"Then I won't drink it, but please stop crying, okay? If you keep crying, I'll start to think you don't want to marry me."
"Little Qingxiang," Chu Huaixu feigned a hurt expression, "don't you want to marry me? Don't you want to take responsibility for me?"
Song Ting shook her head frantically.
How could that be? He dreams of being with his master, even if it costs him his life.
But Chu Huaixu was so wonderful, like a celestial being, while he was just a lump of mud by the roadside. How could he dare to even dream of him?
But now things are like this, something he never dared to dream of.
"Then stop crying. When Mother comes back and sees you, she'll think I'm bullying you."
Yesterday, Princess Duan went to the Daxiangguo Temple to offer incense and stayed overnight. She returned today.
The princess originally intended to take Chu Huaixu with her, but when Song Ting woke up in the morning, he had a fever. Chu Huaixu was worried about leaving him alone in the palace, so he stayed behind as well.
Judging by the time, the princess should be back soon.
Song Ting wiped away her tears and managed to squeeze out a weak "Mm".
His eyes were already swollen like two walnuts.
Chu Huaixu found it both funny and heartbreaking, and kissed each of his eyelids:
"Are you going to let me drink this water or not?"
Song Ting stared down at him.
It was originally a very full bowl, but because Song Ting got emotional, she spilled a lot of it, and now only a little less than half a bowl remains.
Song Ting stood up and said in a hoarse voice, "I... I'll go add some more."
Chu Huaixu was indeed thirsty, so he said, "Okay, let's go."
But when Song Ting returned after refilling the water, she was still tightly gripping the teacup, refusing to let go. Chu Huaixu was almost at his wits' end.
Will I be able to drink this bowl of water today?
Song Ting: "..."
Song Ting hesitated for a moment, then finally handed over the teacup. Chu Huaixu took it, tilted his head back, and drank without a word.
“Young Master…” Song Ting called out to him again.
"What's wrong?"
Song Ting's eyes were somewhat subtle and strange; in fact, it was easy for people to tell that he was hiding something.
But Chu Huaixu trusted him too much, assuming that he was still concerned about telling his parents and brothers about their relationship.
Therefore, he had no suspicions whatsoever, and seeing that Song Ting remained silent, he drank the entire bowl of tea.
Tears welled up in Song Ting's eyes again. She knelt at his feet, her lips trembling as she said, "I'm sorry, young master..."
"Why the sudden apology?" Chu Huaixu asked, puzzled. "Could it be that you really don't want to be with me?"
"I'd be more than willing."
Song Ting cried uncontrollably, clinging to Chu Huaixu's arms and showering them with kisses.
"I'm willing, but I'm sorry, young master..."
"So why exactly—" Chu Huaixu was about to ask again when suddenly everything went black for a moment.
Immediately afterwards, she felt dizzy, the whole room seemed to be shaking, and she could barely see Song Ting's face. Her limbs also became weak and powerless.
"What...what did you give me to drink..."
He fell into Song Ting's arms, and she kissed him passionately, apologizing repeatedly.
Chu Huaixu's vision became even more blurred, and he soon lost all consciousness.
When he woke up, he found himself locked in his room. He still had no strength in his limbs and found it difficult to even get out of bed and walk a few steps, let alone exercise.
At that time, he didn't know why Song Ting had suddenly drugged him, nor did he know what huge changes were happening outside.
My eyelids are twitching badly, and I feel very uneasy.
A moment later, he finally regained some consciousness, and the noise from the courtyard came in. He heard people crying and shouting.
The sky had completely darkened.
"Is anyone there? What happened? Is anyone there? Let me out!"
"Song Ting! Song Qingxiang! Song Qingxiang, let me out! Butler Zhou!"
"Is anyone there...?"
Chu Huaixu shouted for a long time, but no one paid any attention to him, while the commotion outside grew louder and louder.
Chu Huaixu occasionally heard phrases like "Prince Duan," "the late emperor," and "passed away."
A bad premonition immediately rose in Chu Huaixu's heart.
But hasn't the Emperor's condition improved significantly?
A few days ago, when he entered the palace, the two of them sat down and played half a game of chess, and agreed to continue the game in two days.
He took a fancy to several bolts of brocade from Jiangnan, intending to make clothes for his mother and Song Ting.
His grandfather promised him a reward if he won the game.
"How could that be?" Chu Huaixu thought. "He must have misheard."
He grew increasingly anxious, pounding on the door with all his might—his fists, a vase, a chair… anything Chu Huaixu could think of.
Because he had no strength, what he could usually accomplish with a simple kick became incredibly difficult.
Fortunately, he eventually managed to break down the door.
Chu Huaixu rushed out, and the Prince Duan's mansion was already in chaos. Some people were packing their belongings, some were moving valuables out, and some were crying...
The old housekeeper tried to stop one person but couldn't stop another, and he stomped his feet in frustration.
Chu Huaixu had never seen such a scene before and was momentarily stunned.
Just then, the gate of the Prince's mansion was kicked open from the outside, and a group of people carrying torches rushed in.
The boy named Yuanbao happened to be running at the gate when the leader pierced his heart with a sword. He died with his big, round eyes wide open, unable to close them in peace.
Blood splattered everywhere, with a few drops even landing on Chu Huaixu's face, still hot from the heat.
Chu Huaixu felt ice-cold all over, as if he were frozen in place, unable to move at all.
He stood there, stunned, staring into the eyes of the man who had drawn his sword, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
Chu Huaixu felt like he was dreaming, a terrible nightmare that would never come true.
Otherwise, how could it be? He thought to himself, how could the person who was just a moment ago so intimate with him lead the soldiers to investigate the Prince Chao Duan's mansion and even stab Yuanbao to death with a sword?
During the day, Yuanbao would follow this person around, calling him "brother, brother."
How could he do such a thing?
Is this still Song Qingxiang?
Is that his puppy?
Chu Huaixu refused to believe what he was seeing, his eyes staring blankly ahead.
Countless thoughts churned in his mind, making him want to shout and rush up to question, but he couldn't utter a sound.
"Take them all down! Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!"
Chu Huaixu's pupils suddenly widened, his ears rang, and everything around him seemed to distort.
In the darkness, it seemed as if monstrous demons with blue faces and fangs were lurking everywhere, opening their blood-red maws to tear him to pieces.
A huge fire shot into the sky, and the Prince Duan's mansion was burned to ashes right before Chu Huaixu's eyes.
In the firelight, a gentle and quiet woman carrying a long sword slowly walked over, softly calling Chu Huaixu's name.
When his gaze met that of the person at the door, it seemed to be poisoned, filled with resentment:
"Huaixu, my son, you must live on, remember all the humiliation you have suffered today, and seek justice for the Prince Duan's mansion!"
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