Chapter 57: Disemboweling the prey on the chopping board...
"plaything?"
The two words were carefully savored by the lips and tongue, and then uttered wetly from the mouth.
Soft, yet it exudes a chilling danger.
Ji Chengning's back tensed instinctively, and his hand reached into his sleeve without thinking.
It was completely empty.
His heart skipped a beat.
The next moment, a smile suddenly appeared from beneath the eerie mask. He snuggled close to Ji Chengnin's neck affectionately, and instead of being angry, he shamelessly replied, "I am your plaything."
Ji Chengnin: "..."
This was the first time the young marquis had ever seen someone even more shameless than himself. He was deeply impressed and, in his extreme anger, burst out laughing.
However, his eyes had no curve.
The head then slid down.
Cold, hard, and bizarre, like a monster in a gay ghost story that has only a beautiful head to lure people in, and then feeds them on blood and flesh.
A layer of small bumps immediately appeared behind Ji Chengning's ear.
"stop."
He said.
The head's owner seemed oblivious, sliding down until the mask's straight, cold nose touched the loose belt of the undergarment.
She raised her eyes, looking at Ji Chengnin with a gaze that seemed both provocative and alluring.
The latter's fingers tightened suddenly as he gripped the quilt.
The evil spirit lowered its head.
He stared intently, as if searching for a convenient place to begin—to gut the prey on the chopping board.
A sharp excitement and a furious anger at being defied burned together, making Ji Chengnin's scalp tingle. He could no longer hold back, so he grabbed the demon's hair, which was scattered like spider silk, inserted his five fingers into it and clenched it tightly, then pulled it back hard.
The evil spirit seemed to be taken aback for half a second.
Before he could react, a slap landed squarely on his face without hesitation.
"Smack!"
Ji Chengning showed no mercy, the black iron mask returning all the force he had applied, making his wrist ache.
The person who was beaten was clearly in a worse situation than him.
The evil spirit was slapped hard across the face by Young Master Ji, who had just been obedient and quiet, allowing him to play with him at will. Caught off guard, he turned his face to the side for a moment, and his whole head was buzzing.
He closed his eyes briefly, then quickly opened them again.
Anyone with a modicum of self-respect would dislike being slapped by another person.
He was not surprised.
Strangely, besides the instinctive surge of anger, he felt more excited.
Like scalding honey water flowing down the throat, a sweet, lingering, yet intensely painful excitement.
So Ji Chengning watched as the hideous ghost face slowly turned toward him, as if to confirm something, and pressed the mask into his palm.
Ji Chengnin's first reaction was to throw the thing away.
But the "demon" was still a living person, with its head still attached to its neck, so of course he couldn't throw it away. What's more, there were two hands tightly gripping his wrists, forcing him to wrap his arms around his mask.
Along with it, the face covered by the mask.
Despite being shielded from all tactile sensation by the iron mask, he inexplicably felt the warmth of Ji Chengnin's fingertips.
The icy evil spirits were drooling over the warm human body.
He buried his face in Ji Chengnin's palm and murmured as if in a dream, "That's how it should be, that's how it should be."
Ji Chengnin stared at the other person in silence.
Now that it's broad daylight, he must invite some experts to exorcise the evil spirits!
Through the barely perceptible moonlight streaming into the room, Ji Chengning could barely make out a tall, dark silhouette lying on top of him.
Shadows flickered and swayed across the silver-gray mask. The eye sockets of the mask were deliberately sculpted upwards by its owner, but at this moment, its owner had his eyes lowered and was uttering morbid and delirious babbling that only comes out when a person has a high fever.
This was an extremely bizarre scene.
It was as if two pairs of eyes overlapped, yet did not completely merge; one pair stared at him blankly, while the other gazed intently at his body.
It felt like he could be swallowed whole at any moment.
It was terrifying.
Ji Chengnin gritted his teeth, trying to pull his hand back, but the slight sound startled the ghostly figure lying in his palm.
The ghostly figure suddenly looked up.
The mask pressed firmly against Ji Chengnin's palm. "If anyone slights the young master, the young master should beat him like this," he said, offering his face to Ji Chengnin's hand, only to be pushed away in disgust. "No, you can't do that."
His eyes were flushed with a layer of obsessive infatuation.
Although the shock made me dizzy and nauseous, it wasn't painful enough.
Why would you hit someone with your bare hands?
