Pleasure him?
How?
Is it by discarding my dignity, crawling on the ground like a dog, and letting others trample all over me? Or by stripping off my outer garments, donning cheap, translucent gauze to catch everyone’s eye?
Chu Xunsheng sneered and answered word by word, “Please forgive this subject for refusing. I am willing to take the blame for Xiao Jing and suffer torture in the grand prison, but I will not debase myself like this.”
He licked the split corner of his lip and added mentally, Besides, if I catch any more eyes, I will not be able to keep up the act.
The emperor’s pupils constricted sharply before him. The golden mask reflected a slightly blinding light, his entire body was tautly strung, and his gaze turned razor-sharp.
He refuses?
Being with him equates to debasing himself?
“Ha, what a self-righteous and chaste Lord Chu! Very well, since Lord Chu insists on taking the blame for Prince Jing, then I will not hold back either!”
“Zhang Yi! Throw Chu Xunsheng into the grand prison!”
Fuming with rage, the sovereign flicked his sleeve and stormed out, smashing the folding screen and decorations inside the main hall into smithereens.
Ji Jing lunged frantically to the base of Chu Xunsheng’s feet, sobbing, “Uncle, this is Ah Jing’s fault. How could Ah Jing ever be worth your…”
Chu Xunsheng remained silent, simply reaching out to pat his head. “You are my only remaining family. If I do not protect you, who will?”
With that, he rose to his feet, brought his hands together, and walked over to Zhang Yi’s side. “Please lead the way, Lord Zhang.”
Zhang Yi looped a light rope around Chu Xunsheng’s wrist, holding the other end, and addressed them both, “The two of you need not worry. His Majesty was merely overcome by a sudden fit of anger. Lord Chu is a pillar of the state, so we will not truly harm him.”
As he spoke, he flicked his fingers. A guard stepped forward to unlock the door, bowing respectfully toward Ji Jing. “Your Highness Prince Jing, please return.”
Reluctantly dragged away, Ji Jing kept turning back to shout at the top of his lungs, “Uncle, Ah Jing will come find you tonight!”
Zhang Yi cast a cold glance at his retreating form without a word. Only after that purple silhouette vanished from their line of sight did he speak in a calm tone,
“Does Lord Chu wish to inspect this official’s tongue now?”
Huh? What?
Pfft! Chu Xunsheng, who had been fully immersed in roleplaying a dramatic scene of a tearful farewell across life and death, was startled out of his wits by Zhang Yi’s out-of-the-blue remark. He asked in total incomprehension,
“What?”
“This official’s tongue.”
…
Chu Xunsheng was speechless for a moment before asking, “What does Lord Zhang mean by this?”
Zhang Yi’s striking face remained utterly expressionless, simultaneously beautiful and menacing like an evil ghost, yet the words spilling from his lips bore no resemblance to that ghastly appearance.
“Lord Chu stated previously that he was unsatisfied with this official’s tongue, so I made some improvements.”
Just how do you even improve something like that?
Feeling a wave of complex emotions inside, Chu Xunsheng replied, “I merely spoke off the top of my head. Lord Zhang need not take it to heart.”
Zhang Yi let out a light chuckle. “Then would Lord Chu care to take a look anyway?”
Nodding in sheer bewilderment, Chu Xunsheng acquiesced.
Zhang Yi parted his lips slightly, extending a crimson tongue that traced a slow circle around his lips in an utterly suggestive manner.
Squinting closer, Chu Xunsheng saw that several studs of varying shapes, some like beads and others like stars, were pierced directly into the tip of the scarlet tongue, lending it a bizarre, mesmerizing aesthetic.
“If Lord Chu approves, this tongue stud would be exceptionally well-suited for—mm, mm!”
Chu Xunsheng clapped a hand over his mouth, offered an apologetic smile to the guard nearby who was staring fixedly at the sky and ground in a desperate bid to turn to stone, and whispered to Zhang Yi, “Thank you for your kind intentions, Lord Zhang. I like it very much, but please do not modify it any further.”
Just as he finished speaking, he felt a damp sensation against his palm accompanied by a gliding, foreign friction. Lowering his gaze, he realized Zhang Yi had slipped his nimble tongue out, sliding it up and down against his palm while locking eyes with him, sending a shuddering thrill racing across his skin.
Instantly withdrawing his hand, Chu Xunsheng furiously wiped his palm against his robe and sighed in utter exhaustion, “Lord Zhang, lead me to the cell.”
