Chapter 65 She still has some conscience
Yun Kui returned to Songyuan, her mind still in a daze. In just half a day, her mood had been fluctuating, and her rapid heartbeat had not yet stopped.
She had heard Qi Chengye's words since she was a child, like an old, scabbed wound being torn open again and again. She had long been numb to the pain, but that did not mean she was indifferent to these insults and humiliations.
It seems that God saw that she was living too comfortably and wanted to throw her back into the mud so that she would realize where she came from, which is why she met Qi Chengye today.
Just because she entered the palace, became a palace maid, received a new name, and started a new life doesn't mean she's no longer the same Ah Kui she used to be.
When I close my eyes, all I can think of are unpleasant memories from my childhood.
She was surrounded by the neighbor's children who called her a bastard. She earned money by washing clothes for others, but the lady of the house disliked her for her unclean background and specifically refused to let her wash clothes. Her aunt called her a "little slut" all the time, and her cousin followed suit, calling her that since she was a child...
It wasn't until she finally escaped that home with great difficulty that she felt like a drowning person climbing ashore. Even though the shore was full of thorns, it was still much better than the almost suffocating life she had lived before.
For so many years, I never inquired about my uncle's family, assuming they were all dead. Entering the palace meant a complete farewell to the past.
But she never expected that on her first trip out of the palace and to such an unfamiliar place as Pingzhou Prefecture, she would unexpectedly encounter Qi Chengye.
Just when he was spouting nonsense, she was in a sorry state, and everyone was watching and laughing at her, His Highness the Crown Prince appeared.
Having witnessed his seemingly emotionless demeanor countless times, she could assure her that amidst all the foul language, His Highness's emotions were far from being as calm as they appeared.
He must have been very angry, but he suppressed it and didn't let it out. The atmosphere around him remained cold and icy, making one feel as if they were in an ice cellar.
But he said he would always protect her and wouldn't allow anyone to bully her, and even called her "Madam" in front of everyone...
As soon as the address was uttered, she could clearly feel a moment of silence around her, followed by countless gazes falling on her.
Whispers began to circulate among the crowd, saying that this girl was no "concubine" at all, but clearly someone's legal wife, whose powerful and influential husband had come to support her.
Undeniably, she did harbor a secret, self-deceiving joy.
It's as if, amidst the torrent of abuse, someone came out to vindicate her, proving that she was also a daughter born into a respectable family and a woman who was properly married.
But what's the truth? The palace maids who served the emperor were probably not as good as the concubines.
She didn't know why His Highness called her that way. Before this, His Highness had repeatedly forbidden her from being arrogant because of his favor. Even though His Highness had told her that he "had intentions" to her, he would turn around and refuse to admit it.
Eunuch Cao said that His Highness liked her. She thought that there was indeed some liking and some concern, but she didn't know to what extent. Perhaps it was like His Majesty's affection for every concubine in his harem, who was willing to reward them with gold, silver and jewels and respectable status.
His Highness treated her the same way.
Perhaps it's a little special, because she was his first bedmate.
Even so, the status of the Crown Prince's principal wife was something she would never dare to dream of. Only a well-bred lady from a noble family, who was knowledgeable, gentle, and virtuous, and whose flaws could not be found even in a hair, would have the potential to become the mother of the nation.
What makes her worthy of being called "Madam"?
It's easy to guess why His Highness wanted to interrogate Qi Chengye alone.
It's probably intentional to give her a title. After all, to be listed in the royal register, one's entire family must be named and have a clean record. If His Highness really finds out how her mother gave birth to her, he probably won't promote her anymore.
They could even extract more information from Qi Chengye, such as that Zhu Yuanwai. Who knows, he might embellish and fabricate a lot of lies. Can His Highness the Crown Prince really distinguish between truth and falsehood?
Thinking of this, Yun Kui sighed deeply.
Indeed, people should recognize their own status early on and not have any unrealistic fantasies. Otherwise, they will be blinded by temporary favors, gradually fueling their greed, and then, like her now, become anxious about gains and losses, ultimately failing to grasp anything.
Well, this is for the best.
Anyway, she has already slept with the most heroic and extraordinary man in the world and enjoyed the world's top male beauty, so she has no regrets.
So be it. His Highness never belonged to her anyway.
...
