Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Test of Loyalty

Trigger Warning: This chapter contains mention of rape

*Note: I DO NOT condone sexual assault or rape

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Li Yingshan's eyes widened as her lips slightly parted. She started to protest when Xu Haoran pressed his lips to hers. A muffled gasp of shock escaped her, and she tore herself away from him.

"Don't force yourself, Hero Xu," she said. "I don't expect you to take me as your wife."

He sighed. "Li Yingshan, do you know what's been keeping me busy these past weeks?"

She bit her lip and shook her head. He revealed, "I've been trying to find out how to remove the poison from your body. Any way besides the Peace White Tea. I have researched day and night, but haven't figured anything out yet. I've also tried to find out how to make the Peace White Tea, but it seems only Cloudless Night Sect knows of it. And unfortunately, I have no hope there."

Li Yingshan looked down to hide her guilt. Don't bother trying. I had Qiu Ling burn the recipe for Peace White Tea five years ago. Now, even Cloudless Night Sect won't know.

"When I decided to marry you, I had no plans of casting you aside. I still don't."

"Why didn't you change your mind when you found out I was dying?"

"How cruel would that be? To tell you I'm marrying you and then rescind it when I find out you're not in good health?"

"Not as cruel as other things that've happened to me," she muttered.

He cupped her face in his hands and peered at her. She saw the emotions rolling in his eyes. Sadness filled hers as she let her vulnerability reveal itself.

"After my father told me he'd broken our engagement," she began. "I never thought I'd marry. Who would want me? I believed that with the stigma against invalided people, what man would willing tie himself to me for life? So I gave up hope. I agreed to become a courtesan because I didn't think I'd ever become a wife. Does it matter to you?"

"What?"

"That I've laid with men before? That I'm not a good young lady who hasn't lost her morals?"

"Did you do it because you had to?"

Pain and guilt shone in her watery eyes. "Every man I've been with were allies to the Seventh Prince. I used that time to gain information from them. Did I enjoy it? No. But did I do it because I wanted to help the Seventh Prince become Crown Prince? Yes."

Xu Haoran closed his eyes as he took a shuddering breath. Li Yingshan's bottom lip quivered. He pulled away from her and stood up.

"You shouldn't have aligned yourself with the Crown Prince. It will only end badly for you."

She hung her head as she quietly replied, "I figured as much. My father warned me back then that if I married you, I'd drag you down with me. It appears I have or I will. You should cut ties with me before your head rolls alongside mine. If I'm executed, it's my own fault. But I needn't bring you to King Yama's Kingdomafterlife in Chinese folklore with me."

"You'd just resign yourself over to death like that?"

"You have no idea the treasonous things I've done to help get the Crown Prince his position. I'm drowning in political tides and am connected to half of the officials and a fourth of the ministers at court. If the Emperor finds out, all of us will die and all of our work will have been in vain."

Xu Haoran shook his head as he looked at her. "You're not who I thought you were. You let the capital corrupt you. I would've thought that you were smarter than this."

He turned on his heels and walked out of Cherry Blossom Hall. Once he was gone, Li Yingshan let out a choked sob. The flood of salty tears streamed down her face as her eyes reddened. Qiu Ling came running in and wrapped her arms around her.

"My Lady, it's okay."

"No, Qiu Ling, he found out about the Crown Prince. I doubt Hero Xu will ever come here again. If he finds out about Moonlight Pagoda, I might as well send myself to King Yama."

"My Lady!"

Li Yingshan cried into Qiu Ling's shoulder, soaking the silk. "He must hate me now. I don't think anything I say or do will redeem myself in his eyes. I have too many secrets, too dark of a past. I've burdened him long enough. It's time to take matters into my own hands."

∇

In the following months, Li Yingshan devoted herself to destroying all evidence of her collaboration with the Crown Prince. She had Han Shaolei burn letters. Miao Chuntao silenced anyone who was a possible snitch or leak. Qiu Ling ran messages to and from Ten Thousand Ways Restaurant multiple times a day.

One day, she returned with a dazed expression.

"Qiu Ling, what is it?"

"My Lady, you won't believe it."

"What?"

"His Highness is waiting for you in Ten Thousand Ways Restaurant."

Li Yingshan choked on her tea. "What?! The Crown Prince is here in Longxin City?"

