Chapter 114: Punishment 

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. And check out other stories too. 

After Shen Lingyun gave her a bit of guidance, the Young Master was not as tense as before. She looked clearly much more relaxed.

Seeing this, Li Qiubai felt a little more relieved.

They sat for over an hour in Shen Lingyun’s courtyard. When the Young Master showed a bit of tiredness and looked like she was about to fall asleep, Li Qiubai finally said goodbye. Shen Lingyun walked them out, and she smoothly returned next door to the Young Master’s place and tucked her back into the bed.

Unfortunately, they did not get much time alone before He Changping hurried over again.

Li Qiubai left the Young Master inside the room and stepped out alone through the door. She asked the elder brother standing at the entrance, “What is the matter?”

“Ying Siling came. She said the Prince of Yu is almost going crazy in prison. He keeps saying he must see you.”

The Princess’ lips curved slightly as she gave a cold laugh and said, “You have come just right in time. Even if he did not come looking for me, I should still go and see him.”

“Then that is perfect. Wuyou has already prepared the carriage outside the residence and is waiting for you.”

After he got straight to the point and finished talking about the main matter, he then looked toward the tightly shut room door. He lowered his voice and asked, “How is Chang’an? Is she feeling better?”

He had only arrived half a day earlier than Li Qiubai. When he came, he was punished to kneel in the backyard. After he honestly explained everything, only then did his mother and the Sect Master let him go.

But the Young Master had not yet woken up at that time, so until now, he still did not know how his younger sister was doing.

Li Qiubai shook her head and let out a soft sigh. She said, “Her injuries are still not healed. Right now, her body is very weak. She had just lay down to rest. If there is nothing important, you had better come see her tomorrow instead.”

He Changping’s eyes sank. No matter how worried he was, he still answered, “Alright, then Your Highness go and take care of the important matter first. I will just go ask my mother.”

Li Qiubai nodded. She went back into the room again, wanting to say goodbye to the Young Master. But in just that short moment, the person on the bed had already fallen into deep sleep.

She must have been very tired.

In that instant, Li Qiubai almost forgot about the injury on the Young Master’s eyes. She nearly went to find brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to leave a note telling the Young Master where she was going.

After getting rid of such ridiculous idea, she only leaned down and gently pressed a kiss onto the Young Master’s forehead. Then she quietly left the room and went to the next courtyard again to find Shen Lingyun and also ask her to help keep an eye on things.

After arranging everything properly, she finally left the residence and got into the carriage that Ye Wuyou had prepared. She followed along with Ying Siling and rushed toward the prison of the Jin Wei Camp.

The dark prison was filled with waves of crying and howling.

They passed through layer after layer of cells, then crossed a long corridor full of traps. Only at the very deepest part was the secret cell used to lock up serious criminals under heavy guard.

When Li Qiubai stepped into the secret cell where the Prince of Yu was held, what she saw was his crazed state as he used both hands to fiercely scratch at his own neck.

The Prince of Yu now had sunken eyes and messy hair. That mad and miserable appearance looked no different from those prisoners outside who were crying and begging for their lives. There was no trace at all of the proud and confident manner he had when he used to command others with ease.

At this moment, not only were his cheeks and neck covered in wounds, but even the arms that were exposed were full of bloody scratches.

His whole body was already covered in injuries.

In just three short days, the once pure white prison clothes he wore had already been dyed deep red with fresh blood.

He really looked like he had suffered terribly.

Only then did Li Qiubai smile with satisfaction.

Very good. It looked like the poison that the Poison Doctor gave him that day was truly tormenting enough.

Different from the mocking smile shown by the Princess when she saw the Prince of Yu, the Prince of Yu actually started laughing foolishly when he saw the Princess.

In his cloudy eyes, there slowly appeared a gaze filled with almost obsessive longing and affection.

“Xiyao! You are here. You are finally willing to come see me!”

The Prince of Yu, overjoyed and wild with delight, suddenly rushed toward the Princess. The two iron chains around his ankles clanged as they dragged on the ground. But he was not even able to touch the corner of the Princess’ robe before those chains held him back so tightly that he could not move forward another step.

In the instant he was tripped by the iron chains and fell to the ground, the Prince of Yu still kept his eyes tightly locked on the Princess.

For a moment, he could not get up. He could only lie on the ground and look up at the Princess, crying and calling out, “Xiyao, Lu Xiyao… Hurry and tell me, you are willing to come see me because you have thought it through. You are willing to leave with me, right?”

“Leave him, come with me… come with me… will you…”

Lu Xiyao was the late Empress of the Great Chang Dynasty and the birth mother of Li Qiubai.

