"Which law of Qingyan stipulates that guards of the Holy King's Mansion cannot be witnesses?" Dongfang Heng raised an eyebrow at Dongfang Yi, a chilling glint flashing in his deep eyes, sending shivers down one's spine.
Dongfang Yi turned his head, coughed lightly, and said in a loud voice with feigned composure: "In adjudicating a case, there must be a plaintiff and a defendant. We cannot just listen to one side's words and generalize from one side!" Dongfang Han falsely accused Dongfang Heng. It was Dongfang Heng who had been talking the whole time. He had not seen the process.
"Lord Dongfang, you may wake your son and ask him what happened!" Dongfang Heng said calmly.
A guard carried a bucket of cold water forward and poured it over Dongfang Han's head, soaking him completely.
Dongfang Heng! Good, very good, your methods are direct and ruthless!
Under Dongfang Yi's furious, almost spitting fire gaze, Dongfang Han shivered and suddenly opened his eyes. His face was covered in water droplets, and he looked disheveled. His dazed gaze swept over Dongfang Heng and Shen Lixue before landing on Dongfang Yi. He was overjoyed and cried out, "Father, save me!"
"Who seriously injured you?" Dongfang Yi narrowed his eyes, subtly guiding him in the direction he had anticipated.
Dongfang Han slowly turned his head to look at Dongfang Heng. Dongfang Heng was also looking at him, his gaze sharp and cold, as if he could freeze a person instantly. His body trembled violently, and he felt a cold air seep into his back, instantly reaching his limbs, so cold that it was suffocating.
He was shocked and quickly looked away, not daring to look at Dongfang Heng again.
"Why did Prince An seriously injure you?" Dongfang Yi continued to probe.
"I don't know why, but when I was trying to catch someone with a pure heart, he suddenly appeared, didn't catch that person, but beat me up instead!" Dongfang Han clearly felt Dongfang Heng's cold gaze, and his whole body trembled violently. The words he spoke lacked any confidence and were barely audible.
Dongfang Yi was satisfied with Dongfang Han's answer and looked coldly at Dongfang Heng: "Prince An, my son killed someone to take a heart for you and bears a heavy infamy. Not only are you not grateful, but you also seriously injured my son. Isn't that too inhumane!"
Dongfang Heng ignored his questioning and focused his gaze on Dongfang Han: "Dongfang Han, was it your own idea to lead people to kill Ye Qianlong and steal his heart?"
"Second Brother suffers from a heart ailment and needs a heart to save his life!" Dongfang Han argued urgently.
"Stop talking nonsense, just answer yes or no!" Dongfang Heng's sharp eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in them.
Dongfang Han trembled violently, gritted his teeth, and said, "Yes!"
"When you killed Ye Qianlong, you kept saying that you were taking his heart for me?" Dongfang Heng continued to ask.
"Yes!" Dongfang Han gritted his teeth, the simple word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
Dongfang Heng turned to Dongfang Yi: "I never gave any orders, yet he used my name to indiscriminately kill innocent people and frame me. In the military camp, this crime is enough to warrant his execution. I only gave him one hundred lashes. Does Lord Dongfang think that's excessive?"
Dongfang Yi was furious. He had tried his best to persuade Han'er, but Dongfang Heng had still won the case. Han'er was really clueless and had falsely accused Prince Qingyan. This was enough to get Han'er beheaded. It was not excessive for Dongfang Heng to give him a hundred lashes: "Han'er is already seriously injured. A hundred lashes will kill him!"
"The punishment was decreed by the Emperor and must be carried out. Life and death are left to fate!" Dongfang Heng walked slowly towards the room, his cold voice echoing in the air: "I urgently need rest and dislike noise. One hundred strokes of the military rod must be completed within a quarter of an hour!"
"Yes!" The guards responded with a thunderous shout, raising their batons and striking the people on the benches swiftly and fiercely. In an instant, the entire Maple Pine Courtyard echoed with the sound of batons and screams of agony.
Shen Lixue glanced at Dongfang Yi, then walked past the guards and slowly approached the room, disappearing behind the door along with Dongfang Heng's figure.
Looking at his son, who was half-beaten and still being tortured, Dongfang Yi's face turned ashen, and his large hands clenched tightly. Dongfang Heng wanted to beat Han'er to death and make him childless. This was too much!
As night fell, the Maple Pine Courtyard was quiet. The military batons and stools used to beat people were all removed, and the few traces of blood in the courtyard were cleaned up. In the corner of the room, a golden incense burner on a carved round table emitted a faint, refreshing, and pleasant scent of pine.