He even felt a little resentful; if the young marquis had a thin blade between his five fingers, he wouldn't have to worry about this.
“Whoever dares to treat you like this, you shall kill him,” he said, his lips parting and his tone so beautiful it seemed as if he were whispering sweet nothings to Ji Chengning. He held one of Ji Chengning’s hands and pressed it against the mask, using it as a thin line of his lips. “If Your Highness does not wish to dirty your hands, I shall kill him for you.”
Ji Chengning couldn't hold back and slapped him again.
The demon chuckled softly, "Good boy."
Ji Chengnin sneered.
Then that hand wrapped around his lower abdomen and pulled him close to her body.
It was perfectly sealed and airtight.
"Go to sleep, Your Highness," he soothed gently. "There's official business tomorrow."
Ji Chengning thought he wouldn't be able to sleep.
But whether it was the calming incense's effect that was too good, the comfortable fatigue after some kind of desire was fulfilled, or the evil spirit behind him being too cold, which just happened to neutralize his heat.
Ji Chengnin struggled a couple of times but couldn't break free, so he let him hold him.
His breathing gradually stabilized.
In dreams, one is unaware of the years and months.
As far as Ji Chengning could see, the sky and earth were all white, as if an endless snowfall was falling.
He reached out to touch it, but what fell into his palm was not snowflakes, but fine, smooth strands of silk.
What……?
He stared blankly into thought.
The snow-white world suddenly trembled violently, and a deep, dark crack was forcibly torn out.
He seemed to be swayed and bewitched by some rambling, and slowly stepped forward.
He lowered his head.
A pair of pale green eyes suddenly lit up, gazing at him with greed and infatuation.
His instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm made him retreat abruptly.
Ji Chengnin suddenly realized that what enveloped the entire world was not heavy snow.
Yes, spider silk!
He opened his eyes abruptly.
As dawn broke.
Ji Chengnin seemed to still be in a dream, and hesitantly looked around.
He was still in his bedroom, and everything seemed normal.
Only the incense burner inlaid with the mythical beast was still slowly releasing a calming and warm fragrance.
Ji Chengning pressed hard on his brow.
"Your Highness."
A soft, pleasant voice interrupted his thoughts.
Ji Chengning's spirits lifted. "A-Yao!" He threw off the covers and was about to get out of bed excitedly when he suddenly remembered something and froze. "Wait for me, I'll be right out."
Cui Yao said, "Okay."
The voice was soft and gentle, as warm as a spring breeze.
How could someone like that be connected to that inhuman creature from last night? Ji Chengnin suddenly realized.
Then he was taken aback.
Why do I think this way?
He shook his head vigorously, trying to clear his mind of the jumbled thoughts.
After changing his clothes and washing up, Ji Chengning opened the door and saw Cui Yao standing under the eaves.
His figure was tall and slender, and although his robes were dark in color, they made his skin appear even whiter, almost like a jade fan.
Hearing the sound, Cui Yao looked up at him, her clear eyes filled with a gentle smile.
Ji Chengnin was stunned for a few moments, then tightened his grip on the fan ribs.
Then, they gradually loosened up.
He was clearly happy, but he deliberately put on a stern face, let out a soft snort from his nose, and walked past Cui Yao.
The smile in Cui Yao's eyes froze for a moment.
Ji Chengning glanced at it out of the corner of his eye.
My cousin was completely bewildered, a look of helplessness crossing her face. She couldn't understand what she had done to deserve such cold treatment.
"Your Highness?" He carefully chose his words and spoke cautiously.
There was a sense of bewilderment, and a barely perceptible feeling of grievance, but no anger.
Like dough, it has a soft and yielding nature that can be kneaded and rolled at will.
Ji Chengning could no longer keep a straight face. He grabbed Cui Yao's sleeve and snorted, "A Yao is a very busy person. I haven't seen her for several days and she hasn't even sent a letter. I sent so many letters, but there has been no response."
Cui Yao's previously droopy eyes suddenly lit up.
Then he immediately realized what was happening, touched his nose, and looked at Ji Chengnin embarrassedly.
That's true.
Ji Chengning couldn't find the time to go to the Cui residence, but he did write several letters, some long and some short, and sent people to deliver rare books and other items he had taken from Mr. Li, but his cousin did not respond.
This made Ji Chengning wonder if he had remembered the location of the Cui residence wrong.
