MCSCPM -Chapter 264 The Beating

“The medicine has been changed.” Chu Jingcheng smiled as he walked in. “Have you heard? Tuoshui County is famous for its crimson maples. They bloom earlier than anywhere else, and they’re even more beautiful. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see them. How about that?”

“Is that why King Jing came so late—just to tell me this?”

“Then will you go?” Chu Jingcheng asked again.

Yin Qingyue smiled and nodded this time, not refusing.

Chu Jingcheng felt very pleased. “Why are you being so obedient today?”

She said nothing, and he grinned mischievously, leaning in close. He lowered his head to kiss her, and, unexpectedly, Yin Qingyue did not pull away. This gave Chu Jingcheng a great sense of satisfaction.

When their lips met, it was different from before—Yin Qingyue responded.

The warmth between them spread instantly, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.

After breaking apart, Chu Jingcheng asked, “May I stay tonight?”

“Whatever you like,” she replied. Clearly, she wasn’t resisting.

Yet Chu Jingcheng, seeing her so compliant, felt suspicious. “Really? You won’t push me out?”

Yin Qingyue noticed his gaze and casually said, “You’re still injured, so naturally, I have to go along with everything you want.”

“Then I wish I could stay injured forever.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.” Yin Qingyue glared at him, displeased.

Unexpectedly, Chu Jingcheng scooped her up, tossing her onto the bed, drawing the curtains, and embracing her as they lay down together. He had never felt such warmth; if it could last forever, it would be the greatest happiness of his life.

He pressed close to her ear, whispering, “Yin Qingyue, I like this moment very much.”

“Like what?”

“Being able to hold you, and you’re not resisting.”

Yin Qingyue lightly elbowed him, feigning annoyance. “Rest now. Don’t you remember we’re going to see the red maples tomorrow?”

“All right, I’ll listen to you,” Chu Jingcheng said, holding her tighter, breathing in her subtle fragrance.

The night passed in the blink of an eye.

The next morning, Yin Qingyue woke early and carefully got out of bed. Chu Jingcheng was still asleep.

Seeing him sleeping so peacefully, she thought only in her presence did he seem so relaxed.

After a while, Yin Qingyue finished her makeup and changed into a clean, elegant outfit, looking utterly charming.

Chu Jingcheng turned slightly and caught sight of her applying blush. He propped up his head and said, “Even without makeup, you are still beautiful to me.”

Yin Qingyue noticed he was awake and smiled. She took a delicate hairpin from her drawer to wear—it was simple but refined. Normally, she dressed modestly, but today, going to see the red maples with Chu Jingcheng, she wanted to look her best.

“What do you think of this hairpin?”

“Beautiful… but it can’t compare to you,” Chu Jingcheng said, as if admiring a masterful painting.

Yin Qingyue thought, His words are as smooth as ever.

“King Jing, we should get going.”

“All right, I’ll listen to you.” He got out of bed, dressed, and Yin Qingyue came over, having finished her own preparations.

“I’ll help you,” she said naturally, taking his coat and putting it on him, carefully adjusting his waist belt.

Like an old married couple, it felt completely natural, with no awkwardness at all.

Once they were ready, Chu Jingcheng ordered a carriage prepared for their trip to see the red maples.

“I wonder if the crimson maples in Tuoshui County are really as beautiful as you said, King Jing.”

“Of course not.”

“Huh?”

“Because the most beautiful one… is right here beside me.”

He was obviously referring to Yin Qingyue.

She said nothing. This man, with his smooth words, no wonder so many women were enchanted by him. She smiled secretly, liking the compliment, and knew he spoke from the heart.

As they passed through the bustling streets of Tuoshui County—just as lively as the capital—a commotion outside caught their attention. The sounds of a chase and whipping reached them.

They drew back the carriage curtains to see a girl being whipped in the street, surrounded by a crowd, yet no one intervened.

The girl cried and shouted, “I didn’t steal! I didn’t steal!”

The scene was pitiful.

But Yin Qingyue was shocked when she recognized the girl—it was the peony girl who had saved King Jing.

“Why is it her?” Yin Qingyue whispered.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Jingcheng asked.

“Nothing… I just need to step out.” She quickly had the carriage stop.

Chu Jingcheng glanced at the girl. He didn’t remember her at all—he had been unconscious when she saved him. “What’s this about? Are you going to get involved in this?”

