Reborn Into The Harem Of A Prince From An Enemy Country - Chapter 3

“Spare you?” Chu Lianmo’s face was filled with a chilling, cold sneer. “This Prince has long explicitly forbidden any backstabbing behavior within this estate, yet you dared to act so unscrupulously! You like stripping people’s clothes, do you? Someone come, drag him outside, strip him, and heavily flog him with fifty whips!”

“Your Highness! Spare my life, Your Highness!”

At that moment, Yin Mei’s complexion turned even paler.

Fifty whip lashes would be fatal to a delicate man like him who knew no martial arts.

Moreover, the instruction to strip him was equally terrifying. Although he came from a pleasure house, he was still a pristine artist who sold his talent rather than his body, so he still cared deeply about his dignity.

However, Yin Mei’s continuous kowtowing and begging for mercy could not save him. Two burly estate guards dragged him out by his arms, one of them brutally tearing away his clothes, stripping him bare, and forcing him to kneel on the ground of the small courtyard outside the room. The other guard raised a long whip and lashed it fiercely across his back and buttocks.

Since Chu Lianmo had specifically ordered a heavy flogging, the guards did not hold back at all, with every single whip strike splashing a bloom of blood. In fewer than ten whips, Yin Mei’s originally fair and flawless back and buttocks were already reduced to a bloody mess, leaving not a single patch of intact skin.

Had it not been for the fear of taking a life, Chu Lianmo would not have minded ordering a few more lashes.

He had no interest in paying further attention to the unceasing screams of Yin Mei, simply ordering the guards to gag him before turning a softened gaze toward Qi Xiaoyun. “You have suffered a grievance. Are you satisfied with this punishment from this Prince?”

“Thank you, Your Highness, for dispensing justice on my behalf.”

In reality, Qi Xiaoyun himself had not suffered any actual grievances in this matter. However, since he had taken over the original owner’s body, helping the original owner vent his anger was only right.

That poor Zhou Yun must have died during that high fever, allowing his own soul to take over the body. He could essentially be considered murdered by Yin Mei.

Gazing at Qi Xiaoyun, who was expressing gratitude with a calm tone and a gaze that seemed to carry a certain pride, Chu Lianmo suddenly spoke in a soft voice, “A-Yun, you truly seem vastly different from before.”

There was no blame in his tone; instead, it sounded rather full of appreciation.

Qi Xiaoyun felt a pang in his heart at this tender utterance of A-Yun.

He knew very well that the person Chu Lianmo was calling was Zhou Yun, but his own imperial father, noble consort mother, and eldest imperial brother used to address him in that exact same way.

His consort mother was long gone, while his imperial father and imperial brother were now separated from him as if by vast mountains and rivers, making the prospect of ever seeing them again extremely difficult.

At this thought, Qi Xiaoyun felt a wave of sour heartache, and the rims of his eyes turned slightly red.

“What is the matter, A-Yun?” Chu Lianmo noticed his emotional shift. “This Prince did not mean that your change is bad. Very well, the day is growing late, let us retire for the night.”

With that, Chu Lianmo sat down on the edge of the bed.

At that moment, Qi Xiaoyun realized a grave problem: as Chu Lianmo’s concubine, was he expected to engage in certain intimate activities?

Even while inhabiting someone else’s body, he desperately wished to avoid that kind of thing entirely!

Just then, Chu Lianmo opened his arms wide.

What was he doing? Wanted a hug?

“What are you standing around for? Why are you not helping this Prince undress?”

Ah, so it was just undressing.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Qi Xiaoyun hurriedly stepped forward to unfasten Chu Lianmo’s belt.

He was capable of performing such tasks, but deep down he felt more than a little resentful. Thinking of himself as an imperial prince raised in absolute luxury, he had always been the one served by attendants when getting dressed. When had he ever needed to undress someone else?

Chu Lianmo, on what grounds do you expect this?

Yet, rashly exposing his identity in Chu right now would surely plunge him into perilous danger. To preserve his life, he simply had to endure this momentary humiliation.

