71. Collapse
When Xuanyuan Ying woke up, he was almost recovered, but still a little weak. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Xuanyuan He curled up beside him.
His little face was haggard and pale, obviously exhausted.
Xuanyuan Ying's eyes suddenly widened.
He saw Yun Zhihe standing in front of the window, the early sunlight shining down, hitting her side, making it sparkle.
It's so beautiful that it seems to fly away with the wind.
Yun Zhihe had originally closed his eyes, but when he felt Xuanyuan Ying's gaze, he turned to look at him.
"...Your Majesty, you are awake."
Xuanyuan Ying nodded, and an irresistible joy suddenly filled his heart, accompanied by a sour grievance and Ai Ai's reluctance to let go.
He should be laughing at himself for feeling happy at such an age.
Xuanyuan Ying pursed her lips, suppressed the bitterness in her eyes, and lowered her eyes.
"What time is it now? I still have to go to the morning court."
Yun Zhihe paused, stepped forward to pour him a glass of water and handed it to him.
"Your Majesty, you are not feeling well. Eunuch Li has sent word that today's morning court session has been cancelled. You should take a day off."
Xuanyuan Ying paused, nodded, and drank the water obediently to moisten his dry throat.
At this time, Xuanyuan He also woke up. He stood up, held Xuanyuan Ying's hand, frowned slightly, and his voice was hoarse.
"Father, are you feeling better now? Do you want to eat something?"
Xuanyuan Ying pursed his lips and shook his head.
"Last night, were you two taking care of... me?"
He looked at Yun Zhihe calmly.
Xuanyuan He laughed suddenly, showing the tip of his teeth. His smile was particularly beautiful and clear, and his voice was clear but full of malice.
"Yes, Father raised me and Sister Yun for many years. Although we are not related by blood, our relationship is closer than that of a biological son and daughter..."
He paused and looked at Xuanyuan Ying with a smile.
"How could I not come and take care of you, since I am so filial?"
Xuanyuan Ying's face suddenly turned pale and his shoulders trembled.
Xuanyuan He noticed this, hid his smile, and pretended to be hurried, "Father, what's wrong with you? Are you angry with Sister Yun? Although she is a girl, after all, Father has raised her and is as kind as your own daughter. No one would gossip about her..."
Xuanyuan Ying's face turned even paler.
...How pitiful.
Xuanyuan He concealed his arrogant malice and looked coldly at Xuanyuan Ying's uneven breathing.
Every word he just said pierced Xuanyuan Ying's heart, causing him to bleed profusely.
He was constantly reminded of the age and status gap between them, and that... Yun Zhihe treated him like a father.
Xuanyuan Ying concealed the pain in his heart, his voice trembling, and looked up at Xuanyuan He and Yun Zhihe.
"I……"
Before he could finish, Eunuch Li came in to report.
"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince requests an audience."
Xuanyuan Ying nodded, and Yun Zhihe helped him up and let him get off the ground.
The first thing Qin Duan saw when he came in was a room full of people. He paused and seemed to be amazed.
"Ah... Jin Niang and the Emperor's brother are both here?"
He bowed softly and gracefully to Xuanyuan Ying again, "I heard that your father was ill early this morning, so I came to visit him. Is everything okay?"
Xuanyuan Ying lowered his eyes to look at him, and softly responded, asking him to get up.
Eunuch Li had blocked the news last night. He knew that the emperor and the eldest prince had always been at odds, and he was even more afraid that with the current turmoil, someone would take advantage of the emperor's serious illness to act.
So... Qin Duan just received the news this morning.
He looked at Xuanyuan Ying, whose expression had relaxed and returned to normal, though a little haggard, and lowered his eyes as if with regret.
He let out a leisurely sigh.
No concealment at all.
Xuanyuan Ying frowned, but before he could speak, Qin Duan sent people in one after another, bringing in endless treasures.
"Your Majesty, these are the tonics and precious medicinal herbs I have collected in the borderlands over the years. I am deeply saddened by your illness..."
He looked up with a smile on his face, a gentle smile between his brows and a low, hoarse voice with a magnetic quality.
Xuanyuan Ying took a deep breath, raised his hand and asked Eunuch Li to arrange the medicinal herbs, and then waved away everyone in the room.
"You guys go out, I need to rest."
Yun Zhihe and his group left. As the door closed, Xuanyuan Ying slowly closed his eyes. After a long time, he opened his eyes again, stretched out his hand to look at his fingertips, and slowly curled them up.
“Hmm…”
Last night, he felt the coolness of intoxication in a daze while he was burning deeply, and it pulled him out from the raging fire and saved him from hell.
And in the fire I saw the moon, which was particularly bright.
...He called Jinniang all night.
Crying loudly.
…
Qin Duan looked at Yun Zhihe beside him with his eyes lowered, as if he was feeling uneasy. He paused, and a sticky, low, hoarse sound came from his throat with a smile.
"Um……?"
"What happened to Jinniang? Could she be infected with the disease as well?"
Yun Zhihe looked at him, shook his head, and continued walking out of the palace.
"It's just a sleepless night, and I'm a little tired."
Qin Duan's eyes darkened, but his voice was still as gentle as a spring breeze.
"Jinniang took care of father all night last night?"
He didn't wait for Yun Zhihe to answer and started talking to himself, sighing helplessly.
"You're being unreasonable... You're still young, how could you stay up all night? What if you get hurt?"
