Chapter 12 Return to the capital

“I will return to the capital tomorrow. Mo Chen will be wholly in charge of the barracks!” said Chu Yunshen as he glanced at Mo Chen. Mo Chen bowed and acknowledged, “Yes, Your Highness.” Then before Chu Yunshen stood up, he looked at Zhang Mang, who was standing next to the sand table, and said, “Zhang Mang, don’t get into any conflict with Li Sanchuan.” Zhang Mang hung his head as he clenched his fists tightly and replied, ““Yes, Your Highness.” Chu Yunshen was in the study giving the housekeeper some instruction when Xiaowu knocked on the study room door and said, “Master, the fish has taken the bait. “ “You may leave.” The housekeeper took his leave, and Xiaowu entered the room to say, “Master, he is already imprisoned in the dungeon. Sure enough, he packed his things and intended to escape right after the flogging. We happened to catch him red-handed.” Xiaowu took a package, and spread it on the table in front of Chu Yunshen then said, "Please take a look." There were a few pieces of Wu clothing and coins in his bundle. “Come, let’s go to the dungeon.” Chu Yunshen carried the white cat who was sleeping, picked the baby bird off her head, and handed it to Xiaowu. Xiaowu immediately caught it with his hands. But he was unsure of whether to put it down or keep holding it, so he carried the little bird in his hands as he trailed behind the prince. The sound of iron chains woke Cheng Xiaoxiao from her slumber. The moment she woke, she found herself in Chu Yunshen’s arms. Where was Chu Yunshen taking her? Cheng Xiaoxiao looked up to see she was in a foreign place. She was surrounded by broken mud walls, and there was a faint odor of blood in the air. The entire space was particularly dim and poorly lit by only a few oil lamps on each side. Once the wind blew, two oil lamps went out. As the place didn’t get any daylight all year round, even the air smelled muddy. “Meow.” Cheng Xiaoxiao reached her neck out and meowed at Chu Yunshen. Where was he taking her? The air smelled awful, and she wanted to leave badly. “We’ll be there soon,” said Chu Yunshen as he pressed her head into his arms. Then he walked briskly deep into the dungeon. The moment they entered the dungeon, Cheng Xiaoxiao saw the spy suspended in mid-air with chains. Then she knew why Chu Yunshen brought her here. “Your Highness,” said the jailer instantly as he knelt to pay respects when he saw Chu Yunshen grace the dungeon. Chu Yunshen waved his hand and sat on the seat in the center. Then he stroked the cat as he said airily, “Has he confessed?” “Your Highness, the spy has tight lips and refuses to say a word,” said the jailer helplessly. They had used all instruments of torture on him, but he stubbornly refused to speak. After he passed out twice, they poured water to wake him and continue with the torture. In the end, they still didn’t squeeze anything out of him. “Who instigated you?” asked Chu Yunshen coldly as he looked up the spy who was hanging in the air by his hands. The spy spat a mouthful of blood at him and said, “Kill me if you want to and stop rambling!” Chu Yunshen glanced at the jailer. Then the jailer immediately whipped him and said, “Why are you so stubborn? Are you going to confess now?” In an instant, the room reeked of blood. Cheng Xiaoxiao shrank into Chu Yunshen’s arms as it was too bloody for her. “Is he the one who poured poison on you?” When Chu Yunshen saw the little fellow surprisingly covering her eyes with her paws, something crossed his mind. Cheng Xiaoxiao burrowed into Chu Yunshen’s arms before glancing at the spy. Then she looked at Chu Yunshen and nodded to say, “Meow.” The spy’s eyes turned red when he spotted the lion cat getting along so well with Chu Yunshen. Then he gnashed his teeth and said ferociously, “If I knew this would happen, I would strangle this animal to death!” Chu Yunshen narrowed his eyes as fury brimmed from his eyes. The spy not only hurt his cat but now also threatened to kill her! He wanted to let the spy learn what it felt like to get tortured to insanity! Chu Yunshen cast an