Chapter 9 - Heartache

 Pei Xiuyan left Ye Chuyan's yard, feeling uneasy and not wanting to look for Zhao Yujiao anymore. He went directly to the study.

Zhao Yujiao's broken leg had healed for the most part, and Pei Xiuyan ordered someone to make a wheelchair for her. She sat at the door and waited, but Pei Xiuyan never came, and she gradually became impatient. The servant, who went out to inquire about the news in her yard, soon came back to report.

 "Miss Zhao, the princess has woken up. The prince went to the princess's courtyard and returned to the study room when he came out."

Zhao Yujiao's face changed instantly, and her eyes gradually darkened as if poisoned, and the servant was startled.

Hongying, the personal maid behind her, saw this and whispered hurriedly, "Master, don't worry. The prince must have been tripped up by something today and didn't come. Otherwise, I will push you back to the room first?"

Zhao Yujiao was relieved immediately. 

Yes, the Ye family has been confiscated, why is she still in a hurry? It is only a matter of time before Ye Chuyan is divorced, and the position of princess is within her reach.

Thinking of this, Zhao Yujiao turned her head and glanced at Hongying, smiling.

"Hongying, let's go see my sister tomorrow. The Ye family was confiscated, and my sister must be very sad."

Hongying couldn't help but jump her eyelids. Two years ago, she was hunted down because of her father's gambling debts and had to borrow hundreds of silver from Zhao Yujiao. From then on, she was forced to become Zhao Yujiao's confidant. Only she knew how vicious a heart was hidden under this weak and harmless face. Pushing the princess into the lotus pond and deliberately leaking the news of the Ye family being raided during the princess's miscarriage confinement. Now, she couldn't imagine how Zhao Yujiao would stimulate the princess when she went to see her tomorrow.

Zhao Yujiao saw that Hongying was absent-minded and frowned slightly. "Hongying, why don't you push me back?"

Hongying hurriedly bowed her head and responded, "Yes, Miss Zhao."

 

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The next day, dark clouds and fog merged into one. Although it was noon, the world was bleak and grey.

Ye Chuyan was lying on the bed and suddenly said, "What time is it today?" Her voice was already hoarse.

Bai Zhi was a little excited when she heard this. Since the prince left last night, the princess hasn't said a word. She just lay there with her eyes open until now, without sleep, without eating or drinking. No matter how she persuaded her, it was useless. Now she heard that the princess was finally willing to speak.

She replied cautiously, "Princess, today is the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month."

Ye Chuyan looked sideways at Bai Zhi. She wanted to ask where her father and brother were buried, but she didn't dare to open her mouth.

Finally, she said in a barely audible voice, "Oh..."

Although she looked at Bai Zhi, her eyes were blank. Bai Zhi came forward with a medicine bowl and said, "Princess, if the master knew about this, he would definitely hope that you would live well. Take some medicine and rest; don't endure it like this. I'm really scared of you."

Ye Churan seemed to be suddenly awakened and murmured.

"Yes, I want to drink the medicine. I want to live to atone for my sins. When I married Pei Xiuyan, I should have thought that I would pay the price, and I deserve to suffer this in hell on earth."

After she finished speaking, she snatched the medicine bowl from Bai Zhi's hand and drank it all. Bai Zhi was startled by Ye Chuyan.

"Princess, don't be like this. You still have the old lady and the others. You have to live well to have a chance to see the old lady."

Ye Chuyan has never been afraid of bitterness, but today's medicine is very bitter, and the bitterness spreads from her mouth to her whole body. If it weren't for her mother and others, she wouldn't deserve to live.

"Bai Zhi, help me call Pei Xiuyan and tell him that I have something to ask him."

Bai Zhi looked worried. "Princess..." Bai Zhi was worried that Ye Chuyan would assassinate Pei Xiuyan again.

Ye Chuyan knew what Bai Zhi was worried about.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill Pei Xiuyan. I just want to ask him something. I can't kill him even if I want to in my current state."

She wanted to ask Pei Xiuyan if what he said yesterday was true and if she could keep her mother and the others safe on the road to exile if she survived. Bai Zhi thought about it, bit her lip, and agreed.

