Chapter 31: Humiliation

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Yu Shengsheng stared at the face that had moved close to hers, her throat rasping as she forced out two words.

“It’s you?”

Shen Zhiyuan was drenched in sweat, beads dripping from his chin. His face was unnaturally flushed, even his eyes stained red.

His entire body trembled. Blood surged wildly through his veins, and his parched lips craved the touch of something—anything.

Yu Shengsheng’s hair was soaked through with sweat, like black silk freshly washed by water, clinging to her exquisite face. The stark simplicity of black and white only served to inflame Shen Zhiyuan further.

Through his eyes, Yu Shengsheng’s half-open collar, her smooth and delicate collarbones, her snow-white skin, and the faint red scratches exposed here and there were all incantations, one after another, tempting the most primitive desire buried deep within him.

Shen Zhiyuan could restrain himself no longer. Without regard for anything else, he lowered his head and kissed Yu Shengsheng.

She was almost completely drained of strength. When she felt his scorching breath against her, her heart jolted violently, and she raised her hands to push him away.

“Don’t touch me!”

She thought she had shouted with all her strength, but to Shen Zhiyuan, her voice sounded as soft as the buzz of a mosquito—less like rejection than seduction.

Shen Zhiyuan’s breathing grew ragged, and every part of him throbbed with painful tension.

“Yu Shengsheng, what are you pretending for? You’ve secretly liked me all along, doing everything you could to gain my attention. Today, you resorted to such despicable methods. Wasn’t it all because you wanted to sleep with me?”

Though her body was powerless, Yu Shengsheng’s mind had grown even clearer. With trembling hands, she summoned every last scrap of strength.

“Shen Zhiyuan, listen carefully. I have never liked you. Not once!”

“Everything is your own wishful thinking and wild imagination!”

Shen Zhiyuan’s eyes were bloodshot, the veins in his neck bulging violently.

At her words, he punched her in the jaw.

Yu Shengsheng’s mind went blank. Darkness swam before her eyes, and she nearly lost consciousness. The little strength remaining in her hands vanished completely.

But she knew she could not faint. If she did, it would all be over.

She bit down hard on the tip of her tongue. The sharp pain brought her back to herself.

Shen Zhiyuan was like a maddened beast, his hands tearing relentlessly at her clothes. The ripping of fabric and the roughness of his fingertips plunged her into despair.

Why? Why was this happening?

She had worked so hard. She had fought against fate again and again, never once willing to bow her head. Why, then, did fate continue to strike her with blow after merciless blow?

Was Heaven truly determined to leave her no way out?

Yu Shengsheng pulled the hairpin from her head and made up her mind. Even if she had to die, she would not die in such humiliation.

She would drag Shen Zhiyuan down with her.

Just as she was about to raise the hairpin, a sudden thud came from outside the door.

The next moment, the door was shoved open, and someone dragged something inside.

Before Yu Shengsheng could see clearly, Shen Zhiyuan was pulled away from her.

At once, the weight on her body disappeared, but she did not dare loosen her grip on the hairpin.

The figure before her was blurred, but the voice was perfectly clear.

“Miss! Miss! Are you all right? It’s BaoBao.”

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Yu Shengsheng’s lips moved, but no sound came out. Jin Baobao could not hear her and leaned close to her mouth, listening carefully.

“Save me.”

When Jin Baobao heard her clearly, her heart nearly broke.

“Miss, don’t be afraid. I came to save you.”

She removed her outer garment and wrapped it around Yu Shengsheng.

“Miss, I’ll take you away. Once we’re back, we’ll deal with those two bastards!”

Though Jin Baobao was small, she possessed remarkable strength. Yu Shengsheng was so thin that Baobao could lift her with ease.

Just as she was about to leave, voices and footsteps suddenly came from outside.

This was bad.

…

The Crown Prince returned unhurriedly from the waterside corridor to the pavilion, where Su Yanshu was pouring him tea.

His mood had improved considerably.

“My Imperial Father told me today. The candidate has been decided: Yu Shengsheng. Kong Dezhao is already on his way. By the sixth day of next month, he should have reached the capital.”

A trace of joy stirred in Su Yanshu’s heart.

“The Emperor has bestowed such great favor upon the Su family. Everyone in the family will surely do their utmost.”

