My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 45: Never Regretted. 

　　The snow, white and thick, blanketed the branches. Finally, unable to bear the weight, the fragile branches snapped with a ‘creak,’ sending a shower of snow to the ground.

　　The room door was locked from the outside, and two strong guards stood watch at both the windows and the entrance. Yun Ling was trapped, she could not fly away even if she had wings.

　　She knew she couldn't escape, and she didn't even think about making a futile attempt.

　　It would be incredibly difficult to deceive the Crown Prince. She had spent so long planning and scheming, and that was her only chance to escape. There wouldn't be another.

　　She also knew the gravity of the crime of deceiving the Crown Prince.

　　She had given up hope. All she wished for was that no one else would be implicated.

　　Even the windows were sealed, leaving her unable to see anything.

　　Yun Ling sat quietly in the chair, her thoughts unknown.

　　Suddenly, the door lock clicked open. Grand Eunuch An entered, carrying a bowl of sweet soup, which he placed before Yun Ling.

　　“Lady Yun, you must be hungry,” Grand Eunuch An said, his voice careful and hesitant, as if afraid Yun Ling would refuse to eat. “This is something I had someone specially prepare. Please try it.”

　　Yun Ling, however, wasn't as resolute as he imagined.

　　The despair that washed over her the moment she was captured was overwhelming, robbing her of her reason. That's why, when he had her, she lost the will to live.

　　Now, she was calm.

　　She had lived such a difficult life to grow up, how could she easily seek death?

　　She accepted the bowl of sweet soup. “Thank you, Eunuch An.”

　　Seeing Yun Ling's pale face, An Zhong's heart ached. He had heard everything outside the door; she had truly been willing to die.

　　He sighed, unable to help himself. “Lady Yun, do you know how furious His Highness was when you dared to deceive him and escape three years ago?”

　　“I know,” Yun Ling nodded.

　　How could she not know?

　　Better than An Zhong, she was the one who understood him best. Her actions were tantamount to cruelly toying with his heart and then casually discarding it.

　　He was the Crown Prince, after all. How could he bear such deception?

　　“Knowing that, why…” An Zhong trailed off, his gaze falling worriedly on her neck. “Is your neck alright?”

　　In His Highness's rage, snapping a person's neck would be easy.

　　Yun Ling touched her neck and shook her head. “It's nothing.”

　　Her skin was fair, and only a faint imprint of fingers remained—nothing significant. It wasn't even as bad as when he had grabbed her in the cold palace.

　　Thinking back to what had just happened, Yun Ling, now composed, said gratefully, “Thank you, Eunuch An.”

　　He had taken a huge risk by entering while the Crown Prince was in a rage.

　　“Why are you being so polite to me?” An Zhong paused, then sighed deeply. “Don't you understand, Lady Yun? If I hadn't come in just now, I wouldn't be the Chief Eunuch anymore. His Highness is the one who will really take my life.”

　　An Zhong murmured, knowing that a few bows wouldn't have appeased the Crown Prince's wrath if he'd truly been enraged.

　　“Lady Yun, you're intelligent; you must understand this,” An Zhong said.

　　Yun Ling took a spoonful of sweet soup and ate it silently, saying nothing.

　　Seeing Yun Ling's silence, An Zhong knew there was nothing more he could say.

　　Lady Yun was intelligent enough; his words were unnecessary. With a shake of his head, An Zhong turned and left, carefully locking the door behind him.

　　……

　　“Reporting,” Fei Ying said. “I had people spread the word that an Imperial Jade pendant belonging to Minister Zheng had been found in Meiyang County. Sure enough, a group of people visited last night.”

　　Xie Jue asked, “Did you see who they were?”

　　Fei Ying replied, “They were wearing night clothes, concealing their faces. They came prepared. From what I could gather, they were a group of Death Guards; if alarmed, they would kill themselves to avoid capture. But they didn't find anything, and I was afraid of arousing suspicion. What should we do next?”

　　“Arrange for a hidden guard to place Zheng Gong's jade pendant in a gambling house. Make sure they don't find it easily. After all the trouble they went to, they won't suspect anything.”

　　Xie Jue swiftly formulated a plan. “Go.”

