Chapter 3

After Chang Ping finished relaying the message, he didn’t see the prince follow the instructions obediently as usual.

Having been by Huo Zhengfu’s side for too long, he was accustomed to the prince’s obedience to Zhengfu. Seeing the prince’s reaction now, he felt surprised, but more so displeased.

Chang Ping originally wanted to mock the prince some more, but when he met the prince’s gaze.

It was just a faint glance, but it sent chills down his spine, and he couldn’t utter the malicious words no matter how hard he tried.

Due to long-term lack of water, Jiang Lingyu called out in a hoarse, low voice without hesitation:

“Is everyone outside dead? Come and untie this prince.”

A group of people had been waiting outside. Previously, they didn’t dare enter because of the original host’s orders. Now, hearing Jiang Lingyu’s voice, it took only a moment before a crowd of people rushed in from outside.

Jiang Lingyu’s personal attendant didn’t expect to see such a scene upon entering. He directly pushed aside the attendant Chang Ping, and seeing Jiang Lingyu covered in thorns, said with reddened eyes:

“Prince, you’ve suffered!”

She carefully avoided the wounds and cut the thorns.

Seeing how swift and skillful she was, it seemed she had made preparations beforehand…

As the thorns were gradually removed, Jiang Lingyu’s tense body slowly relaxed. Seeing Xiao Shunzi’s careful and meticulous manner, Jiang Lingyu, who had just arrived in this strange world, felt her heart gradually warming.

Her whole body ached and was numb with pain. She could only weakly lean against Xiao Shunzi and say in a hoarse voice:

“Water”

Xiao Shunzi quickly took the water from a nearby attendant and slowly fed it to Jiang Lingyu.

After drinking most of the cup of water, Jiang Lingyu finally felt truly alive in this world.

Afterwards, she drank some ginseng tea and millet porridge, and her body slowly regained some strength.

Due to kneeling for too long earlier, her legs couldn’t move freely at first, but as time passed, blood circulation gradually returned.

She said softly, “Help me sit up.”

“Yes!”

Even though Jiang Lingyu was mentally prepared, she had underestimated the extent of her injuries. Her legs, due to long-term lack of blood circulation, felt like countless needles pricking her with even the slightest movement.

Jiang Lingyu half-leaned on Xiao Shunzi, gritting her teeth and using Xiao Shunzi’s strength to steady herself on the chair. After sitting down, she was already covered in sweat.

Little did she know that an unpleasant, sarcastic voice would come from beside her again.

“Prince, your body is really weak, isn’t it? Earlier you told Huo Wang Fu that if he didn’t forgive you, you’d never get up for the rest of your life. I just didn’t expect some people’s ‘rest of their life’ to be so short.”

As soon as Chang Ping said this, the entire hall instantly fell silent, the air seeming to freeze.

Although Jiang Lingyu’s attendants and guards didn’t speak, each of their faces showed indignant expressions. If it weren’t for the prince’s previous orders not to be rude to Huo Wang Fu and those around him, how could they allow such a small attendant to be so arrogant?

Seeing these people’s angry but helpless expressions, Chang Ping felt even more smug.

Chang Ping was originally a household slave of Huo Xiucai, growing up alongside Huo Wang Fu.

Huo Zhengfu had at least studied for a couple of years, but Chang Ping, forget about studying, he barely recognized a few large characters. However, he excelled at being vicious and poisonous, never losing an argument in the countryside.

Initially, the Huo family, fearing that Huo Zhengfu might be bullied in the prince’s mansion due to his background, specifically sent Chang Ping to accompany Huo Zhengfu to the prince’s mansion, to provide some support for each other.

No matter how vicious Chang Ping was, he was initially intimidated when entering such a grand mansion.

But as time passed, he discovered that the prince’s heart was entirely devoted to Huo Zhengfu, allowing Huo Zhengfu to manipulate him at will.

Naturally, he also benefited greatly by being at Huo Zhengfu’s side, and his originally arrogant personality became even more excessive.

Even this time when Huo Zhengfu left, he played a significant role.

Chang Ping had seen the beauty sent by the emperor, who was a rare and exquisite creature in the world. If the prince were to see her, it would be disastrous.

So he suggested to Huo Wang Fu to strike first, deal with the person, and then make a scene at the Taoist temple, thus solidifying Huo Wang Fu’s position.

As long as Huo Wang Fu’s position was secure, his own position by his side would naturally be good too.

Chang Ping had originally thought to teach the prince a solid lesson this time. He had been quite satisfied seeing Wang Fu becoming increasingly obedient, but he hadn’t expected the prince to get up so quickly.

Chang Ping thought that if the prince didn’t learn his lesson this time, he might not listen to Wang Fu in the future, which would naturally affect his own status. He immediately started mocking and ridiculing.

At this moment, no one dared to speak, but Xiao Shunzi couldn’t bear hearing a mere slave speak to his master like this.

“Chang Ping, what punishment should you receive for publicly cursing the prince’s life?!”

Panic flashed in Chang Ping’s eyes, but then he thought about how easy it usually was to bully and manipulate the prince, and the panic was instantly suppressed.

He snorted derisively, deliberately bringing up Huo Wang Fu, saying:

“These words were spoken by the prince himself in front of Huo Zhengfu, they’re still ringing in our ears. How could a mere slave make such things up?”

