Chapter Twenty-Nine: Intermittent Madness?
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Yu Shengsheng had no interest in watching Su Yanshu and Su Zhiyi display their deep affection as brother and sister. Taking Golden Leopard with her, she turned to leave for somewhere else.
Su Yanshu turned his head toward her, lowering his voice, though he could not conceal his anger. “Stop. You maid—you should never have been brought here. Get back!”
Yu Shengsheng lowered her eyes in thought. Perhaps it would be better for Leopard to return first, so she would not be implicated later.
Su Zhiyi’s gaze shifted toward Shen Zhiyuan, who was holding a teacup in a daze. Ruzhu filled it for him, but he did not notice at all, slowly draining the cup.
A mocking smile flickered across Su Zhiyi’s eyes.
The atmosphere eased, and what had happened earlier seemed to have been put behind them. Su Yanshu was just about to take the opportunity to mention Kong Dezhao when, before he could speak, an angry shout rang out.
“Lu Xingzhan!”
Yu Shengsheng turned around and saw Su Dingqin striding toward them. He seemed wrapped in a mass of fury, trailing a wave of scorching wind behind him.
Yu Shengsheng’s heart sank. What was Su Dingqin trying to do this time? The last time he had gone mad, he had claimed it was for her own good, only to force her to plead guilty and beg forgiveness.
Today was extremely important to her. What trouble was Su Dingqin about to cause now?
She wanted to go over and stop him, but Su Dingqin moved too quickly. In almost the blink of an eye, he was standing before Lu Xingzhan.
Lu Xingzhan was equally baffled. It had been a long time since anyone had shouted his full name at him in public like that.
His servant reacted swiftly, darting in front of him.
“You—”
The rest of his words never came. Su Dingqin seized him by the shoulder, dragged him forward, and flung him aside.
The servant’s feet immediately left the ground. He was hurled away like a torn sack, his head flying straight toward a pavilion pillar.
Yu Shengsheng’s eyes widened. As the servant swept past her, she instinctively seized both his arms and pulled with all her strength.
A sharp pain shot through her arms. Gritting her teeth, Yu Shengsheng held on and ran forward two steps with him, nearly falling.
Fortunately, the force of her pull caused the servant to fall rather than crash into the pillar and die. He had narrowly escaped with his life.
Yu Shengsheng released him. Her fingers spread weakly, trembling faintly at the tips.
Everything had happened in the space of a spark.
She turned back with a pale face and saw Su Dingqin glaring furiously at Lu Xingzhan.
He was only glaring. He had not struck him.
Yu Shengsheng let out a quiet breath and gave a self-mocking smile.
See? The young general was reckless and fierce when he struck, but he did distinguish between people. He was not entirely incapable of controlling himself.
After his brief surprise, Lu Xingzhan returned to normal. “Su Dingqin, what kind of madness has seized you?”
Su Dingqin forced the words out between his clenched teeth. “Was it you? Did you kill my men?”
Lu Xingzhan was utterly bewildered. “What do you mean, your men? When have I ever killed anyone of yours? Are you out of your mind?”
Yu Shengsheng was just as confused. The servant climbed to his feet and limped over to her, grimacing in pain.
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“Thank you, Miss, for saving my life.”
Yu Shengsheng came back to herself. “Think nothing of it.”
The servant bowed and went back to Lu Xingzhan’s side. Lu Xingzhan supported him by the arm. “You nearly killed one of my people. Let me tell you this, Su Dingqin: you will pay every penny of his medical expenses.”
Su Dingqin gave a cold laugh. “How can a mere servant compare with one of my personal guards?”
How could he not be furious? His personal guards had been chosen from among the best and painstakingly trained. Two of them had been lost in an instant.
This was not merely a matter of lives lost. It was an insult to him—to the entire Su family.
Lu Xingzhan laughed in anger. “Su Dingqin, every life is a life. Why shouldn’t they be compared? Let me tell you this: it is only because Dingding is fine. If he had died here today, do you think I would have let the matter go?”
Lu Xingzhan cast a glance at Yu Shengsheng. “Then again, you can cause all the trouble you want. Someone else is always left to confess and suffer the punishment.”
Su Dingqin’s gaze, sharp as a poisoned arrow, shot toward the servant. “What did you say his name was?”
