Chapter 61 Finale II “Good, slap her a hundred times.”

Chapter 61 Finale Part 2

"Fine, give her a hundred slaps."...

Yue Rongrong moved back into the room in the main courtyard. When they returned yesterday, Shen Jichen had intended to move all her belongings into the master bedroom, but she stubbornly refused despite the immense pressure. Naturally, she was severely punished for it.

This morning, as soon as she stirred, her waist and legs ached. She opened her eyes and saw Shen Jichen sitting at the bedside. She hurriedly closed them again, but he had already noticed. His voice carried a hint of amusement, low and soft, "Awake?"

Yue Rongrong pressed her lips together, eyes still shut, and murmured, "Not awake."

"Is that so?"

She felt a shadow loom over her, his warm breath drawing closer until it nearly touched her lips. Immediately, her eyes flew open. She pulled the corner of the quilt up to cover half her face and stared at him warily with wide, round eyes, "What are you doing? It's already light outside!"

Shen Jichen’s eyes and brows were tinged with a faint smile, "Since it’s already light outside, what do you think I’m going to do?"

Yue Rongrong’s cheeks flushed instantly. She glared at him, though the look held no force—instead, it carried a hint of coyness, like a playful resistance. Shen Jichen, of course, didn’t miss the chance. Wrapping her in the silk quilt, he pulled her into his arms, cupped the back of her head, and kissed her for a long time until her breath grew uneven and he lost his composure. He stopped just before things went too far.

Trapped in the thin quilt and unable to move, she still managed to kick him from under the covers, saying irritably, "Don’t you need to attend court?"

Shen Jichen gently smoothed her messy hair, "Otherwise, what did you think would happen?"

"......"

He looked at her intently, then brought out a brocade box from behind. Yue Rongrong watched curiously as he opened it. Suddenly, the Xin Yue necklace shone dazzlingly. Overjoyed, she eagerly reached out to take it, causing the thin quilt to slip and reveal her bare skin.

At first, she didn’t notice, clutching the Xin Yue excitedly, "You fixed it?" She looked up and met his intense gaze, then glanced down and let out a sharp cry, scrambling to cover herself. But Shen Jichen was already pinning her down.

A while later, Wen Song’s hesitant voice came from outside the door, "Marquis... Marquis Shen..."

When there was no response, he urged Hui Yin, "You call out, you do it..."

Hui Yin’s voice was even more timid, "I won’t..."

About an hour later, Yue Rongrong was both exhausted and furious. She glared at him resentfully and said spitefully, "Today, I made plans with Yi Yi to go shopping. I’m going to spend so much of your money! I’ll spend until you’re poor!"

Shen Jichen dressed while smiling, "I’d be happy to. But Rong Rong, you’re mistaken—that’s your money too."

Angrily, Yue Rongrong threw a pillow at him, which he caught effortlessly and tossed to the foot of the bed. She watched him leave, hugged the thin quilt, and though she had moved back into the marquis’s estate, she felt very uncertain about their future. Anxiety lingered in her heart. Over the past couple of days, she hadn’t asked him about his plans, as if she were avoiding the topic. She hadn’t even asked what became of that pieced-together marriage certificate. It was as if she wanted to make up for lost time in love. Well, tomorrow’s troubles can wait for tomorrow.

She had arranged to meet Ye Shuyi in the afternoon. Ye Shuyi arrived early to join for lunch.

"People say pregnant women always gain weight, but how come you haven’t?" Yue Rongrong pinched Ye Shuyi’s cheek—soft and tender, but not plump.

Ye Shuyi stroked her face proudly, "I’m just naturally beautiful."

Yue Rongrong wrinkled her nose at her. Ye Shuyi stared, mesmerized, as Yue Rongrong propped her chin on her hand and blinked, "What, stunned by my beauty?"

Ye Shuyi’s eyes warmed, and she gripped Yue Rongrong’s hand excitedly, "Rong Rong, it feels like I’m seeing the you from three years ago again—lively and bright. Min Xuan and the others said you’ve changed since coming to the capital, that you don’t smile at them anymore, that you’ve become cold and ruthless. But I never believed them." She sniffled and pouted.

