Despair to Death

Upon hearing this, Li Yunyu, who arrived shortly after, was initially startled. Before he could think further, Li Yunye lunged at Tang Feng. Tang Feng stood aside, coldly watching Chen Ke pin Li Yunye to the ground. He leaned down and whispered, "Your Highness, a bet is a bet, this is the price of defeat." He then stood up and told Chen Ke, "Put him down first."

Li Yunye, being dragged along by Chen Ke, still glared at Tang Feng and angrily shouted, "Tang Feng, you despicable man, you know perfectly well what underhanded tricks you used to frame me! Do you dare let me see the imperial edict again?"

"Your Highness, is there any need for you, a dying man, to reread the imperial edict?" She then looked at the Marquis of Annan, "Marquis, why haven't you withdrawn your troops? If you remain obstinate, I cannot protect you."

"Who knows what you're up to?" The Marquis of Annan pointed an arrow at Tang Feng's chest. "Since I've already rebelled, that brat Li Linglan won't let me return to the Southern Frontier. What does it matter if Li Yunye is gone? What does it matter if Yan Yun isn't his Li family's territory? I..." Before he could finish speaking, the Marquis of Annan collapsed to the ground, an arrow embedded in his forehead, blood spurting from the wound, terrifying the soldiers nearby.

"Anyone who still dares to rebel, like this man, I will kill them all on sight." Zhou Ziliang put down his bow and arrow, staring at the soldiers on the city wall, while the Dingbei Army also drew their bows and pointed them at Jinxi City.

Perhaps because the Marquis of Annam was gone, morale was low. The soldiers on the city wall looked at each other, then opened the gates, discarding their armor and weapons, and came down from the top.

Zhou Ziliang instructed Meng Lie to register the surrendered soldiers. He then turned to look at Tang Feng and saw that Tang Feng's face was ashen and he was holding onto the reins to avoid falling. Zhou Ziliang quickly stepped forward and asked, "Xiao Feng, are you alright?"

Tang Feng shook his head, wanting to say something to comfort Zhou Ziliang, but as soon as he opened his mouth, a metallic taste rose in his throat, and after vomiting a mouthful of blood, he lost his strength and knelt on the ground.

Seeing Tang Feng like this, Li Yunyu was about to step forward when Zhou Ziliang stopped him. "Your Highness, you deserve the most credit for this, so I'll take care of Xiao Feng. You should go and help out with Deputy General Meng." Without waiting for Li Yunyu's reply, Zhou Ziliang picked up Tang Feng, mounted his horse, and rode towards the military camp.

Tang Feng's forehead pressed against Zhou Ziliang's cold armor, covered in dust, and blood still clung to the corner of his mouth. This made Zhou Ziliang fear that Tang Feng would leave him. "Zi...Waaah, Ziliang, don't be afraid, I won't die."

Tang Feng was too weak to speak, and his voice was so soft that Zhou Ziliang had to lean close to his mouth to hear him. "Okay, I know. Don't speak. Promise me you'll be okay."

Tang Feng leaned against Zhou Ziliang's chest, the pain in his chest growing stronger in waves. He was already somewhat delirious, murmuring, "Ziliang...it hurts..."

"Xiaofeng, tell me where it hurts?"

Tang Feng clutched at the fabric of his clothes haphazardly, coughed a few times, and coughed up some blood that splattered onto Zhou Ziliang's armor. He vaguely saw Zhou Ziliang's anxious face, but he had no strength to respond. His head lolled to the side, and he completely lost consciousness.

Just as Chen Ke locked Li Yunye up, he saw Zhou Ziliang hurriedly carrying Tang Feng into the tent. After coming out, Zhou Ziliang ordered, "Whether it's Jinxi or Xiling, go and find a doctor for me, and do it quickly."

Tang Feng wasn't unconscious for long; he was just somewhat dazed. He vaguely saw Zhou Ziliang holding his hand and saying something to him. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. Then, a glass of sweet water went down his throat, making him more awake. "I made you worry again."

