The Slender Waist-Chapter 281 - 195 Such Insult

Xinzhou.

As if to match the gloomy mood, the city was enveloped in a downpour just as night fell.

Zuo Zhong, accompanied by Ye Chuang and others, was about to leave the house when they spotted someone galloping through the rain, their dark hair and light armor a blur, fast as the howling cold wind, which sent a chill through them.

"Is that the Great General?"

"The Great General is back."

Watching the figure in the rainy night, they felt shame wash over them.

The lady was missing.

They had scoured Liufeng Garden for miles around, nearly turning Xinzhou City upside down, yet they still couldn’t find her.

As the horse’s hooves came to a stop, Zuo Zhong stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"General, I have failed my duty..."

Pei Jue didn’t speak, just wiped the rain from his face and handed the reins to Ye Chuang.

"Tell me carefully, what happened."

-

Inside Liufeng Garden, Song Shou’an was lying on a bed, wrapped up like a zongzi, listening blankly to the pitter-patter of rain on the eaves as if he were hearing the countdown of his life.

At the time of the incident, someone suddenly burst into the inner chamber and poured tung oil over him. The oil soaked him from head to toe, and before he could get a clear look at his attacker, the canopy burst into flames. Little Taohong’s screams sent her fleeing in terror, and he too couldn’t escape in time, the blaze engulfing him completely...

That flame had driven him to a desperate plight.

He couldn’t see what had become of his face right now, but that bone-deep, heart-piercing burn would likely ruin his looks. The news of his tryst with Little Taohong wouldn’t stay secret; it was bound to reach Li Sangruo’s ears sooner or later.

No, not sooner or later.

That poisonous woman must already know by now.

Song Shou’an was filled with panic.

Without his face, he was worthless to Li Sangruo...

He wanted to flee, to escape far away.

But his body was immobilized by burns, and the Beiyong Army had sent men to watch Liufeng Garden inside and out. There was no escape for him.

Calling to heaven brought no response, appealing to earth gave no relief...

Song Shou’an knew someone had deliberately harmed him, but he lacked the strength to consider who, and he was unable to save himself—he was already a broken man.

He wanted to cry, to weep bitterly, but the burns on his face demanded restraint.

In agonizing torment, he longed for the days when he was a potter, for the time with his honest and virtuous wife, Zhen Naiang...

Back then, he had no fine horses or golden saddles; no matter how hard he worked, he could never ascend to glory. Yet, he could lie peacefully on the warm kang, embracing his wife, and sleep soundly through rainy nights like this...

Regrettably, Zhen Naiang had long been dead.

She died right before his eyes.

They wouldn’t allow her to live.

They said, how could a man of the Empress Dowager have another woman? She had to die.

To avoid complications, they handed him poison, instructing him to mix it with Zhen Naiang’s food.

That day, Zhen Naiang made millet porridge and baked two scallion pancakes, giving him the one with meat filling.

For the sake of imminent wealth and honor, he didn’t refuse, didn’t plead for her life, and he didn’t tell anyone that she was pregnant before she died...

"Woo..."

Song Shou’an sobbed softly.

The incessant rain beating on the tiles sounded like Zhen Naiang’s pleas.

She reached out her hand, calling him, over and over, "Husband, save me."

Tears streamed down Song Shou’an’s face...

The door creaked open with a dull sound.

A cold breeze poured in, chilling the air.

Since his injury, Song Shou’an’s eyes were sensitive to light; the sudden brightness made him squint, not wanting anyone to see his tears.

"Put out the light."

He thought the newcomer was his attendant.

But no one responded.

Even with squinted eyes, he could sense the approaching light of a flame.

The sound of footsteps drew nearer, steady and incisive.

Subconsciously, Song Shou’an opened his eyes wider and looked.

The door was left ajar; a gust of cold air blew in, lifting the dark mantle of the visitor. His face was half-hidden in the dim light, resembling the ominous figure of the King of Hell, his cold, dark eyes piercing through like knives, prompting an involuntary scream from him.

Pei Jue?

With a single glance, he recognized this was Pei Jue.

The legendary Pei Jue, aloof and ruthless like a hawk, decisive in life and death, the living King of Hell.

The real Pei Jue appeared even more terrifying than he had imagined, more horrifying than the tales that had been whispered about him.

Because the legend had nothing to do with him, but he truly angered Pei Jue.

"Great General... spare my life..."

