Chapter 54: Go to Hell, You Beast
The moment she kicked Lu Yanzhi away, Xiao Li pulled out the golden hairpin and stabbed it into her arm, using the pain to suppress the effects of the drug.
CLINK.
She pulled the golden hairpin out and threw it to the ground, its tip still stained with blood. She ripped down the bed curtains and lunged, intending to tie Lu Yanzhi up. But she lacked the strength, and for all his scholarly weakness, Lu Yanzhi was still a grown man.
The difference in strength was too great. Not only did Xiao Li fail to restrain him, but she was overpowered.
Their bodies rubbed against each other during the struggle. Even without any affection, Lu Yanzhi had the reaction any normal man would.
He pinned Xiao Li directly to the floor, his eyes filled with rage and lust. "Princess, you used to beg me to consummate our marriage. Now I’ve agreed, so why are you fighting back? We are husband and wife. We should have done this three years ago."
Xiao Li was so furious she could have vomited. ’I thought he and I were mortal enemies, locked in a battle to the death. Where the hell did this rape scene come from?’
’What happened to staying celibate for Liu Xueyin, swearing off all other women for life?’
RIP!
Xiao Li’s clothes were torn open, revealing a silk bodice underneath, white with a Peony pattern. The white of the silk made her skin seem even fairer and more luminous. Stripped of her usual vibrant colors, the pure white gave her an indescribable air of innocent charm.
The bodice hung half-off, revealing a snowy-white shoulder. No man could witness such a sight and remain unmoved.
Lu Yanzhi’s eyes instantly turned red. He lowered his head, moving in with desperate haste.
But just as Lu Yanzhi gave in to his brutish urges, Xiao Li’s hand found the golden hairpin she had just dropped. She gripped it tightly and, without hesitation, stabbed at his temple.
"Die, you animal!"
SCHLICK! The golden hairpin plunged into flesh and blood.
"Princess!" Lan Yue’s panicked shout came from outside, and the next moment, the door to the room was thrown open.
Lan Yue took in the scene inside, and the blood ran cold in her veins.
The Prince Consort was half-kneeling, his body pressing down on the Princess. But there was nothing romantic or intimate about the position. He was clutching his face with both hands, and fresh blood was pouring out from between his fingers.
The blood stained the Prince Consort’s palms and clothes, dripping down onto the Princess’s snow-white skin and bodice like crimson plum blossoms—a stark and glaring red.
The sight was simply gruesome and terrifying.
"Princess," Lan Yue’s voice trembled.
The blood returned to her limbs, and her frozen body could finally move. Lan Yue rushed over, trying to separate them.
But just behind her, a group of people tumbled in, scuffling. Hong Yue was desperately trying to run forward while three old maids pulled at her with all their might. They all fell inside together, landing in a heap on the floor.
The four of them instinctively looked over and were met with the same shocking scene, scared out of their wits.
"Prince Consort!"
"Princess!"
Lan Yue shoved Lu Yanzhi aside and hurried to help Xiao Li up. The moment she touched her, she felt an unnaturally high temperature.
"Princess, what’s wrong with you? Hong Yue, hurry and get the Imperial Physician!"
Hong Yue snatched the torn corner of her sleeve back from Qian Hui’s grasp and bolted out without a word.
"Princess... Prince Consort..." Qian Hui was in no state to stop Hong Yue. The scene in the room had left her dumbfounded. ’It wasn’t supposed to be like this.’
’The Princess took the drug, and the Prince Consort was willing. Shouldn’t they have consummated their marriage and lived happily as husband and wife? Why did it turn out like this?’
"Prince Consort!" Qian Hui scrambled over to help Lu Yanzhi. Seeing him clutching his face and trembling in pain, her own face went pale with fright.
"Why did this happen? Why did it turn out like this?"
Qian Hui simply couldn’t accept it.
