Qin Prince's Mansion.
"What is this?" Song Yu asked as he took the object handed to him by Shen Qingping.
"An autopsy report," Shen Qingping replied with a mysterious smirk.
When Song Yu read the contents of the report, realization dawned on him instantly. "This is the autopsy report for Shen Hua'er's body?"
Shen Qingping nodded. "The same female coroner who examined Song Ling performed it."
"With this, we can break Song Yanzheng's hands now, can't we?"
Song Yu abruptly looked up at Shen Qingping—this was what Shen Qingping had meant the previous night when he said, "What's so difficult about it?"
"But I had already concluded that Song Yanzheng and Shen Hua'er were involved in an illicit affair. It was only after tallying up his crimes that I broke his legs," Song Yu murmured, staring at the report in his hands, lost in thought.
"Your Highness need only take a club to the Ping Prince's Mansion," Shen Qingping said, the corner of his lips curling. "When a man acts in anger, his actions tend to be impulsive. In matters like this, a few slaps with the Emperor's shoe sole would suffice as punishment."
Song Yu nearly choked on his own saliva at these words.
"The Ping Prince's Mansion has never acted with honor, so neither should we." Shen Qingping spoke with his back straight, his face devoid of even a trace of guilt.
This was just the beginning.
He had far more ruthless methods yet to employ.
How dare they bully his disciple? Did they think Shen Qingping was dead?
......
Outside the gates of the Ping Prince's Mansion.
"Tear off the seals," Song Yu commanded.
The guards stationed outside exchanged uneasy glances.
Hadn't they just torn them off yesterday?
Feeling Song Yu's piercing gaze sweep over them, the guards hastily stepped forward and ripped off the seals. Watching Song Yu storm inside, the captain of the guards sighed softly and muttered,
"Go fetch more seals."
After a pause, he added, "Bring plenty."
Who knew if His Highness would return to tear them off again tomorrow?
Outside Song Yanzheng's courtyard, Song Yu came to a halt, scanning the area for a suitable wooden club.
"I won't take medicine prescribed by anyone else. Summon Mei Zhilin to treat me—I trust only his skills!"
Song Yanzheng's voice, shrill with hysteria, rang out, followed by the shattering of a medicine bowl on the floor.
"Your Highness, the mansion is under seal. Physician Mei cannot enter," a servant pleaded.
"Silence!"
Song Yanzheng glared at the servant, then grabbed the nearest object and hurled it at the man's head. "Are you a spy sent by the Qin Prince's Mansion?"
"This servant would never dare betray Your Highness!"
The servant fell to his knees, kowtowing frantically, not daring to tend to the bleeding wound on his head.
"Song Yu is nothing but a shameless brute, flaunting his high birth to bully others. He claims to avenge my father, but in truth, he wishes my father had died sooner!"
Outside the courtyard, Song Yu nodded in agreement—that much was true.
"And now, he uses my father's death to oppress us imperial grandsons, breaking my legs. I curse him to die a wretched death, tormented by vengeful spirits in the afterlife!"
The servant trembled violently at such venomous words.
The current Qin Prince was the undisputed heir apparent. If these words were to spread... As the personal attendant to His Highness, how could he escape punishment?
"And Song Shihuan—just wait. Once Song Yu takes a wife, his consort will never tolerate a favored imperial daughter. Song Shihuan won't even know how she dies, and her corpse won't find rest!"
Outside the room, Song Yu had already selected the club he would use.
The edges of his eyes burned with fury.
Good.
He had been worried about facing the Emperor's reprimand, but with Song Yanzheng's vile curses, even the shoe sole punishment was unnecessary now.
......
BANG—
Song Yu kicked the door open.
At the sight of the Qin Prince, the servant prostrated himself on the floor, begging, "Spare this lowly one, Your Highness! Spare this lowly one!"
Song Yanzheng, stunned by the sudden intrusion, paled when he saw the club in Song Yu's hands—and remembered the words he had just uttered. He swallowed hard.
"Uncle, I—I was just rambling nonsense earlier."
"Nonsense?" Song Yu sneered. "Cursing me to die wretched, haunted by evil spirits? Cursing Ah Huan to be murdered without a grave? Song Yanzheng, you have the gall."
"I didn't mean—"
Song Yu had no patience for his feigned excuses. He shoved the autopsy report into Song Yanzheng's face.
"The coroner confirmed it—Shen Hua'er was no virgin at death."
"Had I delayed investigating Song Ling's death any longer, your child with Shen Hua'er might have been born!"
Song Yanzheng stared at the report, his face ashen.
"This—this must mean Shen Hua'er slept with another man! How can a mere report prove it was me?"
"Song Yanzheng, you truly are despicable."
Song Yu's expression was one of utter contempt. A coward who dared not own his deeds—precisely the kind of villain Shen Qingping's methods were meant for.
With that thought, Song Yu raised the club and brought it down hard on Song Yanzheng's hands.
By the time an incense stick had burned, Song Yanzheng's arms hung limp, his hands rendered useless. His agonized screams filled the room as he realized his fate.
"If you die during my reign, you won't even be buried in the imperial tombs."
"I refuse to let you taint the Song lineage or the fortune of Great Qi."
An eye for an eye.
A limb for a limb.
......
Purple Dawn Palace.
"Your Majesty, the Qin Prince is kneeling outside the hall, claiming he... seeks punishment for his crimes."
Wu Qi inwardly groaned. What fresh trouble had this ancestor stirred up now? Never before had he knelt outside the palace to repent—and in the rain, no less! If he fell ill, every attendant in the Purple Dawn Palace would be caned.
At Wu Qi's words, Emperor Yuanyou set down his vermilion brush and hurried toward the palace gates.
Seeing a eunuch holding an umbrella over Song Yu, the Emperor relaxed slightly.
"What crime could you possibly have committed? Rise first, then speak."
"Father, this son acted rashly. Earlier, at the Ping Prince's Mansion, I lost control and... crippled Song Yanzheng's hands as well."
Song Yu wore an expression of wounded grievance—less like a penitent and more like a wronged child seeking justice.
"What did he do this time?"
Emperor Yuanyou instinctively assumed Song Yanzheng had committed some fresh atrocity.
"Yesterday, after much deliberation, I had a coroner re-examine Shen Hua'er's body. The autopsy confirmed she was not chaste. Today, I went to confront Song Yanzheng on Song Ling's behalf."
"But then... then..."
Song Yu's voice broke, and he wiped at his eyes as if holding back tears.
"I overheard Song Yanzheng curse me to die miserably, haunted by evil spirits—and worse, he cursed Ah Huan to be murdered without a proper burial."
"In my fury, I took a club and... broke both his hands."
Song Yu pressed his forehead to the ground, his plea earnest.
"This son begs for Your Majesty's punishment."
