Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 88
Prince Zhenbei walked up to Shen Yu, seemingly arriving in the blink of an eye, but Shen Yu felt like time was dragging on endlessly. The Prince’s sinister gaze pierced through Shen Yu’s soul, chilling him to the bone with every heavy step that landed on his heart.
“I ask you, how did this jade pendant end up in Sun Lao Liu’s hands? Hm?”
The Prince’s voice was low, almost whispered into Shen Yu’s ear, yet it resonated loudly in Shen Yu’s ears, almost deafening him.
“I… I lost it in the mountains…”
Shen Yu raised his hand, making simple gestures because he couldn’t express complex sentences through sign language. Shen Yu, who used to have no one to communicate with, now found his means of expression to be too limited.
“Lost it?”
Prince Zhenbei curled his lips in a mocking and contemptuous manner.
“Wasn’t it the night you undressed with Emperor Ye? “
Shen Yu’s entire body turned stiff. He thought that after the Prince smashed the exquisite dice, the Prince’s cruelty towards him would end there. But it turned out that the Prince still held a grudge against that night…
“I believe you didn’t say… then tell me now, what else did you lose that night? Your dignity? Even a servant like Sun Lao Liu can become your lover? Every man for himself?”
Shen Yu felt the world spinning around him, a taste of blood filled his mouth. He had to bite his tongue to stay awake.
Every man for himself?
Haha, every man for himself…
Shen Yu laughed bitterly, feeling immensely pathetic. In the Prince’s eyes, he must be the most promiscuous person, right?
Shen Yu didn’t feel sad. His heart shattered along with the exquisite dice that day. He just felt pain, a pain that rushed out from his internal organs, pierced through his bone marrow, spread through his flesh and blood, and burned his entire body.
This kind of pain seemed familiar; it was the same pain he felt when the Princess Consort poisoned him with the Gu toxin…
Shen Yu’s eyes swelled, and he dared not blink. Every blink would cause hot tears to roll down. But he didn’t want to cry. If he cried in front of Prince Zhenbei again, wouldn’t it mean that he had lost even the last trace of dignity?
“Besides Emperor Ye and Sun Lao Liu, how many other men are willing to risk their lives for you?”
The Prince grabbed Shen Yu’s face, pinching it painfully, but compared to the pain on his body, it was insignificant…
“The first time I saw you, I knew that your face could seduce countless men, so I imprisoned you in Shao Hua Court, appointed you as the Imperial Concubine, and let Song Qing take care of you. I didn’t expect that with just a little opportunity, you would attract so many men like moths to a flame… Sometimes, I really want to destroy your face!”
The Prince threw Shen Yu to the ground, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, and Shen Yu saw the disgust buried in his eyes, as if even touching him made Prince Zhenbei feel dirty and nauseous…
“My Lord, how should these two be dealt with?”
The Princess Consort couldn’t help but urge. She was afraid that Prince Zhenbei would spare Shen Yu out of old affection, so she secretly signaled to Sun Lao Liu.
Sun Lao Liu cried out, “My Lord, spare us! Spare us, my Lady! I’m not afraid of death, I just beg my Lord not to punish the Imperial Concubine. This jade pendant… I stole it, it was not given by the Imperial Concubine…”
“Palace punishment, then chop them up and feed them to the dogs.”
Prince Zhenbei glanced at Sun Lao Liu, devoid of any emotion. Even as death approached, Sun Lao Liu’s face remained pale, but he clenched his teeth tightly and didn’t utter a word.
The Princess Consort joyfully ordered the servants to act. She was extremely satisfied, finally able to get rid of Shen Yu, this great trouble. But then she heard Prince Zhenbei’s next words:
“Tie Shen Yu back to the mansion.”
“What?” The Princess Consort exclaimed, “My Lord, this harlot has been doing all sorts of filthy things behind your back, how many men has he seduced and lain with, and yet you forgive him like this?”
“So, what do you suggest we do?” Prince Zhenbei stared at the Queen Consort meaningfully.
“This filthy who * re deserves nothing less than to be drowned in a pigsty! Better yet, subject him to the wooden horse punishment! He enjoys being mounted by men, doesn’t he?” The more the Princess Consort spoke, the more excited she became.
Prince Zhenbei said in a low voice, “If you say another word, I’ll let you taste the punishment you suggested!”
The Queen Consort was shocked, and Prince Zhenbei got into the carriage. She shuddered and quickly caught up.
Shen Yu was numbly tied back to the carriage. It wasn’t until he heard a scream of agony from Sun Lao Liu in the distance that he snapped out of it.
“Ow-“
Shen Yu was tied to a pillar by the servants. Every touch caused excruciating pain as if his bones were being corroded. His eyeballs turned red, and he couldn’t move, so he closed his eyes to endure the pain.
At this moment, Song Qing rushed back to the mansion from Tangquan Manor. Upon hearing Hong Lian’s message, he thought Shen Yu had really been taken to the manor by Sun Lao Liu. When he arrived and saw the scene in the courtyard, he couldn’t help but lose his composure.
“Shen Yu! “
Normally calm and collected, Song Qing couldn’t help but lose his composure. He dismounted and pushed away the servants…
“He’s the Lord’s concubine! How dare you treat him like this?!”
“Brother Song…”
It was Song Qing’s voice. Shen Yu opened his eyes a slit, unable to bear the pain…
“How… are you?”
Song Qing’s eyes were bloodshot. How could… how could they treat him like this? Shen Yu was the most innocent person he had ever seen. He was as pure as a blank sheet of paper, believing everything others said, and once he believed in something, he would never waver…
He shouldn’t be subjected to this treatment!
Seeing Song Qing’s worried and anxious appearance, Shen Yu wanted to tell him that he was okay, but he couldn’t make gestures, so he could only force a weak smile…
“It’s the Lord’s orders,” Prince Zhenbei said coldly. “Even if Shen Yu has committed a grave mistake, please untie him first and summon Physician Bian…”
Song Qing knelt down with a thud, knocking his head against the stone floor…
“Shen Yu’s Gu poison has relapsed, and I have witnessed it myself! He is loyal to you, why do you believe slander and turn a blind eye?”
“Why? Do you also pity him? If it weren’t for your negligence in taking care of him, allowing outsiders to take advantage of the situation, how could today’s events have happened?”
Song Qing fell silent, finally prostrating himself on the ground. “I failed in my duty, but it has nothing to do with Shen Yu…”
Song Qing’s head was bleeding, still trying to intercede for Shen Yu, but was pulled away by Hong Lian…
“Master Song, just shut up… The Lord’s temperament doesn’t allow you to dictate terms. The more you speak up for Shen Yu, the harsher the punishment will be…”
“Clean him up!”
Prince Zhenbei left without another word, leaving behind only merciless instructions.
Shen Yu’s clothes were stripped off, leaving only his undergarments. A bucket of cold water was poured over his head.
The cold water woke Shen Yu up from the torment of the relapsed Gu poison, but it also extinguished the burning sensation on his skin, making him slightly more awake…
His vision was blurred… and he couldn’t hear clearly…
Was Brother Song calling me? What was he saying? It seemed like… There was no need for him to cry, his tears made me want to cry too.
