Gu Lingwan looked toward the source of the sound.
Ha! So this was the brat who kidnapped me.
Gu Lingwan sat up, arched his eyebrows, and looked at the intruder. He lifted his chin slightly, wearing a look of disdain. “What? Can you not pay your debts, so you have resorted to murder to silence me?”
However, he knew this guy did not have the guts. He was all brawn and no bite. In the original story, when the palace was overrun, this guy held a sword but was too afraid to fight, eventually getting stabbed to death by an enemy.
Xiao Zitang stopped in front of Gu Lingwan, pulled out a sharp dagger, and gestured with it. “If you do not listen to me, I will kill you.”
“Then hurry up and do it. I do not listen to anyone.” Gu Lingwan stretched his neck toward him. “Seventeenth Prince, please strike right here. With a pfft sound, it is sure to splash your face with bright red blood.” Before Gu Lingwan could finish his sentence, Xiao Zitang trembled uncontrollably. His hand shook, and the dagger he was gripping dropped to the floor with a clatter. His face turned deathly pale.
Gu Lingwan knew he was severely hemophobic, so he decided to give him a little appetizer of terror. Seeing him look so pathetic, Gu Lingwan could not help but giggle.
Xiao Zitang’s face cycled through shades of black, red, and white. He bent down to pick up the dagger, pointed it aggressively at Gu Lingwan, and roared, “I do not dare to kill, but I am a Prince of the realm! If I want you dead, I have plenty of lackeys to do it for me. Why would I need to do it myself?”
Gu Lingwan stopped laughing, composed his expression, and spoke seriously. “Let me go, and I will not tell anyone about today.” He paused, explaining the stakes. “If nothing else, I am the Princess Consort. If you kidnap me like this, the Prince will come looking for me. Especially since I performed quite impressively at the Honghua Palace today, the royal heirs are currently paying close attention to me, including the Emperor. If I go missing or get harmed at this moment, it will not be as simple as losing a pig or a calf. You should understand that.”
The guy was not naturally evil; his mother simply would not let him be a simple, contented prince. She taught him all sorts of underhanded tricks, like sowing discord between the Emperor and Xiao the Second. Everything Gu Lingwan said was logical, but Xiao Zitang had already gone to the trouble of kidnapping him; he was not willing to give up without achieving his goal.
“Write a debt forgiveness document and cancel the one million nine hundred and ninety thousand taels of silver you owe me.”
Gu Lingwan asked, “What if I do not write it?”
Xiao Zitang narrowed his eyes fiercely and threatened, “Then I will have you sold to the underground black market. People sold there live lives worse than death; it is like being sent to hell.”
Gu Lingwan suggested, “In that case, you will need to sell the Prince to the black market as well. He is my husband, after all. Whether I die or go missing, you will not be able to dodge that debt. The Prince will take over the account.”
When Xiao Zitang kidnapped Gu Lingwan, he had not considered things so thoroughly; he had acted impulsively, driven into a corner like a cornered dog. Now, standing there with his dagger, he looked utterly lost and out of his depth.
Gu Lingwan sat cross-legged on the bed. “I know you do not want your mother to scold you for your massive debt.”
Xiao Zitang said dejectedly, “And I cannot pay it back.”
Gu Lingwan lectured him, “Then do not be so arrogant in the future. Tone it down a bit.”
Xiao Zitang glared at him. “My massive debt is already incurred. What is the point of your sarcastic remarks?”
Gu Lingwan arched an eyebrow. “I can help you.”
Xiao Zitang retorted, “Do not think you can play tricks on me.”
The night was deep and ink-black, like a vast curtain covering the earth. On the wide, boundless streets, the bustling crowds had faded away. Peddlers along the road were busy packing up their stalls, finishing their day’s business.
Just then, the sound of urgent hooves shattered the night’s tranquility. A powerful steed galloped forward like lightning, carrying Xiao Yingxun. He sat tall, radiating heroic spirit, but he suddenly pulled hard on the reins. With a sharp whinny, the horse reared its front hooves high, almost standing upright.
In the next instant, Xiao Yingxun mastered the horse, bringing it to a steady halt in the center of the street. His magnificent silk sleeves fluttered wildly in the night wind. On his handsome face, his long brows were furrowed, as if he were lost in deep thought.
Xiao Yanming finally caught up after much difficulty. Seeing him like this, he asked, “What is wrong?”
Xiao Yingxun turned his horse around. “We are going to the Seventeenth Prince’s estate.”
As he spoke, he galloped away. Xiao Yanming seemed to realize something as well and followed him like a shooting star.
It must be that Xiao Zitang had kidnapped the Princess Consort. He did not want to repay his astronomical debt, so he kidnapped the Princess Consort to force him to cancel the debt. If the Princess Consort did not comply, he would surely use extreme measures. As for what those measures might be…
Xiao Yanming grew increasingly worried. He pushed his horse to the limit, rushing toward Xiao Zitang’s estate. Xiao Yingxun looked somber, his long brows locked tightly.
Half an hour later, they arrived. To avoid alerting the enemy, they tied their horses in a secluded spot, scaled the high wall, bypassed the guards, and began to search for Gu Lingwan. As they moved, they suddenly heard the sound of theater singing.
“It is actually the Princess Consort’s voice!” Xiao Yanming’s inner rage ignited like a volcano about to erupt. His eyes widened in fury. “That damned bastard! He did not get enough of the Princess Consort’s soulful, moving singing during the day, so now he is torturing him to force him to perform again? It is lawless and utterly hateful!”
He added indignantly, “The Princess Consort only performed once during the day, and all the royal heirs present were still wanting more.”
Xiao Yingxun did not seem to hear him; he moved quickly in the direction of the voice. Xiao Yanming gritted his teeth and rolled up his sleeves. His only thought was that once he burst through the door, he would give Xiao Zitang a beating so severe he would lose every single tooth.
Xiao Yingxun quickly arrived in front of the room where the voice was coming from. Inside, Gu Lingwan had stopped singing, and their voices could be heard faintly. Xiao Yingxun was listening intently, but Xiao Yanming, having caught up, was so filled with rage that he kicked the door, shattering it with a loud bang, and stormed inside.