A temporary torture chamber was set up on the back hill of Songyuan. While Qi Chengye was still unconscious, Zhao Yue reported all the information he had gathered from the pimps and other insiders.
"This man's name is Qi Chengye. He is from Kaiyang, Shandong. His father died three years ago, and his mother died last year. He is a lecherous gambler who secretly abducts girls and sells them to brothels. He often runs up debts and steals from brothels and gambling dens. Today, he was caught using counterfeit banknotes and that's why he got this beating."
The Crown Prince frowned: "He's Yun Kui's cousin?"
Zhao Yue had previously been ordered to investigate Yun Kui's family background and knew a thing or two about it, so he nodded and said, "Yes."
The Crown Prince then asked, "Have you found any new leads regarding her parents recently?"
Zhao Yue shook his head: "Miss Yun Kui's mother has never revealed any information about her father to anyone. I suspect that even she herself may not know."
The crown prince pondered for a moment, then gestured to Qin Ge, who immediately picked up a bucket of ice water and splashed it on Qi Chengye's face.
Qi Chengye was immediately brought to his senses by the icy water poured over his head. His limbs were all broken, and his whole body was in so much pain that he was convulsing. He opened his eyes and looked around in a panic, only to find that he had been locked up.
Her gaze trembled as she looked at the man on the armchair in front of her. He was dressed in a black brocade robe, with deep eyes and slightly pursed thin lips. Just sitting there without uttering a word, his powerful and chilling aura sent shivers down her spine.
Qi Chengye's pale lips trembled uncontrollably: "Who...who are you? Where is this?"
Then he noticed the fierce-looking face of the guard beside him and suddenly remembered that it was this man who had broken his limbs in the street!
Recalling the scene on the street, he broke out in a cold sweat, clenched his teeth, and his mouth was a bloody mess: "How dare you treat me like this? Is there no law anymore!"
The prince casually sipped his tea, half his face hidden in the dim candlelight, his dignified and cold expression revealing a hint of sinister intent.
He put down his teacup, then slowly raised his eyes. "How much do you know about Yun Kui's mother? Tell me the truth."
Qi Chengye was stunned for a moment: "Yun... Yun Kui?"
Crown Prince: "It's the A-Kui you know."
Qi Chengye immediately became excited, "You are A-Kui's current mistress? She... is she your concubine, or your mistress?"
"She even changed her name. Could it be that she went to be a prostitute and was later redeemed?"
"So it turns out she looked down on that fat, big-eared, pot-bellied Master Zhu, and went after his face, and ended up finding herself this kind of master."
"This man must be rich and powerful, otherwise how could he afford to feed her so well, dress her so nicely, and even have female bodyguards?"
Thinking of this, Qi Chengye immediately forced a fawning smile: "Since you are her master, then we are relatives! I am her cousin, she was raised by my parents, lived in our house for ten years, and we spent a lot of money on her..."
Noticing the man's frosty expression, he was so frightened that his tongue tied. He hurriedly replied, "Her mother is my aunt. She died after giving birth to A-Kui, but I also know about her ugly... and those things."
The Crown Prince said coldly, "Speak."
Qi Chengye's teeth chattered, and he immediately told everything he knew: "Her mother works at the clinic in our town and doesn't usually live with us. Then one day, my parents were suddenly called to town and found out that she had fallen while collecting herbs in the mountains and had a miscarriage. The doctor told her to rest, otherwise the pregnancy would not be easy to save. But she had never been married, so how could she have a child? She also refused to say who A-Kui's father was... My parents had no choice but to bring her back to take care of her. During that time, our family was also implicated by her and people pointed fingers at us."
The crown prince sneered: "If your parents hadn't coveted the savings she had accumulated from collecting herbs over the years, would they have been willing to endure criticism to take in this mother and daughter?"
Qi Chengye had been swindling and cheating for years, and was no longer afraid of being burned. He immediately said, "She was heavily pregnant, so her expenses were already higher than others. Later, we had to hire a midwife for her when she gave birth, but she just abandoned all responsibility. My mother raised her by taking care of her every need. Don't we need money for all of this?"
The crown prince recalled Zhao Yue's earlier report, and his face slowly darkened.
