Chapter 59: You reacted quickly and protected the emperor
After the terrifying night of the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet, the air in the Hall of Mental Cultivation was so heavy that water could almost drip out of it.
The second prince Liu Cong knelt on the cold golden brick floor. The wound on his arm had been properly bandaged by the imperial physician, but the vague numbness and weakness brought by the poison still existed.
However, what was heavier than his body was his heart.
He knew that his loss of control at the palace banquet yesterday could not be hidden from his father's all-seeing eyes.
Emperor Liu Jin stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, his back to him, and did not speak for a long time.
There was only the ticking sound of the clepsydra in the hall, and every drop of water struck Liu Cong's tense nerves.
Finally, the emperor slowly turned around, his eyes fixed on Liu Cong.
There was no anger, no rebuke, only a bottomless exploration and... a hint of indescribable complex emotions.
"Cong'er," the emperor's voice was calm, yet it carried an invisible pressure. "Yesterday, you reacted quickly and did a great job in protecting me."
Liu Cong lowered his head and said, "Protecting His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is my duty as a son."
"Duty?" The emperor repeated the word softly and walked in front of him.
Looking down at him, she said, "Your 'duty' seems a little... too heavy."
Liu Cong's heart sank suddenly and his fingertips curled slightly.
The emperor's gaze was sharp as a knife, as if it wanted to cut open his heart. "I have watched you grow up. Cong'er, you are calm, capable, and know your place. I have always been very confident. But recently, especially since Xiao'er came back, you seem to have changed a lot."
He paused, lowering his voice a bit, but it was more penetrating.
"Look at Xiao'er's eyes. Everything you've done for him, even yesterday when you risked your own life to block a knife for him... Cong'er, tell me, was that just 'brotherhood' and 'duty as a subject'?"
This sentence was like thunder, striking Liu Cong hard on the head! As expected, the emperor... saw through it!
A huge panic seized him in an instant!
He slammed his head against the ground, his voice hoarse from trying so hard to suppress it.
"Your Majesty, I see! I… I have absolutely no intention of overstepping the bounds! Your Highness is the crown prince, and he is also my brother by blood! Everything I do is solely to protect His Highness, with absolutely no other motives! If I lie even a little, I will be struck by lightning!"
He knelt on the ground, not daring to look up, his back soaked with cold sweat. He couldn't admit it!
If he admitted it, he would be doomed! He might even lose the chance to stay with Xiao again!
The emperor looked at his violently shaking shoulders and listened to his almost desperate defense, and the complex emotions in his eyes became even stronger.
There was scrutiny, warning, and perhaps a hint of... mercy?
After a long while, the emperor finally spoke slowly, his voice unable to tell whether he was happy or angry: "Nothing is best."
"Liu Cong, remember this for me."
The emperor's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying with it unquestionable imperial majesty.
"Xiao'er, you are my son, the crown prince of the empire. He can have powerful ministers and brave generals around him, but he must not have...inappropriate thoughts or ties. You are a smart child, you should understand what I mean."
"I consider your meritorious service in protecting the Emperor this time, and I will not pursue the past. But from now on, you must remember your identity and maintain your boundaries! If I see you behave or think anything inappropriate again..."
The emperor didn't finish his words, but the unfinished threat was like ice, instantly freezing Liu Cong's blood.
"Your son...will follow your father's teachings! I will never forget them!" Liu Cong kowtowed heavily, his voice hoarse.
"Go down. Take good care of your injuries." The emperor waved his hand, turned around and stopped looking at him.
Liu Cong staggered to his feet like a prisoner who had been granted amnesty, barely able to maintain his balance, and walked out of the Yangxin Palace step by step.
The sunlight outside the hall was dazzling, but he only felt cold all over.
His father's warning was like a sharp knife hanging over his head, cutting off the delusion in his heart that had just threatened to break out because of their shared life and death.
Liu Xiao was very nervous when he learned that his second brother was called to the Yangxin Palace by his father alone.
He guessed that it must be related to his brother's loss of composure in a panic yesterday.
He was worried that his father would blame his brother, and at the same time, he felt an inexplicable, numb feeling in his heart because of his father's unusual concern.