Song Shou’an breathed as if clinging to life, instinctively begging for mercy.

He wanted to flee, to retreat, but he couldn’t move, nor could he escape.

Pei Jue was silent, just watching him, his gaze as dark and deep as the nether night.

"Great General, Great General..."

Without waiting for Pei Jue to ask, Song Shou’an repeated the words he had said countless times in front of Zuo Zhong.

"It wasn’t me who took the lady away, I’ve said it many times... This matter really has nothing to do with me... On River Embankment Street, I didn’t know the lady’s identity and a misunderstanding occurred, but once the lady revealed her identity, I let her go and never saw her again afterward. Please, Great General, discern the truth..."

Pei Jue said nothing.

The cold light of the dagger flashed before Song Shou’an’s eyes, and he screamed.

Pei Jue didn’t hurt him.

He used the knife to cut the bandages on Song Shou’an’s body, then slowly peeled them back with the tip of the blade, his eyes devoid of emotion, as if he were dealing with a chicken or duck waiting for slaughter, until Song Shou’an’s injured face was exposed. He then stopped his actions.

That face from the rumors, looking like his, was unrecognizable, swollen beyond recognition. The doctor had treated it, but blisters of blood surged out, revealing the deep red ugliness, with obvious burn marks...

"Does it look like him?" Pei Jue suddenly spoke up, turning back to ask Zuo Zhong.

Zuo Zhong stood by the door and shook his head.

Pei Jue’s gaze calmly dropped. He took a look at Song Shou’an, then suddenly raised the dagger and slashed across his face...

"Ah!"

The icy blade pierced the skin and blood spurted out.

"Hold him down." Pei Jue, as if blind to Song Shou’an’s pain, finished giving the order and waited for Zuo Zhong to pin down the writhing Song Shou’an on the couch. With a steady hand and excruciatingly slow speed, he carved on both cheeks.

"Lecher."

"Thief."

One word on each side.

Before both words were complete, Song Shou’an had already fainted from the pain.

Pei Jue sheathed his dagger and turned to leave.

The whole time, he hadn’t asked anything about Feng Yun.

Feeling puzzled, Zuo Zhong followed, "General, how shall we deal with this man?"

Pei Jue replied, "Wait until the Empress Dowager arrives in Xinzhou, then return him to her."

Zuo Zhong felt a chill in his heart.

"Why didn’t you ask about the lady?"

Pei Jue said, "The lady isn’t in his hands."

Seeing how certain he was, Zuo Zhong acknowledged, "Then this bastard got what he deserved."

He hesitated for a moment, and after assessing Pei Jue’s expression, he still told him about the indecent noises he heard the day he entered Liufeng Garden.

"I wanted to kill him right then and there for daring to insult the lady so."

Pei Jue stopped in his tracks.

The icy look he gave when he turned back startled Zuo Zhong.

The atmosphere tensed for a moment, then Pei Jue handed over his dagger.

"Castrate him."

The Great General’s dark eyes were somber and sharp, and the murderous intent in those two short words was a hundred times more terrifying than anything Zuo Zhong had felt on the battlefield...

"Soak it in salt water and send it along to the Empress Dowager."

Zuo Zhong slowly took the dagger, "Yes."

The cold moon was silent and mournful, as Pei Jue entered Chunpei Academy.

In the room where Feng Yun lived, he briefly looked around.

"Where is Ao Qi?"

Ye Chuang was by the side. Hearing this, he didn’t dare to lift his head, "That day Ao Qi came to visit the sick, the lady let him take Ao Qi away. Right now, Ao Qi and General Wen are outside searching for people. Ao Qi... should be in Ao Qi’s room... "

Pei Jue frowned slightly and asked in detail about what Feng Yun did and said that day.

After Ye Chuang finished speaking, Tan Dajin hesitantly entered, "That day I brought twelve bridal gifts over. The lady was originally unwilling to accept them, but I said the General had commanded it, so she reluctantly accepted them. But who knew what would happen afterward..."

Pei Jue asked, "What happened afterward?"

Tan Dajin looked down, "The lady had Crown Prince Chunyu take everything away."

She had entrusted Ao Qi to Ao Qi and the bridal gifts to Chunyu Yan.

Pei Jue’s lips tightened slightly, "Where is Chunyu Yan?"

Zuo Zhong and others exchanged glances.

They had been searching for two days and nights, and not once had they thought about the elusive Crown Prince Chunyu...

They had been negligent.