Chapter 56.

Xue Shu recalled that tattered undergarment. If His Highness caught sight of it, he would surely be furious.

He pressed his lips together, attempting to dissuade Yin Chengyu from his idea. “That undergarment... I’ve already worn it.”

His Highness was meticulous about cleanliness. He wouldn’t accept something that had been worn so intimately before.

But to his surprise, Yin Chengyu raised an eyebrow and retorted with a teasing lilt, “And so what if you’ve worn it?” His gaze glinted with mischief, a spark of something more. “You’ve worn it… so I can’t?” His voice dropped to a low murmur on the last words, the weight of the suggestion landing heavily in the charged air. By the time he finished, his lips were so close to Xue Shu’s ear that his warm breath seemed to brush against the sensitive skin there.

The sensation of that intimate heat trailing over his ear startled Xue Shu into looking up sharply, locking eyes with Yin Chengyu.

Yin Chengyu wore a sly smile, as if the words he’d just spoken were the most natural thing in the world.

Xue Shu’s mind betrayed him, conjuring the image of that frayed undergarment clinging to Yin Chengyu’s body. The thought ignited a restless heat in his throat, an ache he struggled to suppress. He clenched his thumb and forefinger together, twisting them in frustration, attempting to quell the surge of emotions boiling beneath his calm facade. At last, in a low, reluctant voice, he murmured his consent.

"Ok."

Yin Chengyu observed his restrained expression with satisfaction, a glint of amusement in his eyes as he turned and left for the study.

It wasn’t long after he sat down that a servant announced a visitor: Marquis Anyuan had come to request an audience.

The timing was no coincidence. The Marquis must have caught wind of the recent disciplinary measures taken against Pang Yi and Ding Changshun and had come sniffing for more details.

Yin Chengyu ordered the man to be brought in. “What business brings the Marquis here?”

Predictably, the Marquis wasted no time, cutting straight to the point. “Your Highness, with the second prince missing and the rebellion still unresolved, the rebel forces entrenched at Xieshizhai remain a looming threat. Yet Your Highness has chosen this moment to punish officials. Surely this risks unsettling the people?”

Yin Chengyu didn’t respond directly. Instead, his gaze sharpened as he posed a question of his own. “Marquis Anyuan, do you know why I’ve personally come to suppress the rebellion?”

Caught off guard, the Marquis hesitated. “This… surely it is for the stability of the empire.”

Yin Chengyu nodded slightly before continuing, his tone calm but cutting. “And what defines stability for the empire? Peace within and strength without.”

He let the words hang in the air before driving his point home. “The borders have been secure for years. Our only troubles now lie within. And do you know the root of these internal troubles?” Without giving the Marquis a chance to answer, Yin Chengyu pressed on. “One, the rebels. Two, the suffering of the common people.”

He leaned back, his gaze deliberate. “The people are the foundation of the nation. If they suffer, the foundation crumbles. While I am here to quell the rebellion, my true purpose is to alleviate the suffering of the people and secure the empire’s future.”

His eyes bore into the Marquis as he delivered his final question. “Tell me, Marquis Anyuan, which is more important: quelling the rebellion or aiding the people?”

Yin Chengyu’s tone remained measured, every word laden with unshakeable logic. Yet the Marquis felt as if the prince’s questions were battering him into a corner, leaving him no room to maneuver. A sense of suffocating frustration began to build, as if a stone had lodged itself in his throat.

He glanced up at Yin Chengyu, his mind whirling. The prince, once lauded as gentle and magnanimous, had always been seen as too soft to command. A ruler who lacked the ruthless decisiveness necessary to reign. Such a man might be called noble, but hardly fit for the throne.

Yet the man before him now seemed anything but soft.

Finally, the Marquis answered. “I believe suppressing the rebellion is paramount. Without peace, how can the people thrive?”

Yin Chengyu’s lips curled into a faint, cold smile. His gaze pierced through the Marquis like a blade. “And where do you think these rebels come from, Marquis Anyuan? Nine out of ten rebels entrenched at Xieshizhai are ordinary citizens—people driven to desperation by famine. If the root causes of their suffering are not addressed, if the parasites in the court are not purged and the famine remains unresolved, more will inevitably rise. Rebels beget rebels. If it’s not the Hongying Red Army, it’ll be the Baiying White Army or the Huangying Yellow Army. It won’t end.”

The Marquis was left speechless.

