On New Year’s Eve, amidst the chaos, someone tried to poison the Old Madam’s food.
Just as they were about to act, they were knocked unconscious and thrown into the dungeon. After several rounds of interrogation, it was revealed that Prince An was the mastermind.
Prince An was known for his extreme arrogance. Now, with two princes vying for the throne, everyone believed that Shen Hanxing was supporting Prince Rong. Prince An had sent people to test Shen Hanxing multiple times.
But this time, he touched Shen Hanxing’s bottom line.
Warning: The following section contains graphic content that may be disturbing to some readers. Please proceed with caution. To avoid this section, scroll down to the next section.
The heavy black staircase landed heavily on the dungeon floor and the dull sound startled the man awake from his excruciating pain.
He looked up towards the direction of the staircase, his eyes filled with uncontrollable fear.
Luo Yan pushed Shen Hanxing to the iron rack and ordered the man to be brought down, presenting a heavy sword with both hands.
The blade gleamed with a cold, sharp light, and a strong scent of blood seemed to emanate from it. This was the sword that had once been stained with the blood of tens of thousands, reaping the lives of countless traitors and rebels.
The man trembled all over, kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy.
In the quiet dungeon, his pleas sounded harsh and noisy.
Shen Hanxing lightly caressed the blade, lifting his eyes coldly, and the heavy sword instantly plunged down.
The man’s pleas turned into agonizing screams as the sword pierced through his hands.Blood splattered, with the last drop landing on the wheelchair’s footrest without staining his clothes.
Someone stepped forward to gag the man, and his agonizing screams turned into muffled groans.
End of Graphic Content Warning: The violent scenes have concluded. You can safely continue reading from here.
Luo Yan signaled for the man to be dragged away. Shen Hanxing casually tossed the sword back into Luo Yan’s arms, his tone indifferent as if it were a trivial matter, “Deal with him and throw him in front of Prince An.”
Luo Yan hesitated, a bit unsure, “General, won’t this be too…”
Meeting Shen Hanxing’s gaze, he dared not say anything further.
In the Hou residence, the only thing that could touch the General’s heart was the safety of the Old Madam.
Anyone who dared to harm her was asking for death, even if that person was Prince An, the Empress’s adopted son—they would meet the same fate.
Shen Hanxing emerged from the dungeon and sat in the cold wind for a long time.
Though the blood hadn’t stained his clothes, the scent clung to them, still detectable with a careful sniff.
A small silver coin with the character for “blessing” spun between his slender fingers, turning countless times. Only when the scent of blood had dissipated did Shen Hanxing slowly speak, “Let’s go.”
In the dead of winter, the main room’s candlelight remained bright.
Lin Xingxue sat on the chaise lounge, hugging a blanket. Her eyes were half-closed as her head swayed from side to side, drowsiness threatening to pull her into a deeper sleep.
As her body leaned forward and she was about to fall off the chaise lounge, someone suddenly grabbed the back of her neck, lifting her like a rabbit.
Lin Xingxue opened her eyes blankly and saw Shen Hanxing sitting in front of her. Her mind was still foggy, but she didn’t forget to smile at him first.
Shen Hanxing looked at her raised smile, his gaze dazed for a moment, as if he saw his mother waiting for him to return home in the past.
No one had waited for his return for a long time.
He thought he had long forgotten that feeling, but the young girl stirred up his distant memories.
Lin Xingxue got up and pushed Shen Hanxing into the inner room, wanting him to go to sleep quickly. They needed to wake up early to greet the Old Madam in the morning, and it was already late, so they wouldn’t get much sleep.
Shen Hanxing watched her drowsy state and beckoned her to crouch down.
Lin Xingxue obediently crouched in front of him, and Shen Hanxing reached out and pinched her cheek, using some force. The pain jolted Lin Xingxue awake, her groggy head finally clearing a bit.
Shen Hanxing, satisfied with the clarity in her eyes, said, “Awake now? Go have someone prepare for washing up.”