Yue Rongrong was momentarily dazed, thinking to herself that they weren’t wrong—but it was all in the past. She pressed Ye Shuyi’s shoulder and said with feigned gravity, "I just can’t bring myself to smile at them."

Ye Shuyi burst out laughing.

As the two left the estate, Yue Rongrong glanced at the two matrons and four maids following Ye Shuyi, "Minister Han truly... dotes on his wife endlessly."

Ye Shuyi said earnestly, "Marquis Shen will only surpass him." She looked up at the sky and sighed contentedly, "It rained all day yesterday, but finally cleared up today. I was worried all night."

Summer often brought frequent rain, which was nothing unusual, but Yue Rongrong knew Ye Shuyi disliked rainy days the most, hence the sigh.

They browsed jade shops and jewelry stores. Ye Shuyi spent money like water, which didn’t surprise Yue Rongrong at all. When Ye Shuyi first arrived in Hangzhou, she dragged Yue Rongrong shop-hopping and within a single day had every major shop owner in the city recognizing her, treating her like royalty.

It was no exaggeration. Fortunately, the Ye family was wealthy and she was the only legitimate daughter, and the Han family was also a prominent household, able to withstand her extravagance.

Shopping didn’t require much effort—they had a carriage waiting outside, and once inside a store, the shopkeeper would personally bring all the items for them to choose from. So after leaving Linlang Pavilion, Ye Shuyi still had energy for Brocade Tower.

As soon as they entered Brocade Tower, Manager Xu spotted Yue Rongrong and beamed with delight, "Rong Rong!" Then, noticing Ye Shuyi beside her, he quickly corrected himself, slapping his own mouth, "Look at me, I should address you as Miss Yue now. And Madam Han, it’s been too long since you last visited."

He warmly escorted them to the second floor. Yue Rongrong still felt somewhat unaccustomed, but Ye Shuyi took it in stride, whispering in her ear, "You should get used to it soon. There will be people who show even more respect and flattery in the future—you are Marquis Shen’s fiancée, after all."

The term "fiancée" filled her heart with sweetness, but bubbles of nervousness also rose from within.

Manager Xu arranged the finest private room for them. As soon as they sat down, maids came to serve tea. One of them, upon seeing Yue Rongrong, was both shocked and delighted, calling out, "Sister Rong Rong!" Manager Xu scolded her, "No sense of propriety! Address her as ‘Miss Yue’."

The maids blushed, their eyes filled with envy, and they curtsied, saying, "Miss Yue."

Yue Rongrong was momentarily dazed. Ye Shuyi said, "You’ll get used to it."

Just then, a familiar voice chimed in, "I heard Rong Rong is here." Du Yan walked in, her face beaming with smiles.

Yue Rongrong paused, then mustered a smile, "Du Yan, long time no see."

Du Yan approached warmly, taking her hand, "It certainly has been! I thought you’d forgotten all about us. You did start from Brocade Tower, after all."

Ye Shuyi noticed something off in Yue Rongrong’s expression and found a moment to ask, "What’s wrong?"

"Du Yan and I didn’t get along well in the past," Yue Rongrong whispered.

Ye Shuyi half-joked, "That’s normal. Now you’re a noble lady—of course she’ll try to curry favor. If you didn’t get along before, she’ll try even harder, in case you hold a grudge later." She chuckled softly.

That seemed reasonable, but Yue Rongrong still felt uneasy seeing Du Yan, who used to glare and sneer at her, now acting like a different person. Yet, since Du Yan was all smiles, Yue Rongrong didn’t want to appear arrogant or bullying by being cold, so she maintained a polite but distant demeanor.

Du Yan, however, acted as if past grievances had vanished, attentively helping them select dresses, down to the fabric and patterns. She even held up clothes personally for Yue Rongrong to try.

Ye Shuyi said casually, "Let’s go to Yijiang Nan together tonight."

"Yijiang Nan?" Yue Rongrong was surprised. "Is it appropriate for us to go there like this?"

Ye Shuyi glanced at her, a playful glint in her eyes, "Who said we’re going alone? Piao Yao will definitely come to pick you up later."

Yue Rongrong’s face flushed, and she said coyly, "He didn’t mention it." Though she said this, her eyes sparkled.

Du Yan watched the radiant Yue Rongrong, her heart wrenching with bitterness. A flash of venom crossed her eyes but was quickly replaced by a smile. She stepped forward and said, "Rong Rong, before Zhong Yu entered the palace, she left something for you in her room."

