Chapter 62 Pampering (Two Chapters Combined) Please see the author's note...
An unnamed kiss, beginning with a flutter of the heart.
No need for probing; action is the best response.
Although they had kissed many times, this was the first time Yu Wenxue had taken the initiative during the day. Her heart was pounding, and she was feeling flustered. She shyly covered her burning face and ran ahead.
Gu Yun Shen stood still, his gaze fixed on the silk ribbons fluttering in her hair, his thin lips slightly parted, revealing a tenderness and doting affection that even he himself did not realize.
Because there were still many people following behind them, the two did not flirt in the street. While strolling around, Yu Wenxue told Fan Zhuo about asking her to deliver something to Chen Rourou.
Gu Yunshen didn't remember who Chen Rourou was, but he still agreed: "Leave it to me."
Yu Wenxue quickly waved her hand, refusing, "No need, no need."
It wasn't that he was worried Chen Rourou would try anything to cling to him, but rather that if Chen Rourou did use any tricks, Gu Yunshen would swiftly deal with her...
The streets were bustling with people, and the cries of vendors rose and fell. Suzhou was located on the border and was frequently harassed by neighboring small countries. The people had become accustomed to this and continued to do business as usual.
Whenever she passed by stalls selling trinkets, Yu Wenxue would stop for a while, looking left and right, finding everything novel and interesting.
In the end, I bought five clay figurines, each with a different shape and appearance.
She carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief, picked up a clay figure at random, waved it in front of Gu Yun Shen, and said, "This smiling clay figure is for Qing Wan."
"I presented it to my cousin with a blank expression on my face."
"The one with the round, chubby face is Atao."
"The smiling one is Guan Nan... Don't you think it's a good match?"
Gu Yun Shen looked down at her, his tone ambiguous: "You care about many people."
"Because they are all very good to me." Yu Wenxue took out the remaining two clay figures, their chubby faces rosy red, a man in red and a woman in green, leaning close together, looking extremely well-matched.
She gave him one of the boy dolls and said with a smile, "This is you."
Gu Yun Shen stroked the clay figure in his hand; its face was as big as its body, and its eyes were so big from laughing that they were almost invisible.
He was actually quite ugly, and didn't resemble her at all, but he still held her in his arms, even fantasizing wildly: if only she were a clay figure, only listen to him, and only smile at him...
*
The next day, Yu Wenxue asked Atao to get her a set of clothes, intending to disguise herself as a cook delivering meals and sneak into the barracks to find Chen Rourou.
As soon as she stepped out, she was stopped by a man with a soft, effeminate voice: "Miss, do you know which way to the Prefect's Mansion?"
A strange, perfumed scent wafted to her nose, and Yu Wenxue wrinkled her nose, pointing to the plaque behind her, "Here..."
The man looked embarrassed and gave an awkward smile: "I'm sorry, young lady, we can't read."
It turns out they were from the Imperial Household Department.
Yu Wenxue nodded, said hello, and then left.
It's June, and the weather is getting hotter. Many street vendors have set up stalls to sell iced drinks, but today is unusually quiet.
Yu Wenxue, carrying her bundle, deliberately slowed her pace.
Someone is following her.
Because it was not appropriate for the news of Chen Rourou's intrusion into the military camp disguised as a man to be spread, she specifically instructed the bodyguard who usually protected her not to follow her.
Clearly, those footsteps didn't belong to him.
When she reached the corner of the alley, she suddenly stopped and sprinkled a handful of sleeping pills behind her.
Unfortunately, she was no match for her opponent's speed. By the time she realized what was happening, her neck had already been slashed, and she collapsed to the ground unconscious.
...
Endless darkness filled her vision. Yu Wenxue rubbed her aching neck and struggled to sit up.
"Ouch, girl, you really went too far! My husband almost choked to death on your sleeping potion!"
Whose voice is that if not the eunuch who asked for directions earlier?
Given the current uncertain situation, Yu Wenxue dared not act rashly and could only apologize, saying, "I'm sorry."
"Hmph~" The eunuch didn't say much, rolled his eyes, and swayed away.
