Chapter 459 I Know You Don't Love Me
Although Crown Prince Yunhua was the eldest son of the royal family, he was actually the Seventh Prince.
The Third Prince, Yun Feng, had already come of age and was granted the title of Prince by the Emperor, along with a fief.
However, the fief was far from the capital and not wealthy.
How could the Third Prince not know the old Emperor's intentions!
His mother, Consort Rou, seemed to enjoy exclusive favor and held the power of the inner palace after the late Empress passed away, but the old Emperor had never established another Empress.
He was only wary of the family power behind Consort Rou, using fake appeasement as a balancing act.
The old Emperor would never allow the Third Prince to ascend to that position, handing over the empire to others.
How could the Third Prince, with his wolfish ambitions, willingly submit to others?
Over the years, he had secretly forced the death of the First Prince and bought off the Second Prince.
The old Emperor had seen all these things and transferred him far from the imperial city to grant him the title of Prince, merely to pave the way for the returning Crown Prince.
The Third Prince was naturally indignant.
A Crown Prince who had returned to secular life from a temple, did he have the qualifications to compete with him?
The old Emperor was biased, so he would make the Crown Prince disappear from the world completely!
The Emperor was old and his health deteriorated day by day, so it would be normal for him to die suddenly one night!
Nanchen Royal Palace.
The Third Prince Yun Feng and his strategists were plotting a good show.
They were just waiting for the Crown Prince's coming-of-age ceremony to give him a grand gift!
The group of subordinates who had gone out to handle affairs returned.
Yun Feng summoned them.
"How did things go?"
"Your Highness, rest assured, with the hostage in hand, that woman has agreed to help us with our affairs."
Yun Feng laughed heartily, saying "good" several times.
The Five-Poison Powder mixed into the wine, an ordinary person would only need to drink half a cup to die, bleeding from all seven orifices!
Even immortals couldn't save the Crown Prince!
He could already imagine ascending the throne soon, with the world in his hands!
"By the way, Your Highness, there's one more thing…"
The burly man suddenly lowered his voice.
The man was a loyal guard who had been by the Third Prince's side for many years.
Yun Feng trusted him implicitly and waved for the other attendants to withdraw.
The man stepped forward, a sharp blade drawn from his sleeve, and fiercely stabbed Yun Feng's heart, then pulled it out!
Blood mist sprayed!
The Third Prince screamed and fell into a pool of blood!
The attendants outside the hall instantly burst in, and the burly man plunged another sword into his abdomen, also losing his breath.
The Nanchen Royal Palace was in chaos!
… …
The sudden change of events had not yet reached the imperial city, and the Crown Prince's residence was also in a state of anxiety.
Yunhua received a secret report from his subordinates that the Third Prince was making moves.
The Crown Prince's coming-of-age ceremony was a major event for the royal family.
Princes and princesses from all over could return to the capital to attend the banquet, and the various forces were mixed together.
It was also the time when the imperial city's defenses were the most lax, and the Third Prince was planning to take advantage of this opportunity to launch a rebellion that day!
Sang Luo entered the main hall with tea, and when she saw Yunhua discussing matters with his deputy, she turned to leave.
Yunhua saw her coming and waved for the deputy to withdraw first.
"Why did you come?"
His voice was a little hoarse, and there were dark circles under his eyes, obviously he hadn't had a good night's sleep for the past few days.
Sang Luo looked up at him and said considerately, "I haven't seen Your Highness for many days.
I heard that Your Highness has been very busy recently, and I didn't dare to come and disturb you casually.
I just finished boiling a bowl of newly learned wine soup at noon, and I wanted to bring it to Your Highness to warm your stomach."
Yunhua showed the first gentle smile he had had in days, "Thank you, I really haven't had time to eat yet."
He raised his hand to take the bowl of soup from her hand, but Sang Luo quickly said, "Your Highness, be careful, it's hot!"
Having walked all the way, the wine soup was still steaming, presumably she had hurriedly brought it over as soon as it was boiled.
Yunhua gathered Sang Luo's palm and took the soup bowl wrapped in cloth.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her delicate palm was burned red, and his heart softened.
"These tasks can be left to others to do, you don't have to do it yourself."
Yunhua placed the soup bowl on the desk, and took out a bottle of ointment from the drawer.
He lowered his head, took one of her hands, and spread out her palm.
