Chapter 4: To Extend Her Own Lifespan, Su Yingxue Must Break into the Inner Service Directorate at Night to Save the Male Lead!

However, in the other palaces, aside from those who had bullied and humiliated him in the past paying the price, he did not trouble the other palace servants and masters who had surrendered to Da Qi, instead incorporating them uniformly. This was enough to prove that Chu Xingchen was not a madman.

He simply repaid tooth for tooth, eye for eye. The former Su Yingxue and those others had taken advantage of his weakness to bully him, and when Chu Xingchen gained power in the future, he returned the humiliation of bullying to them exactly as it was. This was only human nature.

It was precisely because of this that Zhang Susu felt it was still feasible to influence Chu Xingchen with love and warmth. Because at the end of the original novel, after Chu Xingchen unified the Great Qi Dynasty and the Great Sheng Dynasty, he combined the territories of both nations into the Qi-Sheng Dynasty.

With the most supreme wedding ceremony, he married Su Liyue—that niece of hers, the female lead of this female-oriented novel, the only legitimate princess of his imperial brother, Princess Changle.

After marriage, the two were harmonious and extremely sweet. Chu Xingchen was diligent in governance and loved the people, and the Qi-Sheng Dynasty was prosperous and strong. Except for her, Su Yingxue, who died in excruciating pain under extreme punishment, her skin stuffed with straw, sewn into a straw effigy, hung at the city gate day after day, year after year.

Su Liyue was the saintly female lead, pure and kind-hearted, and the only person in the palace who had treated him well back then. It was merely a small kindness given during those days of scheming and struggling, yet Chu Xingchen repaid it with a lifetime of love and protection, showing that he was ultimately someone who remembered kindness and repaid it.

Originally, Zhang Susu had also wondered why, both being princesses, the Eldest Princess Su Yingxue died so miserably, while Su Liyue had such a beautiful ending. It was only today that Zhang Susu truly understood—it was all the doing of Su Yingxue herself, this foolish Eldest Princess!

She was arrogant, extravagant, and lustful, taking a fancy to that little Hostage Prince and wanting to take him as a male consort. When he refused, she would beat, scold, and flog him at every turn, constantly picking fights!

Now that Su Yingxue had fallen into the water, Chu Xingchen put aside past grievances and saved her. Yet these people, just like Su Yingxue, even believed that Chu Xingchen had pushed her into the lake and then saved her! Based solely on the testimony of a little palace maid! They tortured him for a full day and night!

Chu Xingchen, a man of profound cunning and deep thoughts, a future emperor who would have the courage and strategy to breach the gates of the Great Sheng Dynasty—how could he possibly be someone who would employ such foolish tactics!

If Chu Xingchen had really done it, would he have left any trace for that palace maid to follow? Let that palace maid witness him doing it with her own eyes? Did they really think he was an idiot? If he were an idiot, wouldn’t the Great Sheng, whose nation he breached, be a bunch of idiots too?

If Chu Xingchen had really struck, she feared she wouldn’t even know how she died!

Even she, Zhang Susu, could detect these discrepancies from just a few words—no wonder the male lead hated her to the bone!

No! She must go and remedy this!

The trouble was caused by Su Yingxue, but the remedy had to come from her! Zhang Susu’s expression turned grave as she said coldly, “Chunfeng, Xiahe, Dongxue, help This Palace change clothes! Quickly change clothes and put on shoes!”

“Qiushuang, later you will accompany This Palace to the Inner Eunuch Directorate. Bring the token bestowed upon This Palace by the Imperial Palace!” Zhang Susu struggled to get up. Although the palace maids did not understand why, they still followed her orders and helped her change.

Chunfeng did not forget to drape a cloak over her, reminding her, “Your Highness, it’s windy and cold outside. Your Highness is still ill—please take care of your health!”

Xiahe also worriedly said, “Your Highness, you are still ill. Is it appropriate to only take Qiushuang with you? Why not take this servant along to attend to Your Highness?”

“No need. Having you few go would be useless. Summon a highly skilled guard to accompany This Palace—someone who can provide close protection.”