…
A few moments later, they arrived at the cell block. Chu Xunsheng followed the expressionless Zhang Yi past one crude, damp cell after another, a knot of unease tightening in his chest.
Little Tong, we might actually be staying here tonight.
Before he could even mentally prepare himself, Zhang Yi ushered him into a separately partitioned room.
Glancing around, Chu Xunsheng noted it was vastly superior to the outer cells. Although the walls remained a murky dark color, at least there were no unidentifiable rodents or insects scurrying across them. High up near the ceiling by the bed was a small window that let in a steady stream of light.
The furnishings were sparse: a straw-matted pallet and a crooked desk.
Walking over, Chu Xunsheng pressed down gingerly on the straw bed, terrified that bugs might crawl out from within.
Huh?
The texture felt completely wrong. Pressing down a few more times, Chu Xunsheng pushed the straw aside to inspect underneath.
Alright then. A camouflage straw bed, with layers of soft bedding underneath.
With a trace of apologetic sincerity, Zhang Yi said, “Lord Chu, this is the finest cell this official could manage. Please bear with the poor accommodations for a single night, and I shall have someone send over some food shortly.”
Shaking his head, Chu Xunsheng replied with genuine gratitude, “No, it is already quite good.”
Zhang Yi continued to gaze at him with a look of lingering guilt. “If it pleases Lord Chu, why not spend the night in my quarters instead? My residence is located just nearby.”
Resisting the temptation entirely, Chu Xunsheng shook his head with unyielding firmness.
As if! Zhang Yi is infamous for torturing people with ruthless cruelty. If a minor cannon fodder like me went to his quarters, I would undoubtedly fall victim to a tragic fate.
Brushing Zhang Yi off with a few perfunctory words, Chu Xunsheng finally laid flat on his back atop the bed and fell deep into thought.
Before long, he drifted off to sleep.
…
By now, the news of Lord Chu’s imprisonment by the emperor had spread like wildfire across the court and the capital, prompting countless elite residences to secretly burn their lamps throughout the entire night.
Back in the imperial palace, Ji Yan found himself gripped by a wave of regret. Knowing that Chu Xunsheng was accustomed to the finest food and lodgings, how could he possibly endure a place like the grand prison?
Moreover, Zhang Yi’s methods were ruthless and deeply calculating. While Ji Yan usually appreciated such qualities, applying those tactics to Ah Chu…
The mere thought filled him with agonizing pain, as though his heart had been shattered into a thousand pieces.
Ji Yan summoned several eunuchs immediately to relay a strict message to Zhang Yi: treat Chu Xunsheng with utmost care, forbid any form of private torture, and ensure he suffered no grievances whatsoever.
Pondering further, he stripped off his golden-dragon-embroidered imperial robes, removed his mask, donned a plain white tunic, and departed the palace.
…
Guard A stood at the entrance of the grand prison with a solemn expression.
Guard B stood right beside him with an equally solemn expression.
Their gazes locked in mid-air, exchanging glances with a speed that threatened to spark an inferno.
Ordinarily deserted, the front gates of the grand prison were currently lined with several opulent, ornate carriages. The exorbitant craftsmanship, the gold-and-jade-inlaid carriage bodies, and the rich perfumes drifting from the fluttering curtains caused Guard A to do several double-takes.
Guard A: Is not this… is not this the precious jade stone my family hoarded for years? They are using it as a stepping stool?!*
Guard B: Is not this… is not this Lord Zhang, the Minister of Revenue? Why is he here?*
Their internal glances crackled with static electricity before arriving at a unified conclusion: It definitely has to do with that Lord Chu inside, the one even Chief Zhang wanted to cozy up to!
Yet, overflowing with gossip as they were, and desperately wanting to make connections, both guards maintained strict adherence to duty, firmly blocking several dignitaries whose ranks far exceeded their own.
“Step aside! How dare you block this lord?”
Guard A cast a side-long glance at him and stated righteously, “Entry into the grand prison requires authorization from Commander Zhang Yi or His Majesty. We subordinates cannot make unauthorized exceptions.”
Having never hit a wall in front of minor guards like these, the official flicked his sleeve in fury and turned to leave, only to pause and sidle back up.
“Can I at least bring some items inside for the person within?”
Who knows if Lord Chu can handle the cold in there, wuwu? What if there are bugs? What if that bastard Zhang Yi uses torture?
