Chapter 56

[What a hopeful title!

Make sure you’re reading this on chichilations. As always, thank you for liking and commenting.]

Neutering is probably every man’s nightmare within a nightmare.

Though I’m not a man and don’t have such a serious mental barrier, I still tremble all over.

The only thing worse than turning into a man… is turning into a eunuch.

Yuan Qingyun pushed me to the ground, then reached for my lower half. I was so scared I grabbed his sleeve and called, “D-Don’t!” Tears stream down my face.

He paused, looked at my tears, and smiled. “Don’t?” His voice is compellingly soft and smooth.

I nodded, eyes blurry.

He lightly lifts up my chin with one finger.

“Beg me.” His tone is even more soft and oily.

I secretly question his creativity. Why is what he’s saying sound so familiar?

It’s not that I’m unwilling to beg. If begging is useful, what’s stopping me from doing it 180 times? Words like that are often not the ultimate goal, though, and are just the beginning. Once I open my mouth, he might want me to do even stranger things afterwards.

That’s why I just bite my lip.

“Hmmm?” That dangerous elongated sound appears once more. “You don’t want to?”

I waver.

“That’s fine. Even if you beg me, really, I’m still going to do it.” He spoke with deliberate gentleness, eyes sweeping downwards. “This thing hasn’t been pleasing to my eyes for a long time.”

I understand what he means, but- he took the initiative last time, and it wasn’t what I wanted! He really wants to drive up the charges against me!

He opens the medicine case in preparation and grasps my waist firmly, grasping the dagger glinting intimidatingly with chilling light. “Don’t make a fuss, else the jinchuang balm won’t keep up with the blood spray.”

The dagger is ice-cold as it’s pressed up against my abdomen. My willpower instantly collapsed, my quick thinking kicking into gear at the same time.

“Don’t.” I throw myself into his arms, grabbing the clothes on his chest, and wept like a beautiful blossom dripping with rain, thoroughly out of breath. “…Please! Please don’t do this to me! I’m not- I’m not the one who hurt your family!”

What?” Yuan Qingyun went stiff for a moment when I lunged at him, sneering immediately after and slowly pushing me off. “Who do you think you’re trying to dupe with that lie?”

I lower my eyes. “It’s Shao Qing. I’m nothing more than a figurehead. Everything was arranged by him, and if he wants me to show up myself, it’s not like I could refuse.”

Don’t blame me, Shao Qing, I can’t look after you now. Even if Yuan Qingyun finds you for revenge, I don’t believe it’ll be a big deal with your capabilities.

“Shao Qing?” His pupils contract, eyes becoming sharp as knives. “If you’re lying to me…”

“I wouldn’t make up baseless gossip like this,” I say anxiously. “You’re not an idiot, you’d understand if you thought about it! I’m just eye candy that can get others to do things for me. His Majesty pitied me and granted me some wealth and prestige, and I’m not very ambitious – how could I have any animosity for your Father? Shao Qing, though? Who would benefit the most from Bao Cunxin’s death? And when he does, who’s the one who becomes first-in-command other than the one acting as Minister of War, Shao Qing?”

The persuasiveness in these words is very strong because they’re 90% facts. I didn’t say Zhang Qinglian was innocent, of course; he and the Qingliu were at odds, so he probably longed for Bao Cunxin’s fall from power. The real beneficiary is absolutely Shao Qing, though.

I assume this project was proposed by Shao Qing, too. He isn’t one for grand ambitions like that, but if he firmly believes something should be done, he will do it by fair or foul. Moreover, with his nature, Jinzi is his Junior Brother, and even if he doesn’t like him one bit in reality, he won’t totally allow Zhang Qinglian to make a mess of things. It’s very likely that because of Zhang Qinglian aiding him with the Bao family beforehand, he had no choice but to return the favor and help Zhang Qinglian deal with the Yao family.

Yuan Qingyun contemplated that, it making more sense the more he thought, as expected. He lifted his head. “Shao Qing, hm. Shao Qing…” His eyes have completely open cold, dark murderousness.

“Yet, I still can’t let you go. You’re also one of our enemies.” Though the gaze he uses towards me is frightening, it seems like it’s not as horrifying as it was. His face abruptly darkened, voice icy as he spoke, “If I find out you lied to me, you’ll come to know how valuable death is!”

I nod, calm and fearless. “You will know when you investigate it.”

He props up my chin again, furtively staring me in the eye. “Sir Zhang is quite loyal to Shao Qing, hm. He didn’t say anything before I beat him.”

I blink, my eyelashes stuck together with tears and leaving me unable to see his face. He suddenly leaned down and bit me on the chin. Angered and pained, I yelp out in pain. He bust out laughing, his laughter filled with unspeakable delight.

Pervert! Even dogs don’t like biting people so much!

“Bao Yun,” came a cold voice that seemed to be repressing an extraordinary amount of anger.

Jinzi! I’m instantly overwhelmed with joy, almost unable to believe my ears.

Twisting my head to look, he’s standing in the shadow of the doorway, his face hidden. He had someone in his grasp, a sword held to their neck. The two slowly emerged from the shadows.

The hostage he’d caught was Lan Guan, who trembled faintly under his sword. It was a bit hard for me to look at.