The already crazed Prince of Yu shouted louder and louder, but the more Li Qiubai listened, the darker her face became.

And Ying Siling, who had been guarding by the Princess' side all this time, truly felt more and more shocked the more she heard…

Suddenly hearing such imperial secrets, Ying Siling really regretted it so much. Just now, why had she been so foolish to follow the Princess inside…

After all, knowing too much was not a good thing at all…

After only a moment of silence, before the Princess could speak, Ying Siling had already taken the cold saltwater that had been purposely placed in the prison cell and poured it straight over the Prince of Yu’s head.

“Ah…”

The saltwater seeped into the bloody wounds, instantly sending the Prince of Yu into unbearable pain. He could not help but clutch his neck, trembling all over.

Just like the past few days, whenever the Prince of Yu's poison acted up and he fell into madness, one ladle of cold saltwater was enough to tear him out of his illusion through sheer agony.

And once he lost the illusions, his reactions were either rage or joy.

This time, it was rage.

That brief moment of clarity was enough for him to see the Princess’ face clearly.

“It is you… Li Qiubai… It is your fault… it is all your fault…”

The Prince of Yu trembled nonstop, glaring at Li Qiubai with hatred through the pain.

Days of torment had only deepened his hatred for her.

If not for her, he would not have been poisoned with this unknown poison, left in a state where he could not live nor die.

If not for her, Lu Xiyao would not have been trapped in the deep palace, her wings broken, dying with resentment.

Now driven nearly mad by the poison, the Prince of Yu pinned all his resentment on Li Qiubai. “It is all your fault. If not for you, Xiyao would not have died…”

“Your Highness, be careful!”

Ignoring Ying Siling’s warning, Li Qiubai stepped out of the safe zone marked for her, walking slowly forward until she stood before the Prince of Yu.

“Hiss… ah…”

The Princess’ foot had already stepped on the Prince of Yu’s wrist. She twisted hard twice, and only when the veins bulged and the pain became unbearable did she slowly crouch down. From beside her boot, she drew the dagger she always carried and pressed it to the Prince of Yu’s neck. Staring at the fresh bloodstain she had just added, she sneered coldly and asked, “What right do you have to mention my mother?”

To avoid hearing more secrets she should not know, Ying Siling quickly exited the cell upon seeing that the Prince of Yu had lost all strength to resist, and guarded the door herself.

The Prince of Yu, lying on the ground, had nowhere left to retreat. Now, he was so numb from the pain that although he was still bleeding endlessly, he could still laugh madly and retort, “I have no right to mention her? Do you, an unfilial daughter who has taken a thief as your father, have the right, then?”

Seeing that Li Qiubai stayed silent, the Prince of Yu pressed on, “Do you know how the former Head of the Imperial Medical Bureau, Shen Congyun, died? He did not die because his skills were lacking and he failed to treat your mother. He died because he discovered that your mother was not ill, but poisoned... It is just a pity that before he could find the antidote, he was silenced by your father!”

When Shen Lingyun was imprisoned within the Prince of Yu’s residence, the Prince of Yu had also mentioned this to her, hoping she would lend him a helping hand because of it. It was only a shame that Shen Lingyun had been too wary. Even though she had learned the truth, she only smiled and brushed it aside, lightly saying, “That is all in the past,” and refused to discuss it further.

The Prince of Yu did not believe it. Judging from what had happened that day and the harmonious relationship between the two of them, he did not believe Shen Lingyun would not have told Li Qiubai about it.

Even more so, judging from Li Qiubai’s actions over the years, he did not believe that she would be unable to uncover the truth.

But if she had known the truth, and still tried to stop him and ruin his plans—should he not hate her for it?

Li Qiubai was so angered by the Prince of Yu's shameless words that she laughed,  

"What, judging by what you said, are you trying to say that all the things you have done were to avenge my mother?"

The Prince of Yu neither admitted nor denied it. He only asked in return,  

"In that case, do you still want to stop me? Let me go, and if you and I join forces, we can surely bring justice for your mother and avenge her. What do you say?"

"Stop deceiving yourself, Imperial Uncle. Ask your own heart—are you really trying to avenge my mother? No. You only want the throne. If you succeed, how could the people of this land still live in peace?"

Li Qiubai then mocked,  

"What my mother wanted was for the people of this land to live and work in peace. And you? You colluded with foreign states and threw this land into chaos. I say, you are not avenging my mother—you are making it so she cannot rest in peace even in death! With what you have done, how do you still have the face to speak of my mother?"

At the same time, outside the secret prison, the sound of footsteps was drawing nearer.

"So you knew all along..."