It's so dark here, and there's a strong musty smell; it's obvious that it never sees sunlight.
Based on her extensive reading experience, this environment was most likely a dungeon. As for who had captured her and brought her here, she could glean some clues from the eunuch.
Unable to see in the darkness, Yu Wenxue could only rub her hands and squat on the ground.
Why did the Crown Prince capture her? To use her as a hostage to blackmail Gu Yun Shen?
On the other side of the wall, the guard knelt on the ground, cold sweat pouring from his forehead: "This subordinate dared not disobey Madam's orders. I accidentally lost her and am willing to accept punishment."
Atao said anxiously, "Lord Gu, Wenxue said she would definitely come before noon, but I haven't seen her by the afternoon. I was worried that something might have happened, but I didn't expect..."
Gu Yunshen's expression was calm as he lightly tapped the table with his fingertips and said slowly, "Go and collect twenty strokes of the military rod."
After saying that, he turned to Atao and Yan Liang and said, "I am aware of this matter. I'm sorry to trouble you both to take care of Wenxue."
Atao wanted to say something more, but Yan Liang stopped her and shook his head at her.
After they left, Gu Yun Shen quietly went to the backyard of the prefect's mansion.
*
"You are the fiancée that Gu Yun Shen mentioned?" The Crown Prince leaned against the couch, his face pale, his eyes sunken, and his appearance ghostly.
A few candles were lit inside the dungeon, instantly illuminating the previously pitch-black environment.
The candlelight was dim, but she was still startled by the sudden light. Yu Wenxue subconsciously raised her sleeve to shield her eyes and squinted.
This was her first time being alone with the Crown Prince face to face. To prevent him from tampering with the incense burner, she deliberately tore her handkerchief into pieces and stuffed two wads of silk into her nostrils.
Not receiving a reply from her, the Crown Prince forced himself to sit up, lazily lifted his eyelids, and cut to the chase: "I heard you have a heart ailment?"
Yu Wenxue was not surprised. After all, he was the Crown Prince, and it was not difficult for him to find out anything. She calmly replied, "It's just a problem I was born with."
The crown prince spoke without much emotion: "Let's not beat around the bush. I know a renowned physician who may be able to cure your illness."
Yu Wenxue smiled and said, "I'm afraid no one can cure my illness."
"There is no disease in this world that Dr. Zhang cannot cure."
Yu Wenxue didn't speak. She first looked at the Crown Prince's immobile leg, then sighed, blinked her innocent eyes at him, and said, "That's really amazing!"
"..."
The crown prince was speechless, choked by her gaze.
She hadn't said anything, yet she inexplicably felt mocked.
That stupid woman can't even understand the unspoken meaning; no wonder she can hang out with that madman!
A madman and a fool, they're a perfect match!
He cleared his hoarse throat and lowered his tone: "As long as you coax him to drink this, kill Gu Yun Shen for me, and steal the antidote for the Gu poison, I will not only send someone to cure your illness, but also guarantee you a life of wealth and honor for the rest of your life."
Yu Wenxue bit her lower lip, feigning hesitation, and asked, "Is it a lot of money?"
Seeing this, the crown prince was convinced that there was a chance, and said in a playful tone, "Of course."
"Whether it's gold and silver jewelry, houses and land, or anything else, as long as you ask, I will try my best to satisfy you."
"Wow, you must be really rich!" Yu Wenxue clapped her hands, pretending to be very admiring.
"..."
The crown prince choked again, his lips twitched, and his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
Even so, he still tried his best to be patient: "Well? Are you willing?"
Yu Wenxue nodded: "Okay." She stretched out her hand and twirled it in front of him: "How about this, you pay a deposit first, and I'll collect the rest after I've poisoned the food. Cash on delivery."
Why did you agree so readily?
The crown prince paused for a moment, seemingly unsure of her thoughts, before smiling and saying, "Alright. But... how can I ascertain your loyalty?"
Yu Wenxue withdrew her hand: "You speak."
“When a warrior pledges allegiance to a master, he takes a poison. He needs to take an antidote once a month. If he betrays his master, he will die suddenly.” The prince stroked the porcelain bottle in his hand and threw it in front of her: “Drink this, and I will trust you.”
