Bloodshed in the Eastern Palace

After returning from the main hall, Li Wuyou felt a pang of regret. Thinking of Li Yunrui's despairing expression, she hardened her heart. As long as he was alive, at least he hadn't lost his life because of her. Li Wuyou sat before her dressing table, combing her long hair alone. These past few days had been a blur, a constant feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Early that morning, she had instructed her maid to visit Huaitang in prison that day. Looking at the food box on the table, Li Wuyou smiled slightly, "Huaitang, we'll be together soon...right?"

Sitting in his tent, Fu Ming'an never expected Li Yunheng to come looking for him. "Oh! Isn't this His Highness Prince Cheng? Be careful not to be seen!"

"Hmph, do you think I came willingly?" Li Yunheng didn't particularly like Pu Yuan. If it weren't for his mother's connection to them, he wouldn't have relied on them to bring down Li Yunrui. "Li Yunrui isn't dead, he's just imprisoned." "Your Highness, must you be so ruthless?" Although Fu Ming'an wanted to assist Rong Ji in overthrowing the Crown Prince, he didn't intend to take his life. However, Li Yunheng was considered the future ruler of Yanyun, and if he wanted Pu Yuan and Yanyun to be unified in the future, he naturally had to curry favor with him. "Of course," Li Yunheng said coldly, without much expression. "If we don't kill him now, are we just raising a tiger to cause trouble later?"

“Alright…” Fu Ming’an stood up and dusted himself off. “I remember the Princess had a sweetheart… what was his name again?” “Huaitang.” “Yes, yes, that’s him.” Fu Ming’an then handed the dagger at his waist to Li Yunheng. “Does Your Highness dare to kill him? If you kill him, I’ll teach you what to do next.” Seeing that Li Yunheng didn’t move, Fu Ming’an slowly placed the dagger into Li Yunheng’s waist and said with a smile, “What? Your Highness doesn’t dare? How will you rise to the top in the future! I heard that when the Emperor of Yanyun led his troops north, he killed without blinking an eye.” Li Yunheng was too lazy to pay attention to Fu Ming’an. “My mother and I are just pawns of Pu Yuan. But even as pawns, I am still the Fourth Prince of Yanyun. How can I be the one to kill?” Seeing that Li Yunheng didn’t want to participate, Fu Ming’an could only say, “If Your Highness insists, I have no objection. If you don’t want to kill Huaitang, find some time to let me come to the palace.”

Although entering the palace wasn't easy, Li Yunheng was, after all, a prince, so bringing people in would be easier. Fu Ming'an disguised himself as a servant delivering food to the prison and sneaked into the dungeon. "You must be Lord Huai! This is your food." Huai Tang, imprisoned for so long, had long lost his scholarly air. His face was covered in stubble, his hair was disheveled, and his skin was so dirty that his complexion was unrecognizable. Perhaps he had never eaten anything good here. Facing the food Fu Ming'an brought, Huai Tang didn't even look at it before wolfing it down. Fu Ming'an looked at Huai Tang's appearance and couldn't help but click his tongue, "He's supposed to be from an official family, how can he not know his place? He still fantasizes about being with the princess." Fu Ming'an didn't wait any longer and turned to leave. Finally, he sighed, "Forget it, if you want to blame someone, blame Li Yunheng. I'm just helping out. Eat more, so you don't end up starving in the underworld." At this moment, Huai Tang's painful cries came from behind, and soon he fell silent.

After learning that Huaitang had been killed by Fu Ming'an, Li Yunheng went to visit the Eldest Princess as instructed. Li Wuyou initially intended to refuse him entry, but after some thought, she changed her mind. Seeing Li Yunheng sit down, Li Wuyou said irritably, "What do you want?" "Eldest sister has quite a temper. You know, the Crown Prince... ah no... Li Yunrui is under house arrest." Hearing that Li Yunrui was under house arrest, Li Wuyou frowned. Li Yunheng, who had clearly seen everything, pretended not to notice and continued, "Father has delegated most of Li Yunrui's duties to me and Third Brother... Huaitang... I wonder if eldest sister knows about him?" Upon hearing Huaitang's name, Li Wuyou glared at Li Yunheng. "What did you do to him?!" "Nothing," Li Yunheng replied nonchalantly, picking up his teacup and taking a sip. Then, in front of Li Wuyou, he pulled a blood-stained jade pendant from his robes and placed it on the table. "He committed suicide. He couldn't take the blow anymore. You didn't see him in prison, covered in blood, handcuffed, his wrists and ankles were raw. I don't even know what his relationship with Li Yunrui was. Li Yunrui originally planned to rescue him." A tear slid down Li Wuyou's cheek. "He... is dead?" Li Wuyou shook her head. "How could that be? He said... he wanted to be with me. He said he wanted to retire to the mountains with me..." Then Li Wuyou grabbed Li Yunheng. "Yunheng! Let me see him, please!" Li Yunheng shook off Li Wuyou's hand, stood up, and said with a smile, "Elder sister, your fourth brother wouldn't dare help you. Li Yunrui helped you so much, but you still imprisoned him in the Prince's mansion with just one sentence. He'll spend the rest of his life there alone. And his unborn child, thanks to you, his aunt, is also confined here for life. If those who help you end up like this, then your fourth brother really wouldn't dare to help you."

