Xuan Yuan Yue stared at Mei Xi Yuan's face in disbelief, as if she had never known her before.
I never imagined that the resentment that had accumulated in her heart over the years would grow to such a crazy state.
"So what if I'm crazy?"
"She should never have belonged to this world."
"Who told her to be so stubborn and resilient?"
Why was she born back then?
"She should have died back then, along with her stepmother!"
"Why did Father Emperor pass the throne to her as well?"
"Why can't I deal with her no matter how hard I try!"
"Because of her, my pride, my self-esteem, my husband, my future, everything I have is gone..."
"I was once high above everyone else, but now I've fallen to become the laughingstock of the world..."
"Do you know how many times I've dreamt in the dead of night that everyone in this world is laughing at me..."
“I dream that one day I will make her pay for this.”
"Why is it that she can win all of your hearts without doing anything?!"
"But it doesn't matter anymore."
"None of that matters anymore!"
"So what if they are the guardians of Western Qin?"
"So what if you possess mysterious powers?"
"It's all time to end it all."
"She's doomed now!"
"I have to thank you for this."
"If it weren't for her trust in you, how could she have eaten the desserts you made for her without any hesitation?"
"However, you are really stupid. You didn't even notice that I had someone tamper with the pastries."
Xuan Yuan Yue was filled with remorse and couldn't listen any longer, so she slapped him hard across the face: "Slap!"
Unexpectedly, Mei Xiyuan burst into laughter without restraint.
"Ha ha……"
"Hahaha……"
"Hahahaha..."
Xuanyuan Yue and Mei Zhixuan were stunned when they saw each other.
Originally, Xuan Yuan Yue only wanted to use the dagger to scare Mei Xi Yuan into handing over the antidote.
Unexpectedly, as Mei Xiyuan was laughing, her gaze suddenly shifted, and she abruptly reached out to snatch it from her hand.
Just as the two were tugging and grappling over the dagger, Mei Zhixuan rushed forward to stop them.
But in an instant, a "drip-drip" sound rang out.
On the floor inside the hall, drops of bright red blood were seen dripping down.
The fierce struggle abruptly stopped. Following the direction in which the blood dripped, they found that the source was Mei Zhixuan's chest.
With a loud clang, the dagger fell to the ground.
Seeing that Mei Zhixuan was about to fall, Xuan Yuan Yue's eyes widened in shock, and she rushed over to support him: "Your Highness, Your Highness!"
Mei Zhixuan soon seemed unable to breathe and collapsed to the ground. He said intermittently to Xuan Yuan Yue, who was leaning against him, with great apology, "Yue'er... forgive me! I'm sorry!"
Xuanyuan Yue was flustered and at a loss, covering his wound with one hand and shaking her head repeatedly.
"Stop talking! Stop talking!"
Just then, Yi Shangyun, who had noticed something was off when Xuan Yuan Yue left, was helped by Yan'er and rushed over despite her pain.
Standing at the door, upon seeing Mei Zhixuan's robes stained with blood, Yi Shangyun suddenly mustered his strength, quickly went over to check on him, and gave orders.
"Someone, quick! Help the Third Prince up and put him on the bed! Everyone get out, quick!"
Seeing the cloud appear on her clothes, Xuan Yuan Yue finally came to her senses and kept asking her, "Yun'er, what should we do? What should we do? She's bleeding so much."
Yi Shangyun comforted her, saying, "Princess, don't be afraid, I'm here. I just checked, and the dagger was indeed stabbed in a bad spot. You should go out and wait."
But at that moment, Mei Xiyuan saw the blood-soaked hall and became unusually excited again.
His face was already contorted and terrifying. He picked up the dagger that had fallen to the ground, moved over secretly, and once again stabbed Yi Shangyun from behind in a frenzied manner.
Xuan Yuan Yue caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her eye and cried out, "Yun'er, be careful!"
Then, as if by instinct, he stepped forward, turned around to face Mei Xiyuan, and pressed his entire body against Yi Shangyun's back.
Just as she closed her eyes, thinking she was doomed to die.
Suddenly, I heard a "plop" sound beside my ear.
Upon opening her eyes, she saw Lu Yuan, who had just rushed over to check on Yi Shangyun after hearing the news of her poisoning. He drew his sword and stabbed Mei Xiyuan in the left chest from behind.
In her final moments, Mei Xiyuan was still filled with hatred: "Yi Shangyun, I hate you, and I curse you. What I cannot have, you will also not have in this life!"
After saying that, he collapsed heavily to the ground and closed his eyes completely.
Seeing this, Yi Shangyun was truly angry: "Lu Yuan... how could you kill her?"
Lu Yuan explained, "Princess Yongle has been spoiled and arrogant since childhood. She is ruthless and stubborn. Keeping her around will only cause bigger trouble sooner or later."
Yi Shangyun felt very sorry: "But she is, after all, the bloodline of the Emperor, and I am indeed to blame for the fact that she has become like this today."
Although angry, he thought about it and realized that Mei Zhixuan's situation was more critical. So he ordered, "Fine, take the Third Prince's wife outside and keep watch. No one is allowed to come in and disturb him without my permission. Otherwise, the Third Prince's life will be in danger!"
