ATSBTBMACP 10

Chapter 10

Song Beiyao looked at Pei Ji incredulously: “Husband!!”

The whip was quickly retrieved from the bucket. A burly guard pulled the long whip from the salt water. The entire whip was covered in hooks; just looking at it was terrifying!

“Oh my god!” Xiao Yun gasped, covering his mouth. “Forget fifty lashes, even one would be deadly!”

The guard swung the whip to the ground. With a sharp “crack,” a deep gash appeared on the hard porcelain tiles.

“Ling Feng! Ling Feng!” Song Beiyao panicked.

Until just now, everything had been within his expectations. Only Ling Feng’s sudden intervention to take the punishment in his place, and Pei Ji’s clearly fatal punishment, exceeded his predictions.

Song Beiyao wanted to rush forward to stop it, but the guards on either side immediately restrained him, rendering him immobile.

“Husband, even if you consider that I’ve blocked swords for you and helped you find Peng Yu, please spare Ling Feng! Leaving the manor was my idea; it has nothing to do with him!!”

Pei Ji’s eyes were cold and indifferent, glancing over Song Beiyao’s rarely seen panicked expression. He lightly raised a finger: “Carry out the punishment.”

The guard in grey raised the long whip and swung it down hard. The force was immense; a loud “crack” echoed, tearing Ling Feng’s jacket and instantly ripping open his back.

Ling Feng let out a muffled groan, almost falling.

The second lash fell, blood flowing freely. Song Beiyao cried out, “I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you what I did when I left the manor today! Stop him!”

Pei Ji didn’t even look at him, cruelly curling his lips: “Too late to speak now. Don’t worry, after he’s finished, it’s your turn.”

Song Beiyao’s face instantly turned pale. He realized he had gone too far. Pei Ji was serious.

The terrifying cruelty of this man, he finally understood it at this moment. The third lash, the fourth lash, the fifth lash…

Song Beiyao’s body trembled uncontrollably, the pain from deep within his memories overwhelming him.

Calm! Calm! He had to stay calm!!

As the seventh lash fell, and the guard raised his hand for the eighth, Song Beiyao, using all his strength, broke free from the guards’ grip when they relaxed for a moment, rushing to shield Ling Feng from the whip.

With a heavy “crack,” the whip struck his back. At first, it was numbness, then the pain poured in like a tidal wave. He was thrown heavily to the ground, the things in his arms scattering.

“Ah! Oh my god!!” Xiao Yun exclaimed, immediately covering his mouth and nervously glancing at Pei Ji.

Although he disliked Song Beiyao, he didn’t want him to die. That whip just now had landed with full force; he even thought he heard bones breaking.

The guards also immediately stopped whipping, looking helplessly at the Crown Prince, awaiting instructions.

“Your Highness!” Zhang Bo hurriedly reminded, “It seems something fell from the Lord’s body just now.”

Pei Ji’s eyes were dark and fierce, staring at the young man lying on the ground, his life hanging in the balance. He slightly nodded: “Go see what it is.”

Both master and servant were near death. Zhang Bo hurriedly descended the steps, went to Song Beiyao, picked up the items on the ground, and upon closer inspection, his eyes widened in shock.

“Your Highness!” He hurried back, handing the items to Pei Ji, his voice trembling, “Your Highness, look!”

Pei Ji took the three items one by one. A small black and white wooden carving of a cat, exquisitely crafted, the cat’s expression lifelike. On the bottom was a small inscription: “Wishing Husband happiness every day.”

Pei Ji’s eyes paused slightly. He took the second item, a sachet, containing some unknown fragrant herbs, with a light and pleasant scent. The sachet also had an embroidered inscription: “Wishing Husband restful sleep every day.”

The third item was a packet of herbs, with a note on the outside: “Take daily, regulates the spleen and stomach.”

“Your Highness, the Lord was preparing a birthday gift for you!” Zhang Bo said sorrowfully, “He wanted to surprise you, so he hesitated to tell you.”

Pei Ji’s grip on the packet of herbs tightened slightly. After a long moment, he handed the three items to Zhang Bo, went down the steps, knelt beside Song Beiyao.

The young man lay on his stomach, his thin clothes barely covering his back. Whip wounds ran from his left shoulder to his right waist, bleeding profusely, deep enough to show bone. His eyes were closed, his lips and face as pale as death, devoid of life.

“You…” Pei Ji’s voice was low and deep, his throat constricting, unable to utter another word.

Something within his heart seemed to be crumbling.

Quickly, he removed his cloak, wrapped the young man in it, and lifted him into his arms. Song Beiyao wasn’t short, but he felt so light in his arms; the jutting bones of his back even felt slightly abrasive against his hands.

“Zhang Bo, summon all the physicians in the manor.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“And that young servant, bring him to Yan Nuan Pavilion as well.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

…

Song Beiyao felt like he was being roasted over a fire.

His body ached everywhere. His back ached, his chest ached, his internal organs ached, his skin ached, his bones ached—his whole body, inside and out, throbbed with pain.

His vision was blurry and distorted, and he occasionally heard whispers of “It’s no use,” “We’ve done all we can,” “There’s nothing we can do.”

It was exactly like when he was first diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer and ran from hospital to hospital, listening to those doctors.

He hadn’t given up treatment from the start; it was simply untreatable, so he had reluctantly accepted defeat.

He wasn’t resigned to it. How could he possibly accept dying like this?

Suddenly, a searing pain shot through his back, as if he were being sawed open. He opened his mouth slightly, letting out a soft “It hurts.”