Yuan Qingyun stands up from my side, facing Jinzi with a light laugh. “Long time no see, Noble Brother Yaaaao.” He deliberately draws out that term of address, the sarcasm going without saying. His tone is cheery and posture lax, but I get the distinct feeling that he’s actually very nervous, secretly becoming a taut string about to snap.

“That you could find this place so quickly is truly amazing.”

Jinzi speaks with cold disdain, “It wasn’t that hard to find. You’ve always liked to think yourself a genius and others fools.” He glanced at me, the fury in his eyes rising – likely from seeing me naked and covered in marks – though his face was still frosted over.

Yuan Qingyun’s smile falters. “Would I ever dare take you as a fool? If you were one, then there wouldn’t be a single smart person in the world! Aren’t you one to have the good sense to run towards advantages and away from the opposite? You can even turn a blind eye to your dad’s murderer and act as his hunting dog. Won’t Uncle Yao be so pleased with his successor from underneath the Nine Springs?” He lifted me up from the ground and snagged me in his arms, purposefully and unbearably petting my body. He raised his eyesbrows at Jinzi, words unhurried. “I just didn’t know you were alright with doing something so shameless, little brother Yao, caring about this one’s high status and great wealth. Or maybe it’s for his pearly white jade body?”

Jinzi was successfully irritated by him, the rage in his eyes burning further, but he retained his aloof attitude as before. The edge of the blade in his hand moved slightly, drawing a bloody wound on Lan Guan’s neck. “No more nonsense. Let him go.”

Yuan Qingyun threw his head back and laughed. “You’re usually the self-proud hero of the world, li’l brother Yao, how could you play an utterly cheap trick like this? Not confident that you can beat me in martial arts?”

Jinzi unveiled a scorning smile. “Don’t you know whose martial arts are better yourself? Was last time not enough of a lesson? I merely know how you are, so I’m playing you at your own game. You let him go, and I’ll let this one go. If you want to fight, I’ll you company for however many rounds.”

Yuan Qingyun had another bout of laughter. “How can a clever person like you be such an idiot?” He pulled me hair up to pull my face higher with it. “What I have here is a stately, important High Scholar of the Longtu Pavilion and current major minister. What you have there is an insignificant actor and manwhore. Who’s losing out in this transaction?”

When that was said, I saw Lan Guan shudder and close his eyes. The expression on him is within what I anticipated: sorrowful and without hope. There’s an ache in my heart, and I curse Yuan Qingyun’s lack of one.

Unexpectedly, Jinzi just smiled sarcastically, faint mockery and tedium on his face. “There’s no need to bother with this, Bao Yun. Others wouldn’t, but I would I not know you? If you’re still being tight-lipped, try and see if I won’t kill him. Hah, even if I didn’t have someone, I’m afraid killing Zhang Qinglian right in front of me wouldn’t be so easy!”

Yuan Qingyun’s face sinks. Seems he knows Jinzi quite quite well and that he doesn’t make empty threats. It’s very curious for me to see Yuan Qingyun beginning to look uncomfortable. So he really does care about Lan Guan’s well-being… is it really how Lan Guan said, that he has an evil surface and soft heart?

Jinzi spoke even more superfluously, “Let him go, and you can this one away. I won’t stop you. You’re a smart person too. You can move your hands right now, but there’s no advantages for you to use.”

Jinzi doesn’t want to move against Yuan Qingyun? Does he still want to protect him? They’d recognized each other from that first meeting before, and he’d never said anything to me. On Yuan Qingyun’s prior night attack, he was wounded, and he didn’t bring up who it was. They must have had a long-time family friendship, and being sufferers of the same affliction… it’s not impossible to understand.

But he can’t let him go this time! I have to ask who that throne-wanting ‘Lord’ is! I’m greatly anxious and almost want to yell out, but I’m still in Yuan Qingyun’s hands at present, so I can’t say whatever I want and can only sit and be anxious.

Yuan Qingyun’s complexion underwent a million rapid transformations before finally settling into the start of a smile. “Well, your word is solid. I’ll back down first this time.”

He tossed me forward and I fell down to the ground. The floor is freezing, and I was so pained from the impact that I couldn’t sit up for a long time.

There was the sound of a woosh above my head and Jinzi threw Lan Guan through the air towards Yuan Qingyun.

Yuan Qingyun laughed and said, “Hope to see you soon, Sir Zhang.” He carried Lan Guan’s staggering form out the door.

I panic, shouting out, “Don’t let him get away, I have something to ask him!”

Jinzi didn’t pay attention to me, allowing the two to flee without a trace.

He walked over in front of me and stopped.

A robe warmed from body heat gently fell over and enveloped me.

Warm… ahh, so warm.

His powerful hands gently pull me up.

It’s hard to tell if his handsome features under the light are reality or an illusion.

Jinzi… Jinzi came to save me!

It’s over!

“Jinzi…” I gently whimper, overjoyed and touched.

“Shut up!” He was looking at the wounds on me, the anger in his eyes not yet dying down. “I’ll settle things with you once we go back!”

*throws laundry basket on the ground* Jinzi this is not the time for your tsundere anger-worry BULLSHIT young man