CH 30

Chapter 30: How Could Everything Go smoothly When The Whole World Knew?

At dawn, the morning light was faintly shining through the wing room of State Master Li in the Secret Servant Residence. 

Qin Yicang knocked at the door twice as he called: “It’s me!”

After saying that, he pushed open the door and walked into the wing room.

No one was inside the inner chamber, only a black gas floating in the air. As the black gas turned into a faint pattern of a snake wrapping around a turtle, the human skin resembling State Master Li was lying on the bed. 

Qin Yicang unfolded his fan, shook it, and laughed: “You really don’t like wearing it.”

The black gas gradually transformed into a vague human form and asked: “You just came back from the prison?”

“Yes.” Qin Yicang nodded: “This time, Bian Zhonghua’s punishment is so severe that Lin Baihu will throw a tantrum when he comes back.”

The black gas laughed twice. With his ethereal and distant voice, he said: “Even if I didn’t understand Lin Baihu, shouldn’t you understand him? He’s emotionless and lustless, so how could he know what ‘throwing a tantrum’ is? Besides, the qi in Bian Zhonghua’s blood is getting heavier and heavier. If he doesn’t exhaust it a bit, he will end up devouring himself.”

Qin Yicang nodded approvingly and added: “By the way, just now I spied outside the Prince’s wing room and heard some wonderful news.”

“Oh? What news?”

“The current Prince Chongfeng is fake. The real Prince is the young man named Qi Ci. No wonder Bian Zhonghua was so attentive to him.”

The black gas stood silent for a moment because of the shock and then murmured: “I see… I see… What else did you hear?”

Qin Yicang put away the fan and said: “Later, they went into the inner chamber. I was afraid of being detected and didn’t follow after them. What should we do? The refining of the Prince’s Longevity Pill can’t be delayed.”

The black gas said: “Let’s report it to Empress Dowager Xianyi first.”

Right after saying that, a bird shrouded in black fog jumped out of the black gas, spread its wings, and flew out of the window.

Half an hour later, State Master Li and Qin Yicang received a secret letter from Empress Dowager Xianyi.

The message was simple and concise, showing only one word.

Kill.

As Qin Yicang waved the letter, he muttered: “As expected of Empress Dowager Xianyi, who is rumored to be decisive when killing. But, couldn’t she write the letter more clearly? Is Empress Dowager so poor that she has to save up ink? What if we’re dumb and don’t understand who we’re supposed to be killing, and we end up killing the wrong ‘Prince’?”

State Master Li: “…..”

…

After going back to his room, Qi Ci had a restless night. He dreamed of Bian Zhonghua being heavily punished and getting badly hurt in the Secret Servant Residence. Then he dreamt of his mother, who told him not to come to the Capital. Finally, he woke up in a trance, unable to remember his last dream.

He got up, washed his face with a basin of water and cleaned himself up quickly. Then, he went to the Western Courtyard.

When he reached the entrance of the Courtyard, Qi Ci was stopped by some Secret Servants. At this, Qi Ci took out the token given to him by Bian Zhonghua, and he was allowed to enter the Courtyard.

When Qi Ci arrived at the door of the Prince’s wing room, he was stopped by Imperial Guards this time.

After reporting his presence, Xu Run stumbled out of the wing room. His shoulders were trembling as he stared at Qi Ci with wide eyes, as if Qi Ci was nothing more than an illusion Xu Run was imagining.

Qi Ci seemed exceptionally calm, and after avoiding the Imperial Guards, he asked: “Where’s A-Li?”

“I, I, I’ll ta-take you th-there.” Xu Run couldn’t even speak right.

Right after that, they walked for a short while until Xu Run brought Qi Ci to a quiet wing room. They stood outside the wing room without moving, when suddenly, the sound of coughing came from inside.

Xu Run then knocked on the door, and several maids hurried to open it. Xu Run walked in and said softly: “A-Li, who do you think came to see you?”

Xu Li was lying on the bed, covering her mouth with her sleeve as she coughed lightly: “Who? Ah!!!” The moment the little girl saw Qi Ci, her eyes lit up: “Qi Ci Gege!”

However, right after shouting so excitedly, a heartbreaking cough followed.

Xu Li had lost a lot of weight compared to when she was in the Northern Border, and her whole body was almost like skin and bones. Her eye bags looked black and blue, while her cheeks weren’t as chubby and rosy as before. No matter how you looked at her, she looked terminally ill.

Qi Ci felt distressed and wanted to leave quickly, so that she could rest well.

Xu Li pulled Qi Ci’s sleeve and said: “Qi Ci Gege, my elder brother said that I’ll be better tomorrow. When I get better, would you go with us to play in the Capital together? I want to fly paper kites and ride on a boat.”

Qi Ci replied: “Alright… yes….yes…”

One’s voice was lighter than the other.

