Chapter Forty-Four: Stealing Medicine

Qing Chang laughed and said, “Yu Hualiang, what are you saying?”

Yu Hualiang, too tired to get angry, replied, “Just go out.”

When Qing Chang left, Cao Zhiling leapt out, saying, “I've told you, that guy needs to be taught a lesson.”

“Enough, don’t stir up trouble,” Yu Hualiang said, his voice low. “I heard from the Seventh Prince that he won’t be coming back tonight. Tonight, we’ll search his room for the medicine.”

He continued in a somber tone, “Then I’ll escape, and never come back.”

Cao Zhiling suddenly suggested, “Come with me to Fanhe.”

Yu Hualiang looked up at him with a bitter smile. “I almost got you killed.”

“You didn’t know.”

Those words brought Yu Hualiang unexpected relief.

Night fell. Yu Hualiang walked to the Seventh Prince’s bedchamber, only to stumble upon the maid who’d come for a clandestine rendezvous with Qing Chang. This time, Yu Hualiang caught them red-handed.

The maid wasn’t particularly beautiful, just ordinary, but somehow the two of them seemed to suit each other.

Caught in adultery, Yu Hualiang sat in a chair, sipping tea, ready to enlighten them.

The timid maid knelt on the floor, pleading, “Master Yu, Yu Hualiang, I was wrong. Please, give me another chance.”

Qing Chang, realizing their secret was exposed, looked terrified, fearing Yu Hualiang would report them to the Seventh Prince, knowing well how severe the punishments in the prince’s mansion could be.

He remembered how a guard was once denied entry simply out of contempt for Yu Hualiang—and had his eye gouged out, never to be seen again.

Caught in adultery, the maid would be drowned in a pig cage, and the man would lose his manhood.

This was a matter of lifelong happiness; how could Qing Chang not panic?

Yu Hualiang scolded them, “I’m warning you today. You didn’t listen.”

He intended to say a few words and let it go, but Qing Chang misunderstood, thinking Yu Hualiang meant he’d already given him a chance in the morning, and now that he was caught, there’d be no mercy.

Frustrated, Qing Chang lashed out, jumped onto the table, grabbed a teacup, smashed it, and used the shards to threaten the maid.

This dramatic scene unfolded before Yu Hualiang’s eyes, Qing Chang’s movements swift and decisive, leaving Yu Hualiang stunned.

The maid, confused and frightened, cried out. Qing Chang pressed the shard closer to her and snapped, “Stop screaming, you wretched woman—it’s all your fault.”

Yu Hualiang, calm in crisis, asked, “What are you doing?”

“Don’t play dumb. Everyone knows offending you is a death sentence!”

Yu Hualiang was baffled—where did these rumors come from?

He laughed. “When did I ever say I wanted you dead?”

Qing Chang ignored him and raged, “You damned cut sleeve, at least I play with women. You’re played by men!”

That remark truly angered Yu Hualiang; his smile froze, and his gaze turned lethal. If looks could kill, Qing Chang would have dropped dead.

Oblivious, Qing Chang sneered, “What are you looking at, you cut sleeve? If you don’t want to die, hand over your token!”

Yu Hualiang retorted coldly, “Even if I gave you the token, you wouldn’t get out of this door.”

Qing Chang hesitated, but reasoned there were only three people in the room, and Yu Hualiang didn’t know martial arts—surely he couldn’t be stopped.

“Hmph, cut sleeve, don’t try to scare me. Hand over the token now.”

“You don’t believe me?” Yu Hualiang provoked, “Let her go, and let’s see who wins.”

Qing Chang considered: if Yu Hualiang offered himself, why not seize him as a hostage? He could escape the prince’s mansion, lock Yu Hualiang up for a few days, then release him—by then, he’d be long gone, and the prince would never find him.

“Have you thought it through? I’m a powerless cut sleeve, what are you afraid of?” Yu Hualiang continued to taunt.

Qing Chang made up his mind. “Fine, but if you try anything, I’ll kill you. One life for another!”

Yu Hualiang, confident, approached. Qing Chang shoved the maid aside and grabbed Yu Hualiang. Once assured the maid was safe, Yu Hualiang motioned for her to leave.

But Qing Chang noticed and pressed the shard to Yu Hualiang’s neck. “Try anything, and see what happens.”

In that moment, Yu Hualiang quietly clamped Qing Chang’s wrist, and with a hint of irritation asked, “Do you know what I hate most?”

“I don’t care!” Qing Chang, oblivious, reached for Yu Hualiang’s token.

Suddenly, his wrist went numb and the shard dropped. Before Qing Chang could react, Yu Hualiang twisted his arm behind his back, making him cry out in pain.

“I hate people calling me a cut sleeve,” Yu Hualiang said.

Qing Chang never expected Yu Hualiang to know martial arts. He struggled and tried to attack Yu Hualiang.

Yu Hualiang, his body bruised from practice, was no novice. He used the moves Cao Zhiling taught him to spar with Qing Chang.

He sidestepped, letting Qing Chang rush past, then caught his arm and twisted hard.

The sound of bones grinding echoed, and Qing Chang realized his arm felt broken, writhing on the floor in agony.

