Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 187

A pungent, fishy odour spread in the air, and everyone present frowned with disdain.

This heir of the Xia family, was he not a bit too useless? At just this level, he was already so frightened that he wet himself? It was truly difficult to imagine that he was the one who committed those heinous, unspeakable crimes.

Yun Ke said to the men beside him, “In a while, apply medicine to his tongue to stop the bleeding. Take good care of him. By no means let him die so quickly.”

“Yes.” The secret guards beside him all cupped their fists.

“Oh, right. I heard the heir of the Xia family likes to eat spicy food. Prepare some spicy dishes for him. Make sure he eats well. After all, he is an heir personally appointed a title by His Majesty.” Yun Ke smiled coldly.

The feeling of chilli on his wound, what kind of torment was that?

The more Xia Shuang Cheng listened, the more his legs trembled.

This Imperial Prince An was determined to torture him.

“Heir Xia, this prince is leaving now. Tomorrow, this prince will come to see you again. You must be well.” After Yun Ke finished speaking, he smiled at Xia Shuang Cheng, then turned and left.

Xia Shuang Cheng’s eyes widened with terror when he saw the hidden guards approaching and shouted, “What are you going to do?!”

“Apply medicine!”

Yun Ke went again to the Ministry of Justice. Since Xia Shuang Cheng was imprisoned there, if they were to put on a show, they had to act the full part. In the Ministry, he interrogated the guard who was disguised as Xia Shuang Cheng.

Yun Ke cleared out all others in the interrogation room, then asked, “Has anyone passed you notes today?”

The secret guard nodded and handed Yun Ke the slips of paper the Xia family had smuggled in.

Yun Ke looked them over, smiling coldly as he read. He had long been wary of the Xia family. He had even replaced all the guards at the Ministry of Justice, yet the Xia family still managed to pass notes inside.

The notes merely stated the matters Yun Ke had sent people to investigate, that they had already dealt with each one, and what words he should say in interrogation.

In just one day, the Xia family had bribed so many people. Truly impressive.

“You’ve worked hard,” Yun Ke said after reading them.

The secret guard laughed, “Your Highness, please do not joke with your servant. Here, I am being well fed with food and drink, even the bedding was replaced by the Xia family. How is this working hard?”

Yun Ke chuckled. True enough, other than being confined with no freedom, this secret guard had been sent here to enjoy himself.

“Take it as a kind of disguised rest,” Yun Ke patted his shoulder in encouragement.

“Yes,” the secret guard grinned, “This servant will rest well.”

Yun Ke spoke with him in detail for a while, then raised his voice and roared a few times, pretending to be angry, before summoning the others back.

“Keep him starved!” he bellowed before storming off.

The secret guard playing Xia Shuang Cheng was respectfully escorted back to his cell, where he lay comfortably on the dry, soft bedding and promptly fell asleep.

Leaving the Ministry of Justice, Yun Ke returned directly to the prince’s palace.

Entering Tong Xin Courtyard, he saw Jia Xi and Jia Min both there, chatting with Gu Yu Qi.

Gu Yu Qi still did not look too well, but her spirit seemed good enough.

When they noticed Yun Ke enter, County Princess Jia Xi and County Princess Jia Min both rose to give their respects.

“The Princess Consort has taken her noon dose of medicine, but has not yet had the evening dose. This afternoon, the imperial physician came and said the wounds were not too serious, but she still needs rest,” Yan Zhi quickly reported, “If Your Highness has time, please have someone bring the evening medicine to the Princess Consort tonight. Dai Mei is still brewing it, but it should be ready soon.”

“Since Your Highness has returned, we shall take our leave,” County Princess Jia Xi added with a smile.

Yun Ke nodded. After Jia Xi and Jia Min left, he sat down beside Gu Yu Qi’s bed.

“Do the wounds still hurt today?” he asked softly.

“They’re much better. After a few days, the lighter injuries have already scabbed over and they don’t hurt anymore.” Gu Yu Qi replied.

Ever since Yun Ke opened up to her that day, she had been feeling a little unsure how to face Yun Ke in his present state.

The Yun Ke she had always known was aloof and cold, but now he cared for her with such devotion and attentiveness. Though she accepted his concern, it all felt somewhat unreal.