Imagining Lord Chu frowning in panic, or curling into a tiny ball wrapped in a thin blanket, or being whipped by that vicious brute Zhang Yi, he felt an intense urge to charge right in and wrap Lord Chu in a tight embrace of comforting endearments.
Guard B replied with a deadpan expression, “Negative. Our grand prison is fully stocked with adequate supplies.”
“Then—then…”
“No.”
“Wuwu, Lord Chu…”
…
Unaware of the turbulent chaos raging outside, Chu Xunsheng slept soundly until he was startled awake by a tapping sound against the window.
Sitting up lazily, he spotted a familiar face.
Ah, it is that minor official I took advantage of the other day.
Chu Xunsheng looked at him with mild curiosity.
His blue official robes were smudged with dirt, and dried grass and ash clung to his meticulously groomed hair crown—one could only imagine how heartbroken he must have felt upon returning home to discover the mess.
Clutching a protruding chunk of dirt with both hands, the minor official peered desperately into Chu Xunsheng’s cell and cried out in utter devastation,
“Lord Chu, you have suffered! I will definitely rescue you!”
Chu Xunsheng glanced at the soft bedding revealed beneath the straw, then at the elegant desk, exquisite tea sets, pastries, and even books that had somehow been brought in, and finally at the spotless floor.
Pardon me, but where exactly is the suffering coming from?
Still wearing a face of righteous indignation, the minor official wailed, “His Majesty is far too ruthless! How could he treat Lord Chu…”
Chu Xunsheng politely interrupted him, “Your hand is about to slip.”
“Huh? Huh, Lord Chu… Ah? Ah!”
With a sharp shriek, the minor official lost his footing and plunged heavily downward.
Peering out through the window, Chu Xunsheng saw that the drop was not particularly high. The minor official scrambled up from the fall looking disheveled, covered in dirt and grime, with bits of straw stuck in his hair.
…
Chu Xunsheng was speechless for a moment before calling out toward the window, “This official should head back! Lord Chu will personally visit to thank you for your kind intentions next time!”
Wiping away his tears, the minor official departed in sorrow.
Laying back down upon the soft mattress, Chu Xunsheng had not even dozed for a few minutes before another tapping sound echoed through the room.
Who is it this time?
Sighing in resignation, Chu Xunsheng opened his eyes. This time, it was a much more familiar face, and instead of the window, they came through the proper front entrance.
It was Ji Jing.
In the original plot, Ji Jing had dealings with Zhang Yi, so his ability to enter here was hardly surprising.
Sitting up, Chu Xunsheng ignored him entirely and calmly poured himself a cup of tea.
Ji Jing lunged straight to the base of his feet, his puppy-dog eyes—usually full of mischievous charm—brimming with tears as he hugged his legs and burst into loud sobs.
Pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation, Chu Xunsheng chided,
“Weeping and wailing like this, what proper demeanor is this?”
Ji Jing’s crying stopped instantly. He choked back a few hiccups before speaking in a low, muffled voice, “It is Ah Jing’s fault, making my uncle take the blame for me.”
Sighing softly, Chu Xunsheng reached out to pat his head. “It matters not. I feel quite comfortable here.”
Gazing up at him with a resolute, unwavering intensity, Ji Jing looked as though he wanted to carve his uncle’s image deep into his very bones.
Uncle, oh uncle, he thought, Ah Jing no longer wishes to hide anything from you. Regardless of whether you oppose or support me, or even if you report me directly to the emperor, I refuse to keep concealing the truth.
Lowering his head to keep Chu Xunsheng from reading his expression, he slowly laid bare every single enterprise and faction he had spent years cultivating.
A long silence stretched out. No one spoke a word.
His uncle was a man of profound wisdom; he had always known that. Pressuring his uncle in this manner was a gamble, and he knew that too. After tonight, years of painstaking effort might turn to dust, and he knew that as well.
Yet he wanted to speak out anyway, just to see what kind of weight he truly held in his uncle’s heart.
Compared to that sovereign with whom he had exchanged kisses, who was more precious to him?
The prolonged silence froze his heart into a block of ice, making it difficult to breathe.
Did I fail?
He had already failed once before; failing a second time made no difference.
Slumping dejectedly against the floor, he thought in utter helplessness.
Then, a voice as clear as spring water drifted into his ears, sinking deep into the very core of his being.
“I have known everything all along.”
The man reached out with his fingertips, gently lifting his chin to force him to look deep into his eyes, as if searching for the anxiety and panic hidden within.
“We are each other’s only family.”