Deposed 8

Chapter 8. The Body Search

The Crown Prince’s guards clenched their fists, instinctively moving to block, but were stopped by Mu Yun’s gaze.

“Stand down. Do not be disrespectful to the Marquis.”

The youth’s tone was gentle, his voice like striking jade. It was neither the arrogance and domineering manner they had imagined nor the dark and violent temper they had anticipated. Instead, it reminded one of the gentle, rippling waters of a Jiangnan spring.

Ripple after ripple, scratching at one’s heart.

Wei Zhao’s mind echoed the words his advisors had told him earlier: “The Crown Prince is deeply cunning, most skilled in feigning weakness and manipulating people’s hearts. Even His Majesty is often deceived and unable to discern right from wrong. Your Lordship must not be careless.”

Wei Zhao had initially paid no heed.

But seeing the situation before him now, he found it rather interesting.

“I hear that Your Highness refuses to cooperate with this subject’s search?”

Wei Zhao leaned down slightly, his long fingers pushed aside the amber wine cup on the table, casting the youth in shadow. His voice was as patient and gentle as any hunter waiting for its prey to enter the trap.

But those who knew Wei Zhao well knew that Marquis Wei’s smile and gentleness were even more terrifying than his blade.

Usually, he only showed this strange expression when he wanted to kill someone.

The Crown Prince’s guards naturally also sensed the invisible killing intent emanating from the young Marquis’s phoenix eyes. They gripped their swords tightly, ready to fight to the death to protect His Highness at any moment.

Wei Zhao’s personal guards also broke out in a cold sweat.

However, in this suffocatingly tense atmosphere, the youth, who should have been the most nervous and fearful, simply stared at Marquis Wei with his large, clear, innocent eyes, as if he were completely unaware that he was in danger.

“The Marquis is investigating the case under imperial decree. How dare this Prince not comply? It’s just…”

The youth seemed a little embarrassed and tightly clenched and unclenched his sleeves. After a long moment, he finally mustered up the courage to say, “This Prince is weak and has always been afraid of the aura of weapons. Could… could those two soldiers remove their armor and weapons, bathe, and wash their hands before searching this Prince?”

The youth’s starry eyes were soft and gentle, filled with a pleading look.

It made one feel that anyone in the world with even a shred of conscience would be reluctant to refuse his request.

The two personal guards who were assigned to search the Crown Prince blushed. It was true. They had rushed back to the imperial capital from the northern frontier. Their armor was covered in dust, their swords still smelled of roasted mutton, their clothes and socks were soaked in sweat, and their hands were rough, dark, and hadn’t been washed in days. How could they casually offend the noble and dignified Crown Prince, whose skin seemed to exude a milky fragrance?

Wei Zhao didn’t smell any milky fragrance. He only thought of a particularly cunning type of little wolf cub he had seen in the far north of the northern frontier.

Ordinary wolf cubs were gray or yellow, but this little wolf cub was a ball of snow-white fur. From a young age, it knew how to disguise itself as a fox and sneak into fox dens to steal food. When it encountered humans, it would roll around in the snow and act cute, looking pure and harmless. But once you lowered your guard, it would quietly extend its wolf claws and leave a bloody scratch on your back…

Just like the little Crown Prince in front of him.

The same ferocious nature.

The same ability to pretend to be pitiful.

Wei Zhao sneered inwardly, but his voice became even gentler, “This subject understands Your Highness’s concerns.”

“Your Highness’s status is noble. How can just anyone casually touch Your Highness’s esteemed body? Therefore—”

His low, magnetic voice was almost a whisper:

“This subject will personally search Your Highness.”

…

The air seemed to crackle.

The Crown Prince’s guards and Wei Zhao’s personal guards all gasped.

And the youth, who had been sitting calmly behind the table, finally showed a ripple in his tranquil, starlike eyes.

Sigh, it seems I’ve overplayed my hand.

The youth sighed inwardly. He put on a surprised expression, hesitated for a moment, and then obediently offered his wrist.