“Dingding,” Lu Xingzhan replied. “I only changed it a few days ago. How do you like it?”
Su Dingqin. Dingding. The names sounded almost identical.
Yu Shengsheng pressed her lips together. Leopard was right—the man’s tongue was vicious.
Su Dingqin glanced at her, and the light of that poisoned arrow turned toward her. He strode over and seized her wrist. “Why did you save that lowly servant?”
Her hand already hurt. When he grabbed it, darkness swam before her eyes.
“If I hadn’t saved him, was I supposed to stand by and watch him die?” Yu Shengsheng asked through clenched teeth.
“Why couldn’t he die?”
Yu Shengsheng neither wanted to explain nor had the strength to argue with him any longer.
Seeing this, Su Yanshu hurried over. “Eldest Brother, let go.”
Su Dingqin’s anger had not yet subsided. “You are opposing your elder brother for the sake of another man’s lowly servant?”
Su Yanshu seized Su Dingqin by the wrist. “Eldest Brother. Let. Go.”
Su Dingqin looked back at him. Su Yanshu wore a smile, but his eyes were cold and deep.
A slightly shrill voice tore through the oppressive silence.
“The Crown Prince has arrived!”
Everyone came to their senses. The Su brothers released one another and hurriedly turned around.
Yu Shengsheng not only failed to relax—she held her breath. Her entire body trembled faintly, not merely her fingertips.
“Yu Shengsheng. Does your name mean ‘a glimmer of life’? Whether you have that glimmer, however, is for me to decide.”
“Tiger Cub is a battle-hardened champion. Look at its teeth. Aren’t they sharp? If it bites down once, will those delicate bones of yours be able to withstand it?”
“Listen to the whistle. Do you understand? Move exactly as it does. This is the finest animal trainer in the world.”
“This cage is made of solid iron. Go inside obediently and stay there for three days.”
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Those voices were like incantations, forcing their way into Yu Shengsheng’s ears and stirring the deepest terror in her heart.
Beneath the bright, blazing sunlight, the Crown Prince wore resplendent golden robes and a jade crown. He was handsome and distinguished.
His skin was fair, his brows long and dark, his eyes monolid, their outer corners slightly drooping. His nose was straight and high, and a smile always rested at the corners of his lips.
Before he was made Crown Prince, he had already been renowned as a virtuous prince—upright in character and courteous and gentle toward others.
Yet as Yu Shengsheng watched him approach bathed in light, she saw a demon.
Though she stood beneath the scorching sun, the cold had seeped into her very bones.
Everyone bowed in greeting. Yu Shengsheng had yet to recover her senses, but her body had already dropped instinctively to its knees.
The other women merely bent their knees in a graceful curtsy. She alone knelt fully on the ground.
The Crown Prince noticed her at once, and his smile deepened almost imperceptibly.
“All right, everyone, rise. I am merely a guest today, here to ask for a cup of tea. There is no need to be so formal.”
The others rose, and the Crown Prince walked slowly toward Yu Shengsheng.
Yu Shengsheng stared at his boots. The claw patterns embroidered upon them seemed about to break free and tear through the leather.
She closed her eyes slightly, forcibly erasing the image of those bloodstained boots from her mind.
“Miss Yu,” the Crown Prince’s voice sounded above her head, “there is no need for such a grand salute. Quickly, rise.”
Miss Liu curled her lip. “Honestly, why does everything have to center on her?”
Su Zhiyi pushed her wheelchair forward. “My younger sister has been fortunate enough to receive instruction in court etiquette from Her Majesty the Empress. Naturally, she must show the Crown Prince a little more respect.”
“My dear sister, rise.”
Yu Shengsheng returned to herself and bowed once more, her forehead touching the ground. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Only then did she stand.
When he saw the way she was dressed, the Crown Prince’s gaze deepened almost imperceptibly.
Su Yanshu stepped forward. “Your Highness, we have reserved a seat for you. This way, please.”
The Crown Prince nodded. As he passed Yu Shengsheng, the broad, flowing sleeve of his robe seemed to brush against the back of her hand by accident.
She took a step back and lowered her head, clenching both hands inside her sleeves and forcing herself to steady her mind.
The moment she turned around, someone carrying a tray drenched her from head to toe.
“This servant deserves death! Please forgive me, Miss!”
Yu Shengsheng focused her eyes and realized it was her.
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