"No...no, Yunrui, no! Yunye said Yunrui doesn't want to help me...he only wants to use Huaitang to...make me marry into a foreign land, so he can keep his position as crown prince. He...that's what he said, that's why I..." Li Wuyou sobbed intermittently. Li Yunheng shook his head, feigning pity and sighing, "Elder sister! Don't you know the hatred between Li Yunye and Li Yunrui? Li Yunye's advice to you is naturally influenced by his personal feelings. But think about it, elder sister, Li Yunrui is the crown prince. For your sake, he used the military seal at all costs, and what did he get in return? If he really wanted you to marry into a foreign land, would he need to go to such lengths? When Father returns, will he blame him? Besides, what does your marriage have to do with him?" Li Yunheng placed the bloodstained jade pendant in Li Wuyou's hand, said nothing, and left.

Li Wuyou collapsed to the ground, clutching the jade pendant from Huaitang, and wept bitterly. She felt she had not only failed Huaitang, but also Li Yunrui, who had wholeheartedly tried to help her. But now, Li Wuyou knew it was too late to say anything. She only hoped that the Emperor would release Li Yunrui, as a form of atonement. Slowly rising, she leaned on the table. Li Wuyou understood that she had become a pawn in the brothers' struggle for the throne. But what could she do now? Sitting before her dressing table, Li Wuyou looked at her reflection and couldn't help but mock, "With such a face, who will I show it to in the future? Back in Lanxi, we were all bright young men, though we teased each other, our hearts were connected. Now, each of us is wielding power in this treacherous hell, stirring up trouble. There's no going back... no going back."

The air was thick with the fragrance of incense, and an extra lamp illuminated the room. The man sat down, lifting his robes, and wrote a final letter to the Cloud Emperor. The Princess Wuyou, whose name was given to her as "Carefree and joyful, boundless and without worry," did not live the carefree life her name's name suggested. Instead, she left behind a letter of repentance, ending her short life.

Atao was Li Wuyou's servant. Early in the morning, seeing that Li Wuyou hadn't come out, she knocked on the door to inquire. When there was no response, she rushed in and found Li Wuyou hanged from the rafters. She was instantly terrified, her legs giving way, and she collapsed to the ground. She hurriedly called for help, and just as she was about to leave, she saw a letter on the dressing table. Seeing that the letter was addressed to the Emperor, she wanted to deliver it quickly. But just as she stepped out of the palace gate, she bumped into Li Yunheng. "What kind of behavior is this, all in such a panic!" Li Yunheng looked at Atao, his brows furrowed, his face full of displeasure. "Your Highness... Your Highness, spare me! The princess... the princess... the princess is dead!" Atao burst into tears. "What! Take me to see her!" Li Yunheng pretended to be anxious and followed Atao into Li Wuyou's room. He looked her up and down for a while and said, "Did your elder sister leave anything behind?"

"The princess left a letter for His Majesty," Atao said, handing the letter to Li Yunheng. Li Yunheng took the letter and said sorrowfully, "I know. I will give this letter to my father. You go and inform him first. I'll change my clothes and then go." Although Li Yunheng said this, after leaving Li Wuyou's palace, he didn't go back. Instead, he turned and went to Rong Ji, handing the letter to him. "I didn't expect my elder sister to have such a plan before she died."

“Li Wuyou isn’t stupid. After what you said to her yesterday, she’s naturally realized she’s been deceived. But this letter still needs to be given; you can’t frame Li Yunrui without evidence.” Rong Ji looked the letter up and down. “But Mother… not a single word in this letter is against Li Yunrui.” Seeing Li Yunheng’s puzzled look, Rong Ji laid out paper and pen. “What’s the big deal? Just write another one. Although Emperor Yun likes Li Wuyou, he doesn’t care about many things. He’s never paid attention to your calligraphy, so as long as the handwriting is similar, it’s fine.” After Rong Ji finished writing, she handed the letter to Li Yunheng. “Go and deliver this letter quickly. After your father reads it, I guarantee the Crown Prince’s head will roll tomorrow.”