As soon as he saw Liu Cong coming back, he immediately went to greet him and asked with concern: "Brother, did the emperor blame you? How is your injury?"
When Liu Cong saw Liu Xiao's clear and worried eyes, and thought of his father's cold warning, his heart felt like it was being cut by a knife.
He forced himself to smile tiredly but calmly, took a step back, and kept a respectful and distant distance.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Father only inquired about the details of yesterday and did not blame you. Your injuries are not serious. The imperial physician said that you will be fine after a few days of rest."
His tone was respectful and restrained, as if he had returned to being the calm and reliable minister and brother.
It was as if the person who had grabbed his arm tightly in desperation and called him "Xiao'er" in a trembling voice yesterday had never existed.
Liu Xiao keenly sensed the deliberate distance and change in tone.
The distant "Your Highness" was like a tiny needle, gently pricking him.
The light in his eyes dimmed slightly, but he nodded: "That's good. My royal brother must rest well. You don't have to worry about government affairs these days."
"Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
Liu Cong bowed, then turned and left almost hastily, without giving Liu Xiao any more chance to ask questions.
Liu Xiao looked at his back, which was straighter than usual but inexplicably lonely. He stood there, and the inexplicable sense of loss in his heart became even clearer.
He could feel that something was different.
The second prince was deliberately avoiding him and building an invisible wall between them again.
Han Feng made a breakthrough in the interrogation of the dancers and the diplomatic envoys from southern Xinjiang.
Under the severe torture, the dancer finally couldn't bear it anymore and told the truth.
She was not from a small country in southern Xinjiang, but a assassin hired and trained for a large sum of money.
The employer is extremely secretive and always passes instructions and remuneration through middlemen.
Her order was to use special spices to create chaos at the palace banquet and wait for an opportunity to assassinate the prince! As for the reason, she had no idea.
And the chief envoy of the delegation, after learning that the dancer had failed and been captured, actually bit his tongue and committed suicide in prison!
The deputy envoy was so frightened that he cried and shouted that they were also forced!
Their families were controlled by someone, who threatened their entire family's lives to force them to cooperate with the operation and provided them with the special "butterfly incense" and the "dancer" who had infiltrated the dance troupe.
As for the identity of the mysterious man, the deputy envoy only knew that the other party was extremely powerful and seemed to be very familiar with the affairs of the court and southern Xinjiang.
Every time they contacted him, he wore a mask and his voice was processed, making it impossible to recognize.
But he vaguely heard the employer's confidant mention a word - "owl feather".
Liu Cong immediately remembered the flying bird pattern on the iron plate he had found from the fortune-teller!
That was no ordinary flying bird, but a night owl! Owl Feather!
All the clues seem to be connected!
A mysterious organization with an "owl" as its symbol, active in southern Xinjiang.
He is full of hatred for the court and has great power. He can infiltrate small vassal states, train assassins, and plan such a sophisticated assassination!
Liu Cong immediately reported the key information of "Owl Feather" to the emperor.
When Emperor Liu Jin heard the word "owl feather", his expression instantly became extremely ugly, and even a hint of deep pain and murderous intent flashed across his face.
He was silent for a long time, so long that Liu Cong felt uneasy.
"I understand."
The emperor finally uttered only these four words, his voice hoarse, "I will handle this matter personally. You will continue to be responsible for the security of the capital and the palace, especially... keep an eye on Xiao'er."
The emperor's reaction once again convinced Liu Cong that his father definitely knew the origin of the "Owl Feather" organization and might even have had deep grievances with it.
But what is this grudge, and why does it involve today's crown prince?
Although Liu Xiao was deliberately alienated by Liu Cong, he did not indulge in his own little emotions.
The assassination at his birthday party made him fully aware of the danger of his situation and the weight of his responsibility.
He cannot live under the wings of his father and brother forever.
He began to intervene more actively in state affairs, especially showing a keen interest in the affairs of southern Xinjiang.
He reviewed all reports and files related to Southern Xinjiang's vassal states, border trade, and other matters related to Southern Xinjiang over the past twenty years, trying to find any clues about the "Owl Feather" organization.