Lu Yuan, however, was even more worried about her: "But the Empress is also poisoned. This poisonous woman actually used such a poison on you. I would not be satisfied even if she died a thousand or ten thousand times."
Yi Shangyun shook his head, then turned to Xuan Yuan Yue, who looked worried, and said, "Alright, go out with Young Master Lu. I told you, don't worry, I'm here."
Xuanyuan Yue nodded and went out with Lu Yuan.
Time passed by, second by second.
The maids and servants carried in basins of hot water.
Then they carried out basins of blood-stained water.
The clouds rolled and unrolled, and the sky grew darker and darker.
Palace maids and eunuchs began lighting lanterns in the courtyard and throughout the palace, illuminating the entire palace as if it were daytime.
Xuanyuan Yue and Lu Yuan stayed up all night and never left each other's side.
The two walked side by side, pacing back and forth in front of the hall.
Suddenly, there was a "creak".
The palace doors were finally opened from the inside.
Yi Shangyun was already exhausted, both physically and mentally, but fearing being noticed, she mustered her last bit of strength and was helped out by Yan'er.
Xuan Yuan Yue stepped forward: "How is he?"
Lu Yuan followed closely behind: "How are you feeling?"
As soon as they stepped outside, facing their questions, Yi Shangyun answered Xuan Yuan Yue first: "He should be fine now, but the stab wound was too close to his heart. Once he wakes up, he must rest and be carefully cared for! In the next few days, don't let too many people get close to him except for yourself, so as not to make his condition worse."
Xuanyuan Yue held her hand tightly, tears streaming down her face, and said with deep gratitude, "Yun'er, I knew it, I always knew, you could do it."
Yi Shangyun smiled and said, "Let's go in and see him!"
"Um!"
Xuanyuan Yue hurriedly wiped away her tears and stepped over the threshold.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over her, and Yi Shangyun's body swayed slightly.
"Miss……"
Yan'er tightened her grip, supporting him firmly, but her heart was already pounding with worry.
Seeing Xuan Yuan Yue enter, Lu Yuan finally spoke, "Empress, you should have the imperial physicians examine you quickly. Perhaps Princess Yongle is just trying to trick you..."
Yi Shangyun remained fearless, even nonchalant, and said, "Young Master Lu, rest assured, I am a physician myself, and this little skill is nothing! I had already taken medicine before coming here. Besides, even if it were some rare poison, I am naturally immune to all poisons, so I will be fine."
Remembering that Xuan Yuanhan was still missing, Yi Shangyun gave Lu Yuan a final, earnest instruction.
"Right now, I have something more important to do. Dongning is now in your hands. Always remember your faith: only when the flames of war are no longer lit throughout the land, and the people live in peace and prosperity, can we truly achieve the peaceful and prosperous world we all desire!"
Lu Yuan looked at her to show his approval; he certainly knew why she had left this time.
She also knew that in her heart, she had never truly let go of that person.
Naturally, he was powerless to stop or change her.
In his heart, he could only look forward to their next reunion, so he said with a word of advice: "You must remember to come back!"
Yi Shangyun smiled and nodded: "Mm!"
Immediately afterwards, Lu Yuan earnestly instructed Yan'er: "Yan'er, you must take good care of the King!"
Yan'er was actually terrified of the poison that Yi Shangyun had been given, but under Yi Shangyun's threat of secretly tightening her grip on her wrist, she had no choice but to nod.
Even after personally escorting Yi Shangyun and Yan'er all the way out of the border of Longhu City, Lu Yuan still felt uneasy.
As he said goodbye, he gave Yi Shangyun his final words of advice with a heavy heart.
"Times have changed. The power of the Qin King's Mansion has vanished, and the King no longer has the protection of the Western Qin Prefecture. The King's whereabouts are also unknown. Once the King sets foot on the land of Western Qin, he must be extremely careful!"
Yi Shangyun, however, seemed utterly fearless: "Thank you for escorting me all the way here! Although I don't believe in the idea that everyone has a destiny, there are some things I feel I must do."
Lu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, and finally took out a small bamboo tube from his body and handed it to Yi Shangyun: "Since the Empress insists on this, Lu Yuan will no longer stop her. Please keep this carefully, Empress."
Yi Shangyun took it and asked, puzzled, "What is this?"
Lu Yuan explained, "If the Empress needs anything, she can send a signal from here. At that time, Lu Yuan will deploy his men, who are hidden in various parts of Western Qin and closest to the Empress, to rush to her aid as soon as possible!"
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun was deeply moved: "Young Master Lu, thank you..."
Lu Yuan said, "This is all I can do for the Empress. Please be careful in everything you do!"
After the two said goodbye.
Yi Shangyun and Yan'er each mounted their horses and galloped away.
Yan'er asked Yi Shangyun, "Miss, why don't you tell Young Master Lu the truth? You can't cure Princess Yongle's poison at all."
Yi Shangyun said, "Do you really think he didn't know I couldn't cure myself? He just knows he can't change my decision."
Yan'er sighed, then realized: "So Young Master Lu knew everything all along!"
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