The Fourth Prince was furious and left with a frosty expression.
The hall was already in disarray. Shi Wei, covered in golden-white robes adorned with cloud patterns, climbed up from the ground. His handsome face, like that of jade, was etched with a smile, a stark contrast to his earlier pathetic state.
He casually picked up the wine pot, tilted his head back, and drank. Wine spilled from the corner of his mouth before he could swallow, the clear liquid tracing a path down his neck and soaking his collar.
He was already somewhat inebriated.
Shi Wei had seen the indifferent Fourth Prince, the defiant Fourth Prince, the composed Fourth Prince, the aloof Fourth Prince who seemed untouched by the mundane world – yet, he had never seen the Fourth Prince so utterly out of control, his eyes a vivid red with anger.
Though his expression was icy, a chilling, captivating beauty flickered at the corners of his eyes. His lips were pressed tightly together, as alluring and soft as crushed petals.
He seemed truly enraged, his slender, thin shoulders trembling slightly.
Shi Wei, emboldened, stole a glance. The Fourth Prince's state stirred a tickle in his heart.
He kicked Shi Wei over, not with great force, but Shi Wei, feigning injury, rolled a couple of times on the ground.
Shi Wei then sat on the high seat, the very one the Fourth Prince had occupied moments before.
The soft cushion felt cold, yet in a daze, it seemed to retain a faint fragrance.
Subtle and light.
Blood churned in his veins, his throat felt dry, and his fingertips tingled.
—
Upon returning to Chengan Palace, Shen Yue immediately went to the baths and emerged two hours later.
On a dark wood table sat a bronze incense burner shaped like a qilin, quietly releasing wisps of cloud-like smoke.
Semi-transparent gauze curtains were loosely drawn, their exquisite patterns gently swaying with the slightest tremor.
Shen Yue was dressed in simple white underclothes. The incense burning in the hall had a calming effect. His long, fair fingers rested against his forehead, his ink-black hair half-dry. The warm lamplight illuminated skin as pure as fresh snow.
His eyes were closed, yet he exuded a sacred, unapproachable aura.
The fair-faced eunuch, serving the Fourth Prince at such close proximity for the first time, knelt on the ground and reached to remove Shen Yue's shoes.
His ankles were so slender that one hand could encircle them. The touch was of soft, smooth skin, with delicate bones, cool and smooth as jade.
After removing the shoes, a strange impulse made him hesitate to release his hand. He swallowed, his nerves taut, and looked up. The Fourth Prince's eyes remained closed.
He cupped Shen Yue's delicate, cool ankle and brought it to his chest, then eagerly and fiercely caressed it.
His gaze was fixed on the person above. Perhaps sensing the other's unawareness, his eyes instantly transformed, radiating a fervent heat, naked and voracious like a starving wolf.
A blush spread across his fair face, his eyes burning crimson.
The Fourth Prince slept peacefully. The candlelight cast a golden glow on his long, dark eyelashes.
He slowly leaned closer, his shadow on the ground stretching long and oddly shaped.
His breathing grew heavier, the sound of his swallowing becoming increasingly frequent, remarkably clear in the silent hall.
The bare foot he held in his hands suddenly stirred, as if trying to retract. The hot, rough palm immediately tightened its grip on the ankle, preventing any escape.
In that instant, desire conquered fear.
Perhaps realizing Shen Yue was asleep, his reason had long since flown away. With trembling hands, he lowered his head and dared to touch the snow-white bare foot.
He lingered for a long time, his control dissolving like churning ink. When he finally pulled away, a red mark marred the delicate skin.
Fu An, entering from the doorway, saw this scene and his face instantly changed.
The slender, fair-faced eunuch knelt on the ground, his back hunched, his entire body trembling with agitated excitement.
Seeing that Shen Yue remained completely unresponsive, he made a move to lift Shen Yue's robe, an act of extreme insubordination. Fu An roared in anger, rushing forward and kicking the eunuch over.
The eunuch cried out in shock. The kick was forceful, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling as if his bones were about to shatter.
He knew he was finished, that he would die, die a terrible death. Reason gradually returned, and fear seized his throat like a noose.
Looking up in panic, he saw that Shen Yue had also been awakened by the loud commotion. The eunuch noticed Shen Yue's indifferent, confused gaze, and his prior fear vanished. He couldn't help but smile a痴迷 expression.
Shen Yue looked at the eunuch on the ground, his face covered in blood, his smile disturbingly eerie. Shen Yue frowned, disgust flickering in his eyes.
The person on the ground trembled even more violently.
Panting, he laughed and called out, "...Your Highness... Your Highness..."
Fu An quickly stepped forward and dragged the eunuch away, afraid of soiling Shen Yue's eyes with even a moment's delay.
The eunuch met a brutal end; his tongue was cut out, and his arms were severed while he was still alive.
Fu An dared not let anyone else attend to the Fourth Prince. He couldn't believe such a thing had happened in the short time he had been away.
The mere thought of that night made his hands and feet turn cold.
Fu An had been by Shen Yue's side since childhood. No one knew better than he how dark and tragic Shen Yue's early years had been.
At that time, Consort Shu was mentally unstable, oscillating between lucidity and madness. The very young Fourth Prince was well-behaved and sensible. When Consort Shu, in her delirium, would hit and scold him, he would neither cry nor protest. When Consort Shu regained her senses and saw her son covered in bruises, weeping heart-wrenchingly, she would then go to comfort the woman.
The palace staff were sycophantic. Seeing that Consort Shu was out of favor and considered mad, they naturally neglected her, providing only meager and perfunctory meals.
The young Fourth Prince could only gaze wistfully at the exquisite, soft pastries the other princes were eating. Fu An felt heartbroken. Under the cover of night, he secretly crept into the imperial kitchen and stole some pastries.
He was eventually discovered and received a severe beating, but he managed to escape, the pastries wrapped in a silk handkerchief in his arms intact.
Thinking of the happy look the young Fourth Prince would have when he saw the pastries, the pain in his body seemed to vanish, replaced by a sense of fulfillment.
But he never expected that in the short time he was gone, a bold eunuch would sneak into the Fourth Prince's sleeping quarters. He heard muffled sobs and cries coming from inside as he stood at the doorway.
Pushing the door open, he saw a scene that he would never forget.
In that instant, a surge of violent, bloodthirsty emotions overwhelmed him. By the time he reacted, the eunuch was already dead from his blows, his spilled blood chillingly cold.
The pungent smell of blood was suffocating. Fu An was covered in blood, his face smeared with it, like a ghost from the underworld.
He wanted to embrace the small figure huddled in the corner but feared his bloodied hands might frighten her.
He could only cautiously half-crouch on the ground, coaxing softly as he always did.
"Your Highness, don't be afraid, the bad person has been driven away."
He smiled, his voice gentle and choked with emotion, tears streaming down his face.