Chapter 74. Forceful and tyrannical, stealing her breath.
Shen Yunzhi originally intended to leave directly by carriage.
Unfortunately, Cui Huai's words kept echoing in her mind, making her feel a sense of suffocation.
If Cui Xu were to ascend the throne, she wouldn't be the only one seeking revenge; Cui Huai would inevitably be implicated as well. She couldn't deny that if it weren't for her, the relationship between Cui Huai and Cui Xu wouldn't have deteriorated to this point.
It is a fact that she used him several times to get rid of Cui Xu's entanglement.
If it weren't for her, he could probably have continued to observe the change of imperial power with a detached eye, as before, instead of making enemies and getting into trouble.
More importantly...
Whether she wants to admit it or not, she and Cui Huai are in the same boat when it comes to Cui Xu's affairs.
Shen Yunzhi sighed sadly.
Lost in thought, she disembarked from the carriage and returned to Qiyun Residence.
Cui Huai remained in the waterside pavilion.
Standing outside the waterside pavilion, quietly watching his back for a moment, Shen Yunzhi lifted her foot and slowly walked towards him.
As Shen Yunzhi approached Cui Huai, he suddenly reached out and pulled her in front of him, embracing her tightly from behind. He buried his face in her neck, his voice low, tinged with an indescribable resentment: "Do you know how much I miss you, Cousin Zhi? Why can't you stay by my side day and night?"
Every word and every sentence was accompanied by Cui Huai tightening his arms even more.
Shen Yunzhi couldn't break free, but she came back to ask him what he was planning to do, not to confide in him or exchange sweet nothings.
Cui Huai, however, clearly did not think that way.
He quickly turned her face and kissed her lips, forcefully and ruthlessly stealing her breath.
When Shen Yunzhi broke free from Cui Huai's grip, her lips were already slightly swollen and her breathing was unsteady. She subconsciously raised her hand, but Cui Huai grabbed her wrist, preventing her from wiping her lips, and leaned down to peck at her lips twice more.
"Cousin Zhi, sometimes I really suspect you've drugged me, otherwise why would I be so infatuated with you?"
Cui Huaihan's voice was low and hoarse, and in Shen Yunzhi's eyes, the only word to describe his words was "shameless".
When she returned to find Cui Huai, Shen Yunzhi did have a moment of weakness.
But his shameless words and actions easily hardened her heart, and she said coldly, "You're just lustful and greedy, there's no need to make yourself sound so innocent."
Cui Huai said, "Before being seduced by my cousin Zhi, I could still be considered a gentleman."
Shen Yunzhi glared at him, and Cui Huai laughed, "Why did you suddenly come back?"
Suppressing her discontent, Shen Yunzhi softened her tone and asked, "What do you want to do? Do you intend to oppose Cui Xu?"
Cui Huai also asked, "Is there something wrong with it?"
“I know very little about what happens in the court and cannot comment, but he is a prince. If he is made crown prince, he will become the most popular candidate among the court officials. The interests involved are very complex. You are not just fighting against him,” Shen Yunzhi said in a deep voice. “Besides, you are interfering in the struggle for the crown prince position. Who knows what your ultimate fate will be? Do you really want to drag so many people into this? Instead of going through all this trouble, why not let me leave?”
As long as Cui Huai is willing to let go, she can simply go back to living an ordinary life under a different identity.
This time, there's no need to hide it from my aunt anymore, and I don't have to feel guilty all the time.
Cui Huai's eyes instantly turned icy: "Don't even think about it."
Shen Yunzhi knew he was unwilling, but this only made her more irritated: "Then what do you want? To make everyone gamble their lives and futures with you?"
She suddenly recalled the ambiguous relationship between the late Princess Consort of Chu and the Emperor, and felt even more uneasy. If the past were truly brought to light, how would Cui Huai face himself? What would become of the Chu Prince's Mansion? What would happen to her aunt and Li Zhu?
Why involve Qi Song? Is he being used by Cui Huai?
Even if Qi Song passes the imperial examination in the spring of next year, it will not be easy for him to gain a place in the court overnight.
"What does Cousin Zhi want now?"
Cui Huai smiled, "Or is it like before, that you want to kill me to get rid of me?"
Shen Yunzhi sneered, "Didn't you just say it wasn't bad?"
“It would be ideal for her to die alongside Cousin Zhi,” Cui Huai said. “If things don’t go well, this would be the best outcome.”
"You foresaw this day from the moment you plotted to let me return to the capital openly, didn't you?" Shen Yunzhi belatedly realized that from the moment she was forced to be tied to Cui Huai, this day was probably destined to come. Given Cui Huai's madness, it's not impossible that he secretly fueled the affair of Cui Xu being made crown prince. He truly didn't care about anything, not even his own life, let alone others.