Yu Wenxue stopped in her tracks, not going to catch it, nervously clutching her skirt, leaving several wrinkles on the originally smooth fabric.
I never expected him to be so suspicious; he insisted that she drink poison before he would believe her.
The crown prince glanced at her indifferently.
He wouldn't dare use a disloyal dog.
Only by firmly controlling their lives can those people obediently work for him.
"You don't have to be willing, anyway... I have other ways to kill Gu Yunshen."
Just as his patience was wearing thin, Yu Wenxue stepped forward and drank the poison without hesitation.
She was definitely faking it. I remember when she was little, she used this trick to fool her grandparents when she drank Chinese medicine. The dungeon was dimly lit, and even if the prince had good eyesight, he might not be able to see through her little trick.
She might feign surrender to lower the prince's guard and buy him time.
After "drinking" the poison, Yu Wenxue triumphantly turned the empty porcelain bottle upside down.
The prince was taken aback for a moment, then clapped his hands and burst into laughter: "This young lady is truly a heroine among women!"
He rubbed his lips, then suddenly gave a cryptic smile: "We are both sickly, so perhaps we should cherish each other even more."
"Heaven is so unfair. I am clearly the most outstanding prince, yet I happen to be the weakest and sickest... You must understand this feeling all too well, right?"
Yu Wenxue had no time for a long talk about life with him; she just wanted to leave as soon as possible. Forcing herself to agree, she said, "I understand you..."
This time, it was the crown prince's turn to remain silent.
She actually said she understood him?
Yes, only those who are equally weak can truly sympathize with each other.
Gu Yun Shen can control him, and just like that, he can control his woman.
What would it feel like to die at the hands of the one you love?
"There's a box at the very bottom of the cabinet with a thousand taels of silver notes. Consider it my deposit. You have three days to resolve this, or else..." The Crown Prince smiled meaningfully, "I will send someone to deliver a straw mat to you."
Yu Wenxue twisted her aching neck, stuffed the silver notes into her bosom, and didn't even glance at him.
Just as he was about to walk out of the prison gate, he was stopped by two burly guards.
The crown prince chuckled sinisterly, "Don't rush off. Perhaps we can discuss in detail how you came to know me?"
Yu Wenxue: He lifted a stone only to drop it on his own foot...
The Crown Prince is indeed as mediocre as rumored; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to rival the Prince of Pingkang for so many years.
How can someone so stupid have the nerve to call himself smart?
The crown prince touched his sunken face: "Since you're not engaged to him anyway, why don't you wait until he dies and then come with me?"
Yu Wenxue turned around and forced a fake smile: "The people who like me line up all the way to France. You should go to the Pacific Ocean and get your love number first."
The Crown Prince: "...Where is France?"
Yu Wenxue clutched her chest, putting on a pitiful act: "But your leg... I guess it won't even get us there yet..."
"Go see what's under her feet?"
Yu Wenxue casually shifted her skirt.
Oh no!
Why is this medicine white? It's too obvious when it falls on the ground!
The guard drew his sword, stood in front of her, and gestured for her to proceed.
Yu Wenxue didn't move, her brain working at lightning speed. She looked up and laughed, "Big brother, you have a piece of vegetable stuck in your tooth!"
The guard frowned, subconsciously covered his mouth, and secretly licked his teeth.
While he was distracted, Yu Wenxue flicked her skirt and rubbed it against the ground.
If all else fails, she'll have to resort to her cheat code.
The crown prince grew impatient, and since his view was blocked by the guards, he waved his hand and said, "I told you to look at the ground, not to look at the beauties."
The guard then came to his senses, looked down and examined the area repeatedly, and replied, "I didn't find anything unusual."
The crown prince pondered for a moment, a calculating glint in his narrow eyes. He took out a bronze sphere from his pocket and waved it in front of Yu Wenxue: "Tell me, what should you do now?"
"..." No way, is the Crown Prince going to use hypnosis?
Yu Wenxue clenched her fists tightly, letting her nails dig into her flesh, and half-closed her eyes, refusing to look at him.
