Chapter 017: Find Me Eight Men!

At the end of the noon hour, Qin Chanyue was learning the full story of her adoptive brother’s injury from the deputy general.

After her letter arrived, her adoptive brother began investigating the spies within the army. Seeing that he was exposed, the spy simply stabbed her eldest brother. Her eldest brother fell unconscious, and it was unclear how many other spies remained in the army. That was why he had rushed back to Chang’an overnight to recuperate.

The deputy general beside her tried to comfort Qin Chanyue: “The prince has fought in battles for many years; he definitely won’t fall here. Young Lady, please don’t worry. Perhaps in a few days, the prince will wake up.”

Hearing this, Qin Chanyue felt some of the sorrow that had accumulated in her chest dissipate.

She thought, at least her eldest brother had returned intact, which was far better than in her previous life.

As for “unconscious”—whenever Qin Chanyue heard these words, she couldn’t help but suspect that someone was drugging her adoptive brother. After all, she was currently doing the same to her husband. Putting herself in others’ shoes, every trusted aide around her eldest brother suddenly seemed less reliable.

Qin Chanyue steadied herself and asked, “Can my eldest brother still take medicine now? What is used when he’s unconscious?”

“No more medicine,” the deputy general replied. “He took some earlier, but it was completely ineffective. Now, we don’t use medicine anymore. We only feed him some broth using a slotted spoon.”

The bodies of their Qin Family Army soldiers were different from ordinary people’s.

Qin Chanyue nodded and said, “Alright, fetch some water from outside—hot water.”

The deputy general asked, puzzled, “What does Young Lady intend to do?”

“To bathe my eldest brother,” Qin Chanyue declared firmly. “From now on, I will personally handle his washing and feeding. I don’t trust anyone else!”

Who knew if they might drug him? Even she, as his wife, was doing it, so how could she trust others?

In her previous life, her eldest brother had died somewhere she couldn’t see. In this life, she was determined to keep him alive and well.

The deputy general shuddered.

Even if Young Lady dared to bathe him, their prince wouldn’t dare to let her! If Young Lady really bathed the prince, as soon as she left, the prince would be the first to have him executed!

The deputy general could only soften his tone and try to dissuade her, finally managing to talk Qin Chanyue out of this absurd idea. He only promised that all food and water would pass through Qin Chanyue’s hands, which finally satisfied her. However, looking at her, the deputy general felt things weren’t that simple.

Sure enough, she had no intention of leaving that afternoon.

First, she fed the unconscious Chu Heng some broth, then spent time examining and touching his wounds. After a while, she even wiped away a few tears.

That night, she had originally planned to stay at the Prince of Southern Pacification’s Mansion. She truly didn’t want to leave her adoptive brother’s bedside. The moment he was out of her sight, she felt someone might harm him. But just as she was about to speak, the housekeeper from Zhongyi Hou Mansion hurried over and whispered a few words in her ear.

Qin Chanyue’s brows furrowed slightly.

She had been so focused on her adoptive brother that she had forgotten about the matters at Zhongyi Hou Mansion. Fang Qingqing’s son was crippled—how could she let it go?

But she was also reluctant to leave just like that. After a moment of thought, Qin Chanyue sent someone to summon Liu Yandai back.

She couldn’t trust others, but she trusted Liu Yandai.

After Liu Yandai arrived at the mansion, Qin Chanyue settled her in the room next to Chu Heng’s. Qin Chanyue instructed her to keep a close watch and not allow anyone to touch the Prince of Southern Pacification.

Liu Yandai clenched her fists and responded firmly, “Pomu, rest assured. I will guard the door.”

Only then did Qin Chanyue feel at ease. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she returned to Zhongyi Hou Mansion in a grand procession.

Liu Yandai then took over for Qin Chanyue, continuing to stand guard at the door of the side room.

Only after Qin Chanyue had left did the Crown Prince dare to show half his figure. But seeing that another guard had taken up position at the door, he realized he likely wouldn’t be able to have a detailed discussion with Zhennan Wang today. He had no choice but to give up and take his leave with the Deputy General.

The Deputy General personally escorted him out.

As the Crown Prince was leaving, he happened to pass by the window next to the side room where Liu Yandai was stationed. At that moment, Liu Yandai was guarding the door and chatting with an elderly maidservant nearby, as if the two were very familiar with each other.

The old maidservant was asking Liu Yandai, “How has Young Lady been faring since marrying into the Zhongyi Hou Mansion? Eldest Miss Qin has never been an easygoing sort. This old servant has heard that Shiziye doesn’t care for you. Are you having a difficult time now?”

The Crown Prince hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on their conversation, but as a trained martial artist, his hearing was sharp and his eyes keen—he inevitably caught some of it. Hearing this, he instinctively glanced over.

That Shizi Furen named Liu Yandai stood properly and dutifully at the door. Since Lady Qin had told her to guard it, she stubbornly kept her post, not stepping away even a single step, as if “military discipline were as firm as a mountain.” Her round, plump face was very much like the rabbit-shaped pastries he’d eaten before—pale, soft, and tinged with a few streaks of rosy blush.

“Pomu treats me very well. My days are not difficult,” Liu Yandai replied in a gentle tone.

Hearing her voice, the Crown Prince thought to himself: Her voice is also like a rabbit’s. It seems she’s a gentle, kind, and dutiful person.

The maidservant seemed rather skeptical and pressed further with a few more questions, her words filled with doubt toward Qin Chanyue. With a temper like Qin Chanyue’s, could she really like Liu Yandai?

In a moment of urgency, Liu Yandai defended Qin Chanyue: “It’s true! Pomu treats me very well. Although Shizi doesn’t like me, to make me happy, Pomu sent me eight men!”

