Chapter 184
Chapter 184
Every palace attendant standing behind Shengsheng Zhou with lowered head was stunned.
No matter how out of favor the Ninth Prince was, how could he have fallen to such a state?
An imperial prince could not even fill his stomach. It was the height of absurdity!
Then again, this was a palace where people devoured one another alive. Suddenly, it no longer seemed quite so unbelievable.
Eyes stinging, Shengsheng stroked his head. “Then how about Imperial Sister takes you to get something to eat?”
The Ninth Prince did not answer immediately. Instead, he thought for a moment as though trying to determine whether her words were true.
Shengsheng waited patiently.
“I don’t have anything left. Can I still eat?” The Ninth Prince’s eyes shone with longing for food, but his expression was dejected.
It took Shengsheng a moment to understand.
*I have nothing left to trade for food.*
Suppressing her fury, Shengsheng swept him into her arms. The Ninth Prince let out a frightened little cry. He did not dare hug her back, and his small hands hovered helplessly in the air.
“It’s all right. Imperial Sister doesn’t want any of your things.” She shifted the child in her arms. He was so light he seemed to be nothing but a handful of bones. Taking his little hands, she placed them on her shoulders. “Hold on tight so you don’t fall.”
As they passed the bewildered palace maid, Shengsheng told Cui’er, “Investigate.”
Cui’er acknowledged the order. She cast a look of disgust at the palace maid, who collapsed to the ground at Shengsheng’s single word and could no longer even speak.
It was obvious. One glance at how they interacted was enough to see how the woman usually treated the Ninth Prince.
Shengsheng carried the child the whole way. By rights, she should at least have been out of breath, yet even as the palace gates came into view, her breathing remained perfectly even.
That showed just how little the child weighed.
When they reached the gates, however, he refused to go inside.
He merely buried his face in the hollow of Shengsheng’s neck and said nothing.
Only after Shengsheng coaxed him for a long time did the Ninth Prince whisper, “I’m not allowed to be gone too long… It hurts so much…”
Realizing what he meant, Shengsheng set him down and rolled up his sleeve.
One look, and she swore on the spot.
His skinny arm was covered in purple and blue bruises, some from pinching and others from whipping, packed densely together.
The injuries were not limited to his arms. His legs and torso were covered too. Only the skin exposed to view was unmarked.
Shengsheng’s blood boiled, fury surging in her chest.
It was not as though she had never seen anything similar.
Back in the Zhu Kingdom, many young eunuchs had carried marks like these.
But this was a prince.
Imperial Father’s youngest child. How dare they?!
“Cui’er, summon an imperial physician. Also, bring every attendant serving in the Ninth Prince’s palace here. This princess will question them personally!” Shengsheng ordered.
Then she crouched until her eyes were level with the Ninth Prince’s. “Here with Imperial Sister, no one will dare hit you. So be good and come eat with me now, all right? Aren’t you hungry?”
As if on cue, the Ninth Prince’s stomach growled. Though he was still very young, he understood embarrassment and could not stop himself from blushing.
Shengsheng stroked his cheek, lifted him into her arms again, and stepped through the palace gates.
Though he was so thin that not a scrap of flesh seemed left on his bones, it was not difficult to see that the child was handsome.
Shengsheng was not exactly overflowing with kindness.
Yet for some inexplicable reason, the instant she saw this child, a strange feeling rose in her heart.
It was as though something linked the two of them, making her care far more about him than she normally would.
Was it the bond of blood?
But she had felt the same way about Weiqing Song…
Hadn’t she?
When that monster general’s ax nearly took Weiqing’s head off, Shengsheng’s heart had lodged in her throat and she had almost died of fright. That was why, when the monster later dissolved into the air, she felt no sorrow whatsoever. If anything, she had been relieved.
Relieved that it was the monster who died, not the two people at her side.
When Shengsheng Zhou imagined the Ninth Prince’s suffering happening to Weiqing Song instead…
Mm. Excellent. Her blood pressure shot through the roof.
The palace attendants, having received word in advance, had already prepared food.
Every dish was easy to digest, attractively presented, and likely to appeal to a child.
The Ninth Prince stared at the table laden with food, swallowed the saliva gathering in his mouth, and looked at Shengsheng.
“Do you want some?” Shengsheng sat beside him.
The Ninth Prince nodded eagerly. “May I?”
Shengsheng’s heart softened. What a good child. Even with his eyes practically glued to the food, he still remembered to ask her politely.
She accepted a bowl of green-rice congee from an attendant and set it before him. Stroking his slightly yellowed hair, she said softly, “Eat.”
As though he had been awaiting an order, the Ninth Prince began gulping down the congee the instant she finished speaking, not even bothering with a spoon.
Shengsheng placed some other dishes in his bowl.
The Ninth Prince ate only what Shengsheng put there. He refused to touch anything else.
Shengsheng had no choice but to serve him a bite from every dish.
“Princess, they have arrived.” Cui’er’s voice sounded.
The Ninth Prince flinched when he heard her. Even his chewing stopped.
Shengsheng patted his back. “Why did you stop eating?”
Then she said to Cui’er, “Mm. I know.”
Despite saying that, she showed no intention of getting up.
Cui’er understood and withdrew.
Five palace attendants knelt inside Shuanglin Palace.
Cui’er frowned almost imperceptibly.
The Ninth Prince had only five servants attending him.
The weather had been turning colder, and even the bluestone paving felt damp and frigid.
The five had knelt for only a short while before their knees went completely numb. Inwardly, every one of them complained about the princess meddling in other people’s business, but not a trace of resentment dared show on their faces.
This princess was the apple of the Emperor and Empress’s eyes and had recently won the Crown Prince’s favor too. Who among them had a death wish?
Shengsheng fed the Ninth Prince until he was full, rubbed his round little belly, placed him on the bed, and coaxed him to sleep. Only then did she seem to remember something. She told Cui’er, “Let’s go take a look.”
Cui’er nodded and followed her.
Looking at the five people before her, Shengsheng frowned. “Is this everyone?”
Cui’er nodded. “Every attendant from the Ninth Prince’s palace is here.”
“Who is responsible for the Ninth Prince’s food and daily needs?” Shengsheng asked.
Two palace maids shuffled forward.
“Princess, it is us.”
“Then tell me. You serve him every day. Where did the injuries on the Ninth Prince’s body come from?” she asked coldly.
The two maids trembled and exchanged a glance, then dropped to their knees in unison and kowtowed. “Princess, we are innocent! It truly wasn’t us! We swear to Heaven, if we did it, may lightning strike us dead!”
Shengsheng waited quietly for a moment.
No lightning.
“Was that what the princess asked? Slap their mouths!” Cui’er shouted sternly.
Two young eunuchs quickly stepped forward and struck them hard across the face.
Shengsheng averted her eyes slightly.
Yet even when the women’s cheeks swelled as high as steamed buns, they gritted their teeth and said nothing.
“You don’t know either?” Shengsheng looked at the other three.
The three lay prostrate on the floor, trembling too hard to speak.
Just as Shengsheng considered how to make them open their mouths, a cry came from outside the door. “His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!”