The Crown Prince patted his arm.

“Once this round of the imperial examinations is over, select a few promising talents. Take them under your wing and set an example for them.”

Su Yanshu looked up in delighted surprise.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

His heart pounded. Without realizing it, he clenched his fists.

The Crown Prince’s meaning could not have been clearer. He intended to grant him an official position.

Without an official post of his own, how could he lead others or serve as an example?

Not only would he be given office, he would also be provided with men to cultivate his own power. This would be the power of the Eastern Palace—and, in the future, the power of the imperial court.

Put another way, it would be the faction led by Su Yanshu himself.

Just like Fu Qingyin, the Red-Robed Black Sword, was now.

He could do the same.

Su Yanshu tightened his fingers, suppressing the surging joy in his heart. Forcing down his excitement, he said in a low voice, “Your Highness has shown me such favor. Though I am unworthy, I will do everything within my power and will certainly not fail your trust.”

The Crown Prince nodded with a smile.

Out of the corner of his eye, Su Yanshu glanced toward the waterside corridor.

Sure enough, he had made the right move. A single marriage for Yu Shengsheng possessed such enormous power.

Still, Shengsheng was merely being childish. Once the marriage was settled and he obtained an official position, he could look after her properly. If he eventually became the foremost civil official in the court, he would be able to protect her.

The Nanshun Prince’s Residence would surely take his status into account and think twice before bullying Shengsheng.

The Crown Prince took a sip of tea and asked, seemingly offhandedly, “Does Yu Shengsheng know? Is she willing?”

Su Yanshu smiled faintly.

“My younger sister has always been obedient and has always followed the family’s arrangements. Naturally, she is willing.”

The Crown Prince lowered his eyes, and the chill in them settled at the bottom of his teacup.

Obedient? Willing?

He feared she was neither.

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Su Yanshu’s thoughts turned rapidly. Once Yu Shengsheng returned before everyone, he would reveal what had happened between her and Kong Dezhao.

The Crown Prince thought of the way Yu Shengsheng had lain limp on the floor earlier, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

Taming a living person was far more interesting than training a dog or a beast.

After he had finished a cup of tea, Yu Shengsheng still had not returned. Su Yanshu began to lose patience and was just about to send someone to look for her when Ruzhu suddenly ran over from the direction of the waterside corridor, her expression frantic.

She rushed toward Su Zhiyi, apparently intending to report something.

Su Yanshu signaled to one of the attendants, who intercepted Ruzhu and brought her before him.

“What happened?”

Ruzhu stammered. Su Yanshu lowered his voice and barked, “Speak.”

Ruzhu steeled herself and said loudly, “Second Young Master, there is… someone in Young Master Shen’s room by the waterside corridor.”

There was nothing unusual about someone being in a room, but her expression made it clear that this was no ordinary person.

And why was she mentioning Shen Zhiyuan’s room?

Only then did Su Yanshu realize that Shen Zhiyuan had disappeared at some point.

He immediately thought of Yu Shengsheng, who was also nowhere to be seen.

Could it be…?

“Do not spread this around,” he instructed Ruzhu before turning at once toward the waterside corridor.

In fact, quite a few people had already heard, but none of them had spoken.

Su Zhiyi asked, “Second Brother, what happened to Brother Shen?”

Shen Zhiyuan was Su Zhiyi’s fiancé.

Su Yanshu swallowed, suppressing the irritation filling his heart.

“Zhiyi, stay here and drink your tea. Second Brother will go take a look. It will be fine.”

“Don’t worry. With Second Brother here, nothing will happen.”

He turned and walked away. Su Zhiyi gripped the armrests of her wheelchair tightly, her expression tense.

Miss Liu rolled her eyes and said, “Commandery Princess, shall I push you over to have a look?”

Su Zhiyi was flustered yet courteous as she nodded.

“Thank you.”

The Scholar Sword had not yet returned. Su Zhiyi thought to herself that Miss Liu was a fool—but an ideal choice.

Su Zhiyi followed after them, and naturally, everyone else followed as well.

Dingding whispered to Lu Xingzhan, “Young Master, are we going?”

Lu Xingzhan swayed his fan, his brows faintly furrowed. The blazing sunlight shone upon the water, reflecting golden ripples that made one’s head ache.

“Go.”