547 I want him to suffocate [Bonus chapter]
Qiu Zedong looked at the message that he got before sunrise. Lin Shicheng had sent a message to him and it was something that he had not expected.
“He found out about Qizhen?” Qiu Zedong murmured and put the paper on the table.
Qiu Zedong called in the Eunuch he had appointed a day ago, Eunuch Zheng Lun.
“Prepare a horse for me,” Qiu Zedong ordered him.
Zheng Lun lifted his head to look at the King. “Your Majesty, but the sun has not risen,” he asserted.
“Follow my order,” Qiu Zedong sternly said while wearing the overcoat which has a dragon imprint on its back. “Tell the Crown Prince later to cancel the court session today,” Qiu Zedong affirmed.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Zheng Lun accepted the King’s order. He left the chamber and soon returned to inform the King about the same.
Qiu Zedong had the sword in his hand which he picked up after twenty years. He tightened his grip on the hilt of the sword and walked out of the chamber.
Zheng Lun followed the King and asked him if he would not take the soldiers with him. Qiu Zedong didn’t answer him and headed toward the imperial gates.
.....
As soon as he reached the imperial gates, he saddled the horse and ordered one of the gatekeepers to open the gate.
“Zheng Lun, you can go back,” Qiu Zedong said and pulled the reins on the horse. He kicked the horse and it ran at its full speed. Behind the King, the four military soldiers also went, which were the four spies.
“Your Majesty, last night we lost Prince Lóng Wei. Forgive us for that,” one of them said.
“Lóng Wei isn’t betraying me. Lin Shicheng has found out about Qizhen,” Qiu Zedong said and he rode the horse as fast as he could. He didn’t take the common route of transport, instead, he took the other route which was limited to the royals’ use only.
The morning winds were chilly because of the rain. The route went from the middle of the small hilly terrain.
Lóng Wei, who was hidden behind the tall tree at the same route, stepped to the front as he watched the King leaving on the horse, followed by those four spies.
“Your Highness, the King believed it so easily,” Chang Shi said.
Lóng Wei hummed. “But the next step is important. I hope Hei Chengxi does his work efficiently this time,” he asserted.
“Feng Lao must have arrived at Xianshan village. Is it the right time to bring the previous king to the palace? I thought the Prince wanted his father to come on the tenth day,” Chang Shi said.
“It is now necessary, Chang Shi. Yuze told me a day before his death that I should have brought Qizhen to the capital. But he also wanted me to be careful while doing so. I believe he wanted me to get rid of some of the close people to Qiu Zedong who could have harmed me,” Lóng Wei said and looked up at the sky. The darkness was disappearing as the sun was rising.
“The prince has to come to Prince Lóng Wei’s side before his father comes to the capital,” Chang Shi worriedly said.
“I know. I will bring Qizhen to the palace when Li Hua succeeds in her work. Brother Mingquan is already on my side. I am unsure about the other four,” Lóng Wei said while knitting his brows.
“But won’t it increase the danger for your father if he comes to the capital?” Chang Shi questioned.
Lóng Wei turned to look at him. “Chang Shi, it is said you get the best ideas at the last moment. The same has happened to me. It will be safer for Qizhen to stay in the capital than in the region of the Ninety-nine lakes,” Lóng Wei proclaimed.
Lóng Wei placed his hand on Chang Shi’s shoulder and said, “After clearing up with Hei Chengxi, I thought a lot. I cannot stand Qiu Zedong anymore. This time I have to win and I will win against him at all costs.”
“The Prince could have won easily by killing the King. The Prince has seen how the King came out of the palace unprepared,” Chang Shi said.
Lóng Wei chuckled and lowered his hand. “No, I cannot do that. I want him to suffer the way I did, my mother did and my father did. I won’t give him an easy death. I want him to suffocate while being alive. I want him to question himself every day why he is alive. I want him to experience the same pain I felt when I didn’t get the love I deserved. I want him to see all of his children leaving his side. I cannot kill him before that,” Lóng Wei pronounced.
“The King will start the search in Xianshan soon,” Chang Shi stated. “I am terrified, Your Highness,” he said.
“I want him to believe Lin Shicheng and most importantly, me. Don’t be scared anymore. You will praise me in the evening,” Lóng Wei said and turned to look at the way in which Qiu Zedong had gone ahead.
“I should return to the palace,” Lóng Wei stated and asked Chang Shi if he should return to his home.
“Your Highness, I will bring the horses first,” Chang Shi said.
Ten minutes later, he came back with two horses that they had tied deep in the forest. Lóng Wei thanked him and left for the palace.
He got down the horse and went to his manor.
He went to his chamber and saw Li Hua sleeping peacefully.
Lóng Wei, after removing the overcoat, slept next to her without disturbing Li Hua’s sleep.
However, Li Hua turned to him and hugged him in her sleep. Lóng Wei rested his hand above her head and caressed her head.
He kissed the top of Li Hua’s head. His eyes gradually closed and he drifted off to sleep. The entire night was tough for him and finally, he needed some rest.