Chapter 59: Jade Pendant
Chang’an felt that His Highness the Crown Prince must have received some kind of shock.
The flesh on Jing Guiren’s body was being stripped off piece by piece. Every knife that fell on his body made him feel worse than death. Blood dripped everywhere, flesh was mangled, his eyes were bloodshot and red like a fierce ghost in the world. Those screams and cries of resentment to the heavens made people’s hearts tremble with fear, afraid that after death he would turn into a vengeful ghost coming back for revenge.
But Yue Guanyi was smiling.
In a flowing white robe, ethereal and otherworldly like a snow mountain beauty, yet standing in a place of filth and degradation. The faint smile at the corner of her lips was more chilling than Jing Guiren’s heart-wrenching screams. He would not become a vengeful ghost – he was the vengeful ghost itself.
As the skin and flesh were cut off piece by piece, Jing Guiren’s screams gradually faded. The light in his eyes slowly extinguished, leaving only an inescapable viciousness and a bloody skeleton. Even after witnessing so many cruel punishments, Chang’an still couldn’t help but shudder from the depths of his heart when faced with this lingchi execution.
He carefully stood behind Yue Guanyi and said, “Your Highness, Jing Guiren has stopped breathing.”
Yue Guanyi gazed into the distance. Chang’an followed her gaze – it was towards the Empress Dowager’s tent. A dim yellow light shone from inside, and someone was standing at the entrance of the tent. From the figure, it should be Yu Ye. Why wasn’t he going inside to serve?
Suddenly, Chang’an drew in a sharp breath. Could it be that the Empress Dowager was now alone in the room with Qiu Daren?
He glanced secretly at Yue Guanyi – her pale and thin figure, eyes dark and unclear. Watching her beloved alone with another man, Her Highness must be feeling very unwell, how could she have the heart to care about Jing Guiren’s matters?
Thinking of this, Chang’an said in a low voice, “This lowly one will go dispose of the body now.”
“Have the full one hundred and fifty cuts been made?” Yue Guanyi’s voice was cold, without a trace of human warmth.
Chang’an’s heart tightened: “Jing Guiren’s body was frail and didn’t last to a hundred cuts before passing… This lowly one deserves death!”
“Forget it.” Yue Guanyi’s cold voice made Chang’an feel as if he had fallen into an extremely cold abyss: “Mince the flesh and feed it to the dogs.”
“…Yes.” Chang’an felt his hair stand on end. What deep grudge did Jing Guiren have with Her Highness that even his corpse wasn’t spared? He had never seen her use such methods on those who offended her or Her Majesty before.
He ordered people to move Jing Guiren’s skeletal remains. A pair of jade hands stripped of skin and flesh were left with only a terrifying white skeleton.
Looking at these tragic hands, Chang’an suddenly shuddered. Could it be that Her Highness did this because Jing Guiren had scratched Qiu Daren’s face while alive?
He dared not think further and hurriedly ordered people to carry away the corpse.
The night wind was quiet and soundless, everywhere was empty. Apart from the main tent, there were only a few scattered palace servants and patrolling guards on duty. Not a single person could be seen in the hunting grounds. Yue Guanyi stood like a statue on the spot. In the distance, the sky gradually turned a fishy white, the thin light reflecting off her snow-white robe.
“It’s almost dawn. Your Highness has been busy all night, please return to the tent to rest for a while. It would be good to refresh yourself,” Chang’an said worriedly.
Yue Guanyi’s eyes moved slightly, her fairy-like white robe swaying gently in the wind, her silhouette frail: “Chang’an, how is your family?”
Chang’an was taken aback, not knowing why she suddenly asked about this.
Chang’an and his sister relied on each other, making a living by selling hard labor. Later, when he became Her Highness’s personal attendant, his sister also found a small official position in the Imperial Guards, and their lives gradually improved.
Unfortunately, when women’s lives improve, they easily become flirtatious. His sister also developed the habit of keeping male companions. Keeping them was one thing, but that male companion wasn’t a good person. Relying on having given birth to a daughter, he played tricks wanting to rise in status. His brother-in-law cried to him every day because of this, giving Chang’an a headache. He had even taken leave a few days ago just to deal with this matter.
Chang’an guessed that Yue Guanyi was asking about this matter, so he replied, “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. The family matter has been dealt with.”
“How was it handled?”
Chang’an became angry just talking about it: “That male companion was also presumptuous, relying on having given birth to a daughter and wanting to take the position of the official husband. He didn’t know his place, just an artist from a brothel, causing chaos in the house every day. Fortunately, my sister came to her senses. He’s just a male companion, not even qualified to be a concubine. We scared him with the rule of trading concubines, and he didn’t dare to make trouble anymore.”
