Chapter 44

In front of the yard, Xiao Jinfeng stood with his hands behind his back and his ice-cold eyes stared fiercely at the master and servant on the stage. He had already taken revenge for Xiao Rou! However, there was no trace of contentment or excitement on his face! Because right now, it felt like something was stuck in his chest—he was feeling stuffy!

The stave was a tool used to punish within the army, a punishment only used by Xiao Yin to punish male servants of the manor for committing heinous crimes.

After ten strikes, Duan Muyan and Qiu Yue's backs were already bleeding.

"Your Highness… Qiu Yue fainted!" One of the servants took off the stave in his hand and worriedly asked.

Hearing the voice, Duan Muyan struggled to open her eyes. When she looked to her side, she saw Qiu Yue's hair in a mess, "Yue'er…" Qiu Yue's forehead drenched in sweat, and blood slowly seeping out from her pale and cracked lips!

Speechless, Xiao Jinfeng was waiting for Duan Muyan to beg for mercy! As long as she was willing to lower her head, he would let Qiu Yue go and save the remaining twenty beatings! However, from start to finish, Duan Muyan had never even glanced at him! Xiao Jinfeng was enraged and roared viciously!

"Wake her up!"

"Wait…" The voice that he had been waiting for long slowly rang out. Xiao Jinfeng's eyebrows slightly raised as he looked arrogantly at Duan Muyan, as though he was waiting for her humble begging!

"Your highness said forty beatings… There were still twenty more left to go… You don't have to wake Yue'er up to execute the punishment. Just hit it all to me…" Her curled eyelashes slightly trembled. Duan Muyan slightly raised her eyes and calmly looked at Xiao Jinfeng. There was no pleading in her clear eyes, there was only defiance!

"You—! Good! Since the side concubine wants it, then this prince will do as she wishes! Xiu'er! Oversee here!" Xiao Jinfeng's vicious eyes narrowed slightly as veins bulged on the back of his hands. Without a moment of hesitation, he suddenly turned around and left! He was suddenly afraid! Afraid to look into her eyes, to meet her gaze! Was it his guilty conscience? But still, he could not bear watching!

"Your Highness?! Your highness, think twice! The twenty big staves will take the life of Wangfei!" Hearing the voice, Old Zhou shook, and was about to continue pleading for mercy, but he saw that Xiao Jinfeng had already left, thus he hurriedly followed him, wanting to retract his order!

Seeing Xiao Jinfeng leave, Su Jinxiu's lips curled up and her eyes narrowed as she stood in front of the yard. With a sway, she walked to the front of the stage.

"What are you waiting for?! Didn't the side concubine already say so! She would take the remaining 20 staves! Hurry up and execute the order!" Su Jinxiu said in a stern voice. A bloodthirsty and cold glint flashed past her eyes!

The servant was speechless and could only accept the order!

'One, two, three... ' At the side, Su Jinxiu slowly counted the number of staves that had dropped. Her stinging eyes flashed with a trace of splendor when she saw Duan Muyan's badly mutilated back!

"Jin Xiu, the Wangfei fainted as well… How about…" After seven blows, Duan Muyan felt her vision darken. She finally couldn't take the torture any longer and fainted! At the side, the servant really couldn't bear to do it. He opened his mouth wanting to ask Su Jinxiu for approval, but she shouted at him sternly!

"Not what?! You dare to disobey the orders of His highness?! His Highness ordered me to supervise the punishment! Not one bit less! Hear me?! It couldn't be light at all! If it's light, then start again!" Su Jinxiu's expression was so malevolent. Although the servants were unwilling, they did not dare to say anything. Thus, the stave once again landed on Duan Muyan's back, causing blood to splash out!

By the time the blow had hit 15 times, Duan Muyan's clothes were already torn to shreds and her flesh and blood was splashing everywhere! No matter how hard the torturers tried, they could not do it anymore and just hold onto their staves!

"You are rebelling?! Five more rounds!" Su Jinxiu's crimson eyes shone with a dark green light. She could not hide the excitement in her expression! It was as if the scene in front of her eyes gave her a sense of satisfaction! 'Duan Muyan... Heh! You date steal my man?! Only death awaits you!'

Seeing that the servant still did not move, Su Jinxiu grabbed the stave, clenched both hands, and raised it up! She had been waiting for this moment for a long time!

At this moment, Old Zhou suddenly ran over from the direction of the study room!

"Stop…" Even though Zhou Jing had spoken, Su Jinxiu, who had been blinded by jealousy, had still used all her strength to hit Duan Muyan!

One hit! Two…! Three... Su Jinxiu brandished the stave like she had gone mad, using up all of her strength with each swing! None of the servants in the vicinity dared to stop her, not until Old Zhou rushed in front of her and knocked her down with a single palm strike!

"Su Jinxiu! How dare you! Do you want to beat the Wangfei to death?!" Old Zhou spoke out angrily, his eyes were sharp like a blade as he glared at Su Jinxiu!

"Why would Steward Zhou make things difficult for this servant? Xiu'er was just following orders, it's still missing two beatings. If I don't finish it, I won't be able to explain it to His highness…" Su Jinxiu pursed her cherry lips and climbed up with difficulty. Her hands were holding onto the stave, and Old Zhou's palm strike was really not light. Even though Su Jinxiu had stood up, she had still exerted a lot of effort!

"Su Jinxiu! Don't forget! The wangfei was a princess of the current dynasty! If there's a chance, don't mention it's you! The entire Xiao family would have to pay with their lives! Wasn't there still a difference! Hit me! Someone! Do it! " Just now, he had gone to beg the Prince! However, when the prince was angry, no matter what he said, it would be of no use! Old Zhou thought they would wait for him to come back before they would continue, but who knew it would be like this!

