Chapter 447: Chapter 446: At the Age of Wolfish Desire
Two days later, dawn had fully broken.
The person lying on the couch finally made a slight movement with his fingertips.
Yuan Shaqing had just opened his eyes, his complexion pale as paper. His whole body was in so much pain he couldn’t move, but he remembered a curved knife piercing in, then forcibly thrusting through his back. A slight deviation and it would have pierced his heart. Someone wanted to get rid of him for good.
"Awake?"
A flat, indifferent voice sounded.
He endured the pain and turned his head.
After seeing the person who came, his bloodless lips moved, but no sound came out; still, based on the shape of the lips, two words could be discerned.
——Weizhen.
"Seems you still remember me."
Cui Yun stood up, walked towards him, and stopped in front of the couch.
"The Eastern Palace intended to recruit you as staff, but you were unwilling to step foot in Shengjing again, and all the less willing to serve a person like Ji Zhui, only to turn around and face assassination. Luckily, you had a tough life."
To serve Ji Zhui?
His most beloved younger sister died at the hands of a sister born of the same mother as Ji Zhui! He wished nothing more than for Ji Shimin to pay with her life!
But that’s the Imperial Family, and no matter how capable his grandfather was, he couldn’t seek justice. Later, he passed away in a state of gloom, still concerned for his little sister until his death; how could Yuan Shaqing ever agree?
"I’m aware of Grand Marshal Yuan’s passing."
Cui Yun: "If there’s an opportunity, I’d definitely go burn incense at his grave for brother."
In earlier years, Cui Bai was educated by Grand Marshal Yuan, and he was even closer to Yuan Shaqing. It would be only right to visit.
Yuan Shaqing’s eyes were filled with sorrow.
He heard Cui Yun say.
"Ji Zhui harmed you because you wouldn’t serve him, and he was even more worried you would hold a grudge for past events and turn to pledge allegiance to Ji Wang and thus become his enemy."
"Initially, my brother devoted himself to the world by forsaking literature for martial arts. You too had great ambitions, but he was maliciously schemed against and did not meet a good end, just as with the Yuan Family."
Yuan Shaqing felt a chill run through his body. He even attempted to rise, but Cui Yun stopped him, disregarding everything and grasping his arm fiercely, his voice was hoarse and sharp: "What do you mean by these words?"
He was utterly astonished.
"Your brother was murdered?"
Cui Yun’s eyes carried a deep chill: "With fathers and brothers tragically killed, Cui Family Army completely wiped out. Two cities lost control, the people displaced and homeless, blood spilled three feet high, bodies heaped into mountains."
"Later, I was poisoned by a Gu Worm, and the young man from the Xie Family ambushed."
He suppressed the rolling bitterness: "No one stands high above the ruler, all the Emperor’s handiwork."
Yuan Shaqing’s ears buzzed.
He could understand these words, but it seemed that he couldn’t fathom them.
"Have you ever thought about why, when the incident happened that year, the maids serving Miss Yuan were detained halfway through, and right before Ji Shimin struck, surrounded by a group of servants, were they unable to stop her, or did they dare not to?"
Cui Yun spoke indifferently: "If I remember correctly, a few days before the incident, the official clan wanted to increase taxation, and Grand Marshal Yuan refuted it, unavoidably leading to a quarrel. The official clan was displeased, I’m afraid this was punishment."
It was meant for the Yuan Family, and also for those officials in the court who supported Grand Marshal Yuan.
Yuan Shaqing’s hand clenched tightly, veins bulging.
He knew.
Not only did he know, but so did the entire Yuan Family, crystal clear!
Yet they could only pretend to be confused about the obvious.
The imperial power was too might; what did it matter if the Chen County Yuan Family once saved the ancestors of the Emperor?
Once again, a gentle laugh seemed to echo by his ear.
"You as a civil servant, me as a military general, it’s not a bad arrangement. Weizhen is still young, with a contrarian spirit; if I am not here, I will have to trouble you to help look after him a bit."
He did not fulfill it.
He couldn’t even protect his own little sister.
"Brother Yuan."
"Ji Wang is ambitious and cold-blooded, sharing seven parts likeness with the official clan."
Cui Yun: "I think, the Chen County Yuan Family is straightforward. You too would not be willing to assist him."
