The Innocent Young Master Pledged Himself with a Sword Tassel; Prince An Went Mad Interrogating His Trusted Aide Chen Qing

Qin Hongxiu stopped.

"This is all that Hongxiu can offer now."

"Who wants this?"

Pu Yunshan put the teacup back on the table, stood with his back to her for a while, and then turned around.

"I redeemed you so that you would no longer be forced to do things you didn't want to do."

Qin Hongxiu looked at him.

Pu Yunshan's face was still flushed, but he spoke more and more urgently.

You are innocent, your life is not worthless, and you owe nothing to anyone.

The wind outside rattled the windowpanes, and inside, the only sound was the breathing of the two people.

Pu Yunshan raised his hand and untied the tassel on his sword.

The sword tassel was carved from a century-old piece of jade, its color translucent, with silver tassels unique to Mount Qingcheng hanging from its base. The tassel had been with him for many years and he had never taken it off casually.

Qin Hongxiu had long heard from the guests in the building that the young master of Mount Qingcheng had a jade tassel on his sword, and seeing the tassel was like seeing the next leader of the sect.

Pu Yunshan gripped the sword tassel in his palm, the jade edge digging painfully into his hand.

He walked up to Qin Hongxiu and stuffed the things into her hands.

"Take it."

Qin Hongxiu lowered her head.

The jade still carried his body heat, pressing heavily in his palm.

"What's this."

"A token from Mount Qingcheng."

Why are you giving me this?

Pu Yunshan looked at her, his ears still burning, but his eyes didn't flinch.

"This is a token. Once I've worked for the prince for five years and saved enough for the betrothal gifts, I'll take you back to Mount Qingcheng."

Qin Hongxiu's fingers tightened.

Pu Yunshan swallowed hard, his throat dry, and continued speaking, word by word.

"If my father disagrees, I will kneel in front of the ancestral hall until he nods in agreement."

"I want a grand wedding procession, with eight bearers carrying me, to bring you to Mount Qingcheng."

He paused, then added another sentence.

"I Pu Yunshan, swear in this life that I will never take a concubine."

Qin Hongxiu, holding the sword tassel, froze on the edge of the bed.

She's heard too many nice things.

I'll take care of you.

"If you come with me, I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury."

"Once my husband dies, I'll bring you into the family."

Every word is sweet, but they deny it when you wake up.

Nowadays Pu Yunshan talks about returning to the mountain, kneeling in the ancestral hall, and getting married through proper channels.

He didn't tell her to come with him immediately, nor did he tell her to repay anything right now.

Qin Hongxiu opened her mouth, but couldn't even utter her usual phrase, "Young Master treats me so well."

Seeing that she didn't speak, Pu Yunshan felt flustered and touched the hilt of his sword with his fingers.

"If you don't want to, that's fine too."

"Take the sword tassel first."

"If anyone outside bullies you again, show them this, and the people of Mount Qingcheng will protect you."

Qin Hongxiu looked up at him.

Pu Yunshan avoided her gaze, his ears turning bright red.

"Also, I've already redeemed you from your servitude."

"You can stay here tonight, or go somewhere else. If you want to go home to find your brother, I'll go with you."

Qin Hongxiu held the jade tassel, her fingertips slowly tracing the patterns on the jade.

Three years ago, when that scholar took her last gold hairpin, he said he would definitely come back.

But I never saw him again.

But the person in front of her shoved her identity token, tore up her death contract, and frantically told her she could refuse.

The wall that had blocked her heart for three years suddenly cracked open.

Pu Yunshan.

For the first time, she didn't call him Young Master Pu.

Pu Yunshan raised his head.

Qin Hongxiu's lips moved, and the tears in her eyes could no longer be held back.

Why are you so good to me?

Pu Yunshan stood there, scratching his head, unsure of what to say.

He spent his life practicing swordsmanship, boxing, collecting night soil, and repairing roofs. When he encountered trouble, he would draw his sword; if he couldn't draw his sword, he would run away. But he never learned how to comfort a girl who wouldn't stop crying.

