Chapter 89 Locking the Wutong Tree (Twenty-Two) Princess Zhaoyi...

Gu Lianzhou stood up abruptly.

The commotion startled Yu Qi so much that he shuddered, and the chicken leg he had just picked up fell back onto the plate, splashing a few drops of rich sauce.

"W-what happened?" He looked up blankly and saw Gu Lianzhou's clothes fluttering as he hurried away from his seat as if fleeing.

Yu Qi remained stunned for a long time before finally scratching his head and muttering, "It's not good to always be unable to hold it in..."

No wonder Brother Gu is always so nonchalant; it turns out he's been unwell for a long time and hasn't had time to take care of me.

Having convinced himself of this, Yu Qi lowered his head again and continued to deal with the dishes in front of him.

Just as they were enjoying their meal, they suddenly heard the announcer loudly proclaim, "The Gu family of Tianshui presents a celadon lotus-shaped vase—"

How did the Gu family of Tianshui suddenly appear?

Yu Qi suspected there was something wrong with his ears. Following the sound, he looked towards the door and saw a young man in white standing with his hands behind his back, talking quietly with the steward.

His dark hair was half-tied up, and he was not wearing a crown. He was about the same age as me, but his figure was extremely tall and upright.

Tsk, are all the young masters of the Gu family cut from the same mold? Why are they all so tall?

Just as Yu Qi was secretly grumbling to himself, the man in white suddenly turned around, revealing a handsome profile. Yu Qi was immediately stunned, forgetting to chew the meatball in his mouth, and stood there with his cheeks puffed out.

It looks just like it, so much like it.

Judging from his appearance, this must be the young master of the Gu family.

Thinking this, he subconsciously reached out to beckon the other person over, but just as he raised his arm, he suddenly remembered that he had acted on his own initiative and displeased Song San, and his busy mind abruptly stopped.

Well then, if these two brothers have a deep bond, they will naturally meet. Why is he pretending to be so helpful?

He awkwardly withdrew his hand, picked up the tea on the table, and took a small sip. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the young master of the Gu family being led by the steward to sit down in the seat diagonally opposite him.

As if sensing something, Gu Shaoyang caught a glimpse of a burning gaze amidst the noise, and stared back without flinching.

Their eyes met suddenly, but Yu Qi couldn't hold back and choked on the tea with a "pfft," coughing uncontrollably.

Only when he coughed until his face turned red and his eyes blazed with fire did the young master Gu nod at him, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Yu Qi's temples throbbed with rage.

Wow, what kind of person is this!

-

In the pitch-black bedroom, the air was so cold it was almost stagnant.

The copper coin struck with remarkable accuracy, grazing Zhao Yu's fingertip before embedding itself in the inside of the canopy bed with a dull thud. The pill between his fingers rolled down and sank into the folds of the bedding.

At the same time, a figure suddenly darted out, reaching out to snatch the demon core. "Zhao Yu, let her go!"

The Prince of Nancheng's face immediately turned ashen. He had no time to think about the newcomer's intentions; his mind was only on his sister.

This life-saving pill must be fed to Luan'er today, no matter what. It is her only chance of survival, and no one is allowed to destroy it!

In a flash, he reached out and grabbed the pill again, then grabbed the woman's chin with one hand and, as she opened her lips, shoved the pill inside.

Because of the time constraint, he didn't even bother to soften his strength, and his movements were almost rough as he pressed against the pill, watching it slide down the woman's throat and bulge out in a distinct arc.

"Luan'er... Luan'er..." He almost frantically pulled the woman's cold body into his arms, his arms like iron clamps, firmly holding her waist, and gently swaying her from side to side.

This horrifying scene chilled Song Qiling to the bone, leaving her feet feeling as if they were nailed to the ground.

After a long pause, she finally found her voice: "What have you done...?"

Amidst the utter absurdity, she suddenly regained a sliver of reason and rushed forward to separate the people: "That's a demon core! Are you crazy? Let go! It's not too late to spit out the demon core now!"