At the same time, he did not give up on exploring the reasons for the changes in his second brother.
He vaguely felt that the conversation with his father that day was the key.
He could not ask his father directly, nor could he question Liu Cong who was deliberately avoiding him.
But he has his own way.
He found Fu'an.
The emperor's most trusted eunuch had always taken good care of Liu Xiao.
Liu Xiao did not ask directly, but just used the excuse of being concerned about the second prince's injury.
I asked Fu'an indirectly what the emperor and my second brother had said in the Yangxin Palace that day.
Did the emperor punish my second brother for his improper behavior while protecting the emperor?
Fu'an was such a shrewd person that he had already seen through the Second Prince's thoughts and understood the Emperor's warning.
He looked at the Crown Prince's clear eyes, which were filled with worry and confusion, and sighed inwardly.
Naturally, he did not dare to reveal the emperor's specific words.
Just a gentle reminder
"Your Highness is overthinking. His Majesty is simply concerned about the Second Prince's injuries and has urged him to always remember his position as monarch and subject, to uphold his duties, and to wholeheartedly assist Your Highness. After this incident, the Second Prince must have become more composed, which is a good thing."
"As king and subject... abide by your duties..."
Liu Xiao murmured these words, and his heart suddenly became clear, but also a wave of bitterness surged up.
It was my father who noticed my second brother's extraordinary concern and warned him.
That's why my second brother suddenly became so distant and restrained.
After understanding the reason, Liu Xiao felt even more complicated.
On the one hand, he understood his father's concerns and his second brother's helplessness;
On the other hand, thinking of the emotion that was forcibly suppressed, he felt an indescribable sense of loss and... a hint of protest so faint that he didn't even dare to think about it deeply.
The emperor's personal intervention seemed to have had an effect.
The Neijiang Factory and another mysterious force began to operate at full capacity, and the investigation into the "Owl Feather" organization advanced at an alarming speed.
A few days later, a secret report was presented directly to the emperor.
Secret reports indicate that "Owl Feather" is most likely the resurrection of the "Shadow Owl Guard", a remnant of the previous dynasty that was wiped out more than 20 years ago!
The Shadow Owl Guards back then were the most mysterious and vicious force in the previous dynasty's royal family.
They are good at assassination, poisoning, and creating chaos. They caused great trouble and losses to the current Majesty during the fall of the previous dynasty. Their leader has a deep hatred for the Majesty.
I thought that all the core members had been wiped out, but I didn't expect that there were still some that slipped through the net and were lurking for many years. They changed their appearance and reorganized into "Owl Feather"!
What is even more shocking is that the secret report pointed out that the current leader of "Owl Feather" is suspected to be related to a missing princess of the previous dynasty who was said to have died in a fire long ago!
And that princess, it seems, had an extremely complicated and entangled past with His Majesty...
The emperor looked at the secret report for a long time without saying a word, his fingers trembling slightly.
The past that he had deliberately kept secret, full of blood and fire, love and hate, and betrayal, came flooding back like a tide.
If it was really her... if she was really still alive... then all these conspiracies against Xiao'er would have the most reasonable and vicious explanation!
That was not a simple political struggle, but a revenge full of deep hatred that had been brewing for more than 20 years!
The emperor's eyes flashed with terrifying murderous intent and a resolute coldness: "Pass the order down, activate the 'Jingzhe' plan! I want 'Owl Feather', and leave no one alive!"
A brutal and secretive purge storm against the remnants of the previous dynasty is about to begin.
The center of this storm is still the prince Liu Xiao, who knows nothing about this but has experienced life and death tests many times.
Liu Cong received a secret order to cooperate with the "Qingzhe" operation. He knew very well that this meant the struggle had entered a more cruel and dangerous stage.
He looked at the briefing in his hand about the possible connection between "Owl Feather" and the princess of the previous dynasty.
Thinking of the emperor's unusual reaction, the uneasiness in his heart reached its peak.
Can he protect the only person he wants to protect between his father's warning, his own feelings and huge danger?
As night fell, Liu Cong involuntarily walked outside the East Palace again, looking at the warm lights from afar, his eyes filled with endless struggle and determination to protect.
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