Chapter 425: Volume 1 Chapter 425 Hostage X Spoiled Princess (5)

The Empress avoided discussing Yan Shizhou's matter, saying, "The imperial physician told you to rest more; the rest, the Empress will tell you tomorrow."

The girl refused to give in, no matter how she wouldn't sleep, she lifted the blankets and wanted to get off the bed.

"I want to see him, Mother......"

The Empress loved her daughter as dearly as her own life; seeing her refuse to rest until she saw Yan Shizhou, she had no choice but to compromise.

"Go summon the princess's attendant."

After giving the orders to the palace servants, and waiting the time it takes for an incense stick to burn halfway, the youth entered the sleeping quarters, knelt down respectfully, and performed the ceremonial kowtow.

Through a thin snow-colored gauze curtain, Jiang Zhi saw clearly Yan Shizhou kneeling not far away, his head lowered, just as usual.

She lifted her pale chin, her long, curled lashes fluttering slightly, looked down at the person below from a superior position, her voice tinged with a hint of petulance.

"Don't think that just because you saved this princess, I'll be grateful to you." The girl cleared her throat and hummed, "However, considering you blocked danger for me, this princess permits you to skip taking care of Fortune today."

Yan Shizhou, kneeling below, heard her voice, bright like a little sun as usual, and his tightly clenched hands gradually relaxed.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Jiang Zhi waved her hand at him impatiently, her expression showing she didn't want to see him again, "Step back."

The youth then left.

The Empress smiled helplessly and couldn't resist reaching out to rub her head.

"Lie down and sleep, Mother is here with you."

How could she not know her daughter's temperament? Though she appears to keep people at arm's length, she is actually extremely soft-hearted.

The frightened girl lay down, gave an affirmative hum, and soon fell asleep.

…

After leaving the sleeping quarters and returning to the side hall, Yan Shizhou saw Crown Prince Jiang Chu standing inside.

Jiang Chu's face was dark; he ordered the palace servants to bind him and press him onto a long bench.

"Did he file a complaint?" This question was asked by the eunuch who had led Yan Shizhou into the Sixteenth Princess's sleeping quarters.

The eunuch knelt obsequiously at the Crown Prince's feet, "Your Highness, he did not lodge a complaint against the Princess."

Jiang Chu twitched the corner of his mouth, gave a cold laugh: "At least you're sensible."

Upon learning that his only sister had almost been harmed, Jiang Chu bound the youth, thinking that if even his master couldn't be protected, what use was there in keeping him?

"Beat him hard!"

The two eunuchs who received the order raised their long clubs, struck with considerable force, and hit the youth on the bench.

Yan Shizhou was beaten to the brink of death, breath faint, his whole body covered in wounds, flesh and blood mangled.

The eunuch hurriedly said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, if you keep beating him, he will die."

Jiang Chu cared nothing for his life or death.

"What does it matter if he dies? I, the upstanding Crown Prince, would at most be confined by Father for killing a hostage."

The eunuch hesitated and said, "But if the Princess learns he died, she will surely be angry."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chu furrowed his brows tightly.

These past few days he also noticed the Sixteenth Princess's attention to this lowly hostage. Although it was meant to humiliate and bully, if the Sixteenth Princess found out, she might very well lose her temper with him.

It would not be worth the loss.

"For now, let it be so."

The Crown Prince flicked his sleeve and left.

Left to attend to Yan Shizhou was the eunuch Xiao Luzi.

Xiao Luzi's eyes turned red with anxiety; seeing his master collapsed unconscious on the ground, he paid no heed to anything else, hurried out of the side hall, and ran toward the Princess's sleeping quarters.

In the evening a torrential downpour began, large raindrops pounding the layered green tiles, rolling off the eaves; the light grew dim, and mist filled the air.

Xiao Luzi had followed the Sixth Prince Yan Shizhou from Chongyuan State to here; because his master's status was special, he also inevitably suffered bullying from other palace staff. But his master had shown him kindness, and he had never thought of leaving.

Now only the Sixteenth Princess could save his master.

Inside Jingxi Gong.

The Empress had left, and the Sixteenth Princess in the sleeping chamber had already fallen asleep, not knowing when she would awaken.

Xiao Luzi knelt outside the palace gates, continuously kowtowing.

"Please, Sister Xiao Lian, inform His Highness that the hostage's life hangs by a thread."

Xiao Lian's expression was not good: "His Highness was startled at the Ma Chang and has already fallen asleep; you should seek another way."

Xiao Luzi's forehead was bloodied from kowtowing, mixing with the rain, tears streaming down his face: "Save the hostage, please, please save the hostage!"

His sobbing passed through the rain and reached Jiang Zhi's lightly sleeping ears.

She dressed, pushed open the palace door, and went out.

Seeing this, Xiao Lian hurried forward and said, "Your Highness, it's rainy and cold outside; you should go back inside."

The little princess opened her bleary eyes, half of her pink cheek pressed red, her two tufts of black hair sticking up from sleep, adorable.

"I'm not cold." Her gaze fell on the eunuch Xiao Luzi kneeling in the rain on the marble; she stared for a moment and asked, "What happened?"

Xiao Luzi poured out the whole story to His Highness.

Upon hearing it, Jiang Zhi was furious: "My older brother actually took advantage of my sleep to bully my attendant! I will never speak to my older brother again!"

She put one hand on her hip and pointed with the other at a palace servant: "Go summon the imperial physician to treat him! This princess will not allow him to die!"

Seeing her intention to go to the side hall, Xiao Lian anxiously said, "Your Highness, it's still raining; let me go instead."

She immediately shook her head: "No, this princess must go see whether he is dead or alive."

Xiao Lian could only have the servants fetch an oil-paper umbrella and follow her to the side hall.

The side hall of Jingxi Gong was far better than the Han Yue Gong.

Jiang Zhi instantly saw the motionless boy Yan Shizhou lying on the ground.

His face was deathly pale, devoid of color, his blood staining his light blue clothes, two long sticks were casually tossed aside, and a long bench lay across the room.

"Royal brother..." Jiang Zhi's pupils trembled slightly.

Xiao Lian stepped in front of her, blocking all the gore, "Your Highness, you should go back; I will look after things here."

The delicate‑eyed little princess seemed frightened, she retreated two steps, her white fingers hidden by her long sleeves slowly clenched.

"Hmm..."

—

Having just lain down in the sleeping quarters, Jiang Zhi heard the system's notification.

【Host broke character once, punishment: electric shock for 30 minutes.】This is the God Pillar System's voice.

Jiang Zhi was unhappy upon hearing it: "The villain is almost dead; as a cannon‑fodder princess who enjoys bullying the villain, if I don't save him, how can I keep bullying him in the future?"

【But the host saving the villain——】

Jiang Zhi interrupted its voice, speaking earnestly: "I didn't take the initiative, did I? If it weren't for Yan Shizhou's servant coming to beg me, I'd still be lying in bed asleep. Besides, in the original host's eyes Yan Shizhou is no different from Wang Cai—if Wang Cai fell ill the original host would save him, so not saving the heavily injured villain would be an even bigger character break, wouldn't it?"

【………】The God Pillar System, feeling something off yet somehow reasonable, lost its ability to speak.

After a moment.

【This time I'll let it slide, but if this happens again I'll deem you to have broken character!】

Jiang Zhi gratefully said: "Mm-hmm, thanks!"

Turning to 777 to complain: "This God Pillar System has so many trivial matters! But it's actually quite easy to fool."

777 replied: "Yeah."

God Pillar System: I can hear you, damn it!!