After dressing, Zhang Susu leaned on Qiushuang’s arm as she walked to the doorway, when she suddenly remembered: although the current Chu Xingchen wasn’t yet the man who would later hate her to the bone, she still had to guard against him.

The present Chu Xingchen was two years younger than her, still a fifteen-year-old whelp, but one had to fear that even a young wolf could be troublesome. Zhang Susu was no longer Su Yingxue; she had not the slightest covetous interest in such a milky younger brother, yet she couldn’t afford to let her guard down.

After all, there was conflict between him and her—at the very least, he ought to hate her.

Just like now: clearly it should have been Chu Xingchen who saved Su Yingxue, yet because of her, he was suffering extreme torture. Bringing a highly skilled guard was a precaution—in case, after rescuing Chu Xingchen, he tried to kill her when her back was turned!

Inside the Inner Service Directorate, rows of pitch-black prison cells lined the walls, with torches burning ominously. As Su Yingxue walked along the corridor of the Inner Service Directorate, she felt overwhelmed by the mingled stench of decay and blood filling the surroundings.

Many prisoners lay collapsed in the cages here, covered in bloody wounds, moaning in agony.

While the blade-carrying guard from the Inner Eunuch Directorate led her inward, she could still hear the prisoners’ wails—men and women alike, some on the verge of death, others weakly repeating in faint voices, “Save me…”

Zhang Susu followed the guard deeper inside, her heart heavy as she moved toward the interrogation area. Before even entering the room, she heard the sound of a whip striking flesh and a low, pained groan from a man stifling his agony.

Zhang Susu’s heart jolted. Oh no—could it be Eunuch Shen interrogating Chu Xingchen? Was he torturing Chu Xingchen?

At this thought, Zhang Susu disregarded the delicate weakness of her ill body. Instinctively, she broke into a light run, dashing toward the lit area ahead. Saving someone was like putting out a fire—there was no time to delay!

Qiushuang watched, astonished. Her Highness the Eldest Princess, who always prioritized Da Qi’s palace rules and etiquette—how could she be running around in such a flustered, undignified manner, devoid of all grace and poise?

But this was, after all, the Eldest Princess whom even the Empress feared somewhat. Over the years, her reputation for arrogance and tyranny had spread far and wide. Never mind that Qiushuang was merely a first-rank attendant—she had to tread carefully every day, anxiously watching the Eldest Princess’s moods and expressions.

Even the Empress, when faced with His Majesty’s most beloved younger sister, had to put on a smiling face and serve this living ancestor with utmost care. If the Princess ran, how dare Qiushuang walk?

Seeing this, Qiushuang lifted her skirts and hurried after, along with the blade-carrying guard. After all, no one dared offend the Eldest Princess Su Yingxue. Wasn’t the fate of Chu Xingchen, being brutally tortured inside, the clearest warning of what happened to those who crossed her?

“Chu Xingchen, you’d better think carefully. Why don’t you confess the truth quickly!” Eunuch Shen raised a hand, and the two guards taking turns flogging Chu Xingchen paused.

This was a specially crafted, high-quality leather whip, each segment embedded with iron barbs. Every time it was used, the whip—soaked in chili oil and a special medicinal solution—would tear the skin open upon impact, leaving bloody gashes. The wounds burned with a pain as if ten thousand insects were gnawing at the flesh.

They had taken turns beating him all night, and there wasn’t a single patch of unblemished skin left on Chu Xingchen’s body—it was crisscrossed with wounds. Ordinary palace attendants and maids would already be begging for mercy after just a few lashes, and after a dozen or so strikes, they’d be in so much pain they’d faint.

But this Chu Xingchen, despite being just a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy who hadn’t even grown to his full height, had bones as hard as steel. After beating him all night, their arms were sore, yet he hadn’t let out a single groan or begged for mercy.

No matter how they looked at Chu Xingchen, they felt he was like a wolf cub, glaring fiercely at them with blood-red eyes. Those eyes seemed to burn with boundless hatred, making them shudder slightly.