"The affairs are indeed very complicated," Cui Yao admitted humbly, "I'm sorry to have troubled the Crown Prince."
Ji Chengnin scoffed, "Who cares about someone as heartless as you?"
After speaking, he turned and left.
Cui Yao raised her lips slightly.
His tone remained gentle, "If the young master does not like it, I will hand over the management of the Cui family's businesses to the steward in the future."
Even Ji Chengning, a man who was known for his blatant greed, felt his ears burning. He turned his head sharply and met Cui Yao's blank yet clear eyes. He was speechless with cold words and could only say with exasperation, "With such a good nature, I'm really afraid you'll be bullied."
When Ji Chengning first met Cui Yao, he felt that Cui Yao was gentle but sharp-tongued. After getting to know him better, he realized that Cui Yao was soft-hearted and had no edge. In some aspects, he could be described as having no bottom line.
“With the Crown Prince protecting me,” Cui Yao stepped forward to catch up with Ji Chengning, “who would dare to bully me?”
Ji Chengnin was finally satisfied, raised his chin, and snorted triumphantly.
The two of them rode together to the government office.
...
At this moment, inside the palace.
The Wei Dynasty lasted for nearly two hundred years, and the current Luoyang Imperial City was built on the foundation of the previous dynasty's capital. Since its completion, palace servants have often said that ghostly figures linger in the palace, and that dark, flickering human figures are often seen at night.
Dark clouds loomed overhead, and palace servants hurried past the long-abandoned halls.
“Listen,” a young eunuch suddenly shivered, “is someone crying?”
His companion shrank back in fright and cursed, "Where did this ghost come from in broad daylight? Run, run!"
Although he said he didn't believe it, his steps became more and more hurried.
The young eunuch who had spoken earlier was even more frightened and hurriedly followed.
The two of them jogged away, as if fleeing.
The wind rustled the leaves.
The gilded plaque, long neglected for repairs, has faded, and the three characters "Xingqing Palace" are faintly visible in the grayish ink.
Inside the courtyard of Xingqing Palace, withered grass grows lush and tall, almost knee-high. Only where there used to be a road has a narrow path been trodden out, with grass branches lying horizontally.
"Godfather!"
A piercing scream rang out from the dilapidated palace.
If the eunuch who had just startled him had heard this, he would have been terrified, for it wasn't a ghost, but a person.
"Godfather, I was just confused for a moment and did something wrong. I beg you, Godfather, please forgive me this time, since I entered the palace at the age of nine and have been with you. I will serve you like a slave for the rest of my life to repay your kindness!"
Qin Min stared at the little eunuch in front of him, a hint of reluctance flashing across his face.
"Godfather!" Seeing that Qin Min was moved, the eunuch immediately knelt down at Qin Min's feet, hugged his boots tightly, and cried with snot and tears streaming down his face. "Please save your son."
Qin Min sighed softly, reached out, and touched the eunuch's hair.
Seeing that things seemed to be turning around, the other bound eunuchs all started to grunt.
Several guards looked at Qin Min with difficulty.
Qin Min lightly raised his hand.
The guards understood and immediately grabbed the snot-covered eunuch, neatly binding his arms. "Damn it... ugh!"
Qin Min pulled out a rope, his face full of pity. "Good child, you can only blame yourselves for being born with a weak destiny and no good fortune." As he spoke gently, the rope was wrapped around the eunuch's neck. The little eunuch's eyes widened, and his veins bulged as if they were about to burst. "You have the life to earn money, but not the life to enjoy it. Good child, go."
He let go.
One of the guards took the rope and pulled it outwards with both hands.
"Crack—"
The neck bone was torn off.
The little eunuch kicked his legs for only two or three seconds, struggled weakly for a few moments, and then collapsed limply.
Qin Min covered his unseeing eyes, "Good child, I will definitely burn more scrolls of the Rebirth Sutra for you."
The eyelids were closed.
The few surviving eunuchs were filled with rage and struggled desperately, but to no avail.
Qin Min sighed, "May I be reborn into a good family in my next life."
He nodded.
The guards obeyed the order, and the sound of bones breaking was incessant.
"Take him out of the palace and put him to death." Qin Min casually covered the face of the little eunuch who had been pleading with him, and the warmth on his face vanished instantly. He said coldly to the head eunuchs who were standing respectfully to the side, "You see clearly, this is the end for those who betray their masters and act on their own."
"We, your humble servants, humbly accept your instruction—"
...