“Oh.” Lin Xingxue replied softly, rubbing her cheek and asking Wu Tong to prepare hot water.
After they had finished washing up, Shen Hanxing sat on the big bed, while Lin Xingxue ran over with a hot water bottle, blinking her peach blossom eyes at him. This story is hosted at g.com.
She waited so kindly and attentively for him to return, surely her husband would soften, right?
Her eyes clearly conveyed five big words: she wants to sleep in the big bed.[1]
“Want to sleep with me?” Shen Hanxing asked leisurely.
Lin Xingxue’s cheeks reddened slightly, but she nodded affirmatively: she did.
“Want to occupy my bed and me, what can you offer me?” Shen Hanxing asked in a negotiating tone, though his words carried a hint of flirtation.
Lin Xingxue tried hard to ignore the suggestive words, thinking for a moment before her eyes suddenly brightened. She placed the hot water bottle on the table and, holding Shen Hanxing’s hand, wrote the words “delicious food” on his palm.
Shen Hanxing seemed puzzled and asked, “What’s delicious? Is it you—”
Before he could finish, the young woman suddenly covered his mouth tightly, her cheeks flushed with a suspicious red.
Although Lin Xingxue was still inexperienced, she still understood some matters.
Shen Hanxing, amused, brushed her hand away and finished his unfinished sentence: “What, isn’t it the food you cook that’s delicious?”
Realizing that she might have misunderstood, Lin Xingxue quietly moved her hand away. She briskly trotted out to fetch the quilt, and, seeing Shen Hanxing nod, happily threw the quilt onto the bed. She then slipped under the covers from the foot of the bed, wrapping herself tightly.
Shen Hanxing watched her wrap herself up with the quilt, laughed lightly, and threatened nonchalantly, “Tomorrow I’ll have someone replace the chaise lounge with a big bed. If you can still roll off of it, you’ll be sleeping on the floor from now on.”
The chaise lounge was too narrow, and the young girl was restless. Even if he let her sleep on it tonight, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t end up rolling off in the middle of the night and he would have to go catch her. It was better to indulge her now to avoid any disturbances and ensure a peaceful night.
Lin Xingxue felt a bit unhappy that Shen Hanxing still hadn’t given up on the idea of a separate bed but also somewhat understood him.
Her and her husband hadn’t yet developed a deep bond, so it was normal for him not to want to sleep with her. However, with tomorrow being the first day of the new year, would it be possible to get a new bed?
As she pondered, her thoughts gradually slowed, and before long, her breathing evened out.
Shen Hanxing glanced at her, seeing she had fallen asleep. He swallowed his question and then with a casual flick, the candles in the room were extinguished.
The next morning, the first light of dawn appeared and firecrackers popped sporadically.
The night watch maid at Prince An’s residence gently pushed open the door. As she sleepily walked forward, she suddenly stumbled and fell heavily onto a burlap sack.
Her knee hurt sharply from the fall as she propped herself up on the stone floor. Just as she was about to investigate who had been so careless as to leave something at the entrance of the sleeping quarters, she was suddenly hit by a strong smell of blood.
She opened her palm to find it covered in blood.
“Ahh!”
Prince An, Xiao Sheng, who was suddenly awakened from his pleasant dream by a piercing scream, had anger surging within him. Just as he was about to start cursing, a young servant stumbled in, his voice trembling, “Pr-Prin-Prince, someone, someone threw a burlap sack at the door. Inside is—”
The servant couldn’t bring himself to finish.
Xiao Sheng, enraged, kicked him aside, “Useless! Can’t even speak properly.”
He was determined to see what kind of wretched thing dared to disturb his pleasant dream!
Wrapping himself in an outer garment, Xiao Sheng stepped out of his quarters, and the cold wind hit him sharply, making him shiver.
He saw the sack at the door covered in blood, the rope having been pulled open by someone. Impatient, he kicked it with his foot, muttering, “What is this wretched thing? Is it worth making such a fuss? You all seem to be asking for death!”
As soon as he finished speaking, something rolled to his feet with a clatter.
