“Are you truly going to go through with this?”
The Princess of Yan looked straight ahead, her voice so low that only the two of them could hear it.
“Manshu, since I have already decided, I will not change my mind.”
Manshu stole a glance at Xiao Huai, observing his expression, and discovered that he seemed to have truly made up his mind.
She pursed her lips slightly and asked, “Does he know about this?”
“He does not know, and for the time being, I will not let him know.” Xiao Huai lowered his eyes, glancing at Manshu with his peripheral vision, his tone defensive. “Manshu, you ask too many questions. Our relationship is merely one of mutual benefit.”
Manshu shrugged. “You should know this is no small matter. Although some in the Yan Kingdom have succeeded, based on the situation you’ve described, I would advise you to reconsider.”
Xiao Huai felt a surge of irritability at Manshu’s words, quickening his pace; he only wanted to hasten the process so she would shut up sooner.
After a long while, he squeezed a noncommittal “Hmm” from his throat.
Then, suddenly remembering something, he asked, “Where is the medicine?”
Manshu rolled her eyes. “What’s the rush? Since we have an agreement, I will naturally give it to you.”
“Fine.”
The two remained silent, walking together, each harboring their own plans.
Xiao Huai had to admit that he missed Su Ce. With such a grand display today, he had no idea when it would end, nor when he would be able to return to Su Ce’s side.
Inside the restaurant, Su Ce was raising his wine cup, inviting Du Bo to drink with him.
He had already consumed a good amount of wine tonight, but Qin Zijin, seeing his high spirits and noting that his expression remained relatively clear, remembered the disheveled, soul-lost state he had been in when they met earlier. Guessing the reason for it, he couldn’t be bothered to stop him, allowing him to drink to his heart’s content.
Seeing that Su Ce was not acting like his usual self, Du Bo shook his wine cup drunkenly. “Why… why aren’t you planning to go home tonight?”
“Today… there is something going on at home, I can go back a bit later.”
Su Ce leaned forward slightly. The collar of his robe, loosened by the heat of the alcohol, revealed his slender neck. Beneath the fabric, hints of intimate marks were exposed—a row of teeth marks that served as a declaration of ownership, letting anyone see just how intense his nights in bed with Xiao Huai must be to leave such long-lasting imprints.
Qin Zijin was truly baffled by the relationship between Su Ce and Xiao Huai. Clearly, Su Ce was bullied terribly by Xiao Huai, and occasionally Xiao Huai would restrict Su Ce’s freedom due to inexplicable possessiveness, yet Su Ce would only complain a little and never once mentioned wanting to leave him.
After Du Bo drained his final drop of wine, he waved his hands repeatedly. “Can’t drink anymore, can’t drink anymore.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he rushed out of the room.
Inside, Su Ce and Qin Zijin were left alone once again.
Qin Zijin saw that Su Ce’s face was flushed with the drink and that he was slumped over the table, eyes closed and smiling foolishly. Concerned, he asked, “Su Ce, can you hear me?”
“Hmm?” Su Ce lifted his head, staring at Qin Zijin with dazed, unfocused eyes.
“Are you returning to the Imperial Palace tonight?”
After Qin Zijin asked this, he waited for a long time without a response. Just as he was about to ask if Su Ce wanted to rest at his residence for the night, he saw Su Ce sway as he stood up. Su Ce suddenly grabbed Qin Zijin’s arm, a bitter expression on his face. “Yes, I have to go back. It’s just… I can go back a bit later today. Otherwise, he will get angry; he is very petty.”
As he spoke, Su Ce used his fingers to gesture to Qin Zijin. “Look, just this much. As soon as he gets angry, I have to spend my time in the palace coaxing him…”
Qin Zijin listened quietly as Su Ce spoke more words than ever before, but it seemed as if Su Ce suddenly remembered something, swallowing the rest of his words. After a moment of hesitation, he added, “Though I suppose there won’t be a turn for me to coax him anymore after this.”
Seeing the redness around Su Ce’s eyes, Qin Zijin couldn’t help but say, “Then must you rely on him for the rest of your life? Why not try leaving him and living your own life? See what else is out there?”
Su Ce smiled and pushed him away. “There is no escaping it!”
Qin Zijin had wanted to say, “How do you know if you haven’t tried?” but the words remained unspoken. In silence, he helped support Su Ce, bringing him to his carriage. Just as he was about to climb in, he felt a powerful force grab Su Ce’s other arm from behind.
Before Su Ce could curse, he saw the four fingers gripping him they were so familiar. That hand had countless times brought him to the heights of ecstasy and the depths of pain, making him feel warmth even as it pushed him into the abyss.
He knew the owner of that hand was Xiao Huai. In an instant, the effects of the alcohol in Su Ce’s system were frightened away.
He looked up at Xiao Huai, who was staring at him coldly. Xiao Huai hooked his lips, his voice ice-cold as he said, “I leave you alone for one day, and you’re already rushing to find someone else to keep you company? Su Ce, are you that lonely?”
Su Ce was already accustomed to his humiliations, but Xiao Huai was now humiliating others because of him, and he simply could not remain silent—especially fueled by the remaining alcohol.
He stepped in front of Qin Zijin and glared at Xiao Huai. “Can’t you stop acting like a madman in public?”
Hearing this, the last trace of a fake smile vanished from Xiao Huai’s face. Instead, he looked up at the sky and sighed, reaching out to grab Su Ce’s arm with enough force to suggest he might pull it right out of the socket.
