The Real Young Master Was Sold as a Slave, The Obsessive Crown Prince's Forced Love - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Eavesdropping Discovered

The attendant accepted the order and left.

Gu Zhen gripped the deed of sale, his expression grim in the moonlight.

Song Yu.

Don’t think you can run away!

No matter where you run, you are my, Gu Zhen’s, despicable slave!

Wait until I catch you and see how I deal with you!

With a fierce lust burning in his eyes, Gu Zhen put away the deed of sale and turned to leave the backyard.

…

Qi Wang awoke to the sound of voices in the courtyard.

Frowning, he took a breath and was about to prop himself up on his elbow when his movement abruptly stopped, and he looked at the side of the kang.

Song Yu was sitting on a stool by the kang, arms crossed and resting on the edge, his face nestled on his arms, sound asleep.

His puppy-like eyes were now closed, his curled lashes casting a shadow beneath them.

Perhaps the sleeping position was uncomfortable. As Qi Wang watched, Song Yu’s face rubbed back and forth on his arm.

After a few rubs, a small tongue peeked out, licked his lips, then retreated, and he settled down.

Only a wet mark from the lick remained on his red lips.

He was sleeping soundly!

Qi Wang scoffed inwardly, but he still softened the movement of sitting up.

He sat up, leaning back against the pile of old quilts, and his gaze fell back to the face beside him.

He looked about sixteen or seventeen.

His frame was slender.

He looked docile when asleep, but Qi Wang still remembered the look in this person’s eyes before he fainted.

Stubborn, aggrieved, and with red-rimmed eyes.

You better be innocent!

Otherwise…

After lingering for a moment on Song Yu’s slightly parted red lips, Qi Wang turned and raised a hand to push open the window near the kang.

Ban Jin and Ba Liang were talking in the courtyard.

Both were highly skilled martial artists, and the sound of the window opening was instantly detected. They both turned to see their Highness awake inside the room.

Ban Jin and Ba Liang quickly stepped into the room.

Song Yu, sleeping with his arms crossed on the edge of the kang, was in an uncomfortable position, and already sleeping restlessly. Hearing footsteps approach, and having lived on tenterhooks for the past day or two, he was jolted awake almost instantly.

“Your Highness, the investigation is complete.”

Just as Song Yu was about to open his eyes and sit up, he suddenly heard a report.

It was Ban Jin’s voice.

He hurriedly closed his eyes again, staying put.

Hehe~

As long as they didn’t realize he was awake, as long as they didn’t kick him out, he could eavesdrop!

Qi Wang watched as that small patch of eyelashes fluttered, almost opening, then closed again?

Feigning sleep?

His brow twitched slightly. Qi Wang looked at Ban Jin and Ba Liang. “Speak quietly.”

Ban Jin and Ba Liang both glanced at the person lying there.

Ban Jin lowered his voice and reported, “After descending the mountain, this subordinate first located the slave broker. The slave broker confessed that she did indeed bring Song Yu out of Earl Anping’s manor…”

He paused, then raised a finger and pointed at the head in front of him. “Song Yu is him. Song as in Grand Tutor Song, Yu as in fish in the water.”

After pointing, he continued his report.

“The slave broker said that in the backyard of Earl Anping’s manor, Song Yu was wearing wedding attire. Earl Anping and his wife, Lady Wang, brought her over.

“Song Yu was standing next to the rockery when Lady Wang ordered him to be seized.

“Afterward, Earl Anping claimed Song Yu had stolen property from the manor. Lady Wang ordered Song Yu to be sold out of the manor and specifically instructed that he be sold far away.

“After bringing the person out of Earl Anping’s manor, she changed his clothes and immediately took him to the market.

“It was Song Yu who told her that the person who came forward to buy the slave was Gu Zhen’s attendant.

“Song Yu strangled the attendant with a rope until he passed out, grabbed the deed of sale, and ran.

