Unbridled: A Novel
Unbridled Chapter 014

Chapter 014: Brother, You Have Blood on You, It’s a Bit Smelly

Lin Shouyan was “diligent” and “hardworking” all day.

He learned his own name, Qi Zhen’s name, and the word “爽” (cool).

When Qi Zhen held the paper, his mind was filled with the words of the maidservants. As he walked to the bed and saw the bedding, he thought of the laundry room, and then again of the maidservants’ words.

His mood was restless, so he drank some tea. But upon seeing the teacup, he inexplicably thought of fertility medicine…

He held his forehead.

He asked for an extra quilt and shared the bed with Lin Shouyan.

He was initially worried that the little fool wouldn’t be happy. He had already thought of ways to coax him, but the little fool happily crawled into the bed, then poked his head out and gave him a peck on the lips.

“Good night, brother.”

Not a hint of displeasure.

Qi Zhen was silent for a while, feeling a bit uncomfortable. He stared at the bed canopy in the dark for a long time, then reached out and pulled the little fool into his bed. The next day, he calmly claimed that it was the other who rolled over, and he smoothly removed the quilt he had just put up.

The Fifth Prince was confined.

The Fifth Prince’s faction in the court was trying every possible way to get him out.

In the court, without needing Qi Zhen’s hint, his faction immediately exposed the evidence they had obtained from the princess who had married far away, regarding the Fifth Prince’s previous illegal land occupation, abduction of women, and smuggling of private salt using official ships.

The Emperor’s face turned ashen, and he punished the Fifth Prince by confining him in the Zongren Mansion without allowing him to bring any attendants.

The next day, the Fifth Prince submitted a letter of apology, acknowledging his grave mistakes, and in a show of repentance, requested the Crown Prince to send someone to supervise him.

The Crown Prince’s faction was furious.

This wasn’t about the Crown Prince disciplining him; it was clearly a deliberate act after knowing that Qi Zhen was behind this.

If anything happened to the Fifth Prince now, Qi Zhen wouldn’t get away unscathed. He might even be punished more severely than the Fifth Prince.

The Fifth Prince’s only wish now was to stay alive.

As long as he lived, there was a chance to rise again.

But if Qi Zhen didn’t take this opportunity to eliminate him, he would be a major threat in the future.

Qi Zhen stood in the cold wind as the head guard brought a ragged man. The man was pale, and his hands and feet trembled as he knelt.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for fulfilling my wish.”

Qi Zhen: “When the time comes, I will give you a swift end.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Three days later, an incident occurred at the Zongren Mansion.

A man disguised as a eunuch delivering food killed the Fifth Prince. The assailant was ruthless, but fortunately, the Crown Prince arrived in time and shot him through the heart, killing him instantly, preventing harm to the innocent.

Afterwards, Qi Zhen didn’t even have time to change his blood-stained clothes before he voluntarily knelt in front of the imperial study to plead guilty.

An hour later, dozens of officials requested an audience, petitioning the Emperor to punish the Crown Prince while also punishing those responsible at the Zongren Mansion.

To prevent the Emperor from having second thoughts, they even recommended a new person for the position.

The Emperor trembled with rage in the imperial study, his killing intent surging.

Everyone knew the truth.

He had calculated everything, except that Qi Zhen would really go all the way and deal with the Fifth Prince.

And he did it flawlessly on the surface.

The killer was the elder brother of a woman the Fifth Prince had violated, seeking revenge for his sister, life for a life. The motive was strong. Many people witnessed the murder, with plenty of witnesses.

Qi Zhen publicly shot and killed, silencing the witness, leaving no way to prove it was Qi Zhen’s instigation.

Even if the Emperor wanted to punish, he had to comply with the officials’ request outside and punish the more culpable officials at the Zongren Mansion. The recommended new official was Qi Zhen’s person.

Whether punished or not, Qi Zhen profited.

So the Emperor was furious, so angry he wanted to kill Qi Zhen.

In the end, under immense pressure, he only punished Qi Zhen with a month’s house arrest, demoted the officials at the Zongren Mansion for negligence. The new official was chosen by the Emperor himself.

This risky move left the Crown Prince’s faction in cold sweat.

Zhou Xudong came upon hearing the news, waiting outside the palace walls, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Qi Zhen come out unharmed.

Only Qi Zhen remained calm, as if he hadn’t just killed his brother, shot a criminal, or faced the Emperor’s immense wrath, as if his life hadn’t been hanging by a thread.

Zhou Xudong was about to offer some comfort when the curtain of a carriage parked by the roadside was lifted.

“Crown Prince!” Princess Zhaoyang angrily got off the carriage, stood by Qi Zhen’s carriage, and coldly questioned, “They say the Crown Prince is calm and collected, unflinching even if Mount Tai collapses. It seems you truly deserve such praise!”

A brother died, yet not a single tear, not a hint of sadness.

In the harem, Noble Consort Li fainted several times from crying, even uttered wild words wishing Qi Zhen dead.

Zhou Xudong sternly, “What nonsense is the Princess spouting here?”

“The Crown Prince has endured for years, even willing to marry a male wife. Finally waiting for this day, he must be overjoyed, am I not allowed to congratulate him?”

Zhou Xudong thought, is this congratulations?

Who wouldn’t hear the sarcasm?

Qi Zhen’s expression didn’t change, he just looked at her.

Zhaoyang pulled out an object from her sleeve, and before Zhou Xudong could see clearly, she threw it. Zhou Xudong was so startled he almost drew his sword. The object hit the carriage and fell to the ground.

Only then did Zhou Xudong see that it was a small pouch.

Qi Zhen lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the pouch.

Zhaoyang said, “The Crown Prince might not remember, this is a peace charm I asked for at a temple when we were young. There were two, I gave you one. You said you would keep it well. But now, Zhaoyang dares not hold the same thing as the Crown Prince, so both are given to you!”

Zhaoyang casually performed a courtesy.

“Zhaoyang bids farewell!”

Zhou Xudong felt a lump in his throat.

If there was anyone among the Emperor’s children whom Qi Zhen still had affection and familial ties for, it was this Princess Zhaoyang.

When they were young, Zhaoyang would protect Qi Zhen. So Qi Zhen treated her well, trusted her.

But the Emperor once used this trust to poison Qi Zhen.

Since then, Qi Zhen had distanced himself from Zhaoyang.

Zhou Xudong picked up the small pouch from the ground, “Your Highness?”

“Throw it away.”

Qi Zhen lowered the carriage curtain.

The coachman flicked the reins slightly.

On the wide street, only Qi Zhen’s carriage slowly moved away, gradually disappearing from Zhou Xudong’s sight.

Before Qi Zhen returned to the mansion, Lin Shouyan received a warning from the nanny.

Behave today.

The Crown Prince is in a bad mood.

So, when Qi Zhen returned, Lin Shouyan only dared to glance from afar.

Whoa!

That face is really scary! So frightening!

He didn’t dare approach, and only when Qi Zhen returned to the bedroom did he dare to show him the words he wrote today. Qi Zhen glanced at them and put them aside, then went to the cabinet, took out a small pouch, and burned it with a candle.

Lin Shouyan stood behind him, whispering, “Brother, you have blood on you, it’s a bit smelly.”

Squishee[Translator]

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