He had come to urge the prince to act swiftly, to deploy troops and crush the rebels, paving the way for the second prince’s triumphant intervention. But now, his carefully laid plans seemed to crumble under the weight of Yin Chengyu’s reasoning.

Yin Chengyu didn’t miss the flicker of unease in the Marquis’s eyes. His voice grew colder, though his tone remained measured. “I understand your eagerness, Marquis Anyuan, but strategy demands a long view. The rebels at Xieshizhai are being watched. Should they move, I will deal with them accordingly. But as long as they remain dormant, the focus must remain on aiding the people. Once the parasites are dealt with, the granaries opened, and the famine resolved, the rebels will lose their support. Then, when we strike, the victory will be decisive. Tell me, Marquis Anyuan, wouldn’t that be more effective?”

His words were so flawless, so indisputable, that the Marquis felt an unbearable weight settle over him. The prince had clearly seen through him, sidestepping every trap and dismantling his plans before they could take root.

Marquis Anyuan offered a strained, perfunctory response before hastily taking his leave.

As he retreated, he failed to notice the icy gaze following him out of the room, sharp and unyielding.

*

The Marquis of Anyuan stormed back to his garrison quarters, pacing restlessly in his chamber. He mulled over the situation, weighing his options, before finally making up his mind with a resolute determination.

No risk, no reward.

He snatched up his brush, wrote a letter in bold, deliberate strokes, and called in his trusted aide. Handing over the sealed message, he said sharply, “Take this to the mountain. Deliver it to Shi Hu.”

Shi Hu was no ordinary rebel. As the Left Protector of the Red Lotus Sect, he commanded nearly ten thousand elite troops of the Red Lotus Army.

After suffering a humiliating defeat in their second clash, the Marquis had gone straight to work. Rescuing the Second Prince was only the beginning. He immediately ordered his spies to dig deep into the Red Lotus Sect’s leadership and power structure.

He’d crushed countless uprisings before, leading his armies to snuff out ragtag rebels and half-witted leaders who charged blindly into the fray. The occasional strategist among them wasn’t much better—easily neutralized with superior numbers and planning.

But this time? This time, he was dealing with something entirely different.

The Red Lotus Sect was no ordinary rebellion, and their leaders weren’t ordinary men and women. Every move they made was calculated, precise, and dangerous. He’d been outplayed once, but not again.

Through meticulous investigation, he uncovered their core: the sect was largely controlled by the enigmatic Saintess, Ying Hongxue, who had personally orchestrated the ambush that nearly ended him.

Sensing a fracture within their ranks, the Marquis pounced. He initiated covert feelers and, after persistent probing, established contact with Shi Hu.

Shi Hu didn’t disappoint. He confirmed what the Marquis suspected: the sect was a cauldron of internal strife. Ying Hongxue and the Right Protector, He Shan, had gradually wrested control, sidelining the once-powerful sect leader, Gao Youwen. Shi Hu, locked in a bitter feud with He Shan, found himself increasingly isolated.

The Marquis saw the opportunity and seized it with both hands. Offering Shi Hu both riches and influence, he planted a seed of betrayal deep within the Red Lotus Sect, using the rift to splinter their unity. Shi Hu became his inside man—a pawn with the potential to become a kingmaker.

And now, it was time to move.

If the Crown Prince refused to act, the Marquis would ensure there was no choice. Shi Hu’s betrayal would force the Red Lotus Sect’s hand—and with chaos erupting, the Crown Prince would have no option but to send the army.

The Marquis smirked. His careful planning was paying off, and his game was only just beginning.

*

By the second day after Marquis An Yuan sent out his message, the news had already reached Xue Shu.

The spies from the Western Bureau had tracked the messenger all the way to Xieshizhai, confirming with their own eyes that the man had entered the stronghold. Only then did they return to report.

Xue Shu, upon hearing the news, immediately sought out Yin Chengyu. Yet just as he was about to step out, he hesitated, retracing his steps into the inner chamber to retrieve a neatly folded inner robe he’d washed and tucked away earlier.

When Xue Shu arrived, Yin Chengyu had just finished reviewing the confessions of several captured officials. Seeing him, Yin Chengyu set the documents aside and asked casually, "What’s the matter?"

“The spies reported seeing Marquis An Yuan’s trusted aide entering Xieshizhai,” Xue Shu replied directly.

Xieshizhai, with its formidable natural defenses, was practically impenetrable. The spy couldn’t follow inside, so what happened within remained a mystery.

