CH 8

Letter (3.3)

Chu Ning couldn’t see his face due to the distance. She observed his face when he came nearer. 

She knew that she should watch out for him after catching a glance of him in Taiji Palace yesterday. As she looked at him now, she discovered that he was different from Xiao Yu and the late Emperor.

The difference wasn’t in their appearance. After all, they were all of the same Xiao bloodline, so the Prince of Qin was also tall and handsome with facial features similar to the late Emperor.

However, Xiao Yu and the late Emperor had a softer and more genteel demeanor. Regardless of how their hearts really were, on first glance, they seemed kindly and approachable.

On the other hand, the Prince of Qin had a completely different demeanor. As he defended the far-flung Ganzhou with the army all year round, his skin tone was darker than the princes and nobilities in the capital. Although he had similar facial features, he gave off a commanding air, making him seem stern and majestic.

He seemed as if he was born to be above everyone and to dominate over all.

Yet, he was left bracing the sandstorm in Ganzhou for fourteen years.

Chu Ning wondered if the truth was really what Xiao Yu speculated, that he was just a puppet the Empress Dowager brought in to subdue Xiao Yu.

She was very doubtful about that speculation.　

As she was still thinking, her eyes suddenly met a commanding gaze.

It turned out that some time ago, Xiao Kezhi had already walked to the front of Taiji Hall. He stood nearer to the hall than her and Xiao Yu.

There’s nothing unusual about that. He was, after all, the heir to the throne. Even without that, he was still the late Emperor’s sixth brother and the Crown Prince’s sixth uncle, so in terms of seniority, he was above Chu Ning and Xiao Yu.

Then, she noticed that everyone behind her was bowing to Xiao Kezhi. Even Xiao Yu, who spurted out blood in anger last night, was paying obeisance to him. Only she remained standing on her spot.

A pair of stern eyes stared straight at her from a few meters away.

Chu Ning suddenly felt a chill down her spine, and her hair stood on end.

She looked down slowly and bowed with the rest of the crowd.

It was almost time. The deceased Emperor was carried into the hall, and the funeral began. There would be purification and other rituals in Taiji Hall, so cushions were already placed outside the hall for the attendees to kneel and pray.

Xiao Kezhi stood in front and led everyone to kneel and lament.

Chu Ning remained with other women. As she cried numbly, she sent what seemed to be unintentional gazes at the strong and broad profile.

If she was not mistaken, in the brief moment when their eyes met, in the Prince of Qin’s eyes, apart from slight impatience for the tedious ceremonies and arrogance, there seemed to be a hint of pity.

Is he pitying me?

Is he certain that everything will go according to plan? The Crown Prince has worked hard all these years and gathered forces that could not be underestimated. Meanwhile, the Prince of Qin lived near the borders from a young age and was not involved in the power struggle. How is he so confident?

She raised an eyebrow slightly and glanced at the guards near the hall. What she saw stunned her.

The guards in the Taiji Palace had all been replaced. They were no longer the imperial guards from yesterday but were now soldiers of the Ganzhou Army. In the past, the Imperial Guards were under the control of the Empress Dowager while the Ganzhou Army was under the command of the Prince of Qin.

He was able to somehow take down the Imperial Guards stealthily overnight. This showed he had moved fast and decisively.

It was no wonder that he could be so confident. It turned out that the whole of Taiji Palace, even the whole of Chang’an were already within his grasp. This was not something that could be done on a whim. He must have planned it in secret for a long time, waiting for the right opportunity.

The Empress Dowager must be beating herself with regret in the Halls of Hundred Blessings. The man she had brought in was no puppet but a ravenous wolf!

This fitted Chu Ning’s purpose well.

She had been worried about the situation in the kingdom and how she was stuck with nowhere to turn. Now, the Prince of Qin seemed to have opened up a new option for her.