Be His Servant Part 2

Tears streamed down Ling Qiyan's face. Wen Ying remained silent the whole time, merely staring at him with a complicated expression.

After rambling on nonsensically, Ling Qiyan let his head hang down. He was silent for a while, then raised a hand to wipe his eyes, suppressing the sob in his voice before smiling again. "Forget it. What's the point of me telling you all this? It's as if I'm purposely making myself sound pitiful to gain your sympathy. You don't need to come see me make a fool of myself. You can go."

Wen Ying didn't move. Ling Qiyan shook his head. "Don't tell me you want to hear me tell you to get lost?"

He waved his hand impatiently. "Go, go. I don't want to see you."

Wen Ying walked forward, lifted his chin towards Ling Qiyan, who was still on the floor, and indicated with a cold voice, "Get up."

Ling Qiyan didn't want to bother with him anymore.

"Get up."

Wen Ying repeated for a second time.

Ling Qiyan kept his head lowered, no longer speaking.

The next moment, Wen Ying reached out, grabbed his wrist, and forcefully pulled him up. Ling Qiyan was stunned, and anger abruptly flared in his still-reddened eyes. "What are you doing?!"

Once standing straight, Ling Qiyan suddenly realized this guy was now very tall. Three years ago, he was only slightly taller, but now he was taller by more than half a head. He even had to look up at him.

And his brute strength was greater too. Wen Ying's grip made Ling Qiyan's wrist ache with pain, yet he couldn't break free at all.

Wen Ying's brows knitted tightly. With a taut face, he scolded him, "No crying! Wipe your tears!"

Looking into Wen Ying's ink-black, gloomy eyes, Ling Qiyan's heart skipped a beat. Though his eyes were still watery, his face hardened. "What on earth do you want? Don't think that just because our statuses have been switched, you can humiliate me!"

Wen Ying's eyes grew colder, his voice squeezed through his teeth, "Prince Yu, what do you consider humiliation?"

Ling Qiyan was instantly speechless. The two words "Prince Yu" were laced with so much sarcasm that it made him feel utterly ashamed. He had no answer to Wen Ying's question.

If Wen Ying truly wanted to humiliate him, he could have done back all the things he had done before—curse him, beat him, kick him, or make him kneel outside for a whole day. Every single thing, Wen Ying could have retaliated, and no one would have dared to stop him.

But Wen Ying hadn't. He had been here for so long and hadn't even said much. It was as if he had been the one complaining unilaterally, saying all sorts of unpleasant and unnecessary things.

Thinking of this made him feel even more miserable.

Wen Ying suddenly raised his hand and roughly wiped his face, clearing away all his tears.

Ling Qiyan glared at him.

Unmoved, Wen Ying tightened his grip on his wrist.

After a brief stalemate, Ling Qiyan lowered his head, as if deflated, and said in a low voice, "My hand hurts."

"...It really hurts."

"Let go."

Wen Ying's gaze faltered as he looked at him. He finally loosened his grip, his voice still cold, "Refusing to eat or drink, who are you putting on this hunger strike for?"

"I just don't have an appetite," Ling Qiyan said weakly.

Wen Ying flung his hand away. "So you want to starve to death?"

"I'll eat, alright."

After muttering this under his breath, Ling Qiyan irritably rubbed his wrist, which had been turned red from the grip.

The poor scholar from before, though stubborn and disagreeable and often angering him, had at least known where to draw the line. He wouldn't have been like this.

...Everything had indeed changed.

Hot food was brought in. Wen Ying called in three people and had each of them taste a bite of every dish. After testing with a silver needle and confirming there were no problems, he watched Ling Qiyan sit down at the dining table.

Ling Qiyan began to eat without tasting the food. The deep furrow in Wen Ying's brow eased slightly. He then reminded him in a cold voice, "Be careful yourself. For any food and water sent in from the outside, you must have someone taste it first before you consume it. If anything is wrong, call for someone immediately. The people the Empress Dowager sent are guarding right outside."

Ling Qiyan looked up at him. "If I died, wouldn't that be just what you want? Isn't it good to have your great revenge?"

"I have no grudge against you," Wen Ying threw out these words with a dark expression.

Ling Qiyan's lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing more and quietly lowered his head to continue eating.

Having not eaten for a day, he was indeed a little hungry.

Wen Ying finally left after Ling Qiyan finished his meal. Before he went, he gave Ling Qiyan one last warning: "If you dare to bring any harm upon yourself, I will let you know what true humiliation is."

Ling Qiyan choked. "...The Empress Dowager's people are right outside."

"So what?" Wen Ying stared into his eyes, his gaze ruthless. "You are nothing now. Even if I were to ask His Majesty for you as a person, do you think I wouldn't get you?"

Ling Qiyan's face turned ashen in an instant. This bastard really did want to make him his servant, so he could torture him without restraint!

"Don't even think about it! I would rather die than submit!"

Wen Ying ignored him and left the Hall of Morning Splendor.

Ling Qiyan was so angry he kicked over a chair beside him, then raised his hand and roughly wiped his face.

What's the big deal? If he had to die, he'd die. If he couldn't die, he would escape. Even if he had to live as a hunter after escaping, he would accept it!

The eunuch from Xingqing Palace had been waiting outside for a long time. Seeing Wen Ying emerge, he hurried to greet him, his manner even more respectful than before. "Your Highness, shall we return to the sleeping palace now?"

Wen Ying sat back on the palanquin, took one last look in the direction of the Hall of Morning Splendor's gate, and ordered faintly, "Let's go."

Everyone in Yong'an Palace was waiting in the courtyard to welcome their new master. The Emperor, the Empress, and the Empress Dowager had all sent people over, and the various items they brought were piled up in boxes that filled the entire courtyard. Wen Ying glanced around casually, then pointed out a head eunuch sent by the Empress Dowager who looked honest and reliable, putting him in charge of all affairs in Yong'an Palace from then on.

The few people from the Palace of Phoenix Grace, who had been wearing fawning expressions, froze upon hearing Wen Ying's words. The one in the lead even spoke up to remind him, "Your Highness, you have just entered the palace and do not understand its rules. Her Majesty the Empress is the master of the inner court..."

Before he could finish, Wen Ying glanced at him indifferently. "So you intend to teach me the rules? Her Majesty the Empress is the master of the inner court, but this is Yong'an Palace."

The man's heart chilled. Meeting Wen Ying's gaze, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He lowered his head and awkwardly apologized, not daring to say another word.

The eunuch from Xingqing Palace who had escorted Wen Ying clicked his tongue inwardly, once again confirming that this new prince was indeed not to be messed with.

Wen Ying suddenly asked him, "If I'm short-staffed here, can I go to the Department of Palace Attendants to pick some suitable people myself?"

"Of course, you can. Your Highness can go and pick whomever you need." The eunuch hastily agreed. Forget picking a few people; if this new prince wanted the moon from the sky right now, the Emperor would probably order them to find a way to get it. How could they dare refuse?

Wen Ying nodded, said no more, and stepped through the gate.

The author has something to say:

Wen Ying: I'm not, I don't want to, I want you to be my wife

Yanyan: Hmm?