"Steward Zhou... Do you want to go against His highness' orders…" Su Jin had been in the palace for seven years, but he had never seen Old Zhou so angry before. Even though she was afraid, she was still unwilling!

"You four! Take Wangfei and Qiu Yue carefully to their rooms! You! Go get the best doctor in the city! Make haste!" Old Zhou didn't even look at Su Jinxiu. After Duan Muyan and Qiu Yue were carried away, he immediately leaned against the table that was covered in mottled blood!

"You—! You…!" Su Jin Xiu watched as Duan Muyan was carried away. There were still two more! Two more thrash and she might able to send her to hell!

However, no matter what Su Jinxiu said, no one paid any attention to her. A servant holding a stave gave Old Zhou a symbolic beating, and then suddenly threw the stave onto the ground. In the entire courtyard, only Su Jinxiu stood there with a face full of hatred, her hands clenched into fists.

'Duan Muyan! I won't let you off... Never!'

Imperial Palace Hall.

"My son! It's your turn…" Duan Chen sat at the side of the table, dressed in a dragon robe. His eyes were filled with a doting expression as he looked at his son!

His brows were tranquil as a drizzle; his eyes were bright as the stars; his black hair flowed with a gorgeous luster under the rays of the sun; his nose was pointed; and his skin was white as jade... the Duan Xingyi before his eyes was exactly the same him when he was his age! How could he not be happy.

"Did imperial father really want to do that?" Duan Xingyi's thin lips slightly pursed, his clear peach blossom eyes carried a trace of a smile as he looked at Duan Chen. As he spoke, his slender fingers slowly lifted up the teapot and filled the teacup in front of Duan Chen!

"I have no regrets in picking up that chess piece, so let's just say that I walked into the wrong place! Besides, Imperial father had never gone back in his choice… " Duan Chen picked up Duan Xingyi's teacup and took a light sip. The fragrance of the tea permeated his nose, filling it with refreshing fragrance!

"This son is going to get this 'general' here then…" Duan Xingyi's limpid eyes narrowed as he watched Duan Chen drink the tea in his mouth. A trace of a cold chill flowed through the depths of his heart!

Duan Chen lowered his eyes. His 'general' no longer had a way out! Although there was a moment of disappointment, it was met with an even greater surprise! Only this kind of courageous and resourceful person was worthy to be the successor of the Great Mo Empire! Only he deserved to be the Crown Prince!

"Yi'er! Your chess skills are getting better and better! Imperial father admits defeat!" Duan Chen looked at his son with satisfaction, his heart filled with an indescribable sense of gratification!

"Imperial Father's words are too highly. Xing Yi was just a temporary opportunist. If he were to kill ten times in a row, Xing Yi would definitely not be imperial father's match!" The corner of Duan Xingyi's mouth curled into a slight smile. That smile seemed so harmless!

"Haha… Not arrogant, not arrogant! As expected of my son!" Duan Chen was overjoyed as he opened his mouth to speak. Then, he took another sip of his tea.

"Yi'er… The taste of your tea is very special. It is very fragrant and light. It tastes a little bitter in the mouth, but also slightly sweet in the tip of the tongue!" Duan Chen praised as he carefully savored the tea Duan Xingyi brought him!

"If imperial father likes it, this son will send some over every day!" Duan Xingyi slightly raised his delicate chin and spoke with a smile!

"Mm… I don't know what your sister has been busy with these days. Except for being able to see her when she's coming over for greetings, there's no trace of her anymore! This child!" As Duan Chen spoke, he slowly rose up and walked around the jade square table towards the white jade incense burner!

Just as Duan Chen was about to circle around him, the smile on Duan Xingyi's face slowly faded. His handsome face revealed a dangerous aura, and a bone-chilling light leaked out from his pair of peach blossom eyes!

"Imperial Father doesn't know, but Imperial Sister has been very diligent recently. Ever since Imperial Father invited Prince of Ping to be her Imperial Tutor, Imperial Sister's knowledge is already on par with the other imperial sisters…" Duan Xingyi closed his eyes. As he slowly rose to his feet, his eyes opened once again. All of the hostility contained within them had vanished!

"Oh? Could it be that your sister is interested in Xiao Yuxuan?!" Duan Chen slightly raised his sword-like brows, casually picked up the purple-gold cauldron spoon beside the censer, and lightly flicked away the burnt ambergris as he asked doubtfully.

"Ugh… This son thought the same way as imperial father, but… Although this son just entered the palace not long ago, outsiders of this palace all know that the Prince of Ping likes third imperial sister who was already married into the Xiao family's Prince of Qi. It seems that the seventh imperial sister's heart is bound to be alone…" Duan Xingyi let out a sigh as his gaze swept across the ambergris in the white jade incense burner. This was something he had prepared meticulously for this hall!

"Mu Yan…" Duan Chen's hand that was holding the stove spoon trembled!

"Father, are you alright?" Duan Xingyi took in the entirety of this detail. His thin lips pursed into a faint curve! It seemed that Duan Chen still held a trace of pity towards Duan Muyan and Duan Jingyang! After all, they were still his biological children, how could he be so heartless and indifferent?

"I'm fine… It's just that I'm a bit tired… Yi'er, you should go back first… Imperial father wants to rest now…" Ever since Ling Ziyan passed away, the hatred in Duan Chen's heart seemed to have lessened a little, or maybe it wasn't just a little. Sometimes, when he came back from his midnight dream, he would actually dream of Ling Ziyan standing under a pear tree, ethereal, brewing pear blossoms for him.