Chapter 80: Love Poem

In the sleeping chamber of the Benevolent Prince’s residence, the person on the bed had tightly closed eyes, with a pale complexion devoid of any trace of color. The pulse was weak and feeble, and the young physician discreetly withdrew his hand after feeling it. He then wrote a prescription to nourish and strengthen the body before bowing and leaving.

As soon as the physician left the grand hall, the person on the sickbed, on the brink of death, opened their eyes, and their jet-black eyes were cold and deep.

Ning Yin spat out the pill pressed beneath his tongue, stood up with bent legs, and said, “Follow him.”

The physician didn’t return to the medical department but instead took a roundabout route and eventually arrived at an inn. 

Shortly after, a pigeon flew out from the inn’s backyard, heading southeast.

The falcon on the roof tilted its head and followed closely behind.

Two hours later, in front of the Judicial Department’s prison of the Prince’s Mansion, Ning Yin, dressed in a black fox fur coat, got off the sedan chair. The falcon circled in the air and obediently landed on his sturdy arm.

Descending along the dark and decaying stone steps, walking to the innermost layer, a gloomy and rotten atmosphere hit them.

“I really didn’t expect that it would be Seventh Prince who reached this point,” the person bound by iron chains on the iron frame said with eyes and nose bleeding, but still smiling warmly. “If it weren’t for your Ning family’s deep-seated hatred towards me, Your Highness and I might have become congenial companions.”

Ning Yin, crossing his legs, sat down on a chair, adjusted his sleeves, and said, “It was you who diverted Ning Tan’s attention to Yu Lingxi, repeatedly targeting her.”

His voice was low, using an assured tone.

“Because she is the daughter of Yu Yuan,” Cui An sneered, “Yu Xinyi, Yu Lingxi… They should experience the taste of being humiliated and abused, just like my captured people.”

If it weren’t for the extraordinary luck of the Yu family, his plan would have been realized long ago.

Cui An dared to admit openly because he knew Ning Yin wouldn’t kill him.

He held too many secrets of the Empress, and if Ning Yin wanted to completely eliminate obstacles, he needed to get his confession to use as evidence.

“Are you thinking that as long as you don’t confess, I won’t be able to kill you?” Ning Yin’s slow voice came, “Unfortunately, I only follow my preferences and don’t care about reason.”

Cui An’s thoughts were guessed, and the smile on the corner of his mouth stiffened.

“Why so nervous?” Ning Yin supported his temple with his fingers, and his exquisite face was difficult to discern in the changing light. “You touched someone in my heart, so if you will die like this. It’s too easy for you.”

He raised his finger, and immediately a subordinate brought a stack of thin and light silver wire veils.

Cui An, who had dealt with so many people, naturally knew how powerful this seemingly exquisite veil was as a torture device.

This silver wire veil only needed to be wrapped around a person’s body, and the flesh would swell out from the fine and dense silver wire mesh like fish scales. Then, a sharp small knife could be used to cut the swollen flesh piece by piece…

“Three days, a thousand cuts, I’ll accompany you to play slowly,” Ning Yin said. Pausing slightly, he smiled and added, “Almost forgot, Commander Cui is short of two ounces of flesh; no need for a thousand cuts.”

At this, Cui An’s calm and warm face finally cracked, revealing the originally present sinister and malicious expression.

He burst into laughter, saying sharply, “Alright, alright… Your Highness, your knife must be steady…”

But soon, he couldn’t speak anymore.

After coming out of the dungeon, Ning Yin sat in the sedan chair, took the wet cloth handed over by the attendant, and gradually wiped his fingers clean bit by bit.

Several cloths were changed. Only then did he open the small lid of the censer, letting the cool woody fragrance dispel the bloody smell on his body.

Clear water was not enough to wash away the dirt on his hands; he needed something softer and cleaner.

Ning Yin flicked his fingers and put down the black jade carving in his palm, leisurely saying, “Go to the Yu Mansion.”

…

The daughter has been back home for a few days, and Yu Lingxi often goes to the backyard to sit for a while. The setting sun outside the window is faint, preserving the state when Wei Qi left, as if the table and chair still retain his presence.

Lost in thought, Yu Lingxi suddenly sees a piece of remaining maple leaf falling with the wind, landing on the desk by the window. She picks up the leaf, its fiery color still vibrant after enduring the frost, cold, rain, and snow of a harsh winter.

Twirling the maple leaf in her fingers, she then takes a pen and writes two lines of tiny characters on it: “May I be like a star, and you like the moon, shining brightly every night.”

After finishing writing, she blows on the ink, wondering what Ning Yin might be doing at this moment.

“Ah Guan said you don’t even drink chili powder plum wine anymore, just hiding here alone in a daze,” Yu Huanchen’s voice comes from behind. He sits facing Yu Lingxi, cross-legged, observing his sister for a while. “Are you still thinking about father’s words?”

Yu Lingxi presses the maple leaf under a paperweight, collecting her thoughts. “Brother, why does father dislike Ning Yin?”