Yue Rongrong was slightly surprised, "She never mentioned it."

Du Yan said, "That day was hectic with her entering the palace—she probably forgot. I think it was some sort of fortune slip she asked for from a master, meant for you. I forgot about it too until I saw you today. Come with me to get it."

Yue Rongrong thought it might be a protective charm Zhong Yu had sought for her. Not wanting to disregard Zhong Yu’s kindness, she pondered briefly and said to Ye Shuyi, "Yi Yi, wait here for a moment."

Ye Shuyi didn’t overthink it, "Alright, go ahead. I’ll pick out some more Song brocade."

As they walked toward the inner courtyard, Du Yan glanced at Hui Yin and Gu Yu following behind and casually remarked, "Rong Rong, that’s Madam Han, right? You’re so close with her now?"

Yue Rongrong nodded with a smile.

Seeing a noble madam from a powerful family being so intimate with Yue Rongrong, Du Yan knew exactly what it meant. She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms to suppress the jealousy rising in her heart, then suddenly let out a deep, quiet laugh.

"Rong Rong, it’s right inside the room." She pushed the door open, and a faint, delicate fragrance wafted out.

Shen Jichen learned that Yue Rongrong was at Brocade Tower after finishing his duties and went to pick her up. As he rode down the long street leading to Brocade Tower, a carriage from Vice Minister Cai's estate approached from the opposite direction. Shen Jichen passed by slowly on horseback. A warm, rain-scented breeze swept through and lifted the carriage's curtain. Shen Jichen glanced over inadvertently and saw Zhen Xi sitting upright inside. Her eyes met his, her pupils suddenly dilated, her face turned pale, and she hurriedly fussed with her hair.

Wen Song also saw her and muttered beside Shen Jichen, "My Lord, that is Zhen Xi, Vice Minister Cai's concubine."

Shen Jichen gave a cold glance and rode past.

Given what had happened earlier at Brocade Tower and the way she'd humiliated Miss Rongrong at the jade shop, it was no surprise she reacted this way upon seeing the Marquis.

When they arrived at Brocade Tower, the manager, having received word, came out to greet them, bowing repeatedly. "Your Lordship honors us with your presence. I apologize for not welcoming you properly."

Shen Jichen nodded reservedly and asked calmly, "Where is Rongrong?"

Before the manager could answer, Ye Shuyi's voice came from upstairs. "Oh, you really came—and sooner than expected."

Shen Jichen looked up and saw Ye Shuyi leaning over the railing, beaming down at him. But Yue Rongrong was nowhere in sight. He frowned slightly. "Where is Rongrong?"

Ye Shuyi's eyes were full of mischief. "Already worried? Are you afraid she'll run away?" Seeing his expression darken, she sheepishly stuck out her tongue and came downstairs. "So touchy—can't take a joke. She went to the inner courtyard. An embroiderer said she had something for her."

"How long has she been gone?" Shen Jichen asked coldly.

Ye Shuyi thought for a moment. "She's been gone for a while..." Before she could finish, Shen Jichen brushed past her and strode into the inner hall, heading toward the courtyard with a stern expression. Ye Shuyi, bewildered, hurried after him.

The attendants behind her rushed to support her, afraid she might fall.

Manager Xu's heart leaped to his throat, and he followed closely.

The group arrived at Cloud Brocade Yard. Shen Jichen stood in the yard, his gaze cold and sharp as he scanned the surroundings. Manager Xu quickly stepped forward and pointed. "Zhong Yu's room is over there."

Without a word, Shen Jichen strode in that direction. Ye Shuyi thought he was overreacting and called after him, "Piao Yao, Rongrong is just here to pick something up... Ah!" She paled at the sight of Huiyin Guyu and Du Yan lying unconscious on the floor inside the room. Her legs gave way, and she swayed sideways, fortunately caught firmly by two attendants. "What happened?" Ye Shuyi asked, trembling.

"Ask you? I should be asking you!" Shen Jichen turned a piercing gaze toward her, his eyes icy with rage, his face taut and livid, all composure gone.

Wen Song quickly retrieved the remnants of burned incense from the room and said grimly, "Marquis, it's sleeping incense!"

