Happiness always comes when least expected.
The Seventh Prince had initiated that kiss partly out of spite, but when his lips made contact, he unexpectedly found a treasure. These lips were as soft as silk, incomparable to any woman in his residence. How could there be such an endearing child in this world? Looking like a woman, kissing like a woman—that little rooster was simply wasted on him. If he were truly a woman, it would be perfect—he could welcome her home and have a brood of children.
Low birth didn’t matter; he could gradually elevate her status. How wonderful! Unfortunately, reality wasn’t as smooth as imagination, but that was fine. He didn’t mind engaging in “cut sleeve” relations for him. This kiss was like signing a contract. The Twelfth Prince was a gentleman, surely not as quick with his hands and feet. Whoever claimed him first would own him—there would be no yielding this time.
The Seventh Prince was entranced and couldn’t extricate himself. As an experienced womanizer, he knew that arousing such feelings meant he was truly smitten. Traveling further down this path, would he eventually lose interest in women? This was somewhat troublesome. He had no sons yet—what if his line ended? The Seventh Prince’s mind raced. He cared most about himself, with little concern for his descendants’ future.
Everyone knew that without being an iron-capped prince, the next generation’s rank would be reduced. Raising an heir would only result in a Prince of the Second Rank—nothing extraordinary. As for himself, a descendant of the Grand Emperor and brother of the current Emperor, surely someone would attend his funeral. As long as someone handled his funeral arrangements, having no son was acceptable.
The Seventh Prince had planned everything, considering it foolproof. As for the thoughts of the Grand Emperor and his mother, they weren’t important to him at all. His life was his own to enjoy. They were old and would be gone after being properly cared for. His affairs were not for them to manage.
In the brief moment, his lips made contact, the Seventh Prince had straightened out a life he’d never planned before—what an astounding achievement! He was dizzy and disoriented, unable to distinguish directions, but his purpose was clear. However, before he could linger, two fingers pressed against his forehead, pushing him away.
Ding Yi sprang up, her face and ears flushed red as she covered her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes, looking as if she wanted to cut him into pieces. After a long struggle, she spat out: “When others refuse, you force yourself on them, just because I’m a slave and you’re the master!”
The Seventh Prince was dazed, seeing his tearful outburst, he felt a bit panicked. But he definitely wouldn’t back down. Glancing at him sideways, he said, “So you still know I’m your master?”
She had never been so insulted before. Fearing mistreatment as a girl, yet now bearing a man’s name, she was still abused! From master to slave in the Virtuous Prince’s mansion, none were decent. She had previously thought the Seventh Prince, though unreliable, had a passable character. Now she saw him as a complete scoundrel—pursuing both men and women, utterly depraved!
Ding Yi felt nauseated and wiped her mouth hard several times. “The Prince forgets I was registered in your banner midway. If you have any sense of justice, remove me from your registry. Xiao Shu will bid farewell to the Prince.”
Her words provoked the Seventh Prince, who crowed like a fighting rooster, “Don’t even think about it! My Feathered Banner isn’t a temple door that you can enter and leave as you please! If you’re unwilling, when I return to Beijing, I’ll propose to your master. I’ll welcome you as my male concubine!”
In his agitation, he spoke carelessly. What “male concubine”? It was unheard of, yet he planned to set this precedent. Ding Yi’s hair stood on end, staring at him in terror: “Shu Xiaoshu is a person of little worth, willing to be flayed alive. If the Prince insists on forcing me…” She swiftly drew the knife from her waist and pressed it against her neck. “I might as well die before your eyes.”
Now the Seventh Prince panicked. “No, no, let’s talk this through. It was just a kiss; you haven’t lost your chastity. Is there any need for life and death matters? Put down the knife. If you feel I’ve taken advantage of you, you can kiss me back. I don’t mind at all.”
Ding Yi glared at him fiercely. “I don’t seek any justice, I just ask that the Prince promise this won’t happen again.”
He truly couldn’t bear for her to die. The Seventh Prince reluctantly agreed, though leaving ample room: “In the future, if you don’t consent, I won’t kiss you.”
She didn’t notice the loophole, only sulkily blushed: “Also, don’t mention it again or hint at it to anyone. Can the Prince do that?”
