Chapter 2: Examining the First Encounter
The original owner of this body was indeed a princess. The place she was in was Southern Zhou. She herself was a princess sent by Northern Zhou to serve as a hostage. She was sent here when she was ten years old and served as a hostage for six years.
The Southern Zhou was generous and returned the sixteen-year-old girl to her, but little did they know that this action was a preparation for annexing the Northern Zhou.
After less than a year of peaceful life, the Northern Zhou Dynasty, with its small territory and limited resources, could not withstand the war and was thus destroyed as a matter of course.
The original owner escaped in the chaos, but the outcome was obvious for a delicate princess who was fleeing with gold and silver.
The princess was all alone when she was robbed of her money during her escape. She was also targeted by villains, humiliated, and died. Then she transmigrated into this body.
The memory was fragmented, but Zhao Liangxu still understood the general situation.
Since he had been a hostage here for six years, he must have seen this "Nine Thousand Years Old".
However, the more Zhao Liangxu recalled, the colder her heart became. The original owner of this body was all alone here, extremely fearful and terrified. Her status as a hostage made her apprehensive, which led to her developing a bullying and cowardly nature. She was arrogant and domineering in front of the servants, trying to regain a shred of dignity.
This also led to Princess Zhao punishing Anhe, who was still a young eunuch at the time.
In my memory, Anhe's face was not visible; only her back was visible as she knelt on the ground as punishment.
That's even more dangerous now.
The original owner's personality has made her very passive now.
Now she's being given to An He as a ridiculous gift; who knows, if this Eunuch An sees her, he might get angry and seek revenge.
While I was pondering, the sedan chair stopped.
“Princess Zhao, please alight from the sedan chair.” A male voice rang out from outside the sedan chair.
Zhao Liangxu did not move, nor could she move.
Seeing that the person inside was not moving, Luo Fan frowned and said, "If the princess is unwilling to get out of the sedan chair, then please forgive my rudeness."
After saying that, he pulled back the sedan curtain, only to find that Zhao Liangxu's hands and feet were tied up inside the sedan, obviously to prevent her from escaping. Her mouth was also stuffed with a wad of cloth, so she could not speak. Only her light-colored eyes were staring at him.
Luo Fan looked away as he saw the various scars on Zhao Liangxu's exposed arms.
The rumors circulating in the streets and alleys during the day turned out to be true: Princess Zhao had indeed been defiled by a villain. He had long heard that the princess was beautiful, and the contrast between her stunning appearance and the marks on her body made Luo Fan think even more about the princess's fate.
"...Princess, please alight from the sedan chair."
After saying that, he used the sword he carried to cut the ropes binding Zhao Liangxu's feet and removed the gag from her mouth.
Just as Luo Fan was about to call Zhao Liangxu down again, a servant from the manor came over to remind him.
"My lord, His Majesty has ordered that Princess Zhao be taken to his room. He will be there shortly."
Luo Fan was somewhat surprised. Lord An never allowed anyone to approach his room, yet now he ordered the princess, who was being presented as a gift, to be sent to his room. Could it be...?
Luo Fan had difficulty controlling the thoughts in his mind.
He knew that eunuchs often became twisted after being cut, not to mention that he had personally witnessed Anhe's methods of torturing ordinary people. Although he was not clear about those more private matters, he would think in the direction that everyone often talked about.
That princess is so pitiful.
Luo Fan glanced at Zhao Liangxu and hurriedly opened the sedan curtain.
"Then Princess Zhao, please wait a little longer."
When the sedan chair stopped again, Luo Fan told Zhao Liangxu to get out.
Her hands were still bound, and the pain in her body had not subsided, so she could only stagger down from the sedan chair.
Despite her discomfort, Zhao Liangxu limped into the magnificent room.
The door closed, and Luo Fan and the others waited outside, but Eunuch An had not yet arrived.
Zhao Liangxu was alone in the luxurious room, and she looked around.
As expected of the "Nine Thousand Years Old," the interior decoration exudes nobility. Some jade and porcelain pieces that look extremely valuable are displayed in the room as if they were free. Perhaps one of these items would be enough for an ordinary person to live a wealthy life.
She watched for a while and felt bored and sleepy, but sleeping with her hands tied on the table was really uncomfortable. Zhao Liangxu looked around but couldn't find any tools to help her get out of the predicament, so she set her sights on the most comfortable place in the whole room.
On Anhe's bed, a brocade quilt made of soft silk was neatly arranged. Dark curtains half-covered the jade pillow and quilt. The candlelight flickered beside the curtains, illuminating the silk threads on the dark curtains and brocade quilt, occasionally flashing and attracting Zhao Liangxu's attention.
The soft mattress is smooth and comfortable; it looks like it would be perfect for sleeping.
