Watching Jiang Wan’s face grow increasingly pale, sweat pouring down her forehead, Xie Changlin moved his lips and said, “Stop.”
Rong Qing felt as if granted a reprieve, wiping the sweat from his own brow.
He too had been nervous, afraid he might lose control of his strength and beat her to death.
“Leave.”
In an instant, only Jiang Wan and Xie Changlin remained in the secret prison.
She seemed unable to hold back any longer, letting out low, whimpering sobs like a wounded animal.
If she had the strength to lift her head, she would surely have noticed that the man sitting before her had long lost his usual calm and indifferent demeanor. In its place was a complexity and an unconscious pity that even he himself did not recognize.
“Does it hurt, Your Highness?”
Jiang Wan choked back a sob. “It hurts. It hurts so much I could die.”
Xie Changlin lowered his gaze slightly. “Since it hurts, why didn’t you say anything, Your Highness?”
Silence filled the room for a moment.
Exhausted from crying, Jiang Wan finally managed to lift her heavy eyelids, her reddened, teary black eyes meeting his.
“It’s just a small life. Your Eminence can take it whenever you wish.”
“If you insist on hearing something, then I’ll say something untimely.”
She sniffled, her nose bright red, sincerity written all over her pale face. “I once read a line of poetry, and now I want to recite it for you: ‘May I be the star and you the moon, shining brightly together every night.’”
“Xie Changlin.”
It was the first time she had called him by his name, her starry eyes locking onto him. “Since I’ve come, I will stay by your side. What you want to do doesn’t matter. To me, you will always be the most important one, without exception.”
So, no matter what she knew or whose daughter she was, she would never pose any threat to him.
Xie Changlin remained silent for a long time, suppressing the overwhelming tide of unfamiliar emotions in his heart.
He resumed his usual indifferent demeanor. “Your Highness, I’ve reminded you many times. I am neither man nor woman—a lowly eunuch, a vile creature who commits every evil and treats human life as worthless.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Her eyes remained as bright as he had seen them many times before, perhaps even brighter.
Xie Changlin thought she looked truly mad in that moment.
Yet, in his twenty-four years of life, he had once longed for such a mad person to appear, someone willing to soothe his long-shattered heart and keep him from living like a walking corpse.
Unfortunately, this person was Jiang Wenshan’s daughter.
He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were clear and composed.
By the time Rong Qing entered, Xie Changlin had already left.
Jiang Wan was taken down, and several palace attendants carefully prepared to escort her back to her palace.
Rong Qing followed alongside them. As the group stepped outside, the sky was just beginning to lighten with dawn.
Drowsy and half-asleep, Jiang Wan squinted at the sky, her lips pale as she whispered weakly, “Rong Qing, have someone stop the people from Eternal Joy Palace. Take me back discreetly, seal off the news, and don’t let word of tonight’s events spread.”
She emphasized again, “Especially, it must not reach the Chancellor’s Residence.”
Rong Qing agreed, inwardly shocked.
After suffering such torment, she actually wanted to keep it hidden for His Eminence?
When they arrived at Eternal Joy Palace, Qiaoqiao saw Jiang Wan covered in blood and nearly collapsed in fright. “Your Highness! Your Highness, what happened?!”
Jiang Wan had quietly gotten up in the night, sneaking out by climbing through the window without alerting anyone.
The palace attendants had discovered her missing early in the morning and were frantically preparing to search for her. Before they could even leave, they were detained by people from the Ceremonial Directorate, each of them sweating with anxiety.
Jiang Wan was swayed by her a couple of times, her head growing even dizzier. Unable to hold on any longer, she closed her eyes.
Rong Qing would handle everything that followed; she didn’t need to worry.
Rong Qing brought the Imperial Physician, allowing only Qiaoqiao to remain in the room to apply medicine, feed her, and keep watch.