The Seventh Prince stared blankly, still wanting to bargain: “I won’t tell others, but keeping it bottled up inside is difficult. I need to consult with the Twelfth Prince, and ask him to advise me.”
Ding Yi felt the Seventh Prince must have been sent by heaven to destroy her, deliberately showing off before the Twelfth Prince just to embarrass him. She didn’t want the Twelfth Prince to know. Why? There was a vague worry inside her. The Twelfth Prince valued loyalty and righteousness. What if he tried to facilitate this? What would become of her? She couldn’t express it, but her secret admiration for him was her affair. Without parents or brothers, knowing her worth, she wouldn’t have extravagant hopes, but she also wouldn’t settle for less. The Seventh Prince was a dirty cat, such a frivolous person, not even worthy of heart-to-heart conversations, let alone anything more.
She pressed the blade harder against her neck. “I won’t live. I’ll truly die before your eyes!”
The Seventh Prince was terrified, hastily saying no. “I won’t tell anyone. Only the two of us will know—our little secret, alright?” He reached out with two fingers to pinch the thin blade back, moving it away from his neck. “The Geshiha’s weapons are for killing enemies, not for you to slit your throat. Can’t you act more like a man? Threatening death at every turn—what behavior is this? Did my kissing you take a piece of your flesh? I truly like you, otherwise, with your performance since entering my household—your heart being elsewhere—I would have had you executed long ago.”
Ding Yi’s head throbbed. The Seventh Prince’s words didn’t move her at all. Comparing him with the Twelfth Prince, how could they compare? One was like an orchid or jade tree, never boastful, but always appropriate. This lord, however, was rough and careless, unreliable in urgent matters. Good as a playmate, but not a good choice for lifelong commitment.
She sighed, examining him. She had never really looked at him properly before. The Seventh Prince, a descendant of the Yu Wen clan, was naturally magnificent in appearance, excellent in every aspect, except lacking steadiness—like a hastily assembled tripod that could collapse at any moment.
She turned her head away, jumping down from the low couch and tightening her belt. His interruption had disrupted her composure. She hadn’t forgotten why she had fainted—Ru Liang, along with Ru Gong and Ru Jian, were all gone. Fearing the register might be inaccurate, she had gone to the Aha camp, and after inquiring, confirmed they were dead. What hope remained? She could cry before the Twelfth Prince, but with the Seventh Prince present, she had to hold back her tears. The fewer people who knew, the better. She had lived unjustly for twelve years, thinking of them daily, vowing that once grown, she would come to the imperial estate. Finally old enough to come, and this was the result.
She let out a sigh, looking at the Seventh Prince, speechless. The Seventh Prince seemed to understand something, pursuing her with questions: “Why do you look so strange? Did something unpleasant happen? Did the Twelfth Prince manhandle you last night? Tell me, and I’ll settle accounts with him.”
The Seventh Prince was righteously indignant, not considering himself an outsider at all. Ding Yi quickly denied it, thinking not everyone was like him, taking advantage and acting shamelessly at every opportunity! She walked out of the tent, looking far into the distance. The people from the Chun Prince’s mansion were questioning the Aha in the cold morning sun, sifting through them one by one. The Twelfth Prince stood with his hands behind his back, his fox fur collar framing his handsome face, his complexion white from the cold, but his gaze remained unwavering. Inadvertently turning back, he saw her, with warm light in his eyes. Looking at him, her heart felt peaceful, as if they were connected spiritually. The things she wanted to do, even before she spoke, he could arrange for her. How could such a person not be moving?
The Seventh Prince followed behind her, complaining incessantly about the cold weather, and what the Twelfth Prince was doing, calling him stubborn and causing trouble for himself. Ding Yi ignored him. The Seventh Prince was always slow to understand; that men couldn’t be relied upon. Being a carefree master was enough—what did he know about suffering?
She walked over, looking behind the Twelfth Prince. “Any news?”
“With so many people, there’s no news yet. Don’t worry, we’ll surely find someone who knows something.” He examined her carefully. “How are you now? Is there anything uncomfortable?”
She shook her head saying: “I lost control earlier, making a spectacle of myself.” About to say more, she noticed from the corner of her eye the Seventh Prince approaching crookedly and promptly stopped speaking.
