From the outside, this courtyard appeared ordinary, and once inside, it still looked quite unimpressive. It was merely a small yard paved with bluestone, with a few peach and plum trees growing within—much like any typical household, utterly inconspicuous. A few handsome young boys were playing under the corridor; upon seeing strangers, they sensed trouble and tried to flee inside but were swiftly pinned down like prey by a pack of wolves. The first thing done was to gag them.
Immediately, someone in the wing room, hearing the commotion, came out to see what was happening. Leading the way was a servant from the household of Princess Qinghua. Upon seeing the scene, he knew there was no escape. Instead of calling out, he tried to kneel, but Qiushi grabbed him first, whispering harshly, “If you don’t want trouble, stay quiet. The guilty will be punished.” He then glanced around and saw Princess Qinghua’s palanquin parked in the room, with the palanquin carriers sitting and eating greedily, staring in shock. Before they could react, he pushed the newly caught boys inside, took out a lock, and secured the door, muttering, “Stay put. You’ll get your reward.”
Liu Chang cast a glance at the scene but paid no heed and continued walking straight ahead.
The second son of Prince Wei, sensing something amiss and contemplating escape, cautiously remarked, “It’s strange how everyone here seems so terrified, not a single one has shouted. Otherwise, with so many people sitting here, we wouldn’t have gotten in so easily.”
Those who feared for their lives naturally dared not make a sound. Liu Chang replied nonchalantly, “Seeing your presence and the demeanor of the prince’s household, would they dare act rashly? These people bully the weak and fear the strong.” He showed no intention of either persuading or stopping him. Turning to his other so-called friend, he smiled, “I thought this debt was a lost cause, but today luck is on our side. If I recover it, I’ll be sure to thank you handsomely.”
Though the second son of Prince Wei wasn’t interested in a few coins, he relaxed and replied, “Say less, be careful not to alert those inside.”
The group entered the second courtyard as quietly as possible and discovered a hidden gem—a delicate garden with flowing streams, small bridges, rockeries, pavilions, verdant bamboo, and the fragrance of lotuses. It was serene and elegant, yet oddly devoid of people.
Qiushi returned and said, “I’ve heard there’s a third courtyard. Enter through the moon gate behind the bamboo grove.”
Following his directions, they indeed found a small moon gate. As they approached, they heard the sounds of men and women laughing and talking lewdly, intermixed with cries of pleasure. All the men who entered were not virtuous; they exchanged knowing glances, eagerly rolling up their sleeves, itching to barge in and witness the spectacle.
While others seemed indifferent, Qiushi’s legs trembled uncontrollably. He instinctively wanted to retreat, knowing all too well who was inside. Liu Chang’s hatred for Princess Qinghua had reached the bone; he wanted her thoroughly humiliated. However, if Qiushi wished to remain by Liu Chang’s side, he shouldn’t witness this. As he stepped back, Liu Chang shot him a cold glance, forcing him to stiffly direct the others to block all exits, trapping the prey inside.
With everything in place, the group stood before the tightly shut room. Liu Chang raised his leg and kicked the door open. A cloying, sweet fragrance mixed with startled cries flooded out. The group, like ravenous wolves scenting blood, rushed inside. A maidservant in a green dress emerged from behind a curtain, her face flushed. Seeing the intruders, she screamed, prompting Princess Qinghua’s angry voice from within, “What’s going on? You unruly thing!”
The second son of Prince Wei, recognizing the voice, shivered and turned to leave but was dragged back by Liu Chang, who, with a forced smile, pulled him inside. Liu Chang then kicked over the six-paneled screen behind the curtain, revealing an indecent scene that would make anyone’s nose bleed.
Scattered on the embroidered brocade carpet were various pieces of clothing and accessories. On a large bed, about ten feet across, were four young, strong, and handsome men. Some were sitting, lying down, squatting, or kneeling in different poses, but all were naked, their faces still showing playful smiles that quickly turned to panic. At the center was Princess Qinghua, her hair disheveled, face flushed with anger, equally naked, half-rising from the bed.