“In addition, during the assassination, Earl Anping’s manor did have people lying in ambush in Shiliu Alley.”

Qi Wang’s fingers tapped lightly, almost imperceptibly, on the quilt.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

His gaze fell on the small face of the person lying next to him.

“This subordinate had just left the slave broker’s residence when someone came to silence her.”

Song Yu’s eyelashes suddenly fluttered violently; the color in his feigning-sleep face noticeably changed.

Qi Wang watched that small patch of trembling eyelashes, frowned slightly, and looked up at Ban Jin.

Ban Jin said, “It was Gu Zhen’s attendant, the one who pretended to be a merchant to buy Song Yu at the market. Afterward, this subordinate apprehended two servants from Earl Anping’s manor and questioned them about Song Yu.

“However, the two servants we caught claimed until death that there was no one named Song Yu in the manor.”

Qi Wang was aware of Ban Jin’s interrogation methods.

Two random servants from Earl Anping’s manor had no need to be so fiercely loyal to their master that they could withstand Ban Jin’s interrogation.

If they said they hadn’t heard of him, it was likely true.

This was strange.

Song Yu said he overheard the secret at Earl Anping’s manor.

The slave broker said Song Yu was sold by Earl Anping’s manor.

Yet the manor’s servants claimed never to have seen Song Yu?

Qi Wang’s scrutinizing gaze returned to the person feigning sleep next to him.

The act wasn’t very clever; his eyelashes were fluttering so hard they were practically trembling.

Not exposing him, Qi Wang was silent for a moment before asking Ban Jin, “What is Earl Anping’s manor doing?”

Ban Jin quickly replied, “Originally, the young master of the manor, Song Shi’an, was supposed to marry the man named Gu Zhen, but for some reason, the wedding was called off. When this subordinate returned, Earl Anping’s entire family was preparing to head to the capital. Gu Zhen is also traveling with them.

“This subordinate has left people to monitor Gu Zhen and Earl Anping’s manor.

“Should we arrest them?”

Qi Wang shook his head. “Heading to the capital is their goal. Arresting them now would only alert them. Keep monitoring them for now.”

Ban Jin acknowledged the order and then added, “Prince Yu has sent more men here, searching the area for Your Highness.”

Qi Wang gave a cold scoff.

The assassins that day were sent by his good younger brother, Prince Yu.

“What do you think?” Qi Wang turned and glanced out the window, asking.

This time, Ba Liang answered, “In the few days Your Highness was asleep, it rained for two days. The mountain is muddy and difficult to traverse, and the two rains washed away the scent on the mountain. This place is deep in the dense forest, even with specialized tracking dogs, Prince Yu won’t find this place.

“It would be better to find someone to impersonate Your Highness, make it look like you’re returning to the capital, draw Prince Yu’s men away, and then find an opportunity to eliminate them.

“Your Highness can recuperate here during this time and return to the capital once your injuries have healed.”

It was a very sound plan. Qi Wang had no objection. “Go arrange it.”

Ban Jin and Ba Liang accepted the order and left.

The room immediately became quiet.

Song Yu lay there, his neck practically stiff from his posture, trying to figure out how to “wake up” naturally and casually, when a mild-mannered question came from above his head.

“Haven’t you eavesdropped enough?”

Song Yu instantly jolted, his eyes snapping open.

He was caught?

The moment his eyes opened—

【Holy crap, I knew I saw Little Fish’s eyelashes flutter just now! I thought I was mistaken. He was awake all along!】

【He’s too daring! Daring to eavesdrop on Qi Wang and his subordinate’s conversation! It’s over, Little Fish is definitely going to die now!】

【Is my villainous Crown Prince’s reputation as a ruthless killer a joke?】

【Last time, a palace attendant who had served Qi Wang for many years eavesdropped on Qi Wang and Ba Liang’s conversation and was kicked to death by Qi Wang.】

【Alas, I thought Little Fish might change his fate this time.**