"The girl was beautiful from birth. The neighbors all thought that Qi Rong and his wife were raising her like a daughter-in-law. Later, the girl grew into a graceful young lady. Her aunt, Luo, changed her mind and said that such beauty would be a disaster if she stayed at home. She wanted to marry the girl off to a wealthy family in the county as a concubine, and declared that she would not marry her off if the bride price was less than a thousand taels."
The prince clenched his fist, and a turbulent undercurrent surged in his deep, dark eyes.
He could imagine the lecherous look her uncle would have in his eyes, Qi Chengye had always considered her his future wife since she was a child, and her greedy and materialistic aunt had pushed her out to be sold at a young age...
Qi Chengye looked at the man's gloomy and terrifying face, and couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine, cold sweat pouring down his back.
He frequented brothels and gambling dens, and had seen many high-ranking officials and nobles, but he had never seen a man like this before. His aura was majestic and imposing, and he exuded an innate sense of oppression with every move he made. The men under his command were all imposing and ruthless, unlike ordinary servants, but they all stood by him, holding their breath and obeying his orders without question.
With Qi Chengye's limited understanding, he couldn't even imagine his level, but that didn't stop him from feeling an extreme sense of fear, as if his life and death were in the other party's hands.
Qi Chengye's face turned pale, his heart pounded, but he still couldn't figure out his intentions.
"I was short of money today, which is why I stopped her on the street to borrow money... My family raised her all these years and has never mistreated her. My parents are now dead, and I am her only family. What... exactly do you want?"
He thought for a moment, "Or is it that you dislike her background and don't want her anymore? This has nothing to do with my family! We had no idea that her mother was having an affair..."
The prince rubbed his temples, finding the noise annoying.
He frowned and finally asked, "So you have no idea who her father is, is that right?"
Qi Chengye stammered, "I..."
"So they wanted to find out about her father, but even my parents don't know anything about him, where am I supposed to find out..."
His eyes darted around nervously, then he quickly prepared his answer: "Although I don't know right now, I can provide you with clues. I can tell you anything you want to know..."
Before he could finish speaking, the man smiled and rose from his armchair, saying casually, "You trafficked young girls, stole property, and used counterfeit money. Even if I don't kill you, the government won't let you off the hook."
Qi Chengye was stunned. The word "lonely" hit him like a heavy hammer on the top of his head, his mind buzzing, as if his soul had been ripped out.
"You..." He opened his mouth wide, but couldn't utter a single word.
Even the most ignorant and shallow common people know what a noble status this self-designation represents.
That was someone he could never look up to in his entire life.
The crown prince seemed to ponder for a moment, then spoke in a cold voice: "Cut out his tongue and throw him into the bustling marketplace. Let those who want money ask for money, and those who seek revenge seek revenge. Don't worry about him. If he is still alive after ten days, hand him over to the Pingzhou government office."
Qi Chengye was instantly struck dumb, his whole body trembling, large beads of cold sweat rolling down his forehead. "You...you guys..."
Before he could curse or beg for mercy, two guards immediately stepped forward and forcefully pinned the struggling man to the ground.
As the prince stepped out of the door, he soon heard a heart-wrenching scream of pain.
He closed his eyes, stroking the jade thumb ring on his finger, his expression calm, seemingly oblivious to everything.
Zhao Yue followed.
After a moment's thought, the Crown Prince instructed, "Find the clinic where Lady Qi worked back then, and find out all the relevant details. Also, find out all the places Lady Qi visited before and after her pregnancy, including but not limited to government offices, temples, temple fairs, and mountains. Find out all the people she met whose identities are questionable, as well as all the big and small events that happened in Kaiyang County back then, such as banditry, famine, sacrifices, and hunting. All the outside officials, guards, monks, and sorcerers must be carefully investigated."
Zhao Yue immediately bowed and accepted.
Just as the crown prince was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something and glanced into the room: "Throw the person away, so as not to offend her eyes."
Back in the main room, Huai Zhu and Huai Qing were standing outside. When they saw him coming, they immediately bowed and greeted him.
The Crown Prince nodded slightly, but unusually, he heard the thoughts of the two female guards.
"I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to wear that... armor."
"No matter what, it's a token of the young lady's affection; His Highness shouldn't be so furious."
The prince thought to himself, "She even bought me armor?"
They still have some conscience.
The prince's brow, which had been furrowed all day, finally relaxed at this moment.
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