Rong Ji's guess was indeed correct. When Emperor Yun learned that his most beloved daughter had committed suicide, his emotions, which had not been stirred for many years, suddenly erupted. Perhaps he wasn't angry about Li Wuyou's death itself, but rather that after Li Wuyou's death, there was no longer any trace of Su Zili living in Xiling City. Looking at the farewell letter Li Wuyou had written to him, every sentence revealing that she had been forced to her death by Li Yunrui, Emperor Yun sat before his dragon throne, crumpling the letter as if he wanted to crush it. "Eunuch Feng, issue the decree..." "Since assuming the regency, the Crown Prince has been utterly wicked and perverse, utterly devoid of benevolence and righteousness, alienated from upright men, and intimately acquainted with petty men. He betrays every virtuous deed, no matter how small, and indulges in every heinous crime. He forms cliques for personal gain, harms the princess, nearly plots a rebellion, arbitrarily seizes state funds, and interferes in politics. He will surely bring ruin to our nation and slaughter our people. If such an unfilial and unrighteous person were to rule as emperor, what would become of our ancestral legacy? I hereby depose Li Yunrui from his position as Crown Prince, demote him to commoner status, sever all ties with him, and execute his entire family, including nine generations of his relatives, as an offering to the princess's soul!"

"His Majesty...."

"Go quickly!" Seeing Emperor Yun's anger escalate further, Eunuch Feng dared not dissuade him any longer and had no choice but to hurry to deliver the imperial decree. However, before he had even left the main hall, Emperor Yun called out to him, "Wait, send the Protectorate General's Office, leave no obstacles behind. Also, take care of Consort Yan as well!"

Lin Xiaomei was awakened by the sound of horses' hooves. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Li Yunrui already dressed and sitting on a stool. The candlelight cast flickering light on his face. "Your Highness..." Li Yunrui looked at Lin Xiaomei and said, "Run! Go through the back door, they're about to break in!" Just as he finished speaking, Lin Xiaomei heard the sound of someone breaking down the door. "Your Highness..." "Go quickly!" Li Yunrui grabbed Lin Xiaomei's hand and led her out the door. "I'm so sorry we can't wait for the child to be born, but you must live well." Li Yunrui took out a jade pendant from his waist. "Consider it a gift for the child! Granny, quickly take the Crown Princess out through the back door." Lin Xiaomei was pulled out by the old nanny. Looking at Li Yunrui, who was left behind, tears welled up in her eyes, and her voice seemed to be stuck in her throat, unable to come out at all. Seeing Lin Xiaomei walk away, Li Yunrui walked out of the courtyard and stood in the middle of the ransacked main hall. He drew his sword from his waist and, seeing that the people who came were from the Protectorate, he smiled bitterly and said, "It seems that my father is going to kill me!"

"Of course!" Sima Ru threw the corpse from the frozen lake in front of Li Yunrui. "Your Highness, although you have been demoted to a commoner, I still want to address you as Your Highness. Don't resist. I just want to complete my task!" He then drew a long sword from his waist and walked towards Li Yunrui. "I won't make things difficult for you, but I don't want to die at someone else's hands. I, Li Yunrui, have asked myself honestly that I have never wronged anyone in my life, and I shouldn't be killed as a traitor! You! You have no right to take my life!" After saying this, Li Yunrui held the long sword to his neck and slashed it hard. Blood stained the tables in the hall. Li Yunrui fell to the ground, his eyes fixed on Sima Ru, dying with resentment in his heart.

"Lord Sima! We've searched both sides! We haven't found the Crown Princess. All the servants are here." Sima Ru glanced at the people kneeling outside, and was about to speak when Yang Fei interrupted, "My lord, I'm willing to take a few men to hunt down the Crown Princess." Sima Ru pondered for a moment and nodded, "I want to see her alive or dead, do you hear me!"

Lin Xiaomei was pulled a few steps by the old nanny before she slowly squatted down, clutching her stomach and saying, "Nanny... you go first! My stomach hurts... I really can't walk anymore." Hearing the commotion outside growing louder, the old nanny quickly said, "Oh, what are you saying? His Highness the Crown Prince instructed me before he left that I would risk my old life to protect you." The old nanny touched Lin Xiaomei's stomach and frowned. Her stomach was no longer as soft as usual; it felt very hard, giving the old nanny a bad feeling. "Your Highness, hurry! Hold on a little longer! Run a little further! I know an empty house; let's hide there!"