The Real Young Master Was Sold as a Slave, The Obsessive Crown Prince's Forced Love - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Silence

“You should remember our three-day agreement.”

After applying the ointment, Qi Wang casually tossed the medicine bottle onto the adjacent couch.

While taking out a handkerchief to wipe his fingers, he asked.

His gaze fell upon another medicine bottle on the couch.

Song Yu quickly nodded, “Of course, Your Highness, rest assured, I will definitely complete it!”

After wiping the ointment off his fingers, Qi Wang reached for the other porcelain bottle on the couch.

Song Yu was stunned. Seeing him pick up the ointment given by Su Yunhe, and fearing that Qi Wang might form a bad impression of Su Yunhe, Song Yu tried to salvage the situation.

“This was given to me by Imperial Physician Su. He’s quite warm-hearted. His denial of my diagnosis of huyangsan poisoning was probably because he didn’t want me to get caught up in palace infighting.

“After all, I just entered the palace and don’t understand anything about the struggles here.”

Qi Wang clutched the porcelain bottle and sneered.

“So warm-hearted that when I asked who was spreading gossip in front of Consort Li, he immediately stopped you, stepped forward to take the blame himself, but then, when I said to drag him out and beat him to death, he immediately offered you up? Is that the kind of warm-heartedness you mean?

“Which is to say, his warm-heartedness can only help you bear some minor, harmless punishment.

“If the punishment is severe, the warm-heartedness disappears.

“Is that right?”

Song Yu:…

[I didn’t expect Qi Wang to see through Su Yunhe’s little trick.]

[What little trick? Don’t you understand self-preservation? You can help, but there’s no need to help someone get themselves killed, right!]

[But it’s clearly a small tactic to win people over, a tiny favor to make others grateful to him.]

[Worthy of being the biggest villain and pervert in this drama. The protagonist-shou’s good intentions, in Qi Wang’s eyes, are just tactics. Truly, if you’re dirty yourself, everything you see is dirty!]

[Don’t draw parallels with the protagonist-shou. Qi Wang is a pervert, no argument there. Otherwise, who interrogates someone while stroking their lips?]

Song Yu:…

Stuttering, choked by both Qi Wang and these words.

Qi Wang finished his sarcastic remarks and, without saying anything further, turned and left.

Song Yu:…

No!

You leave if you must, but why did you take the medicine Brother He gave me too!

…

Emerging from the interrogation room, Qi Wang casually tossed the medicine bottle in his hand.

Then, he remembered this was the area of the Imperial Physician’s office and throwing it away might arouse suspicion. He twisted his wrist and tossed the bottle to Ba Liang, who happened to be approaching.

“Throw it away!”

Ba Liang nervously caught it.

Ba Liang, who was skilled in medicine, instinctively pulled out the stopper after catching it and smelled the contents.

After a sniff, his expression changed.

“Your Highness, where did this come from? Something’s not right.

“The ointment inside is the Imperial Physician’s usual ‘Snow Cloud Ointment,’ used to reduce swelling and relieve pain—it’s quite effective.

“However, seven-leaf-one-flower (Paris polyphylla) and shechuangcao (Cnidium monnieri) have been added to this ointment. This smell can easily attract snakes.

“Moreover, for wound healing, these two ingredients are completely unnecessary.

“In other words, someone deliberately added ingredients to the Snow Cloud Ointment to attract snakes.”

Qi Wang raised an eyebrow.

This ointment was given to Song Yu by Su Yunhe.

As Ba Liang spoke, he belatedly realized.

This ointment was taken by His Highness from the interrogation room…

Could it be for Song Yu’s use?

“Did someone from the Imperial Physician’s office give this ointment to Song Yu? Should we tell Song Yu about it? Warn him to be careful of the person who gave him the ointment.”

Qi Wang’s mind drifted to the image of Song Yu moments ago, trembling and watching him with tearful eyes, sniffling, unable to stand steady.

A cruel smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Did Song Yu regard Su Yunhe as someone very close?

