40

No long after, the news came that Dr. Du's diagnosis was correct and Zhou Chuqi didn't have made any mistakes in his prescription. It was the person in the palace who brought the wrong medicine so Dr Du and Zhou Chuqi would be released soon. This news brought immense relief to Zhou Chuyu, who eagerly waited for Zhou Chuqi's release. However, days passed and there was no sign of him. When Zhou Chuyu inquired with the jailer, he was initially told that the paperwork was being processed. After a few more days, he was informed that Zhou Chuqi had already been released. Zhou Chuyu became anxious. How could a person vanish into the air? With no options, he spent his days at home, crying, visibly losing weight. After five or six days, someone knocked on the door. Filled with hope, Zhou Chuyu opened it. However, when he saw the visitor, his face turned pale. Ouyang Liang spoke:

"Mr. Zhou, how are you recently? His Highness is waiting for you."

At this moment, Zhou Chuyu understood everything but he had already have no choice. He said:

"I want to meet my elder brother."

"No problem. Please!"

In the same room in Yuhong Xun's mansion, Yuhong Xun looked at Zhou Chuyu, said:

"Look at you. In such a short time, you've lost so much weight. It's truly heart-wrenching."

Then he used his finger to gently caress Zhou Chuyu's cheek. Zhou Chuyu turned his head and said:

"I want to meet my elder brother."

"Don't worry. He is fine. Take your time. I want to know how you have been considering my proposal."

"Sorry, I may not be able to fulfill Your Highness's wishes. Besides, I am no long a virgin."

Upon hearing these words, Yuhong Xun's face suddenly changed and he viciously swung his fist, landing a brutal blow to Zhou Chuyu's abdomen. Zhou Chuyu collapsed to the ground, spitting out a large mouthful of blood. He clutched his stomach and Yuhong Xun cruelly twisted Zhou Chuyu's chin, teeth clenched and shouted:

"You're cheating me, right? Tell me you are lying to me."

With blood in his mouth, Zhou Chuyu smiled and replied:

"How dare I to deceive you, Your Highness! I truly enjoyed making love with my lover."

"Who? Who is it?"

Zhou Chuyu chuckled and said:

"You will never know who he is."

Yuhong Xun glared fiercely at Zhou Chuyu. After a while, he suddenly burst into laughter and said:

"Interesting, very interesting. It is good and I like it. Turns out you're not as pure as you appear. Well, that's good. Let me see how skilled you are in bed. Don't worry. It's fine. Other people can sex with you and so can I. I will play with you thoroughly, making you have an unforgettable experience. Servant, lead Mr. Zhou to his room and take care of him. Zhou Chuyu, I give you some time to think. Tomorrow, I'll accompany you meet your elder brother"

In the evening, while Yuhong Xun was having dinner and a handsome boy was serving him. He asked Ouyang Liang:

"How is Zhou Chuyu?"

"He is just lying there, crying. After crying, he sleeps. When he wakes up, he continues crying."

"Does he have a dinner?"

"No, now he is still sleeping."

"Prepare some food for him. When he wakes up, make sure he eats something, no matter what. I won't let him off. And you also try to find who his lover is." then he raised the chin of the boy beside him and said:

"Do you know that this Zhou Chuyu has sexed with someone else? Doesn't matter, I still want him."

At this moment, a servant ran into the dinner room hurriedly and knelt down, reporting:

"Your Highness, for some unknown reason, Mr. Zhou has suddenly started vomiting continuously."

Hearing this, Yuhong Xun dropped his chopsticks and ran hastily out, followed closely by the servant and Ouyang Liang. He asked:

"Do you have asked for a doctor?"

"It's already done."

Upon entering the room, Yuhong Xun saw Zhou Chuyu with a pale face, closing his eyes and lying on the bed. The doctor was checking his pulse. After a while, the doctor walked over to Yuhong Xun and said:

"Your Highness, he isn't in serious danger sick. Recently he's just a bit depleted, combined with emotional distress causing disruptions in his pulse and gastrointestinal imbalance due to stress. I'll prescribe some medicine and once he takes it, he should be fine."

Yuhong Xun waved his hand and everyone left. He approached the bed, looking at Zhou Chuyu, who had his eyes tightly closed. He said with concern:

"Why can't you accept me? I told you I would give you everything what you want if you stay with me. I'm not a bad person, just like you. That is all. You see, I don't mind you have made love with someone else. As long as you are good with me, I will treat you well. I promise you I will never abandon you."

After speaking, he gently wiped away a tear that lingered on the corner of Zhou Chuyu's eye. Then he caressed his pale lips, leaned down to kiss him lightly. Suddenly, he heard Zhou Chuyu uttering:

"Ge, help me! Where are you? Ge!"

Yuhong Xun was momentarily stunned. Ge? Was it his elder brothers? He looked at Zhou Chuyu, who was sleeping restlessly, evidently caught in a dream:

"Ge, don't leave! Please! I'm your baby, right? Ge, I miss you! I love you!"

