Xiao Chonghua held a bright yellow imperial edict in his hands, with Xiao Zhenhuai following behind him. The two of them approached with a pair of Imperial Guards.
Xiao Mingxu was smug and instantly straightened his back, snorting defiantly at Jiang Xingyan.
“See that? The edict in my third brother’s hands is Father Emperor’s personal decree granting me command of the Huo family army! Once the edict is read, I will make you, you lowly merchant, regret ever putting on that big act in front of me!”
As he spoke, he looked Jiang Xingyan up and down with an utterly filthy gaze.
A beauty like this—he absolutely had to make her beg for mercy beneath him again and again before his hatred would be sated!
“Ah!”
Xiao Mingxu felt a blur before his eyes, followed by a sudden, excruciating pain.
It was as if countless venomous bees were jabbing their stingers into his eyeballs over and over.
Xiao Mingxu rolled on the ground, clutching his eyes and howling in agony.
Yun Chunfeng’s peach-blossom eyes were full of murderous intent.
If he didn’t need to stay alive to accompany the Young Miss, he would have long since gouged out Xiao Mingxu’s eyes and stuffed them into his mouth. Then he would crack open his skull, carve out his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, and stuff them all back into his head—making him pay with his life for those foul, disgusting thoughts.
Yun Chunfeng curved his lips, and a voice laced with venom sounded by Xiao Mingxu’s ear:
“If there’s a next time, this humble one will most certainly cripple Your Highness.”
Xiao Mingxu felt a sticky liquid continuously seeping from his eyes, and his nasal cavity was filled with the smell of blood.
He couldn’t even care about the excruciating pain spreading through his entire body now.
Yun Chunfeng’s voice, as though transmitted from hell itself, chilled him from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
He trembled all over, cowering to the side, unable to stop the terror in his heart—like a mortal facing a god, helpless and afraid.
He spoke in a hoarse voice: “Yishu, save me—quickly, save me!”
Li Yishu looked at Xiao Mingxu thrashing and rolling on the ground, blood streaming through the gaps between his fingers and pooling on the floor, and panicked immediately.
Not that she was all that heartbroken for him—rather, if this man were to meet his end here, how would she be able to throw her weight around from now on? Who would protect her then?
“Yun Chunfeng, you dare lay hands on the First Prince! You’ve overstepped your station and offended your superior—what crime do you think that deserves? Someone, arrest this villain at once and throw him into the dungeon to await punishment!”
She shouted this several times in a shrill voice, but not a single person paid her any attention.
The guards Xiao Mingxu had brought along secretly curled their lips in disdain.
On ordinary days, they had to give her some measure of respect out of consideration for the First Prince’s favor.
But did she really think she was somebody?
Bossing them around in the palace was one thing, but now, in front of so many people, she still wanted to put on the airs of a prince’s consort?
If you’re so worried about the First Prince, why don’t you go up there and fight for your life against that man?
This person dared to strike the First Prince—why would he care about small fry like them?
Besides, those two brothers who got struck by lightning earlier were probably dead by now. Was it worth it to obey the orders of a lowly concubine and risk their lives?
Li Yishu, having lost her backing and been left hanging in front of everyone, felt her cheeks burning with shame.
By chance, she caught sight of Xiao Chonghua and Xiao Zhenhuai approaching, and as though grasping at a lifeline, she lunged toward them—only to be blocked by the Imperial Guards.
“Second and Third Younger Brothers, quick, seize this villain and save your elder brother!”
At these words, even the usually mild-tempered Xiao Zhenhuai’s face turned cold, and he furrowed his brows.
Xiao Chonghua’s gaze was icy. He turned his head and asked in disbelief, “What did you just call me?”
Before Li Yishu could answer, he had already ordered his men: “Someone, teach her the rules.”
Smack! Smack!
Two Imperial Guards flanked Li Yishu on either side, and a third raised his hand and delivered two heavy slaps.
“‘Younger Brother’—is that something a lowly creature like you is permitted to say?”