Manager Xu felt as if disaster had struck and moved to explain, accidentally blocking Shen Jichen's path. Shen Jichen grabbed him, his sharp gaze like daggers, almost shredding Manager Xu to pieces. "You'd better pray Rongrong is safe and sound. Otherwise, your Brocade Tower will be shut down permanently!"

"Marquis! Marquis!" Manager Xu's legs buckled, and he fell to his knees with a thud.

Ye Shuyi's heart sank, and she collapsed onto the floor, stunned. Matron Zhang hurriedly comforted her. "Young Madam, take care of yourself."

"Rongrong, Rongrong..." Ye Shuyi burst into tears.

Some time later, Han Zixian also arrived after hearing the news. As soon as he entered, he saw Ye Shuyi crying her heart out. His chest tightened. "Yi Yi!" He rushed over and pulled her into his arms.

Ye Shuyi seemed to have finally found support and sobbed uncontrollably against his chest. "Rongrong is missing! Zi Xian..." She was filled with regret and self-blame. "It's all my fault..."

"It's alright, it's alright. It's not your fault. It's Piao Yao who failed to protect her." He frowned deeply, though inwardly he prayed Yue Rongrong was safe. Turning to Matron Zhang, he said, "You two accompany the Young Madam back home first."

"I want to stay here and wait for news!" Ye Shuyi lifted her tear-filled eyes and insisted urgently.

Han Zixian patiently persuaded her. "No, you're in your condition. Go home and wait for news. Listen to me." He supported Ye Shuyi to the entrance of Cloud Brocade Yard and asked, "How many people knew you and Rongrong were coming out today?"

Ye Shuyi looked confused, her eyes shining with tears, but her heart raced. She shook her head. "Not many knew."

Han Zixian glanced at her, and she met his gaze. Then he saw her off and made straight for the back courtyard.

Manager Xu, puzzled, asked, "Where is Vice Minister going?"

Han Zixian said coldly, "In broad daylight, Yue Rongrong was drugged unconscious and taken away from your place. Where could they have gone?"

Manager Xu suddenly understood and followed Han Zixian to the backyard gate, where he saw Shen Jichen squatting on the ground, examining a handful of soil, his expression already strained to the breaking point.

Han Zixian walked over, looked at the wheel tracks on the ground, and said gravely, "Fortunately, it rained yesterday, and the ground hasn't dried yet. But just based on these wheel marks, can you determine who took Yue Rongrong and where they went?"

Shen Jichen closed his eyes for a moment, forcing himself to calm down. His clenched jaw ached and stiffened from the tension. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was sharp and bloodshot: "This soil is mixed with saltpeter."

Han Zixian’s eyelids twitched: "Saltpeter? That can only prove that the carriage that took Yue Rongrong had been to a place with saltpeter. But there are many places in the capital with saltpeter—alchemy workshops, pyrotechnic workshops. How can you quickly pinpoint it?"

Shen Jichen suddenly dug his fists, his shoulders trembling slightly from the force and extreme restraint. Han Zixian quickly stepped forward and pressed his shoulder: "Shen Jichen, don’t panic. Stay calm."

"How can I stay calm!" Shen Jichen suddenly shook off his hand, extremely agitated.

Han Zixian was speechless. Shen Jichen was usually the type to grow calmer in the face of difficulty, but when it came to Yue Rongrong, he couldn’t be judged by ordinary standards. He quickly adjusted his approach: "We can also approach this from other angles." His gaze was profound, implying something more.

Shen Jichen immediately understood and said coldly, "Good."

"As for searching places with saltpeter..."

"We can’t conduct a large-scale search," Shen Jichen said coldly, finally regaining a bit of composure. "I’ll send covert guards to investigate."

Han Zixian nodded and said, "Yue Rongrong has no enemies in the capital. Who would want to kidnap her? Could it be someone targeting you?"

Shen Jichen’s heart suddenly skipped a beat as he remembered encountering Zhen Xi’s carriage on his way. Now that he thought about it, her expression had been highly suspicious. He stood up, almost unsteady on his feet. Han Zixian and Wen Song hurriedly supported him, but he pushed them away, his voice icy: "Remember what I’ve tasked you with."