The crown prince propped his chin up and continued shaking it: "You should go and kill Gu Yunshen."
"Kill him."
"Kill him..."
Yu Wenxue tried very hard not to look at the bronze ball, and eventually closed her eyes, but it seemed to have some kind of huge attraction, and she couldn't help but follow it.
Immediately afterwards, her arms were restrained, and the guard she had just fooled lifted her eyelids, leaving her nowhere to hide.
Golden phantoms kept appearing before her, and her eyelids grew heavier and heavier against her will.
As her consciousness faded, Yu Wenxue bit her lip until it bled, and soon collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness.
At the same time, an arrow shot in from outside the prison door. The arrow shaft gleamed with a cold light, and its mere presence was enough to intimidate.
"I've already told you not to eat anything given to you by strangers."
Gu Yun Shen picked up the arrow from the ground, casually tossed it aside, and put his arm around Yu Wen Xue's shoulder: "Otherwise, you'll have a stomachache when you get back."
The candlelight was dim, making it impossible to see Gu Yun Shen's expression. He ignored the Crown Prince's distorted expression and gently held Yu Wen Xue in his arms.
"If you keep running around alone, I'll have no choice but to lock you up at home."
Since Yu Wenxue couldn't hear him, she naturally couldn't respond to him. Without her usual nagging, Gu Yunshen felt inexplicably irritated.
He raised his hand and stroked her slender neck, and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that her heart was still beating vividly.
As my gaze shifted downwards, a shocking purplish-blue scar appeared starkly on her fair skin.
Gu Yun Shen pursed his lips, his clear voice suppressing his anger, and asked instead, "Who did this?"
The crowd looked at each other, but no one answered.
The leading guard drew his sword, aiming it at Gu Yun Shen's throat, but was so frightened by Gu Yun Shen's extremely threatening gaze that he retreated repeatedly.
The boy stood in the shadows, the candlelight behind him flickering, making his eyes appear even more profound, with an indifference that shouldn't belong to his age, as if he had seen through life and death.
The guard shuddered, his hand trembled, and he slashed the guard's neck.
Gu Yun Shen didn't dodge, letting a few drops of blood seep from his neck. He turned his back, tightened his grip on Yu Wen Xue's arm, and gave her a cold glance: "It's you?"
The guard swallowed hard but did not answer him.
"If you don't speak, that's you."
With someone in his arms, he couldn't free his hands to deal with them, but Gu Yunshen didn't want to put Yu Wenxue on the ground. She had said that the ground was cold and would cause her stomach to hurt.
In the end, he had no choice but to hug her tightly, holding her thigh with one hand while fiddling with the mechanism that controlled the Gu worms with the other.
With each movement, the prince's expression grew increasingly grim.
The guard was about to step forward when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
A fleeting, bright white flash appeared, and a silver needle pierced his throat. His legs went limp, unable to find support, and he collapsed to the ground, speechless. He pleaded desperately for the prince's help, whimpering, "No...it...was me..."
The Crown Prince ignored him, enduring the intense pain in his body, and his lips twitched involuntarily: "I only invited my sister-in-law over for a cup of tea. I was just about to send someone to take her back when you arrived."
This excuse sounded plausible, as if they were already used to lying. Gu Yun Shen had always enjoyed watching the hysterical, impotent rage of the dying; in the past, he would have been uncontrollably excited.
But now, his gaze never fell on the Crown Prince, but was fixed on Yu Wenxue's wounds. He said in a deep voice, "What did you feed her?"
The air was thick with tension. Seeing his concerned reaction, the Crown Prince smiled knowingly, making his already rugged face even more stiff and ghostly.
"Naturally, it's about things related to lovemaking between men and women... things that bring them ultimate pleasure..."
"I have never experienced such a beauty before. Her slender waist is so delicate that it's hard to grasp, her eyes are about to cry... and her gentle voice is simply irresistible."
After he finished speaking, he carefully observed Gu Yunshen's expression, trying to find some trace of anger or resentment on his face.
