Chapter 32: The Punishment of the Comb

Before Shen Tubai could make sense of the situation, an uninvited guest appeared outside her quarters.

Du Ruo wisely retreated, and Su Ye tremblingly placed a piece of silver into Shen Tubai’s hand. Shen Tubai accepted it as usual, ready to serve tea and see her off.

Suddenly, Su Ye knelt down. "It’s my fault. I know it’s all my fault. I apologize to you—please, I beg you, save me, will you?"

Su Ye curled her body into a ball, looking pitiful. She cautiously reached out to grab the hem of Shen Tubai’s skirt, but Shen Tubai stepped aside to avoid her touch.

Su Ye burst into tears, pulling up her sleeves to show her wounds. "I was driven to the woodshed by Concubine Lu; any servant can bully me now. I truly know I was wrong. Why can’t you save me?"

Shen Tubai, being a reasonable person, crouched down and looked into Su Ye’s eyes. "When I first entered the Prince’s manor, there was no enmity between us. Yet, you relied on Nanny Xin’s backing to steal my belongings and conspired with others to humiliate me."

"If I hadn’t struggled with all my might to seek help from the Prince that day, would you and Nanny Xin have truly ruined my face?"

"I..." Su Ye wanted to defend herself, but meeting Shen Tubai’s gaze, she couldn't utter a word.

"The idea of a fake pregnancy was your suggestion to Concubine Lu. If the Prince had believed your lies, what would have become of me?" Shen Tubai raised an eyebrow slightly.

Su Ye closed her eyes in despair. She knew Shen Tubai would have ended up like Qin Hongmian, vanished from the manor, her fate unknown.

"The state you are in now is of your own making. I haven't kicked you while you were down—does that not count as mercy?" Shen Tubai gestured for her to leave.

Su Ye had no argument, yet she still tried to fight for a way out. "I deserve to die, but since you spared me before, why not see it through to the end?"

"You used to be the one favored above all. Are you content with how Concubine Lu treats you now? I have ways to deal with her; I could be very useful to you..."

"Shh." Shen Tubai placed a finger to her lips, gently smoothing the hair on her forehead. "First it was Concubine Lu, then the future Princess, and now you want to defect to me."

"You play both sides so well, yet you’ve ended up in this state. How can you expect me to believe you have any use?" Shen Tubai stated the facts calmly, without a hint of mockery.

Yet, this gave Su Ye a false hope. She accused her loudly, "So you have the heart to watch me die?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Shen Tubai looked at her in confusion. "You and I are enemies who nearly killed one another. If you die, I should be happy."

Shen Tubai spoke the most terrifying words in the calmest of tones, and Su Ye scrambled backward in terror.

***

Shen Tubai let her go. As Su Ye was about to flee, she offered one piece of advice: "You play both sides, so no one in the entire inner courtyard will help you. Rather than pinning your hopes on others, you should find a way to save yourself."

After that day, Shen Tubai enjoyed a period of tranquility. Whether the Cui family had given up or simply lost their intermediary, Su Ye, Shen Tubai never received another letter from them after returning from the Thousand Buddhas Temple.

With her life no longer under threat, Shen Tubai couldn't be bothered to spare them another glance. She followed the methods provided by the head matron to nurture her pregnancy, determined to minimize the burden on her body.

Days passed. Shen Tubai remained confined to her courtyard. Li Tinghan frequently had Eunuch Luzhu deliver fabrics and jewelry, though he rarely appeared in person.

Lu Yuanshuang grew increasingly triumphant, and for once, the inner chambers were peaceful—until a scream shattered the silence of the night.

The sound was so wretched that even Shen Tubai broke into a cold sweat. "What is it? What happened?"

Shen Tubai groped in the darkness. Hearing the commotion, Chun Chan rushed in to light a candle, soothing her softly, "It is nothing, nothing at all. I have already sent someone to check; if anything has happened, they will certainly return to report it to you, Mistress."

Chun Chan was the only one in the courtyard who guessed that Shen Tubai was pregnant, so she had been monitoring her mood closely, fearful of any accidents.

Shen Tubai wiped the sweat from her brow and gradually calmed down, though she found it impossible to fall asleep.

Unknowingly, dawn arrived. Shen Tubai keenly sensed that the atmosphere in the courtyard was off; everyone looked terrified and pale.

Shen Tubai frowned slightly. "What exactly happened?"

Chun Chan glanced at Shen Tubai’s stomach with concern. "Last night, Su Ye died."

"I see." Shen Tubai’s hand holding the spoon paused. Su Ye had always been desperate to climb the social ladder. After being bullied so severely in Lu Yuanshuang's courtyard, appealing to the Prince was her only chance.

But with Lu Yuanshuang currently at the height of her power, if Su Ye couldn't successfully secure the Prince's protection, being discovered by Lu Yuanshuang would only lead to a more miserable fate. Still, Shen Tubai hadn't expected Lu Yuanshuang to be so ruthless as to beat her to death within the manor.

Shen Tubai felt as if the chicken soup in her mouth tasted of blood. She set the bowl aside. "How did the Prince react?"

***

Chun Chan replied, "It seems that after the scene Su Ye caused yesterday, the Prince left the Cold Frost Pavilion. Before leaving, he handed Su Ye over to the Concubine to deal with... The Prince has now locked himself in his study and refuses to see anyone."

Chun Chan intentionally blurred the details of Su Ye's death. The Concubine's methods were too gruesome; just hearing about them made her legs weak. It was better that her mistress didn't know the specifics.

Shen Tubai pondered for a moment. "In a while, have the small kitchen prepare some refreshing food and send it to the study."

Seeing that Shen Tubai was finally taking action, Chun Chan said excitedly, "Will you take it yourself, Mistress? The Prince is currently full of self-reproach; if you were to go..."

Shen Tubai shook her head, looking exhausted from a sleepless night. "You go on my behalf to show my concern."

"Your Highness."

As soon as Shen Tubai finished speaking, a group of people bowed behind her.

Li Tinghan sat down beside her. "Since you prepared the food, why didn't you bring it yourself?"

Shen Tubai forced a faint smile. "I thought you might want to be alone, Your Highness."

Li Tinghan frowned and checked her temperature. "Why is your complexion so pale?"

Shen Tubai shook her head. "Perhaps it is because I did not sleep well last night..."

Before she could finish, Shen Tubai uncontrollably tipped over. Li Tinghan quickly caught her in his arms and carried her to the bed, ordering someone to summon a physician.

Li Tinghan was in a foul mood, venting his anger on the others. "How have you been serving her? You didn't even notice when Mistress Shen fainted?"

"This servant deserves to die," Chun Chan hurriedly explained. "Yesterday, my mistress was frightened by the sounds outside. She went to sleep shortly after, and I thought she was fine."

As she spoke, Chun Chan cautiously observed Li Tinghan's expression. After all, the punishment of "combing" was truly too horrifying.

Today it was Su Ye; tomorrow, it might be their turn.