Then, he felt something cool against his cheek. He grasped it and refused to let go.

“Your Highness, the Lord is inherently weak and sickly, and his injuries are severe this time. Although the wounds have been treated, there is still a risk of infection and inflammation, and the first few nights are crucial. This subordinate suggests assigning someone to watch over him.” The imperial physician from the palace stated solemnly.

Pei Ji lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on Song Beiyao’s hand clutching his. It was as white as jade, the fingers slender and long, the knuckles and veins prominently visible, showcasing the owner’s emaciation.

“Your Highness, this subordinate will now give the prescriptions to the manor servants.” The physician said again.

Pei Ji gave a simple “Mm.”

The door closed.

Pei Ji tried to withdraw his hand, but Song Beiyao clung to it tighter, unconsciously murmuring, “Don’t leave.”

A charcoal brazier sat beside the bed. The young man’s upper body was bare, his back lean and taut, his skin as white and smooth as warm jade. His shoulders were not broad, tapering down to an extremely narrow waist, a horrifying wound slashing diagonally across his back.

The scar from the sword wound on his left shoulder hadn’t fully healed, and now there was a new one. Pei Ji stared for a moment, then the door was pushed open from the outside. He slightly shifted, pulling his hand free from Song Beiyao’s grasp.

Zhang Bo entered, stopping by the bed, glancing at Song Beiyao’s condition, his heart still heavy. “Your Highness, the Lord’s servant has also been examined; the physician says he’s strong and will be fine. But the Lord…”

“Have the servant who went to the other courtyard last time stay here overnight,” Pei Ji said gravely. “Find someone else to take over during the day.”

Zhang Bo knew that the Crown Prince was referring to Li Liansheng, and he was quite at ease with that young man, so he said, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Pei Ji remained standing by the bed, his gaze fixed on Song Beiyao, lost in thought.

Zhang Bo paused, then said, “Your Highness, it’s almost midnight, and you have court tomorrow morning. Perhaps Your Highness should rest; this old servant will stay here in Yan Nuan Pavilion tonight.”

Hearing this, Pei Ji withdrew his gaze, leaving a “Thank you, Zhang Bo,” before leaving the room.

—

Song Beiyao woke up on the third night. When he awoke, he first looked at the gray number in the bottom left corner: -189. Then he saw Li Liansheng sitting by the bed, staring motionlessly at him.

“…” He coughed a few times; his back was in agony, making it impossible to move. Li Liansheng reacted after a moment’s delay, excitedly exclaiming, “You… you’re finally awake!”

He then started to get up to run out.

“Wait,” Song Beiyao called weakly, “Come back.”

Liansheng obediently returned, sitting back down by the bed: “I won’t go, I just wanted to go tell the guards that you’re awake, that’s what His Highness ordered.”

Song Beiyao remained lying down, glancing at his surroundings. This room was clearly much larger than the one in the other courtyard, beautifully and luxuriously decorated; even the bed was softer.

“Where is this?” he asked. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Replying to the Lord, this is Yan Nuan Pavilion, you’ve been asleep for two days and two nights.”

“What about Ling Feng?” Song Beiyao asked.

Liansheng said, “He’s in another room. Don’t worry, Lord, Ling Feng can already walk around; he even came to see you this afternoon.”

Song Beiyao asked again, “Has the Crown Prince come to see me these past few days?”

Liansheng nodded repeatedly: “He came! His Highness is busy during the day, but he comes to see you every evening!”

“Today?”

“Not yet today, but he’ll probably come later.”

Song Beiyao slowly closed his eyes: “If His Highness comes, tell him I’m unwell, and ask him to return.”

“Why?” Liansheng looked puzzled. “You… you, His Highness…he rarely…”

Liansheng couldn’t continue. He’d heard about what happened at Lake Heart Pavilion those past two days. The Lord had finally left the other courtyard, and His Highness must be feeling guilty, now that he’s concerned about the Lord. Why would the Lord push him away?

Song Beiyao didn’t explain further, only saying weakly, “Liansheng, I’m hungry. Go to the kitchen and get me some light porridge.”

Liansheng was helpless; he was clumsy and couldn’t comfort people, so he simply agreed and left the room.

As soon as he was gone, the system popped up anxiously: “Host! You wouldn’t really be scared of Pei Ji and not dare see him, would you?!”

Song Beiyao coughed a few times, burying his head in his pillow, and a low chuckle rumbled in his throat.

The system was dumbfounded: “What are you laughing about? This is bad, you haven’t started giving up, have you?! Don’t forget, giving up means immediate death!”

“This time, I won,” Song Beiyao chuckled lightly.

The system was dumbfounded: “What do you mean you won? You’re injured like this, and you still won?”

Song Beiyao: “The games adults play, you wouldn’t understand.”

“???” What nonsense is this again?

The system angrily retorted: “You haven’t seen Pei Ji these past two days; he’s been rejected once, twice… he won’t come again. Just you wait, you’ll be crying then!”

Song Beiyao curled his lips: “Oh, really?”

He wasn’t worried about this at all. Whether Pei Ji felt guilty or something else, he would definitely want to see him personally, perhaps wanting to say or ask something.

Song Beiyao continued, “My luck points increased quite a bit this time, which trigger event was it?”

The system: “The biggest increase was because he carried you all the way back that night! It directly added 10 points.”

“I see.”

Song Beiyao languidly lowered his hand to the bedside, snapping his fingers. “Now I can tell you, the game has officially begun.”

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