She escorted the person back to the prince's mansion and then returned to the Song residence alone.
Upon entering, a maid rushed over, "My lady, why are you only returning now? Madam was worried to death, and Lord is furious. You..."
"I'll go see them."
She said this as she was about to leave.
The maid actually wanted to tell her to find a place to hide, but thinking that Lord was already so angry, hiding would only make him angrier. She had no choice but to follow.
In the main hall, Lord Song paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. Madam Song, likely having recovered from the morning's events, was much calmer now, sitting peacefully to the side and munching on snacks.
"Why isn't she back yet? As a mother, how could you take your daughter out and then abandon her to others? And to the Sixth Prince, who kills without batting an eye! If anything were to happen, you'd regret it!"
Madam Song raised her head, "Who told you the Sixth Prince kills without batting an eye? Those who claimed to have seen him are all dead. Who spread these rumors? Ghosts? A bunch of fools spreading gossip. You are learned, my lord, why do you also gossip behind people's backs?"
Lord Song was exceptionally irritable. "I don't gossip behind his back, should I say it to his face? He's inherently..."
"Inherently what?"
Zhu Nian walked in with a displeased expression and looked at Lord Song, asking again, "Inherently what?"
[Sister, mind your character.]
Lord Song suddenly became a little timid.
However, after raising his daughter for so many years, he wasn't completely afraid of her.
"What do you mean what? Don't you know how terrible he is rumored to be? And you still dare to go see him? If he doesn't want to marry you, and treats you... Forget it, in short, you are not allowed to see him again before the wedding."
Zhu Nian didn't hear a single word.
But her attitude wasn't as firm as before. "He is my future husband. If I don't seize the opportunity to see him and cultivate our relationship, it will be truly difficult after we're married. Besides, he's not like the rumors say. Father, if you don't believe me, you can go see him another day. I don't like hearing others speak ill of him, and Father shouldn't say it anymore."
Lord Song: "..."
He glared at Zhu Nian, puffing out his cheeks... if he had cheeks.
Madam Song quickly intervened, "Nian'er, how are you speaking to your father? And you, my lord, the Sixth Prince truly isn't as the rumors say. If he hadn't suffered so much, he'd be a good man like our Qian'er."
She held Lord Song's arm and persuaded him, "If you don't believe me, my lord, you can go see him another day. His subordinates are all very well-mannered and disciplined. How can you, a man of great talent, believe the slander of others?"
Lord Song was skeptical.
Madam Song gritted her teeth and said directly, "If you don't believe me, my lord, I'll invite the Sixth Prince over another day. You should discuss the marriage with him."
Lord Song's expression changed instantly. "Absolutely not!"
If that kind of person entered the Song residence, and someone in the household offended him inadvertently, wouldn't his official residence become a charnel house?
"No need, I believe you."
Madam Song had already met Bai Li Chong Yan and didn't find him terrifying. Seeing Lord Song like this, she found it quite amusing.
"My lord, are you perhaps afraid of the Sixth Prince?"
Lord Song puffed out his chest, feigning ferocity, "Nonsense! How could I, a first-rank official, be afraid of him?"
Madam Song chuckled, "And he is a dignified prince of the realm."
"..."
While they seemed to be arguing, their exchange soon took on a flirtatious tone. Zhu Nian, who had entered angrily, was still angry.
Seeing them exchange affectionate glances, why was she so unhappy?
[Sister, they are showing off their affection in front of you, showering you with PDA, that's why you're unhappy.]
Zhu Nian didn't understand.
But she was indeed unhappy.
So that night, she went to find him again.
Last time she had taken a detour, but this time she was much more familiar with the route. She went straight to Bai Li Chong Yan's courtyard and met a guard. To his surprised gaze, she asked, "Is he inside?"
The guard bowed, "...Miss Song, the Prince is in."
Zhu Nian then pushed open the door and walked in.
"Miss Song!"
The guard was about to say something when he heard the sound of Bai Li Chong Yan hitting something from inside.
This meant he wanted to be alone and didn't want them to enter.
The guard immediately retreated.
Zhu Nian walked in. The spacious room had a table facing the door, a window on the right, a desk on the left, and an inner room further inside. The moment she pushed the door open, she distinctly heard the sound of water, and now it was quiet again.
"A Yan, are you there?"
The person inside did not respond.
"I'm coming in."
"No!" His voice was not loud, still hoarse and unpleasant, with a hint of urgency.
"What's wrong?"
"...A Nian, I..."
He was either too embarrassed or not used to speaking, and his voice trailed off. Zhu Nian waited for a while, but heard no sound from inside, deciding not to tease him anymore.
"Are you taking a bath?"
"Ah..."
Zhu Nian's mood lightened, "I see. Don't rush, I won't come in. Continue, take your time, and don't fall."