“Then… I will trouble the Marquis to prove this Prince’s innocence.”

The Crown Prince’s guards: “…..”

He offered it?! He just offered it like that?! Good heavens, Your Highness, wake up!

Wei Zhao raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.

He so readily handed over his lifeline?

Did he know he had no way to escape, so he was obediently submitting, or was there another trap waiting for him to jump into?

He smiled wryly, reached out, and his long fingers wrapped around that jade-like wrist, accurately pressing on the pulse point.

“Wait… Your Highness!”

The Crown Prince’s guards felt their scalps tingle. They finally realized that something was wrong and drew their swords to block, but they were forced back several steps by a gust of wind. When they looked up again, there was no sign of their Highness or the Marquis of Dingbei in the hall!

Many people who were secretly watching the show also gasped at this scene.

Judging by the Marquis of Dingbei’s posture, it was hard to say what he would find. He might just dismantle the Crown Prince to avenge that stab from years ago.

For the first time in a long time, they felt a little sympathy for the wicked little Crown Prince.

***

The place Wei Zhao chose for the search was an empty side room.

More accurately, it was a bedroom. Apart from the bed curtains, there was only a round table and six folding screens. The screens were thick and sturdy. Behind them, a bronze beast-shaped incense burner emitted an unknown calming fragrance.

The personal guards consciously retreated outside to stand guard.

Wei Zhao held the youth’s right wrist with one hand, brought it over his head, and pressed him firmly against one of the black lacquered screens. His other hand loosely circled the youth’s body, and he lowered his voice, carrying a hint of coaxing, “Your Highness, tell this subject the truth. Is Your Highness involved in the poisoning of the First Prince?”

This posture was powerful and aggressive.

As if threatening, his hand moved down and pressed lightly on the white jade belt around the youth’s waist. Unlike the usual pampered and corpulent sons of nobility, the youth’s waist was lean and strong, without an ounce of excess fat. When taut, it was like a drawn bowstring, beautiful and elegant, obviously honed from years of martial arts training. His fingers pressed on the hidden buckle of the belt. With just a light flick, he could easily remove the entire jade belt.

“Otherwise, this subject will have to slowly search Your Highness’s person.”

Wei Zhao added deliberately, after delivering his threat.

Throughout their interaction, the little Crown Prince had remained gentle, docile, and completely submissive, showing no resistance whatsoever.

This made Wei Zhao particularly vigilant.

He thought, the best way to deal with this kind of little wolf cub who is good at disguising is to strike directly at his vital points and draw out his little wolf claws.

The oppressive aura, carrying the scent of blood and slaughter, pressed down. It was a unique aura possessed only by those who had experienced countless battles. They were so close that their breaths mingled. Mu Yun felt suffocated. Every inch of his skin, every hair on his body was on high alert. He could only slightly tilt his head back and was forced to meet the gaze of the tall figure before him.

The man still had the same unrestrained and dashing appearance from his memory. His strong features seemed to be carved by a knife and chiseled by an axe, handsome and profound. The bulging lines of his muscles were faintly visible under the dark blue fabric of his clothes. His broad shoulders and solid chest seemed capable of shielding one from all the storms of the world. Due to his long-held position of power, every move he made exuded an air of authority and dignity, commanding respect without even trying.

Unfortunately, times have changed, and circumstances have shifted. There would never be a place for him behind those shoulders…

While the youth was lost in his wild thoughts, he moved uneasily. However, as soon as he showed a hint of struggle, the hand pressing on his waist suddenly tightened, gripping his waist firmly and pressing him back against the black lacquered screen.

That was an extremely sensitive spot.

“Hmm…” The youth’s breath hitched, and his waist immediately went weak.

Wei Zhao naturally noticed the subtle change in the body in his arms. He tapped his fingers on the youth’s waist, his threat even more pronounced, “This subject will ask one more time. Is Your Highness involved in the poisoning of the First Prince? If Your Highness insists on not cooperating, do not blame this subject for being rough.”

With a light flick of his little finger, the first hidden buckle of the jade belt was undone.