The Seventh Prince was someone disliked by all. Having gained a slight advantage, his tail was raised high, and even his tone of voice changed, clicking his tongue: “Twelfth Brother, you’re working hard. This commitment to duty, if the court knew, would surely reward you. Promotion might not be possible, but rewards of gold, silver, or land could be. I’ll submit a memorial praising you greatly. Next year’s arranged marriage will be to a good family, and you’ll have everything.”
His incoherent speech made it difficult to know how to respond. Fortunately, Sha Tong brought an Aha person over, bowing and saying: “Master, this person lived in the same shed as the Wen brothers and knows something about them. Your slave has brought him here, awaiting master’s instructions.”
This Aha person was in tattered clothes, his face covered with cracked frostbite. Estimated to be over thirty, he should still have impressions of events from over ten years ago. Hong Ce said: “I’ve come by imperial order to investigate the whereabouts of the Wen brothers. Tell the truth, and you won’t be mistreated.”
The Aha person raised his eyes in panic, trembling as he spoke: “I dare not deceive the noble one. This humble one wasn’t close with the Wen brothers, but living on the same sleeping platform, I heard about them. The Wen brothers were spirited men who, upon arrival, refused to submit to authority, constantly inciting uprisings. They were severely punished. At that time, they didn’t fear whippings. Later, the assistant commandant ordered them to wear hundred-jin heavy cangues in the water prison. Carrying cangues daily, the weight could make one vomit. The water prison was full of rats swimming around, biting people’s legs. Plus, the water was dirty, and wounds festered. They were tough and never begged for mercy. After three months, with no other option, they were finally ordered out. It was their misfortune—not dying in the water prison, but upon release, encountering a plague that struck them down. They lingered for a while before going to the homesick tower.”
Ding Yi listened quietly. With unanimous testimony, there was no hope. Though sad, she could gradually face it calmly. The Twelfth Prince, still not giving up, asked: “Where were they buried, and who conducted the funeral?”
The Aha person replied: “This humble one transported them out. At that time, the dead were loaded onto carts and sent to the back mountain where shallow pits were dug. Three days later, when we returned, the pits were overturned. The mountains are full of wolves, leopards, and tigers. Once they smell it, not even a corpse remains—all become snacks for those creatures.”
Hong Ce turned to look at Ding Yi. Her expression was calm, but the sorrow in her eyes was bottomless. He sighed. Might as well understand clearly and have a measure of certainty. What shouldn’t be dwelled upon should be cast aside completely! He said: “Our journey to Changbai Mountain has yielded nothing. After a brief rest, we’ll head to Ningguta in a couple of days. Wen Lu’s case won’t be shelved. Once back in Beijing, we’ll review it from the beginning. There are great suspicions within, and we need to submit a memorial to the Emperor for imperial judgment.”
She responded after a long delay. With the Seventh Prince present, she couldn’t say much more.
The Seventh Prince, rubbing his hands, said: “Well, the trail has gone cold, so don’t be so persistent.” Turning his face to Xiao Shu with an ambiguous smile, “Shu, you’ve been running all night. Your two birds have been missing you terribly. Go back and feed them well. Then come to my place; let’s discuss matters. I’ll raise your rank again. If your senior apprentice is willing, I can recommend him for a position in the document signing office, or to handle banner affairs in my banner—either works.” He winked. “Who made our feelings so deep? When one person attains the way, even chickens and dogs ascend to heaven—an old saying.”
Ding Yi was extremely embarrassed. “Thank you, my lord, but this matter must be asked of him directly. I can’t make this decision.”
Hong Ce’s face showed no ripples. He turned his eyes and smiled at her, a very intimate smile. Without interrupting the Seventh Prince’s words, he instructed Sha Tong: “Call everyone back. They’ve been exhausted all night. Since we can’t find out anything more, further delay would be futile.”
At his command, all the Geshiha from the Chun Prince’s mansion withdrew. The Seventh Prince also loudly called for a retreat. During this interval, the Twelfth Prince lightly touched her fingertips and whispered: “I promised to celebrate your belated birthday when we reached Changbai Mountain. Tomorrow night at the hour of Xu, I’ll wait for you at the open space southeast of the imperial estate. Don’t tell anyone else; come alone.”
He had taken the trouble to comfort her, and she was grateful in her heart. Looking up at him, then quickly lowering her head, her ears gradually reddened, spreading into the collar of her robe.