Zhou Ziliang sat down next to Tang Feng and took a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. "Does it still hurt?"

"pain?"

"You were just crying in my arms, saying you were in pain. When the doctor comes, tell him if you need any medicine." Zhou Ziliang removed his blood-stained armor. He knew Tang Feng might be afraid of this, so he found some civilian clothes in the camp and changed into them early that morning, but his face was still covered in dust and bloodstains.

Tang Feng smiled upon hearing Zhou Ziliang's words, then reached out and tucked Zhou Ziliang's messy hair behind his ear. "You've gotten so unkempt, like a little kitten. I told you... there's no need to rush."

"Xiao Feng thinks he's clean? You're the same." After wiping the dust off Tang Feng's face, Zhou Ziliang paused for a moment. "You always say I should get used to it, but I just can't. In my eyes, you shouldn't be like this, so frail and bedridden. The path of vying for the throne... has bound you in every way."

"Ziliang..." Tang Feng tried to sit up, but he swayed and couldn't sit still, falling into Zhou Ziliang's arms. After a while, he finally spoke, "Once everything is over... I'll live a good life with you. I owe you so much, and I've dragged you on for so long... I'm so sorry. If anything happens to you this time, I'll never forgive myself."

Zhou Ziliang embraced Tang Feng and gently kissed Tang Feng's temple. "You owe me nothing. From beginning to end, there was only mutual affection and unwavering devotion."

At this moment, Chen Ke hurriedly carried the old doctor into the tent, put him down, and pulled him towards Tang Feng's bedside. "Hurry up, my young mistress is very ill, please take a look... Hey? Young mistress, you're awake?"

"Brother Chen," Tang Feng nodded to Chen Ke, then said, "I'm already awake, so I don't need to see a doctor anymore."

"No," Zhou Ziliang said, pulling Tang Feng close and looking at the doctor. "My young master just vomited blood and said he's in pain." He then looked down at Tang Feng and gently shook him. "Little Feng, tell the doctor where it hurts so he can treat you."

"My chest felt like it was dancing at first, then it turned into a sharp pain, each time more intense than the last." Tang Feng was held tightly by Zhou Ziliang, and escape was impossible, so he had no choice but to answer truthfully.

The old doctor sat down next to Tang Feng, took his pulse, then looked at Zhou Ziliang and then at Chen Ke. "This...this...it's hard to say. This young master is too weak, deficient in both qi and blood. This...this requires a strong tonic."

Tang Feng had anticipated this response, but to avoid worrying Zhou Ziliang, he could only say, "Then please prescribe some medicine for my cough..." After the doctor left, Zhou Ziliang grabbed Tang Feng's hand and began to scold him, "Didn't you get much rest after I left? I told you not to worry about others so much."

"You heartless bastard, I... I wasn't doing this for your soldiers, was I? Recruiting soldiers isn't easy." Tang Feng's cheeks flushed slightly, he covered his mouth and stammered twice, then buried his face in Zhou Ziliang's chest and gently rubbed against him.

Zhou Ziliang knew Tang Feng was shy, and smiled, "Alright, alright, for my soldiers, my little Feng knows how hard I work recruiting and building up my troops. This is him showing his concern for me."

Tang Feng knew, of course, that Zhou Ziliang was teasing him. He glared at him and changed the subject, asking, "Where is the Ninth Prince?"

"I sent him to get the list of surrendered soldiers from Meng Lie. After all, the credit for this is his, and I can't interfere too much."

Tang Feng nodded. "That's fine. After all, he's the future ruler; it won't hurt for him to be more independent." Then, he looked up at Zhou Ziliang and whispered, "I want to see Li Yunye."

"With you in this state, and him in such a rage, going over there now would only be asking for trouble," Zhou Ziliang said, placing a soft cushion under Tang Feng's lower back. He then got up, poured himself a glass of warm water from the table, and helped Tang Feng drink a few sips. "Putting everything else aside, the fact that you deceived him into not sending troops is enough for him to vent his anger on."