After a simple dinner and a bath, Dongfang Heng sat on the bed and looked out the window. In the night sky, a crescent moon hung high, reflecting the countless stars, creating an indescribably beautiful scene.
"Squeak!" The slightly closed door was pushed open, and Shen Lixue walked in. Her hair was loosely tied up, exuding indescribable elegance, nobility, and charm. She was carrying a tray with two white jade wine cups on it.
A faint aroma of wine wafted through the air; it was osmanthus wine. Dongfang Heng looked at Shen Lixue and raised an eyebrow: "What brings you to drink in the middle of the night?"
"Don't you think drinking wine on a beautiful night with flowers in bloom and a full moon is one of the greatest pleasures in life?" Shen Lixue handed one of the cups of wine to Dongfang Heng.
Dongfang Heng looked out the window again. The sky was full of stars, and the moon was only a crescent. What kind of night is this?
A light fragrance lingered, refreshing and captivating, quite pleasant. Dongfang Heng looked at Shen Lixue: "You've been using incense?"
"Yes, it tastes good, doesn't it!" Shen Lixue usually doesn't like incense, but she made an exception for tonight.
“Indeed, she is quite good!” Dongfang Heng nodded, secretly observing Shen Lixue. Tonight, she was very noble, elegant, and charming, completely different from her usual aloof self. However, he felt that something was off about her, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
"Cheers!" Shen Lixue smiled and touched Dongfang Heng's glass, then drank the osmanthus wine in one gulp.
Seeing that Dongfang Heng had also finished his drink, her eyes flickered unnaturally, and a blush appeared on her beautiful face.
Taking the cup from Dongfang Heng and placing it on the bedside table, Shen Lixue sat down beside the bed: "Dongfang Heng, you have severely injured Dongfang Han, leaving him on the verge of death. Dongfang Yi will never let this go easily!"
Dongfang Heng smiled and shook his head: "This father and son are ambitious. Even without the hundred lashes, I wouldn't be able to get along with them peacefully for long."
Besides, he didn't have much time to live under the same roof with them anymore.
Shen Lixue blinked and slowly took off her outer garment, revealing a light blue strapless dress. The dress was tight-fitting, showing off her exquisite figure. Her fair skin and delicate collarbones were captivating. The white crystal swallows reflected the light blue cloud brocade, making her look indescribably noble and beautiful.
Dongfang Heng's gaze sharpened, and he moved to the side of the bed, making room for the inside of the large bed: "It's getting late, and you've had a long day, so get some rest!"
Shen Lixue didn't lie down on the inside of the bed, but sat on the edge of the bed. Under Dongfang Heng's questioning gaze, she slowly moved closer to him and kissed his thin lips with her cherry lips.
Dongfang Heng felt a jolt, as if an electric current had surged from his lips to his heart. Looking at Shen Lixue's slightly closed eyelids and her slightly flushed face, his gaze deepened. Lixue was kissing him on her own initiative.
Shen Lixue's kiss was inexperienced and simple; she merely held Dongfang Heng's lips in her mouth, gently sucking on them. The fragrant scent seeped into Dongfang Heng's mouth through her lips and teeth, causing him to become confused and infatuated. He hurriedly pushed Shen Lixue away, his dark eyes as deep as a pool: "Lixue, you're drunk!"
"Mmm!" Shen Lixue responded softly, blinked, and leaned in again to lightly kiss Dongfang Heng's lips. Her fair arms climbed up his neck, and her soft, boneless body pressed against his strong chest.
Dongfang Heng's blood boiled instantly, a dark glint flashed in his eyes, he flipped over and pinned Shen Lixue to the bed, his thin lips quickly taking the initiative, sealing her sweet lips with a hot kiss as passionate as fire and as fierce as a storm, making Shen Lixue almost breathless.
Shen Lixue's long eyelashes trembled, and she opened her eyes. Looking at Dongfang Heng's handsome face so close to hers, she smiled slightly and wrapped her arms around his neck even tighter.
In a moment of passion and confusion, Dongfang Heng's jade-like fingers loosened the ribbon around her waist, and the snow-blue brocade fluttered gently to the ground. Soft kisses landed on her fair skin, blossoming into pink plum blossoms...
"Dongfang Heng!" Shen Lixue's face flushed, her eyes slightly closed, her eyelashes trembling as she murmured softly.
"Mmm!" Dongfang Heng's voice was hoarse as he left one mark after another on her body. His strong arms tightly encircled her slender waist, as if he wanted to meld her into his body and never separate her again.
Shen Lixue's loose hairpins were scattered messily, like flower petals, covering most of the bed.