Chapter 127: with translation of chapter title

Xiao Jingyuan remained indifferent for a moment, then calmly uttered two words: "He's dead."

Originally I planned to settle accounts with Wei Chun, after all she was one of those in the know; otherwise, if she went out spouting nonsense, that would be unacceptable.

As a result, upon suddenly learning that Wei Chun was already dead, Shen Shuangning couldn't help but feel dazed for a moment.

After regaining her composure, Shen Shuangning looked at Xiao Jingyuan, incredulous: "You killed her?"

Xiao Jingyuan twitched the corner of his mouth: "No."

He actually wanted to kill her, only heaven didn't give him the chance.

After Wei Chun was seized by the Prince Chen's men, she woke up midway and actually tried to escape; unfortunately her luck was terrible—she climbed out the window, missed her footing, and fell into a dilapidated outhouse.

She drowned there, alive.

Although she was an official's daughter, not a commoner, Prince Chen had not originally intended to take her life; unexpectedly, she died accidentally because of this incident.

Prince Chen naturally flew into a great rage and on the spot beheaded the two derelict guards.

Xiao Jingyuan didn't see Wei Chun, but he observed the whole process, knowing she died miserably, yet he felt no pity.

For he knew that Prince Chen had changed his mind temporarily last night; if it weren't for his sudden visit, the person who entered this room would have been Prince Chen.

The consequences would be unbearable to imagine.

Wei Chun's death is not worth regretting.

Shen Shuangning learned Wei Chun's fate from him, then fell silent, not knowing what she felt.

After she was dressed, Xiao Jingyuan ordered someone to bring in several plates of light food, fearing she might go hungry.

Shen Shuangning had little appetite, she ate a bit reluctantly; Xiao Jingyuan said nothing more, quietly keeping her company during breakfast.

"Have the people of the Nüzhen state already left?" Shen Shuangning suddenly asked.

Xiao Jingyuan knew whom she actually wanted to ask about; he lowered his eyes and said lightly, "They just left not long ago."

Shen Shuangning said no more, drank half a bowl of millet porridge, then set down her chopsticks.

Seeing her low spirits, Xiao Jingyuan voluntarily spoke of his plan with Xie Lin.

"If it goes well, you'll be able to see him again; he is open-hearted and sincere, and given his feelings for you, he won't pretend affection with that foreign princess."

Shen Shuangning did not speak.

Afterwards, Xiao Jingyuan summoned a physician to take her pulse.

This physician was also from Miao Shou Tang, one of our own.

At that moment, A Heng returned to her side.

A Heng, who is usually especially well-behaved in front of Xiao Jingyuan, couldn't help but sneak a glance at him now.

This was because she recalled that when she was rescued from Prince Chen's grasp, she had only wanted to see her own mistress, and would not leave until she confirmed Shen Shuangning was safe and sound.

But the Young Master Xiao suddenly blurted out: "Your miss spent last night with me."

That brief sentence made A Heng's hair stand on end; upon seeing the miss again, A Heng felt the miss was somehow different.

Her face was still the same lovely, radiant countenance, yet it seemed as if dew-kissed peach blossoms, exuding an indescribable, lush allure, as if something had gently moistened it.

Especially since the miss had changed into a brand-new outfit, which was highly suspicious.

Looking again at the atmosphere between the miss and Young Master Xiao, it seemed different from before; especially that Young Master Xiao, who usually resembles the King of Hell, now bore a strange gentleness.

What exactly happened last night? A Heng dared not think too deeply.

Shen Shuangning's wrist was covered with a light gauze; the physician carefully felt her pulse, his brows knitting tighter and tighter.

Coincidentally, the medicine Wei Chun bought came precisely from this Miao Shou Tang, and it is their exclusive formula.

The medicine costs fifty taels of silver; it is certainly no ordinary aphrodisiac, for it contains poison.

If the drug's effect takes hold and is not promptly relieved, although it won't endanger life, it will leave a serious underlying condition; for a woman, it is quite tormenting.