“However, after all this fuss, my sister has lost interest in him. She’s just waiting for him to give birth to the child, and after that, she won’t touch him again.”
“A male companion is just a male companion, not even considered a proper man. He can’t even enter our family’s genealogy. Relying on his youth and beauty, he thought he could monopolize a woman’s favor, not knowing that my sister was just playing with him, but he took it seriously.”
“If he could have always been well-behaved, perhaps my sister would have pampered him for a while longer. But he had to cause trouble himself, he really deserves it!”
The more Chang’an spoke, the more smug he became, completely unaware that Yue Guanyi’s face was growing paler and paler, her ten fingers tightly gripping the railing, hideous as if claws and bones were deeply embedded in flesh.
She asked, word by word with great difficulty: “Your sister – how long has she pampered him?”
“About three months. He’s not the first male companion my sister has kept. Other men were favored for even shorter periods.” Chang’an calculated the time – women are just so fickle.
“Three months?” Wood splinters pierced her fingertips, lifting her nails and stabbing viciously into flesh, making her heart violently stutter.
Just three months? Too short, too short.
Yue Guanyi’s heart nearly trembled. Not enough, far from enough. She wanted to serve her for a lifetime, for lifetimes to come. Even if reborn into the animal realm, she wanted to become a dog, to be her plaything, prostrating at her feet.
“Yes, a male companion is ultimately just a plaything. If a woman truly liked you, she would have welcomed you into the family with an eight-bearer sedan chair, pampering and protecting you in silks and satins. Yet some men just don’t learn, throwing themselves shamelessly at women, begging to be their male companions. No wonder they look down on you!”
“Indeed, who told him to willingly debase himself.” Yue Guanyi’s lips curved into a bitter smile, despair spreading in her eyes, layer upon layer, nearly drowning her gaze.
Male companions have never had good endings. They rely on their youthful good looks, indulging in a brief pleasure, drowning in a moment’s false love.
Even the children born to male companions will be raised under the name of the main husband in the future, calling another man father. When they grow old and lose their beauty, they will be driven out of the family, scorned by all, dying in unknown dark alleys.
Yue Guanyi lowered her head, laughing like a madwoman, her laughter permeated with gloom and despair, hoarse and unpleasant. Each laugh seemed to mock her own filth, her own presumptuousness, as if this male companion’s fate was her own future ending.
“Your- Your Highness, what’s wrong?” Chang’an was terrified by her laughter, only able to see Yue Guanyi’s thin and fragile back trembling with her desolate laughter.
Yue Guanyi wiped away a fleeting tear from the corner of her eye, her eyes bloodshot and savage, screaming frantically and recklessly. All these years of waiting and unbearable torment and suffering intertwined, fusing into her bones and blood, too intense to dissolve.
Yes, she willingly debased herself like this.
Even if the final outcome would be worse than this male companion’s, but this was already the happiest time for her who was deeply mired in sin.
In the distance, the curtain of the tent glowing with a dim yellow light was lifted, and a slender figure slowly walked out.
Just seeing her blurry silhouette made Yue Guanyi smile involuntarily. The dense, gnawing pain in her heart, as if poisonous insects were biting her bones, seemed to be soaked and wrapped in soft, warm medicine, instantly healing her wounds all over.
“Let’s go back.” She had stood in the biting cold wind all night, just to wait for this moment, to see her come out, and she was at ease.
“Your Highness, aren’t you going to see Qiu Daren?” Sensing that Yue Guanyi’s emotions had stabilized in an instant, Chang’an knew it was all thanks to Qiu Shuzhi. Although he didn’t understand why Yue Guanyi’s emotions suddenly changed so much, he instinctively guessed it was related to Qiu Shuzhi.
Only Qiu Shuzhi would have such weight in Her Highness’s heart.
No – perhaps Her Highness’s heart only had Qiu Shuzhi alone, so her every move would affect all of Her Highness’s nerves, smiling for her, grieving for her, going mad with obsession for her.
“No need.” Yue Guanyi slowly walked, leaning on the railing. She had stood motionless all night, her legs were numb, and she was a bit unsteady when walking.
When the Empress Mother was still alive, she had a very beloved consort. The consort’s appearance was not outstanding, his family background was ordinary, but his favor lasted long simply because that consort did not fight or compete, did not get angry or jealous, so the Empress Mother liked him so much.
She also wanted to emulate him, to make this heaven-sent pity last longer. If Qiu Shuzhi didn’t take the initiative to find her, she would never go to trouble her, especially since she didn’t want their relationship to be public.
Chang’an supported her, watching that slender figure gradually walking towards them. Chang’an’s heart moved, seeming to see a savior descending: “Your Highness, Qiu Daren is coming.”
