Chapter 174: with translation of chapter title

Su Wanrou quickly changed clothes, did her makeup and hair; if it weren't for worrying that Xiao Yin would dislike her being late, she would certainly have dressed up nicely.

This time it's not bad either; her makeup is bright and gorgeous, but it doesn't quite suit the solemn aura of this thousand-year-old temple.

Red Jade took a gray fox-fur cloak and draped it over Su Wanrou's shoulders; the lantern attendant followed behind her out of the courtyard.

The guards of the Rui Wang Fu stationed at the courtyard gate hurried to follow, but the palace servant slowly took out an imperial token and said: "The Prince and the Empress Dowager are paying respects to the Buddha at the Qingyin Courtyard; the Wangfu guards may not bring weapons inside, so it's best to stay where you are."

The Wangfu guards hesitated a moment, somewhat at a loss, not knowing what to do.

If the Prince wanted to bring Miss Wan to the mountain's Zen monastery, why not send Ling Feng to lead the reception? Could it be that someone from the palace is coming to fetch her, so there's no need for the Prince's own people?

But it's already so late at night…

The palace servant said in a low voice: "If you few delay the time, our household won't be able to give an account to the Prince and the Empress Dowager!"

"You don't need to follow! The whole mountain has imperial guards protecting it; we don't need a few of you to show loyalty! Get lost!" Su Wanrou now only wants to see Xiao Yin.

She even thought further ahead; she had long noticed that Empress Dowager Ning'an took a particular dislike to Gu Jiu Ling.

Could it be that that idiot Gu Jiu Ling offended Empress Dowager Ning'an again just now? If so, that would be great; if we could have her executed, that would truly be a good son.

The more she thought, the more anxious she became, and her words turned less polite.

Several people snorted coldly to themselves, then slowly stepped back, no longer protecting her.

Su Wanrou is usually meticulous in her thoughts, but only when it comes to matters concerning Xiao Yin does she reveal the innocence and naivety of a girl her age.

The mountain path is not easy to walk; the surrounding woods are swept by the chilly night wind, and faint sounds of wailing ghosts and howling wolves mix in.

When they reached the mid-slope, Su Wanrou suddenly stopped her steps there.

She, too, is a lady of the Rui Wang Fu; even if the Empress Dowager ordered palace servants to fetch her, there should at least be a proper conveyance, right?

This time only a single palace servant came to fetch her; she watched that servant's pitch-black shadow fall on the narrow path, while Red Jade walked ahead holding a palace lantern to light the way.

The cold wind blew past her hair, feeling as if a gorgeous ghost were leading the way.

The palace servant turned, looked at Su Wanrou whose face had turned slightly pale, and smiled: "Miss Wan, please! Just a few more steps and we'll reach the Qingyin Courtyard; bear with it a little longer, we'll be there soon."

"Oh! This eunuch looks unfamiliar; I don't think I've seen you before, sir."

The person blinked, then hurriedly said: "Although I serve beside the Empress Dowager, I only handle her meals; I don't stand in attendance at the front, so when you visited the Jingren Palace, you might have had few chances to see me."

That person flinched slightly and hurriedly said, "Although our family serves by the Empress Dowager's side, we only handle her meals and are not posted at the front, so when you come to Jingren Hall you'll have fewer chances to see our family."

This person is definitely not someone from the Empress Dowager's entourage; although she is kept in the Rui Wang Fu, her status is lowly, she doesn't even have an imperial decree, so naturally she never had a chance to enter the palace.

In other words, she has never been to the Empress Dowager's Jingren Palace, yet this person claims she has entered the palace many times— isn't that nonsense?

Su Wanrou's scalp went numb; she suddenly turned and fled down the mountain, but before she had taken a few steps, several black-clad men blocked her path and struck her unconscious with a raised hand.

Red Jade also did not escape; she too collapsed.

Those people shoved each woman into a burlap sack, hoisted them onto their shoulders, and instead of going up the mountain, they sprinted westward.

The palace servant bent down to pick up the palace lantern that Red Jade had dropped on the ground; fortunately the lantern wasn't broken, it could still cast a pool of light, and it also highlighted his pallid complexion.

He let out a cold smile, a hint of mockery in his eyes, looking especially gaunt and uneasy.

The night grew even deeper.

