Chapter 13
Since the late emperor, the Yuan clan has held the reins of power in the court. Most officials fear the prime minister more than the king. The current king of Yan is weak-willed and dares not speak out against his anger.
Twenty years ago, Yuan Su Hui overpowered all the other princes and helped the non-eldest son of the Yan state to ascend the throne. At that time, the emperor was grateful to the prime minister and, according to custom, married Yuan Su Hui's eldest daughter out of gratitude.
However, as time went on, he tasted the sweetness of power, and was also misled by those around him with ulterior motives. He became dissatisfied with the Yuan family's control of the court, and began to neglect the empress and favor a palace maid who came from a slave background.
The Empress repeatedly complained to her father, Yuan Su, but he remained completely indifferent. In his view, as long as the Yuan family remained in power, the Prince of Yan would not dare to do anything excessive.
In fact, Yuan Su overestimated the intelligence of the current emperor.
After several attempts by the Prince of Yan to test Yuan Su Hui, Yuan Su Hui remained unmoved, leading the Prince to believe that Yuan Su Hui was afraid of him. He then arrogantly declared that the Empress had not borne a child for seven years and should be deposed! He also accused the Prime Minister of forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices, declaring that he should be executed! Furthermore, he proclaimed that he would make the palace maid who had given birth to a son the Empress, grant her father and brothers titles, and appoint her as a Grand Master.
These events were undoubtedly a slap in the face to Yuan Su, leaving him utterly humiliated.
On the day the imperial edict was issued, Yuan Su, holding a sandalwood cane, led over a thousand soldiers to surround Shengyang Palace. In front of the emperor and a dozen high-ranking officials, he had the palace maid and her father and brothers brutally tortured to death. The agonizing screams echoed throughout Shengyang Palace for two hours, and the emperor was so terrified that he wet himself on the spot.
One upright minister, unable to stand by and watch, stood up and denounced Yuan Su for his treasonous act, and was executed along with his entire clan that very day. From the main branch to the collateral branches, none were spared.
From that day on, the Prince of Yan dared not challenge Yuan Su again, indulging in wine and women all day long and neglecting state affairs. He even dared not go to Shengyang Palace anymore, and moved the court to Shengchen Hall.
The son born to that palace maid was given to the childless Empress Yuan to raise, and publicly declared to be her biological child. He is the current Crown Prince.
Those high-ranking officials who witnessed the incident that day all kept their mouths shut, not even daring to tell their families. As time passed, those officials passed away one by one, and the royal secret that the crown prince was not the empress's biological son was buried forever along with those deceased officials.
But... there are always exceptions.
In his previous life, Yuwen Zhe, with the help of Hua Wenluo, uncovered this secret in order to overthrow the powerful Yuan clan. He used this secret to anger Yuwen Jing, who had just ascended the throne, to death, and only then did he become emperor.
Therefore, in this second life, Yuwen Zhe looked at his elder brother Yuwen Jing as if he were looking at a pitiful worm who had been deceived to death.
"Fifth brother, why are you looking at me like that?"
The Yuwen family has excellent genes; everyone in the royal family, regardless of gender, is exceptionally good-looking.
Yuwen Jing, who had been frail since childhood, always had a sickly pale complexion. His beautiful features were gentle and harmless, giving him a different kind of beauty.
"But is there something wrong with me?"
Yuwen Zhe in his wheelchair resembled an exquisite sculpture, cold and devoid of any human warmth.
No.
"That's good."
Yuwen Jing smiled gently, walked over with light and listless steps and sat down next to him, frowning as he said:
"I wonder how my sister Qiong is doing. I haven't seen her for so long, and I'm a little worried about her."
“She has been stubborn since childhood. Hearing that the Shenshou Temple in Zhaojun was very efficacious, she insisted on going there to pray for me, my father, and my mother. I don’t know if she can get used to living in that remote little temple.”
As she spoke, she raised her head and looked towards the direction of Shenshou Temple in the northwest, her eyes filled with worry and sweetness.
"Although she didn't say it, I know she was thinking of me, and her prayers were also in the hope that I would get better soon."
Yuwen Zhe lowered his eyes, concealing the mockery within them.