＊＊

When Yue Rongrong woke up, everything was dark. She seemed to be lying on a hard board, and with the slightest movement, her bones ached from the pressure. It was only then she realized her limbs were bound and nailed in a spread-eagle position to the hard board, leaving her unable to move.

Suddenly, her whole body went numb, and dense fear spread from every layer of her muscles to her limbs. Who had kidnapped her? Was it Du Yan? What did she want?

Suddenly, the door opened with a sound like iron grating. A large amount of light flooded in from outside. Yue Rongrong tensed up and looked up to see an elegant figure holding a lantern slowly approaching. The person was silhouetted against the light, and she only found the silhouette somewhat familiar. As the figure drew closer, the lantern light illuminated the face—it was unmistakably Ren Hanzhen!

Yue Rongrong stared at her in disbelief: "It’s you! What do you want!"

Ren Hanzhen smiled lightly: "What do I want? You’ll find out soon enough."

"Ren Hanzhen, don’t keep making mistakes! Let me go now! Otherwise, you'll pay for this! Marquis Shen won’t let you get away with this!"

With a loud "smack," an extremely forceful slap, filled with jealousy and hatred, struck Yue Rongrong’s face, whipping her head to the side. Her head spun, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"Ren Hanzhen, how dare you hit me!" Yue Rongrong grew agitated, glaring at her angrily.

Another "smack" followed—a second slap landed on the other side of Yue Rongrong’s face. Her face burned with pain, and she could barely speak.

Ren Hanzhen glared at her coldly, filled with a vicious delight as if she wanted to tear her apart: "So what if I hit you! What are you so proud of! What gives you the right to act superior! You think just because you’re the one Marquis Shen cherishes most, you’re better than me? You wretch! You’re still a wretch!"

Yue Rongrong struggled to suppress her rage. Enraged to the extreme, she instead let out a low laugh.

"What are you laughing at!" Ren Hanzhen’s eyes widened as she shouted sharply.

"Laughing at you. Why don’t you look in a mirror? The way you’re consumed by jealousy is truly amusing."

"What did you say!" Ren Hanzhen, unable to contain her envy and hatred, slapped her twice more, left and right.

Yue Rongrong was on the verge of crying from anger and pain, but she bit her lip hard to hold back the tears, staring fixedly at her: "Ren Hanzhen, I will repay you tenfold, a hundredfold, for every hit!"

Ren Hanzhen suddenly laughed, a wild, uncontrollable laugh. She was already driven mad by jealousy, nearly deranged: "Such big words! Isn’t it just because Marquis Shen dotes on you? If your face were ruined, if your body were defiled, do you think Marquis Shen would still cherish you? He’d probably be disgusted at the sight of you."

Her sharp nails raked across Yue Rongrong’s face. Yue Rongrong jolted violently, her eyes finally showing terror, her voice trembling: "You're insane, you're insane! Ren Hanzhen, if you ruin me, you'll gain nothing from this either! This isn't worth it!"

"Not worth it? It’s absolutely worth it! You ruined me first! You destroyed everything I had! And yet you get to happily marry Xue Yubai or Marquis Shen, you bitch! How dare you! If I can’t have him, neither will you!"

Yue Rongrong stared at her wild, crazed eyes, wishing she could back away, enduring the pain on her face as she tried to reason with her: "I didn’t ruin you—you ruined yourself! You had a bright future ahead of you. You were one of the top embroiderers at Jinxiu Tower and were even selected to enter the palace. If you had just kept to yourself, you could have made a name for yourself. With time, you would have gained fame and fortune, won the favor of nobles in the palace, just like Aunt Ming. You could have married a good man. But you insisted on chasing after someone who was never yours..."

"Shut up!" Ren Hanzhen shrieked sharply, making Yue Rongrong tremble and press her lips tightly together. Ren Hanzhen’s will was unyielding, like an assassin revealing his blade, intent on killing her. "Even if I gained the favor of nobles in the palace, so what? At best, they’d hastily pawn me off to some low-ranking official! You think I'd want that?"

"Not meant for me? Hah, are you saying Marquis Shen is not meant for me, that I’m not worthy of him? But you think you are? Are you trying to prove you’re better and more outstanding than me?"

Yue Rongrong looked at her, thinking she had gone utterly deranged, but she could only reply calmly, "If you kill me, you’ll die with me. What’s the point? Once you’re dead, all hope is gone."