"He... won't live to see tomorrow," Tang Feng said with a bitter smile, clutching the blanket tightly in his hands. "If he leaves alive... neither His Highness the Ninth Prince nor I will have an easy time."

Zhou Ziliang paused for a moment, then raised his hand to stroke Tang Feng's cheek, saying with heartache, "Xiao Feng, does His Highness know what you've done? These past few days, I feel that His Highness might not be able to accept your good intentions after learning the truth."

Tang Feng shook his head. "It was just a friend's request. I couldn't let Shen Qinghang die in vain. I'm just... fulfilling my promise."

Seeing Tang Feng about to get up, Zhou Ziliang quickly helped him up. "Rest a little longer, at least drink your medicine." Tang Feng looked up at Zhou Ziliang and smiled. "If the medicine worked, would I be in this state? Even Wu Hezou couldn't prescribe a miracle cure, let alone Brother Chen, who was desperate and just randomly sought out this doctor. Okay, don't worry, I'm feeling better. Besides, I'm already like this, how much worse can it get?"

Seeing that Zhou Ziliang didn't respond, Tang Feng didn't say anything more. He slowly put on his clothes, and, supporting himself on the tent flap, slowly walked out. When he reached the tent where Li Yunye was being held, Chen Ke was guarding outside. Seeing Tang Feng walking towards him, she quickly stepped forward, "Young Madam, what are you doing? You're still sick, why are you out here?"

"I've come to see him," Tang Feng coughed twice, covering his mouth, then said to Chen Ke, "Don't tell anyone I'm here. I'll go in and check first. Brother Chen, keep watch for me."

Just then, Li Yunyu and Meng Lie returned. Seeing Tang Feng enter Li Yunye's tent from afar, they asked, "Sir, weren't you ill? Why did you go to Third Brother's place?"

"You must have something to ask, after all, rebellion is no small matter." Meng Lie counted the list in his hand, but after a long time he still couldn't figure it out, so he handed it to Li Yunyu. "Your Highness, please do it. I can't count. Oh, right, Zhou Ziliang just said that the Grand Tutor is currently ill and needs to rest for two days before returning to Xiling. He told us to send people back first so as not to worry His Majesty. As for the Third Prince, they will take him back."

Li Yunyu felt something was off; everything seemed too coincidental, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, so she had no choice but to agree.

After Tang Feng walked in, he saw Li Yunye sitting at the table with his back to him. Chen Ke hadn't tied him up, and he seemed much calmer than before. "You're here?"

Seeing Li Yunye speak, Tang Feng stopped hiding his intentions and sat down opposite him. "I shouldn't have trusted you so much, Tang Feng." Li Yunye looked at Tang Feng, his eyes filled with disappointment and resentment.

Tang Feng pursed his lips and remained silent. Li Yunye continued, "I thought no one could be so ruthless to themselves. That arrow during the spring hunt almost killed you. Have you ever considered that if you were dead, all these things would just be external possessions?"

"Either way, it's death." Tang Feng met Li Yunye's eyes, his eyes stinging from the candlelight. "That day, His Highness shot off target and accidentally hit his chest."

"So you've been plotting against me all along?"

"It wasn't just me who plotted against you; Shen Qinghang was too. Otherwise, why do you think you've gotten this far so smoothly and unscathed?"

Li Yunye was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then threw his head back and laughed loudly, "So that's it! So that's it! Good! Very good, you've all colluded, a den of snakes and rats, to take my life. So I never had it in the first place." Li Yunye glanced at Tang Feng and sneered, "For that useless thing of my ninth brother, you went to such lengths, what is this? A cuckoo crying blood? Exhausting all your strength? Do you think he'll be grateful to tears?"

"I don't care. When you do something for a long time, you become obsessed with it. It's not about gains or losses; I just want a result. As for Shen Qinghang, he is guilty of harming you, but you are not innocent either."

Li Yunye grabbed Tang Feng by the collar and pulled him in front of him. "What did you say?"

