Chapter 69 (1/2)

Six Princes soon moved out from the dilapidated West Palace to the Zi Chen Palace. The two lived in the main house, on the east side, separated by the middle hall. But a wall was erected to separate the palace into two independent residences to avoid taboo. Li Jin Tian had sent someone to examine their palace, and also rewarded them a lot of precious treasures.

The slave who had taken Six Princes’ meals was also put to death, showing the Emperor’s care for the Qi Xiujie father and son.

Since then, the attendants in the Zi Chen Palace were always respectful, afraid to treat Qi Xiujie as a criminal. Li Jin Tian pampered Qi Gui Jun and also pardoned his crimes, he even gave him a prince as compensation. Qi Gui Jun was really not a simple character.

Zhou Yun Sheng cultivated a connection with Six Princes while also paying attention to the happenings in the main palace. Li Jin Tian, as described in the data, was miserably in love with Gao Min, even if he was suspicious of him, he still constantly visited him and their child every day, and he never paid any attention to the other concubines.

He couldn’t give up on his love, and Gao Min was aware of this, so he acted very boldly. But this could not last forever, even deep feelings will fade away after constant grinding. Especially when one of the partners was strongly perusing, while the other was giving the cold shoulder. Love and hate were two sides of the same coin, their break up was only a matter of time.

As for the search for his mysterious lover, Zhou Yun Sheng was currently living in the palace, constantly under Li Jin Tian’s and Gao Min’s surveillance, now was not a good time to act.

But when my son reigns over the country, wouldn’t finding that person be a piece of cake? Zhou Yun Sheng thought so, so he could only reluctantly press down his desire to search.

One day, he was sitting on his couch reading, when a personal attendant hurriedly walked up to him and whispered, “Lord, Six Princes’ head maid urgently wants to see you, she said that Six Princes has done something bad.”

“What bad thing has he done?” Zhou Yun Sheng threw away his book, put on his shoes, and walked past the maid into the prince’s hall.

The maid quickly caught up, her eyes red, frightened, she stammered, “G-Gui Jun, Six Princes he, he’s gone mad! Quickly go and look!”

Mad? How can a good man suddenly go mad? Zhou Yun Sheng recalled how Gao Min had poisoned Qi Xiujie, and that he’d sneaked a lot of fake servants into the palace when Six Princes moved in. Such actions were really unlike the dignified General Gao, and more like an insidious imperial concubine. It seems that Zhou Yun Sheng was too careless, he should’ve cleaned up those fake servants before they caused any trouble.

Thinking of this, he neared the temple entrance, the maid briskly walked a few steps ahead and pushed the door at the end of the corridor, a strong bloody smell flowed out.

Zhou Yun Sheng stopped at the opened door, surprised to see Li Xudong, holding a long, barbed whip, and three servants kneeling before him. They had been beaten black and red, barely breathing.

“Your Majesty, help! Six Prince is crazy!” One of the servants managed to look up, some of his blisters opened up, he looked extremely miserable.

Six Princes’ face was gray, he clutched the whip in his hands, trembling. He’d had enough of these people, they not only took away his meals and his silver, they also always beat and humiliated him, treating him like a dog, as if they felt great enjoyment from bullying their own master when they’re supposed to be the servants.

He’d been forcefully pushed onto the ground to lick their shoes, had been drenched in cold water during winter and forced to stand coatless in the cold wind, had been forced to crawl under their crotch one by one while they ridiculed him. He’d wanted to resist, but he also knew that he couldn’t resist, as a humble prince with no princess to protect him, his position was even lower than a favored princess’ personal attendant.

He couldn’t even show his resentment, he could only suffer through the endless hunger, cold and torture. He’d thought that one day, he would not be able to endure it anymore and kill these people, then kill himself.

But in his desperate suffering, Qi Gui Jun appeared, like a ray of sunshine warming his dead heart, like a breath of fresh air stopping him form suffocating. He’d said he would protect him, said that he’d no longer need to suffer. He’d become his strongest hope.

When Qi Gui Jun had said these words, his blood had begun to boil, to burn, the immense joy had almost choked his heart. He felt like he’d finally have a family, so he no longer had to be afraid of anyone. But when he saw that the same attendants who’d bullied him had followed him into the Zi Chen Palace, he finally couldn’t restrain his dam of hostility, he’d decided to personally kill them.

He always knew that he was bloodthirsty, in the dead of night he’d stay up to imagine the many ways he’d torture those who bullied him. Some of the torture he came up with was unheard of, they were bloody and cruel, but they always made him tremble with excitement.

He knew how frightening his thoughts were, so he put on a cowardly appearance to hide his true heart. He couldn’t let Qi Gui Jun see his ugly thoughts.

But after all, he was just child, tender, so he didn’t think that his secret torturing would be seen by the maid and the person he most didn’t want to see would witness his horrible actions.

He felt like a prisoner standing under the gallows, waiting for Qi Gui Jun to break his neck.

Zhou Yun Sheng slowly walked in, took the whip from his hand, and suddenly whipped his arm. The sharp barbs bit into his skin, leaving blood stained scars.

The maid in the room quickly looked away, but her face had a strange smile.

Six Princes thought that Qi Gui Jun would denounce him and express disappointment, he didn’t expect him to directly flog him without any explanation. Is this the so-called protection, love, and dependency? Am I a tool for you to recover your status? Six Princes clenched his teeth, not willing to let the tears of humiliation and despair fall. No one could ever make him cry, or even hurt his heart, only this person who gave him hope then pushed him into the abyss could easily shake his heart, making him feel real misery.

He’d always looked to Qi Jun with love, but now he felt growing resentment. But strangely, he couldn’t imagine himself hurting him the same way he’d dreamt of hurting his bullies.

“Do you know what you did wrong?” Zhou Yun Sheng pinched his jaw, forcing him to look up, and snapped.