Chapter 113 - Outcry

The next day, his mother's personal maid came to find him, after pleading with Zhong Ji to allow her to look after him. When she saw his reddened cheeks, she was very worried and was the only one who cared enough to see to it. The servants at Zhong Ji's palace only did the bare minimum, which was bringing in his dinner which he ignored and ensuring he stayed put in the room.

Jun Shan just blankly stared at her in a daze, he had not been able to sleep all night and had just sat there staring at the door. When he went out with her to take a bath he saw that the other servants had left, it seemed they no longer cared what he did now that there was someone who wanted to look after him. He was of no consequence to them or anyone. He hated this place and wanted to go home, but even his personal maid told him he could not go there anymore and that this was now his home.

He was not allowed to leave the premises unless called for and was confined to his room in the back of the palace and the little garden in front of it. His personal maid was often busy trying to see to his life and welfare, as the other servants completely neglected him now that she was here. So he spent most of his days either sitting in his room or sitting in the garden alone.  

Zhong Ji said to concentrate on his studies, yet she made no moves to provide him tutors or books. The other princes had tutors but he never had any. His mother had neither the means nor connections to ask the officials to tutor her child. And so she did the best she could on her own. He never complained and was always grateful for the knowledge and always enjoyed their lessons as his mother always made it fun for him. He never minded that he did not have access to what the other princes did.

After all, the palace was not where he intended to spend his days, the world outside seemed a lot more interesting to him. Now even that seemed dull, but he still wanted to leave the palace, now more than ever, although he no longer knew where to go or what he would do.

"Your highness, Consort Zhong has requested your presence." A maid interrupted his wallowing. Jun Shan looked up, then got up and followed. He had not seen her since at all after that one time on his arrival.

Jun Shan frowned as he walked into the reception hall. He now realized why she wanted to see him. Her sister, Zhong Hua was here and seeing her reminded him of how his mother was beaten up unfairly because of her. He could feel his eyes getting hot again, which made him feel worse.

Zhong Hua scrutinized him for a long time and then sneered, "Ji er', how did you end with this?"

Zhong Ji frowned and sighed, "It was a slip of tongue."

"Don't tell me you asked for him?" Zhong Hua asked appalled.

"Of course not!" Zhong Ji immediately defended.

Jun Shan's eyebrows twitched and he lowered his head, trying to blink the tears away. He was aware that he was not wanted but it felt very different to hear it. 

Zhong Hua scoffed, "You've been with the Emperor almost every night for the past few months and still no progress? What's the point of you coming here if you can't even get pregnant...In the end, you're no better than me." 

Jun Shan's ears perked upon hearing this and he bit his lip hard, holding back his tears.

{...He's been coming here every night and didn't even care to check on me...I really don't mean anything in his eyes...}

Zhong Ji frowned and did not respond. 

Zhong Hua looked at her younger sister's expression and then sneered, "No, you're even worse than me to be raising a  useless servant, father must be soo proud."

Zhong Ji then got angry and shouted, "I said I didn't ask for him! What did you want me to do? Say no to the Emperor?!"

"I am not a servant and I am not useless!" Jun Shan shouted, interrupting their sibling bickering. The two sisters blinked and turned to see Jun Shan glaring at them with red eyes.

Zhong Hua frowned, "It seems that stupid servant of a mother failed to te-"

"My mother is not stupid! And she was a consort! You both should stop disrespecting her!" He resolutely shouted back, blinking back the tears. 

Zhong Hua stood there looking at him with a stunned scowl, while Zhong Ji ordered the servants to take him away, annoyed with the whole situation. She had called him because her sister asked her to, but all it did was end up putting her in a bad mood. Before the servants could take him away, Zhong Hua stopped them and then said, "If you apologize, I will consider it a child's foolishness an-..."

"I said nothing wrong so I will not apologize." Jun Shan indignantly responded.

Zhong Hua glared at him and then scoffed, "It seems the beating from last time was not enough for you to learn some manners, th-"

"You're the one lacking manners to insult the deceased." Jun Shan countered.

Zhong Hua blinked and then became enraged, "This brat! You seem to have lost all sense now, is it? Bring a whip!" The servants quickly provided one, she snatched it and walked up to Jun Shan and condescendingly said, "Turn around."

Jun Shan stood there, glaring at her and did not move. Zhong Hua's scowl deepened and she ordered the servants to force him to his knees and hold him down while she unleashed her rage on his back. Jun Shan tightly closed his eyes and braced himself, constantly reminding himself not to cry and bit down on his lip so hard it started bleeding as hit after hit came down on his back.

The fact that he was not making a sound further enraged Zhong Hua and she hit even harder. Eventually, after his back was covered with bloody streaks, Zhong Ji sighed and reminded, "Jie that's enough, it'll be a problem if he dies like this."

Zhong Hua blinked and then tossed the whip towards her, "Since you're going to raise him, be sure to teach him some manners to avoid embarrassment in the future. You're lucky it's me this time." She finished and then stormed off.

Zhong Ji rolled her eyes and then looked at Jun Shan on the ground and irritatedly said, "I told you not to cause trouble." Then she sighed, "Since you have been disrespectful you should be punished, no food for three days. Lock him in his room so he can repent." She ordered and the servants dragged his limp body off. He glanced at Zhong Ji as he was carted off and saw her casually sipping on tea, completely relaxed while he was in boggled down with pain and felt a pang in his heart. 

They tossed him on his bed and then left him there, he listened as they locked the doors. He just laid there staring at the doors and the tears he had been holding back finally started pouring down. 

{...I want to go home...Mother, it hurts...a lot...}

Jun Shan later opened his eyes in immense pain to see an imperial doctor applying acupuncture on him with a lot of people in the room. The Imperial doctor seeing him awake smiled and turned and bowed, "Your majesty, he is awake. Some of the wounds have been infected and so will take longer to heal but will be able to make a full recovery shortly."

"In that case, you stay here to look after him until he recovers." Jun Shan's eyes followed the sound of the warm voice to see the Empress standing on the side with her servants.