"Would you come and help me?"
Yuan Shaqing gasped fiercely.
"Loyal to whom?"
"To the Third Prince, Ji Teng."
His body lay back on the couch, like a half-dead man, staring at the canopy above his head.
Ji Teng?
That hostage.
Cui Yun: "You might ponder what I’ve said; there’s no need to respond in haste, I’ll come to see you again later."
Before he even crossed the threshold, he heard that weak voice behind him.
"It’s not about helping you."
It was clearly about helping himself.
The Yuan Family should not fall into decline, let alone be forgotten.
Cui Yun smoothed down his clothes and left behind a sentence: "Then heal your wounds well."
After leaving the room, Ji Qing followed behind him.
Without stopping his steps, he said in an extremely indifferent tone: "He was injured and rescued by Ji Wang, and this news has spread to the Eastern Palace."
He thought, Ji Zhui must be jumping up and down with anger now.
Dog eat dog, now that’s fun.
Ji Qing acknowledged the order and stepped back, and Cui Yun walked towards the side chamber. The girl still hadn’t woken up, a small bulge visible from under the quilt.
He removed his outer robe, climbed onto the bed to embrace her, and then closed his eyes.
Yet Shen Hua was aware of his presence, she rubbed her groggy eyes.
"You’re back?"
Her lips were captured by his, she tilted her head trying to dodge.
"I woke you up."
Shen Hua shook her head: "I should get up too."
He swallowed.
"Hmm."
"I have to head out later again, I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep you company today."
The girl’s voice was soft and sweet: "Oh."
"If something comes up, consult Mama, no need to be formal with our elders."
She kicked the covers, asking: "Where have you been these past days?"
"Met up with some old friends."
"Was there any girl among them?"
Cui Yun: "All young men."
"No wonder."
Her grudge hadn’t yet dissipated.
"So you went off with men."
Cui Yun suddenly felt something amiss, and he lifted his eyelids.
The girl deliberately imitated his tone from that day in the woods.
"Who hasn’t been accompanied? I don’t blame you!"
As she spoke, her almond eyes curved.
"Recovered your energy, and now you’re here to provoke me intentionally?"
Cui Yun laughed out of helplessness: "Impressive, indeed."
At his words, Shen Hua’s suffocating memories unfolded. He must have heard her that night.
The smile at the corners of Shen Hua’s mouth faded.
She ruthlessly pushed away the person beside her.
But Cui Yun pulled Shen Hua back, kissing her neck, his nose tinged with the sweet fragrance of a woman: "It’s still early, let’s sleep a bit more."
"You go somewhere else."
Shen Hua looked down: "You’ve reached the age of being vigorous like a tiger. I’ve heard that, for such matters, one could get sick from holding back."
Cui Yun straightened her face and leaned in with bent knees, his tone becoming milder.
"Who told you that?"
Shen Hua righteously proclaimed: "I secretly overheard the embroidery ladies talking about it."
"In West City there’s a Mr. Wang, three years younger than you, his family bought a child bride for him early. Even though the marriage isn’t completed yet, and the child bride hasn’t come of age, needing to be raised a bit more, he couldn’t bear it, always thinking of pulling her into the bed. Each time he tried, he was caught by Mama and fell ill."
"The family is filled with regret."
Cui Yun had no interest in listening.
Yet the girl shared with Cui Yun, her little mouth babbling non-stop.
"He even went to see the doctor, sneaking about it. The doctor had him strip his underwear and after a look, suggested seeking someone more knowledgeable."
She repeated word for word what the embroidery lady had said, without missing a beat.
Cui Yun took a deep breath. In the end, he managed to control his temper.
"Aren’t you embarrassed?"
Shen Hua confidently retorted: "It’s not me who’s embarrassed!"
"Stop listening to such filthy things."
The girl patted Cui Yun’s hand that was on her waist and drew close with hesitation, still showing considerable virtue: "But I’m quite worried about you."
Cui Yun’s indifference was extreme, with no trace of emotion, his dark eyes brooding, already showing signs of a storm brewing: "Asking for a lesson?"
"Yesterday I was your darling, today you’re scolding me."
Shen Hua, not the least bit flustered, raised her pinky.
"Heh."
"Nothing but little tricks to please me."
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