Yet, Su Ce did not let out a single cry of pain.
“Your Majesty, you are hosting a banquet for the Princess of the Yan Kingdom tonight; leaving so abruptly seems inappropriate, does it not?” Qin Zijin looked Xiao Huai straight in the eye, showing no fear of the violence in his expression.
“Prince Huai, you truly are busy, first with your fish and seafood farming in your fiefdom, and now you’ve come to the capital to busy yourself with other people’s domestic affairs. Do not tell me you are coveting what is mine.”
Qin Zijin smiled. “Your Majesty exaggerates. This Prince merely shares a bond with Young Master Su. After a chance encounter, I saw that Young Master Su was not living happily, so we agreed to drink together to relieve his worries. It seems you are too busy entertaining the Princess to care about Young Master Su’s emotions.”
Xiao Huai raised an eyebrow, looking at Su Ce with contempt. “Su Ce, you really are impressive. You’ve become bosom buddies with Prince Huai so quickly, sharing all your secrets with him.”
Su Ce felt Xiao Huai’s voice grow increasingly frigid, his gaze like a venomous snake coiling from his feet, inch by inch, up to his thighs, waist, and neck. It felt as if, should he be the slightest bit careless, the snake would bite his neck and strike him dead.
By now, a large crowd had gathered around the restaurant, and their carriage was surrounded by Xiao Huai’s attendants.
Su Ce realized that if he did not provide the actions or replies that satisfied Xiao Huai, someone would shed blood here today—and if it wasn’t him, it would be Qin Zijin.
Su Ce sighed wearily in his heart, lifting his heavy eyelids. He looked at Qin Zijin with an expression of confusion, pulled his arm free from Xiao Huai’s grip, leaned closer to Xiao Huai, and said bluntly, “Prince… Prince Huai, you exaggerate. The Emperor treats me extremely well; how could I be unhappy? I am merely happy today because the Emperor is about to marry.”
Qin Zijin saw Su Ce’s shift in demeanor, but his face showed no blame, only sympathy. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Su Ce’s voice again: “I did not know before that you were Prince Huai, and you did not know who I was. Now that we both know, it would be best if we didn’t interact in the future.”
Su Ce turned and shook Xiao Huai’s arm, flashing a row of white teeth as he smiled. “It was my fault today, I know I was wrong. Let us return to the palace, Xiao Huai.”
Xiao Huai snorted coldly, picked Su Ce up horizontally, and walked toward the carriage. He did not forget to stand at a high vantage point to look back at Qin Zijin one last time, as if declaring his victory.
In the carriage, Su Ce could not bear the heavy pressure; it felt as if someone were gripping his throat, making it impossible to breathe.
He spoke cautiously. “You… you walked out just like that; what about the Princess? She will likely be very sad. After all, this is your first meeting. She will be the Empress of the Jing Kingdom, won’t she? I saw her today; she is very beautiful. You two are a perfect match…”
Xiao Huai had been furious, and hearing Su Ce’s incessant muttering, his repressed rage erupted. “You are very eager to leave me, aren’t you, Su Ce? Drinking so much—what are you celebrating in advance?”
Su Ce bit his lip, feeling aggrieved. It was Xiao Huai who had failed to keep his promise first; why was it treated as if he had committed some heinous crime?
He felt so wronged so wronged that he didn’t lower his voice, shouting at Xiao Huai: “What right do you have to say that to me? Do you think you are so perfect?”
Xiao Huai was stunned by his shout, his face gradually contorting until it was hideous, gloomy, and terrifying. “I am not perfect? Then Prince Huai is good to you? So good that you were willing to crawl through a dog hole to sneak out of the palace just to be with him? So good that you could lie to hide things from me?”
“Why do you always drag others into this! Xiao Huai! You truly never listen to a word I say! You only love yourself! You don’t love me at all!” Su Ce screamed, his vision blurred by tears.
He could not see Xiao Huai’s expression, and he did not want to see it.
Xiao Huai, also driven to madness by his own rage, reached out and dragged Su Ce’s body, pulling him onto the floor. He grabbed Su Ce’s hair and pulled his head back, forcing him to look directly at him. Gritting his teeth, he said, “I don’t love you? Is that what you think?”
Su Ce watched as Xiao Huai’s face twisted into an eerie, terrifying smile that made his blood run cold.
“Since you think I don’t love you, then you should properly feel my hatred.”
As he spoke, the carriage came to a stop before their palace halls.
Su Ce watched Xiao Huai move closer to him. His palms were slick with sweat from the tension, and his entire body was stiff. He reached out and slapped Xiao Huai across the face. “Don’t touch me.”
Xiao Huai was clearly stunned for a moment by the slap. He then used his tongue to press against the inside of his cheek where it burned from the blow. With a cold face, his eyes filled with irrepressible rage, he said, “What? Are you trying to remain chaste for Qin Zijin? I tell you, Su Ce don’t even think about it. You belong to me, even in death.”
“You…” Before Su Ce could finish, Xiao Huai gripped his jaw and kissed him.
The kiss was domineering, aggressive, and left him not a single moment to breathe, as if Xiao Huai meant to devour him whole.
When Xiao Huai finally released him, Su Ce was completely limp, sprawled on the floor, his clothes in disarray, his face flushed a deep red from shame and fury.
“Su Ce, this night will be one you remember for the rest of your life.”