CH 67

November 1, 2022Merchie

The young private called Xiao Zhuzi was actually a foreign clansman with a deep-rooted hatred towards the Celestial Dynasty. He had blended in with the other soldiers for so long; no one could predict that, once he found out that Qi Changyi was a prince, he would actually have the guts to poison him.

The prince’s medicine was prepared under Wu Quan’s watchful gaze, so there was no way to tamper with it then.

Xiao Zhuzi knew that the most dangerous place was also the safest; he snuck out of the barracks and hid himself in the city. However, he didn’t expect to be caught so quickly by Cheng Feng, who had been sent to recapture him.

He shoved a pill into his mouth and tried to commit suicide by poisoning, but his jaw was dislocated by Cheng Feng before he could swallow.

As he was dragged back to the barracks and forced to kneel, he could only make whiny “nn” and “ahh” noises.

Pei Zheng waved his hand, and Cheng Feng grabbed his chin again, and snapped his jaw back into place. A layer of cold sweat covered Xiao Zhuzi’s forehead from the pain.

“Tell me, where is the antidote?”

Xiao Zhuzi laughed, his face now stark-white, “Hahahaha, there is no antidote for this poison. Once it has been ingested, he can only wait for death to claim him. I’ve heard that’s he’s already on his deathbed, it shouldn’t be long…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Pei Zheng kicked him to the ground, and a black boot stomped down on his fingers.

“Then you must have heard some things about me as well. If you continue to keep your lips sealed, you’ll be the first person to die.”

Xiao Zhuzi’s fingers were in so much pain that he couldn’t even feel them; no doubt they had already been broken.

“I…I have heard some things about you…Heh…aren’t you one of the Celestial Dynasty’s servile little slaves…I…I’m not scared of you guys…If you’re so powerful….you can just…kill me…”

“Kill you? That would be a bit too lenient for someone like you.” The corners of Pei Zheng’s mouth curled with indifference, “If you continue to refuse to hand over the antidote, I’ll make you wish you were dead.”

Xiao Zhuzi spoke through gritted teeth, “I already told you…there’s no antidote…”

Pei Zheng suddenly pressed his boot down with force. The already broken palm under his foot immediately shattered, and the owner of that palm keeled over and fainted from the pain.

At this moment, several soldiers carried a large wooden tub into the barracks, and a strong, herbal fragrance filled the air.

The soldiers picked Xiao Zhuzi up and threw him straight into the tub. The water had been cold for a while now, and he was immediately shocked into consciousness. Upon discovering that his body was now submerged in the medicinal bath, a trace of fear finally flashed in his expression.

“What…what are you trying to do…”

The soldiers firmly grasped his arms and legs. Ignoring his indignant shouting and struggling, they pressed Xiao Zhuzi against the side of the tub.

Another soldier came in, bearing a strange torture device. It was a long funnel that could be inserted down someone’s throat, and stretch all the way down to their stomach. If one used this funnel to force liquid into a prisoner’s mouth, they would be unable to swallow, and rendered completely helpless.

“Pour it in.”

“Yes sir!”

The entire process only took a few moments. They had merely poured a small bucket of medicinal soup down his throat, before Xiao Zhuzi began to choke and cough up blood.

He looked so frightened; it appeared as though he was about to faint again. If he was fed just a few more buckets of the medicinal juice, forget about this poison, he would probably die from his stomach exploding.

When the soldier dipped the basin back into the medicinal bath and prepared to pour it down his throat, Xiao Zhuzi’s last line of defense was finally breached, and he burst into sobs.

“E-everything…I told you was true…this recipe was passed down by the founders of our foreign clan…to protect ourselves…there really is no antidote…I…I just wanted to kill a royal of the Celestial Dynasty to avenge my fellow clanspeople…”

He had no reason to lie at this point. It was true.

There really was no antidote.

Pei Zheng stood up and walked to the side of the wooden tub, and Xiao Zhuzi immediately shrank inward.

“To avenge your fellow clanspeople? Then did you know, that this royal of the Celestial Dynasty you speak of, is actually of foreign descent?”

“What?! Impossible! Impossible! He is part of the Celestial Dynasty, part of the royal family, how can he be of foreign descent?” Xiao Zhuzi was stupefied, and kept shaking his head, “You’re lying!”

“How is it impossible? His mother consort…” Pei Zheng paused, “was a member of the foreign clan.”

Xiao Zhuzi completely broke down. The person he had spent so much effort plotting against, the person he had risked his life to poison, was actually a member of his own clan.