Chang’an only felt the hand he was supporting suddenly tighten, the limbs becoming extremely stiff.
Although Yue Guanyi tried hard to conceal her emotions, her light footsteps could not deceive anyone. The white robe fluttered in the enclosure like a graceful butterfly, rushing towards its master.
When the two met, it was just in front of her tent. The sky had just begun to dawn, the palace servants had not yet risen, and due to last night’s commotion, everyone was getting up late today.
Chang’an said cheerfully with a righteous excuse: “Is Qiu Daren here to discuss the assassin matter with Your Highness?”
A faint smile escaped from Qiu Shuzhi’s lips: “Yes.”
Chang’an lifted the curtain, his eyes smiling: “Please come in, Daren.”
The heavy curtain closed, and the two were alone in the room. The candles that had burned halfway cast flickering shadows, stretching the shadows of the two people very long, the atmosphere quiet and immersed.
Yue Guanyi twisted the hem of her clothes, frozen for a long while before reacting.
What was she doing? She was now Qiu Niang’s private favorite, Qiu Niang had taken the initiative to find her, she should do something.
“Please sit, Daren. I’ll pour tea for you.” Her voice trembled slightly with nervousness as she led her to sit.
She leaned over to pour tea. The high-quality six-petal magnolia teapot was elegant and serene in her hand. The tea was half full, its pale green color reflected in the ancient cup, the faint fragrance slowly wafting over. But she was really too nervous and spilled some tea, hot tea spilling on her robe, wetting a large patch.
“I’m sorry.” Yue Guanyi knelt on the ground without thinking. How useless she was, she couldn’t even do a small thing like pouring tea well. How could she serve Qiu Niang in the future?
“It’s alright, Your Highness.” Qiu Shuzhi pulled her.
But Yue Guanyi seemed to be possessed, not listening to her words at all. Now full of guilt and anxiety, afraid that everything she had finally obtained would disappear immediately, she wiped the water stains on her body with her sleeve without regard for her own white robe. Her eyes were filled with deep remorse, her lips extremely pale and colorless: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry-”
Qiu Shuzhi sighed softly, lifting her chin and leaning in to kiss her.
Yue Guanyi’s body suddenly stiffened, her knees instantly going weak. Qiu Shuzhi grabbed her waist with one hand. She was soft like a boneless puddle of water, seeming to want to suck Qiu Shuzhi’s fingers deep inside.
Qiu Shuzhi closed her eyes, her slender fingers inserted into Yue Guanyi’s thick hair, following her as she slowly leaned down. Their wide robes intertwined, their lips and teeth inseparable, an ambiguous atmosphere in the quiet air.
Yue Guanyi opened her eyes in shock, her skin as fine and smooth as white jade flushed with a layer of red.
Qiu Shuzhi gently held her hand, making her tightly clenched fingers slowly relax.
After a deep kiss, Yue Guanyi’s face was as red as dripping blood, her head lowered not daring to look at her.
“Your Highness, look at me,” she said softly.
Yue Guanyi lowered his eyes, his thick eyelashes trembling violently. He raised his head, eyes moist as if startled, the slightly reddened rims like a newborn puppy’s.
Qiu Shuzhi couldn’t help but kiss him again: “Hold out your hand.”
Her voice, pressed extremely low, made his whole body shiver and shrink, his fingers involuntarily curling. Yet upon hearing her words, he carefully extended his hand.
A pair of perfect, flawless jade hands, fingers slender yet strong, smooth as jade emitting a jade-like luster in the flickering light.
She untied the sash at her waist, the jade pendant chiming gently as it swung. A slightly warm ice flower lotus jade was quietly placed in his hand.
“What’s this?” Yue Guanyi looked at the jade in his hand in surprise. The exquisitely carved jade pendant in his palm seemed to exude endless warmth, warming his cold body temperature, warming his heart.
Qiu Shuzhi smiled faintly, her voice gentle, holding his hand in hers like a precious treasure: “Your Highness’s hands are always cold, they need a warm jade to nourish them.”
Yue Guanyi’s fingers stiffened, his eyes full of astonishment. He had never dared hope for a day when Qiu Shuzhi would give him a jade pendant.
“I didn’t have a chance to give it to you earlier. Now that we’ve exchanged hearts, this should be given to you too. Although it’s just a warm jade, I hope Your Highness won’t look down on it.”
“No- I won’t look down on it.”
How could he look down on it? He wished he could place this jade pendant inside his heart to nourish it with his flesh and blood. This was the jade pendant Qiu Niang gave him, the most precious thing in his life.
Since ancient times, jade pendants have been tokens of love between lovers. Did Qiu Niang giving this to him also carry a hint of that meaning? Yue Guanyi’s heart trembled, unable to calm for a long time.
