Xiao Shen raised his dagger, and the sharp blade stabbed the person’s face, making a “sizzling” sound as it cut the skin, which made the listeners shudder and feel creepy.
Bright red blood flowed all over the floor, flowing along the terrain of the house to Pan Dongsheng’s feet. He moved his knees carefully, trying to avoid the blood.
When the Seventh Prince found him half a month ago, Pan Dongsheng had never imagined that the young Seventh Prince would be so ruthless.
He grew up in a poor family. His father was a drunkard and accidentally beat his mother to death after drinking. In order to survive, he found ways to purify himself and came to the palace.
In the first few years after entering the palace, he was the lowest-ranking eunuch in the palace, and the low-level eunuchs did all the dirty, tiring, and hard work.
Fortunately, he was quick-witted and smart enough, and by chance he caught Pan Chong’s eye, and since then he has been serving Pan Chong.
He thought that good days were coming, but he didn’t expect that Pan Chong was an eunuch with an extremely perverted and twisted heart. Due to his inhuman nature, he thought of all kinds of ways to torture those beautiful palace maids, and even the handsome young eunuchs were not spared.
Over the years, he carried out the bloody palace maids from Pan Chong’s room from time to time. Looking at those beautiful palace maids who were only breathing their last breath, he sometimes couldn’t help but think of his poor mother.
At the same time, Pan Chong would beat him up at any time. On the surface, he recognized him as his godson and gave him the surname Pan, but whenever he was unhappy, he would whip him with a barbed whip and drip hot candle oil on his back, and he even said that he was educating him and it was for his own good.
He hated Pan Chong in his heart, and he hated himself even more for bowing down to him like a dog day after day.
Therefore, when the Seventh Prince found him privately and asked him to cooperate with him to kill Pan Chong, he considered the feasibility of the plan and quickly agreed.
Of course, the Seventh Prince also promised him extremely tempting benefits.
In this human-eaten palace with a strict hierarchy, who wouldn’t want to climb up?
But at this moment, the Seventh Prince’s brutal killing method made him realize with horror that he had actually been courting disaster during this period of time, and he was even more afraid that his Highness would cross the river and destroy the bridge.
“Phew” After slashing the dead eunuch’s face until blood and flesh flew everywhere and he no longer looked like a human being, Xiao Shen finally let out a breath of anger.
He stood up and threw away the blood-soaked dagger in his hand with a clang, as if he had just remembered that there was another person in the room.
Xiao Shen looked down at the young eunuch, who was kneeling on the ground tremblingly. Suddenly he raised his foot and kicked the dagger on the ground over.
Pan Dongsheng shuddered with fear. “Your Highness the Seventh Prince…”
“Pick up the dagger and stab him a few times.” Xiao Shen ordered in a cold voice.
Pan Dongsheng was stunned: “This…”
“He treats you worse than a dog he raises. Don’t you hate him?” The youth’s long and thick eyelashes drooped, and a malicious arc appeared on his handsome lips. “Or, you have been following this castrated dog for so long and have never killed anyone? No way, right?”
The Jade-faced Shura was high and mighty, his tone full of mockery.
Pan Dongsheng recalled the humiliation and punishment he had suffered in the past. He gritted his teeth, crawled on his knees to pick up the dagger, clasped his hands together, and fiercely stabbed the bloody corpse.
The first knife stabbed into the flesh smoothly, and the following knives became more and more handy.
Xiao Shen closed his eyes with satisfaction, seeming to enjoy the wonderful sound of the dagger penetrating into the flesh.
“Alright.” After a moment, he opened his eyes again and casually said, “Go out and act according to the plan. If there is any mistake on your part…”
Pan Dongsheng let go of the dagger and hurriedly expressed his loyalty: “Your Highness, rest assured, the servant will never ruin your plan!”
He got up and was about to walk out, but was stopped by the Seventh Prince again, and his body suddenly froze.
“Wipe the blood off your hands.” Xiao Shen reminded softly, “Change into clean clothes, don’t show your true colors.”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Pan Dongsheng responded repeatedly, quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, and left the bedroom.
Soon, he changed into a clean eunuch’s uniform, adjusted his expression, and went to the group of eunuchs he had sent away before.