If he made things difficult for Su Yunhe, would Song Yu come to plead for him?

If he came to plead, wouldn’t Qi Wang be able to do whatever he wanted?

For example… making him cry.

Cry even harder than just now.

“Don’t say anything. Leave people here to watch.”

…

Early the next morning.

After Consort Li finished her breakfast, her personal maid rushed back from outside.

“Mistress, this is terrible! That eunuch from Jinghe Palace died suddenly last night.”

Consort Li looked confusedly at her maid, “What does the death of a eunuch from Jinghe Palace have to do with me? It’s not like I killed him in my sleep.”

The maid:…

“It’s the eunuch who fainted at our palace gate yesterday!” The maid urgently explained, “At the time, Imperial Physician Song said he was poisoned with huyangsan, but Imperial Physician Su said Imperial Physician Song misdiagnosed.

“Just now, Jinghe Palace sent a medical officer over who confirmed that the eunuch died suddenly last night after the huyangsan poison flared up.”

Consort Li immediately realized what was happening.

Her face instantly turned pale, and she shot up from her chair.

“Where is the Crown Prince?”

The maid replied, “His Highness the Crown Prince has already gone to Jinghe Palace. I heard he was furious, publicly caning more than a dozen eunuchs in Jinghe Palace. Someone confessed that the deceased little eunuch had met with His Highness Prince Yu before his death.

“His Highness the Crown Prince was enraged and ordered the body of the deceased little eunuch to be hung at the gate of Prince Yu’s residence. I also heard he hired a troupe to perform opera outside Prince Yu’s gate!”

Consort Li shivered all over.

That lunatic!

“When the Sixth Prince fell into the water that day, I explained countless times that I didn’t send anyone to push him, but the Crown Prince wouldn’t believe me.

“He doesn’t believe it, he doesn’t believe it, he doesn’t believe it. Why doesn’t he believe me? Am I crazy, knowing the Sixth Prince is his brother, yet still provoking him?

“I’m living well now, eating and drinking—I wouldn’t court death!

“Damn it!

“Which bastard is trying to harm me!

“Why on earth did that little eunuch have to come to my palace gate yesterday…”

She paced anxiously.

As Consort Li spoke, something suddenly occurred to her, and she whirled around to face her personal maid.

“What did you just say?”

The maid was stunned, muttering a confused “Ah,” “Your servant said that His Highness the Crown Prince hired an opera troupe…”

“Not that line!” Consort Li frowned, staring at her maid. After a pause, she suddenly remembered the line, “You said Imperial Physician Song diagnosed huyangsan, but Su Yunhe said he misdiagnosed, right?”

The maid nodded immediately, “Yes!”

Not only did she nod, but she also added.

“At the time, you even ordered ten slaps to punish Imperial Physician Song for speaking the truth.”

Consort Li:…

Consort Li:!!!

Consort Li: Oh my god~~~~

The Crown Prince could hang the eunuch’s body at Prince Yu’s gate, so would he also vent his anger on her?

After all, in the Crown Prince’s heart, she was the culprit who pushed the Sixth Prince into the water.

And yesterday’s incident happened right outside her bedchamber gate!

And someone diagnosed huyangsan, but she punished the person who spoke the truth!

Oh, my god~~~~

The thought of the Crown Prince’s murderous, crazy demeanor, disregarding familial ties, sent a massive shiver through Consort Li. She immediately said, “Quick, pass down the order immediately! Just say that I was misled by Su Yunhe yesterday and mistakenly harmed a good person. Reward Song… Song what?”

“Song Yu!”

“Right, reward Song Yu with ten chests of pearls…”

Halfway through her sentence, Consort Li shook her head and started walking out.

“No, no, no, my reward isn’t grand enough. Have His Majesty reward him! I’ll go to His Majesty now, flatter him, please him, and then have him reward Song Yu, and then severely punish Su Yunhe! That way, the Crown Prince shouldn’t hold a grudge against me anymore, right? Wuu~ I’m having such a hard time…”

Muttering to herself, Consort Li rushed straight to the Imperial Study.