The sound of water trickling again came from inside, so soft it was as if he was afraid she would hear it, acting with caution, which made Zhu Nian's lips curve into a smile.
She was about to go in and see his flustered look.
But he was too easily teased. If she went in, he might cry like he did during the day.
Thinking of this, Zhu Nian gave up the idea of going in.
After a while, Bai Li Chong Yan's voice, laced with a question, came from inside again, "A, A Nian?"
"I'm here, what is it?"
"Help, help me."
His voice was suppressed very low. If Zhu Nian couldn't sense his every move, she wouldn't have heard him at all.
But she pretended to hear and walked in.
Behind a screen, there was a large wooden bathtub. Bai Li Chong Yan was sitting in it, his inner clothes soaked, his hair wet and disheveled. He looked very disheveled.
He was still wearing his mask, tilting his head to look at the person who entered.
Even though she couldn't see his eyes or expression, Zhu Nian could tell from his demeanor that he was wronged.
"A Nian..."
Zhu Nian walked over and extended her hand. Bai Li Chong Yan clung to her hand, letting her lift him up.
He was covered in water, looking disheveled and pitiful.
Zhu Nian carried him to the bed and set him down, asking gently, "Where are the clothes? I'll get them for you."
Bai Li Chong Yan propped himself up with one hand on the bed and pointed to the wardrobe not far away.
Zhu Nian got him clean inner clothes and returned to him. Seeing his immobility from the waist down, she asked, "Shall I help you change?"
Bai Li Chong Yan looked up at her with surprise, then slowly lowered his head, his ear tips flushing red.
"We're getting married soon, no need to be shy. Lift your hands."
After some hesitation, Bai Li Chong Yan raised his hands.
His body was incredibly ugly, scarred all over, with no healthy skin. His legs, atrophied from years of immobility, were thin and not like a real person's, looking extremely unsightly.
It also made him feel extremely ashamed.
To expose such a body to the person he revered like a god, he felt a sense of guilt.
At the same time, there was a flicker of hope.
He hoped to receive the other person's pity.
Zhu Nian did feel pity, and she was also very angry.
Before, she had only had brief contact and seen glimpses of cruel scenes.
But now, as she touched those terrifying scars and saw what people had done to him, her heart was filled with extreme rage!
He was pinned to a rack, which was then pulled by his brother, the only person he had ever trusted, the light of his life, who, while spewing words of jealousy and disgust, ordered the rack to be pulled, tearing his Achilles tendons! Sultan Novel Network
They forced him to his knees, whipping him with salt-water soaked whips, leaving him flayed and bleeding, yet they didn't stop.
Red-hot brands seared his body and face. They cursed him viciously, intent on destroying his pride, torturing him again and again, making him wish he were dead!
Touching these scars, the scenes flashed through her mind. Zhu Nian's heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles, a dull ache that made her incredibly uncomfortable.
She remained silent, wiping the water off him, then helping him put on his inner clothes, drying his hair, and looking at him with a quiet gaze.
Bai Li Chong Yan felt a little panicked.
He knew he was disheveled and ugly now. He still hoped this person would accept him, accept the scars.
But...
"Does it hurt?"
He was startled, then shook his head, "No, it doesn't hurt anymore."
"But it hurts me." She was heartbroken.
She wished she could catch those people immediately, inflict a hundredfold, a thousandfold of the pain he had suffered upon them, extract their souls, burn them with karmic fire, making them utterly perish and disappear forever!
She hugged him, unsure if she was comforting him or herself, "It's okay now, I promise no one will ever hurt you again."
Bai Li Chong Yan was deeply moved.
She didn't find him repulsive.
This was the greatest blessing for him.
"A Nian." He stammered, "Thank... thank you, I..."
Zhu Nian composed herself, holding his frail body, her tone becoming a little lighter, "I said last time that thanks can't just be spoken words, remember?"
Bai Li Chong Yan looked bewildered, as if asking how else should he thank her?
Zhu Nian placed her hand on his mask, "Can you take it off? I don't want to look through this cold mask."
Bai Li Chong Yan's expression changed, showing extreme reluctance.
"Don't be afraid, I know A Yan is very handsome."
No!
He's not handsome!
Once upon a time on the battlefield, someone had called him a "Face of Jade like a Rakshasa," but now, he was ugly.
That face had been cut open again and again with knives, bleeding profusely, and seared with brands. At that time, he could smell the scorched odor.
After he was rescued, they had removed all the mirrors from his room.
But he had still seen his scarred face in his sword, so hideous, like a demon from hell, repulsive to behold!
He had almost used that sword to end his own life.
How could this person like a face that even he himself could not accept?
Zhu Nian watched him shake his head frantically in refusal, her heart aching with each tremor.
She extinguished the candlelight and said again, "I won't look, can I just touch it?"