　　“Yes.”

　　Fei Ying immediately left to carry out the order.

　　A fierce, cold wind whipped up the snow, lifting Xie Jue's robes and sending them swirling in the gale.

　　After attending to business, Xie Jue stood in the corridor, his hands hanging at his sides, gazing at the vast expanse of snow outside.

　　The cold wind blew, a counterpoint to the easing of his taut nerves, from seeing her yesterday to her once again falling into his hands today.

　　He had exerted tremendous effort to capture her for three years.

　　From the moment he laid eyes on her, he himself could not decipher what he was thinking in that instant.

　　Was it the tumultuous anger, or perhaps… the bittersweet feeling of regaining something he had long desired?

　　Footsteps approached from behind.

　　Grand Eunuch An arrived behind him, respectfully reporting, “Lady Yun consumed a bowl of sweet soup and seems to be unharmed.”

　　Xie Jue remained silent, his back to Grand Eunuch An.

　　Her tear-filled eyes from earlier flooded his mind—her almond-shaped eyes and crimson lips, just as he remembered. The very image that haunted his dreams for three long years, a torment he both hated and longed for.

　　The woman who dared to deceive him deserved a thousand cuts.

　　Seeing Xie Jue's silence, Grand Eunuch An, emboldened, dared to ask, “Your Highness... do you truly intend to punish Lady Yun?”

　　“Punish?” Xie Jue let out a cold laugh. “Or should I perhaps enshrine her?”

　　An Zhong dared not speak again.

　　“How is she now?”

　　Grand Eunuch An hesitated, unsure how to describe Yun Ling's current state. Lady Yun, it seemed, showed no intention of submitting.

　　Xie Jue knew her stubbornness all too well. His eyes hardened.

　　“She doesn't know when to stop.”

　　His indulgence had been excessive, allowing her to deceive and trifle with him without consequence.

　　……

　　Madam Liu, her limbs trembling, returned to her room. She took a large gulp of tea, slowly regaining her composure.

　　She had just witnessed the Prince of Linze squeezing the life out of Lady Mu's neck—a truly terrifying sight.

　　What was the relationship between the Prince of Linze and Lady Mu? Was there some kind of animosity between them?

　　And what animosity between a man and a woman could be other than love and desire?

　　At this thought, Madam Liu's heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, she understood why Lady Mu had wanted to leave upon hearing the Prince of Linze's name.

　　Could Lady Mu… be the Prince's runaway concubine?

　　No wonder she knew so much about the Prince of Linze!

　　That's it, it must be true!

　　Just as Madam Liu was contemplating this, the door was pushed open. Her recently calmed heart leaped again in fright. Looking up, she saw her daughter entering.

　　“Lan'er, where did you learn your manners? You don't even knock before entering!”

　　Liu Silan looked at her mother in puzzlement. Why was she so jumpy and pale today? “Mother, what's wrong?”

　　Madam Liu quickly pulled her daughter closer, whispering in her ear, “I thought the Prince of Linze was a good man, but now I see he has a terrible temper. Lan'er, you might not even survive in his hands. After careful consideration, we will withdraw your participation from the selection for the Prince of Linze's wife. Your father and I will find you a more suitable match.”

　　Though unsure why her mother had suddenly changed her mind, Liu Silan was overjoyed. “Okay, Mother. I'll do as you say.”

　　After speaking, she turned her head, noticing the emptiness of the room. “By the way, where's my teacher?”

　　“Didn't you say you were going to invite her over today to discuss things? And since I don't need to participate in the selection for the Prince of Linze's wife, I don't need to learn any etiquette or rules, right? If so, Mother, please don't make things difficult for my teacher!”

　　“You always defend her,” Madam Liu lightly tapped her daughter's nose, sighing. “Fine. Since we don't need her anymore, I won't hold it against her.”

　　She herself didn't mind, but she wondered if the Prince of Linze would let her go so easily.

　　Thinking back to the scene she had witnessed, Madam Liu sighed inwardly. Lady Mu was likely going to suffer.

　　“Mother, Mother?” Liu Silan gently nudged her distracted mother. “What's wrong?”

　　Madam Liu shook her head. “Nothing.”