The Crown Prince walking ahead was so startled he raised an eyebrow slightly.

Eight—eight men, hmm… The Qin Mansion’s family style… Shizi Furen… Hmm…

Not very proper.

—

Meanwhile, Qin Chanyue had already returned from Qingtian Ward to Changping Fang.

Changping Fang was farther from the imperial city than Qingtian Ward, and was likely home to officials ranging from the first to third ranks. The neighborhood was filled with grand mansions and high-ranking households, so any commotion in one house could often be heard in the neighboring courtyards.

Before Qin Chanyue returned to the Zhongyi Hou Mansion in Changping Fang, quite a few major events had already occurred there.

After the news that Fang Qingqing’s son, Zhou Wenshan, had been crippled spread throughout the entire Houfu, Zhou Yuanting was overjoyed.

His father favored the outside son, his mother had been coaxed by his father into giving up the title, his Xinshang Ren had gotten involved with his younger brother—everyone had abandoned him, yet he alone had proven himself the most capable.

When the outside son tried to snatch what was his, he found his own way to protect what belonged to him. Now that the outside son was crippled, and Dachen never bestowed titles on the disabled, in the end, the title would still be his.

This gave him a sense of regaining control over everything.

Today, he could take back the title from the outside son; tomorrow, he could take back Bai Yuning from his younger brother! All these things that rightfully belonged to him—he could reclaim them, one by one!

The high-spirited young master tidied himself up and set out from his own side room. He passed through a Baoping Gate, went by the rockery and covered walkway, and went personally to see that younger brother of his.

When he arrived, Zhou Wenshan was still unconscious, lying on the bed with a deathly pale face.

Concubine Fang was kneeling by the bedside, wailing as if the heavens were falling: “Wenshan ah—”

Just as mother and son were about to start living well, how could Zhou Wenshan have been thrown from a startled horse?

Zhou Yuanting watched from the side, a look of unbearable distress appearing on his gentlemanly face. He then comforted Concubine Fang with a few words.

“Third Brother will surely recover,” he said.

Concubine Fang was too absorbed in her weeping to listen, so Zhou Yuanting left on his own and asked where his father was.

A servant nearby cautiously pointed toward the pavilion in the courtyard of the hall.

Zhou Yuanting walked over and saw his father inside the pavilion.

Zhou Ziheng had aged and weakened considerably during this time. His once jet-black hair was now half white, and as he sat in the pavilion, he hardly resembled his former self.

But when Zhou Yuanting saw him, he felt not a shred of pity—only satisfaction.

His father was old; it was time for him to take charge of this household.

With a composed demeanor, he strode over in measured steps. Only as he reached the pavilion did he adopt a sorrowful expression, as if genuinely grieving for his third brother. He entered, bowed to his father, and comforted him, “Third Brother will surely be fine. Though I have known him for only a short time, I regard him as my own younger brother. I will pray for his recovery.”

Zhou Ziheng saw his eldest son arrive and, noticing his apparent grief, felt somewhat consoled.

His eldest son wasn’t entirely heartless, after all.

After father and son spoke for a while longer, Zhou Ziheng could muster no more energy. He wanted to go check on Concubine Fang but was too exhausted, so he could only instruct Zhou Yuanting, “Go see your Concubine Fang.”

Zhou Yuanting agreed and personally helped his father back to rest in the side room of Qiufeng Hall. After attending to his father until he fell asleep, he turned and headed back to his own room. As for Concubine Fang, he paid her no mind at all.

But now, he suddenly didn’t want to return to his room in Qiufeng Hall to lie alone.

He wanted to walk around the Houfu, to let everyone see him, to let everyone know the price of betraying him.

Step by step, he made his way toward Bai Yuning.

He headed in the direction of the Guest Wing Room. Coincidentally, when he arrived, he saw Bai Yuning in the small kitchen of the Guest Wing Room, making pastries.

The ethereal and slender Young Lady lifted her delicate hand, slowly removing the woven straw lid of the steamer. Amid the rising steam, the afternoon sunlight fell upon her hair, as if casting a beautiful glow around her.

Unaware of Zhou Yuanting’s arrival, she focused intently on the freshly steamed pastries—these were for Zhou Chiye.

The troubles of the Houfu had nothing to do with the two of them. Each day, they quietly stayed close, each feeling they were the other’s only one. The cold Ancestral Hall had gained a touch of warmth from them, and neither could bear to be apart from the other—they were in the midst of their most passionate, intimate moments.

Zhou Yuanting stood at the entrance of the small kitchen, watching her quietly with a mocking smile, waiting for her to notice him.

Bai Yuning carefully placed the pastries into a food box. Thinking of seeing Zhou Chiye soon, a hint of joy appeared on her face. Smiling, she turned around—only to unexpectedly meet Zhou Yuanting’s gaze at the doorway.

The elegant, tall nobleman stood at the entrance with a smile, his piercing eyes fixed on her as if to burn a hole through her!

Bai Yuning’s heart leaped in fright, and she stumbled back a step, exclaiming loudly, “You—what are you doing?”

“What is Miss Bai up to again?” Zhou Yuanting sneered, taking a step forward and sniffing the lingering sweet fragrance in the kitchen. “Ah, osmanthus cakes—are these for my brother? Is this how you try to seduce him? Bai! Yu! Ning!”

His voice grew increasingly menacing, tinged with a trace of hatred. He strode forward and roughly seized Bai Yuning’s arm, demanding, “When you betrayed me, did you ever consider the consequences?”

As he spoke, he began tearing at her clothes.

A woman who betrayed him deserved no mercy. Today, he would take her right here. Once he became the Marquis, he would lock her away in the courtyard as a lowly kitchen maid, humiliating her at will to vent his hatred!