Xiao Yu clenched his jaw and refused to speak, his silence his only act of defiance.
Prince Hua Lian sighed, shaking his head as if disappointed. "Fine," he said, standing to his full height. "Since I'm getting nowhere with you, I see no reason to keep wasting my breath."
He turned away, his tone turning colder. "Tomorrow, you will be sent back to the palace. There, you will kneel every morning till noon before the God of Harvest, praying for forgiveness." He glanced back over his shoulder, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips. "Your head will be shaved, and you will live out the rest of your days as a lowly servant, stripped of everything I once gave you."
Xiao Yu's fingers curled into fists, his nails digging into his palms, but still, he said nothing.
With a wave of his hand, Hua Lian ordered, "Release him."
