Love in Red Dust - Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Fortunately, she was experienced and sharp-witted; unlike those delicate young ladies who would only hold their chests and scream when faced with trouble, she was quick-eyed and nimble-handed. She turned on her heel and ran. The Prince’s room was the most spacious in the Imperial Manor, and just circling the room was enough to keep the Seventh Prince chasing her for a long time.

The more she did this, the angrier the Seventh Prince became. Chasing her, he cursed, "Don't you let me catch you! Once I get my hands on you, I’ll be sure to reward you with two resounding slaps to the face! Stop... stop running!"

The Seventh Prince was twenty-eight and considered himself to be getting on in years, lacking the stamina he once had. While he did practice boxing every day, it was really just to fool himself. Taiji might be fine for self-cultivation, but for agility, one had to rely on Buku (wrestling). Yet, he couldn't even remember how long it had been since he last trained in Buku. He had become lax ever since he established his own office and residence. He was the highest authority in his entire household, and he had dismissed every nanny and tutor who dared to supervise him. With no one above him to keep him in check, he stopped reading books entirely, and when he shot at the archery target, his arrows often missed. As for martial arts, he had long ago returned everything he learned to his instructors.

He stared intently at Xiaoshu, knowing he couldn't catch him, but he enjoyed scaring him. Seeing his panicked, rabbit-like appearance was actually quite cute. Men were like this—when they liked someone, even if that person had pockmarks, they would think of every crater as a flower. He was fond of him from the bottom of his heart.

He ran until he was panting heavily. The two of them had circled the eight-immortal table for quite a while, but finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He leaned against the table edge and gasped, "Stop running! If you run again, I’m going to let my men in to catch you! Being stripped bare in front of them would be quite a spectacle... You’re really something, pulled along you refuse to go, but beaten, you move backward—you wretched kid!"

Dingyi was also exhausted and terrified; her calves were trembling uncontrollably. "If you don't chase me, I won't run. If you chase me, I have to run... Why don't you sit down? Sit and rest for a while, and I’ll sit too."

The Seventh Prince was quite depressed, but on second thought, she was right. He needed to stabilize the situation; continuing this chase was not the way. He felt for a long bench, backed up, and sat down. He waved his hand and said, "You sit too. Let’s sit and have a heart-to-heart."

This chase ended in such an anticlimactic way. The two sat across from each other at the table to catch their breath, and the Seventh Prince even poured her a cup of tea.

Dingyi looked at him. In the candlelight, the Seventh Prince was covered in sweat from the chase. The Yuwen family all had fair skin, and the more he sweated, the cleaner and fairer he looked. With his long eyelashes drooping, he actually had a touch of scholarly elegance when he wasn't speaking. She downed a gulp of tea. "Your physique really needs some serious training. You're panting after just a few steps. What will you do during the Autumn Hunt in Chengde?"

He said it was fine. "The Emperor's brother-in-law is even worse off than I am, and he lives quite a comfortable life, doesn't he?"

She remembered the legendary Duke Kun and nodded. "That's true. You are the Emperor’s own brother, a step closer than even the brother-in-law. If it really comes to it, just fake an illness. When autumn comes, pretend you have a cough. The Emperor will see it and say, 'Fine, just stay home and rest. If you follow along to hunt, you'll cough up blood and die.' Then you'll be saved."

The Seventh Prince scoffed, thinking to himself, If I were in peak physical condition, would you be able to sit here teasing me? Don't be ungrateful after getting the upper hand. You just wait; once I've rested enough, you'll get what's coming to you. Outwardly, however, he said, "That's only because I don't want to show my edge. Back in the day, before the succession was decided, I wanted to show off. The other brothers couldn't hunt as much wild game as I could alone. The Retired Emperor said, 'Old Seven resembles me the most.' I thought that the throne in the Forbidden City would be mine. Who knew it would be Old Second in the end? Since I can't be Emperor, I’ve put down my bow and horse. There's no point in risking my life for someone else’s empire. I’m not a fool."

She sighed internally, thankful that the old Emperor hadn't passed the throne to him. With a playboy like this ruining the legacy, if the country's destiny had been in his hands, it would have been a change of dynasty within a few years.

After sitting and breathing for a while, the Seventh Prince steered the conversation back. "Don't change the subject. I'm asking you: what exactly is the deal between you and the Twelfth Prince? Do you love him, or not?"

Someone with a thinner skin, or with even a shred of consideration for him, would never have been able to say "yes." But Mu Xiaoshu did say it, and said it with resonant conviction. The Seventh Prince was immediately stunned. "Then what about me?"

In Dingyi’s eyes, he had never been part of the equation from the start; he was the one insisting on interfering—and he was doing it while not even knowing her gender. What was there to say to a man who was a homosexual? She blinked her eyes and said, "You are a good master to me. You let me into your residence and gave me a way to earn a living. You are like a second parent to me."