Speaking of the origin of this medicine, it is also rather helpless—

Back then, the old hall master was forced by a powerful figure threatening his life to develop it; later, his conscience troubled him, he left no antidote at all, and hanged himself with a rope.

The known remedy is also simple: engage in sexual intercourse.

However, the venomous aspect of this medicine is that it cannot be fully resolved in a single instance...

This medicine is excessively venomous, originally not meant for sale to outsiders; I don't know which dog dared to sell it privately—and it just so happened that the Fourth Miss fell victim!

However, now is not the time to pursue this matter.

The point is how to inform the Young Master and the Fourth Miss.

The physician's face instantly showed a hint of guilt; he didn't dare lift his head, let alone meet Xiao Jingyuan's gaze.

Xiao Jingyuan, being extremely perceptive, immediately sensed his oddness; his gaze swept over him: "What's wrong?"

The physician then pondered for a while before saying to Xiao Jingyuan: "Young Master, may I have a word privately?"

Shen Shuangning was completely bewildered, slightly furrowing her brow.

She is the patient; what words need to be kept from her?

Xiao Jingyuan glanced at her and directly asked the physician: "Is her body all right?"

The physician gave a light cough and said: "For now, she is fine."

Xiao Jingyuan frowned: "What do you mean 'for now'?"

Shen Shuangning's eyelid twitched, and a faint unease rose in her heart.

The physician lowered his head, apprehensively saying: "The Fourth Miss has been poisoned; there is no ready antidote. According to my knowledge, initially it flares up every seven days, and thereafter the intervals between episodes gradually lengthen—roughly... one must endure for about a year before the poison can fully dissipate."

The physician didn't spell it out, so A Heng didn't understand exactly what poison it was, but she knew the situation was grave; her little face instantly turned pale.

It seemed as if the miss were about to die.

Shen Shuangning's fingers, resting on her knees, suddenly clenched tight, whitening her knuckles from the force.

Xiao Jingyuan's aura also sank a notch; he glanced at Shen Shuangning's pallid face, then immediately had the physician step out with him first.

He knew there were some things the physician could not speak plainly in front of the young lady.

Everyone says that before a Chinese doctor, a person's body cannot hide its secrets. As soon as the doctor felt Shen Shuangning's pulse, he already detected a clue.

The fourth young lady had already suffered an outbreak of poison once, and someone had helped her relieve it.

Who this person is is not hard to guess at all.

Therefore, when facing Xiao Jingyuan, the doctor held back nothing, speaking fully and completely, as if he were the fourth young lady's husband.

After hearing this, Xiao Jingyuan's expression grew solemn.

Indeed, his guess was not far off.

The horror of this medicine lies not in its toxicity, but in its addictive nature deep within.

Once addicted, it means a person's will is gradually gnawed away and destroyed, ultimately becoming a slave driven by primal desire, with not a shred of dignity left!

Xiao Jingyuan clenched his fists, a horrifying killing intent surging in his eyes. Imperial Prince, you truly deserve to die.

He drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his chest, and immediately said in a low voice: 'Send a letter to Mu Yu, telling her to return quickly!'

He would never let Shen Shuangning become that kind of person.

Meanwhile, the carriage of the Eastern Palace drove toward the end of the long street.

In the spacious and comfortable carriage, Song Xizhi sat beside the Crown Prince.

Each harboring their own thoughts, neither spoke.

When leaving the Cloud Pavilion, that glance exchanged through the window with the Imperial Prince continually left her heart pounding with lingering fear.

It was as if an evil ghost would not dissipate, making her feel deep dread and also causing her to uncontrollably recall her past life.

Back then, the Imperial Prince, by some unknown means, fed her a hard-to-resolve aphrodisiac; after that, she was no longer herself.

The Song family's eldest daughter had all her proud bones broken; like a slave devoid of dignity, to stay alive she could only submit beneath him, barely clinging to life!

