Chapter 273 Disgusting
“Huo Yunting…” she said slowly, her voice filled with solemnity, “is indeed…decisive.”
Can……
This is perhaps a bit too decisive.
No matter what, Liu Ruolan was still Liu Wenyuan's biological daughter. Although Liu Wenyuan had fallen into Chu Jichen's hands, no one else knew this; all they knew was that Liu Wenyuan's whereabouts were unknown.
Although Liu Wenyuan's whereabouts are unknown, the Liu family's influence in the court remains deep-rooted and should not be underestimated.
Huo Yunting killed her without hesitation?
Isn't he afraid that the Liu family will fight him to the death because of this?
Shen Qingci pondered for a moment. Huo Yunting's actions, seemingly impulsive, were in fact... a pledge of allegiance to Chu Jichen!
By killing Liu Wenyuan's daughter with his own hands, he had essentially severed all ties with the Liu family, leaving no room for maneuver whatsoever!
In this way, he had no choice but to... wholeheartedly serve Chu Jichen!
What a brilliant move – turning the tide and finding a way out!
This Huo Yunting... is truly a remarkable person.
Shen Qingci's thoughts raced through her mind in an instant. She slowly lifted the carriage curtain and, addressing Yuanbao who was following outside, gave him a low, solemn instruction:
"Send someone to find a way to spread the word that Huo Yunting personally killed Liu Ruolan to the Huo family and tell Old Madam Huo."
A cold, amused glint flashed in Shen Qingci's eyes.
She wanted to see how Old Madam Huo would react after learning that her eldest son, whom she had just regained but who had recently severed ties with her, had personally killed his former wife.
Yuanbao responded and then disappeared silently in a flash.
Just as Shen Qingci lowered the carriage curtain, cutting off all outside prying eyes, she heard Chu Jichen beside her speak slowly.
"Given the current situation," his voice was calm, yet carried a subtle undercurrent of complexity, "if Liu Ruolan hadn't died, she would have suffered all sorts of torture in our hands. Now that she's died so cleanly and decisively, it's... a quick and painless end."
He paused, a hint of inquiry flashing in his deep phoenix eyes: "I wonder if Huo Yunting's actions are still driven by some old feelings, unable to bear seeing his former wife suffer a fate worse than death, and thus personally put an end to her suffering."
“But,” his voice suddenly turned cold, “whatever the reason, the moment he returned, he immediately severed ties with his birth mother and killed his nominal wife with his own hands. He did indeed sever all the few remaining ties he had in this world.”
“From then on,” his voice took on a solemn tone, “he acted without any scruples.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci looked up in astonishment.
She... had never thought about it from that perspective.
But upon closer reflection, one has to admit that everything Chu Jichen said makes sense.
What is there that a person who can abandon even their closest relatives without hesitation wouldn't do?
So, what is Huo Yunting's true purpose? And what exactly does he want to do?
She abruptly turned her head to look at Chu Ji-chen, a terrifying thought growing uncontrollably from the depths of her heart: "Could it be... that his real target is you?"
"He wanted to... kill you?"
"But... but why?" Her brows furrowed tightly. "What was the motive? And, the night he kidnapped me, he clearly had the opportunity to do something to you, so why... did he do nothing?"
"He felt he wasn't entirely confident, so he wanted to gain your trust first, and then...make plans when the time was right?"
Shen Qingci's mind raced, and she felt a chill run through her body.
She looked at Chu Jichen, her voice filled with unprecedented solemnity and worry: "Huo Yunting is a man of deep cunning and ruthless methods. You... must be very careful."
Chu Jichen responded softly, his deep eyes fixed on her face, filled with tenderness and focus.
Shen Qingci's heart trembled at his gaze, and she immediately recalled that night when he said, "You are my life."
She quickly said, "After that night, didn't you arrange for many more guards to be by my side? I... I'll be fine."
Chu Jichen's fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a soft "knock-knock" sound.
“You should… stay in the palace for now,” he said, looking at her with an undeniable tenderness.
“Huo Yunting was the commander of the secret guards left to Emperor Yongming by the late emperor. He must know the secret passages and mechanisms in this palace like the back of his hand. I even suspect,” a cold glint flashed in his eyes, “that the reason he kidnapped you before was to force me to let you live in the palace so that it would be easier for him to take action.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci nodded in agreement.
The two returned to the Taiji Hall together, where the imperial kitchen had already served lunch.
Looking at the table full of dazzling and extremely luxurious dishes, Shen Qingci couldn't help but raise her eyebrows slightly.
Chu Jichen and she usually dined at the Regent's Palace in a simple and elegant manner. The food in the palace, however, was... dazzlingly extravagant.
Chu Jichen raised his hand to press his throbbing temples, his voice filled with helplessness: "This should be my first formal meal in the palace since I ascended the throne. I... don't know either."
"I suppose," a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes, "that Emperor Yongming was used to extravagance, and the people in the imperial kitchen... haven't changed their ways yet."
He gave a few instructions to the eunuch beside him in a deep voice, then turned to Shen Qingci and said in a gentle voice, "Let's make do for now."
Shen Qingci nodded. Since it was already done, it wouldn't be good to waste it.
She picked up her jade chopsticks, casually picked up a piece of chicken slices that looked rather bland, and put it in her mouth.
But as soon as the chicken slices entered my mouth, a strange, intense feeling of greasiness surged up from my stomach!
"Hmm..."
She quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, but felt nauseous and couldn't help but gag twice.
Upon seeing this, Chu Jichen's expression instantly darkened!
Without a second thought, he dismissed all the palace servants standing around, maneuvered his wheelchair to her side, and gently placed a warm hand on her back to soothe her breathing. His voice was filled with undisguised anxiety and worry.
"What's wrong? Is it... the food not to your liking?"
Shen Qingci forcibly suppressed the surging nausea, slowly shook her head, and said in a weak voice that she herself did not realize: "I...I don't know either. I just feel...a bit greasy."
Greasy?
Chu Jichen's brows furrowed tightly into a knot!
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