Chapter 9

At long last, the day had finally come.

After lunch, I was fretting over how to get close to Yin Jiuqing, when unexpectedly, he arrived with Xiao Dezi and knocked at my door. Truly, heaven was helping me.

Yin Jiuqing wore a purple robe woven with gold today. His broad shoulders and narrow waist gave him a tall, upright figure, and he radiated an effortless nobility and authority from head to toe.

I studied him closely for a long time-sword-like brows extending into his temples, deep-set brow bones, a high, straight nose, and lips that were neither too thin nor too full, just right. To speak more poetically, his features were upright and handsome in the most conventional way, yet he lacked any distinguishing trait, like a living embodiment of the Four Books and Five Classics: even his looks seemed to abide by certain rules, never out of line.

“Happy New Year.” He handed me a money pouch, his face giving nothing away. He stuffed the pouch into my arms and turned to leave.

I opened the door wider, stepped aside, and lowered my head, putting on a mournful expression. “Crown Prince Brother, thank you for saving me last time. I wonder if I could invite you in for a cup of tea to thank you for your help.”

He hesitated for a moment, probably mindful of propriety between men and women, or perhaps my red-rimmed eyes stirred some pity in him. He turned to Xiao Dezi and said, “Xiao Dezi, wait here.”

After a few sips of tea, he frowned slightly. My heart was pounding as I forced out a few words: “The tea here is never any good-I fear it’s hard to drink. If Crown Prince Brother doesn’t like it, perhaps-”

“No matter,” he interrupted, gently rubbing his teacup. “Do not let floating clouds block your eyes; always keep the long view. Look ahead-a suitable marriage will be found for you, Cousin.”

I gave a perfunctory response, watching him finish his tea. I had added enough Muscle-Weakening Powder to it.

The second cup was laced with Aphrodisiac Powder.

Gradually, Yin Jiuqing’s breathing grew rapid, his cheeks flushed red, and a fine sheen of sweat appeared on his temples.

“Cousin, I’ll take my leave now,” Yin Jiuqing said, his steps unsteady; as he rose, he nearly stumbled into the table.

I swiftly stuffed a handkerchief into his mouth. As he struggled desperately but couldn’t move, I took out the rope I had prepared and tied him to the bed, secured a dead knot, stripped off his clothes-everything was set.

Looking out through the carved wooden window, I could just make out Xiao Dezi in blue robes, obediently standing by the courtyard gate. And here, just a few paces away, I was tying up the Crown Prince, intent on attempting to violate him in broad daylight.

No one would have imagined I could be so bold.

“Crown Prince Brother, you saved me, so I will offer myself to you.”

The veins on his temple bulged, his face twisted in rage, and his eyes blazed with uncontrollable fury as he glared at me. His mouth, tightly stuffed with the handkerchief, could only utter muffled sounds.

I stripped off my own clothes without hesitation, closing the distance between us from an inch to nothing. “Don’t worry, I’ve practiced for a long time. I’m very good now.”

When the tearing pain swept through my body, I stared blankly as two lines of tears slid down my face.

I have a half-brother. To escape persecution by the Eldest Wife, he pretended to be slow-witted for many years, but three years ago, he passed the Spring Examination in one try and was sent to Jiangning as an official.

I’ll never forget the shock and astonishment on my family’s faces when the officials came to our house to offer congratulations, nor the delight on my Eldest Brother’s face. He said to me, “Qiuhe, you must work hard too. Someday, we’ll have the life we want.”

There were only four children in our family; only the two of us were born of concubines, and only he truly treated me as a sister. He escaped this home by his own efforts, but I remain trapped, with no way out. How am I supposed to work hard?

In less than a quarter of an hour, I hurriedly untied the rope binding Yin Jiuqing.

His furious voice thundered in my ears: “Zhang Qiuhe, how dare you do such a thing to me! You are shameless and wanton! You-you wretch, I’ll kill you-”
He was so furious that he even forgot to refer to himself properly. Seeing the small patch of blood on the bed, his rage surged even higher, his face flushed red as he lunged forward and clamped his hands tightly around my neck. “How dare you be so reckless, you wretch!”

He kept repeating “wretch”-I suspected this was the only insult in his vocabulary.

He choked me so hard that I could barely breathe, my hands weakly prying at his, and tears welled in my eyes from panic.

“Don’t cry. Why are you crying? Clearly, you were the one who-” Realizing something, he abruptly fell silent, his expression turning even more uncomfortable, and his grip on my neck loosened.

Taking advantage of his distraction, I flipped over and kissed his lips.

“Zhang Qiuhe! How dare you!” He shoved me away with force. His hand brushed against my bare skin as if he’d touched a burning coal, and he immediately recoiled.

He picked up his scattered clothes and hurriedly dressed, his eyes almost bursting with fury as he glared at me, teeth grinding audibly. “If you dare utter a single word about what happened today, I can kill you at any time.”

Propping myself up on my arm, I lay naked on the bed and smiled coquettishly. “Crown Prince Brother, I’ve barely clung to life for so many years, just this wretched life-take it whenever you wish. But if everyone knew I slept with you, how accomplished I’d feel! The always noble and upright Crown Prince was slept by me. Just thinking about it excites me.”

“Zhang Qiuhe, how can you be so shameless and willingly sink so low? How can a young lady say such things?”

He turned to look at me, snorting through his nose, the corners of his mouth forced into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “If you dare to speak even half a word about this, I will slaughter Liu Chaoming’s entire clan. Do you believe me? As soon as you open your mouth, I could make his whole family disappear forever before the night is through.”

My smile froze.

“To seek revenge in such a way is utter stupidity. As a woman, such conduct is even more shameless.”

My lips opened and closed, but I couldn’t utter a word in retort. After a long pause, I finally spoke, “You are the Crown Prince-since birth, countless people have loved you, countless people have respected you. Anything you want is within easy reach, offered to you on bended knee. All I wanted was some protection-was I wrong?”

“You should rely on yourself.” He looked down at me from above, his voice cold. “I won’t kill you. Take care of yourself. One day, you will pay the price for your foolishness.”

With a flick of his sleeve, he pushed the door open and left.

I stared at the small patch of blood on the bed, lost in thought.

Eldest Brother once told me I should work hard. Yin Jiuqing told me to rely on myself.

But how am I supposed to rely on myself?

I have given up my dignity, my decorum, my self-respect, and climbed into this bed shamelessly. I have given up all face and propriety, degrading myself like a woman from a pleasure house.

Am I not relying on myself?

Have I not worked hard enough? What more should I do to work hard, to rely on myself?

As night fell, I sat dazed in the darkness, gripping the Plum Blossom Hairpin.

Suddenly, a light breeze brushed my face, and a rough hand pinched my cheek, the thick calluses in its palm clear and unmistakable. The next moment, a strong medicinal taste spread across my tongue.

“Somebody-”

“The Crown Prince ordered you to take medicine.” A stiff, utterly emotionless female voice rang out.

Before I could react, the Shadow Guard dragged me out of bed and to the table, lifting a kettle and pouring a stomachful of cold water down my throat.

She fed me so hastily that I choked and coughed nonstop. Growing impatient, she grabbed my chin and rudely tilted my head back, pouring in more water.

After making sure I had swallowed, she let go and vanished at once.

I wiped the tea that had trickled down my neck and, fuming, drank several more cups of tea.