Smack! Smack!
Two more solid slaps, sending Li Yishu’s head spinning to one side, her cheeks swelling up high.
A vicious kick landed on the back of her knees. Caught off guard, she crashed heavily to the ground on both knees.
“When a lowly slave sees a prince, she must perform the full prostration—has no one taught you that!”
Li Yishu instinctively shielded her lower abdomen.
Those words about teaching her the rules—she had no idea how many times the prince’s consort had sent people to say them to her.
Only she knew how many beatings she had endured each time.
If she hadn’t used every trick in the book to keep Xiao Mingxu hooked by her side for a few nights, she might well have become a wandering ghost in the palace by now.
Xiao Chonghua paid her no more attention and walked straight to the command platform, having someone help up the still-howling Xiao Mingxu.
“Elder Brother, you really are impatient. Why did you head straight to the military camp the moment you left the palace? You didn’t even go to Father Emperor to express your gratitude—and Father Emperor is furious.”
Xiao Mingxu clutched his eyes and roared: “Xiao Zhenhuai, you set me up!”
Xiao Zhenhuai looked astonished: “Whatever does Elder Brother mean by that? How could a younger brother scheme against his elder brother? I merely said that Father Emperor was troubled by this matter and thought that after Elder Brother’s confinement ended, you could request this assignment when you went to express your gratitude. Who could have known that Elder Brother would come to the military camp on his own first? I am deeply frightened.”
Xiao Mingxu’s heart turned cold inch by inch.
Even if he was a fool, he could taste the flavor of it now.
His second and third brothers were ganging up on him!
It was clearly a trap, and he had stupidly walked right into it—what a humiliation!
His second brother, who had always stayed out of worldly affairs, why was he now siding with the third?
Was it just because they had led troops together to pacify Beiluo?
Xiao Mingxu gritted his teeth inwardly.
It was all that bitch Li Yishu’s fault!
If she hadn’t seduced him, how could he have made such a grave mistake—losing Mr. Wu and falling out with Huo Ci?
These three months of confinement had truly turned the world upside down.
Xiao Chonghua calmly unrolled the edict and began to read: “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The First Prince, Xiao Mingxu, has disregarded moral principles and shown not the slightest gratitude for imperial grace. He took it upon himself to go to the military camp—his intentions are punishable! He shall receive eighty heavy strokes, be stripped of his title of prince, demoted to Prince of Yong’an, and from this day forth removed from Jingyang Palace to reside in an old residence outside the palace. He shall not enter the palace without summons.”
Xiao Mingxu collapsed limply.
Father Emperor—did he truly no longer recognize him as his son?
“No—it can’t be. Father Emperor wouldn’t be this heartless. I want to see Father Emperor!”
Xiao Chonghua smiled faintly: “Prince of Yong’an, how dare you overstep—you should address him as His Majesty. If there is a next time, you will not be spared. Someone, drag the Prince of Yong’an away and carry out the punishment.”
The Imperial Guards on either side stuffed two walnuts into Xiao Mingxu’s mouth so he couldn’t shout and startle the two princes, and dragged him straight away.
Xiao Mingxu struggled with all his might.
Prince of Yong’an—forever obedient, forever content with things as they are.
From this point on, he was cut off from imperial power.
Li Yishu, standing nearby, was already frightened out of her wits, watching helplessly as Xiao Mingxu was dragged away.
Her mind was in utter chaos. Weren’t they here today to throw their weight around? How had the First Prince been demoted to some Prince of Yong’an?
Could her days ahead possibly be good now?
Then she heard Xiao Chonghua speak again: “Someone, since this lowly concubine and the Prince of Yong’an share such deep affection, drag her down as well and punish her alongside the Prince of Yong’an. That is what they call ‘sharing moisture in mutual distress.'”
Li Yishu did not submit. Instead, she suddenly straightened up and cried out in a shrill voice: “Who dares touch me! I am with child—I carry the imperial heir!”