　　Although the Prince of Linze was merely a guest at their Liu residence, he was surrounded by highly skilled guards, appearing and disappearing without a trace, fierce and intimidating. She dared not provoke him, and it was best not to tell Lan'er about this.

　　But Lady Mu still hadn't come, could she have been confined?

　　……

　　The heavy snow that had fallen all day finally stopped, leaving a thick blanket of white. Several children joyfully played snowball fights in the courtyard until sunset, when their mothers called them home for dinner.

　　Mu Dong returned from Yunyi Workshop, her expression bright. Pushing open the door, she smiled. “I've finished most of the orders today. I should be done by tomorrow. We—” Entering the house, she found it empty, dark and without a single lamp lit.

　　“Ah Zhao? Ah Zhao?” Mu Dong called out Yun Ling's nickname.

　　After calling a few times with no response, she turned to the neighbor, Mrs. Zhang, and asked, “Sister in-law, have you seen my little sister?”

　　Before Mrs. Zhang could reply, Xiao Huzi chimed in, “I saw Sister Mu and the people from the county magistrate's house leave this morning.”

　　Seeing Mu Dong's anxious expression, Mrs. Zhang's own face fell. “Oh dear, what's wrong? Haven't they returned yet, after a whole day?”

　　Mu Dong nodded, her heart in turmoil.

　　“What's going on?” Mrs. Zhang asked, puzzled. “Could they have been delayed at the magistrate's?”

　　If it were a few days ago, Mu Dong might have thought they were simply delayed. But yesterday Ah Ling had just told her about the Prince of Linze, and today this happened… It made her think the worst.

　　The more she thought about it, the more restless she became. Mu Dong got up, deciding to go to the Liu residence.

　　After sunset, the weather grew even colder.

　　Mu Dong knocked on the Liu residence gate for a long time before a servant finally came to open it.

　　Seeing the door open, Mu Dong immediately forced a smile. “Little brother, is Lady Mu who teaches your young lady at home? I'm her older sister. I'm worried because she hasn't returned home, so I came to ask.”

　　The servant didn't speak, but turned and went back inside.

　　Mu Dong let out a worried “Oh!”

　　After a long while, a pale, beardless man with red lips and white teeth came out.

　　Grand Eunuch An said, “Miss Mu, please go back.”

　　Mu Dong immediately looked up in shock. This was clearly a eunuch from the Prince's entourage.

　　Mustering her courage, she asked, “Where's my sister?”

　　Grand Eunuch An looked up at the sky, then moved close to Mu Dong and whispered in her ear, “Miss Mu, do you really want me to spell it out? Yun—Gūgu, she can't return for now. If you're smart, you'll go home, keep quiet, and shut your mouth.”

　　The words ‘Yún Gūgu’ widened Mu Dong's eyes.

　　After a moment, Mu Dong said stiffly, “Eunuch... Ah... Is she alright?”

　　Ah Ling had once said that if she were caught by the Crown Prince, her fate would be terrible.

　　“That's none of your concern.”

　　“Please let me see her,” Mu Dong pleaded sadly. “I just want to see her, and then I'll leave.”

　　She needed to know if Ah Ling was alright.

　　“Miss Mu, please stop,” Grand Eunuch An said sternly. “Making a further fuss will not be good for you, me, or the Lady.”

　　“Quietly do your job as the shopkeeper of Yunyi Workshop. It's best not to cause any trouble that could jeopardize important matters, otherwise, we can't guarantee the consequences.”

　　Mu Dong flinched in fear.

　　She was now eighty percent sure that the man in front of her, with his imposing manner, was not just a eunuch from the Prince of Linze's household, but a high-ranking eunuch from the Crown Prince's inner court – An Zhong, Grand Eunuch An.

　　Ah Ling had mentioned it to her before.

　　Since Grand Eunuch An was here, the so-called ‘Prince of Linze’ inside must be—the Crown Prince!

　　Reaching this conclusion, Mu Dong's chest tightened.

　　The Crown Prince had actually come to Meiyang County. Ah Ling's premonition was correct.

　　Mu Dong was momentarily stunned.

