In the next instant, Mu Xueshi’s vision turned crimson, and the room seemed to become a sea of blood. Blood covered the bed, the floor, the gauze curtains, the stools, everywhere he looked.
In that single moment, he saw the Third Prince wrench the woman’s head from her neck with bloodshot eyes, then sweep his sword through her body until it was reduced to pieces scattered around the room.
Mu Xueshi trembled uncontrollably beneath a suffocating wave of terror. Murderous light burned in the Third Prince’s eyes, and his whole body radiated the fury of a wild beast. Mu Xueshi had never seen him this terrifying. In the next instant, he toppled from the bed and fainted on the floor.
The Third Prince lifted Mu Xueshi from the ground, pulled his clothes back around him, and silently walked toward the door. Sun Ye followed with a calm expression. The only frightened people were those who had gathered outside after hearing the commotion.
Li Gui stood at the doorway. One look at the scene inside told her exactly who had flown straight to the second floor. She immediately knelt with her head lowered and said nothing. Li Qian showed little reaction, though concern flashed through his eyes when he saw the person in the Third Prince’s arms.
Someone suddenly called, “This subject pays respects to the Third Prince…” At once all the nobles and aristocrats in the building rushed out and knelt in a row in the hall, disheveled and visibly uneasy.
The Third Prince did not spare them a glance. Carrying Mu Xueshi, he slowly descended the stairs. When he reached the entrance, he stopped, and every breath in the hall seemed to stop with him.
“Hang that woman’s scattered remains before Changxin Courtyard as a warning. If anyone ever again dares receive the person in my arms, I will wash Changxin Courtyard in blood.”
Hao Lin sat inside a moving carriage, his deep eyes fixed on Shangchuan Hong across from him, amusement growing steadily in his gaze.
“Just as I thought. Grand Tutor Mu’s son does not truly look like that. Did you see his real face?”
Shangchuan Hong frowned. “The Third Prince placed a mask of his own making on the Grand Tutor’s son. Removing it requires certain materials.”
Hao Lin narrowed his eyes with obvious interest.
“Oh?”
“The mask can only be removed with water from Lingzi Lake in the Third Prince’s Qinyi Courtyard and pollen from the Ruzhi flower.”
Hao Lin leaned back against the carriage cushions and teasingly lifted Shangchuan Hong’s chin. “Even someone as skilled in disguise as you cannot remove it by your own methods?”
Shangchuan Hong answered calmly, “No.”
Hao Lin frowned slightly. “Just how beautiful is that face for the Third Prince to go to such trouble?”
Shangchuan Hong gently moved away from Hao Lin’s hand, looked outside, and said with a faintly ambiguous smile, “I killed one of the women from Changxin Courtyard, disguised one of the sex slaves we brought with us as her, and gave the Grand Tutor’s son an aphrodisiac. Does Your Majesty know what happened?”
“The same fate as the men we ambushed on the road last time?”
“No. Worse. The Third Prince cut the woman apart until scarcely anything whole remained.”
Hao Lin laughed coldly. “Yunxi becomes more interesting by the day. Everywhere I look, there is something I want.”