Qiu Ling nodded slowly. Li Yingshan bit her lip.

"Alright. Get me some plain clothes. It looks like I'm going to have to sneak out of here."

Qiu Ling found a light grey Wei and Jin Ruqun, and Li Yingshan changed. Once she was done, she turned towards her maid.

"Stay here, just in case. Tell anyone that I'm resting because I'm not feeling well. Don't let anyone in."

"Yes, my Lady."

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Li Yingshan jumped out the window and used her qinggong to fly up to the rooftop and escape. She dashed through the city streets with a veiled hat over her head. When she finally came upon Ten Thousand Ways Restaurant, she took a deep breath and entered.

The manager approached her. "Good afternoon, what can I help you with?"

She said, "A man in dark blue is waiting for me."

"Ahh, come, this way."

Li Yingshan followed the manager upstairs to the third level. He led her down to the fourth door and motioned towards it. She knocked.

"Who is it?" came a familiar voice.

"Your humble servant," she replied.

"Come in."

She nodded in thanks to the server and slid the doors open. Shutting them behind her, she turned and walked towards the square table where the Crown Prince sat, removing her hat was she approached. Li Yingshan stopped and bowed low.

"Greetings to Crown Prince."

He waved it off. "Young Lady Li, you've done so much for me. There's no need to be so formal."

She straightened and sat to his left, setting her hat down on the edge of the table. "You asked to see me?"

"Yes. I must thank you. Without the intelligence from Moonlight Pagoda, I wouldn't be the Crown Prince."

Li Yingshan chuckled, "It was my honor to help you, Your Highness."

He sipped his tea, watching her with a slightly narrowed gaze. She noticed and tilted her head.

"Is something wrong, Your Highness?"

"I can see doubt in your eyes. Do you think helping me was a mistake?"

She shook her head. "Not at all. You have everyone fooled. The whole country believes you're this sickly prince. Little do they know it's all an act."

"Hmm. You've been away from the capital for a while now. I heard you have a husband now."

Li Yingshan nodded. "I do. He's a martial artist."

"I see," the Crown Prince replied coolly.

"Your Highness doesn't really believe I'd doubt you?"

"One can never be too sure in politics, I'm afraid."

"How can I prove my loyalty to you?" she asked as she leaned forward earnestly.

If I don't convince him today, he'll order my execution tomorrow.

The Crown Prince took a deep breath as he stood up. He walked over towards the balcony. Confused, she rose from her seat and followed. Coming up alongside him, she noticed that there weren't many people in the street below. Alarms began to go off in her head. As Li Yingshan turned around, the Crown Prince pinned her to the doorway, pressing himself up against her.

He whispered into her ear, "If you even think about betraying me, you can rest assured that I will take away that which you hold most dear."

She shivered. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"Good."

She knew the brevity of his threat. Li Yingshan licked her lips before reminding him, "I'm a married woman."

"Then prove your loyalty to me by betraying your husband."

Hero Xu was right. I shouldn't have trusted the Seventh Prince. I've dug myself into a hole, and now it's become a gaping chasm that I can't escape from.

Her bottom lip quivered as she murmured, "I am your humble servant."

With that, he spread her legs. Shifting his own clothes, he fished out his engorged cock. The Crown Prince pushed up her skirts found his way to her core. After not having laid with a man in a while, Li Yingshan grimaced as he thrusted into her. Tears welled in her eyes as he took his time. His breath was hot on her ear, and his grunts echoed through her head. She closed her eyes and wished for it to end.

Thanks to her martial arts, she heard the quiet patter of a person approaching. Her eyes snapped open, and she saw Miao Chuntao peek inside. Horror filled the other woman's gaze. Li Yingshan inconspicuously shook her head; her eyes pleading for silence. Miao Chuntao nodded and silently closed the doors.

When the Crown Prince finally came, his body shuddered. He pulled out of her with his cum dripping down her legs. After fixing his clothes, he shot her a meaningful gaze.

"Remember where your loyalties lie." Turning on his heel, he walked to the doors and opened them. His last words echoed behind him as he left. "Or else."

Li Yingshan slowly slumped to the ground, dazed. Miao Chuntao appeared on the balcony and knelt down in front of her.

"Goddess? Goddess? Goddess?"

Li Yingshan stared at her blankly. After being shaken out of her reverie by Miao Chuntao, she burst into tears.

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