Unexpectedly, the man's ten fingers were as if welded shut, and no matter how she tore at them, they did not budge. Song Qiling gritted her teeth and had no choice but to exert force with her palm and chop at the side of his neck!

As the chop landed, Zhao Yu's body stiffened abruptly, then collapsed, pressing heavily onto the woman.

Song Qiling swiftly separated the two, then pressed her palm against the woman's back, attempting to force the pill out.

Unexpectedly, the moment my hand landed, it felt soft to the touch, as if I had sunk into a clump of melting snow.

Cool and strangely soft.

The woman's body silently collapsed and dissolved under his hands, eventually turning into a viscous paste that spread and flowed between her fingers, almost swallowing and engulfing her palm.

Song Qiling's fingertips trembled as she raised her hand, her lips parted, and she silently uttered two words—

Mother.

-

With a short gasp, Song Qiling kicked over the bamboo pillow beside her feet, struggled to sit up, and reached into the bedding to find the pill with purple demonic patterns.

It's strange, though. It's still the same canopy bed, but it seems to have absorbed her body heat and become warm and cozy.

The bedding was soft and smelled of pear blossoms. Even after she rubbed it several times, no wrinkles appeared.

The sound of light footsteps approached from afar, and the woman's soft voice held a hint of worry: "Princess, did you have another nightmare?"

Song Qiling stiffly turned her head, watching the unfamiliar-looking girl dressed as a maid approach her, a chill suddenly rising in her heart. "What did you call me?"

"Princess, please don't frighten me. Have you been sleeping too long and are having a nightmare?" The maidservant placed a cup of hot tea on a low stool beside the bed, took out a handkerchief from her waist, folded it neatly, and gently wiped Song Qiling's sweaty forehead.

Song Qiling lowered her eyes to look at the thin silk nightgown she was wearing and the long, black hair that fell in front of her chest, and her mind immediately started buzzing.

An illusion, yet another illusion.

Did that demon core take effect so quickly?

She turned her head away from the maid's hand, got out of bed, and ran outside barefoot on the cold floor tiles as if possessed.

The maidservant chased after her, her tone shifting, the last syllable rising in pitch, becoming increasingly shrill and grating, "Princess, where are you going... running away again... why are you running away again!"

Song Qiling ran forward tirelessly, but felt the vermilion gate, which was within reach, getting further and further away from her, as if an invisible force was preventing her from leaving the house.

The rustling sound of footsteps rose from all directions, like dung beetles crawling through the grass, continuous and never stopping.

The increasingly loud sound pounded against her eardrums and climbed onto her face.

It's noisy.

She tried to make a hand seal, but her fingers wouldn't open no matter what she did. Looking down, she saw that her ten fingers were wrapped in layers of cloth.

It looks like a rice dumpling.

"Go and invite the Heavenly Master. Qiuju, go and get the rope."

"What's wrong with the princess?"

"He's possessed again... He says he's going to find his brother..."

"Didn't we feed him incense ash water to ward off evil spirits? How come he's possessed again?"

"Quick, tie her up!"

She tried to open her mouth to retort, but no sound came out. She felt her tongue being pressed against a cloth, unable to move at all.

How did she become like this?

She stopped in her tracks, looking around blankly.

Countless heads, like stars, emerged one after another, crowding around him from above. Their blank faces were covered only by bright red lips, which revealed two rows of terrifyingly white teeth when they opened their mouths to speak.

The stench was clearly sprayed onto her head, face, and neck, as if it had licked her entire body; the foul, pungent odor was nauseating.

who is she?

She blinked, barely recognizing them from their grimacing mouths.

She is Zhao Luan.

Princess.

Princess Zhaoyi.

"It's all that monster who disregards human ethics that has harmed Your Highness like this."

"Princess, do not be afraid. This is a magic pill given by the Celestial Master. After you eat it, all evil spirits will leave your precious body."

"Princess, be good, open your mouth."

"Come help me hold her down!"

"Get water! Get water!"

A hard, round object was forcefully shoved into her mouth, tearing her lips. Hot, sweet-smelling blood slid down her chin and neck, soaking her clothes.

