[To Become a River of Stars] Dong Xiange - Chapter 13
Before descending the mountain, her senior brother had given Shiliu some inside information: their target this time was none other than Prince Ding.
Prince Ding was a hidden thorn in the emperor’s side, though never spoken of openly. Naturally, a great deal of intelligence had been gathered about him. Legend had it that Prince Ding was cruel and bloodthirsty, capable of slaughtering the unborn and burning the innocent. Paired with his fiendishly handsome appearance, it invited endless speculation.
Some said Prince Ding was decadent and debauched; though merely a feudal prince, he kept countless beautiful slaves, bedding several women day and night with endless perverse variations, using all manner of unspeakable devices on these enslaved beauties.
Others said Prince Ding did not discriminate between men and women—he traveled both the watery path and the dry path. He did not seek out the elegant youths of the southern studios but instead preyed upon respectable, virtuous young men, a truly lamentable affair.
When Shiliu had first heard this, she felt a flicker of disdain.
But her disdain was different from that worn openly on her senior brothers’ faces.
What she thought was: Why is it that when both are equally debauched, the enslaved women are called “beautiful slaves” in others’ mouths, while the men become “victimized good men”?
Weren’t they all people ruined by this jade-faced King of Hell? Why must they be ranked into grades?
Shiliu studied Wang Qi carefully. He did have the appearance of a fine man—he didn’t look like a male favorite but more like a scholar.
Wang Qi noticed her gaze and looked back, offering her a friendly smile. That smile alone was like ice melting on a river, brimming with the warmth of spring.
Shiliu’s face remained unchanged, but inwardly, she promoted Wang Qi one rank—from scholar to provincial graduate.
“Your Highness, since that morning months ago when you discovered the spirit in your residence and gave chase, much time has passed. Your return today surely means you have succeeded. Shoudan congratulates Your Highness on achieving your heart’s desire and obtaining your wish.”
His words carried a tone of familiarity, and Wang Qi used his courtesy name in front of Prince Ding, clearly setting himself apart from ordinary servants and attendants.
Shiliu glanced at Prince Ding’s reaction—no displeasure, which confirmed it.
Whether attendants or stewards, all were cautious and tight-lipped in front of Prince Ding. Yet Wang Qi had entered without summons, speaking and smiling with ease. It seemed the rumors were true: he held some favor in Prince Ding’s eyes.
Li Xuanci sat at the head, his expression faint. He gave a slight nod in response, then raised a hand, his pale fingertips flicking lightly toward the steward.
That flick would end two lives.
The steward’s eyes held a trace of reluctance, though he dared not show it on his face, and he prepared to withdraw.
“Wait.”
Shiliu spoke up to stop him, blocking the steward’s path. “The spirit was discovered within the residence?”
The question was somewhat abrupt. Dressed as a Taoist priest and suddenly appearing beside Prince Ding, the steward was uncertain how to respond. He glanced at the prince seated above but saw only a neutral expression—neither pleased nor displeased.
Seeing this, the steward made a decision and replied, “Yes, it was discovered in the side courtyard to the southeast.”
“What is its purpose?” she pressed.
The question was too brief, but fortunately, the steward was experienced and understood she was asking about the side courtyard’s use and who lived there. “That is where the… female dependents of the residence reside.”
That deliberate pause made Shiliu realize immediately—it housed the legendary beautiful slaves. Recalling the steward’s earlier evasiveness, her gaze sharpened, and she stared at him as she asked, “How many months into the pregnancy?”
The steward seemed not to have expected this young Taoist to have such sharp hearing, nor such audacity. This scandalous secret, something never to see the light of day, had been boldly exposed by this reckless young priest who feared not Prince Ding’s wrath…
He stole a glance at the prince, who by all rights should have been furious with humiliation, yet saw no trace of murderous rage. Instead, those icy eyes narrowed slightly, and then he raised a brow almost imperceptibly.
The steward looked back at the young Taoist, silently reassessing her importance, then relaxed and reported truthfully.
“It was confirmed about two months along. The matron noticed she hadn’t had her monthly bleeding for two consecutive months and reported it. We summoned a physician, and the pulse reading indicated a slippery pulse.”
“What was unusual about it?” Shiliu stared fixedly at the steward’s face, not missing the slightest change in his expression.