“Yo! Eunuch Pan, why are you here?” The eunuch sitting in the middle saw him and immediately offered his stool politely, “Is Lord Changgong1It refers to the chief eunuch of the secret service agency Dongchang in the Ming Dynasty. done?”
“How can it be so fast?” Pan Dongsheng sat down pretentiously, “Don’t you know about Godfather’s hobby?”
“Hehehe.” The eunuchs laughed strangely, and the eunuch who spoke earlier asked curiously, “Eunuch Pan, which beauty in the palace did Changgong take a fancy to this time?”
“Aiya.” Pan Dongsheng took a sip of tea and replied in a low, shrill voice, “She’s from the Crown Prince’s mansion in the Eastern Palace. She’s so pretty!”
The eunuchs let out another strange cry, and one eunuch gloated, “Those palace maids usually look down on us eunuchs. But even if they are the maids of the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, they are still favored by our Lord Changgong, aren’t they?”
However, just as the eunuchs were laughing, a panicked shout suddenly came: “Not good! There’s a fire! There’s a fire in Lord Changgong’s room!”
Pan Dongsheng’s expression changed, and he stood up suddenly, “Not good! Godfather is still in the room! Let’s go!”
When everyone arrived, the back room was already on fire.
The young eunuchs hurriedly fetched water to put out the fire, but it was just a drop in the bucket. The flames were like a giant dragon, licking the huge room clean.
The seal of the Imperial Household Department was in the eunuch’s room.
Eunuch Su slammed his palm on the table, causing the red memorials on the table to fall to the ground. “What did you say?”
“Grandfather! Grandfather, please find justice for Godfather ah!” Pan Dongsheng kneeled on the ground and kowtowed, crying loudly, “Godfather died so tragically! His whole body was burned!”
Eunuch Su’s eyes blurred, he raised his hand to support his head and said slowly, “What is going on? Tell Zanjia everything in detail!”
Pan Dongsheng gradually stopped crying and replied in a hoarse voice: “Godfather, Godfather fell in love with a little maid in the Eastern Palace a few days ago, so I tried to bring her back to honor Godfather, but who would have thought…”
He cried for a while before continuing, “Who would have thought that the maid would actually burn down Godfather’s room ah!”
Eunuch Su suddenly stood up, paced back and forth with a sullen face, and said angrily, “Damn thing! Zanjia has said it before, if he is greedy for beauty, he will get into trouble sooner or later! This bastard just won’t listen!”
“It’s Grandson’s fault! It’s Grandson’s fault ah!” Pan Dongsheng suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself in the face. He was so ruthless that one side of his face became red and swollen after just a few slaps. “It’s Grandson’s fault that he couldn’t stop Godfather and let that traitor harm Godfather. Grandfather, please kill Grandson!”
Pan Dongsheng’s tears and snot were hanging on his red and swollen face. He crawled forward on his knees and hugged Eunuch Su’s thighs. “But Grandfather, you must avenge Godfather ah!”
Eunuch Su’s face was gloomy. He kicked him away and angrily scolded: “Zanjia has already lost a godson. You worthless thing, how dare you seek death!”
Pan Dongsheng was stunned, wiped his tears, and replied in a choked voice, “What Grandfather taught was…”
Eunuch Su returned to his chair and asked in a gloomy tone, “Where is the slave girl?”
Pan Dongsheng replied, “Answer Grandfather, there is only Godfather’s body in the room, and the palace maid must have escaped.”
“Humph!” Eunuch Su sneered, “How could a lowly maid get the courage to kill people and set fire to things and still get away with it?”
“What Grandfather meant is…” Pan Dongsheng hesitated, “Is this a fraud?”
“The Eastern Palace has always looked down on the Imperial Household Department, but for so many years, river water does not interfere with well water2(idiom); Do not interfere with one another, mind their own businesses..” Eunuch Su narrowed his eyes. “Now that the Empress has been deposed, His Highness the Crown Prince is becoming more and more restless.”
“This…” Pan Dongsheng looked bewildered. “But who in the palace doesn’t know that Grandfather is favored by His Majesty? Don’t they all rush to curry favor with you? Why would the Eastern Palace offend Grandfather?”
“You are right.” Eunuch Su’s eyes became colder and colder. “The Crown Prince would not attack Pan Chong for no reason. The Dongchang must have grasped some secret of the Eastern Palace that cannot be revealed.”