No man can accept his woman writhing and submitting to another man. Wouldn't it be more interesting to incite them to fight each other?
However, things didn't go as planned. Gu Yun Shen simply smiled and turned to the side, saying, "Oh?"
"Then...which hand did you touch her with?"
He picked up the longsword, gently hooked it around the prince's sleeve, and tapped it with the blade: "This one?"
After saying that, he clapped his other hand: "Still this one?"
The prince assumed he was just angry and embarrassed, and lied without changing his expression, saying, "You probably don't know, but she said my skills in bed are a hundred times better than yours."
This remark greatly amused Gu Yun Shen, who even shrugged his shoulders. Without hesitation, he stabbed Gu Yun Shen's left hand, then pulled it out, smeared the blood from the sword evenly on Gu Yun Shen's lips, and sneered, "How dare you defile her with that mouth of yours?"
"Ah!" The prince's temples bulged with veins, and he let out a heart-wrenching scream. He stretched out his numb hand, which was stained with a large area of red.
The back of his hand was pierced, and gushing scarlet blood splattered all over the ground. The wound was so deep that the bone was visible, which showed how sharp the blade was and proved the ruthlessness of the attacker.
The eunuch behind him wiped away a bead of sweat and hurriedly stepped forward, saying, "Your Highness!"
Gu Yun Shen sniffed, his brows furrowing, then drew his sword and pointed it at the eunuch's right hand, tilting his head and twisting his neck: "She smells of you. What did you do to her?"
The eunuch was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he stumbled forward, scrambling to grab the prince's crippled leg. He roared at the stunned guards behind him, "What are you all standing there for? All of you, attack together!"
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Yun Shen grabbed the eunuch's chin with one hand and gently pried it open.
Soon, the eunuch was unable to speak. He could only roll on the ground, clutching his dislocated jaw, but he couldn't utter a single sound.
This sight only fueled Gu Yun Shen's excitement. He pressed down hard on the eunuch's arm and asked with great interest, "Was it this hand that touched her?"
The crown prince was in so much pain that he couldn't speak. Before he could even refuse, the guards swarmed around him.
He waved his hand, signaling them not to act rashly. After all, the mechanism controlling the Gu worms was still in Gu Yun Shen's hands. If they dared to touch a hair on his head, they would be the ones to suffer...
But the guards couldn't understand the prince's meaning. Instead, they mustered their courage and slashed wildly.
A gust of wind came from behind her ear, and Gu Yun Shen gently patted Yu Wen Xue's back, whispering in her ear, "I'm sorry, I made you sleep in peace."
After saying this, the tenderness on his face immediately turned into a sinister smile, revealing a mocking smile: "Hurry up, don't wake her up from her sleep."
In an instant, more than a dozen guards lay sprawled on the ground, none of them alive...
The prince gripped the back of the chair, his remaining rationality still struggling, and looked up to meet his gaze: "Even if you kill me today, you will not escape unscathed."
"An illegitimate child of mixed blood and a legitimate crown prince of noble birth, what do you think... Father Emperor would choose?"
Gu Yunshen raised an eyebrow noncommittally, "People only get caught up in these thoughts when they're clear-headed."
"Instead of worrying about your precarious position as crown prince, you should be more concerned about how well your so-called father is taking his elixirs."
The prince's lips trembled: "What do you mean by this?"
"The literal meaning." Gu Yunshen stroked Yu Wenxue's nape and rubbed it. "I didn't want to kill you, but unfortunately..."
"Your blood smells terrible, it's bothering her."
"..." What else could this be but madness?
This was the first time the crown prince had encountered such a person, and he was so angry that he felt dizzy.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the girl clinging to Gu Yun Shen, and his fingertips twitched slightly.
He took out the bronze ball, pressed it in his palm and rubbed it: "I'm afraid you can't kill me."
"Your woman has been hypnotized by me. If you want her to live, she has no choice but to obey me."
When Gu Yun Shen first heard the term "hypnosis," his deep, dark eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked in a lazy voice, "Oh?"
The crown prince gritted his teeth and said viciously, "Believe it or not, she'll do whatever I tell her to do right now?"
