Inside Tingyu Pavilion, an indescribable sour odor of vomit had already hung heavy in the air. Now, with Wang Er Mazi’s arrival, it was mixed with the pungent stench of fresh horse manure.
That stench was enough to blow the top of anyone’s skull off.
Su Tang silently took two steps back, pulling out a handkerchief to cover her nose.
Ugh! This smell is way too strong! It’s practically a biochemical weapon!
How on earth could Lin Wan’er bring herself to touch him? Does she have a nasal infection? Or is this the legendary ‘birds of a feather rot together’?
Lu Ci’s brows were tightly knit as well. Holding his breath, he looked down with disgust at the puddle of mud kneeling on the floor.
“Y-Your Highness, spare my life! This humble servant knows nothing!” Wang Er Mazi lay flat on the floor, trembling like chaff in the wind, not daring to lift his head to look at Lu Ci at all.
Lin Wan’er, lying on the bed, now looked as pale as death. She bit her lip fiercely, attempting to use her tear-reddened eyes to send Wang Er Mazi a signal: Shut up! As long as you don’t admit it, Cousin has no proof!
However, Wang Er Mazi was already scared out of his wits; how could he possibly be in the mood to watch her bat her eyes?
“Knows nothing?” Lu Ci sneered coldly. Drawing the sidearm sword from his waist, he plunged it into the floorboards before Wang Er Mazi with a loud clang. “Since you know nothing, keeping those eyes is useless anyway. Gouge them out.”
The sword gleamed with a cold light, a mere inch away from Wang Er Mazi’s eyeballs.
“Ah! Don’t kill me! I’ll talk! I’ll tell everything!” Wang Er Mazi felt a sudden warmth in his trousers as a wave of urine stench instantly spread through the room.
Su Tang took another three steps back.
Holy smokes, now the set is complete. Horse manure plus urine—Tingyu Pavilion can be renamed ‘Latrine Pavilion’ right now.
This Wang Er Mazi is a spineless coward, too. He spilled everything before they even used torture. Tsk tsk, Lin Wan’er sure has terrible taste in men—not only is he ugly, he’s a wimp.
Suppressing the urge to throw both of them into a septic tank together, Lu Ci asked coldly, “Speak. What exactly happened between you and Cousin Miss?”
Wang Er Mazi raised his head tremblingly, his face full of pockmarks covered in sheer terror. “R-Replying to Your Highness… Cousin Miss and this servant… w-were mutually in love!”
Pfft—
Su Tang could not hold it in and burst out laughing.
Mutually in love my foot! Who do you think you are?
Why don’t you say you sacrificed yourself for true love?
Lu Ci’s eyelid twitched. He swept a cold glance toward Su Tang, gesturing for her to quietly enjoy the spectacle.
Thinking His Highness did not believe him, Wang Er Mazi grew panicked: “It’s true, Your Highness! On that rainy night two months ago, Cousin Miss was crying beside the rockery in the garden. This servant happened to pass by, and Cousin Miss grabbed my hand, saying she was so cold and lonely… Then, then we went into the rockery cave…”
“Shut up! Stop talking! You’re lying!” Lin Wan’er shrieked, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at Wang Er Mazi. “You forced me! You violated me!”
Hearing this, Wang Er Mazi lost his temper as well: “Cousin Miss, how can you turn your back on me like this? You were clearly the one who actively took off your clothes that night! You even said I was way better than His Highness—said His Highness was just an embroidered pillow that looked nice but was completely useless, and that he couldn’t match a sturdy man who did hard labor like me at all!”
Dead silence fell over the room.
Everyone’s gaze landed squarely on Lu Ci.
An embroidered pillow?
Looked nice but completely useless?
Su Tang was screaming madly in her heart: Holy crap! Holy crap! This Wang Er Mazi is a brave warrior! How dare he drag and step on Lu Ci right to his face?!
Way better than His Highness? Hahahahaha! This is definitely the most insulting thing Lu Ci has heard in his entire life! Bar none!
Lu Ci, can you really endure this? No man alive could endure this! Quick, pull out your big guy… oh wait no, show off your masculine power and prove you’re not an embroidered pillow!
