Chapter 59: I Never Liked You

How could he be here? Wasn’t he supposed to be…

Jiang Huaiyue suddenly saw his figure, her mind went blank, not knowing how to react.

“Where is the Princess going?” Pei Ji looked at her, his eyes deep and cold, his expression indifferent and harsh, like a dark cloud pressing down on a city, suffocating and heavy.

He thought she was just pretending and deceiving him like usual, but he never expected she’d actually try to run away. What a joke.

His icy voice, mingled with the sound of rain, echoed in Jiang Huaiyue’s ears. Her heart twisted and turned as she forced herself to stay calm.

“You misunderstand, Husband. I was just out walking with Qiuchan, but the rain got heavier, so we came here to shelter.” She forced a smile, her expression submissive.

Pei Ji looked at the woman still acting out her charade, his dark eyes swirling with darkness. He stepped forward and grabbed her neck tightly with one hand.

“Jiang Huaiyue, do you really think I’m a fool?”

The two of them suddenly moved close, sharp pain spreading through her. She struggled to speak.

Qiuchan’s umbrella dropped to the ground. She hurriedly knelt and kowtowed, begging, “My Lord, please spare the Princess. I beg you, everything was my own idea; it has nothing to do with the Princess.”

“I beg you, please let the Princess go.”

She kowtowed with all her might, pleading again and again.

Pei Ji didn’t even glance at her. His voice was cold and sinister: “Moying, kill her.”

Hearing his order, Moying drew his sword, stepping forward toward Qiuchan.

Seeing her desperate struggle, Jiang Huaiyue suddenly pulled out the hairpin from her hair and, without hesitation, stabbed it at Pei Ji’s neck.

Pei Ji loosened his grip on her throat and grabbed her wrist. With a strong squeeze, Jiang Huaiyue let go of the hairpin, which quickly fell into his hand.

Without his strength holding it, Jiang Huaiyue collapsed onto the ground, coughing violently.

“You want to kill me?” Pei Ji looked down at her soaked clothes clinging to her slender figure, his eyes cold as ice, full of killing intent.

Jiang Huaiyue ignored him and saw Moying’s sword about to strike Qiuchan. She quickly got up and reached out to block.

“Moying.” Seeing her risking herself, Pei Ji clenched the hairpin tightly and called coldly.

At the critical moment, Moying quickly retracted his sword.

“Princess, are you alright?” Qiuchan had thought she was doomed, but the Princess had risked her own safety to save her.

Jiang Huaiyue forced a smile at her. “I’m fine.”

All the plans had been hers, and the responsibility too. She could never let Qiuchan die because of her—her conscience wouldn’t allow it.

She understood that now that he had caught her, with his temperament he wouldn’t let her live. So why keep pretending? It was just a worthless life.

Having made up her mind, she raised her eyes to meet his murderous gaze: “If you want to kill Qiuchan, why can’t I kill you?”

“For a servant girl, you want to kill me?”

Seeing that she would kill him over a maid, fury surged in Pei Ji’s heart. He bent down and grabbed her neck again.

Jiang Huaiyue choked in pain, tears instantly welling up. She instinctively reached to pry his hand away.

Seeing her struggle weaken, Pei Ji stared at her, a strange ache spreading through his chest and body.

After a while, he finally released his grip. Jiang Huaiyue sat on the ground, her clothes soaked by the rain, the thin dress clinging to her graceful figure. Her small face dripped with raindrops down her chin, fragile and pitiful.

She sneered and turned her head. “In my eyes, she’s more than just a maid. A lord as lofty as you would never understand the feelings of a mere ant like me.”

“Take her away.” Pei Ji narrowed his eyes and gave a cold order.

Moying put away his weapon and stepped forward to take Qiuchan away. When she struggled, he knocked her unconscious without hesitation.

“Where are you taking her?” Jiang Huaiyue stood up immediately, trying to snatch Qiuchan back.

If she got separated from Qiuchan, who knew what they’d do to her? She might not even survive.

Pei Ji reached out, pulling her back by the nape of her neck and forcing her to look at him. His voice was indifferent: “Jiang Huaiyue, if you’re going to pretend, why not keep it up?”

Trapped in his arms, Jiang Huaiyue struggled fiercely, but his strength was overwhelming—she couldn’t break free.

At that moment, she deeply hated herself—why could she do nothing, only let others trample on her?

A wave of intense resentment surged up, and she laughed bitterly to herself. “Pei Ji, I don’t want to pretend anymore. I’m tired. I’ve been putting on a fake smile for you every day, sweetly calling you husband, and it disgusts me.”

“I never liked you from the start. A man like you, so high and mighty, who looks down on others, what’s there to like?”

Pei Ji heard her words and his hand gripping the back of her head felt like it wanted to crush her skull. “You’re asking for death.”

No one had ever dared speak to him like that.

“If you have the guts, then kill me. Living under you every day is like dying.”

Now that she’d spoken, there was no turning back. If she was going to die anyway, she might as well vent her grievances. She wouldn’t rest even on the road to the afterlife.

A shadow darkened Pei Ji’s handsome face. “Since that’s the case, I’ll show you what it means to live worse than death.”

With that, he lifted her onto his shoulder with one hand and ordered the men in the rain, “Return to the mansion.”

---

Night had fallen over the capital, and the rain was growing heavier, accompanied occasionally by lightning and thunder—truly frightening.

---

In the secret prison of the Prince Regent’s mansion, the first thing Jiang Huaiyue smelled upon being brought inside was the strong stench of blood, along with agonizing screams filling her ears.

Pei Ji locked her up in a pitch-dark dungeon, heavy chains binding her wrists and ankles.

The cell was damp and dark, crawling with cockroaches and rats. Luckily, Jiang Huaiyue was brave enough; as long as it wasn’t snakes, these pests didn’t scare her much.

For two days, it seemed Pei Ji forgot she even existed. Though imprisoned, without having to face him, Jiang Huaiyue found some comfort.

The only downside was the food—it was as disgusting as swill, barely edible.

---

At the general’s mansion,

Su Xiuwan spent a restless night without sleep. Her worry was overwhelming, but the door was guarded all night; she couldn’t leave at all.

It wasn’t until the next morning she was free to go out.

After leaving, she immediately headed to the place she had agreed upon with Yueya. Though she knew she’d find nothing, she still wanted to check.

“Miss, perhaps Madam has already left,” Ningxiang said softly, trying to comfort her worried expression.

Su Xiuwan pressed her lips together and said nothing. If she had truly left, it would be a relief for everyone, but she feared something had gone wrong.

For now, she planned to inquire around the prince’s mansion; once she confirmed Yueya wasn’t there, she could somewhat ease her mind.

“Ningxiang, you should return to the mansion first. I have some things to handle,” she said quietly.

“Yes, Miss.” Ningxiang bowed and turned to leave.