The matter of the scholars of Jiuqiu Hall being involved in leaking exam questions was dealt with swiftly. It is unclear whether this was due to the emperor's decisive action and determination to eradicate this scourge, or whether he simply wanted to resolve the matter quickly and minimize its impact.
"Xiao Mian, Yu Ziyu, Hou Yanbai, and Sang Qing, scholars of the Jiuqiu Hall, blinded by greed, bribed eunuchs to leak the exam questions for the selection process. Xi Jingxing, the Vice Minister of Rites, abused his position to sell the exam papers at exorbitant prices. The imperial examination is a major policy of the court, yet it has been ruined by such villains, causing widespread shock and unrest. Even death would not be enough to quell their indignation. They are hereby stripped of their official positions, publicly executed, and all their family property confiscated. All relatives over the age of fifteen are to be sent to the Northwest as slaves. The Minister of Rites has failed in his supervisory duties and is to be fined one year's salary. Any candidate involved in the cheating is barred from participating in the imperial examination for ten years."
Not long after, the decree was issued to the whole country through the official gazette.
"As for the new imperial examination," a scholar-dressed man said, pressing his hand on the characters and reading them aloud one by one, "it is scheduled for ten days from now, with the questions set by His Majesty himself."
"Great!" Before the words were even finished, cheers erupted throughout the teahouse.
"With His Majesty in charge, let's see who dares to cheat!"
Before he could finish speaking, a scholar who was having tea upstairs couldn't help but chuckle. He was seen and quickly covered his mouth with his teacup.
His tablemate gave him a warning look, then smiled downstairs and said, "Sir, I've heard that a certain Mr. Ji made great contributions in this matter. Has the official gazette mentioned what reward he received?"
“Yes,” someone chimed in, “I have a relative who took the imperial examination. He said that on that day, Lord Ji descended like a divine warrior, arresting the cheating candidates with such impartiality and imposing presence. How did he fare?”
The crowd chattered amongst themselves. The scholar, whose eyesight was probably poor, pressed his face almost against the gazette as he read, saying, "Don't shout, don't shout! Ah, we found it! Qing Lüwei has done a meritorious service. All those who participated in the search and trial will be promoted one rank and rewarded with five hundred taels of silver." At that time, a seventh-rank official's annual salary was only two hundred taels. Moreover, for these guards, who were once considered hopeless playboys by their families, the symbolic meaning of this reward far outweighed its practical use.
Where is Lord Ji?
"Ji Chengning, the chief of the Qinglu Guard, did not report to his superiors beforehand and acted arbitrarily, which was unbecoming of an official. He showed no remorse afterward. Considering his merits, his merits and demerits will be offset, and he will be neither rewarded nor punished, in order to observe his future performance."
Upon hearing this, the once bustling teahouse fell silent for a moment.
The scholar who had just spoken stared wide-eyed in disbelief, about to speak, when someone next to him grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?"
He said bitterly, "I feel sorry for him."
The court finally produced such a capable and fearless official, yet... it received no reward whatsoever.
If it weren't for Ji Chengning stepping in, they would have been forced to accept the unfair result they knew was right. The imperial examination was a matter of life and death, and their gratitude to Ji Chengning was beyond words. How could they not feel disappointed when they heard this result?
Even bystanders are so indignant; one can only imagine how unbearable it must be for those in power.
However, contrary to everyone's expectations.
Ji Chengnin didn't hide in his room and sulk; instead, he went to Dazhao Temple alone.
He knew the way well and, without needing the young Taoist's guidance, wandered around and entered a small room on his own.
"Creak—"
The door opened.
The person who was struggling to hold the pen immediately looked up, saw that it was Ji Chengnin, and immediately relaxed.
"Young Master." He was about to get up.
Ji Chengnin strode forward and pressed him back down.
Seeing the shame on his face, Ji Chengning said with a smile, "Sit down. You're made of paper now. If you accidentally tear your wound, Chen Jian won't let me off the hook."
He was so thin he was just skin and bones, clearly still recovering from serious injuries, yet his complexion was rosy, and the deathly aura that had previously lingered on his face had vanished.
This person was none other than Zhang Yuhuai, whose remains had long since vanished, according to rumors.
“I’ve come today to ask you,” Ji Chengnin said, peeling an orange, “what are your plans for the future? Do you want to go home to study again and enter officialdom, or do you want to do something else?”
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