MCSCPM -Chapter 322 Rescuing Someone

Chu Yifeng stepped out of the room, while Yin Qingyue hid in the shadows. She knew she couldn’t confront him openly—otherwise she would never be a match for him.

Yet once Chu Yifeng came out, he saw no one outside. Growing extremely alert, he swept his sharp gaze rapidly over the surroundings, but there was no sign of movement.

“Who is it, exactly?” he shouted. “If you’re some expert, don’t hide in the dark. Come out and fight this prince face to face. Otherwise, if I find you, I’ll make sure you die a miserable death!”

Yin Qingyue didn’t make a sound. The moment Chu Yifeng came out, if she spoke, he would easily pinpoint her position. Then she really would be doomed. She would never take such a risk without preparation.

She reached into her clothes and took out a large piece of cloth—something she had just stolen from the back courtyard of Prince Yi’s residence, prepared in case it was needed. Now, it was finally going to be useful.

While Chu Yifeng had his back turned to her, Yin Qingyue suddenly rushed forward, threw the cloth over his head, and scattered the itching powder she always carried all over him. At the same time, she pressed her thumb against an unknown acupoint on his body. Chu Yifeng immediately collapsed unconscious.

Sure enough, knowing medicine really did come in handy.

Looking at Chu Yifeng lying on the ground, Yin Qingyue couldn’t help but curse inwardly that he deserved it. Someone like him truly belonged in the eighteenth level of hell.

She then took out all the remaining itching powder and smeared it onto his neck.

“Since you’re so cruel and ruthless, don’t blame me,” she muttered. “Let you itch for a while longer and see how you keep harming people.”

Only then did she remember Hai Qingshuang inside the room. She hurried back in and saw Hai Qingshuang tied to the bed. Despite the humiliation she had just suffered, her gaze remained proud and aloof, though tinged with hatred, tears streaming down her face. Her hands were clenched tightly around the bedsheets, as if she wanted to tear them apart.

When she saw someone enter, she immediately became wary, thinking it was Chu Yifeng. But when she realized it was that “ugly girl”—no, Yin Qingyue—she became certain at that moment that this girl truly was Yin Qingyue. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have come to rescue her.

“Are you all right?” Yin Qingyue asked as she walked over and quickly untied the ropes on her hands and feet.

Red marks covered Hai Qingshuang’s wrists and ankles—it was heartbreaking to see.

Hai Qingshuang didn’t speak. Panic flickered in her eyes as she stared at Yin Qingyue without blinking. She didn’t know what to say in this moment.

Yin Qingyue knew she had suffered a great injustice—anyone in her place would. She said, “Miss Hai, now isn’t the time to grieve. Put on your clothes—we need to leave quickly. If Prince Yi wakes up, neither of us will be able to escape.”

“Don’t worry about me. You should leave quickly,” Hai Qingshuang said coldly. “Prince Yi won’t let you off. I don’t care anymore—right now, I don’t know what else to do except die.”

“I know you’re in pain, but nothing is truly insurmountable,” Yin Qingyue replied. “If you want to die, then wait until we’re out of Prince Yi’s residence. Dying here—don’t you find that disgusting?”

Hai Qingshuang stared at her in shock. She hadn’t expected Yin Qingyue to say something like that—but she was right.

Yin Qingyue handed her the clothes and placed them by her side. At this point, Hai Qingshuang could no longer hold back her tears, which streamed down endlessly.

“Get dressed first,” Yin Qingyue urged. “Once we’re out of Prince Yi’s residence, we’ll talk about everything else.”

Hai Qingshuang followed her words, putting on her clothes piece by piece. She got off the bed, but her body was extremely weak. After only a few steps, she nearly collapsed. Fortunately, Yin Qingyue caught her and supported her out of the room.

At the doorway, Hai Qingshuang saw Chu Yifeng lying on the ground. In that instant, she felt a powerful urge to kill him. But Yin Qingyue grabbed her and said, “If you really kill him, not only will you lose your own life, but everyone in the Hai household will suffer along with you. Can you bear such a罪 alone?”

“But that beast—”

“There’s a saying: a gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years,” Yin Qingyue said calmly. “And besides, you’re not a gentleman. You won’t need to wait ten years—you’ll get your revenge soon enough.”

Every word she spoke made perfect sense.

If she killed Prince Yi, the consequences would be enormous. If the emperor investigated, he would surely dig deep, implicating countless innocent lives. That would truly destroy them all.

Hai Qingshuang thought for a moment, then suppressed her impulse.

“Besides,” Yin Qingyue added, “I already avenged you a little. I sprinkled itching powder all over him. This time, he’ll wish he were dead. Recovering won’t be easy.”

“So the red spots all over Prince Yi last time were because of you?” Hai Qingshuang asked.

“Yes. That was his retribution. I just taught him a small lesson.”

At this moment, Hai Qingshuang couldn’t help but admire Yin Qingyue.

“Let’s go quickly,” Yin Qingyue said. “Otherwise, we really won’t be able to leave.”