The man's hands were slender and warm, easily enveloping her hand.
Yunhua poured out some milky white ointment, applied it to her palm, and gently rubbed it open.
"I just miss Your Highness and wanted to see Your Highness."
"… … You want to see me, you can come and see me at any time."
"What has Your Highness been busy with recently?"
"The Third Prince's matter."
Yunhua did not avoid her and told her everything he had been planning to counterattack these days.
Sang Luo suddenly smiled, "Is Your Highness not afraid that I am a spy sent by other princes?"
Yunhua raised his head, looked into her eyes, and said seriously, "I believe you."
Sang Luo chuckled, "It is very dangerous for Your Highness to trust a woman who you have only known for less than a month."
"You are my person, so you naturally stand on my side.
Only if I benefit can you get the greatest reward."
Yunhua finished applying the ointment to Sang Luo's hands, put down the medicine bottle, and his slender fingers slowly stroked her eyebrows and eyes again.
His clear and deep voice became gentle, "I also believe these eyes.
When she looks at me, there is no calculation or deception, but a sincere affection."
Sang Luo's throat choked, and after a long while, she lowered her head and said silently, "Your Highness, rest assured, those who harbor evil intentions will not be able to make waves.
If their plan is exposed, they will eventually suffer the consequences."
"Okay, then I will accept your kind words."
Crown Prince Yunhua walked to the desk and sat down.
Next to him was a chair specially prepared for her, as Sang Luo often came to the study to help him grind ink.
Today was the same as usual.
The study was quiet, with only the sound of the two people's breathing and the sound of pen and ink.
A wild wind passed through the hall, blowing the magnolia tree planted in the courtyard into a mess.
The flowers and leaves fell like goose feathers, covering the ground, but did not disturb the companions in the hall.
When Crown Prince Yunhua finished writing the last edict, Sang Luo helped him scoop a bowl of wine soup, "Your Highness, don't work too hard, you'll ruin your health.
Eat something first."
Yunhua looked at the bowl of soup in her hand, but did not take it.
He paused before asking, "Did you make this yourself?"
"Yes, this is the chicken wine soup that this concubine personally made for Your Highness.
I also went out to buy the ingredients this morning, using the best local farm chicken.
It tastes very delicious, Your Highness, please try it."
"… … Can I not drink it?"
"It will be cold if you don't drink it, wine soup should be drunk while it's hot."
She scooped a spoonful of wine soup and handed it to his lips.
Yunhua chuckled and opened his mouth to drink.
He then took the soup bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
The toxicity of the Five-Poison Powder was extremely strong.
In less than half an incense stick's time, black blood flowed from the corners of the man's lips, and he collapsed to the ground, exhausted.
There was no antidote for this poison, and once it took effect, it was beyond recovery.
"Is this what you wanted?"
He looked at her with a miserable and confused smile.
Sang Luo knelt on the ground, supporting his head on her lap, her emotions complex, "You knew it was poisonous, why did you still drink it?"
"I said, I believe you."
"But Your Highness, I have harmed you."
Yunhua grabbed one of her hands, his breath becoming weaker and more unstable.
Every time he finished a sentence, he would spit out a mouthful of blood, "I… I still want to know one last thing… You… You are the goddess from the hunting ground that day, right?"
Sang Luo didn't speak.
He smiled bitterly, "I know… you don't love me.
Every time you look at me… it's like… you're looking at another person… …"
"… …"
The person in her arms lost their breath.
Sang Luo closed his eyes.
"Come back."
A illusory soul flew out of Crown Prince Yunhua's corpse, transforming into a small fox.
Sang Luo took out another piece of soul fragment and merged it with it, transforming into a phantom of a nine-tailed celestial fox.
The phantom slowly shrank, turning into a round bead, falling into her palm, and she stored it in her space.
Fei Yuan appeared.
"Luo'er, we should go."
"Mm."
Sang Luo took one last look at the person in her arms, wiped the blood from his face, and gently stroked his head as he lay on the ground.
He was as quiet as if he was asleep.
Fei Yuan stepped forward and took her hand, chains emerged, and a space-time tunnel opened in the void.
"Your Highness!"
"The Crown Prince! Has passed away!"
The crowd burst in, and the exclamations of the palace servants and the cries of the women gradually dissipated behind them… …
Until they disappeared completely.