“I have to.” Yin Qingyue got out of the carriage.

Chu Jingcheng tried to follow, but she stopped him. “King Jing, your injury isn’t healed yet. You don’t need to handle this.”

Her tone was resolute, giving him no room to argue, so he stayed in the carriage.

Only Yin Qingyue knew the girl had feelings for Chu Jingcheng. It would not do for her to see him, and no one else could have him, not even someone who had saved him.

Stepping into the crowd, Yin Qingyue saw the whipped peony girl, both angry and concerned—angry at those who dared strike a girl in broad daylight, and concerned because the girl could not defend herself.

She strode forward, grabbed the whip, and with a strong pull, snatched it from the man’s hand.

The man was stunned—the whip was gone in an instant.

Yin Qingyue quickly helped the peony girl to her feet. The girl looked at her in surprise.

“Are you okay?” Yin Qingyue asked.

The girl shook her head, finally realizing, “I’m fine.”

The shop owner, furious, vented his anger on Yin Qingyue. “Who are you? Move out of the way!”

Yin Qingyue turned on him. “What law did she break? Even if she did, shouldn’t the authorities handle it? What you’re doing is blatant defiance of the law.”

The man’s face turned red. “Who are you, some wild girl? Dare to lecture me here?”

“This isn’t a lecture—it’s a warning.”

“What did you say? Are you the emperor?” The man tried to snatch back his whip, but Yin Qingyue sidestepped, and his hand hit empty air.

Yin Qingyue led the peony girl aside and tossed the whip back to the shop owner. “Here’s your whip. But if you dare to hit anyone again, the authorities will come after you.”

“The authorities? This girl stole from my shop. She should be taken to the authorities!”

The peony girl panicked, tears in her eyes. “I didn’t! I really didn’t steal! Please, lady, believe me—I really didn’t!” She held onto Yin Qingyue’s hand tightly.

“Don’t worry. Let’s figure this out first,” Yin Qingyue said. “As long as you didn’t steal, I’ll help you.”

“I really didn’t.”

The peony girl’s body was covered in bruises from the whip, and her clothes were torn in several places—it was heartbreaking to see.

Yin Qingyue turned to the shop owner. “You insist she stole something. What exactly did she take? Do you have any proof?”

“Proof? Follow me.” The shop owner led Yin Qingyue into his store, a wooden hairpin shop.

Wooden hairpins were essential for a girl’s coming-of-age in Tuoshui County.

The shop owner quickly brought out a box—it was empty. “There was originally a hairpin here. No one entered the shop before, then this girl came, looked at it, and it disappeared. If not her, then who? She’s a thief!”

He spoke convincingly, as if the girl had definitely stolen it.

Yin Qingyue looked at the empty box and then at the girl, silently asking what had really happened.

The girl panicked, “I only picked it up to look! I didn’t take it! I looked around a bit and left. I couldn’t have stolen it!”

“Don’t worry. I believe you,” Yin Qingyue said, having already read her heart—she was innocent. Besides, the girl had had hairpins before.

Yin Qingyue returned the box. “Shopkeeper, I believe she didn’t take it. Perhaps you misplaced it? Or maybe you took it yourself and put it somewhere else?”

“Impossible! The hairpin was right here. I didn’t move it, nor did I put it anywhere else. It didn’t just vanish!”

Yin Qingyue wasn’t a detective, and she couldn’t immediately prove the girl’s innocence. But she knew the girl was innocent.

Just as the shop owner moved to grab the girl, a little girl ran in from the back courtyard, holding a small wooden stick, snatched a bun from a shelf, and ran back outside.

Yin Qingyue felt something was odd, then had a sudden realization.

She asked, “Shopkeeper, do you keep dogs in the back yard?”

“Why are you asking that?”

“How else can I help you find your missing hairpin?”

“A few. Why?”

“In the back yard?” Yin Qingyue continued.

The shopkeeper nodded dumbly.

Now, Yin Qingyue was confident. She smiled, taking the peony girl with her toward the back yard. “Shopkeeper, come with me. I can tell you where your hairpin went.”

The shopkeeper didn’t know what she was planning, but he followed.

In the back yard, dogs barked loudly, all competing to eat buns. The little girl held a wooden stick with a bun on it, feeding the dogs.