Her heart was pounding, and nausea surged from her abdomen to her throat. She opened her mouth, but before she could vomit, a large, cold hand suddenly pressed against her lips, sealing them tightly without leaving a gap.

"Swallow it, you have to swallow it."

"Princess, you'll get better if you swallow it."

"No need for water, go get a handkerchief, roll it up tightly and gag the princess!"

A large hand covered her mouth and nose, making it difficult for her to breathe. Princess Zhao Luan rolled her eyes as she suffocated.

She obediently swallowed it.

Didn't you say you could just swallow it?

Why are you still tying her up?

Her mouth hurt, her hands hurt, her stomach hurt, her whole body ached. She wanted to see her brother…

"The princess is asleep!"

"The Celestial Master's elixir is truly effective; the princess no longer wishes to escape!"

"Quickly inform Her Majesty the Empress that the princess is ready and will be married to her husband tomorrow!"

Zhao Luan struggled to open her eyes and saw a thick red blood before her. Her tongue was still stuffed with a handkerchief, making it hard for her to breathe. She looked down and saw that her hands were tightly bound by a thin, hidden rope under the red edge.

She moved her hand, and as expected, a piercing pain struck, but it didn't make her even flinch.

Her tightly combed hair pulled her eyebrows and eyes high, and the heavy headdress pressed her down, sealing her away completely from the inside out.

Suddenly, a long, red-lacquered pole shot into view, scattering a crimson light in front of her.

"May the princess be blessed." The man's cold voice rang out, his face appearing particularly eerie in the glow of the red candlelight.

He was exceptionally handsome, with high eyebrows, deep-set eyes, a straight and prominent nose, and bright red lips, as if he had stepped out of a painting.

But there was no warmth in his eyes; when he looked at her, it was as if he were looking at an object.

He opened his mouth, his voice flat and even: "It is the greatest blessing of Song Xian's life to have gained Your Highness's favor. Your Highness, after tonight's wedding night, we can become true husband and wife. I will help Your Highness give birth to a baby smoothly, to continue the royal line and give the Empress an explanation."

He spoke too fast for Zhao Luan to understand what he was saying. Perhaps it was the effect of the medicine, or perhaps she had been unconscious for too long and her mind was in a daze, as if a pot of paste was being cooked.

The next moment, I felt the world spinning around me.

With a little effort, Song Xian pushed her down onto the pillows and calmly untied her belt and removed her clothes.

He lay on top of her, tearing away her last layer of clothing, and whispered intimately in her ear, his tone icy, like a venomous snake: "Tell me, if Zhao Yu saw you like this, wouldn't he hate you terribly, my princess?"

A low moan escaped her throat, and hot tears flowed like a broken string of pearls, sliding down her cheeks and disappearing into her temples.

Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu.

...

She didn't know how many times she had recited it in her heart until her throat became hoarse, and the cloth ball pressed against her tongue suddenly loosened, allowing Song Xian's tall and heavy body to leave her.

He straightened his disheveled sleeves and crooked collar, his face returning to its respectful demeanor, looking down at her as if it were a routine matter.

"Your Highness, the imperial physician said that Your Highness needs to lie flat for half an hour."

“Ah, I forgot.” He suddenly laughed, a hint of malice in his eyes. “Your Highness’s hands and feet are bound, so naturally you can’t move.”

Zhao Luan's eyes were bloodshot as she looked at her nominal husband—the current top scholar, Song Xian.

He stood ramrod straight, just as dignified as when he entered, even his clothes were intact.

Her voice was hoarse, and she barely managed to utter her first words of the night: "Song Xian...you...you will die a horrible death..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the young scholar nodded slightly and said nonchalantly, "To die at the feet of the princess would be a sweet and joyful thing for me."

He deliberately emphasized the word "husband," which made Zhao Luan's blood rush to her head, and she coughed up blood. Her breathing became rapid, her chest heaving violently, and her eyes were filled with hatred.

The humiliation of today will surely be repaid in full one day.

She wanted to kill him with her own hands!