Though the Imperial Prince's consort appeared radiant on the surface, behind closed doors she was a prisoner tightly bound by an iron chain called desire.

She had suffered four miscarriages.

Countless times she wanted to end herself, yet she could not bear to die like that; finally, in a deathly silent night, with only deathly stillness left in her eyes, she personally killed the Imperial Prince!

Reborn, she forced herself to forget, repeatedly telling herself that was all in the past. Now she remains, in the world's eyes, the paragon of a noble lady, the Song family's eldest daughter whom everyone ought to look up to.

But until she encountered the Imperial Prince again, the fear deeply buried in her heart was like exposed rocks after the tide recedes, reeking of fresh blood and starkly naked in its gloom.

Like a pair of deep-sea giant eyes that have lain dormant for ages, they stare fixedly at her, seeking to drag her soul bit by bit into boundless hell!

Song Xizhi could not help trembling.

The Crown Prince noticed her abnormality, thus tightly grasped her hand and asked with concern: 'What's wrong?'

Song Xizhi returned the grip, as if clutching the sole lifeline; she lifted her reddened, moist eyes and looked at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince was startled by her panicked, helpless gaze.

He had originally intended to ask her why she had come to the Cloud Pavilion so early to find him, but seeing her like this, he could not bring himself to ask.

"How come your hands are so cold? What happened?"

Song Xizhi, however, lowered her eyes, gathered the emotions within, then lifted her gaze again, giving a gentle smile and softly saying: 'Crown Prince, would you accompany me back to the Song family?'

The Crown Prince seemed to read something from her rippling eyes, paused a moment, did not refuse, and immediately ordered his attendants to go to the Song residence.

Along the way, the two exchanged no further words.

Her hand was tightly held in the Crown Prince's palm; warmth spread from the touching skin, yet she always felt something separating them, unable to warm her heart.

The Crown Prince perhaps felt the same, a flicker of unease crossing his face.

The Song residence had long lost its former liveliness.

Since the defeat, the gates stood deserted; most of the servants had been dismissed, and even the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, once lush year after year, now had sparse, withered branches, exuding an indescribable desolation.

No one expected the Crown Prince to pay a personal visit; this Song residence, long cold and quiet, suddenly bustled again.

Old Madam Song had been ill for a long time, frail and skin-and-bone, but now she also showed some signs of vitality.

But if she knew that the downfall of the Song residence also owed partly to the Crown Prince, she would likely be so angry as to fling herself straight into her coffin.

The Crown Prince is naturally gentle and refined; although he holds the position of heir, he bears no arrogance, his disposition is excellent. Such a husband, compared to the Imperial Prince, is simply like the bright moon in heaven.

But Song Xizhi really feels nothing; toward the Crown Prince, she is merely using him.

When evening came, the Crown Prince should have returned to the Eastern Palace, but instead he went straight into Song Xizhi's boudoir.

Although they were not yet married, this act was improper by etiquette; nevertheless, the Song family, whose household discipline had always been strict, tacitly turned a blind eye, and the servants in the courtyard quietly withdrew.

Inside the room, a few lamps were lit, their glow dim and yellowish, not very bright, only barely illuminating half the chamber, while the remaining corners lay submerged in hazy shadow.

The Crown Prince gently pushed open the carved wooden door, walked in slowly, and immediately saw the woman seated before the dressing table.

Song Xizhi wore only a moon-white gauze dress, her hair flowing like ink-black silk, having washed away all makeup. Half her cheek lay in the lamp's shadow, her contour soft as a landscape painting.

The once untouchable white moonlight lay right before her eyes.

The Crown Prince seemed somewhat dizzy, standing still in the distance for a long while, then finally stepped forward.

Standing behind her, his eyes on the somewhat blurry figure in the mirror, his long fingers slowly stroked her cheek, tender and affectionate, yet he spoke:

"Zhizhi, tell me, do you still harbor even a trace of longing for Xiao Jingyuan?"