Lu Ci: “…”
His hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white as blue veins bulged on the back of his hand.
Very good.
This pair of adulterers had successfully pushed past his limit.
“What a ‘sturdy man’ indeed.” Infuriated to the point of laughing, Lu Ci let out a chilling, terrifying smile. “Since you have so much power, this Prince shall grant your wish.”
“Men! Drag this fellow out and tear him apart with five horses!”
“Wait!” Wang Er Mazi was scared out of his senses. To save his own life, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck his brain. “Your Highness! I have intelligence to redeem my crime! Cousin Miss didn’t just hook up with me—she wanted to seduce someone else, too!”
Lu Ci paused his movement: “Speak.”
As if grasping at a lifesaver, Wang Er Mazi spoke at lightning speed: “Cousin Miss said if things didn’t work out with Your Highness, she would go seduce Prime Minister Su! The Princess Consort’s biological father!”
Boom!
The melon seeds in Su Tang’s hands scattered all over the floor in an instant.
What?! My dad?!
This cousin wants to become my stepmother?!
Isn’t that a bit too heavy-tasted?! My dad is already fifty! His face is full of wrinkles—he could be her grandfather! Does Lin Wan’er want an ‘old man and young girl’ affair?!
System, hurry and check! Is this true or fake? Could my old-fashioned father really have something going on with this green tea?
System Intel Report: Rest assured, Host. Although your father is an old stick-in-the-mud, his aesthetic judgment is still normal. Lin Wan’er did try to seduce him, but your father sternly rejected her and even berated her for being ‘shameless.’
Whew…
Su Tang let out a sigh of relief, patting her chest.
Thank goodness, my dad preserved his reputation in his golden years. Otherwise, if I had to call this green tea ‘Mother’ in the future, I’d throw up on the spot.
Looking at the constipated look on Su Tang’s face, the rage in Lu Ci’s heart cooled down slightly.
It seemed this girl’s moral compass was still somewhat intact.
“Drag him down.” Lu Ci no longer wished to listen to their nonsense. With a wave of his sleeve, as if shooing away flies, he ordered, “Beat Wang Er Mazi to death with random clubs and throw him out to feed the dogs. As for Cousin Miss…”
He turned around, looking at Lin Wan’er, who lay limp on the bed in complete despair. Not a single trace of pity remained in his eyes.
“As a relative of the Regent’s Residence, you know no shame and have ruined our family’s reputation. Effective immediately, strip Cousin Miss of her title and send her to the family temple in the outskirts of the city to spend the rest of her life among green lamps and ancient Buddhas. As for that bastard child… give her a bowl of abortion broth to send it on its way.”
“No! Cousin! You can’t treat me like this! I’m your cousin!” Lin Wan’er wept heart-wrenchingly, trying to crawl off the bed to grab Lu Ci’s legs.
Yet Lu Ci did not even spare her a glance, turning around to walk out.
Watching Lin Wan’er being dragged away, Su Tang clicked her tongue in her heart.
Written off just like that? Her combat ability was way too weak. I thought she could fight for three hundred rounds.
Still, a place like a family temple is worse than death, right? I heard there are only salted vegetables and steamed buns there, and you have to do hard labor every day. For a delicate cousin, that’s practically hell.
Lu Ci’s move was ruthless enough.
Reaching the doorway, Lu Ci’s footsteps suddenly paused.
He looked back, taking a deep look at Su Tang.
“Princess Consort.”
Su Tang immediately stood at attention: “This servant is here.”
“Finished watching the show?”
“Finished… finished watching.”
“Good.” The corners of Lu Ci’s lips curled into a meaningful arc, a slight hint of danger in his eyes. “Since you’re done watching someone else’s show, tonight… shouldn’t we put on our own show?”
Su Tang froze.
Our show? What show?
Could it be… that comeback battle after being mocked by Wang Er Mazi as an ’embroidered pillow’?
Holy crap! He couldn’t possibly be planning to prove himself tonight, could he?!
Looking at her instantly widened eyes, Lu Ci felt inexplicably delighted.
He turned around, walking away from the stench-filled Tingyu Pavilion with large strides.
Prove himself?
Heh, there was plenty of time ahead.