After appeasing Xu Li to rest, Qi Ci and Xu Run exited the small courtyard together, walking back to the Prince’s wing room. After a long silence, Qi Ci finally spoke: “You didn’t tell her about the Longevity Pill?”

Xu Run: “…..No.”

Qi Ci clenched his fist: “Have you ever thought about the fact that Xu Li would have to live alone in the future?”

Xu Run stopped, looked at Qi Ci and smiled: “She won’t be alone, because you won’t let her be alone. That’s so you, Qi Ci. Yesterday, you were so angry that your eyes became bloodshot, and you even wanted to beat me hard. But today, you let go of your resentment and came to visit A-Li. Qi Ci, your heart is too soft.”

Qi Ci stared at him, opened his mouth and frowned in silence. It seemed that he wanted to refute Xu Run’s words, but after pondering over the words over and over, he finally just said: “Xu Li is innocent….”

‘Three years.’

Xu Run thought to himself.

‘Even after three years, Qi Ci hasn’t changed at all.’

‘He’s still the unguarded young man that took me and my sister. The young man with the bright smile and a kind heart. The young man who has been persecuted and still remains the same.’

This warmth used to haunt Xu Run around. But now, when his evil thoughts resurface, they were no longer what they used to be.

But…. Xu Run didn’t regret it at all.

“Qi Ci,” Xu Run suddenly said, “When I die, tell Xu Li about my father’s murder, so that she will fear and despise me. This way, she won’t be sad about my departure.”

Qi Ci gave him a deep look and didn’t say anything.

Xu Run smiled and walked into the wing room with big steps. His hands were hanging on the sides of his body and his steps were light.

At that moment, Xu Run had remembered his childhood. When his sister was born, his mother had hugged him and his sister as she whispered: “You must take care of her, alright?”

Xu Run then remembered the night his mother was murdered by his father. It sounded like a burst of thunder. He had to cover his sister’s ears as they hid in a corner of the bed, hoping that she wouldn’t be able to hear the hysterical quarrels and cries coming from outside.

Finally, Xu Run remembered the night his stepmother forced his 12-year-old sister to marry an old man. He had picked up a machete, only to rush into his father and stepmother’s room without the slightest hesitation.

As he stepped over these unpleasant memories, he walked towards the only thing he wasn’t ashamed of doing in his life.

However, as soon as Xu Run opened the door of the wing room, he could only stand frozen in place.

Since a dagger was inserted into Xu Run’s abdomen.

Then, the cloud of black gas at the other side of the door quickly dispersed, without leaving any trace behind.

How could everything go smoothly when the whole world knew?

…

Qi Ci was still wondering why Xu Run had suddenly stood still in the door, when the Imperial Guard outside the wing room shouted all of a sudden: “Your Majesty!!”

Xu Run slowly sat on the floor as he covered his bleeding abdomen with a hand. His lips were pale and trembling, as if he couldn’t believe what was happening to him. Suddenly, he remembered something and grabbed onto the door frame, trying his best to crawl towards the inner chamber.

The Imperial Guard didn’t know what to do, so he stopped Xu Run from moving forward: “Your Majesty! Don’t move! Let this subordinate stop the bleeding!”

Xu Run tried to push the Imperial Guard away, but he didn’t have any strength left. He just felt how the cold was covering his body as his consciousness began to leave his body little by little.

So, what should he do?

He had to jump into that furnace as soon as possible.

Xu Run suddenly panicked, as if he was able to hear the evil spirits maliciously laughing at him.

Laughing at his life, which ultimately ended up in vain.

Suddenly, a person came forward, fiercely stopping the Imperial Guard.

It was Qi Ci.

Xu Run broke free from his restraints and immediately staggered forward, leaving a trail of blood all the way to the inner chamber.

The pain coming from his abdomen gradually became numb, and Xu Run’s eyes gradually blurred as he heard the voice in his mind repeating over and over again….

‘Let me save my sister.’

‘Let me jump into the furnace alive.’

‘Let me be able to proudly say to my mother under the Nine Springs…’

‘See? I’ve taken good care of my sister!’

The moment his hands touched the hot furnace, the burn coming from his hands awakened Xu Run a little. As he laughed out loud, he stood up with the last bit of strength he had left and turned to face the door. He could no longer see with clarity since his vision had turned blurred, but Xu Run knew that Qi Ci would be there.

Xu Run felt that he was shouting as loud as he could, but he wasn’t actually sure whether he had produced any sound. He had said: “Qi Ci! I really didn’t sell you to that brothel!”

Right after saying that, Xu Run leaned back and fell into the blazing fire of the furnace.

So much dramaaaa

State Master Li and the Empress now knows that Qi Ci is the real Prince and Bian Zhonghua will be in prison for 7 days! What will they do to him? Especially now that the refining of the pill was used by Xu Run….

It’s clear that they deceived Xu Run into believing that the pill will go to his sister, when in reality they planned to use him as medicine to cure the sick Crown Prince…

Qi Ci is in great danger now

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