　　Seeing this, An Zhong dispatched a female shadow guard to take Mu Dong back and keep her under strict guard to prevent any trouble.

　　……

　　As dusk settled, lights were lit in the Liu residence.

　　Yun Ling, who had arrived at the Liu residence in the morning, had been confined for a whole day.

　　But she wasn't worried. She sat quietly by the sealed window, remaining there the entire day.

　　During that time, she even asked An Zhong for paper and pen, and diligently wrote something.

　　“Lady Yun, what are you writing?” An Zhong brought in her evening meal and asked as he entered.

　　Yun Ling didn't hide it from him. “Miss Silan wants to participate in the selection for the Prince of Linze's wife next year, so she asked me to be her teacher to learn etiquette. I'm afraid I won't be able to teach her anymore, and I truly feel sorry for her. So I'm writing down some key points so she can learn a little on her own.”

　　Grand Eunuch An said, “Lady Yun is thoughtful.”

　　After a moment's hesitation, he added, “Your sister came looking for you a short while ago. I sent her away.”

　　Yun Ling's pupils flickered. She softly asked, “Eunuch An, you didn't hurt her, did you?”

　　“She insisted on seeing you, so I had someone keep an eye on her.”

　　Yun Ling lowered her head. “My sister is a pitiful person. Eunuch An, please don't make things difficult for her.”

　　Grand Eunuch An remained silent.

　　After a while, he said in a low voice, “Deceiving the Crown Prince is a grave crime. That Miss Mu, daring to help you escape, is also greatly at fault.”

　　“What's more, she caused a disturbance in front of the Liu residence. If she disrupted His Highness's important affairs, that would be a crime deserving of death. It is not her concern.”

　　Yun Ling's handwriting became unsteady. She looked up and asked, 

　　“Where is His Highness? When will His Highness return?”

　　Grand Eunuch An replied, “This servant does not know.”

　　Yun Ling pressed her lips together. Suddenly, she took a blank sheet of paper, quickly wrote a letter, and turned to hand it to An Zhong. “Eunuch An, please give this letter to my sister. Once she sees my letter, she won't cause any more trouble.”

　　An Zhong took the letter. “This servant can deliver the letter, but as for other matters, we must wait for His Highness to decide.”

　　……

　　After the hour of the dog (7pm to 9pm), the night grew deeper and darker. Outside, the silence was profound, broken only by the stillness of the night, as if wild beasts were lurking.

　　Yun Ling, confined for a long time, sat there in the dim candlelight.

　　Her eyes were unfocused, drooping, and she didn't know what she was thinking. She had been sitting like this ever since An Zhong left.

　　She could endure any punishment herself, but under no circumstances did she want innocent people to be implicated because of her.

　　Mu Dong was innocent.

　　It was so late, and she still hadn't seen him. Was he intending to keep her waiting, to keep her confined?

　　After an indeterminate amount of time, heavy footsteps finally sounded outside the door.

　　Then, with a creak, the door opened, and the Crown Prince entered.

　　A gust of cold wind rushed in through the opening, causing the curtains to flap. He closed the door behind him, shutting out the cold.

　　The room fell silent again.

　　Xie Jue wore an extravagant dark-colored robe with intricate cloud-patterned embroidery, exuding an air of nobility. He had just returned from outside, carrying with him the chill of the night.

　　Lifting the beaded curtain, he walked step by step into the room, pausing with his back to her. “Don't think you can threaten this prince with a hunger strike.”

　　Yun Ling's eyelashes fluttered. Her gaze was intense as she looked at him. “It's all my fault. I beg Your Highness not to punish others. Please let my sister go.”

　　“You have no right to bargain with this prince,” Xie Jue said, turning to sit at the table.

　　Soon, someone brought in a bowl of ginseng soup.

　　Xie Jue's expression was impassive as he ordered, “Drink it.”

　　Yun Ling wouldn't destroy her own health. Since he had returned, and her purpose was achieved, she would naturally cherish her body.

　　After drinking a mouthful of the warm ginseng soup, even her cold hands and feet seemed to warm a little.

　　“I planned the escape myself. My sister Mu Dong is just a poor, helpless person who followed me. It has nothing to do with her,” Yun Ling paused, sighing softly. “Why involve others in my affairs with Your Highness?”