The question was interesting—it seemed she was certain there was something strange. The steward, however, interpreted it differently and began to sweat as he replied, “His Highness has been away from the residence for nearly three months…”
Away for three months, yet two months pregnant—naturally, this meant the King of Hell had been crowned with a new hat, and one of a particularly unpopular shade.
But Shiliu pressed on, interrupting, “That’s irrelevant. I asked what was unusual.”
The steward nearly bit his tongue. Irrelevant? Unimportant? Yet the prince showed no intention of stopping the young Taoist, so he had to continue.
His Highness isn’t usually this tolerant, he thought. Didn’t he just casually condemn two lives to death a moment ago?
“How did you surmise there was something unusual?” he asked cautiously.
“You’ve served for years, yet you spoke up for the woman after Prince Ding ordered her death. If it wasn’t out of personal interest, then there must be something peculiar about the situation. That’s the first point.”
What Shiliu actually thought was: You’ve been cleaning up after this murderous King of Hell for so long, you must be an expert by now. If you had any compassion, it wouldn’t have waited until now to appear. Given your age, physique, and nerve, it’s unlikely you could have impregnated a young woman in one go. Since you’re not the lover, yet dared to speak up in front of this devil, it means there must be something strange going on.
“That spirit feared light and heat. Three months ago, the sun would have been strongest in the southeast. There are plenty of shady woods and water sources in this residence where it could have hidden—that wasn’t a good place for it. Yet it went there anyway. That’s the second point.”
And then this happened. Shiliu thought of the erotic dream she’d had earlier and immediately sensed something odd.
That was when she decided to intervene. Otherwise, she really wouldn’t have wanted to confront this King of Hell so soon.
The steward looked at the young Taoist in surprise, then noticed the prince also straightening up as if listening intently, so he spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube, “The pregnant woman is called Su Qiuxin. She was detained immediately after being discovered, but later we realized something was very wrong.”
“The residence is strictly managed, especially after His Highness left. According to the physician’s estimation of the conception date, those few days coincided exactly when the female dependents were gathered together daily for prayers and blessings.”
“Explain in detail.”
“The spirit was first discovered in the residence. Everyone witnessed its terror. After His Highness left chasing the spirit, the women, concerned over his prolonged absence, agreed to pray together for his safety and to ward off disaster. Those few days, they all gathered in the Buddhist hall.”
“There were guards outside the hall, and matrons watched the inner doors. To show devotion, they secluded themselves inside during that time. Meals were brought in, and everyone ate and slept together, never leaving each other’s company.”
“I questioned everyone carefully afterward. During that time, Su Qiuxin was always with others. Even at night, she slept in a room with two others. In theory, it should have been impossible for a man to sneak in. The matrons guarding the inner and outer doors also reported nothing unusual.”
He paused here. Shiliu’s expression shifted, and she immediately asked, “What else?”
The steward hesitated but finally confessed: “The strangest thing is that Su Qiuxin insisted stubbornly that it was… it was His Highness who entered her dream. She claimed she conceived His Highness’s bloodline in the dream.”
By the end, the steward’s voice had dropped to a whisper, his head bowed so low he dared not look at Li Xuanci’s expression.
Shiliu’s eyes widened with excitement. Just as I guessed!
She glanced at Li Xuanci. How fascinating. His eyes held a deathly stillness. Since entering the residence, he had heard many bizarre things, but this time he was truly provoked.
For some reason, Shiliu felt that Li Xuanci’s anger wasn’t so much about being cuckolded but rather because he found himself stirred by such vulgar, despicable matters, which angered him even more.
“It’s strange. The spirit was first discovered in the side courtyard as well. Perhaps…” Wang Qi interjected, looking thoughtful.
Shiliu glanced at Wang Qi, then pondered his words. Could this be related to my own dream?
Thinking this, she turned to Li Xuanci and said, “Your Highness, I wish to investigate this thoroughly. It might be related to…” She twisted her wrist slightly, hinting at the mark.
Li Xuanci’s face remained as cold as black ice. After a long moment, he finally spat out, “If you find nothing, once this matter is concluded, I will have you and her sliced together.”
Again with this, Shiliu rolled her eyes inwardly. Save the big talk for after we’ve broken the curse.