Chapter 184 He even had some regrets.
Huo Yunzhan's brows furrowed tightly into a knot.
Shen Qingci's gaze at him at this moment was too cold, too unfamiliar. There was no trace of old affection in it, only an overwhelming sense of mockery and disgust.
This made him feel inexplicably flustered.
But then he thought about it again and realized it was impossible.
Shen Qingci liked him so much before, loved him to the core, and even tried to kill herself for him twice after his "death"! How long has it been? Only two or three months!
How could a woman's feelings for a man change so easily?
She must still be heartbroken because of his affair with Liu Ruolan, which is why she deliberately put on this cold attitude, hoping to make him back down and want him to... coax her a little more.
Yes, that must be it!
Women are always saying one thing and meaning another, playing hard to get.
Thinking of this, Huo Yunzhan's initial panic was instantly replaced by a familiar, all-encompassing confidence.
He looked at her, his face once again displaying that submissive and affectionate expression, his voice filled with helplessness and doting: "Qingci, I've already agreed to divorce her for you, are you... still not satisfied?"
"So what exactly do you want me to do for you to... forgive me?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci let out a sneer.
“Simple.” She looked at him, a cruel smile curving her lips, and slowly uttered a single word.
"die."
Huo Yunzhan's face froze instantly!
His eyes widened, thinking he had misheard, before he managed to speak with some difficulty: "Qingci...you...you don't have to be so ruthless, do you?"
"Liu Ruolan... she is still a daughter of the Liu family. Even though Prime Minister Liu is in trouble now, the Liu family still has deep roots in the court, with countless protégés and former officials."
"Although you are now the Regent's Consort, if you offend the Liu family too much, it will not do you any good at all."
"Hahaha..." Shen Qingci looked at his stupid appearance as he was still trying to defend himself, and finally couldn't help but burst into laughter.
The laughter was crisp and melodious, yet it was filled with endless coldness and mockery.
"Huo Yunzhan," she slowly stopped laughing, her clear phoenix eyes fixed on him, no longer concealing anything, "Have you... misunderstood something?"
"What I, the princess, am saying is not that I want Liu Ruolan to die."
"But..." Her voice suddenly turned fierce, filled with deep-seated hatred, "I'll let you die!"
The color drained from Huo Yunzhan's face in an instant!
Looking at the woman in front of him with fierce eyes, as if she wanted to devour him alive, he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head!
"Ah...Aci..." His lips trembled, and his voice carried a hint of fear that he himself was unaware of, "You...you stop messing around..."
“I’m not making a fuss.” Shen Qingci looked at him with a half-smile. “I’m the kind of person who likes to tell the truth the most. But the thing is, when I tell the truth, you… never believe me.”
Her expression suddenly turned cold!
"Speak!" Her voice was icy cold. "What exactly does the Marquis want today?!"
"Do you want me, the princess, to take pity on you and hand over the antidote to save that old scoundrel Liu Wenyuan, just because your face bears some resemblance to my deceased husband?"
Huo Yunzhan's intentions were completely exposed by her, and he immediately felt embarrassed!
He forced himself to stay calm and argued, "I...I really only did it for your own good!"
"Chu Jichen is also poisoned now, and his life hangs in the balance! If you offend Liu Wenyuan again, and something happens to him, the Liu family... the Liu family will never let you off the hook!"
"You are just an orphan, with no one to rely on. How can you possibly stand against the entire Prime Minister's mansion?!"
"Oh?" Shen Qingci smiled upon hearing this.
She slowly stepped forward, staring intently at him, her eyes filled with provocation and disdain.
"What if I, the princess consort... insist on fighting against the Liu family?"
"You," her fingertips almost poked his chest, "Huo Yunzhan, who... will you choose?"
Huo Yunzhan opened his mouth, about to speak, but was ruthlessly interrupted by Shen Qingci.
"Fine." She slowly withdrew her hand, her face filled with utter weariness and impatience. "You never tell the truth. This princess... doesn't want to hear your answer anymore."
She looked at him, her eyes filled with a knowing, mocking gaze.
"You came here today simply because you thought you could persuade me to admit that I poisoned Liu Wenyuan, and then get me to hand over the antidote so that you... can take this antidote to the Liu family and ask for credit and reward."
“I advise you,” her voice was icy cold, “not to waste your energy anymore.”
Even if you ask me a hundred times, a thousand times, my answer will still be the same—
"The poison that Liu Wenyuan was afflicted with was discovered by me, the Princess Consort, in a public search of his own trusted ministers! If you wanted the antidote, you shouldn't have come to me!"
"You should ask Liu Wenyuan himself! Ask those two ministers who were found to have poison! Ask them if they... did they tamper with the so-called ink powder and teacup!"
Just then, a maid's respectful voice came from outside the door: "Your Highness, it's time for lunch. As for the Prince..."
Before she finished speaking, Shen Qingci had already stood up. The icy frost on her face instantly melted into tender affection.
"I, the princess, will personally feed Your Highness." Her voice was filled with undisguised tenderness and concern. "I... will be there right away."
After saying that, she didn't look at Huo Yunzhan's already distorted face again, and walked straight towards the door.
As Huo Yunzhan watched her resolute departure, a hint of madness and jealousy crept onto his face.
Personally...feed me?
On what grounds?
Why should that disabled person receive such gentle and considerate care from her?
Clearly... clearly all of this should belong to him!
He still clearly remembers one winter when he caught a cold and had a persistent high fever. At that time, they were not yet married, but Shen Qingci disregarded the dignity of a young woman and stayed by his bedside without changing her clothes for three days and three nights.
She personally brewed the medicine for him, spoonful by spoonful, blowing on it to cool it before feeding it to him.
She used a warm cloth to wipe his burning body again and again.
At that time, she only had eyes for him and only had his heart.
But what about Liu Ruolan?
That woman was spoiled and arrogant, never lifting a finger. Besides being good at acting cute and seeking favor, what had she ever done for him?
Would Shen Qingci do these things for Chu Jichen now?
Huo Yunzhan's expression grew increasingly grim.
He recalled hearing in the palace that after Chu Jichen was brought back to the Prince's Mansion, Shen Qingci had been taking care of him personally, never leaving his side.
Hearing something is completely different from seeing it with your own eyes and hearing it with your own ears!
An indescribable sense of jealousy and regret, like a venomous snake, gnawed at his heart!
He couldn't understand it!
He even...
I... regret it a little.
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