Li Qiubai’s gaze turned dim and unreadable. She pressed the dagger in her hand further down and drew another cut across the Prince of Yu’s neck. Only after silencing his remaining words did she speak again, her smile carrying a trace of mockery.

"If you had used another method to deal with him, I would have let it go. I would not have stopped you. But of all the things you should not have done, you should never have dared to set your sights on the people of this land."

The mountains and the people—those were what Lu Xiyao had wished to protect most in her life.

No matter how much resentment or hatred Li Qiubai harbored, over the years, she had done all she could to fulfill her mother’s long-cherished wish.

What a pity. Even though she had long been on guard, she still could not avoid the war with the Kingdom of Qi in the end.

And yet all of it—was actually done by this man under the name of avenging her mother.

What a ridiculous irony.

Seeing the barely restrained fury in Li Qiubai’s eyes, the Prince of Yu felt his heart grow heavier.

The dagger at his neck seemed ready to take his head at any moment.

He dared not provoke her further with words. Just as he was about to try bargaining something else with her, a knock sounded from outside the secret prison, followed by Ying Siling’s voice.

“Your Highness, the County Princess has arrived.”

"Let her in."

The Prince of Yu had never expected that after being locked in this dungeon for so many days, the old subordinates and skilled experts he had been waiting for did not come to rescue him. Instead, the one who came was his daughter—someone he had never taken seriously.

Seeing Li Xinyi again filled the Prince of Yu’s heart with mixed feelings.

He never thought that in the end, when he had fallen from power, the one willing to go through the trouble of saving him would be his daughter.

Just like last time, the one who had risked her life to save him was also his daughter...

Guilt and hope rose in the Prince of Yu’s heart.

"Ah, it seems Imperial Sister really keeps her word. She really left his life to me?"

When he heard these words from Li Xinyi, the Prince of Yu almost cried from being moved.

Even though he did not know what deal they had made, at least, in the end, his life had been saved by his daughter...

It was just a pity that he had not been happy for long when he heard Li Xinyi continue speaking with a bright smile.

“But this is fine too. I will do it for you, so his blood will not dirty your hands.”

The Prince of Yu: ???

Hearing this, the Prince of Yu widened his eyes in shock.

What did that mean?

Why did it sound different from what he had expected?

If Li Qiubai wanted his life, that he could still understand. After all, the victor takes all, and the defeated must be rooted out completely.

But how could this daughter, who had always been timid and cowering before him, possibly have such thoughts?

The Prince of Yu could not understand. In a daze, he even thought he had heard it wrong.

However, at this moment, Li Qiubai’s response completely shattered his last bit of hope.

“You took so long. How did things go?”

“Do not worry. Everything is ready. I only need my father’s head to establish my authority.”

Only then did Li Qiubai withdraw the dagger pressed against the Prince of Yu’s neck. She rose and took out a brocade handkerchief from her sleeve, carefully wiping the bloodstains off the blade, while speaking leisurely.

“Then be quick. I will wait for you outside.”

Li Xinyi, with her sharp eyes, happened to see the word “Chang’an” engraved near the hilt of the dagger. She immediately reached out her hand toward her and raised her eyebrows with a question.

“Will you not leave a blade for me?”

“Have you not already prepared the torture instruments?”

Li Qiubai slightly turned her body and easily avoided Li Xinyi’s reaching hand. As she did so, she glanced sideways at the corner of a sheet of paper peeking out from the small bundle hanging from Li Xinyi’s arm. She gave a light chuckle, then stepped straight out of the secret chamber, leaving the room for the father and daughter to be alone.

After Li Qiubai left, Li Xinyi picked up the bucket of saltwater in the corner and walked over to the Prince of Yu, sitting down on the floor beside him.

“Tsk tsk, she really is so cruel. How could she get you covered in blood like this, Father? Just looking at it makes my heart ache.”

Hearing her say that so suddenly, the Prince of Yu could not figure out her true intent for a moment.

But after pondering silently for a bit, he decided to trust this daughter once more. He coaxed her in a low voice, “Find a way to get your father out. Afterward, I will surely reward you handsomely!”

“Rest assured, Father. I will naturally get you out.”

Li Xinyi’s smile did not fade as she smoothly placed her hand on the Prince of Yu’s shoulder.

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. And check out other stories too. 

Unfortunately, before the Prince of Yu could feel pleased, a sudden sharp pain shot through his shoulder, causing cold sweat to pour down his face.

“Ah…”

With a ‘crack’, his left shoulder had already been dislocated by Li Xinyi.

The cheerful laughter ringing in his ears instantly turned into a deathly tune.