“It’s him, then.” Yin Chengyu’s chuckle was laced with scorn, though his tone betrayed no surprise.

When the captured rebels confessed to ties between someone in the court and Gao Youwen, Yin Chengyu had already narrowed the suspects down to Marquis An Yuau or Yin Chengzhang. Now, the evidence pointed to Marquis An Yuan.

The motive? Obvious.

Marquis An Yuan and Yin Chengzhang sought to kill him. Placing their own man among the rebel ranks was the most secure way to ensure success.

“Marquis An Yuan came to me yesterday, trying to get me to send troops. I refused,” Yin Chengyu remarked.

Xue Shu’s sharp mind pieced it together in an instant. “So that’s why he went to Xieshizhai. He’s feeling the pressure.”

“Exactly. Without my cooperation, their plans can’t move forward.” Yin Chengyu pulled a map of Qingzhou from the rack and spread it open. “They’ll have to force my hand. If Marquis An Yuan is in contact with Gao Youwen, the Hongying Red Army will likely make a move soon.”

Xue Shu nodded, his gaze focused. “They’ll aim for maximum provocation. Attacking the nearby counties wouldn’t be enough. Their target will likely be Yidu City.”

Yin Chengyu’s finger landed heavily on Yidu’s location on the map. “Indeed. They’ll try to enrage me into action.”

“I’ll deploy defenses in secret. They won’t leave Yidu alive,” Xue Shu said with firm resolve.

Yin Chengyu glanced at him, noticing the exhaustion etched into the dark circles under his eyes. “It’ll be hard on you these next few days,” he said softly.

Xue Shu shook his head. “It’s no trouble.” He hesitated, then finally reached into his robe, pulling out the folded inner garment. “I’ve washed your robe.”

Yin Chengyu took the robe from him, intending to toss it aside casually, but the unusual texture stopped him. His brows lifted as he unfolded it, revealing a garment torn to shreds.

“What happened to this?” His sharp gaze locked onto Xue Shu, curious yet unsurprised.

Yin Chengyu’s fingers traced the torn fabric, noting how some edges were cleanly ripped while others were rough and frayed, as if abraded by something sharp. His eyes darted to Xue Shu’s lips, narrowing slightly.

“What’s this? Dissatisfied with my punishment?” Yin Chengyu’s voice dipped, low and teasing.

“No,” Xue Shu muttered. He offered no explanation, though his silence spoke volumes. How could he possibly admit that he’d ruined the garment in a moment of uncontrollable lust?

But his silence only provoked Yin Chengyu further. The man stepped closer, gripping Xue Shu’s chin and tilting his face toward the shredded robe. Leaning in, his voice was a seductive whisper against Xue Shu’s ear: “So, it’s not rebellion. What then? Revenge? Or… do you want to treat me the same way?”

That whisper slithered into Xue Shu’s mind, a devilish incantation that left his heart racing and his self-control fraying at the edges.

“No… it’s not revenge.” Xue Shu’s voice was rough as he grabbed Yin Chengyu’s wrist. Lowering his head, he parted his lips, taking Yin Chengyu’s fingers into his mouth. He bit down hard before soothing the mark with a tender kiss. Then, his gaze met Yin Chengyu’s directly, his voice low and hoarse: “It’s because I desire you, Your Highness.”

Desire—raw and untamed—twisted into a hunger that blurred the lines of restraint.

Within him, raw instinct and cold logic waged a relentless, primal war, clawing and ripping at each other with every breath he took.

The fiery pull of emotions tormented him, but every jagged scar left in the aftermath bore the unmistakable mark of his devotion to His Highness.

The harder the struggle, the more suffocating the chains became, wrapping tighter and tighter until escape was impossible.

And yet, he reveled in it.

"Food and sex—it's human nature," Yin Chengyu murmured, his voice low and teasing, as he traced the faint indentations of teeth on his fingers, savoring the sting.

Yin Chengyu stared at him, his expression both amused and pleased. His fingers brushed lightly over the fresh bite mark. “You didn’t lie this time. I’ll let it slide.”

With a smirk, he placed the tattered robe back into Xue Shu’s hands. “We’re traveling light. If you ruin my things, there’s no spare. Fix it yourself.”

The weight of those words and the amusement in Yin Chengyu’s gaze left Xue Shu both flushed and restless. As Yin Chengyu turned away, a knowing smile tugged at his lips.

Each moment, Xue Shu found himself bound tighter to this man, the threads of emotion and desire tying him down with sweet torment. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

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