"She won't." Gu Yun Shen chuckled and shook his head.
If that's the case, then he should learn this secret technique.
"Whether it works or not, we'll find out once we try." With that, the prince stretched out his uninjured hand and swung the bronze ball in the air.
In that instant, their eyes met those of Yu Wenxue, who had just woken up.
The prince was overjoyed: "Quickly, come to my side."
Gu Yun Shen gazed at her quietly.
Yu Wenxue stood beside the Crown Prince with a vacant look in her eyes and extremely slow movements, as indifferent as a puppet.
He wasn't even given a glance from beginning to end.
"Look, your woman is under my control... Hahahahahahahaha..." The Crown Prince laughed loudly, immersed in the joy of overpowering Gu Yunshen, completely unaware of Yu Wenxue twisting her neck.
"How about this, we make a trade: you cure the poison, and I'll teach you hypnosis, okay?"
"No good!" Yu Wenxue picked up a wooden bucket from the corner and slammed it on the prince's head. "Acting is tiring, okay? Who's going to play house with you!"
Gu Yun Shen stood still and moved his fingers.
After venting her frustrations, Yu Wenxue silently summoned the system: "System, I need to use the offline talisman."
She had been holding it in for a long time.
...
The dungeon was filled with corpses, and blood flowed like a river, attracting many rats.
The prince's eyes were closed, as if he were asleep, his face serene and peaceful, but there was a bloody hole in his chest.
The eunuch, lying unconscious on the ground, clutched a short blade in his hand...
Gu Yunshen carried Yu Wenxue out of the secret passage, taking very light steps, afraid that what had just happened would frighten her.
"So-called hypnosis really had no effect on you?"
Yu Wenxue yawned, her eyelids barely open, and nuzzled against his neck: "No, I don't think so."
There should be no control over it, but strangely enough, as she looked at the bronze ball, she immediately fell into a deep sleep...
Could hypnosis really exist?
Gu Yun Shen seemed to understand something, then smiled and said, "That's fine too."
Her chest pressed against his back, where he could clearly feel her heartbeat, pounding powerfully against his heart.
How can a lifeless clay figure compare to her lively and energetic self?
Thinking of this, Gu Yun Shen quickened his pace. He also wanted to see what it would feel like to play with her while she was asleep, just like what she had done to him back in Tianlian Mountain...
The excitement was fleeting; as they walked, the corners of his lips fell back down: "I'm sorry."
Yu Wenxue was drowsy when she suddenly heard this and reflexively asked, "Why do you say that?"
“I smell of blood.” Gu Yun Shen paused for a moment. “You don’t like it.”
"What's wrong with that?" Yu Wenxue didn't expect him to ask that. She lightly tapped his cheek, her voice growing softer and softer: "It's okay, I have one too..."
Gu Yunshen paused for a moment.
Back in his room, he asked someone to bring two large buckets of hot water. They all smelled of other people, which made him very uncomfortable.
Most importantly, Yu Wenxue actually fell asleep again.
Gu Yun Shen pinched her nose helplessly as revenge, but she obediently closed her eyes and didn't respond.
The room was eerily quiet. He carried her onto the bed, knelt before her, and pondered who he should call to help her bathe.
After thinking for a moment, he leaned down in front of her and slowly approached, his cool fingertips touching the buttons on her collar.
Just as he was about to unravel the mystery, he knelt upright, took out the copper ball, and tried to wave it in front of her.
Yu Wenxue slept peacefully, her breathing gradually becoming steady.
Gu Yun Shen sighed: "Since you didn't refuse, I'll take that as a yes."
If she's angry when she wakes up, I'll just let her beat me up...
Even if he were to die at her hands, he would be happy to do so; the mere thought of it would excite him to the point of being breathless.
With Yu Wenxue's image reflected in his eyes, Gu Yunshen, dressed in his inner garment, instinctively removed her outer garment for her.
How dare those people touch her...
Author's Note: Wow! [heart emoji] [heart emoji]
Starting tonight, it's back to 996 (9am-9pm, 6 days a week) again. I might update a little later tomorrow. [Please][Please]
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