Chapter 1667 – Capture of Nan Sheng, Killing An Huan (75)
Of course, this isn’t absolute; it’s just an unspoken rule.
The young boy, having grown up in this environment, naturally understood the servant’s hints.
He ordered someone to prepare cold water for himself, planning to soak in it to cool down the raging fire within his body.
However, a basin of cold water was not enough. Tossing and turning, he couldn’t calm himself down, and instead, he felt even hotter and more restless.
The body of a young man is the most sensitive, and the waves of passion hit him like a crashing tsunami, making his attempts to endure feel like torturous suffering.
This wasn’t a sustainable situation.
The boy’s body burned, and his consciousness grew a bit hazy; in a vague moment, he seemed to hear the creaking sound of the wooden door being opened.
“Who?”
He called out absently, while the footsteps of the visitor were soft.
As the person drew near, a fragrance enveloped him, nearly driving him to the brink of madness.
The boy opened his eyes to see, but unexpectedly a soft, scented hand covered his face, plunging him into darkness.
“Young Master…”
Faintly, the sweet voice of the visitor rang in his ear, and he felt their warm, wet lips on his sensitive earlobe.
How could the boy stand this? He quickly swatted the hand away and pinned the person down on the ground.
Looking closely, he saw a delicate figure veiled lightly, a charming silhouette obscured behind the fabric—only those bright, captivating eyes could be seen. The person seemed startled by his actions, their mouth slightly agape as a short gasp escaped, like soft feathers tickling his heart, leaving him dizzy. Outside, the light rain drizzled, while inside, the air sizzled with desire. Soon, sounds that made one flush with embarrassment began to fill the room. Occupied by instinct, the boy didn’t notice the visitor’s belly beginning to swell as they struggled and cried out midway.
As the light rain outside subsided, the storm within the room also drew to a pause. The evening sun added an eerie glow.
The boy woke from his slumber, groggily rising, his keen senses picking up something was amiss.
He discovered there was another person breathing beside him!
Turning his head to look, he saw a woman, half-clothed, with a swollen belly and tear-streaked cheeks lying next to him.
At first glance, her profile looked somewhat familiar.
The boy’s memories from before sleeping rushed back, and the recollection of their intimate moments flickered past, chilling him to the bone.
Recalling the woman’s appearance before her hair fell loose, he realized she was already married; looking at her belly…
The boy’s face turned various shades, like a spilled palette of colors.
At that moment, the woman let out a soft murmur, opened her eyes, and upon seeing the boy, she suddenly screamed, sitting up with one hand on her belly and the other hastily grabbing tattered clothing from the side to cover herself. The boy was struck with shock, as realization hit him like lightning.
This person…
This person was An’s Side Lady, the Xichang Princess, his adoptive mother!
“Unruly child! How could you do such a disgraceful thing! How can you face your father?”
Before the boy could regain his senses, the Xichang Princess wept and slapped him.
Just then, her maidservant burst in, stunned and nearly losing her wits upon seeing the scene.
Anyone with keen eyes would know what had transpired between the two.
One was An’s Side Lady, pregnant, and the other was An’s adopted son, currently the legitimate heir.
These two, in name mother and son, were now tangled together?
The Xichang Princess was in torment, her disheveled hair and the bruised skin visible clearly showing that she had undoubtedly been forced by her stepson. Because of the maidservant’s presence, the boy had no chance to cover up—the only thought in his mind was:
It’s over!
“Ah, my belly!”
The Xichang Princess clutched her stomach, her face turning pale, and both the maidservant and the boy were struck dumb.
The maidservant hurriedly sought someone to check on the Xichang Princess and ensure the safety of the child within her—this pregnancy absolutely must not have any issues.
The scene was chaotic, and the boy’s servants were drawn over by the commotion caused by the maidservant.
Seeing the disarray, the boy became painfully aware he had missed the perfect opportunity for a “remedy.”
If anyone discovered that he had inappropriate relations with his father’s concubine, especially one involving excessive liquor and coercion, he would be doomed. Innocence mattered not! At that moment, he realized this was a plot against him, a trap set for him!
Unfortunately, evidence was piling up—no matter how much he tried to clear his name with excuses, he wouldn’t be able to escape suspicion…
If only at that moment he possessed half the decisiveness and ruthlessness of Hua Yuan, he could have easily eliminated the Xichang Princess and her maidservants, fabricating a reason to dismiss it all. As long as there were no witnesses, no one would ever know what he had done to the Xichang Princess.
Though the servants were privy to the truth, they were still loyal to the boy, making cleanup that much easier.
But the boy was not Hua Yuan; he lacked the determination to seize the last opportunity.
And the consequence was that this scandal would reach the ears of his mentor, Hua Yuan.
If Hua Yuan found out, it meant his adoptive father, An, would eventually learn too.
“Master! Master! I’m truly wronged!”
The boy found himself tongue-tied, only able to hope Hua Yuan would believe him.
Hua Yuan, infuriated, retorted, “Wronged? Is violating a stepmother also wronged? How many people witnessed your actions?”
The boy’s face turned ashen.
Hua Yuan continued, “I’ve taken care of most of those who know about this; it will be left for the Lord to handle personally.”
The boy panicked at this; if An found out, he would undoubtedly be doomed.
“Master, why won’t you listen to my words? I am the one you raised, you know my character so well! How could a student you raised be that kind of base creature?” The boy knelt on the ground, weeping, “I truly was framed. That bottle of wine was drugged by a lowly maid from the back house, and moreover, the timing of the stepmother’s appearance was indeed suspicious; it must have been her…”
“Foolish and incompetent!” Hua Yuan snapped back, “She carries the Lord’s child; even if she sees you as a thorn in her side, it would have to wait until after giving birth. What benefit is there for her to conspire against you now? It is you… because of you, her pregnancy now appears unstable; if not for the physician’s brilliant skills and her own good health, this child would surely not survive… Anyone with clear eyes can see, who could possibly be plotting against you? Your reasoning won’t exonerate you; instead, it reveals your own guilt.”
At this point, the boy was devoid of any rebuttal, his mind a tangled mess, trembling all over.
Hua Yuan added, “Your servants mentioned they heard a woman’s cries for help from within, but when they went to investigate, you rebuffed them… With proof and witnesses against you, how can you expect me to believe your words? Whether you act out of drunken folly against your stepmother or are truly innocent… what matters is not what I think but what others think, and what the Lord thinks! I will relay this matter truthfully to the Lord and let him decide.”
The boy’s lips lost all color.
“Master! My father… will definitely not spare me; I don’t want to die!”
Hua Yuan’s expression pained, he closed his eyes, refusing to look at the boy’s desperate and pleading gaze.
