Chapter 1066: Telling the truth

"Don't worry father in law. I didn't talk about leaving the Royal Palace. I meant to leave this chamber so I can go to our bedroom and talk with Mingyu. I have many things to explain and talk to her about. Don't worry; I'm not leaving so soon," Long Chen told the nervous Emperor. 

"Oh, that's what you meant. Sure. Go and have a rest. I'll arrange for a feast tonight to celebrate things returning to normal and as an apology for you. Please look forward to it," the Emperor said as he breathed a sigh of relief at Long Chen's explanation. 

He also realized that he had overreacted. Fortunately, Long Chen didn't seem suspicious. At Least that's what he thought. 

Long Chen reached out his hand towards Mingyu as he said, "Shall we leave?" 

Mingyu placed her smooth as jade hand in his hands as she nodded. 

Turning back, the two of them left the chambers. 

...

"What do you think he is planning?'

Long Chen and Mingyu were walking in the Long Corridors when Xun appeared before him, asking him a question. 

'So that Snake and I are not the only ones who realized it. That's good,' Long Chen replied to Xun through his thoughts since he didn't want Mingyu to hear. 

"Only an idiot wouldn't notice it. Or someone who is blinded by familial love," Xun replied as she subtly glanced at Mingyu to hint that she was talking about her. 

Mingyu wasn't an idiot. It was only that her family affections made her blind sometimes. 

"So, what do you think he is planning?' Xun asked again. 

'I'm not a prophet. How would I know? Also, I can't see the future before three months are over. So I can only take a guess. But I believe he is plotting something against me. The way he easily forgave me... That wasn't genuine.'

'He didn't even talk about any punishment for me or even scold me. So he definitely hasn't forgiven me.'

'There was still a chance that he did it because of his love for his family but forgiving the Snake Monarch when he was that angry just because I asked, that made me sure. He's planning something against me.'

Long Chen walked through the corridor filled with guards that greeted him with respect and a bit of fear after seeing what he was capable of last time. But he didn't seem to notice them or reply. He was more immersed in talking with Xun. 

"I thought the same thing. We should leave. It's better than staying here," Xun said. 

"Leave where?" Long Chen asked, amused. 

"The fun has just started. Let me get to know him a bit. That's still some time," he added before he shot down the suggestion entirely. The suggestion wasn't something he had planned to follow since he had a plan of his own. 

Now that he was clear headed after realizing his shortcomings, he knew that reacting this fast to problems was never the solution, especially when he didn't know most of the things. 

He first needed to think clearly and understand the scheme. 

In any case, now that he knew what was coming, he already had ways to safeguard himself. 

For first, he had decided not to make the same mistake last time. He needed to keep Mingyu with him most of the time so no one could frame him for the crimes. As for the second, he had to take care against being poisoned. 

The Emperor had called for a feast tonight, and there was a high possibility that he was going to be poisoned. 

As for that, he might even scheme and claim that he had no idea about the poison. By making a new scapegoat, he would get out of killing Long Chen while keeping the support of his family. So he had also decided to take precautions against poison. 

There were many such things he had considered, all because he wanted to take Mingyu. And to make her come happily, he needed to prove that his life was in danger here. 

...

Mingyu and Long Chen reached their room. The door was making a creaking sound this time, unlike before for some reason which broke the silence. 

Entering the room, Long Chen sat on the bed. Mingyu, instead of sitting, stood in front of him, looking down. 

"I'm sorry for what I did. I know I hurt you, but it's all, so neither you nor my brother got harmed since I believed both of you were innocent."

Just as Long Chen was about to speak, Mingyu started talking. She started explaining without being asked. 

"Now that I know he is wrong, I realize I was wrong. But still, I can't bear the death of my brother. Thank you for sending him alive," she told Long Chen. 

Gazing at her and her earnest expressions, Long Chen sighed deeply. He decided to do something stupid once again since he didn't want to keep her in the dark. 

"Your brother is dead. I didn't send him anywhere. I lied to your parents as well. But I think telling the truth is the better option right now. I won't keep you in the dark," Long Chen said, sighing. 

"What I told your father was half truth. I was able to see the future because of my new law, which allows me to see the future once in a while. When I was coming back, I saw that future, and I acted in haste. As long as he was alive, that future could come true any time."

"I can bear anything but not seeing you harmed. I couldn't leave anything that could harm you, so I took him out."

Without hiding anything, he explained everything, stunning Mingyu, who had thought that her brother was alive. 

Now that she knew he was dead, she didn't know what she felt anymore. She knew that she should be angry. Her brother was killed. The brother that took care of her for all those years. The brother that was her family. But it was also true that her brother tried to hurt Long Chen by scheming. So she couldn't blame him either. 

There was a small bit of sadness in her heart, but it wasn't as much as she thought it should be. She wasn't angry at Long Chen for doing it. 

"Want to know one more thing?" Long Chen said, bringing Mingyu out of her daze. 

"What one more thing?" Mingyu asked. 

"Your brother was already dead before I even killed me," Long Chen said, sighing. 

"What? What do you mean he was already dead before you killed him?" She asked, surprised.