Chapter Thirty: The Two-Faced Crown Prince

Ever since Ruzhu accused Yu Shengsheng of killing Su Zhiyi’s dog that day, she had been transferred away from Yu Shengsheng’s courtyard.

Yu Shengsheng had no interest in where she had gone, but encountering her here now gave her an immediate sense of foreboding. Ruzhu held a teacup, her face pale and her eyes filled with terror, as if Yu Shengsheng were some monstrous beast capable of swallowing her whole with a single bite.

Yu Shengsheng sighed; it was a pity that Ruzhu did not join a theater troupe with such talent.

Su Zhiyi rolled her wheelchair over. "Are you alright, sister? Were you hurt?"

She reached out to take Yu Shengsheng’s hand to show concern, but Yu Shengsheng stepped back, raising her hand to avoid the touch.

"I won't trouble the Princess."

Miss Liu immediately scolded, "What is the matter with you? The Princess is being kind, checking to see if you were injured, yet you put on such a cold, arrogant air. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were the daughter of this household!"

Yu Shengsheng lowered her eyes. "Not at all. How could my lowly self be worthy of the Princess’s concern? Miss Liu, your words are too heavy."

Before Miss Liu could continue, Su Zhiyi said, "Enough. We are all sisters here, there is no need for so many formalities. Sister, it must be uncomfortable having damp clothes; why don't you go to the water corridor and freshen up?"

The Su manor’s lotus pond was quite large, and a water corridor had been built on the eastern side, featuring several rooms for guests to rest or change clothes. It was the closest place to their current location.

Yu Shengsheng could still feel the Crown Prince’s gaze, clinging to her like a cold, venomous snake, and she did indeed need to calm herself. She turned and walked toward the water corridor.

She had no intention of changing her clothes; she simply wanted to find a room to sit in. The weather was hot, and her dress would dry quickly.

Once she left, the minor disturbance subsided, and the guests returned to drinking tea and admiring the lotuses. Su Yanshu gave fifty taels of silver to Lu Xingzhan’s servant, and only then did Lu Xingzhan let the matter rest. Suppressing his anger, Su Yanshu gave Su Dingqin a few stern warnings not to cause any trouble in front of the Crown Prince.

With everything settled, he returned to the Crown Prince’s side. Just as he was about to pour tea for the Prince, the Crown Prince stood up and said, "I rested poorly last night and am feeling somewhat weary."

Su Yanshu quickly said, "Your Highness, please go to the inner courtyard to rest. I shall accompany you."

The Crown Prince smiled gently. "You are the host today; how could I leave so many guests unattended? Do not trouble yourself. I shall simply head to the water corridor over there for a brief rest."

Su Yanshu wanted to say more, but the Crown Prince had already turned to leave. When he tried to follow, he was blocked by the Crown Prince’s eunuch.

Yu Shengsheng sat on a chair. The window was half-open, revealing a stretch of lotus flowers in the distance, their shades of pink swaying gently under the sunlight. They looked just like the blood-stained clothes from before, bobbing upon the water.

Yu Shengsheng closed her eyes and shut the window.

Suddenly, she heard the door creak behind her. She turned to see the Crown Prince walking in with a smile on his face.

Yu Shengsheng’s entire body went rigid, like a kitten with its fur standing on end, her breath catching in her throat. She knelt silently, her forehead touching the floor, her hands pressed flat against the ground. The eunuch closed the door and stood guard outside.

The air in the room felt thick and suffocating, like a bucket of glue had been poured over it, making even breathing slow and heavy. Yu Shengsheng could feel those boots walking slowly toward her, stopping right beside her hands.

The Crown Prince’s voice was gentle, yet it exploded above her head.

"Yu Shengsheng, ever since you left the villa, my days have become quite dull."

Yu Shengsheng did not speak, nor did she change her posture. The tip of the Crown Prince’s boot stepped onto her fingers. Pain radiated from them, yet she did not dare to make a sound. A single whimper would only earn her double the punishment.