Even though Yun Zhihe and Qin Duan were estranged, they were still a little amused and helpless at this moment.
"Brother... I'm grown up now. I'm definitely not a child of seven or eight. Please don't look at me like that anymore."
Qin Duan's eyes were curved, and seemed to be immersed in the hazy mist of moonlight, gentle and beautiful.
"You've grown up..."
He said softly, his meaning unclear, with a low, hoarse smile.
He reached out and took Yun Zhihe's hand, stroking her fingers with his fingertips.
"As the Tao grows, marriage approaches."
"...The husband I was looking for a few days ago didn't come up with anything. How are things now?" He lowered his eyes slightly, the corners of his lips raised. The sunlight filtered through his hair, dimming his eyebrows and eyes. "Have you found a husband you like?"
Yun Zhihe paused, as if he had thought of something, but didn't want to speak again.
She calmly lowered her eyes to look at the two people holding hands, "Brother, although you and I are like siblings, this is ultimately against etiquette. It is better to let go."
He withdrew his fingers again.
“…”
Qin Duan was silent for a moment, just staring at the remaining warmth on his hand.
He suddenly covered his lips and laughed, and the sound of "puchi" was particularly brilliant.
"What? Jinniang has reached that shy age too."
No matter now or in the past, no matter whether it was cold words or sarcastic remarks... he has always been like this.
Stubborn yet gentle, he smiled calmly and treated all her words and actions as a child's unreasonable behavior.
Yun Zhihe took a deep breath and closed his eyes, not wanting to get entangled with him anymore.
“…Let’s say goodbye.”
She turned and left.
Qin Duan did not chase after him.
He stopped smiling and looked at Yun Zhihe's back calmly and indifferently, then raised his eyes to look at the dark shadows of the trees. The shadows cast a dark color on his face, with a dark and unclear feeling.
“Really…”
"...a child's temper."
His voice was hoarse and he sighed slightly.
...There was no trace of smile anymore.
He stretched out his hand to block the sunlight shining into his eyes from the shadows of the trees and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Still throwing a tantrum...?"
——
Yong'an Palace
This is where the Queen Mother was imprisoned. She sat on a chair, surrounded by exquisite houses, but it looked like a cage.
Mother Cheng took a deep breath.
Lift your eyes and look at the person in front of you.
——Qin Duan and Yuanzi Luo.
She snorted coldly and looked at Qin Duan, "What? Are you here to kick me when I'm down?"
Qin Duan sighed softly, pretending to be regretful. "I thought that Queen Mother Cheng, with her high position and power, could hold on longer."
Mother Cheng's expression suddenly changed, and she glared at Yuanzi Luo fiercely.
"You heartless bastard! I thought you were a good dog! I never thought you'd have to serve two masters. It's really disgusting!"
Atom Luo paused and chuckled.
"Lady Cheng Guomu has misunderstood. From the beginning to the end, I have only served His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Not to be outdone, Mother Cheng sneered, "Why, you, a dog, gave me the tiger talisman in Qin Duan's hand as a token of your loyalty, and now the master and servant are here to demand it back?"
"I'm telling you, you'll never find that tiger talisman. When I make a comeback, that'll be the day you, my dog servant, die!"
The reason why Yuanzi Luo quickly won the trust of Queen Mother Cheng was that she staged a drama of breaking up with the eldest prince due to failed pursuit. She pretended to steal the tiger talisman and presented the half tiger talisman that Qin Duan had in his hand.
And...the price of the offering was that Queen Mother Cheng had to ensure that she would be promoted, rich, and powerful.
Now that Queen Mother Cheng has fallen, the guarantee is useless.
Yuanzi Luo sighed softly.
"Your Excellency is being rude, calling me 'dog servant, dog servant'. Everyone knows that you are the Xuanyuan Clan's servant, working tirelessly to build the Xuanyuan Clan, devoting yourself wholeheartedly to its development. Yet, you simply allow Xuanyuan Ying to reclaim the Xuanyuan Clan."
"Really... a servant."
Atom Luo chuckled.
"As for the tiger talisman, it's certainly real, but the Crown Prince and I are not worried. It's just... a tiger talisman from the previous dynasty, so we're not worried about you using it to cause any trouble."
"you--!"
Mother Cheng knew very well that she was being plotted against. She widened her eyes and was about to curse at him, but when she saw that Qin Duan had had enough of the show, she turned and left.
"Let's go."
He lowered his eyes in boredom.
"But a mad dog who claims to be invincible."
Atom Luo followed him away.
"Stop! Stop! Stop right there! Shameless bitch! How dare you plot against me!"
"The most vicious lady's heart——!!!"
Mother Cheng was breathing heavily and started laughing again.
"Hahahahaha, you and Xuanyuan Ying fight and see who can win! Hahahahaha!"
…
Qin Duan listened to the lingering voice of Mother Cheng, frowned in disgust, then smiled and asked Yuan Ziluo.
"What do ladies of your age like? Jinniang has been throwing tantrums lately, it's time to coax her."
Atom Luo paused and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"If the eldest prince continues to play this self-deceiving game, I will start laughing."
Qin Duan's expression suddenly turned cold.
"……Shut up."
"Say one more thing--" His voice suddenly changed from gloomy to smiling, the ending tone was elongated and especially clear, his eyes were curved, but full of coldness.
"Then I dug out your eyes."
Her smile is particularly beautiful and bright, like moonlight.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