Resentment aside, Qi Xiaoyun’s hands moved with practiced efficiency. Imperial garments were exceptionally complex, but since he was an imperial prince himself, he had always worn similarly elaborate attire in the past.

“Well, you are even more proficient at undressing me than before,” Chu Lianmo teased with a faint curve of his lips. “This Prince still remembers the first time I asked you to undress me, when you were all nervous and flustered. Have you been practicing in secret?”

Qi Xiaoyun inwardly spat out a silent curse, thinking: Who on earth would practice something like this for you?

Yet, a wave of sweetness that did not belong to him suddenly rippled through his heart.

Only then did he realize that the original owner had actually been harboring romantic feelings for Chu Lianmo.

What a pity that Chu Lianmo was a fickle and heartless philanderer; whoever fell for him was destined to be betrayed.

Indeed, not a single person in Chu was any good.

By the time his thoughts settled, Qi Xiaoyun had already finished undressing Chu Lianmo.

Chu Lianmo slipped into bed wearing his inner garments and blew out the candles.

Qi Xiaoyun let out another long breath from the bottom of his heart. It was a blessing that they did not have to do that.

Reviewing the original owner’s memories, he discovered that Chu Lianmo had actually never touched the original owner in that manner. The original owner had assumed Chu Lianmo looked down on him, remaining quite depressed about it.

Qi Xiaoyun, however, thought this arrangement was just right.

Yet a question arose: if Chu Lianmo did not even want to touch him, why on earth had he taken him into his harem in the first place?

As expected, the people of Chu were all sick in the head.

Feeling the warmth and breathing of Chu Lianmo right beside him, Qi Xiaoyun felt somewhat awkward. He was not accustomed to being this close to anyone.

Even so, since this body was inherently frail and had just recovered from a severe illness, Qi Xiaoyun eventually drifted off to sleep.

At the Mao hour the next morning, he woke up right on schedule.

Because back when he was an imperial prince, he had been required to attend the early morning court session every day at the third quarter of the Mao hour.

When Qi Xiaoyun woke up, Chu Lianmo was already having his garments adjusted by a maid.

Seeing Qi Xiaoyun sit up from the bed as well, Chu Lianmo spoke up, “A-Yun, will you not sleep a little longer?”

True, the original owner had nothing to do all day and usually woke up much larger.

However, Qi Xiaoyun had no intention of altering his own disciplined routine, so he began putting on his clothes anyway. “I am already fully awake; sleeping longer serves no purpose.”

“As you wish, then. This Prince must go attend to state affairs.” With that, Chu Lianmo stood up, preparing to leave.

In truth, today happened to be the once-every-seven-days day off in Chu, meaning the morning court session could be skipped. However, Chu Lianmo was exceptionally diligent regarding state affairs, and if he had no other plans on his day off, he would spend it working in the study.

The moment Qi Xiaoyun thought about how he was currently unable to participate in any political affairs, forced to idle away the entire day, and perhaps even restricted from leaving the Prince Rui’s estate as a domestic dependent, a wave of sorrow welled up inside him.

“Your Highness…” He tentatively called out to stop Chu Lianmo and asked, “Am I permitted to go out for a stroll?”

Chu Lianmo paused, turning his head to gaze at Qi Xiaoyun with an investigative look. “You used to dislike going out.”

“True, but I am a man after all,” Qi Xiaoyun pondered what excuse would prevent him from giving himself away. “Being locked up for too long inevitably feels a bit stifling.”

“You only need to inform Steward Zhang if you wish to go out.” Chu Lianmo did not press the matter further.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Qi Xiaoyun breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the restrictions on domestic dependents within Prince Rui’s estate did not seem overly strict.

“Come to think of it, this Prince happens to have no court session today,” Chu Lianmo said, suddenly seeming to recall something as he stared directly into Qi Xiaoyun’s eyes. “How about I accompany you out for a stroll?”

Qi Xiaoyun was startled.

He wanted to say: That is entirely unnecessary!

Yet as Zhou Yun, he obviously could not and would not say such a thing.

Putting on a brave face, Qi Xiaoyun could only reply, “Thank you for your willingness to accompany me, Your Highness.”