She saw Lan Yue helping Xiao Li to the bed and quickly crawled over. She touched Xiao Li’s scorching hot hand, where sweat mingled with dripping blood. Looking at her face, she saw restrained and suppressed agony.
’The drug worked. It really worked. So why did it turn out like this?’
Xiao Li slowly opened her eyes. They were misty from the drug’s effect, but deep within them was a chilling cold.
"Qian Hui, bring me the antidote!"
Qian Hui replied nervously, "That’s a secret palace medicine, a gift from the Empress Dowager. There is no antidote."
Furious, Lan Yue shoved her hard. "How dare you drug the Princess! You have such a venomous heart! What has the Princess ever done to you?"
Qian Hui shook her head repeatedly. "No, it’s just an aphrodisiac! As long as the Princess and the Prince Consort consummate their marriage, there won’t be a problem."
She even tried to persuade Xiao Li, saying, "Princess, this drug has no antidote. If you don’t... resolve it, it will cause great harm to your body. You have to think of your health."
Xiao Li didn’t speak. Lan Yue couldn’t listen anymore and kicked at Qian Hui. "You’re the one who drugged her! Why are you pretending to be a good person now?"
"You talk about loving the Princess, but you end up drugging her! You deserve to die!"
Xiao Li glanced to the side, just as Lu Yanzhi looked up.
He had lost a lot of blood, but the wound was definitely not deep.
Xiao Li had aimed the hairpin at his temple, but in her weakened state, her aim was off. It went astray, slicing across his cheek.
It wouldn’t kill him, but he would certainly be disfigured.
Lu Yanzhi was in pain—so much so that sweat beaded on his forehead and his face was deathly pale—but he didn’t break down and scream. He even released his hands when Xiao Li looked over.
Sure enough, on his blood-smeared face, a gash running from the corner of his eye to the side of his nose was clearly visible. The flesh was torn open, turning his once handsome and refined face into a grotesque and terrifying mask.
He stared at Xiao Li, his gaze surprisingly calm, suffused with a coldness that even she couldn’t fathom.
It was as if he had suddenly become a different person, a chilling and unsettling transformation.
’Afraid of him? As if. I just hate that I can’t get up right now. Otherwise, I’d beat him to death right here.’
’To hell with the Lu family, to hell with Imperial Power! If it weren’t for this damn drug, I’d kill Lu Yanzhi openly today, and I wouldn’t care who saw.’
The drug’s effects grew more vicious. Waves of heat washed over her. Xiao Li was in agony, sweat pouring from her like rain, and soon her consciousness began to fade.
She gripped the bedsheets, clenching her jaw so hard it bled. ’I can’t lose consciousness. I can’t.’
"Get him out of here!" Her voice was filled with hatred, but the words came out weak and feeble. At this point, she had no strength left to resist anyone.
’How pathetic.’
Lan Yue immediately moved to carry out the order, but Qian Hui reacted first and grabbed her.
"What are you doing?"
Qian Hui hadn’t given up yet. She stammered, "The Princess’s drug hasn’t been neutralized. There really is no antidote. If you drive the Prince Consort away now, are you going to find another man for her?"
Hong Yue returned with Yang Jun and snapped, "This is the Princess Mansion! The Princess is unwilling, so who dares to force her? Since when does a servant like you call the shots in the Princess Mansion?"
Enraged, Qian Hui looked ready to strike Hong Yue again. "How dare you speak to me like that, you little bitch? I watched the Princess grow up! Would I ever harm her?"
Lu Yanzhi paid no attention to the arguing women. His eyes were fixed on Xiao Li. He took two steps forward but was blocked by Lan Yue.
He stopped, indifferent to the blood on his face. It seemed his eyes could only see Xiao Li.
"Princess..." he began, his voice hoarse.
"Princess, if not me, who else would you find?"
Xiao Li closed her eyes and said nothing. Lan Yue snapped at Yang Jun, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and get him out of here!"