When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it. It's better to just get a good night's sleep first.
So, with a "nothing to lose" attitude, she lay down comfortably on the "Nine Thousand Years Old's" bed. Just as Zhao Liangxu had expected, the silky smooth mattress made her feel extremely comfortable. There was also a pleasant warm fragrance in the bed curtains. Even a picky person like Zhao Liangxu, who disliked fragrances, felt exceptionally comfortable. Zhao Liangxu fell asleep unknowingly amidst the warm fragrance and soft blankets.
After an unknown amount of time, there was a commotion outside, and Anhe returned.
Anhe stared at Luo Fan, who was guarding outside his door. He had not given any instructions to these guards.
Anhe narrowed his eyes, looking at the tightly locked door, and had some guesses in his mind.
"Who's inside?" Anhe asked hoarsely from his thin lips.
"Reporting to Lord An, inside is Princess Zhao, sent by Zhou Feng. It was... a servant who came to deliver a message, saying that you instructed me to bring her to your room."
Luo Fan felt uneasy listening to An He's questioning tone. An He's expression didn't seem like he knew anything about it.
"Say it again, who gave you permission to bring her here?"
An He's voice was filled with suppressed anger as her fingertips brushed against the jade thumb ring on her hand. The icy emotion in her dark eyes cut across Luo Fan's face like a knife.
"Lord An, it was my oversight that led to me receiving a false order from someone else. Please punish me, Lord An!"
Luo Fan answered with trepidation, cold sweat pouring down his face. He dared not look at An He's expression, but he knew that Lord An would surely be angry.
It's obvious that, apart from the one or two servants Anhe trusted and Zhang Sheng, who was allowed to enter and leave by his own orders, who else could enter Anhe's bedroom and study?
He's so foolish!
"Oh, you know perfectly well that not just anyone can enter our bedroom, so how could you break this rule just because a servant announced it?"
An He's serpentine gaze terrified Luo Fan.
"Could it be that you're also thinking about how our family will treat this Princess Zhao?" An He leaned down and asked in a suggestive tone.
He patted Luo Fan on the shoulder and comforted him gently, "Little Luo, don't be afraid. Our family isn't a man-eating tiger. If you know you've made a mistake, you can make amends."
"Find that servant tonight, and you'll get twenty lashes to loosen your muscles."
"only......"
Anhe straightened up, took out a handkerchief to wipe her hands, and said in a cold tone, "If this happens again, we'll personally check what's going on in your head."
Anhe pushed open the door; he should drag that shameless woman out.
He strode in and immediately spotted the figure on the bed.
Well, Zhou Feng really went all out; he truly knows how to disgust people.
An He approached the bed and saw that Zhao Liangxu was fast asleep on his bed. His eyes twitched, and the anger he had been holding back gradually rose up.
Anhe never imagined that someone would dare to sleep in his bed!
He's utterly fearless. Zhao Liangxu was a hostage in Southern Zhou for six years; has he never heard of his methods?
His eyes were icy cold as he reached out to wake Zhao Liangxu.
But seeing Zhao Liangxu curled up by the bed, the marks from the stones and dry grass on her body grotesquely proclaiming their presence, the feeling of being bound by her hands and the marks that made her frown even in her sleep, An He hesitated for a moment. He tilted his head, feeling that his sudden hesitation was ridiculous. Then he grabbed Zhao Liangxu by the collar and threw her violently to the ground.
Zhao Liangxu fell to the ground, and the impact with the ground aggravated her injuries once again. She instantly regained consciousness, broke out in a cold sweat, and curled up like a shrimp, trying to alleviate the pain.
When Zhao Liangxu recovered from the pain, she saw the tall figure standing in front of her.
She looked up and saw a man with his arms crossed, looking down at her. His eyes were cold and his gaze swept over Zhao Liangxu's exposed skin inch by inch, without any lust, only scrutiny.
“Princess Zhao, someone as noble as you is not someone our family can afford to have climb into our bed.”
Anhe's voice was not as high-pitched as that of ordinary eunuchs; instead, it was hoarse, like the hoarseness of someone who had overused their voice, making it difficult to distinguish between male and female.
Zhao Liangxu's hands were still bound, preventing her from getting up. She watched as An He sat on the bed, still looking down at her.
Zhao Liangxu finally got a clear look at the "Nine Thousand Years Old" face. He had skin that was fairer and more delicate than that of an ordinary man. The face that people said was "incredibly effeminate" was not like that at all. On the contrary, it was a face that did not match his status and position. He was exceptionally handsome and young, but his smiling eyes revealed a sinister look that drastically cut off his handsomeness.
"Princess Zhao, tell me, with your delicate skin, how could you be so foolish as to get involved with Zhou Feng?"
Zhao Liangxu listened as An He first put a label on her.