The hierarchy was a bit messy, and with her entangled with Hongce, calling him a "second parent" was a clever way to brush him off! The Seventh Prince was bursting with suppressed rage; he couldn't let it out just yet, but his resolve became even firmer. He nodded, each movement of his head gritted in frustration. "And your registration is under my banner. What do you intend to do about that?"

She lowered her eyes and bit her lip. "If you could show some mercy, both the Twelfth Prince and I would be grateful to you."

The Seventh Prince let out a scoffing laugh. "You’re too bold. What, do I look like someone who enjoys fulfilling other people’s wishes? You haven't known me long enough. Back in the day, I was the 'King of Hell' in Houhai. All I knew was how to pick fights. Whoever dared to advise me, I’d beat them right along with the others. Now that I’m older, I’m not as impulsive, but does that make you think I’m easy to handle?"

"I didn't mean that..." she said, twisting her fingers. "I just think you have a good heart. You look intimidating on the surface, but you are actually kind. How could you be the type to fight people?"

The Seventh Prince turned his face away. "Don't butter me up. I don't buy it. I pick who I fight. I am a Prince of the First Rank; I don't just fight anyone, as that would lower my status. I only target nobility—those dukes and princes—who hide when they see me. If I’m in a bad mood, I’ll beat up even the Third Prince without hesitation..." He turned his eyes back to her. "Xiaoshu, what is wrong with me that you don't choose me? The Twelfth Prince can't hear; how difficult must it be to whisper your secrets to him? Shouldn't you think about that?"

She hung her head and said, "The Twelfth Prince can see. Whenever I speak to him, he understands."

"Just because of that? That’s not reliable. What if one day he loses his sight too? What will be left between you?"

She was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "If it really came to that, I wouldn't need to speak at all; it would save effort. Actually, my own thoughts have never been important. As long as he can understand what I say and I can listen to him, that’s enough."

The Seventh Prince felt a mix of emotions. "Are you stupid? You like him that much? You like him even if he’s deaf and mute?"

Some feelings were impossible to explain. All the things others saw as flaws, she loved entirely. In her eyes, the Twelfth Prince was flawless. His hearing impairment didn't make her value him any less; instead, it made her cherish him more. In a relationship, love alone wasn't enough to make it last; there had to be something that touched your soul. Once you put someone in your heart, they stayed there for a lifetime.

As for the Seventh Prince, his interest was mostly a whim. Once the excitement passed, he would set her aside, and he might even forget her name. So, for now, she would manage the situation as best as she could, without using words to hurt him—after all, he did have a fondness for her, even if it was blind and misguided; it wasn't a crime.

"One day when you meet such a person, you will understand." She smiled. "I love the Twelfth Prince and I am grateful to the Seventh Prince. Both of you are important people to me, but you occupy different places—the Twelfth Prince is in my heart, while you are only in my mind."

Why? Why must Old Twelfth be in her heart? And what did being in her "mind" mean? Whenever he thought about wreaking havoc on someone, he did it in his mind. That place was huge; anyone could enter. The heart was different—it could only hold one person, and yet, the person it held wasn't him.

He refused to accept it. He narrowed his eyes and said, "How do you know I haven't met that person? You say Old Twelfth is great, but right now I have you locked in my room. Even if you scream until your throat breaks, he can't hear you, and he can't rush to save you. Where is the greatness in that?"

Put that way, it was indeed a drawback, but once one was committed, it didn't seem to be a problem anymore. She murmured, "I just think he’s great. I can't explain it, but he just is."

The Seventh Prince’s teeth itched with rage. Just great? When a real crisis hit, let’s see what’s so great! He gritted his teeth, a plan forming in his mind. He slapped the table and said, "I’ve made up my mind. Later, I’m going to challenge him to a duel. Best two out of three—whoever wins gets you. Is that fair or not?"

Dingyi frowned. "Why do you have to do this? Look at you, your legs are trembling just from walking a few steps..."

He disagreed. "Don't underestimate me. I’ve never lost a fight in my life. You see this swirl on my eyebrow? This swirl is powerful. Even Lord Guan had one—it's the mark of a great general!"

She didn't quite believe him. She knew about double swirls or single swirls on the head, but she had never heard of a swirl growing inside an eyebrow.

The Seventh Prince saw her expression and took the opportunity to lean over, pointing at his eyebrow. "You don't believe me? If you don't believe me, come and look. It's actually very well-formed."

She was a bit simple-minded and truly stretched her neck to look. She didn't expect the Seventh Prince to be playing a trick. He caught her arm in one motion, mocking her, "Got you! Now let’s see where you can run!"