Looking down, Xiao Sheng’s stomach churned violently. He took a few steps back in horror, unable to directly confront the bloodied severed hand. His voice trembled as he demanded, “Who—who dares to throw this at this prince’s[2] door?”
Prince An had lived a life of luxury from a young age and had never encountered such scenes.
On the first day of the New Year, a day usually filled with celebration, Prince An received a severe blow.
However, he didn’t anticipate that just a few days later, during a horse race, he would suffer another severe blow.
Xiao Sheng’s beloved horse suddenly went wild, throwing him off its back and causing him to crash violently into a rock. As the intense pain struck, Xiao Sheng seemed to hear the sound of bones breaking.
In his current state, Prince An continued to demand that the culprit be found immediately, but he had been unable to identify who was responsible.
He had his suspicions, but without concrete evidence, he could only swallow his frustration.
Under the bright noon sun, Lin Xingxue sat on a soft couch by the window, enjoying the warmth while sorting herbs. She then used a pestle to crush several stalks of light purple dried herbs.
Wu Tong handed her a gift list and said softly, “Madam, these are the gifts to bring when you visit your family tomorrow. Please have a look.”
Lin Xingxue took the list, reviewed it carefully, and nodded once she confirmed everything was in order. She then continued to crush the herbs.
Wu Tong glanced around and said quietly, “Nanny Kang is on leave today. I heard that her son was badly beaten by some people from the casino.”
Nanny Kang, of course, did not reveal the true reason; it was discovered by Ming Wu.
When they first handed over the key to the small storeroom to Nanny Kang, they knew that her son was a gambler with poor luck and an addiction.
Lin Xingxue nodded, indicating she had heard.
As Wutong prepared to leave with the gift list, she recalled another matter: “Madam, will General be accompanying you back tomorrow?”
It was only then that Lin Xingxue remembered this detail.
She paused with the pestle, recalling Shen Hanxing’s cold demeanor on the day of the tea ceremony.
Although she had spent New Year’s Eve with her husband, Lin Xingxue was unsure if Shen Hanxing would be willing to accompany her back to her family[3].
“Madam, you should ask him. It would be best if the General accompanied you. Otherwise, if you encounter the eldest lady…”
Lin Xingran and Gu Yan were also returning to the family tomorrow. If Lin Xingxue went alone, she would likely face ridicule.
The concern was that Lin Xingran might take advantage of others’ misfortunes to advance her own position.
Lin Xingxue nodded, indicating that she understood.
When Shen Hanxing entered the room, she was still grinding herbs. He glanced casually: “What are you doing?”
“Madam is making Calming Pills.”
“Calming Pills?”
Noticing his curiosity, Lin Xingxue took a small red aromatic pill from her Yulan magnolia sachet and placed it in his hand.
Shen Hanxing played with the pill, finding its scent somewhat familiar but unable to recall where he had encountered it before.
Lin Xingxue had Wu Tong explain: “After Madam fell into the water when she was young, she began having nightmares. She followed a recipe left by her aunt to make these Calming Pills. They were developed by Madam’s great-great-grandfather and are quite effective and harmless. Madam likes to carry them as scent pouches.”
Once Wutong explained, Shen Hanxing remembered where he had encountered that scent.
The other day, when he was engulfed in nightmares and holding onto the young woman, this was the aroma he had smelled, which did have a calming effect.
“Did the ancestors of the family practice medicine?”
If not for practicing medicine, how would they know how to make pills?
“Yes, Madam’s great-great-grandfather studied medicine at the Witch Medicine Valley.”
Shen Hanxing’s hand paused, and before he could ask more, a clear male voice came from outside the room: “The Witch Medicine Valley? Are there still descendants of the Witch Medicine Valley around today?”
[1] consists of five Chinese characters but translates to nine English words
[2] Princes preferred to refer to themselves in this manner rather than using the word “I,” as saying “this prince” emphasized their status.
[3] traditional custom where a married woman returns to her parental home to visit her family