Chapter 185 Let them fight like dogs
As soon as Shen Qingci returned to her bedroom, she met Chu Jichen's smiling eyes.
"It seems," he said with a half-smile, "that Huo Yunzhan... seems to have regretted it."
"Whether he regrets it or not is none of my business," Shen Qingci said as she walked to his side, her expression indifferent but her voice carrying a hint of unwavering resolve. "This princess consort has never regretted anything."
"I don't regret it. I made the decisive decision to abort that bastard child back then."
"I have no regrets. I accepted your marriage proposal, Your Highness."
“I have no regrets…” She paused, meeting his gaze, which had suddenly become incredibly deep, “I married you, Your Highness.”
Chu Jichen's expression changed instantly.
Inside, it was as if there were wildfires that threatened to engulf her completely in an instant!
Shen Qingci belatedly sensed the danger and thought to himself that something was wrong.
She quickly took a step back and forcibly changed the subject: "By the way, Your Highness! Since Emperor Yongming has already granted us permission to leave the capital to seek medical treatment, shouldn't we... set off as soon as possible? That way... we can make it look more convincing and show that we are extremely anxious to find a cure."
Chu Jichen couldn't help but chuckle softly as he looked at her adorable expression of eagerness to escape.
He slowly shook his head: "No rush, something's still missing."
Shen Qingci was taken aback: "What's still missing?"
Chu Jichen's lips slowly curved into a wicked and dangerous smile.
“We still need…” he said, emphasizing each word, “a group of decent assassins.”
Seeing Shen Qingci's puzzled expression, Chu Jichen patiently explained to her, "Think about it, that old fox Liu Wenyuan, watching me, his greatest threat, leave the capital so easily to seek medical treatment, do you think the people around him would be willing to accept that?"
Shen Qingci's eyes flickered, and she slowly shook her head: "Of course...no."
“That’s right.” Chu Jichen nodded, a calculating glint in his eyes. “They will never let this go. I suspect that the Liu family will most likely arrange for someone to intercept us in a secluded place after we leave the city.”
"Either they want to kidnap you and torture you to force you to hand over the antidote for the poison in Liu Wenyuan's body."
“Either,” his voice suddenly turned cold, “he wants to kidnap me while I’m unconscious. Then, whether I live or die will be up to him.”
Shen Qingci narrowed his eyes, already having some guesses in his mind, but he didn't say it out loud. Instead, he followed up by asking, "Since Your Highness has already guessed their intentions, then what we lack should be... a countermeasure. Why does Your Highness say that we also lack assassins?"
Chu Jichen looked at her, his eyebrows curving upwards, his smile resembling that of a triumphant fox.
“That’s because,” he said, his voice filled with pleasure and amusement, “that I… intend to personally arrange this group of assassins for them.”
"We'll get ahead of them and send our assassins ahead of them. As soon as they leave the city, they'll be attacked! And the scale of the attack must be huge enough to ensure... that we are both successfully captured!"
“Not only that,” a chilling glint flashed in his eyes, “if chaos erupts outside the city, chaos will follow inside the city as well!”
"After the assassins kidnapped us, they left behind a team to infiltrate the Regent's Palace amidst the chaos and conduct a thorough search! Their target was... the so-called antidote!"
"Finally," he said, looking at Shen Qingci, emphasizing each word, "we also need to inadvertently leave some clues at the scene that only Liu Wenyuan and his confidants would know about."
Shen Qingci's eyes lit up instantly!
She couldn't help but laugh: "In that case, Emperor Yongming will surely think that Liu Wenyuan was the mastermind behind all of this!"
"If we make it even more convincing, it will confirm that Liu Wenyuan has already secretly recruited soldiers and hidden them all inside and outside the capital!"
"As an emperor, how can I allow others to sleep soundly beside my bed?"
"Even if Emperor Yongming was incompetent, he could never tolerate that such a powerful force as Liu Wenyuan, capable of overthrowing his imperial power, was hiding right under his nose!"
"At that time, he will definitely develop a deep fear and murderous intent towards Liu Wenyuan! In secret, he will surely try every means to thoroughly investigate Liu Wenyuan's true power!"
only……
Shen Qingci's brows furrowed slowly again.
She looked at Chu Jichen and voiced her final doubt: "But...but Emperor Yongming has always been just a puppet emperor. Even if he wanted to investigate, where would he get the power to contend with the deeply entrenched Liu Wenyuan?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Jichen slowly lowered his eyes, a chilling and mocking glint flashing in his deep phoenix eyes that no one could understand.
"Emperor Yongming was never... alone."
"He's the emperor, how could he possibly take this seriously? He's completely powerless."
"The late emperor... was wary of me. Although he appointed me as regent before his death, he was also afraid that the Chu family's empire would really fall into the hands of a cripple like me, and that Emperor Yongming... might not be able to hold onto the throne."
“Therefore,” his voice became deep and ethereal, “he must… he will definitely leave Emperor Yongming with a final trump card. A force… absolutely loyal enough to save his life and his throne.”
"However, this force is extremely well hidden. I have spent nearly three years and have only been able to roughly... guess a little bit of its secrets."
“This time,” he slowly raised his head, his dark eyes gleaming with determination, “I will use this opportunity to make Emperor Yongming and Liu Wenyuan... fight each other to the bitter end!”
"I want to see what... remarkable things the late emperor left for his good son."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci immediately agreed.
With a slight thought, she immediately prepared to send a message to Zhuque, instructing her to notify the Shen family's scattered former subordinates and spies that they must keep a low profile during this period, remain calm, and refrain from making any rash moves.
After all, a bloody storm is about to break out in the capital.
Emperor Yongming and Liu Wenyuan were locked in a fierce battle, and she didn't want her people to be caught in the crossfire.
She got up and left the bedroom. As soon as she looked up, she saw the fake Wanqing pacing back and forth anxiously under the corridor.
Ever since the day Shen Qingci gave the order to personally take care of the unconscious Chu Jichen and forbid anyone from approaching, this mole has never been able to find any opportunity to get even half a step closer to the main courtyard's bedroom.
Shen Qingci could see clearly that deep within her seemingly concerned eyes lay barely concealed anxiety and unease.
Seeing Shen Qingci come out of the study, "Wanqing" immediately came to greet him, her face showing just the right amount of worry and concern:
"Your Highness! You've finally come out! Is the Prince... any better?"
She paused, then asked cautiously, "Is there anything... Your Highness that I can help you with?"
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