kisses from His Highness felt unusually forceful and fierce.
“Your Highness…”
Jiang Juan turned his head, feeling very disoriented. He wanted to pull away from the kiss but saw Minister Li being forced to swallow his own eyeballs, which made Jiang Juan freeze in shock.
He didn’t know what to do and felt a chilling fear. After a while, Jiang Juan slowly said, “Your Highness, I found the kitten. I want to go back and sleep a little more.”
Xue Fangli glanced at him and said calmly, “Understood.”
Jiang Juan asked him, “And you?”
Xue Fangli replied indifferently, “I have other matters.”
Jiang Juan responded with a simple “oh” and felt a sense of relief. He only wanted to be alone for a while, so he called out to Lan Ting, “Lan Ting, since His Highness can’t carry me back, you need to help me again.”
Lan Ting, with a pale face, came over and said, “Yes, Young Master.”
She supported Jiang Juan, and despite her efforts to control herself, she continued to tremble. As Jiang Juan took a few steps, he heard a squish and looked down to see a small pool of blood.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Juan continued to walk forward as if nothing had happened. Then, Xue Fangli suddenly spoke again.
“Slow down, the kitten knocked over a teacup. There’s a puddle of water ahead.”
“There wasn’t a puddle just now… just that patch of… water.”
Jiang Juan instinctively corrected him, but after saying that, he realized something, and his heart skipped a beat. Lan Ting tightened her grip on his sleeve.
“Can you see now?”
Xue Fangli’s lips curled into a crimson smile as he walked towards Jiang Juan. He wrapped his arms around Jiang Juan from behind, pulling him close and then gently nuzzling Jiang Juan’s cheek. His voice was filled with a chilling regret, “Are you scared?”
“It’s too late to be scared.”
Xue Fangli smiled, but his tone was as cold as a venomous snake, “It’s a pity. No matter how frightened you are, I won’t easily let you go.”
If you love what Ciacia is doing, then consider showing your support by supporting a cup of tea for her at Kofi. If you can’t wait for the next release chapter, subscribe to advanced chapters membership on her Kofi to get access to up to 10 chapters!
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