Usually, bringing up Huo Wang Fu in front of the prince could settle any matter.

After saying this, Chang Ping looked smugly at Xiao Shunzi, like a cock sure of victory.

Clearly, not only Chang Ping thought this way, but even the people around and Xiao Shunzi thought the same.

Xiao Shunzi’s eyes darkened, looking worriedly at his master, afraid she would go kneel again.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, they heard the prince say:

“Our bodies are gifts from our parents. Since you knew this prince was going to harm himself, as the prince’s husband, not stopping it is irresponsible. He should stay in the Taoist temple for a while to reflect on his mistakes.

As for you…”

Jiang Lingyu gave Chang Ping a kind smile:

“As a servant, seeing your master make a mistake and not only failing to dissuade but even adding fuel to the fire and sowing discord, take him away and slap his mouth twenty times.”

Chang Ping exclaimed in disbelief:

“Prince, I grew up with Wang Fu. Have you really been bewitched by some outside temptress to treat me and Zhengfu like this?”

Xiao Shunzi became anxious upon hearing this. Everyone in the prince’s mansion had seen how good the prince was to Wang Fu. If it weren’t for the prince’s constant protection, forget about today’s glory, he wouldn’t have even made it past Shen Guijun.

Wasn’t Chang Ping’s words just a vicious attack?

Just as Chang Ping played his trump card and Xiao Shunzi and the guards were anxious, they heard Jiang Lingyu say casually:

“Indeed, it’s common for a woman to have three husbands and four concubines. Are you implying that Wang Fu is jealous?”

Jiang Lingyu spoke slowly and softly, but the coldness in her eyes was like a bucket of ice water splashed directly on Chang Ping’s face.

His mind cleared up a bit, and he naturally didn’t dare to admit such a life-threatening thing about his master:

“No, no, Wang Fu has never been a jealous person.”

Hearing this, Xiao Shunzi nearly rolled his eyes to the sky. How dare he say Wang Fu wasn’t jealous? That person wouldn’t even let a male mosquito near the prince.

Before Xiao Shunzi could finish his internal complaint, he heard his prince say:

“Oh? So you’re falsely accusing your own master of being jealous?”

After saying this, without waiting for Chang Ping’s response, she directly ordered:

“Slap Chang Ping’s mouth forty times.”

Chang Ping hadn’t expected that even after bringing up Huo Wang Fu, not only was his punishment not reduced, but it was doubled. How could he endure forty slaps?

Chang Ping was both shocked and angry. His originally proud stance finally crumbled, and he fell to his knees, wailing:

“Prince, spare me! That wasn’t what I meant!”

Chang Ping usually relied on Huo Wang Fu’s favor, not only speaking rudely to the prince but harboring vicious thoughts as well.

Once, when Chang Ping saw an attendant who didn’t pay tribute to him, he falsely accused the person of stealing, had them beaten until crippled, and then sold them through a slave trader.

Xiao Shunzi, seeing Chang Ping in this state, felt a sense of satisfaction.

Perhaps the commotion here was too loud, as there was movement from Wang Fu’s room, as if he was about to come out.

Chang Ping, as if grasping at the last straw, frantically shouted:

“Wang Fu, save me! Wang Fu, save me!”

Jiang Lingyu laughed coldly, saying in a moderate voice:

“When this prince was injured, Wang Fu didn’t come out. If he were to come out now for a slave who slandered him, wouldn’t that be admitting that this prince is not even worth a criminal slave?”

As soon as Jiang Lingyu finished speaking, there was some arguing from Wang Fu’s side, as if Wang Fu wanted to come out but was persuaded not to by those around him.

Chang Ping, face covered in snot and tears, was dragged away. Many of the attendants and guards who had suffered from Chang Ping’s actions before all breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Lingyu, looking at the now quiet chambers, continued coldly: “Since Wang Fu is sleeping for beauty and doesn’t like to be disturbed, let him rest well and stay in the chambers without coming out in the future.”

“Yes!”

Tsk tsk tsk, this “yes” seemed particularly loud.

Afterwards, under the careful bandaging of the imperial physician, Jiang Lingyu was in pain, grimacing. Drinking bitter medicine made her feel like death would be preferable.

Fortunately, with the sound of Brother Ping being slapped accompanying her, she could barely endure it.

Indeed, such a quiet night should have some sound, but before long, the sound eventually disappeared.

The total word count of this book is: 322,805 words

Jiang Lingyu looked at her bandaged body and sighed with some reluctance.

Xiao Shunzi, somewhat puzzled, looked at his master and reported truthfully: “The punishment has been carried out. Chang Ping lost two teeth, and the rest of his teeth are loose to varying degrees. He probably won’t be able to eat hard food in the future.”

“Mm.”

At this moment, Xiao Shunzi’s expression became hesitant, as if he had something to say.

Jiang Lingyu noticed his unusual behavior and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Xiao Shunzi had been assigned to Jiang Lingyu by Shen Guijun when he was young. Besides being loyal, he was remarkably astute and perceptive.

He gritted his teeth and said, “This slave just received news that Wang Fu has sent the person given to the master by Her Majesty to the largest brothel in the city. It’s said that the auction for her first night will be held tonight.”

“What?!”