"The Crown Prince has never done anything to wrong you, yet you caused the deaths of so many people in his household, including the Crown Princess and their unborn child. Even a fisherman knows to make his nets wide enough to release the fish fry, but you caused the Crown Prince's entire household to be wiped out. Do you still think you're innocent?" Tang Feng stared firmly into Li Yunye's eyes, making Li Yunye feel uneasy. After pushing Tang Feng away, she hurriedly said, "That...that was his own fault. I begged..." He begged! I begged him to release my mother and spare me, but he was obstinate and unresponsive, like talking to a brick wall. He spouted his self-righteous platitudes, only caring about securing his position as Crown Prince. He never thought of us, or even my elder sister! The woman he loves has also been imprisoned by Li Yunrui. Of course, my elder sister is unhappy; it wouldn't be unreasonable for Father to impeach him! What did we do wrong? Were we wrong? If Li Yunrui hadn't gone to the inner palace that day, none of this would have happened! Do you think I wanted this position?!

Li Yunye, unable to contain his anger, kicked away the stool next to him to vent his frustration. Tang Feng silently watched Li Yunye vent his emotions beside him, then took out a silk ribbon and a medicine bottle from his pocket and placed them on the table. Li Yunye looked at Tang Feng, sat down, and sneered, "My father didn't intend to execute me, did he, Tang Feng? The imperial edict is fake, isn't it?"

Tang Feng shook his head. "I obtained the imperial edict through desperate pleading late at night. While it didn't explicitly state that it would cost you your life, the outcome will likely be quite similar."

"What's the meaning?"

“Li Yunrui never intended to rebel. His Majesty has already slaughtered your entire family, and you've even led your troops all the way to Jinxi. Do you think you have any chance of survival? His Majesty is merely taking you back for questioning.”

Li Yunye chuckled self-deprecatingly after hearing this, "Fine, I'm going to die anyway, so it's worth it if I bite you before I die."

Seeing that Li Yunye seemed somewhat deranged, Tang Feng coughed a few times while pressing his chest before sighing, "I heard that everything you did was for your mother... Have you seen Li Yunrui since her death?"

Li Yunye was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Li Yunrui has so many people stationed at the palace gate, how could I possibly get in?"

“No matter what happened to Li Yunrui, at least Consort Xiao had someone guarding her outside, so she didn’t have to worry about food and drink. But Li Yunrui is dead, and His Majesty has never mentioned your mother. There are so many concubines in the palace, and the palace servants are all people who treat people differently based on their status. Why would anyone still care about a concubine in the cold palace?” Tang Feng closed his eyes, suppressing his physical discomfort before slowly speaking, “Consort Xiao is already dead, and no one has claimed her body. When I went there, her lower body had already turned into bones.”

"No way, no way! Tang Feng, you're lying to me, aren't you!" Li Yunye's eyes instantly turned red with anger. He grabbed Tang Feng, pulling him down and making him stumble. "Say something! Say it! You're lying to me!"

Tang Feng shook his head and gave a bitter smile. "Why would I lie to you now? You're just like a clown, going to great lengths to harm so many people, only to end up with nothing. It's all for nothing."

Li Yunye abruptly released Tang Feng, his legs giving way as he collapsed to the ground. "Why... why didn't anyone tell me..."

"After all, you are a prince. Who would dare to speak frankly to you? Besides, this is His Majesty's concubine. If word gets out, what will become of the royal family's reputation?"

Li Yunye looked up and sighed softly, "I lost, Tang Feng. I'll tell you everything."

As Tang Feng stepped out of the tent, he happened to run into Shen Qinghang, who was also being escorted inside. The two met at the door. Shen Qinghang looked at Tang Feng, whose face was deathly pale, and smiled, "What? Can't bring yourself to do it?"

"Everything has been resolved, why do you still want to go and die?"

"If word gets out that the person who often advised the Third Prince is still alive, His Majesty will definitely become suspicious. Besides... Li Yunye is dead. If I don't follow him, people will say I'm a jinx. Anyway, I have nothing to do, and I've done what I needed to do. If the Ninth Prince succeeds, just come to my grave and tell me."