The royal family had a myriad of people to choose from, yet he had selected the only one who was the same as him.

What was even the point of him sacrificing his life for this act of revenge?

Xiao Zhuzi fell against the wooden tub, holding his throbbing head. This psychological blow was far more excruciating and unbearable than any physical pain.

He was silent for a long time, before he closed his eyes, “Actually, there’s rumored to be someone who can cure this poison, an imperial physician in the royal palace, surnamed Jiang. I remember that the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty was once poisoned with this recipe, and it was that guy who saved him.”

Jiang Yubai?

Pei Zheng thought for a while. He did recall something like this happening before. At that time, the Emperor couldn’t find out what kind of poison he had ingested, and it had taken Jiang Yubai quite some effort to detoxify his body. This was the event that had earned him the title of Chief Imperial Physician of the Imperial Hospital.

Pei Zheng looked back at the small man lying on the bed, and immediately ordered everyone to leave the room; they were returning to the Imperial Capital immediately.

“Master, what about him?”

Cheng Feng pointed at Xiao Zhuzi, who was still sitting in the tub.

“Give him a quick death.”

Now that he knew Pei Zheng was going back to the Imperial Capital soon, and was taking Qi Changyi with him, Wu Quan wanted desperately to stop him. But he couldn’t ignore His Highness’s life-or-death situation. However, the general still hadn’t returned; would he really have to let the two of them leave now?

Pei Zheng had already carried the tightly-bundled little prince into a carriage. Luo Yu climbed inside as well, and carefully watched over the small man. The imperial guards were all ready to depart as well.

“My Lord! Please wait for just a little longer! Once the battle is over, the general will hurry back as soon as he can! At least let him see His Highness one last time!”

Pei Zheng sat upon his horse, his cold, handsome face covered in a layer of inexplicable gloominess.

“We’re leaving.”

The long convoy began to exit the barracks in an orderly manner.

Qi Changyi had been placed in a carriage. After vomiting several mouthfuls of blood, he was exhausted, and fell into a deep sleep.

The carriage had just reached the edge of a path, when the sound of hooves suddenly rang out in the distance, gradually growing louder and louder.

Wu Quan rushed out of the barracks, and spotted a figure on horseback galloping toward them. He shouted, “It’s the general! The general is back!”

Before Wu Quan finished his sentence, Zhao Litang had already reached the entrance of the barracks. As soon as he dismounted, he drew his sword and pointed it at Pei Zheng. The emotions he had quashed for the past few days could no longer be suppressed; they burst out of him in an explosive, unceremonious manner.

“Pei Zheng! This is my barracks, not the Imperial City! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Pei Zheng pulled the reins taut, but he didn’t move, “What am I doing? Why don’t you ask that little subordinate of yours?”

Zhao Litang glanced at Wu Quan, who immediately leaned into his ear and explained how Qi Changyi was poisoned.

Zhao Litang’s bloodshot eyes suddenly became even more enraged.

“Where is he now?”

Wu Quan replied, “Lord Pei has already taken care of him.”

“Imprison everybody who was involved in this matter, and punish them all severely!”

“Yes, sir!”

Wu Quan affirmed the order, gathered several soldiers, and returned inside the barracks.

Zhao Litang sheathed his sword, and looked toward Pei Zheng, “Where’s Changyi? I need to see him.”

“I’m afraid I cannot allow that.”

Pei Zheng jumped off his horse, and stood facing Zhao Litang.

“If you’re able to snatch someone away from me, you should also be able to keep me from snatching him back. Otherwise, I’ll never let him see you again.”

“Pei Zheng!” Zhao Litang gritted his teeth, “You’re not so capable yourself, always relying on power to play with people in the palm of your hand. If you weren’t the Prime Minister, you would be all alone!”

Pei Zheng’s eyes darkened.

All alone?

“You may be able to control his person1, but can you control his heart? Did you know that, in the days after he left you, he was finally happy and free?”

Happy and free?

“It’s true, he liked you, adored you, even. But that’s all in the past. You should ask him what he feels for you now, after enduring so much and torment and so many hardships. Would he be willing to go back with you, and continue to stay by your side without regrets? If you’re too scared to ask, I can tell you the answer: he is absolutely not willing to…”

Pei Zheng suddenly reached out and grabbed Zhao Litang by the throat. Zhao Litang was exhausted from rushing back after a night of fighting, and didn’t have any strength to resist.

But he never intended to resist at all.