Ren Hanzhen took a deep breath and let out a long, eerie sigh, like a ghost in the dark night.

"Yes, once you’re dead, there’s nothing left—nothing left at all. So, I never planned to kill you. I want to keep you alive, to watch you lose everything. I don’t plan to die either. I know Marquis Shen will definitely find you, but by the time he does, I’ll be long gone. You, however, will face a living hell, watching him grow disgusted with you, forcing yourself to live on." She smiled eerily at Yue Rongrong.

"What are you going to do?" Yue Rongrong finally broke down in tears, but her stubborn nature refused to let her beg for mercy.

"I’ve already told you—ruin you." She chuckled and clapped her hands. Three burly men walked in from outside, leering obscenely.

Yue Rongrong stiffened instantly, trying to scream but unable to make a sound. After struggling for a moment, she finally cried out, "Ren Hanzhen! How dare you!"

But Ren Hanzhen had no more words for her: "She’s stalling. Make it quick." She slowly backed out of the room, hearing Yue Rongrong’s helpless screams.

"Don’t you dare touch me! I’m the fiancée of the Marquis of Wujing! If you lay a hand on me, he’ll chop you into pieces and feed you to the dogs!"

The three men grew even more excited: "The Marquis of Wujing? I am the Marquis of Wujing! Little beauty, we’ll treat you well."

"Don’t touch me! Ren Hanzhen! I’ll haunt you even as a ghost!"

Ren Hanzhen stepped outside. The May sunlight was blinding and scorching, but she threw her arms open as if to embrace it, reveling in it.

Suddenly, a "whoosh" sounded by her ear, followed by a chilling gust of wind. A agonized scream erupted behind her. She snapped her eyes open and turned to see one of the men’s hands pierced by an arrow, nailed to the hard board, howling in pain. Her blood ran cold, and she stiffly turned around. A dark figure flashed before her, and a powerful force kicked her to the ground, making her spit out a mouthful of blood.

Shen Jichen arrived just in time to see three men in the dimly lit room and hear Yue Rongrong’s screams. His mind went blank, a metallic taste rushing to his throat as he charged forward like a madman, kicking one of the men aside. He rushed to Yue Rongrong, wanting to touch her face, but saw the red handprints and the blood at the corner of her mouth. Furious and heartbroken, his lips turned pale, his hands trembling uncontrollably. He dared not touch her, afraid of hurting her: "Rong Rong..."

Yue Rongrong burst into tears at the sight of him: "Why did you take so long!"

Shen Jichen’s heart felt as if it were being sliced open: "It’s my fault. I came too late." He gently held her and began untying the ropes around her wrists.

Wen Song and Han Zixian rushed over to help untie the ropes around her ankles. Only then did Shen Jichen carefully lift her into his arms.

Han Zixian glanced disdainfully at Ren Hanzhen and the three men on the ground: "What should we do with them?"

Shen Jichen’s gaze was as cold as the King of Hell devoid of all emotion: "Tie her to the board and make her watch. When they’re done, chop them into pieces and feed them to the dogs."

He had heard everything... Yue Rongrong weakly clutched his collar, her angry tone choked with sobs: "Slap Ren Hanzhen a hundred times."

Shen Jichen lowered his head and kissed her forehead tenderly, dotingly: "Alright, a hundred slaps it is."

Han Zixian watched them leave and was about to follow when Wen Song grabbed him: "Han Zixian, are you leaving already?"

Han Zixian patted Wen Song’s shoulder with a sense of solemn duty: "I’ll leave this important surveillance task to you. I need to go back and take care of my wife."

"Han Zixian!" Wen Song tried to grab him but missed. Rubbing his temples, he summoned a few hidden guards, looking utterly resigned. "Tie this woman to the board."

Ren Hanzhen, still in pain from Wen Song’s earlier kick, was trembling uncontrollably, unable to speak. She didn’t know whether it was hatred or fear anymore. Her eyes were fixed on the spot where Yue Rongrong had left, almost bleeding with resentment, still filled with unwillingness!

Wen Song cast her a cold glance: "You seemed so gentle, yet you’re so vicious." He flexed his wrist. "Daring to lay a hand on our lady—your time is up."