20demayo Chapter 481 Let's Talk About My Feelings
Chapter 481 Let's Talk About My Feelings
The out-of-control Xiao Jingcheng kept hurling insults and swearing. Even the jailer next to him couldn't stand it anymore and looked up at Si Jing'an, afraid that he would explode in anger.
"Your Highness, perhaps...we should gag him?"
"No need." Si Jing'an calmly raised his hand, and his attendant took out a long whip.
Si Jing'an did not act immediately. Instead, he took out a brocade handkerchief from his bosom and gently wiped the long whip back and forth.
The whip was specially made, woven from horsehair, and contained many fine needles; if it were lashed out, it would cause excruciating pain.
Xiao Jingcheng had used such tricks many times before, so he understood the peculiarity of this long whip at a glance.
He went even crazier: "Si Jing'an, you're doing this on purpose, trying to torture me, aren't you? Let me tell you, I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid of you at all!"
Si Jing'an completely ignored him, continuing to slowly and meticulously polish the long whip.
Xiao Jingcheng shuddered at the mere thought. He roared, "I know you want revenge on me, but you deserve it, you deserve it. Not only you, but that coward Wan Cheng, he deserves it too. My biggest regret is not having torn you both to pieces back then, to have you both killed alive!"
When he mentioned Wan Cheng, Si Jing'an's gaze suddenly darkened, and he raised his hand to strike with a whip.
With that lash, Xiao Jingcheng cried out in agony, blood and sweat gushing out together.
Si Jing'an said coldly, "Xiao Jingcheng, you are not worthy to mention Wan Cheng."
Then came two more lashes, these two lashes were extremely fierce, and after they came down, Xiao Jingcheng could only exhale and not inhale.
Si Jing'an continued, "The first lash was for me back then, the second lash was for those people and animals you tortured and killed. As for this third lash! Xiao Jingcheng, you have committed countless evils, you should have thought of this day when you tortured and killed people. This lash is for Wan Cheng!"
He looked at Xiao Jingcheng, his face showing no hint of satisfaction at revenge. He threw down the whip, turned, and left.
When he got outside, he was surprised to see Zhou Feng waiting for him.
He hurriedly said: "Sir."
Zhou Feng knew exactly what was happening inside, but he didn't say much. He just asked, "If you hate him so much, why don't you treat him the way you treated others back then?"
The younger brother took a deep breath, shook his head, and said, "He committed many evil deeds and killed so many people. But what I hate most is not how many people he killed, but his cruelty towards those people and animals."
Speaking of abuse, the younger brother's lips turned pale.
He said, "But if I resort to vigilante justice, how am I any different from Xiao Jingcheng back then? Wouldn't I... become the person I hate the most?"
Zhou Feng fell silent and walked with him for a long time before saying, "Si Jing'an, do you know? You and your sisters are all very strong yet soft-hearted people."
When the Third Prince was executed, the younger sister ordered all the Xiao family members to go and witness the execution.
It also serves as a warning to others; now that she is the emperor, she will not tolerate anyone eyeing her covetously or believing that her throne is illegitimate.
Those members of the Xiao clan who dare to harbor any disloyalty will all suffer the same fate as Xiao Jingcheng today.
Among those who came to witness the execution were members of the Xiao clan, a middle-aged couple, and a young girl who had just come of age.
It was Wan Cheng's parents and his younger sister, Rong Jie'er.
Si Jing'an pointed at Xiao Jingcheng: "That's the person who killed Wan Cheng back then. It's been many years, and only now can this grudge be avenged."
The couple wept, deeply moved: "Xiao An, thank you so much. Xiao Cheng can rest in peace now."
After the matter was settled, Si Jing'an brought wine and food to Wan Cheng's grave. He sat alone on the ground and arranged the wine and food.
"Wan Cheng, do you remember when I first entered the palace, Xiao Jingcheng tried to force me to drink strong liquor, and it was you who protected me?"
"Back then, I looked down on you for always being so obsequious, but I never considered how difficult it must have been for you to survive in such a precarious situation. In those critical moments, you could have protected yourself, but you still chose to protect me."
"You say it's because you've long since become corrupt and envious of the pure and kind person I see. But Wan Cheng, you are the purest and kindest one!"
Si Jing'an spoke while crying.
He poured one cup of wine from the jar onto the ground and drank the other cup into his own mouth.
No one knows how much wine he drank. Si Jing'an was never a good drinker, and now he was completely drunk, talking nonsense.
“Wancheng, I’ve met your sister. She’s engaged to a man who is a tenant farmer on one of my sister’s estates. Although he’s a farmer, I think he’s a very good man. Your sister also told me that she is very satisfied.”
"Wan Cheng, if you survived, we grew up together. By now, do you have a girl you like? Perhaps you're already married?"
"I...I have found a girl I like, and I want to marry her, but I'm afraid of being too forward with her."
There seemed to be footsteps behind them, and they stopped when they heard this sentence.
Si Jing'an's face was flushed from drinking. He glanced back drunkenly and saw only a person in blue clothes. He couldn't even make out the person's face clearly.
He slurred, "Is...is it Wan Cheng? Have you come back to see me?"
The man didn't answer, but stepped forward, sat down, took out the food box from his hand, and handed it to him: "Hangover soup, please have some, sir."
Si Jing'an laughed heartily, disregarding his image, and moved closer, tugging at the man's sleeve: "Wan Cheng, why are you calling me 'sir'? You've always been so particular, you could just call me Xiao An!"
The man hesitated for a long time before calling out, "Xiao An."
The sound is loud and angry.
Si Jing'an didn't hear him; he turned around and vomited all over the ground.
The man then tidied him up and fed him the hangover soup.
Si Jing'an burst into tears, hugging the person and murmuring, "Let me tell you, Wan Cheng, I used to be so useless and so cowardly."
“You once said that you were the hope of the family. Rong’er told me that you were willing to endure humiliation for the sake of your parents and her. But I am not like that. When I was a child, I was a very naughty person. I only cared about playing around. Because I have three older sisters, it seemed that all the hardships should be theirs.”
"But later, my older sister forced me to do chores. When I refused, she wouldn't give me any food and even hit my legs with such a long broom. Waaah, I was so scared."
"But I love her very much because she is the first person who truly understands me. When the children in the village bully me, they all just call me a wild child. The older sister takes a stick and says that I am her younger brother. If anyone dares to insult me again, she will fight them to the death. She told me that if I am wronged, I should fight back boldly and never endure it."
"Later, later, later I grew a lot as my sisters changed. Everyone said that I was not the Si Jing'an I used to be, but only I know that I have always been the same, and have never changed."