“What’s wrong? Embarrassed now that I’ve poked a sore spot?” Zhao Litang suddenly laughed, “Who would’ve thought that the cold-hearted Lord Pei would also have sore spots…”

Pei Zheng’s fingers slowly clenched, and the coldness in his eyes deepened.

“So what if he’s unwilling? I only want his person.”

Zhao Litang’s breathing was becoming increasingly labored, “His person? So you can continue torturing him?”

Pei Zheng thrashed his hand and let go, “Getting tortured is better than being poisoned to death here.”

Zhao Litang coughed violently several times, and couldn’t help but fire back, “Do you really think he’d be just fine if he hadn’t been poisoned? Do you know what kind of condition he was in when I rescued him? ‘He cannot be saved’, do you even understand the severity of these words? The only person in the world who can save him is the royal palace’s Imperial Physician Jiang. It’s just another way for you to force him to go back…”

Pei Zheng’s voice was cold, “He…cannot be saved?”

Zhao Litang tried his best to suppress the sweet, fishy taste rising in his throat, and finally breathed a long sigh.

“Perhaps this is heaven’s will. We’ve gone in so many circles, only for him to return to where he started. At least he was happy, even if it was just for a little while.”

“Go ahead and leave. Since you want his person so bad, you might as well take him back and have him cured. If it wasn’t for the fact that we don’t have any life-saving treatment methods here, I would never let you take him back. I’m not going to beg you to treat him well, just leave him in a secluded place where he can live in peace.”

Zhao Litang opened his eyes, which were filled with red veins, “If, if the day comes when you’ve decided you don’t want him anymore, remember to tell me, and I will take him away.”

The frigidness in Pei Zheng’s gaze was overwhelming. If he couldn’t control the violent impulses that threatened to take over his mind, there was a possibility that he would simply strangle that person in front of him to death.

Fortunately, the door to the carriage suddenly swung open. Luo Yu stuck his head out and called, “My lord, hurry and take a look at him, there’s something wrong with His Highness!” Both Pei Zheng and Zhao Litang’s expressions changed, and the two of them rushed to the carriage.

The small man was lying inside; his eyes were closed, his lips were slightly purple, and his body was shaking uncontrollably. No one could tell what he was mumbling, so Pei Zheng got into the carriage, pulled the little prince into his arms, and leaned his ear against his lips.

“Bro…Brother Pei…Brother Pei…I…I’m cold…so cold…I’m so cold…”

The coldness in Pei Zheng’s eyes suddenly faded. He stripped off his cloak and placed it over the small man, wrapping it tightly around his body. He pulled him against his chest, before whispering into his ear.

“Are you still cold?”

“Mm…Still…still cold…”

Pei Zheng began to undo the front of his clothes. He lifted the small man out of the pile of blankets, covered him with his robe, and pressed him against his chest.

In the midst of the freezing cold, the little prince suddenly felt a gentle warmth. Unconsciously, he leaned towards the source of that heat. He reached into Pei Zheng’s robe and hugged the other’s waist, before burying his face in the soft lapels on his chest.

“Wuu…”

It seemed that the small man had found himself a warm and comfortable place to rest. He rubbed his face against Pei Zheng’s chest a few more times, before he fell silent again, back into a deep coma.

Luo Yu, who was sitting beside them, took the hint; he took his leave and prepared to ride on horseback. On the other hand, Zhao Litang stood stiffly next to the carriage, and couldn’t tear his eyes away from the scene in front of him.

They couldn’t be delayed any longer, they had to rush back to the Imperial Capital as soon as possible!

Pei Zheng immediately ordered that the convoy set off immediately, and the soldiers resumed their steady marching.

Zhao Litang stood at the entrance to the barracks, watching as the carriage and columns of guards disappeared into the distance.

There was sand and dust floating everywhere; if one wasn’t careful, a few specks would fly straight into their eyes. Indeed, the corners of a certain battle robe-clad figure’s eyes were slightly wet.

The duty of guarding the border and protecting the country was a burden he had no choice but to shoulder. It was impossible for him to take even half a step out of this desolate wasteland.

But the person that he held so dear to his heart, was now being taken away, placed in a carriage that was heading somewhere far, far away.

Who knew if they would ever be able to meet again?

Notes

I- Zhao Litang, that’s…I’m so sorry, I just…he was just cucked so hard

BUT WHY DIDN’T YOU ASK HIM TO TREAT CHANGYI WELL, YOU JUST- whatever…

Thanks for reading~~

1.So I know this sounds a bit strange, but the word in the text is 人, which is…person. Basically, it means…body? Like his physical body, not his personality. And not ‘body’ in a sexual way either.