Knowing that Gu Yu Qi’s emotional knot in her heart had not truly been undone, and that she still kept him at a distance, Yun Ke felt heavy at heart, yet helpless.
He had already said what he could to her. It was he who had wounded her too deeply, so her wariness was only natural.
As long as Gu Yu Qi did not push him away again and again, he believed that given a lifetime, he would, little by little, mend the cracks in her heart.
“May I take a look?” Yun Ke asked quietly.
A faint blush rose on Gu Yu Qi’s cheeks. With a touch of annoyance, she turned her head aside. “What’s there to see?”
He had personally applied the medicine to her wounds these past few days. Though in her previous life she had faced him openly, that was a thing of the past. In this one, her heart was uneasy.
At the sight of her slightly blushing cheeks, Yun Ke felt as though his heart had been struck. The trace of shyness and coquettishness in her eyes shot straight into his heart, making him both cherish her and feel protective of her.
He bent down and brushed a light kiss upon her smooth forehead. In a gentle voice, Yun Ke said, “Why are you still shy? You’re already my wife.”
How could he be like this… Gu Yu Qi could not help but think with a little bit of annoyance.
“Only a concubine, not a wife,” she reminded.
“In my heart there is no primary wife or secondary consort, there’s only you,” Yun Ke said slowly.
Gu Yu Qi was stunned. Was this still the same cold and aloof Prince An that she knew? It turned out that he was no less eloquent when it came to sweet talking.
“By the way, Yun Luo came today to greet this concubine,” Gu Yu Qi suddenly recalled and asked, “Was it Your Highness who told him to come?”
“Yes,” Yun Ke smiled faintly.
“So, Your Highness wishes this concubine to regard Yun Luo as this concubine’s own son?” Gu Yu Qi asked, her chest tightening slightly.
It was not that she could not accept the child. Regardless of what was going on between her and Yun Ke, it had nothing to do with the child. It was only that, when she saw Yun Luo, she was reminded of the child from her previous life who had never been born and her heart ached.
Gu Yu Qi’s tone sounded somewhat displeased.
Yun Ke’s expression dimmed slightly, his cheerful mood fading, “If you don’t like it, I’ll tell him not to come tomorrow.”
So Gu Yu Qi was indeed bothered by Yun Luo’s presence.
But Yun Luo was his son…
“This concubine doesn’t dislike him, it’s just that…” Gu Yu Qi tried to explain, but gave up halfway. “Forget it. What use is there in saying this? Since this concubine is already Your Highness’ concubine, then this concubine will naturally fulfill her duty and take good care of Yun Luo.”
Yun Ke’s heart clenched. Seeing the faint distant and sorrowful look in her eyes, he already guessed what she was hesitating to say.
He took her hand, carefully enclosing her slightly cold fingers in his palm. “Don’t think too much, all right?” He spoke almost pleadingly.
He knew Gu Yu Qi was thinking of the child that had died before it was born.
Thinking of the child they once had, Yun Ke felt a pang of pain deep within him. It was because of his own acquiescence that Gu Yu Qi had endured all the bitterness of the world in her past life. And now, to see her like this again filled Yun Ke with deep self-blame, guilt and regret.
“Forgive me,” he said after thinking for a long moment, “Let the past be the past. We still have plenty of time. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. As long as you don’t get angry with me again, and don’t leave me again.”
Gu Yu Qi turned her head away, unwilling to meet Yun Ke’s gaze. Her eyes were sore, but she forced back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.
“Forget it,” Gu Yu Qi said slowly after a long while. “During these days Your Highness was away, this concubine thought a great deal. Why was this concubine reborn in this life? This concubine’s only concern is my mother’s well-being. As for this concubine, I should have been dead long ago. That past life was already borrowed. My true hometown isn’t here, but somewhere very far away. What remains here is only a wisp of soul. Your Highness may not understand, but think of it as borrowing a body to return a soul. To put it plainly, it is spirit possession. Your Highness need not be afraid. When this concubine was resurrected, this concubine returned at the age of ten in that life. Afterwards, this concubine never harmed Your Highness, and never will in the future.”
Gu Yu Qi paused here, then seeing Yun Ke’s eyes widen in shock, gave a faint smile and went on, “Your Highness’ words the other day did move this concubine, but this concubine cannot yet get over the pain in my heart. Apologies, Your Highness. For now, this concubine cannot open myself fully yet, but this concubine will remain at Your Highness’ side. As promised, when Your Highness needs money or support, this concubine will give it without reservation. This will not change. Unless one day Your Highness tires of this concubine, and then this concubine will leave on my own, without causing Your Highness any trouble.”
When Yun Ke heard Gu Yu Qi said she would leave on her own, he felt so frightened it was as though half his soul had flown away. He only wished to gather Gu Yu Qi into his arms completely and keep her there, so that no one could take her and she would never vanish.
“I don’t care where you’re from, nor whether you’re a reincarnated spirit or not. I like you, I love you. You mustn’t leave me,” Yun Ke said anxiously.
It was not as if he did not believe in such strange things like reincarnation and possession of a body. After all, he and Gu Yu Qi had both been reborn with memories of their past life. So, he had no doubts about what Gu Yu Qi said.
What terrified him was only that since Gu Yu Qi called herself a borrowed soul, would there come a day when her spirit vanished before his very eyes?