“Then…” Pan Dongsheng kneeled on the ground and asked hesitantly, “Can we still avenge for Godfather?”
Even though they knew that the arsonist was a maid from the Eastern Palace, but Pan Chong had used despicable means to kidnap her first, and there was no direct evidence to prove that it was the Eastern Palace who ordered it, so the Crown Prince could easily get away with it.
Eunuch Su cursed coldly, “You useless thing, who can you avenge with your crying face?”
Hearing this, Pan Dongsheng straightened up and kowtowed again, “Grandfather, now Grandson can only rely on you!”
“Get up first.” Eunuch Su raised his hand, “Grandfather will remember this grudge.”
Pan Chong was not only his godson but also his right-hand man. Now that the Eastern Palace had crippled one of his arms, he must remember this grudge.
Late in the night, when everyone was asleep, a dark shadow quietly approached the side door of Changle Palace and then almost silently pushed open the door.
Most of the palace attendants had gone to bed. The two young eunuchs on duty were drowsily guarding outside the Seventh Prince’s bedroom door and were completely unaware of the black shadow that flashed in.
Xiao Shen stopped in front of the window of the inner hall and gently pushed open the gap left in front of the door, intending to climb in through the window.
With a “creak”, the window frame slowly opened. He supported himself with both hands in front of the window, took advantage of the force, and jumped onto the windowsill flexibly.
The next moment, he was unexpectedly met with a pair of beautiful and affectionate peach blossom eyes.
“Ah.” Xiao Shen screamed in fright and almost fell backwards. Fortunately, a hand as white as porcelain reached out and grabbed his lapel in time.
“Master?” At this time, another black shadow flashed in front of the window. The secret guard looked around vigilantly but did not find any suspicious people.
He raised his eyes and saw the Seventh Prince squatting on the windowsill in a strange posture, with a hint of doubt in his cold eyes.
Xiao Shen was extremely nervous at the moment, but he pretended to be calm and turned his head around, saying sullenly, “What are you looking at?”
The secret guard looked away indifferently.
“Why don’t you get out of here?” The youth cursed again viciously.
“Who told you to talk to him like that?” Shen Qingzhuo finally spoke from the window, loosening his grip on his disciple.
With a low cry of “Ah”, the noble Seventh Prince fell off the windowsill on his butt.
The secret guard looked at him expressionlessly, then hid in the darkness again with his sword in his arms.
Shen Qingzhuo leaned over, lazily lying on the windowsill and looking down, only to see his little disciple lying on the ground with his legs spread out, motionless.
“Don’t pretend.” He reminded calmly, “This window was not even half as tall as you are.”
During this period of time, while he was not paying attention, his little disciple secretly grew taller, and now when he stood up straight, he was actually a little taller than him.
He feels like there’s a bit of overnutrition?
However, the youth lying on the ground remained motionless.
Shen Qingzhuo frowned slightly and threatened softly, “If you don’t get up, I will go back.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the youth who pretended to be dead got up and whispered, “Master, don’t go!”
Shen Qingzhuo turned around with a flick of his sleeve and couldn’t help but think to himself, Little one, can’t Master cure you anymore?
After a while, Xiao Shen jumped up the windowsill again, rubbing his butt and complaining like a spoiled child: “Master, my butt hurts so much!”
“Oh?” Shen Qingzhuo sat down beside the couch and hooked his fingers. “Come here, let Master take a look.”
When Xiao Shen heard this, he immediately ran over. Unexpectedly, before he could even get the sympathy, he got slapped hard on the butt.
“Ouch!” He yelled, covered his burning buttocks and turned around on the spot, pouting and complaining in an aggrieved tone, “Master! I fell so badly, why did you still hit me?”
“I’m going to hit you.” Shen Qingzhuo’s tone sank: “Instead of going through the main door of your own bedroom, you climbed through the window. You deserve to fall to death.”
Xiao Shen’s expression froze slightly, and he nonsensely said, “I just want to exercise…”
Shen Qingzhuo smiled wryly: “Make an excuse. I will just watch you make an excuse and see what you can come up with.”
He originally came to have dinner with his little disciple tonight, but as soon as he entered Changle Palace, he heard the palace attendants report that the Seventh Prince was not feeling well today and had gone to bed early, and no one was allowed to disturb him.