Qin Hongxiu clutched the jade sword tassel, tears falling onto the jade surface and streaming down the tassel.

Pu Yunshan frantically searched for a handkerchief in his sleeve, but after searching for a long time, he only managed to pull out an old piece of cloth used for wiping sweat.

He looked at the piece of cloth but didn't dare hand it over.

"Don't cry, I... I don't know either."

Qin Hongxiu looked up.

Pu Yunshan scratched his head.

"You applied medicine for me, cooked noodles for me, worried I'd be scammed, and even told me not to get involved with the Caoyun Gang because of you."

"When I saw you sitting in that cold room, holding scissors in your hand, I felt... I had to help you."

He paused, looking at the shattered death pact on the ground.

"Actually, I know I shouldn't help. My father always told me to stay away from women, but I always felt that if I didn't help you, I wouldn't be able to sleep for at least three years."

Qin Hongxiu cried even harder.

Pu Yunshan panicked.

"Don't cry."

Did I say something wrong?

Qin Hongxiu raised her hand to cover her face, her shoulders trembling slightly, her sobs muffled in her palm, making one's chest feel tight.

She had heard too many lies and faked tears too many times in those three years.

Tears have long been her weapon, which she controls with ease.

But at this moment, her tears wouldn't stop, and she didn't know how to hold them back.

Pu Yunshan didn't take the opportunity to get closer. He moved a charcoal brazier, lifted the lid, and looked inside. There wasn't even a single piece of charcoal left.

He turned and went out.

Qin Hongxiu lifted her wet face.

Where are you going?

"Looking for charcoal."

Pu Yunshan.

He turned around.

Qin Hongxiu clutched the sword tassel to her heart, her voice hoarse.

You don't need to do these things for me anymore.

Pu Yunshan stood by the door, grinning.

I enjoy doing it.

He finished speaking and went downstairs.

At the end of the corridor, the madam was hiding and listening to the commotion. When she saw him come out, she quickly stuffed the handkerchief into her sleeve.

" Young Master Pu, how is Miss Hongxiu?"

Pu Yunshan looked at her.

"Charcoal."

The madam's smile faltered.

"The coal supply in the building is indeed tight..."

Where's the charcoal?

Pu Yunshan asked again.

"She's already been redeemed. She's a member of the royal household just like me, doesn't she even deserve to use charcoal?"

The madam felt a chill run down her spine from his gaze and quickly called for a pimp.

"Go! Go to the storeroom and bring up two baskets of silver thread charcoal, hurry up!"

Anyang.

The fourth bucket of cold water was poured over his head. Gu Mochen sat on the wooden chair in the dungeon, his fox fur coat already taken off and placed aside. His inner clothes were mostly wet, and the veins on his forehead were still throbbing.

The musty smell mixed with the stench of blood in the dungeon filled my nostrils, making me feel stuffy.

He raised his hand to wipe his face, his palm wet, but his fingers were filled with barely suppressed anger.

The farce at the South Street porridge stall drew at least several hundred onlookers.

He, the dignified Prince An, wearing a fox fur coat, rushed into the crowd, chasing after a passing female relative and shouting "Don't go!" before being dragged back to his carriage by his guards.

Even if the people in Anyang City dare not speak openly about it, there will always be people in restaurants, teahouses, rice shops, gambling dens, and backyards who will embellish the story.

Within three days, the news would reach the capital.

Gu Mochen stared at Chen Qing, who was pinned to the bench, and tapped his finger on the armrest.

"Beat."

Two guards swung their canes, the dull thuds of the wooden sticks striking flesh echoing through the dungeon.

Chen Qing's hands were tied behind his back, his forehead pressed against the edge of the bench. When the first blow came down, he gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.

The second blow.

The third strike.

His clothes quickly tore open, and blood seeped from his back, flowing down his side.

Gu Mochen stared at the blood-red stain, his chest still clenching.

" Chen Qing."

Chen Qing raised his head, his face covered in dust, and his breath tasted of rust.

"Your subordinate is here."

"What is this that you gave me?"