Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 90

“Looks like you have something to ask this king.”

Shen Yu lifted his gaze, the dullness in his eyes ignited a glimmer of hope as he handed over a piece of paper to Prince Zhenbei. The paper he presented seemed to weigh a ton, and upon handing it over, Shen Yu felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

“Have you ever liked Yu’er, your highness?”

The handwriting wasn’t extraordinary, but it bore the essence of Prince Zhenbei’s calligraphy, elegant and refined, with its own unique charm.

Shen Yu looked earnestly at Prince Zhenbei, afraid to miss any hint of pity in his expression. However, all he saw was indifference.

“Of course, I liked you. Otherwise, would this Prince have appointed you as a concubine?”

Prince Zhenbei admitted calmly, acknowledging that he had liked many beauties before.

This wasn’t the answer Shen Yu wanted to hear.

“But what about love?”

Shen Yu urgently gestured, knowing he shouldn’t press further. Prince Zhenbei was not one to be entangled in matters of love, but this was his last hope, and he had to know.

Prince Zhenbei’s expression turned impatient, then he spoke, “Never.”

Shen Yu’s world seemed to fall silent, even the flames in the stove ceased to flicker. He didn’t need to hear more; he understood from the movement of Prince Zhenbei’s lips.

“Thank you for your indulgence, your highness.”

Shen Yu bowed three times, making up for the formalities he hadn’t performed when he first entered the palace.

He remembered the night of their wedding, when Prince Zhenbei held up a cup of wine, saying it was their bridal toast. Shen Yu had taken it to heart. Perhaps Prince Zhenbei had said similar things to many others and forgotten them soon after, but for Shen Yu, it had become an obsession.

Shen Yu knew that his joy at that time was genuine, but now his indifference was equally genuine.

Prince Zhenbei looked at Shen Yu, who remained calm and composed. Suddenly, he felt a sense of restlessness, as if something had slipped from his grasp and drifted away.

“Is there anything else you want to say?”

Shen Yu carefully took out a booklet from his bundle and handed it to Prince Zhenbei. Though it had been wrapped in the bundle, it remained neat and tidy, with no curled edges, only the ink had smudged slightly due to water damage:

“Thank you for your care, your highness. Shen Yu has been serving in the palace for half a year, enjoying free board and lodging for some time, and even letting the highness spend a fortune on medicine, more than what Shen Yu could afford. But Shen Yu has nothing to repay with, so he must ask your highness to agree.”

A passage that made Prince Zhenbei uncomfortable, and he let out a disdainful hum.

“Thank you, your highness, for your kindness. Starting from a month ago, I have made up for all the slackness in the palace over the past half year. Your highness can see it for yourself.”

Prince Zhenbei sighed deeply and continued reading. The booklet listed in detail all the chores Shen Yu had done over the past month, from chopping wood and fetching water to feeding horses, washing clothes, sweeping snow, and even emptying chamber pots. Shen Yu had done the work of ordinary servants for half a year in just one month!

For some reason, Prince Zhenbei found these accounts glaringly uncomfortable! It was as if they had turned into little ghosts, accusing him of something. The image of Shen Yu’s frail body kept appearing before his eyes, and the sight of him gritting his teeth to do those dirty and tiring tasks…

“Enough!”

Prince Zhenbei roared, tearing the booklet to shreds and throwing it in front of Shen Yu.

“How dare you settle scores with this Prince! How dare you demand from this Prince?!”

Prince Zhenbei’s anger erupted, shouting, “Alright, if you want to be a lowly slave, have you calculated how much silver this king should pay you?!”

In the past, Shen Yu would have been terrified by Prince Zhenbei’s anger, even a frown from him would have made him uneasy. But now, it seemed he wasn’t afraid anymore.

“Considering a lowly slave’s salary of two taels of silver per month, a total of one tael and two maces… As for the number of times I served your highness, I can’t remember anymore. I specially asked Hong Lian, the cheapest boy in the brothel, who can be enjoyed for ten wen a night. My arithmetic is not good, so I have to trouble your highness…”

Ten wen? Prince Zhenbei sneered, “Alright, alright, this Prince doesn’t have any loose change on him. Here’s your reward. Is it enough?”

A large piece of official silver (guanyin) fell in front of Shen Yu, who carefully tucked it into the clothes in the middle of his bundle.

“If there’s any leftover silver, I’ll return it.”

Prince Zhenbei said coldly, “There’s no need for that. According to your appearance, you’re worth more than this, especially since you’re both a lowly slave and a sex slave. You’ve truly earned your keep! If I don’t give you a little more silver, I’d feel guilty!”

Shen Yu thought he could endure humiliation with composure, but hearing Prince Zhenbei’s words, he couldn’t help but tremble with pain in his heart…

“As long as your highness is satisfied.”

Prince Zhenbei stood up and walked past Shen Yu without saying another word.

Shen Yu lost his last bit of strength and knelt down on the ground, his arms hanging limp. He wondered if Prince Zhenbei had really not known he was outside that night, or if he had deliberately said it for him to hear?

Never mind, what difference did it make whether he knew or not?

If Prince Zhenbei were to turn around now, he would surely see the despair in Shen Yu’s eyes.

“Official silver” typically refers to silver coins or bullion issued by a government or central bank as legal tender. These coins or bullion bars are produced by official mints and usually carry a face value that is higher than their intrinsic metal value. They are often used as investment vehicles or collectors’ items.