eye at Xiaowu. Xiaowu immediately understood his intentions. He removed a whip from his chest and dabbed it into a bucket of chili water on the side. Then Xiaowu walked up to the spy and said, “I suggest you confess quickly and avoid all the suffering.” The spy glowered at Xiaowu and spat at him. Xiaowu gripped the whip tightly before whipping the spy instantly. The determined spy suddenly screamed loudly, “Aaah!” When Cheng Xiaoxiao glanced over, she noticed that Xiaowu’s whip was shockingly covered with tiny hooks. With each blow, the whip ripped off a lot of the spy’s flesh. It was Cheng Xiaoxiao’s first time seeing Xiaowu like this, so she swore to herself never to scratch Xiaowu ever again. It was too scary. “Aren’t you going to confess? Then I can play a little longer,” said Xiaowu as he put down the whip to remove a bottle of medicine from his chest. Then he removed two red pills from it and hastily stuffed it into the spy’s mouth. He wondered what the effects of Mu Bai’s hallucinogenic pills were. Mu Bai said a single pill was already enough to send a strong man mad. And he gave the spy two! “Aaah! Aaah!” The spy’s hysterical screams rang through the dungeon. As Xiaowu held the drug tightly in his hands, he couldn’t help exclaiming, “Doctor Mu’s medicine is incredible.” Under Xiaowu’s interrogation, the spy confessed before long. “Master, he confessed. The spy said that the mastermind is, Wu Youbai, he’s the third prince’s heir. Also, he trained the cat to kill you too.” Chu Yunshen nodded his head as he stroked Cheng Xiaoxiao’s head. Without even raising his head, he said calmly, “Find out if there is an antidote.” Mu Bai only managed to stop the cat’s poison temporarily previously. If it were to act up again… Xiaowu instantly understood what the prince wanted. He left for a while and went over to the spy. “Meow.” It warmed her heart when Cheng Xiaoxiao heard that Chu Yunshen was hunting for her cure. The rims of her eyes went warm as she burrowed her head even deeper into his chest. “Master, he recited a prescription. But I wonder if it’s genuine,” said Xiaowu doubtfully when he walked back to Chu Yunshen’s side. Chu Yunshen carried the cat as he stood up. Then he said, “Write down the prescription and get Mu Bai to see it.” Xiaowu’s eyes glinted as he slapped his forehead. Then he hurriedly said, “Of course! Doctor Mu must know.” Cheng Xiaoxiao continued to lean against Chu Yunshen’s neck and sleep at night. But there was something different about tonight as Chu Yunshen lay in bed sleepless. In the darkness, his eagle eyes were pitch-black. When Cheng Xiaoxiao saw his eyes, they were as dark as the night sky outside and completely colorless. Chu Yunshen’s eyes looked as calm as dead water and didn’t have a ripple in them. His voice sounded dark as he said, “Why does he treat me like this?” “Meow.” Who was he? Cheng Xiaoxiao meowed softly. The cat’s meowing made Chu Yunshen collect himself, and his eyes sank. Then he said, “Forget it. Let’s sleep.” It was strange, but ever since Chu Yunshen slept with the white cat, he was always able to have a good night’s rest. As Cheng Xiaoxiao listened to Chu Yunshen’s breathing, she gradually fell asleep with her head tilted. In between his breathing, Chu Yunshen’s voice sounded distant and ethereal as though they came from thin and gauzy clouds. Early in the morning the next day, Chu Yunshen took Cheng Xiaoxiao and the baby bird out. Once they left the residence doors, they saw Li Sanchuan’s guard standing guard there. “Your Highness,” greeted the guard after he knelt to pay respects to Chu Yunshen. Xiaowu looked around but didn’t see Li Sanchuan. Then he frowned and looked angrily at the guard kneeling before them and asked, “Where is your master?” “Master suddenly fell sick from exhaustion. He won’t be able to see Your Highness off. He hopes Your Highness forgives him.” “Yesterday, he was…” said Xiaowu furiously immediately. Chu Yunshen raised his hand for him to stay quiet. Then he carried the cat and walked down the steps. When he walked past the guard, he said calmly, “A