Dingyi was shocked, and by the time she realized what happened, it was too late. The Seventh Prince was playful, and she had never felt he was dangerous until she fell into his hands. She backed away, unwilling to move, but he had great strength; he pinched her arm and dragged her toward the inner chamber as if dragging a sack of rice he’d picked up. She began to cry, screaming for help at the top of her lungs, but the entire area was filled with the Prince’s men. As long as the one crying out wasn't the Seventh Prince himself, no one would intervene, even if they fought until their brains were splattered.

The Seventh Prince threw her onto the kang. The edge of the kang, which had no mattress, was hard, and the impact left her dizzy and disoriented. The Seventh Prince’s eyes were red. A dish set on the table—was there any reason not to use the chopsticks? It seemed her heart couldn't be won over, so he would simply strike first and be done with it. Once she was truly his, it would be too late for Old Twelfth to regret it.

He gritted his teeth and hardened his heart; neither her crying nor her screaming would sway him. He restrained both her hands and used his free one to unfasten her buttons. Guards wore short-sleeved jackets; once you pushed them aside to the right, a large area was exposed. The jacket had many frog buttons, and he grew impatient, pulling with force. The buttonholes didn't open, but the fabric ripped, and the silk cotton from the quilted jacket spilled out, leaving only the undergarment beneath.

Dingyi’s screams turned broken. If this continues, it’s all over. One step further and the secret will be revealed. She cried and begged him, "Master, please have mercy on me. I have no father and no mother. If you do this, how will I go on living? You are a kind person with the heart of a Bodhisattva. Spare me this time, and I will serve you with my life to repay you..."

The Seventh Prince didn't speak. He knew her background; her family was indeed scattered—she was a pitiful person. Since she was pitiful, she should climb higher when the opportunity arose. Every Prince was a Prince; why be so picky? He stopped his hand and wiped away her tears. "How am I not being merciful to you? Why won't you be obedient? The Twelfth Prince treats you with sincerity, but how do you know I don't? Don't look at me as if I have no principles; actually, someone like me is the most loyal. The Twelfth Prince has rolled through waves and knows how to avoid disaster; maybe one day, when he figures things out, he will cast you aside. I am different. A rabbit doesn't eat the grass around its burrow. Since I have made a move on you, I intend to be responsible for you for a lifetime. What are you afraid of?"

Her face was covered in tears, and her hands were pinned by him, unable to move. She could only plead, "Then let me go first. The more you act like this, the more I fear you."

The Seventh Prince was touched in a sore spot. He scoffed, "A forced melon isn't sweet? I only know that 'the raw rice must be cooked into porridge.' Once it’s cooked, it can't run away."

His anger surged. What could that thin layer of undergarment possibly block? He flicked his hand, and the two ribbons snapped without any effort. He had expected to see what was underneath, but when he looked closely, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him—why was there still something there? A three-inch-wide strip of cloth was tightly binding the area above her navel, bound so fiercely that the curves were taut. He was dumbfounded, his mind buzzing. "You..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the door was kicked open with a bang. Hongce burst in, his face red with fury. He yanked him off the kang, causing the Seventh Prince to stumble. He grabbed a quilt to wrap around her, then turned to glare at him, his gaze sharp enough to eat him alive.

The Seventh Prince was still dazed, unable to pull himself together. The scene from moments ago played over and over in his mind: Mu Xiaoshu wrapping her chest... Why was he wrapping his chest? And wrapping it like a zongzi that had burst in the middle... He had a big chest!

Was he actually a woman? The Seventh Prince felt dizzy and lightheaded; he swayed on his feet, barely able to keep his balance. A woman? She had been in front of him for several months, and he hadn't discovered it?

Old Twelfth was shouting at him, looking completely insane. He only saw his mouth moving; not a single word entered his ears. Slowly, he turned his head to look. "Xiaoshu... what on earth is going on with you?"

Dingyi hated him to the bone. Buried in the Twelfth Prince’s arms, she wailed aloud. She felt she would have no face to see anyone in the future. Last time, it was just a few tugs, but this time, he had gone and stripped everything off.

The Seventh Prince, having caused such a disaster, looked both cowardly and terrified. He stammered, "I didn't know... if I had known, even if you killed me, I wouldn't have done such a thing..."

Hongce was no longer the gentle, refined man he used to be; his violent expression was truly terrifying. He held her in his arms, his voice sharp and severe. "She is my person. From now on, you are not allowed to touch her with a single finger. If there is a next time, I will kill you!"

They left, leaving the Seventh Prince and Najin to stare at each other. Najin shivered and said, "The Twelfth Prince is possessed! He blew in like a gale, knocking everyone outside to the ground... Look at you, after all this time, how come you still haven't succeeded!"

The Seventh Prince was beyond tears. "Jin-zi, I didn't work in vain. I saw everything. It turns out Mu Xiaoshu... she’s a woman!"