Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Yuan Heng slept for a full day and night.

By evening the next day, a servant came with a message saying that Yuan Heng wanted me to join him for dinner.

By the time I reached the Flower Hall, the lamps had already been lit.

Yuan Heng had just finished bathing, and his hair was still damp. He patted the chair next to him enthusiastically. “Quickly, come and sit.”

I glanced over. There were three sets of empty bowls and chopsticks on the table. My heart skipped a beat, but I asked with a smile, “Are there other guests?”

Yuan Heng smiled without answering. He snapped his fingers, signaling the maids to serve the food.

Soon, a maid with a pale face brought a plate out of a food box and placed it on the table.

It was a plate of red bean cake, long since molded and hardened.

Seeing this, I knew the storm was coming.

Sure enough, a commotion sounded outside a moment later. Steward Sun and several others from the manor entered, carrying a coffin.

With a heavy thud, the coffin hit the floor.

It was a high-quality cypress coffin-the very one I had instructed Steward Li to purchase.

I lowered my head and remained silent.

Yuan Heng poured himself a cup of wine and asked coolly, “Why? He was perfectly fine before, so why did he die the moment he saw you?”

I stayed silent. There was nothing to say to a madman.

Yuan Heng stood up and walked over. He used his sleeve to gently wipe the dust from the lid of the coffin, then leaned down and kissed it.

I closed my eyes, following the principle that what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over. “If there is nothing else, this concubine shall take her leave.”

Yuan Heng sneered. “You’ve grown bold, haven’t you? Daring to ignore me.”

I let out a soft sigh. “Don’t be like this. Wouldn’t it be better to let the Little Master rest in peace?”

“It would not.”

Yuan Heng’s voice was chilling. “He died because of you. You must compensate me.”

I stood up, trying my best to coax him gently. “Didn’t you bring back a few monks yesterday? How about this: this concubine will have someone invite them here to recite some scriptures for you…”

Suddenly, Yuan Heng hurled his wine cup at me, striking me directly on the head.

Blood flowed from my hairline, quickly blurring my vision.

I instinctively tried to run for the door, but he grabbed me by my hair bun.

He dragged me over and slammed my head onto the table. Grabbing the clump of moldy red bean cake, he forced it into my mouth. “Don’t you love eating red bean cake? Eat! Eat it all!”

I clenched my teeth shut, my arms flailing weakly.

Of all the servants filling the room, none dared to approach. Only Cuinong risked everything to come and pull him away.

Yuan Heng kicked Cuinong aside. He gripped my hair and dragged me toward the coffin.

“Go and be buried with Yun’er! Men, open the coffin for This Marquis!”

I struggled with all my might but couldn’t break free. In a moment of desperation, I shouted, “What did Yun Sheng say before he died? He told you to cherish me! If you mistreat me like this, he surely won’t want to see you when you reach the underworld!”

As expected, Yuan Heng’s grip loosened. I scrambled away immediately.

At that moment, Yuan Heng began punching the coffin like a madman before finally collapsing against it in a painful embrace.

I was preparing to take the opportunity to flee with Cuinong when Yuan Heng suddenly ordered Steward Sun to lock the doors.

“W-what are you trying to do?”

I pulled out my hairpin, pointing it at him with a trembling hand. “Have you forgotten Yun Sheng…”

“Don’t mention him!” Yuan Heng whipped his sleeve back in fury, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at me. “Ye Qingqiu, do you think This Marquis won’t dare touch you just because you bring up Yun’er? From this day forward, you will kowtow and repent to Yun’er every day. If you don’t copy the Earth Store Sutra a hundred times-no, ten thousand times-within a month, This Marquis will bury you alive!”