beautiful wife and concubines surround your master, so it’s no surprise that he’s exhausted. I don’t blame him.” The guard’s face instantly turned pale. He knew that the prince was referring to his master’s penchant for new concubines. Despite all the sex he had at night, his master had few children. Then Chu Yunshen went towards the horse carriage. Mu Bai was already waiting for him by the carriage. When he saw the cat and bird on the prince’s shoulder, he immediately bowed to pay respects to him, “Your Highness.” Chu Yunshen waved his hand said, “Dispense with the formalities.” He carried Cheng Xiaoxiao and the baby bird onto the luxurious horse carriage. Then Mu Bai headed towards a similarly opulent horse carriage behind. “Doctor Mu, the beauty pill you gave His Highness was incredible. There isn’t a single scar on His Highness’ face, and his complexion became more radiant. Do you have more? I can get to see Xiao Yue once we return to the capital, and I want to give her a bottle,” said Xiaowu as he chased Mu Bai while he walked to the carriage behind. “Xiaowu.” Chu Yunshen suddenly shouted deeply from the carriage in front. Xiaowu’s voice instantly went soft as he eyed Mu Bai and pointed to the carriage in front. Then whispered and said, “It’s a deal then, Doctor Mu.” After he walked up to the horse carriage window, Xiaowu asked, “Master?” “Meow.” A cat’s purring came from the carriage first. Then Chu Yunshen said expressionlessly through the plush blinds, “Let’s go.” “Yes, Your Highness,” replied Xiaowu as he bowed to the prince. Then he glanced at the housekeeper and the servants standing outside the residence before shouting to the guards behind, “Let’s go!” After Prince Jing’s horse carriage departed from the resident door, all the servants got off the steps and knelt in unison at the carriage as it went further and further away, “Farewell, Your Highness!” The moment the horse carriage went into motion, Cheng Xiaoxiao leaped out of Chu Yunshen’s embrace. She leaned against the window and used her paws to open the blinds and gaze out. They were finally leaving the bitter and cold frontier. “Come over.” Chu Yunshen reached his hand out and patted the thick mink couch gently. He removed a bowl of milk paste from the lunch box on the table. Then he looked right at Cheng Xiaoxiao. Once Cheng Xiaoxiao spotted food, her eyes glinted. Then she turned and ran over to Chu Yunshen with a meow. “Meow, meow.” Chu Yunshen lowered his head to see the little fellow leaning against the couch using her front paws as support. She stared at the bowl in his hands with her eyes misted over. He deliberately raised the bowl in his hand. “Meow.” The little fellow immediately kept using her tiny paws to scratch the mink dangling by the side of the couch nonstop. Then she licked her lips at him as she meowed incessantly. Chu Yunshen couldn’t help laughing out loud when he caught her eyes gleaming. When the guards outside heard the prince laugh, they couldn’t help looking at each other. Did His Highness just laugh? They must be hallucinating. After Cheng Xiaoxiao was done eating, she took jerky from Chu Yunshen and fed the baby bird. Then Chu Yunshen took out a military book to read. By the time Cheng Xiaoxiao finished feeding the baby bird, Chu Yunshen was busy, so she started playing with the baby bird. With every page he flipped, Chu Yunshen’s dark eyes glanced at the cat as it played with the baby bird, and his eyes became instantly more tender. Until… “Come over,” said Chu Yunshen gently after he placed the military book on the table. He looked at Cheng Xiaoxiao as he patted the couch beneath him lightly. Cheng Xiaoxiao was playing with the baby bird. She immediately knew what he wanted. Then she carried the baby bird and darted up the couch and lay by the pillow. As Chu Yunshen looked at how well-behaved the little fellow was, his lips curved upwards into a smile. He lay down and leaned against her warm little head as he closed his eyes. Then Chu Yunshen thought that the journey back to the capital was bound to more interesting with her for company.