This is a problem she never faced in her previous life. In that life, with no attachments or concerns, she simply followed Ning Yin without worrying about societal constraints or status benefits.

But when they returned from Prince Ning’s mansion that day, father didn’t say a word. Yu Lingxi, who had always been showered with love since childhood, had never seen her father so serious and silent.

After a moment of contemplation, Yu Huanchen only asks, “Do you know, Sui Sui, how Prince Ning dealt with the assassins and attendants involved in the lantern festival incident?”

Yu Lingxi certainly knows; she remembers the scenes from her previous life. “Those people, some were participants, some were only implicated under coercion, but without exception, they were all hung on wooden stakes under the palace gate, and the sky lanterns were lit.”

“They were the ones who wanted to kill him first,” Yu Lingxi explains. “Others seeking to harm him gives us no right to demand him to repay with kindness.”

“Indeed, from the perspective of those in power, I must praise Prince Ning for being ‘decisive in killing.’ But from the perspective of a brother-in-law watching out for his sister, he is too dangerous.”

Yu Huanchen pauses and adds, “Of course, our main concern is not about that.” He gets up and closes the doors and windows.

“Let’s speak some harsh words behind closed doors. Prince Ning is now at a position just a step away from the throne. Even if he has no intention of becoming Emperor, his current position and the followers under him may push for his ascension for the sake of future benefits.”

Yu Huanchen sighed and looked at his sister seriously, “The most heartless ones are the mperors. When that time comes, with the Three Palaces, Six Courts, and hundred Concubines, each woman will have a complicated family standing behind her. Can you endure the grievances, proud as you are? Can you truly allow yourself to share a man with other women?”

He continued, “Father doesn’t dislike him, but there are many things that need to be weighed—whether from father’s perspective or the standpoint of a loyal subject.”

The calm analysis from her elder brother felt like throwing a stone into the sea, creating tiny ripples in Yu Lingxi’s heart. Yes, in this lifetime, Ning Yin is not physically disabled, healthy and sound. His humble origin cannot stop his progress.

Does he want to become emperor? Yu Lingxi is not entirely sure. The only thing she is certain of is her own feelings and Ning Yin’s.

“Brother, although in your eyes, I’ve only known Wei Qi for a little over a year, it took me a very, very long time to understand one thing.”

Yu Lingxi lowered her eyes and spoke warmly, “In my heart, there is only room for Ning Yin. If that’s the case, why should I be timid and stop because of something that hasn’t happened? Just because someone is afraid of falling, does that mean they shouldn’t walk?”

“Sui Sui…”

“I believe in him, just like I believe that my brother and father will never harm me.”

Clearly a soft and smiling tone, yet unexpectedly infused with a resolute conviction.

“Miss, calm down…”

Hutao hurriedly ran over, holding onto the door frame and whispering for a while before finally blurting out, “Prince Ning has arrived!”

Yu Lingxi was stunned, disregarding Yu Huanchen. She quickly lifted her skirt and ran out.

The winter afternoon sun was pale and cold. Yu Lingxi’s robe fluttered in the wind, and her cloak danced like smoke. Passing through the corridor adorned with lanterns for the Lantern Festival, she headed straight to the main hall.

Sure enough, Ning Yin was sitting in the main seat. Hearing footsteps, his ink-colored eyes turned towards her. His lips moved almost imperceptibly as he waved to her as if there were no one else around.

Breathing slightly, Yu Lingxi walked towards him.

Go.

“Cough, cough!” Two abrupt coughs echoed in the hall. Yu Lingxi glimpsed at her stern father and quickly restrained herself, giving a proper salute, “Your Highness.”

However, her eyes remained bright, revealing a clear light without any hint of shyness or awkwardness.

“Come here.”

In front of Yu Yuan and Yu Xinyi, Ning Yin raised his hand and pinched Yu Lingxi’s cheek, as if weighing whether she had gained a few pounds in the two days since she returned home.

Slightly thinner, how were the people in the Yu family taking care of her?

Ning Yin squinted his eyes.

Seeing the increasingly complex expression on her father’s face, Yu Lingxi had to pull Ning Yin’s hand down and whispered, “Why did you come?”

“I came to escort you home.”

Ning Yin frowned displeased, lowered his hand onto his knee and tapped it, “Since I’m here, I won’t disturb General Yu anymore.”

Yu Yuan probably had never seen someone taking away his precious daughter in such a straightforward manner. He was momentarily stunned.

This person was like a completely different person from when he was Wei Qi. It was a stark contrast.

But Yu Xinyi quickly realized the situation and straightforwardly remarked, “Lingxi is still unmarried and resides in her parental residence. How can she stay overnight at Your Highness’s residence?”

Ning Yin lightly said, “Oh, I’m proposing right now.”

Yu Lingxi pursed her lips and gestured to Ning Yin with her eyes: What are you doing? Where’s the engagement gift?

“General Yu is upright and may not appreciate the gold and silver jewelry I offer. So, let’s change it to a more interesting engagement gift.”

