Chapter 19: It’s Sang Yu

Chapter 19: It's Sang Yu

What exactly had set Sang Yu off...

The Eldest Princess...?

Before he could think further, a faint sigh drifted from inside, carrying boundless sorrow, resentment, and crushing despair.

"They shouldn't have spoken of my mother—they all deserve to die. I'll slaughter every stupid person in this world."

He'd never heard him speak like that, and Li Zhiming felt a strange ache in his chest.

But now wasn't the time to get soft.

There were still two dead bodies lying in there. When this guy snapped, he killed people faster than you'd slaughter a chicken—absolutely terrifying.

Don't mess with him. Don't mess with him.

Li Zhiming thought it over and decided to get out of there first—dealing with the hit on his own life was more urgent.

He slowly shuffled backward, careful not to make a peep.

After he'd moved a few meters, someone came flying in from another direction and landed in the courtyard.

"Tonight at midnight, in that room in the West Pavilion—send whoever's in there... to meet their maker."

"Yes!"

!

That was Sang Yu's voice.

What the hell?

So Sang Yu was the one who wanted him dead?

No wait, he said the room in the West Pavilion, the person in that room...

Was he talking about himself, or Su Yi?

Given the timing of this order, he couldn't be sure he'd be gone, so the one most likely to still be in that West Pavilion room was Su Yi.

So that meant... Sang Yu wanted Su Yi dead.

The thought spun around in his head, leaving him dazed.

Those two had nothing to do with each other—could Sang Yu really want him dead? Did they have some secret beef?

"What do I do now? Do I go ask directly? How would I even ask?"

He paced anxiously, head down, thinking hard, and accidentally stepped on a leaf, making a rustling sound.

"Who's there?!"

A sharp voice barked from inside.

Li Zhiming turned to bolt, but the second he spun around, a blade came slashing at his back.

He felt like he'd been nearly cut in half.

It hurt so bad he wanted to cry.

"My lord, it's just a low-ranking guard. Already taken care of."

I curse you to the deepest pits of hell, you dog-legged pig!

Truly, thanks for nothing.

Li Zhiming crumpled to the ground.

He felt like a dead fish flopping on dry land—his body twitched a few times, then went still, and before long, he stopped breathing.

...

A beat later, he was back in Su Yi's courtyard.

Li Zhiming didn't waste any time—he cut Su Yi off and probed: "By the way, there's someone important staying at my place. Do you know who it is?"

He had no idea why Sang Yu wanted Su Yi dead, and why he was so hell-bent on it.

He could only try to fish for information from him first.

Su Yi nodded: "I've heard the servants mention it—they say he's a prince of the Nanxun Kingdom named Sang Yu. Is that right?"

"Yes." Li Zhiming didn't let a single micro-expression slip past him and continued, "Have you met him? Did you two know each other before?"

Su Yi shook his head immediately, no hesitation.

"Not at all?"

"I've never seen him. But I did catch a glimpse of him once around the residence—the Prince of Nanxun is handsome and refined, and I was quite taken aback."

After saying that, he asked curiously, "Why does Your Highness ask?"

"Nothing." Li Zhiming smiled sheepishly. "We're all living under the same roof; I was thinking of introducing you two at some point."

"Really? Then I'd be honored."

He didn't seem the least bit off, and his expression was perfectly composed.

Seemed like they really didn't know each other.

After a few more exchanges, Li Zhiming made an excuse to leave, telling Su Yi to stay in his room and not come out.

Now that he knew Sang Yu had given the order, he had to stop it.

If the two really didn't know each other, Sang Yu was probably killing in a fit of rage—those two maids had been gossiping, pissing him off, driving him crazy, and he snapped, taking it out on everyone else.

He needed to get those maids out of there fast.

Li Zhiming went back to his room first, had some fruit and snacks prepared, and carried them over to see Sang Yu himself.

He'd just reached the courtyard gate when he heard the two maids talking, not too loud but not quiet either, always taking jabs at Sang Yu between sentences, then singing Su Yi's praises.

God, what a pair of gossiping busybodies.

Li Zhiming composed his expression and burst in, furious: "What are you two chattering about?"

The two maids, startled by Li Zhiming's sudden entrance and his angry face, trembled and quickly knelt down: "This servant greets the eldest young master. We... we weren't saying anything."

"Not saying anything?"

Li Zhiming narrowed his eyes and deliberately raised his voice in rebuke: "Comparing the Prince of Nanxun to a commoner—I think you don't know your place!"

"Spare us, young master..."

Just then, the door swung open.

Li Zhiming caught Sang Yu's slightly startled gaze. Seeing him again, he couldn't help but think back to the massacre he'd just witnessed.

He gave a full-body shudder and quickly turned to bark at the two maids: "Drag them away, give them twenty strokes of the cane, dock two months' pay, and send them to the woodshed. Then send two others to serve Young Master Yu."

The two were quickly dragged away, still begging for mercy.

Li Zhiming let out a sigh of relief. Making an example of them, he hoped it would warn the remaining servants not to court trouble and provoke Sang Yu, that ticking time bomb.

The commotion ceased, and the courtyard fell quiet, with only the rustle of wind through fallen leaves.

"Um, have you eaten yet?"

Li Zhiming pointed at the food box in his hands and grinned sheepishly: "I was worried you weren't eating right, so I came to check on you. How are your injuries? Have you been taking your medicine on time?"

He walked over with feigned concern and casually set out the dishes and fruit.

All just to prevent more bloodshed.

"Come, sit."

Suppressing his fear, Li Zhiming tugged at Sang Yu's sleeve, hesitant, like a child begging a parent for candy.

Sang Yu looked down at his fair fingers, and a strange feeling stirred within him.

He thought to himself, just as he'd suspected—this man was still infatuated with his looks. What Su Yi or Young Master Su? They weren't as handsome as him, and yet here he was, hurrying over to him anyway.

There was a hint of disdain and contempt, but also a strange, warped satisfaction.

He sat down.

Li Zhiming took the initiative to serve him food and ladle soup, watching his expression gradually relax and settle, even showing hints of pleasure.

What a fine young man.

Fair-skinned, handsome, and striking. When he ate obediently like this, he looked like a little cat—adorable, with bright, sparkling eyes full of youthful energy.

There was no way to link him to a murderer.

Hiss.

You can know a person's face, but not their heart.

"Why do you keep staring at me?"

Sang Yu suddenly looked up and asked him.

"Pfft." Caught in the act, Li Zhiming forced a smile and explained, "I, I just think you're good-looking, so I took a few extra glances."

Sang Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly amused.

A bit full of himself too.

The two ate in silence. Li Zhiming took the opportunity to observe his mood, and once he'd eaten his fill and seemed in good spirits, he found an opening to start probing.

"Do you remember the scholar I told you about last time, the one I saved?"