Soon, all the palace servants who knew about this matter, including those in the dungeon who were aware, were quietly replaced by Rong Qing—disappearing without a trace.
Having followed Xie Changlin for so long, he was naturally no good person. The lesson he remembered most clearly was that only the dead could keep their mouths shut.
Moreover, this matter concerned Xie Changlin. His loyalty was unwavering, and he acted swiftly to clean everything up before reporting back to Xie Changlin.
Xie Changlin stood with his hands behind his back by the window, listening as Rong Qing said this was Jiang Wan’s idea. His expression remained unreadable, but a strange, unfamiliar feeling stirred within him.
Tsk.
He had underestimated the little empress again.
At the Chancellor’s Residence.
Jiang Wenshan received a letter from the palace, his expression grave.
Wan’er was carried into Eternal Joy Palace this morning by people from the Ceremonial Directorate?
Just then, Jiang Huaian hurriedly entered, dust-covered from his journey. “Father, what’s the matter?”
“I need to go to the palace. You go in my place to meet with them. Those civil officials are tricky; handle them carefully.”
Jiang Huaian nodded. “Understood.”
By the time Jiang Wenshan arrived at the palace, Jiang Wan was having her wounds dressed. The injuries on her back and waist had already woken her with pain.
Qiaoqiao cried until her eyes were swollen like fish blisters. “Your Majesty, these will definitely leave scars—your entire back is covered!”
“This servant told you to stay away from that Nine Thousand Years, but Your Majesty wouldn’t listen. What are we to do now? How could he treat you like this?”
What angered her even more was that Jiang Wan refused to send word home?!
If the master knew, he would surely seek justice for her—why wouldn’t she say anything?!
Qiaoqiao was both furious and anxious. Just thinking about how Jiang Wan had learned to make protective charms, cook, and even had clay figurines made—it all felt like feeding a dog!
Jiang Wan lay prone on the bed, her breath weak. “Hush, it’s alright.”
Fortunately, the whip hadn’t been poisoned, and Rong Qing hadn’t struck with lethal force. Scarring was the best outcome she could hope for.
Sadly, her skin was delicate to begin with, and scars were hard to fade. These marks would likely stay with her forever.
A voice from an unfamiliar young eunuch came from outside the door. “Your Majesty, Chancellor Jiang has entered the palace and is heading straight for Eternal Joy Palace.”
“Who? My father?!”
Jiang Wan jolted, disregarding everything else, and sprang up from the bed. “Quickly, Qiaoqiao, help me dress and put on makeup!”
Qiaoqiao’s expression, which had just brightened with joy, instantly wilted. “Your Majesty, since the master has come, he must know something.”
So just tell him and let him stand up for you!
Jiang Wan glanced at her, her expression turning serious. “Qiaoqiao, I believe it wasn’t you who spread the news, but remember, you must also watch your tongue later, understand?”
Qiaoqiao bit her lip and nodded reluctantly, helping her change clothes and apply makeup. Soon, Jiang Wan looked no different from usual.
Only the two of them knew that the dozen or so wounds on her back pressed against her clothes, and the slightest movement rubbing against them could turn her face pale with pain.
Jiang Wan applied her lip color more vividly than usual, and when she smiled, she remained radiant and captivating.
Jiang Wenshan headed straight for Eternal Joy Palace, not even the people from the Ceremonial Directorate could stop his steps.
This man usually followed the rules, but when something touched his bottom line, he cared little for rules or propriety.
“Wan’er!”
Jiang Wan clung to the doorway, her face lit up with a delighted smile. “Oh, Father? What brings you here?”
Jiang Wenshan’s expression was grim, his brows tightly furrowed as he pulled Jiang Wan close and looked her over from head to toe.
“Tell your father honestly, what happened last night?”
Jiang Wan froze, her face full of innocence. “What do you mean, Father?”
“Wan’er.” Jiang Wenshan called out in a warning tone, his usually stern face now etched with worry.