He raised his finger, and immediately a servant brought a tray with something on it.

A bundle of neatly cut curls.

“What is this?” Yu Xinyi recognized it with just one glance, “Your Highness caught Cui An?”

“Are you satisfied with this engagement gift?” Ning Yin asked.

Prepared for this, Ning Yin turned his gaze towards general’s daughter. The gaze was heavy, yet infinitely caring. After some contemplation, Yu Lingxi took a step back and knelt in front of Yu Yuan.

For a moment, everyone in the room had different expressions. Ning Yin’s eyes showed a hint of coldness. Even when angry, he only dared to use his mouth to punish Lingxi.

No one could make her kneel, even if that person was her father.

Ning Yin stood up, bent down to support Yu Lingxi’s shoulders, his ink-colored eyes dark, but his voice incredibly gentle, “You can either get up on your own, or I’ll make everyone kneel down with you.”

Yu Lingxi blinked her eyelashes and reassuringly held Ning Yin’s fingers.

“Father.”

She looked at her father, who was more concerned than domineering, and laid out her feelings, “Father, this prince Ning is the man I have chosen. I won’t abandon your nurturing grace for him. However, please allow me to choose the person I truly love like an ordinary girl.”

Silence filled the hall.

Yu Lingxi sighed lightly and smiled, “Now, I want to spend some time alone with my beloved. Father, please allow it.”

After saying that, she raised her hand for a bow, then stood up and led Ning Yin out.

The slanting sunlight stretched out like a golden veil on the ground.

Yu Huanchen came from the corridor and shook his head at his father, whose gaze was heavy.

Yu Lingxi’s light-colored dress and Ning Yin’s sand-purple robe intertwined. Despite the uncertain future, the young couple in front of them created a vivid and beautiful scene.

Yu Lingxi took Ning Yin to the backyard.

Entering the covered room again, Ning Yin, wearing a sand-purple brocade robe, shed the youthful greenness and revealed a tall and noble demeanor that seemed out of place.

“What excuse is Sui Sui thinking of this time to delay returning to the palace?” Ning Yin obediently sat on the desk facing her, reaching out to brush off a bit of dust on Yu Lingxi’s skirt that had collected when she knelt.

Yu Lingxi couldn’t tell if he was angry or not from his tone, so she explained with a smile, “Father has concerns, fearing that I’ll suffer if I marry into the royal family. What we need to do is to dispel his concerns through practical actions.”

Ning Yin raised his hand to support his chin and asked, “Is turning raw rice into cooked rice not enough to dispel his concerns?”

Whenever this matter was brought up, Yu Lingxi’s heart would burn uncomfortably. The body she had painstakingly restored now bore faint traces of aches.

“Ordinary lovers usually get the approval for marriage after their parents feel reassured following their love. I haven’t seriously talked about love with His Highness yet,” Yu Lingxi said with a touch of autumn water in her eyes, speaking softly. It was the truth for both lifetimes.

Ning Yin seemed to smile faintly, just silently looking at her, his profile bathed in a faint light filtering through the window, exquisite and flawless.

However, the words he said the next moment were far from pleasant!

Ning Yin, with a serious expression and a lingering gaze, said, “Isn’t it enough after last night’s deep love?”

“…” Yu Lingxi gave him an annoyed look.

She tried to steer the conversation back to the right track and took out the maple leaf with affectionate words underneath the paperweight, pushing it in front of Ning Yin.

Ning Yin casually picked it up, raising an eyebrow slightly, “Just a leaf?”

Then he saw the small characters on the maple leaf, and his gaze paused slightly.

“May I be like a star, and you like the moon, shining brightly every night.”

Seeing Ning Yin looking at it for a long time, Yu Lingxi couldn’t help but soften her gaze, “A leaf carries my thoughts, a gift for Wei Qi. That’s what talking about love is.”

Wei Qi…

Ning Yin hadn’t heard this address for a while and felt a sense of nostalgia. He carefully placed the maple leaf aside, with the writing facing up, and after looking at it for a while, he smiled gently, “Come here, I will give you a poem in return.”

As soon as Yu Lingxi saw him smile so gently, she instinctively felt that something was off.

“No paper,” she hesitated.

“No matter, there is the finest clean parchment right in front of us,” he said. As he spoke, Ning Yin pinched Yu Lingxi’s waist with both hands, easily lifting her onto the desk.

“What are you doing…” Yu Lingxi subconsciously tried to get down but was pressed down by Ning Yin’s hand on her shoulder. His other hand reached her waist, pulling and tugging until her outer and inner garments slipped down to her arms, revealing the rosy inner garment and a fair and delicate back.

Yu Lingxi shivered involuntarily, but she saw Ning Yin leaning close, the exquisite fabric grazing her back, creating a faintly cool shiver.

“Don’t move.”

Ning Yin held her waist in a half-circle restraint, whispering lowly by her ear.

Slowly dipping the brush into the ink, he began to write on the pristine skin of her waist.

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