At those words, Shen Zhijie's eyes widened with rage. Unable to contain his fury any longer, he swung his fist-
"Xie Guifan! I'll beat you to death, you bastard!"
Xie Guifan had been too carried away with his triumph to react. One punch sent him sprawling to the ground-
Thud!
"Young lord! Young lord, are you all right?"
Seeing him knocked down, the servants hurried over to check on him.
They even threw out a threat. "Shen Zhijie, how dare you hurt our young lord! Just you wait! Our marquis won't let you get away with this!"
"All of you, get out of the way-"
Xie Guifan shoved his servants aside.
He looked up at Shen Zhijie, his face full of provocation.
With reckless bravado, he said, "Shen Zhijie, come on! Beat me to death if you've got the guts!"
Then he gave a vicious grin. "Ah, but if you kill me, your sister will be a widow! Hahaha! Come on!"
"In your dreams! Yuzhu would never marry an animal like you! You're worse than a dog!" Shen Zhijie retorted furiously.
A sly, triumphant smile spread across Xie Guifan's face.
He deliberately toyed with the Marriage Contract in his hand. "That's not up to you!"
At the sight, Shen Zhijie stepped forward to hit him again, only for Shen Yuzhu to stop him.
"Zhijie, that's enough."
She concealed the bitterness in her eyes. "Don't cause trouble for Eldest Father..."
The Marquis of Pingxi was the Empress Dowager's younger brother. If this matter reached His Majesty, Eldest Father, as a subject, would be the one to suffer.
She couldn't let her troubles drag Eldest Father and Zhijie down with her.
Xiao Yu stood in a corner, unnoticed by everyone.
Watching Xie Guifan's relentless harassment, he frowned.
I'd thought Yuzhu would be safe after Lord Shen drove Duan Wu away three years ago.
I never expected that scumbag Xie Guifan to latch on to her anyway.
What exactly happened...?
So Duan Wu was pulling strings behind the scenes!
When Lord Shen drove him away three years ago without sparing his feelings, he held a grudge and kept looking for a chance to get revenge.
He happened to meet Xie Guifan, the Heir of the Marquis of Pingxi. Learning that he had a taste for beautiful women, he remembered Yuzhu at the Shen Residence and hatched a wicked scheme, conspiring with Second Uncle Shen to sell his daughter for status!
Damn Second Uncle Shen! He's utterly depraved. To curry favor with the powerful, he'd even give his own daughter away!
If Yuzhu knew that every misfortune in her future was thanks to Second Uncle Shen, wouldn't it break her heart...?
Hearing this, Shen Yuzhu lost all color in her face. It felt as though a knife were carving into her heart, stroke after stroke.
She hadn't expected the next news she heard of her father to be that he had pawned her off to a strange man like a piece of merchandise.
She tipped her head back, refusing to let the tears threatening to burst free fall, a bitter, sorrowful smile tugging at her lips.
What had she even been hoping for?
Hadn't he abandoned her long ago?
Shen Zhijie watched her, pain and pity flickering in his eyes. His fists clenched beneath his sleeves as he fought down the fury threatening to erupt.
He hadn't imagined his second uncle could be such a bastard that he would harm even his own daughter.
He was worse than an animal.
Seeing Shen Yuzhu's despair, Xie Guifan leisurely rose from the ground and straightened his clothes.
His first words dripped with mockery and contempt. "Yuzhu, why must you look so miserable, as though you're half-dead?"
"It's your good fortune that I've taken a liking to you! Wouldn't marrying me and becoming the Heir's Consort be better than kneading dough here? Don't be ungrateful!"
Snap-
Xiao Yu had somehow gotten hold of a fan. He flicked it open sharply, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
He swaggered forward with an insolent stride. "Well, well, quite a lively gathering."
He walked straight up to Xie Guifan and circled him once.
With a hint of authority that brooked no refusal, he said, "Shen Zhijie, you have seven and a half minutes. I want every detail on this man!"
The corner of Shen Zhijie's mouth twitched.
He had no idea what Xiao Yu was up to.
Still, he played along. "Your Highness, this is Xie Guifan, the Heir of the Marquis of Pingxi."
Xiao Yu gave a mischievous smile. "And here I was wondering who it could be. So it's Young Lord Xie. My apologies."
With that, he stood to one side, fanning himself and eyeing Xie Guifan lewdly.
The man's persistent stare sent a chill through Xie Guifan. "Y-you, who are you?"
"Who am I?"
Xiao Yu closed his fan and looked at him arrogantly. "Tales of me are told throughout the Jin Kingdom. Do I really need to introduce myself?"
Xie Guifan was baffled. There was someone even more arrogant than him?
A servant stepped forward and whispered into his ear. "Young lord, h-he's Prince Yu, the one who likes men!"
Xie Guifan's gaze flickered. He raised his eyes to him. "You're Xiao Yu?"
"That's right. I never hide my name. Xiao Yu, that's me."
Xiao Yu suddenly leaned closer. "Come with me, then?"
"Where?"
Realization dawned on Xie Guifan, and wariness flashed in his eyes. "W-what do you mean by that?"
"What do I mean? I mean I've taken a liking to you."
Seeing his chest heaving,
Xiao Yu reassured him. "No need to get so excited. You have yourself to thank for this. You're rather good-looking, enough to catch my eye."
He stepped forward and seized his arm. "Let's go."
Xie Guifan jolted in fright and struggled violently. "No!"
The servants moved forward to stop him,
only for a group of Imperial Guards to suddenly appear from nowhere and block their way. "Take one more step, and you'll be killed on the spot!"
The servants instantly shrank back into the corner, meek as quails.
At this, Xie Guifan struggled even harder. "I'm not going! I'm not going!"
"No one has ever dared refuse me."
Xiao Yu stopped, his gaze abruptly turning cold.
His voice carried a chilling edge. "Xie Guifan, you'd better not test my limits."
Then he instructed the Imperial Guards beside him, "Escort Young Lord Xie to my Private Residence."
For the first time, Xie Guifan had met someone even more overbearing than himself.
Terrified, he turned and ran.
He barely made it two steps before someone hauled him back.
He panicked at once, babbling, "What are you going to do? I won't be your male lover!"
Xiao Yu paused.
Then he scoffed. "What? You want an official title too?"
He looked at him, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Beg me, and I'll give you one," he said meaningfully.
Xie Guifan immediately clamped his hands over his backside. "What title? I don't want one!"
"That's not up to you."
Xiao Yu tilted his chin up, a mischievous look crossing his face. "I've never failed to get anything I wanted."
Xie Guifan was so frightened that he began crying and shouting. "No! I want to go home! I want to go home!"
"Xie Guifan! It's your good fortune that I've taken a liking to you!"
Annoyed by his racket, Xiao Yu gripped his chin.
"You'd better know what's good for you," he threatened. "I won't handle you gently!"
Xie Guifan trembled with fear.
Steeling himself, he suddenly blurted out, "I-I'm the Heir of the Marquis of Pingxi! If you dare do anything to me, my father won't let you get away with it!"
"Hah! Every inch of land beneath the heavens belongs to the sovereign. In the Jin Kingdom, my imperial brother has the final say. Who the hell does your father think he is?"
"Obey me while I'm still interested in you, and I'll treat you very well," Xiao Yu said arrogantly.
"If you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for using force."
Hearing this, Xie Guifan finally lost control and burst into loud sobs.
"Prince Yu... I, please, let me go... If you want a male lover, I can find you one... I know where there are good-looking Male Courtesans. Don't **** me!"
Before you continue