His heart tightened, and he immediately quickened his pace towards the bedroom. The eunuchs and palace maids looked at each other, but no one dared to stop him.
This is Young Master Shen. The Seventh Prince said that no one is allowed to disturb him, but this definitely does not include Young Master Shen, right?
Shen Qingzhuo pushed open the door of the hall with a worried look on his face, walked quickly to the bed, and patted the bulge on the bed, trying to wake up his little disciple, but there was no response no matter how he patted.
He couldn’t help feeling strange, so he raised his hand and lifted the quilt, only to find that there was a jade pillow stuffed inside.
He was both shocked and anxious and was about to turn around to call the palace servants, but he glanced at the neat and clean hall and suddenly calmed down.
Given his little disciple’s skills, no one could quietly take him out of his bedroom.
In this situation, his little disciple might have deliberately used the palace attendants of Changle Palace to create some alibis so that he could go do other things.
After figuring this out, he calmed down for the time being and sat patiently on the bed, waiting for his little disciple to come back.
He didn’t expect that he almost fell asleep while waiting, and then he heard a strange noise from the window.
“I…” Xiao Shen knew he couldn’t get away with it, so he lowered his head and drooped his ears and replied, “I went to do something else. I don’t want anyone to find out, so…”
“En.” Shen Qingzhuo supported himself on the quilt with both hands and looked at him leisurely. “And then?”
Xiao Shen pretended to be stupid and said, “Then I came back!”
Shen Qingzhuo’s eyes were gloomy, and his beautiful face suddenly became cold as ice. “Master is asking you, what did you do by creating an alibi?”
Xiao Shen pursed his pale, thin lips, his hands unconsciously grasped the hem of his clothes, and said nothing.
Shen Qingzhuo looked at the youth’s appearance and suddenly remembered the twelve-year-old little boy. Whenever he was nervous or embarrassed, he would make such movements.
Even though he has grown into a tall and straight young man today, he still feels uneasy in front of him.
Thinking of this, he slowed down his tone a little: “No matter what Master did, I never hid it from you. So, Master hopes that you can also tell the truth.”
Xiao Shen lowered his brows and closed his eyes, with indescribable emotions surging in his heart.
He obviously couldn’t say that he came back after killing someone.
Apart from the time when he pushed the Fourth Prince into the pond three years ago, this was his first time killing someone. Although he had practiced with animals many times before, the feeling of actually killing someone was still very different.
However, he did not feel any fear in his heart. Instead, he was filled with an indescribable excitement, and his blood was boiling, as if something that had been pent up in his heart for a long time was being released, and it seemed that it was because he could finally control the lives and deaths of others.
Does this mean that he has really grown up?
The only thing he regretted tonight was that he let that lowly eunuch die too easily. Otherwise, he could have tortured the dead eunuch slowly…
“Xiao Qi?” After a long time without getting an answer, Shen Qingzhuo couldn’t help but call out.
Ever since he joined the Beizhen Fushi, he has had less and less time to communicate with his little disciple. He couldn’t imagine what his young disciple was doing now by hiding from him. Was it dangerous?
“I…” Xiao Shen stammered, “Actually, I just went to see someone…”
Due to excessive nervousness, he unconsciously swung his sleeves, but something fell out from the wide cuffs.
Shen Qingzhuo quickly bent down and picked up the things that fell on the ground. “Let me see, what the hell are you—” Before he finished speaking, the remaining tail sound disappeared between his slightly opened lips.
The fair and beautiful fingers grabbed a piece of red cloth. Shen Qingzhuo looked carefully and found that what he grabbed was actually a woman’s undergarment…
A red Mandarin duck Dudou?
Shen Qingzhuo blinked his eyelashes, and the moment he came back to his senses, he threw away the Dudou as if he had seen a ghost and raised his voice uncontrollably: “Ah! What kind of thing did you hide ah?”
The youth’s thin face instantly turned red, and just as he was about to explain, he heard a low and cold voice coming from outside the window: “Master, are you alright?”
The veins on his forehead suddenly popped up. Xiao Shen turned his head and said with gritted teeth, “What do you want again?”
The author has something to say:
The Secret Guard: Protecting the master is my mission.
The Little Wolf Cub: Scram!
The red Mandarin duck Dudou makes another appearance. We will settle the appearance fee together next time. Hehe~
