In the Prince of Yan’s residence, Yu Jin was unusually not lounging in the Yuhe Garden. Instead, he sat idly flipping through a book in the study of the front courtyard.
The window of the study was open, and not far beyond it, a cluster of bamboo swayed gently in the night breeze.
Bored with reading, Yu Jin placed the book face down on the desk and rose to look out the window. The sparse moonlight cast a faint silver-white glow over everything outside, creating an indescribable coolness.
Yu Jin estimated the time and, feeling there was nothing left to wait for, headed towards the study door. Just as he reached the entrance, he heard Long Dan’s voice from outside, “Master, are you there?”
Yu Jin halted and replied irritably, “I am.”
“Then this humble servant shall enter.”
The door creaked open, breaking the silence of the autumn night, and Long Dan slipped in.
Yu Jin had already returned to his seat and gestured for Long Dan to approach.
“Master, our men watching Zhu Ziyu’s side have brought news…”
After hearing Long Dan’s report, Yu Jin raised an eyebrow, “You’re saying Cui Mingyue snuck out of her new residence not long ago, only to be abducted again?”
“Yes, and upon further tracking, we discovered that Cui Mingyue was taken to the Prince of Xiang’s residence…”
Yu Jin snorted, “Things are getting more and more interesting.”
Long Dan, burning with curiosity, couldn’t help but ask, “Master, how did you know something would happen on Cui Mingyue’s wedding night?”
Yu Jin glared at Long Dan, “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t.”
Long Dan chuckled, “Should our men continue to keep watch?”
“No need.”
After dismissing Long Dan, Yu Jin walked along the moonlit bluestone path back to the Yuhe Garden. The lights in the main chamber were still on; Jiang Si was also awake.
“Princess, the Prince has arrived,” A Qiao was reporting as Yu Jin entered.
Jiang Si gestured for A Qiao and the others to withdraw, then looked at Yu Jin.
“A Si, you guessed right. There was indeed something unusual with Cui Mingyue and Zhu Ziyu tonight.”
From Yu Jin’s perspective, it wasn’t worth assigning someone specifically to watch Cui Mingyue and Zhu Ziyu; tonight’s actions were Jiang Si’s suggestion.
“What was unusual?” Jiang Si asked.
A cornered beast fights desperately; with someone like Cui Mingyue, one couldn’t let their guard down even if she fell into a quagmire.
Perhaps an opponent always understands a person best. Jiang Si didn’t believe that someone who would scheme against her elder sister and get involved with a married man would be content to be Zhu Ziyu’s wife.
It was just a matter of having someone keep watch; if there were results, great, if not, no harm done.
Thinking of Long Dan’s report, Yu Jin smiled, “She might have run away from the marriage. She slipped out at night with a small bundle.”
Jiang Si shook her head, “That’s truly something Cui Mingyue would do.”
Cui Mingyue and Zhu Ziyu’s marriage was imperially bestowed; openly refusing was impossible. Discontent left only the option of secretly fleeing.
Of course, such behavior in an ordinary family would implicate parents and relatives, but Cui Mingyue had no such worries. Even if the Emperor was furious, he wouldn’t do anything to Princess Rongyang.
“A Jin, your men didn’t bring her back, did they?” Jiang Si worried, considering the possibility.
Yu Jin reached out and pinched Jiang Si’s cheek, “What are you thinking? Would my men be that stupid? Cui Mingyue was indeed taken away but by the Prince of Xiang’s people.”
Jiang Si sighed in relief, “That’s good.”
She had always said that with Cui Mingyue’s sky-high ambitions, she would bring about her downfall without any deliberate intervention. Now it seemed this small goal was about to be realized.
“What about Zhu Ziyu?”
Yu Jin led Jiang Si towards the bed, casually saying, “I guess he’s dead…”
Jiang Si’s steps faltered, but she quickly regained her composure.
The person who had harmed her elder sister was dead; it was truly satisfying.
In the Prince of Xiang’s residence, the Prince’s face darkened as he looked at the gagged woman. He grabbed his secret guard and slapped him several times, berating him, “Are you stupid? Are you? I told you to watch for movement over there, why did you bring her back here?”
At this moment, the Prince of Xiang was truly losing his composure.
Unwilling to let the adulterous couple live happily together after such a great humiliation, he had sent someone to watch them, waiting for an opportunity to exact revenge.
He never imagined that the fool on watch would bring Cui Mingyue back to him!
The slapped guard was equally aggrieved.
The master had ordered him to watch that place, wasn’t it to handle things promptly if anything happened? When Miss Cui fled on her wedding night, such a big event, shouldn’t he have brought her back first? Should he have just watched her run away?
If that had happened, and the master had then demanded her presence, what could he have done?
“Fool!” The Prince of Xiang stopped only when his hand hurt from slapping. He approached Cui Mingyue.
Cui Mingyue’s eyes were filled with shock and anger.
The Prince of Xiang slapped her, sneering, “You slut, why are you looking at me like that?”
Cui Mingyue couldn’t speak, but the fury in her eyes intensified.
Was the Prince of Xiang sick? He had people watching her at night!
Realizing this, Cui Mingyue’s heart skipped a beat, and the anger in her eyes quickly faded, replaced by a pleading look.
She was strikingly beautiful, and even in such a disheveled state when she put aside her pride and showed a beseeching expression to a man, it was hard for him to remain unmoved.
The Prince of Xiang indeed paused for a moment, then quickly smiled, “What, now you know to beg me?”
Cui Mingyue made muffled sounds, growing anxious.
Fleeing her marriage only to fall into the Prince of Xiang’s hands, Cui Mingyue felt afraid for the first time.
She needed to gain the opportunity to speak to try and negotiate her way out of this situation.
Seeing the once proud woman reduced to this state, the Prince of Xiang suddenly felt less angry with his guard.
Personally tormenting this favored daughter of heaven was more satisfying than he had imagined.
The Prince of Xiang grasped Cui Mingyue’s chin, his smile cold, “You slut, you think I’ll give you a chance to talk your way out of this?”
Cui Mingyue blinked, not understanding the Prince’s meaning for a moment.
The man’s fingertips lightly caressed her chin, then slowly moved down to her fair neck, near her delicate collarbone.
The kiss mark on her collarbone made the Prince of Xiang sneer, “Heh, seems you’ve consummated the marriage? Then why are you running away?”
Cui Mingyue’s body trembled, fear spreading through her heart.
What was the Prince of Xiang going to do? Surely he didn’t intend to ruin her chastity?
Just as this thought arose, there was a crack.
Cui Mingyue’s eyes suddenly widened, her reaction somewhat delayed.
What had happened?
This thought flashed vaguely through her mind as the girl, as beautiful as a flower, fell motionless like a swan with broken wings, her neck limp.
The Prince of Xiang lowered his gaze to look at his hand.
There was no choice; once Cui Mingyue had entered the Prince of Xiang’s residence, this was the only way to resolve things once and for all.
He looked at his guard.
The guard: “…” He had made a mistake, wasn’t that enough?
“Go dispose of the body. I remember there’s an abandoned well in that deserted courtyard of the prince’s residence…”
The guard didn’t dare say a word, just hoisted Cui Mingyue’s body and ran.
The room’s light was dim. The Prince of Xiang took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands, sighing.
He had no choice; it could only be blamed on this woman’s short life.
The next day, a scream broke the tranquility of the small residence.