Chapter 3: Go to Bed

Chapter 3: Go to Bed

"Master, tonight... are you really going to let that Prince Yu defile you?"

Yun Feng’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice hoarse with tears. The bloodstains on his forehead from kowtowing outside the bedchamber were still fresh, yet his face was filled with indignation toward that cruel prince.

He carefully set down the medicine bowl and placed it in Liu Qingci’s hands.

This was the medicine they had obtained with great difficulty. The severe injury and high fever over the past few days had nearly made them think he wouldn’t make it, so the medicine from the imperial physician was now precious beyond measure.

That Prince Yu was rarely so kind.

His kindness was only because... because he didn’t want to ruin his fun in bed!

Liu Qingci lifted the medicine bowl and took small sips.

After three days without food or water, this bowl of medicine was the first thing he had consumed in days.

"And what else can I do?"

His reply was soft, barely a whisper.

Yun Feng suddenly dropped to his knees, clutching the thin edge of Liu Qingci’s garment with both hands, tears falling heavily onto the cold floor.

"Master! Let’s flee! Under the cover of night... I’ll risk my life to protect you as we escape!"

Liu Qingci’s hand trembled slightly as he held the medicine bowl. The faint warmth from its rim made his fingertips tremble.

Flee?

This prince’s mansion had high walls and deep courtyards, with tight security. The two of them—one gravely wounded, the other unable to defend himself—where could they go?

It would only be a futile struggle, only inviting even crueler humiliation.

He lowered his eyelids. His long, thick eyelashes cast a faint shadow over his pale face, hiding the fleeting glimmer in his eyes.

He gently set down the medicine bowl. His empty stomach ached faintly from the irritation of the small amount of medicine.

Then he reached out, his cold fingers touched the dry, dark bloodstains on Yun Feng’s forehead.

"Don’t be foolish," he said, his voice still weak but carrying an undeniable calm. "Preserving your life is more important than anything."

It was as if he were trying to convince Yun Feng—and himself.

His father had yet to clear his name and was still on the road to exile. His mother and younger sister were also in a difficult situation.

To live.

Only by living could there be hope.

He raised his hand to his chest, pulling out a jade pendant that hung from a cord around his neck, gripping it tightly.

It was as if he were holding on to his only remaining anchor.

Yun Feng’s heart ached as if pierced by a knife. He knew this was the only keepsake the lady of the house had left for the young master.

During these hard days, they had pawned everything of value, but this jade pendant had been with the young master since childhood—it had a special significance.

He gritted his teeth. "But... Master, how can you bear such humiliation? I’ve heard... I’ve heard..."

Liu Qingci asked, "Heard what?"

Yun Feng’s eyes were filled with unbearable pity and indignation.

"A few days ago, Prince Yu was in a bad mood. I heard... last night, the prince’s bedchamber saw no rest all night. He summoned five concubines and male favorites one after another, and two of them were carried out..."

Just hearing about the bloody, mangled sight was horrifying. Yun Feng dared not describe it to his master.

How could his master, pampered since childhood, endure such torment?

Liu Qingci closed his eyes. His face grew even paler, and his already bloodless lips pressed into a stark white line.

All his composure was just an act.

Yun Feng’s words shattered the last shred of self-deception.

Xiao Yan shut himself alone in the bedchamber, starting to familiarize himself with the prince’s mansion based on the information Little K provided.

"Tell me again, what exactly are the task requirements and how scoring works?" Xiao Yan asked.

Little K said, "Here’s how it works, Host: The task requirements are directly issued by the central mainframe, and then I convey them to you. I have no power to change them. However, the final score is determined by me based on the plot development and situation analysis!"

Xiao Yan listened expressionlessly, weighing every word Little K said carefully.

The task requirements couldn’t be changed, but the final score was determined by this seemingly unintelligent system.

For instance, with the "destroy Liu Qingci’s mental defenses" task just now, he had only made a tentative remark, and Little K directly rated the task as 30% complete.

From this, it was clear that this system didn’t understand causality at all. If it did, it would at least realize that the task requirement was actually "to completely destroy Liu Qingci’s mental defenses by forcibly possessing him."

Xiao Yan: "Mm, I understand."

Little K was completely unaware and even sounded cheerful. "Keep it up, Host! Your acting is amazing. I think the remaining 70% of the task will be no problem!"

Xiao Yan: "...Mm."

Twilight deepened, and lanterns were lit inside the bedchamber.

Liu Qingci was indeed brought in on a sedan chair.

A sedan chair carried him to the bedchamber entrance, and then he was carried on a chair into the inner hall.

The chair was taken away, and two eunuchs half-supported, half-propelled him to the center of the bedchamber.

He had clearly been hastily washed and dressed and was wearing a clean, moon-white casual robe. His dark hair was tied up with a simple jade hairpin, revealing a face so pale it was almost translucent.

The plain clothing did not diminish his refined handsomeness; instead, it made him resemble a white crane forced into the mud, carrying a fragile beauty.

The eunuchs who had escorted him let go and withdrew from the bedchamber.

Without support, Liu Qingci swayed, barely able to stay upright.

He forced himself to lift his head, his translucent eyes forced to meet Xiao

He begged all the way, hoping that Prince Yu would lose interest upon seeing his battered body and just have him thrown back to the Listening Bamboo Courtyard to live or die on his own.

But he never expected... that he would be so impatient.

Now Liu Qingci would no longer resist. If he wanted to live, he had to know when to submit.

"Yes..."

He responded, turned, and walked toward that extravagant bed.

Xiao Yan's gaze followed his back.

His long fingers tapped the surface of the rosewood low table with an irregular, dull *thump thump* sound.

Xiao K's voice sounded timidly in his mind: "Host, I detect your heart rate is elevated and your cortisol levels are rising. Are you nervous? (,,•́ .•̀,,)"