“And I hate people touching me,” Yu Hualiang added.

The maid was terrified, frozen on the floor. Yu Hualiang gently helped her up. “Are you all right?”

She never imagined the man everyone called the prince’s plaything could be so strong and gentle.

A sudden wish arose—if only he weren’t a cut sleeve. She thanked him, “Thank you, Master Yu, for saving me.”

Yu Hualiang admonished her, “As a woman, cherish yourself. I won’t speak of this matter—go now.”

“Thank you, Master Yu.” The maid left in tears. Qing Chang, still sprawled on the floor, tried to resist, but Yu Hualiang kicked him aside.

He said, “I won’t speak of tonight. From tomorrow on, leave my courtyard. Don’t let me see you.”

Then he went over and reset Qing Chang’s arm. As Qing Chang savored the relief of survival, he couldn’t swallow his resentment. When Yu Hualiang turned his back, Qing Chang tried to attack.

Fortunately, Cao Zhiling knocked him out with a punch. Yu Hualiang checked if he was alive—after all, Cao Zhiling was strong enough to shatter bones.

“He’s alive. You’ve improved your moves,” Cao Zhiling remarked.

Yu Hualiang grinned, “Of course. Wasn’t I cool just now?”

Cao Zhiling ignored him—if he hadn’t intervened, Yu Hualiang would be lying on the floor.

Yu Hualiang knew Cao Zhiling was like this, so he said nothing. The two slipped into the Seventh Prince’s chambers under cover of darkness; guards watched the roof and doors.

Seeing Yu Hualiang, the guards didn’t dare block him; they knew what happened to the last two who tried, and Cao Zhiling’s agility made entry easy.

Yu Hualiang whispered, “It’s here.”

He twisted the lamp stand, revealing a hidden chamber. Cao Zhiling was momentarily stunned by the array of medicine bottles, but quickly began searching.

Yu Hualiang warned, “That side’s poison, this side’s antidotes.”

Cao Zhiling searched while Yu Hualiang kept watch. Suddenly, Cao Zhiling froze. Yu Hualiang’s heart raced—whenever Cao Zhiling acted like this, trouble was brewing.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Someone’s coming. Two, both skilled…”

“What do we do?” Yu Hualiang panicked, guessing it was the Seventh Prince and Ye Fang returning.

If Cao Zhiling left now, he’d likely be caught by the guards, and there was nowhere to hide.

Cao Zhiling felt his knife at his waist. “Looks like it’ll be a fight to the death!”

Yu Hualiang hated that fatalistic look—he believed there was always a way.

He remembered the Seventh Prince rarely opened this secret chamber except for medicine; who takes medicine without reason? So it should be safe inside, but the door only opened from outside—he’d have to stay out.

“Quick, get inside. This secret room should be soundproof. Hide there, and I’ll come back tomorrow to let you out.”

Cao Zhiling worried, “What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me—I’ll manage!”

Yu Hualiang settled Cao Zhiling, glanced around the room—there really was nowhere else to hide. The Seventh Prince was almost here; there was no other choice.

Dignity abandoned, Yu Hualiang lay on the bed, turning restlessly until he felt something hard underneath. He reached down and found a knife.

He hesitated, and just then, the door opened. The Seventh Prince spoke to Ye Fang in a low voice, “Is everything ready?”

“Yes, Your Highness, all is prepared.”

The prince was about to speak when he saw someone on the bed. He ordered Ye Fang to check quietly, then asked coldly, “Who’s on the bed?”

Yu Hualiang paused, then pretended to be waking up, turning to face the Seventh Prince’s grim expression.

Seeing it was Yu Hualiang, the prince was surprised, then relaxed with a smile. “Ziliang, what are you doing here?”

Yu Hualiang quickly improvised, “Because… tonight is the full moon.”

He remembered once when Aliu tried to force herself on him during the full moon. Clearly, the full moon night held special meaning.

The Seventh Prince immediately reacted, sitting at the bed’s edge and speaking gently, “Didn't I tell you I wouldn’t be back tonight? Ziliang, you’re willing to keep an empty room for me?”

Yu Hualiang meant only to ask if he was coming or not, but the prince imagined a deeper significance. Yu Hualiang gave a silly smile, “Since you’re back, I’ll be leaving.”

He lifted the blanket to leave, but the prince wasn’t having it—he pulled Yu Hualiang back.

“If you waited for me, how can you leave now that I’ve returned?”

Yu Hualiang had to admit, the prince had a point. He wanted to cry but forced a defense, “See, it’s so late—you must be tired. I shouldn’t disturb you.”

The prince held him, lying back on the bed, startling Yu Hualiang. As he tried to escape, the prince whispered in his ear, “I know what you’re worried about. Until you truly accept me, I won’t do anything to you. But since you came to me tonight, let me hold you while we sleep…”

Yu Hualiang slowly turned, their faces close. The prince smiled, “Ziliang, take off your shoes.”

Yu Hualiang shivered—such a rookie mistake! Had the prince seen through his excuse?

The Seventh Prince held him, slowly closing his eyes. Yu Hualiang stared at him, realizing the danger.