This all happened within the span of two breaths—too fast for the second son of Prince Wei to think or dodge, and too fast for the five people in the room to cover themselves, exposing their shame completely.
Princess Qinghua reacted swiftly, grabbing one of the stunned men to shield herself. However, she couldn’t hide the various intimate items scattered around the bed. With just a look or a sniff, one could imagine the intense and passionate activities that had taken place.
The sight of one woman with four men left everyone dumbfounded, unsure of what expression to wear. The second son of Prince Wei was mortified, unable to speak, wishing he could disappear. He tried to leave but was blocked by Liu Chang’s men and his so-called friend, unable to advance or retreat, feeling a rising anger.
After a moment of silence, Liu Chang’s furious voice exploded like thunder, “I will kill this shameless harlot!” He grabbed a sword from a nearby person and charged forward. The survival instinct kicked in, and the four men scattered in panic, not caring about their shame. However, with the door blocked, where could they escape?
Liu Chang grinned wickedly, slashing the nearest man, blood spraying everywhere. The man screamed, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted. Liu Chang then approached another, who collapsed before he even got close, a yellowish foul liquid pooling beneath him. The remaining two clung together, running to the frantic Princess Qinghua, crying for help, “Save us, Princess!”
Liu Chang, gripping his sword, laughed bitterly and pointed at Princess Qinghua, “Look at the lowlifes you’ve chosen! This is intolerable. I will kill you, shameless harlot, and then atone with my life!” With that, he swung his sword at Princess Qinghua.
Terrified, Princess Qinghua pushed the two men towards Liu Chang and screamed, “Brother, save me!” She didn’t want to die; she hadn’t lived enough.
The second son of Prince Wei, back turned, raised his sleeve to cover his face, saying nothing. Princess Qinghua clung to his leg, trembling, “Liu Zishu set me up! You must avenge me! He trapped me!” Then, changing her tune, she added, “He can find others, but I can’t?”
Liu Chang grabbed her hair, dragging her back, pressing the cold blade to her ear. Was he going to cut off her ear? Realizing the danger, she desperately covered her ears and screamed, “Liu Zishu, if you kill me, your entire family will be buried with me! Brother, will you just watch your sister be killed in front of you?”
Blood flowed from her ear, a warm stream down her cheek. He intended to kill her. She thought she would faint, but she didn’t.
Despite her flaws, she was his sister, a daughter of Prince Wei’s household. The second son of Prince Wei couldn’t bear to watch her die. He lowered his hand, and grabbed Liu Chang’s wrist, his face icy, “One should always leave room for retreat. Don’t go too far. Prince Wei’s household will give you an explanation.”
Hadn’t Liu Chang gone through all this trouble just to make him witness Princess Qinghua’s disgrace? Was it necessary to cut off her ear and disfigure her in his presence?
“Yes, calm down. Let’s talk this over. It’s not worth killing over.” Qiushi and Liu Chang’s “friend” also rushed to dissuade Liu Chang. Seeing that the second son of Prince Wei had seen through his actions, Liu Chang threw down the sword and coldly said, “Leave room for retreat? Teach her that! I’ve endured and conceded in everything, yet she is never satisfied. Since it’s come to this, I’m ready to die.”
A man who fears neither death nor disgrace—what could one do to him? Liu Chang’s stance was clear: he was ready to die and didn’t care about offending Prince Wei’s household. He had publicly humiliated Princess Qinghua and didn’t care about his shame. His determination was evident.
He was prepared and confident, making it clear that today’s matter wouldn’t end well. The second son of Prince Wei, his eyes flashing, decided to concede, “Go home first. I’ll handle this and ensure you get a satisfactory answer.”
Liu Chang sneered. Did they take him for a child? Once he left, they’d clean up everyone related. Catch a thief red-handed, catch an adulterer in the act—where were the adulterers? He then said, “Satisfied? No matter what, I can’t be satisfied with what she’s done. Out of respect for our long association, I’ll give everyone some face. But I’m taking these scoundrels. I won’t be satisfied until they’re dead. As for her…” He glanced at the trembling Princess Qinghua with disdain, “I never want to see her again.” He spat on her face.