“It is just that your body and your head cannot both leave here with me. So, Father, why do you not pick for yourself—which part of your body would you like to take out of here with me?”

As the words fell, her hand dislocated his right shoulder.

Now, the Prince of Yu was shackled, his arms useless. He could only lie there in pain.

With his eyes filled with rage, he could no longer pretend. He cursed, "You... unfilial wretch!"

"Unfilial?" Li Xinyi smiled. "I am more filial than Elder Brother. I made sure you would not die in peace. Elder Brother did not even come to see you. Now, that is unfilial."

She slowly opened the small bundle.

The Prince of Yu finally understood.

"It was... it was you? You were the one who messed with things and trapped your Elder Brother in the capital?"

"Ai, Father, you think too highly of me. At most, I only helped a little. The one who really acted against him should be that Princess outside."

The Prince of Yu never expected it. He had thought this unfilial daughter acted out of jealousy. But now it seemed there had been another purpose all along.

If not for losing that good son’s help at such a key moment, he might not have lost so badly…

If he had known things would turn out like this, he never should have kept this unfilial daughter from joining the wedding banquet in the capital, fearing she would cause trouble and ruin his plans. He should not have sent only his good son instead.

While the Prince of Yu was full of regret, Li Xinyi had already taken out the stack of rice paper from her bundle. She picked up the top painting and waved it before his eyes.

"Things are already like this, Father. You should stop being angry. No matter how angry you are now, it is useless. You might as well take a good look at this farewell gift I brought you."

The face on the painting was very familiar. It looked almost real.

The Prince of Yu could not help but murmur, "Xi... Xiyao..."

"It seems like you really only had Lu Xiyao in your heart. But that is quite a coincidence. I also think this does look quite a lot like her."

Li Xinyi smiled lightly. She casually dipped the painting into the nearby bucket of salt water.

"But Father, do you still remember? Back then, you held my mother’s hand as you drew this picture, stroke by stroke. You tricked her, saying she looked so beautiful."

When she saw the Prince of Yu fall into a daze, the painting in her hand was already soaked through.

Then she took it out, smoothed it flat, and pressed it right onto his face.

"Mm… mm... mmm mmm mmm..."

The chains clinked and rattled. No matter how the Prince of Yu struggled, he could not break free from the restraints.

In that moment, he felt the most painful and suffocating fear he had ever known in his life.

And at that time, Li Xinyi had already soaked the second painting.

She pressed it onto his face once more.

"Mm... mmm mmm mmm..."

"But my noble Father seems to have poor memory. You must have long forgotten how you tricked her back then. After all, she was just a courtesan. To you, she was nothing but a plaything."

When Li Xinyi picked up the third painting, her eyes lingered on it for a few moments. A faint shimmer rose in her gaze, yet her laughter did not stop.

"Tsk. Look, does she not look just like Lu Xiyao? You thought she did. I thought she did. Everyone thought she did. Only she was foolish enough not to see it, and even believed you truly loved her. Is that not laughable?"

As the third soaked painting was pressed onto the Prince of Yu’s face, the sound of clinking chains grew weaker, and his struggling also slowed.

It was as if he was going to die at any moment.

Just as the Prince of Yu was in despair, Li Xinyi suddenly lifted those three layers of wet paper.

In that instant when he saw the light again and regained his breath, the Prince of Yu was wild with joy.

He took a few deep breaths and was just about to speak, trying to soothe this daughter who was even crazier than him and struggled to save his life, when yet another layer of wet paper once again stuck onto his face.

The line between life and death was but an instant.

The Prince of Yu completely despaired.

And Li Xinyi was still speaking slowly and gently.

"If you could have kept lying to her like that, then it would have been fine. But why, when Lu Xiyao died, did you have to torture my mother too?"

"Do you know how much pain she was in that day, when you peeled off her face piece by piece?"

"My poor and innocent mother, what exactly did she do wrong? Was it just because she was born with a face that looked like Lu Xiyao's?"

Each time Li Xinyi spoke, she pressed another portrait onto the Prince of Yu's face. When he was on the verge of death, she would peel off the wet paper, only to repeat the process again and again. That stack of portraits still had not run out.

When she pressed a fourth layer of portraits onto his face once more and saw that he no longer had the strength to struggle, Li Xinyi did not peel them off again. She only pressed the wet papers tightly over his face, and said with a cold smile, "What a pity. I had wanted to use every single one of these portraits to send you off, but Li Qiubai insisted I move faster."

"Rest in peace, Father."

"On the road to the underworld, if you must hate, then hate her."

Author's Note:

Wuwuwu, where are all the cute people who are willing to leave comments? Are you really not going to show up and take a look at this author?