Thinking of the possible consequences, Shen Yunzhi's face turned pale.
Seeing that she seemed terribly frightened, Cui Huai's anger at her wanting to abandon him was instantly extinguished.
"I will protect you and won't let anything happen to you," Cui Huai said gently, soothing her.
Shen Yunzhi naturally wouldn't listen.
To her, all promises were nothing but empty words.
When things actually happen, who knows what will happen? It's always been easiest to just talk; she's done it countless times. How can you judge sincerity or insincerity? It's just a gamble; you only know the outcome when the time comes. If you lose, you can only swallow the bitter pill.
You don't believe me?
Shen Yunzhi remained silent and did not respond, so Cui Huai asked her again.
“A scoundrel like Cui Xu will never let you or me go once he gains power. You want me to trust you, but I don’t know how to trust you. He was able to kill you in the past, and I can’t imagine him doing the same again.”
Shen Yunzhi's complaints only made Cui Huai laugh and say, "So, Cousin Zhi was worried about me."
"No..." She had barely uttered a word of denial when Cui Huai covered her mouth.
After stopping Shen Yunzhi from speaking, Cui Huai was in a good mood and pulled her into his arms: "Don't worry, I said I wouldn't let you get rid of me." Before Shen Yunzhi could speak, he let go of her, then took her hand and led her out of the waterside pavilion, "There's something I just remembered I wanted to give you."
Shen Yunzhi was taken to the study by Cui Huai.
Stepping into the study, Shen Yunzhi noticed that he hadn't put the paintings away at all; they were still hanging all over the room. A quick glance revealed a few new ones, and her face stiffened. Cui Huai gripped her hand tightly: "Are you scared?"
Shen Yunzhi avoided answering, and asked with a stern face, "What do you want to give me?"
Cui Huai led her to the display cabinet, took a small, carved sandalwood box from it, and handed it to her.
It was a plum blossom-shaped sleeve arrow that Cui Huai had given her before.
They took nothing with them when they fled, and the plum blossom sleeve arrow was no exception.
"Return the item to its rightful owner."
Shen Yunzhi glanced at Cui Huai and received this reply from him.
As a self-defense item, it was indeed handy for her.
After a slight hesitation, Shen Yunzhi finally did not refuse and accepted the things back. A moment later, she bid farewell to Cui Huai and said, "I'm going back."
Cui Huai did not respond.
Shen Yunzhi clutched the sandalwood box and walked toward the study door on her own.
Before she could even open the door, an arm gripped her waist from behind with tremendous force, pulling her back. Before she could fully regain her senses, Cui Huai had already scooped her up and carried her to the bed in his study. The box in her hands was taken away, and she was tossed onto the soft quilt, while Cui Huai's figure loomed over her with undeniable authority.
Shen Yunzhi had already sensed something while they were in the waterside pavilion.
At this moment, Cui Huai was no longer willing to endure it. She wasn't surprised, but she didn't want to indulge in such absurd behavior with him.
Cui Huai knew what she was thinking, so he tied her hands with a silk ribbon, leaving her with no choice but to endure his torment.
The belt was easily untied.
Clothes hung haphazardly on his body, and warm, wet kisses descended, landing on his half-covered, jade-like skin.
He was not in a hurry to indulge in his own pleasures and desires.
He simply enjoyed watching the person beneath him being aroused and driven to lose control of their primal desires.
The unrestrained tasting and plundering finally brought her to tears and pleas for mercy.
Cui Huai smiled and wiped the thin layer of sweat from her forehead with his fingertips, but he didn't actually stop.
When Shen Yunzhi woke up again, she was back in the mansion.
Despite the persistent soreness in her body, she cursed Cui Huai under her breath, and even though it was getting dark outside, she forced herself to get up.
After going out for a while, Shen Yunzhi went straight to the kitchen when she returned.
She dismissed all her subordinates and personally tended the small stove to brew the medicine.
The question Cui Huai asked her in the waterside pavilion—whether she wanted to have a child with him—was incredibly strange. Not only was their illicit affair not enough, but she also wanted a child with him… She would rather go mad than do such a thing.
It took another half an hour for the herbal soup to be prepared.
Shen Yunzhi looked at the steaming hot medicine, patiently sat on the small wooden stool, and prepared to let it cool down before drinking it.
Just as he was taking his medicine, Cui Huai suddenly appeared.
He stormed into the kitchen with a gloomy expression and knocked over the bowl of herbal medicine she had just drunk.
"Cui Huai, what's wrong with you?"
Coming to her senses in a daze, Shen Yunzhi cursed angrily.
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