The Crown Prince laughed silently, his breath brushing against her neck. "These hands of yours are truly beautiful; they shouldn't be damaged."

He lifted his foot and stared directly at her fair, delicate neck, desire rising in his eyes—he longed to throttle her. But today was not the day.

Suppressing the urge, he took a small jar from the silk pouch at his waist.

"Look up."

Yu Shengsheng trembled slightly and lifted her head, though her gaze remained lowered, not daring to meet his eyes. She had once seen a palace maid at the villa have her eyeballs gouged out while still alive, simply for daring to look at the Crown Prince.

"Hu’er has missed you while you were gone."

Hu’er was the ferocious hound the Crown Prince kept at the villa, with sharp teeth and claws; the scars on Yu Shengsheng’s body were from its bites.

Yu Shengsheng’s heart skipped a beat, and she shuddered.

A cruel, sinister smile bloomed on the Crown Prince’s face. "It does not matter. Hu’er is not here, but I have brought a new toy."

Cold sweat broke out on Yu Shengsheng as she whispered, "Your Highness, there are many guests outside today, please..."

The Crown Prince pressed a finger to her lips. "Do not speak. Do not say words of begging, or my interest will be halved. I enjoy you just like this—unlike the others, who cry and beg at the slightest provocation."

Withdrawing his hand, the Crown Prince opened the small jar. A faint, clear, and high-pitched sound emanated from within, as if something were crawling. A blue, bizarre-looking insect crawled out from the jar.

Yu Shengsheng’s eyes widened in terror, goosebumps erupting over her skin.

"Your Highness..."

The Crown Prince gently stroked the insect’s shell. "It is called Lan’er. Beautiful, isn't it? It becomes even more beautiful whenever it drinks human blood."

Yu Shengsheng’s face turned deathly pale. "Your Highness."

"Yu Shengsheng, I told you in the beginning to beg. I told you to say you were willing to be my dog, but you insisted on being a person. It is a pity, but whether you are a human or a dog is for me to decide. You no longer have the chance to beg."

Holding the insect, he leaned toward the collar of her dress. "If you dare to say a single word of begging, I will kill you."

The insect slid into her collar. Pain, numbness, and an indescribable sensation instantly washed over her. Yu Shengsheng clenched her teeth, her hands gripping tightly. Even so, a few pained whimpers could not help but escape her lips.

The Crown Prince watched her intently, his eyes gradually turning red, his throat bobbing as he watched her as if admiring a masterpiece.

Outside the window, the laughter of the guests drifted in, accompanied by the faint sound of a flute. Cicadas chirped, birds darted past, and the wind brushed the branches. Everything in the world had nothing to do with Yu Shengsheng.

It was as if she had returned to the villa, to that room where day and night were indistinguishable, to that steel dog cage, with nothing but the sounds of barking and screaming ringing in her ears. Now, there was also the sound of the insect crawling.

The taste of blood filled Yu Shengsheng’s mouth, and droplets of blood seeped from the corners of her lips, stark against her snow-white skin.

The Crown Prince reached out to gently wipe them away, took a deep breath, and smiled in satisfaction. Finally, he tapped the jar with a look of contentment. The blue insect crawled out from her collar, its color now a deeper, haunting blue, flickering with an eerie light.

"I will be waiting outside. Clean yourself up; you must remain the stunning young mistress."

The Crown Prince left.

Yu Shengsheng collapsed to the floor like a dying fish, lacking even the strength to open her eyes. Her entire body ached, and she did not know how many new, tiny wounds she had sustained.

Before she could even catch her breath, the door was pushed open again. A shadow, wrapped in the heat of desire, rolled toward her.

Yu Shengsheng forced her eyes open. Before the blurry figure could come into focus, that person’s hand had already reached toward her collar.

"Yu Shengsheng, you slut, how dare you try to seduce me like this!"