She walked to the gate of the yard, knocked on the door, and shouted, "Open the door, open the door; the princess wants to see the prince; let me out; I want to find the prince."

The two guards guarding outside the yard smiled at each other.

One of them said sarcastically, "Miss Baizhi, do you think it's the past? The princess can see whoever she wants."

Another echoed, "Even though the Ye family is gone, she still thinks she is the legitimate daughter of the Ye family. It's because our prince is soft-hearted that he didn't take the opportunity to divorce his wife."

The two looked up and saw Pei Xiuyan walking towards them, with the fat housekeeper Li Fu and a dozen guards standing behind him.

The two guards didn't know if Pei Xiuyan had heard what they said just now, and they knelt down and saluted with a guilty conscience, "Meet the prince."

Li Fu looked at the two guards on the ground with an ugly face, as if there was a fish stuck in his throat. Because the Ye family had been confiscated and the princess had been under house arrest, the servants in the mansion had long lost their awe of the princess. These days, the guards were too lazy to guard the door, and they often sneaked out to drink in the evening. He turned a blind eye and pretended not to see it. 

This morning, he was called to the study by the prince, was severely reprimanded for this matter, and was brought here together. Just now, the two guards spoke rudely, and the prince happened to hear it all.

Pei Xiuyan put his hands behind his back and said slowly, "Li Fu, what is the punishment for a servant being guilty of belittling their master?

Li Fu bowed and replied, "Your Highness, fifty strokes of the cane, and being expelled from the mansion."

The two guards kowtowed and begged for mercy, "Your Highness, spare my life, Your Highness, spare my life."

The guards of the Qing Palace were all born as servants. They were trained since childhood, and those with good kung fu were selected to be guards in the palace, eliminating their slave status. Even if they can survive after fifty strokes of the cane, they will either die or be disabled. If they are driven out, they will become slaves again. It is really worse than death. Li Fu knew the two guards, and they grew up under his care. He didn't dare to help and plead at this time, so he could only grit his teeth and say, "Take them away!"

The guards behind him pounced on them like hungry wolves and pulled them down.

Pei Xiuyan glanced at Li Fu expressionlessly and said, "Open the door!"

Li Fu quickly took out the key and opened the door.

Bai Zhi heard the conversation outside clearly. After the door opened, she saluted with a little excitement and said, "Your Highness..."

Pei Xiuyan didn't look at Bai Zhi but just said, "Wait here" and walked into the house.

Ye Chuyan heard the gradually clearing footsteps and turned her face slightly. Seeing Pei Xiuyan walking over, she said in a hoarse voice, "Pei Xiuyan, what you said yesterday, are you serious?"

Pei Xiuyan saw Ye Chuyan lying on the bed; his eyes were empty, his eyes were black, and his voice was hoarse like sawing wood. He had never seen Ye Chuyan so haggard before and could not help but frown and say, "I have never broken my promise."

Ye Chuyan slowly closed her eyes.

Father and brother, I'm sorry; I can't avenge you now, nor can I go down to apologise to you.

She opened her eyes again, and her eyes slowly focused.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I will live well and serve you happily. I hope you will keep your promise and protect the women of my Ye family."

Pei Xiuyan felt very uncomfortable when he heard this. When Ye Chuyan was a child, she only called him brother Yan behind him all day long. After getting married, she liked to call him Pei Xiuyan. This was the first time Ye Chuyan called him Your Highness.

"Before New Year's Eve, this king wants to see a lively princess, not a disgusting living dead." Pei Xiuyan said this coldly and left the house like a gust of wind.

Ye Chuyan tried her best to open her eyes wide to prevent tears from coming out. She was not qualified to cry now. She had to take good care of her body before she could continue to be humiliated by Pei Xiuyan. Pei Xiuyan felt like he was afraid to see Ye Chuyan's eyes, especially the look of despair and grief in them.

He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and said to Li Fu, who was guarding the door, "From today on, the princess will be released from house arrest. Buy a batch of slaves from outside to serve the princess. Send all the precious medicinal materials to the mansion. I want the princess to recover as soon as possible!"

The people in the courtyard were secretly surprised at the same time. Prince, are you worried about the princess?