Supporting Hai Qingshuang, Yin Qingyue led her toward the back gate of Prince Yi’s residence. Unexpectedly, two servants were guarding it. Given Hai Qingshuang’s condition, climbing over the wall was impossible—they had to go this way.

Yin Qingyue circled behind a rockery, slipped into the shadows, picked up two stones, and swiftly struck the guards, knocking them unconscious.

Hai Qingshuang hadn’t expected Yin Qingyue’s martial skills to be so impressive.

Soon, the two of them left Prince Yi’s residence.

Hai Qingshuang was in poor condition and could barely walk. Yin Qingyue said, “I’ll take you back to your residence now. Your father must be frantic—he’s searched the city inside and out. If he still can’t find you, he’ll probably go to the palace to see the emperor.”

“No, I can’t go back yet,” Hai Qingshuang said.

“Why?” Yin Qingyue asked in confusion. “If you don’t go back now, do you want to return to Prince Yi’s residence instead?”

“No, never,” Hai Qingshuang explained. “I’ll never return there in this lifetime. But if I go back like this, my father will worry terribly. I don’t know how to explain what happened, and I don’t want him to see me like this.”

Yin Qingyue was surprised. So she was afraid of making her father worry. This cold and proud woman had a tender side after all—something Yin Qingyue had noticed long ago.

“Miss Hai, I know you’re worried about your father,” Yin Qingyue said gently. “But he’s been searching for you for days. If you don’t return today, he’ll be even more heartbroken. I should still take you home.”

Hai Qingshuang suddenly grabbed her hand. “Miss Yin, please help me one more time. I really can’t go back tonight—wait until tomorrow.”

“You know who I am?” Yin Qingyue exclaimed in surprise.

Hai Qingshuang gave a bitter smile. “I always felt your eyes were familiar. That’s why I went to the inn before—to confirm whether you were really Yin Qingyue. But then Prince Yi took me away. When I saw you just now, I was sure. I just didn’t expect you to be hiding at the inn, working as a rough servant girl. You’ve gone to great lengths… If Prince Jing knew—”

“Enough,” Yin Qingyue interrupted. “Let’s not talk about that. But even if you don’t return home tonight, we should at least send word to your father. Otherwise, he’ll worry himself sick.”

“No,” Hai Qingshuang shook her head. “If he sees my letter, he’ll come looking for me. I don’t want him to see me like this—that’s why I can’t go back.”

“That makes sense,” Yin Qingyue nodded. “All right then. I’ll take you to where I’m staying.”

Hai Qingshuang agreed. Yin Qingyue quietly brought her back to the inn, to her own room.

Fortunately, everyone was already asleep, and no one noticed.

Yin Qingyue poured her a cup of tea. “This place is very simple. You’ll have to endure it for one night.”

It was indeed Hai Qingshuang’s first time in such a place—so crude that it couldn’t even compare to a woodshed in the Hai residence. Who exactly was Yin Qingyue, that a divine physician would live in such conditions?

“Miss Yin,” Hai Qingshuang said softly, “why did you leave? Don’t you know Prince Jing is searching for you? He endured twenty lashes from the emperor for your sake. He was willing to give up his life and even stand against his own father—all for you.”

Yin Qingyue smiled bitterly. “Miss Hai, there are many things in this world you won’t understand. There is always so much helplessness.”

“Is it because of Mei’er?” Hai Qingshuang asked. “If the emperor wanted to kill you, you wouldn’t be afraid, nor would you run away. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have risked your life to save me tonight. So the only reason is—you didn’t want to implicate Prince Jing.”

“Miss Hai, you truly are clever,” Yin Qingyue admitted.

“I’m not clever,” Hai Qingshuang said with a choked voice. “If it were me, I would have done the same.”

Her unspoken meaning was clear: if it had been Prince Ling, she too would have chosen to leave, rather than drag him down.

Yin Qingyue understood her heart. Only then did she realize that after tonight’s ordeal, Hai Qingshuang had nearly lost her will to live. After almost being violated by Prince Yi, how could she still feel worthy of loving Prince Ling?

“Miss Hai,” Yin Qingyue said gently, “only I know what happened tonight. Don’t worry—I won’t tell anyone. Try to treat it as if it never happened. Keeping it buried inside will only hurt you more. If you want revenge, you will have it—just not yet.”

“Why are you so certain Prince Yi will be punished?” Hai Qingshuang asked.

“Because I firmly believe in one thing,” Yin Qingyue replied. “Good people are rewarded, evil people are repaid. It’s not that retribution doesn’t come—it’s just not time yet.”

Hai Qingshuang took a deep breath and nodded. “All right. I’ll wait for that day. I want to see it with my own eyes.”

She would remember today’s humiliation for the rest of her life. Chu Yifeng’s hypocrisy and cruelty had been hidden far too well.

Seeing that it was late, Yin Qingyue told her to rest. “Get some sleep. Tomorrow morning, we’ll change your clothes and I’ll take you home.”

“Thank you, Miss Yin.”

Yin Qingyue helped her onto the bed, while she herself sat beside it through the night. Hai Qingshuang had been badly shaken—there was no way she could let her sleep alone on the floor.