　　Xie Jue's long fingers, with their clearly defined knuckles, held the teacup. He lowered his head and took a sip, his sharp brow furrowed. His tone lacked warmth.

　　“Lady Yun is exceptionally intelligent. You should have anticipated this day when you escaped. Her suffering today is all your fault.”

　　The words were a chilling display of the Crown Prince's ruthlessness and authority. Yun Ling swallowed, her face pale and distraught in the dim candlelight.

　　Xie Jue's thin lips were pressed together, his fingers tracing the rim of the cup. “Now that it's come to this, do you regret it?”

　　Do you regret it?

　　While in the Palace, Yun Ling had spoken countless flattering words for survival, repeatedly currying favor with him to stay alive. Even now, if she needed to speak sweet words, she wouldn't necessarily hesitate.

　　She had used his power for revenge, and she had been deeply grateful. Therefore, she had served as his official, his blade, doing many things for him.

　　She was a servant girl; he was a prince. She was an official; he was the Crown Prince. Therefore, he could always suppress her without restraint.

　　It had always been this way. A single word from him, and he didn't need to do anything else.

　　No matter how he treated her, she could only bow her head.

　　But now, she suddenly didn't want to speak insincere words anymore.

　　To deceive others, and to deceive herself.

　　She lowered her gaze.

　　Lowering her head, she said softly, “Your Highness, whatever punishment you deem fit, I accept without complaint. If Your Highness truly intends to punish Sister Mu Dong, then I will share her punishment. But I…”

　　She paused.

　　“...never regretted it.”

　　After her words fell silent, a heavy stillness settled over the room.

　　Xie Jue's fingers tightened, and he slammed the teacup to the ground, his expression icy. “A truly remarkable ‘never regretted it’,” he sneered.

　　“Then you will stay here and reflect on your actions. You are not permitted to leave this room without my order.”

　　He was going to confine her to this room.

　　But there was only one bed; it seemed she wouldn't even have a place to sleep.

　　Yun Ling didn't raise her head, only saying, “Yes.”

　　Xie Jue didn't look at her again. He rose, went to the bed, removed his outer robe, and lay down, closing his eyes heavily.

　　The winter in Meiyang County was unusually cold this year; a heavy snowfall had broken countless slender branches.

　　Even with the door closed, the howling wind outside was bone-chilling and terrifying.

　　The night grew quieter, and colder.

　　Although Yun Ling wore a padded jacket, it was no match for the deep chill of the night. The ginseng soup had long since gone cold. Her hands and feet were icy, as if they would freeze solid any moment.

　　Her nose was red with cold, and even her usually rosy lips were losing their color. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably.

　　Her stiff eyelashes fluttered. She tried to curl up tighter, gripping her brush tightly to manage to write a few more words.

　　The next moment, the beaded curtain behind her rustled, and then her body felt weightless as a strong arm slipped under her knees and lifted her.

　　Her brush, startled, fell to the ground, rolling to a stop in the corner.

　　Xie Jue carried her towards the bed, and upon reaching it, unceremoniously tossed her onto the mattress.

　　The near-hypothermic Yun Ling was so stunned by the fall that her head swam, but she quickly struggled to get up. As soon as she raised her upper body, he leaned down, pinching her face, and slowly, forcefully, and inexorably pushed her back onto the bed, rendering her immobile.

　　He propped his arm against her ear, holding her face firmly, his voice dark and menacing. “Sleep. Don't make me angry.”

　　Yun Ling could only meet his gaze, her eyes wide open, straining to lift her body but being pressed down once more.

　　Xie Jue noticed her forced position, her long, dark hair cascading over her frail shoulders, making her look pitiful and wronged despite the situation.

　　Yet, she remained stubbornly silent, not uttering a single word.

　　Ever since he had caught her, she had consistently worn this expression.

　　She had deceived him, fooled him, yet remained unrepentant, showing no remorse.

　　His chest heaved.

　　Suddenly, he lowered his head, his fingers tightening on her cheek, his voice low and almost harsh. “You tricked me and ran away for three years. Is it so hard to bow your head to me now?”

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