Yuhong Xun understood. He stood up abruptly and kicked a nearby stool heavily. The sound of the stool falling on the ground seemed to startle Zhou Chuyu from his nightmare so that he shouted loudly, which made Yuhong Xun startled. He thought Zhou Chuyu had awakened, approached him, only to find that Zhou Chuyu was still asleep but even more restlessly. Zhou Chuyu muttered incomprehensibly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Yuhong Xun couldn't hear what Chuyu murmured and placed his hand on Zhou Chuyu's forehead, feeling the intense heat. Obviously, Zhou Chuyu had developed a fever in such a short time. Yuhong Xun immediately ran out, yelling:

"Get a doctor!"

After a night of chaos, Zhou Chuyu finally became more settled and his fever had slightly subsided. Yuhong Xun, who had been by his side the entire time, finally felt relieved. He returned to his own room, unable to shake the thought: How tired I am because of this boy!

The next morning Yuhong Xun woke up late and immediately asked his eunuch:

"How is Zhou Chuyu?"

The eunuch attending to him replied:

"He's already better. I heard he got up early and has been writing something in his room."

"Have a breakfast?"

"A little."

"Let's go there."

In Zhou Chuyu's room, Yuhong Xun found Zhou Chuyu writing something. He picked it up and saw that it was "Diamond Sutra" with a note "Please pray for security for those who travel far away. Thanks!" on the first page. It was beautifully written in elegant font. Yuhong Xun asked:

"I heard that you are very devout, offering incense on the first and fifteenth days every month, praying Ping'an Fu and dedicating your hand-copying 'Diamond Sutra' to the temple. 'Please pray for security for those who travel far away. Thanks!' Good idea! How did you come up with these ideas?"

In reality, from the moment Yuhong Xun entered, Zhou Chuyu remained motionless, continuing to silently write <Diamond Sutra>. He ignored Yuhong Xun's question, continuing his writing. Yuhong Xun, angered, snatched the quill from Zhou Chuyu and threw it forcefully on the ground. He casually swept away the written pages of <Diamond Sutra>. Zhou Chuyu showed no reaction, quietly kneeling on the ground, picking up the scattered papers one by one. Yuhong Xun felt a sense of powerlessness and said:

"I'll take you to see your elder brother later."

Zhou Chuyu followed Yuhong Xun to a two-story building. It surprised Zhou Chuyu that this building appeared normal from the outside but had a certain depth inside. From a window, Zhou Chuyu looked down at a dungeon below where Zhou Chuqi was tied. Anxious, Zhou Chuyu rushed toward the window, tears streaming down his face, shouting loudly:

"Chuqi, it is Chuyu. Please! Chuqi, Chuyu is here!." 

Zhou Chuqi clearly heard Zhou Chuyu's cries. He looked up and wanted to respond but something was stuffed into his mouth. Yuhong Xun gestured and five burly men entered, surrounding Zhou Chuqi. Zhou Chuyu quickly turned to Yuhong Xun and asked:

"What are you doing to my elder brother? Please don't hurt him, Please!"

While Zhou Chuyu turned to window looked down again, Yuhong Xun, with a wave of hand, said:

"Don't worry. I won't let them hit him but I just want them to have some fun with your brother until you agree to stay by my side. Do you know what they have some fun with your brother? You mentioned you're not a virgin. I think you should know that feeling when you sexed with your lover. But I don't know which kind of feeling your brother have when they make love with your brother together."

Zhou Chuyu couldn't help but stand still. He knew that feeling. When he was with Nie Huanzhang before, despite Nie Huanzhang's consideration for his feelings, Nie Huanzhang had already controlled himself but it still caused him pain to the point of fainting. He covered his chest with his hand, feeling the jade pendant. Closing his eyes, he said with a mournful tone:

"Please, don't touch my elder brother. Please! I stay with you and let my elder brother go."

Hearing this, Yuhong Xun couldn't help but feel ecstatic. He smiled and ordered:

"Let them leave and take good care of Mr. Zhou."

Zhou Chuyu, with tears continuing to flow, looked down and said:

"But you have to agree to a few terms and conditions."

"Go on!"

"Let my elder brother leave Jingdu and I want to say goodbye to him."

"Agreed."

"I don't meet anyone in your mansion and don't let anyone to disturb me."

"Okay. Anything else?"

"Don't hurt anyone in my family."

"Of course."

Yuhong Xun had lost his patience but didn't say anything. Zhou Chuyu continued:

"I will go to the temple for pray on the first and fifteenth day every month."

"I heard you are very devout. You also can pray for me. Anything else, my little devil?

"That's all for now."

"You can go home and prepare for your elder brother. Look, how I care about you!"

With closed eyes, Zhou Chuyu stood by the window, one hand supporting himself against it and the other caressing the jade pendant on his chest. Tears slowly streamed down his face.