Besides the main halls, there are several courtyards on the east and west sides of Pánlóng Temple where some of the current princes reside; in the most remote of these courtyards came a series of mournful wails, which then faded away, carried off by the howling night wind.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, several dim yellow palace lamps were lit in the side hall of the courtyard; their shadows swayed with the evening breeze, tracing dangerous arcs.

A tall man slowly rose from the ground, stark naked, his frame tall and broad-shouldered narrow-waisted, his firm back bearing a few scars from blades and arrows, which instead showed a degree of robust strength.

Two maidservants entered cautiously, helped him into a robe, then he focused his gaze coldly on Su Wanrou lying limp on the floor.

At this moment Su Wanrou's clothing was disheveled; at the torn hem of her skirt, pale skin was exposed, marked with bruises so purple they were hard to look at.

She stared fixedly at the man before her, the Third Prince of Southern Qi, Xiao Wei; hatred almost boiled up from the depths of her eyes.

Xiao Wei had donned his dark robe embroidered with black dragon patterns, sat slowly in the chair, wore a satisfied expression, took the tea cup offered by a servant, and drank it by tilting his head back.

He looked at Su Wanrou lying on the cold floor, tormented by him into a sorry state, and gave a cold laugh: "Hate me? Hah! You'd be better off hating Xiao Yin!"

"I heard Xiao Yin acknowledged you as his sister and even plans to marry you off to that slave-raised Zhao Lang!"

"Since Xiao Yin values you so much, if I were to destroy his most beloved sister, he'd probably be driven mad with rage—hahahaha……"

Su Wanrou drew a harsh breath, tears seeping from the corners of her eyes.

The sharp pain in her body had gone numb, just like her heart that loved Xiao Yin.

She couldn't speak, lacked the strength to speak, and didn't even know what to say.

It turns out tonight Xiao Yin has completely forgotten her; he must be keeping Gu Jiu Ling company, right?

He even forgot to bring her this time; does he not worry that a young lady living alone in the foothills courtyard might come to harm?

He hasn't even come to see her, to ask if she's eating well, if she's accustomed, if the winter mountain is cold, whether he should help procure something.

Heh! What exactly does she mean to Xiao Yin in his heart? Just because her cheap father, General An, once saved his life, all these years of companionship don't count, is that it?

She never imagined that one day she would suffer because of Xiao Yin; this beast Xiao Wei, who clearly intends to take revenge on him, has instead taken his revenge out on her.

Xiao Wei gazed at Su Wanrou, who lay silent like a corpse; the little interest he'd had vanished completely, and he said coldly: "Come! This young lady is no ordinary girl—she's Xiao Yin's most cherished sister! This Rui Wang Fu this Jinzhi jade leaf Miss Wan, I've found her quite to my taste; I reward you with her! Remember not to play her to death, keep her breathing! Early tomorrow morning, strip her naked and dump her on the streets of Shang Jing for me!"

"Hmph!" A flicker of ruthlessness crossed Xiao Wei's eyes: "I, on the other hand, want to see what face Xiao Yin has left to dare send such a wreck of a woman to Zhao Lang as a wife—hahahaha……"

"Hmph!" a trace of contempt flashed in Xiao Wei's eyes. "I, for one, want to see what face Xiao Yin still has to dare give a rag‑like woman to Zhao Lang as a wife, hahahaha…"

Right now there's no time for her to mourn slowly; she finally understood why Xiao Wei was treating her this way tonight—it's because the marriage alliance between the Rui Wang Fu and Zhao Lang threatens his military interests.

And all her scheming so far has turned out to be merely a sacrificial pawn in the power struggle of the Southern Qi dynasty.

No! Su Wanrou has never believed in fate! Never believed in fate!

She is not a lowly life! She is not!

Xiao Yin, Xiao Yin! For the sake of Gu Jiu Ling you completely disregarded me, bringing me to this point—don't blame me for showing you no mercy.

"Prince! Prince! I… I know you hate Xiao Yin! I hate him too! I hate him to death!"

Su Wanrou crawled up, naked, and knelt before Xiao Wei.

Su Wanrou crawled up, naked, and knelt before Xiao Wei.

Xiao Wei froze there instantly; Xiao Yin does dote on this younger sister very much—where does her hatred come from?

Su Wanrou lifted her head and stared fixedly at the stunned Xiao Wei; her gaze was frenzied and chaotic; she gritted her teeth and said, word by word, 'I can help you kill Xiao Yin!'