Chapter 591: Better to Believe It Than Not
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Wei Liao watched Yu Niaoniao walk into the room.
The front door opened and closed, completely cutting off his vision.
However, he still stood rooted to the ground, having no intention of moving.
After a moment, Wei Huai’en walked out of the bedroom with the palace servants.
Wei Huai’en frowned when he saw Wei Liao’s distracted expression.
He waved his hand to dismiss the palace servants.
After everyone left, Wei Huai’en asked, “Why are you still here?”
Wei Liao asked, “What does the emperor plan to do with her?”
Wei Huai’en warned solemnly, “This is not something you should ask.”
If it were any other time, Wei Liao would definitely listen to his father’s teachings. However, at this moment, he seemed to have been bewitched by something. His heart was filled with worry for Yu Niaoniao.
He pressed stubbornly, “Is the emperor planning to take her life?”
Wei Huai’en’s face darkened. “Wei Liao, have you forgotten your identity?!”
Wei Liao’s expression was bitter. “I know I have no right to interfere in the emperor’s matters.” Wei Huai’en said, “Then why did you ask?”
Wei Liao was speechless.
Wei Huai’en continued to stab him in the heart. “Even if you know everything, what can you do? Do you dare to snatch her back from the emperor?”
Wei Liao’s originally straight back gradually bent, as if all his energy had been sucked out.
Yes, he was just a lackey raised by the emperor.
If he could not even control his life, what could he use to protect Yu Niaoniao?
Forget it. He shouldn’t embarrass himself again.
Wei Huai’en watched as the light in Wei Liao’s eyes dimmed. He couldn’t bear it, but rationality made him swallow his comforting words and reprimand him with a straight face.
“Stop standing here and go back!”
Wei Liao turned around silently and strode into the snowy night without an umbrella, letting large snowflakes fall on his head and face.
The bone-chilling cold wrapped around him, but he did not react.
Wei Huai’en watched him leave and let out a long sigh.
In the end, he was still too young and was easily affected by his feelings. He hoped that he could calm down when he returned and not make any more mistakes.
After Wei Liao left the palace, he rode his horse along the empty and silent street.
His heart was in turmoil. Reason told him not to interfere in Yu Niaoniao’s business, but feelings prevented him from really letting it go.
When they reached the crossroads, Wei Liao reined in and the horse stopped.
He closed his eyes, wanting to clear his mind and regain his composure.
However, Yu Niaoniao’s figure could not help but appear in his mind.
She smiled at him…
“Thank you.”
Wei Liao opened his eyes and cursed inwardly.
He gave up struggling as if he had given up on himself. With a flick of the reins, he turned his horse around and sped toward the right fork.
Tap, tap, tap!
The sound of hurried hooves drifted through the silent snowy night.
On the way, he encountered patrolling soldiers. When they saw someone riding a horse in the city at night, they were about to go forward and arrest him when they realized that the person riding a horse was actually the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards, Wei Liao.
They immediately dispelled the thought of arresting him and hurriedly stepped aside to make way.
Wei Liao rode to the vicinity of the Crown Prince’s residence.
He jumped off the horse and looked around to make sure no one was following him. Then, he used his qinggong to climb over the wall and silently entered the crown prince’s residence.
Shen Zhuo had just finished bathing, but he was not asleep yet.
He was wearing loose snow-colored pajamas. He was seated behind the desk and was quietly reading the book in his hand in the bright candlelight.
There was a sudden knock on the study window.
“Your Highness.”
Shen Zhuo immediately put down the book and looked warily at the window.
With a creak, the window was pulled open from the outside.
Wei Liao was standing outside the window.
His hair and shoulders were covered in snow, and his face was snow-white from the cold. In the dark night, he did not look like a living person.
An outsider suddenly appeared in front of him, but Shen Zhuo was not flustered at all.
He frowned and asked, “How dare you barge into the Crown Prince’s residence in the middle of the night? Are you trying to rebel?”
Wei Liao exhaled hot air, his voice changing from the cold.
“I’m sorry. The situation was urgent and I had no choice but to do this. I hope Your Highness can forgive me.”
Shen Zhuo had met Wei Liao a few times, but the two of them had almost no interaction, let alone friendship.
Shen Zhuo had no intention of letting him in and asked calmly.
“What exactly do you want?”
Wei Liao said, “Yu Niaoniao was summoned to the palace by the emperor. I guess the emperor wants to kill her.”
Shen Zhuo’s expression immediately changed drastically.
“How is that possible?”
Wei Liao said, “I’m not sure about the exact reason. I guess Yu Niaoniao knows something she shouldn’t. The emperor wants to silence her. If you don’t want her to die, enter the palace as soon as possible to save her.”
Shen Zhuo asked, “Why should I believe you?”
Wei Liao said, “Believe it or not.”
With that, he turned around and left.
“Wait a minute!” Shen Zhuo hurriedly pulled open the door and chased after him.
Unfortunately, he was too late. When he ran out, he was gone.
The courtyard was silent as if no one had ever been there.
Only a string of footprints left under the eaves proved that everything just now was not an illusion.
Shen Zhuo repeated what Wei Liao had just said in his heart a few times. In the end, his worry for Niaoniao prevailed.
What if Wei Liao was telling the truth?
This concerned Niaoniao’s life. He would rather believe it than not!
Shen Zhuo shouted, “Someone!”
Soon, two eunuchs rushed over.
When they saw that the Crown Prince was only wearing thin pajamas, they hurriedly found a cloak to put on him.
Shen Zhuo pushed them away and said in a low voice.
“Prepare the horses. I want to enter the palace!”
All the eunuchs and palace maids left the room, leaving Yu Niaoniao and the old emperor alone.
The brazier in the room was burning very brightly. Not long after Yu Niaoniao entered, she began to sweat.
She had been riding on horseback and was quite cold. Her clothes were still wet.
She was cold for a while and hot for a while. The change was too great, so her body could not help but feel a little overwhelmed.
Yu Niaoniao felt a headache and her nose was a little blocked.
These were all signs of a cold.
The old emperor leaned against the soft couch, his lower body covered by a thick and soft silk blanket.
He looked at Yu Niaoniao and asked, “Do you know why I want to see you?”
Yu Niaoniao shook her head. “I don’t know.”
The old emperor was not angry when he saw her pretending to be stupid.
To him, a mere Yu Niaoniao was like an ant under his feet. As long as he casually raised his foot, he could easily trample her to death.
So the old emperor couldn’t be bothered to guess what she was thinking.
He went straight to the point.
“Where did you hide the charred corpse?”
He thought that Yu Niaoniao would continue to play dumb or deny it.
In the end, she replied calmly, “So Your Majesty wants that charred corpse.
Since Your Majesty has asked, I naturally don’t dare to hide it.. However, before
I answer your question, can you answer a few questions too?”