"The Northern Zhou has been destroyed, and now you are like a stray dog with a broken reputation, with rumors spreading against you. To save your life, you shamelessly climbed into our bed. Do you want us to praise you for being smart or stupid?"
An He lowered his eyes and fiddled with the ring on his hand, pointing out Zhao Liangxu's sore spots without any restraint.
He naturally assumed that Zhao Liangxu had deliberately created those scars on her body and spread those rumors to embarrass him in order to curry favor with Zhou Feng.
Zhao Liangxu heard him casually say that those were rumors.
Where is the rumor?
Princess Zhao Liangxu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, who longed to live, did indeed die on her escape route. Her identity and reputation were merely pawns in the power struggle.
Princess Bei Zhou's actions could not be described as those of a good person, but after experiencing her memories and feelings, Zhao Liangxu also knew that it was just a person like duckweed trying their best to live.
For women of this era, it is both tragic and lamentable.
"With Eunuch An's abilities, how could he not find out whether the rumors circulating are true or false?"
Zhao Liangxu smiled. She was now suffering from both the soreness from the day and the stinging pain from falling to the ground. The combination of these made it impossible for her to straighten up. She could only keep her face pressed against the cold ground and try not to move. She was in a very sorry state.
Despite lying on the ground in utter humility, Zhao Liangxu's eyes showed little fear. Her fear had been worn away by the past. She simply turned her light-colored eyes and responded with neither servility nor arrogance.
An He looked at Zhao Liangxu's miserable state and stared at her indifferent expression that didn't match her situation, finding it rather amusing.
He wanted to tear off Zhao Liangxu's cold mask; he wanted to see her panicked expression after it was exposed.
An He seemed to remember something, and suddenly his eyebrows curved into a smile, a bright and cheerful expression appearing on his young face. The lively smile swept away the gloom that had previously etched on his face. For a moment, he seemed to have transformed from an unfathomable figure in a high position into a handsome young man. But the next second, his impeccably clean appearance was once again adorned with a deliberately cold and insincere smile. He slowly said to Zhao Liangxu:
"Princess Zhao doesn't know, but I love the truth and dislike lies, so you must never lie to me."
"There are rumors outside that you were violated by refugees. I'll have someone check you. If you really were violated, then you can live, and our family will treat you properly. If not..."
An He believed that Zhao Liangxu was still a virgin. After all, she was a princess. He thought that she must have conspired with Zhou Feng to come to An's residence to investigate something, and even risked inflicting injuries and ruining her reputation to be sent here and humiliate him.
He had hoped to see some panic on Zhao Liangxu's face, but Zhao Liangxu looked completely indifferent.
Anhe was somewhat puzzled, but assumed that Zhao Liangxu was just pretending to be calm.
He had his servants summon an experienced old woman to carefully examine Zhao Liangxu's body.
He directed his wife to untie the ropes binding Zhao Liangxu's hands.
After the examination, the old woman looked at Zhao Liangxu hesitantly, but dared not say anything.
The old woman's hesitant expression seemed to An He more like evidence of her "lying," and he had already decided in his mind how to punish Zhao Liangxu.
So Anhe urged the old woman in a deliberately gentle tone:
"Grandma Zhang, what are you waiting for? Tell me the result quickly."
Anhe's deliberate fake smile and tone terrified Granny Zhang, who inwardly cried out in despair, her half-white hair trembling uncontrollably along with her old frame.
But she had to say it.
Granny Zhang knelt on the ground, trembling as she answered, "This, this Princess Zhao, the rumors are true, her injuries are quite serious, she still needs..."
The old woman was speechless. Zhao Liangxu was a human being after all, and saying such things was simply embarrassing for her.
"What's wrong? Keep going."
Anhe's cold voice urged the old woman to continue.
"She needs timely medical treatment."
Despite the pressure, Granny Zhang continued speaking, without uttering a single lie: if the wound wasn't treated promptly, it would definitely worsen.
Upon hearing this, An He turned his inquisitive gaze to Zhao Liangxu.
It's really interesting. He thought it was a show put on by Zhou Feng and Zhao Liangxu at the An residence, but he never expected that Zhao Liangxu's innocence would actually be ruined, just as the rumors said.
I really didn't expect that.
Anhe recalled Zhao Liangxu's foolish behavior when he was a hostage in Southern Zhou.
She really didn't have any ulterior motives in getting involved with Zhou Feng; at most, Zhou Feng was just using her.
Whether the injury was caused by the refugees or something else, he couldn't be bothered to find out.
Ultimately, Zhou Feng sent Zhao Liangxu over simply to annoy him.
Thinking of this, Anhe felt bored and was about to order someone to kill Zhao Liangxu and throw her into a mass grave to avoid trouble.
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