Fortunately, the emperor was deeply in love with that vicious woman, but that woman only had power in her eyes and never cared about Yuwen Jing.
After the Emperor died, that woman didn't shed a single tear, but relied on her status as the Empress Dowager's sister-in-law to bully and oppress him at every turn. She was truly hateful!
I must get rid of this woman as soon as possible in this lifetime!
Thinking of this, he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now."
The men we sent last time failed to kill Yuan Qiong, so this time we must come up with a more thorough and foolproof plan!
"Okay, then you should go back quickly!"
The Crown Prince had a good impression of his fifth brother.
He was frail from childhood, and his fifth brother had been disabled since infancy; the two were in the same boat. As the elder brother, he should take better care of him.
The Crown Prince stood up and instructed the servants, "Be careful and take good care of Prince Cheng. If I find out that any of you have been disrespectful, I will not let you off lightly!"
"promise."
Then, the rumbling sound of the wheelchair faded into the distance, and Yuwen Jing sat back down, resting his chin on his hand and gazing northwest.
"Sister Qiong, when are you coming back...?"
Yuan Qiong, whom Yuwen Jing was talking about, had already been on the mountain for more than two months.
After the black-bearded man taught her how to heal her injuries with internal energy, she would practice for half an hour every day, and her injuries were almost completely healed.
On this day, the two had a disagreement while practicing their lightness skills.
Yuan Qiong had just tentatively mentioned to Lin Qiang what would happen if she insisted on going down the mountain, and Lin Qiang immediately stopped smiling.
Seeing that his attitude had changed, Yuan Qiong's slender eyes were full of caution, but she still insisted that she was leaving, wanting to see what he would do, and resolutely refused to back down.
For some reason, she just wanted to know the outcome. If she left, would the big bearded man quickly forget her and then find another woman to raise?
For example, that Yuan Liu Niang.
Unexpectedly, after a brief standoff, Lin Qiang looked at her with approval.
When her daughter was her age, she was probably like this too, right? Stubborn, willful, and a little rebellious...
"Girl, are you scared being up in the mountain?"
Under the dim sunset, he stood up and dusted himself off. Standing at about 1.9 meters tall, he was quite imposing. Yuan Qiong, who was slightly thin, looked like a child standing next to him, completely enveloped by his shadow.
She took a few steps back to escape his gaze, without answering. Her lips were tightly pressed together, and her clear, glassy eyes were fixed on his every move.
"Hahaha……"
Looking at the girl who barely reached his chest, he felt a rare softening in his heart, his gaze softening as he teased, "I rescued you from those men in black, so it's only natural that you repay me with your body. Besides, once you become the wife of the Black Cloud Stronghold Chief, no one will bully you anymore, isn't that good? Why do you insist on going down the mountain?"
"I don't need your help." Yuan Qiong was particularly sensitive to people's emotions, and she immediately sensed the change in this man's attitude. She frowned and said, "And I have no intention of repaying you with my body!"
Lin Qiang swept the little girl into his arms with a wave of his hand, lifting her buttocks with his arms in the same way he would hold a six or seven-year-old child, and encircling her whole body in his embrace.
"ah!"
Yuan Qiong had never been hugged like this before! Her face instantly turned as red as an apple. At first, she instinctively reached out to hug his neck, but then, realizing what she was doing, she turned her hug into a strangler.
"Get out of here! Put me down!"
Lin Qiang didn't struggle and let her tighten her grip; her little strength was nothing to him.
"Keep going, give it your all."
Yuan Qiong could feel the vibration of his vocal cords in his neck when he spoke.
"You bandit!" she exclaimed angrily.
"Hahaha... Yes, I am a bandit, and you are a bandit's wife."
"Shameless! Rogue!"
Seeing that her attempts to tighten the rope were ineffective, Yuan Qiong changed tactics and started pulling his hair.
"Ouch, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts..."
With this tug, Lin Qiang, who had been as still as a mountain, immediately lost his composure, his head held high, his magnificent beard almost poking Yuan Qiong's face.
"Girl, girl, let go, let go!"
Since it's effective, how could Yuan Qiong possibly let go?!
"Put me down!"
"I won't let go!"
She tightened her grip, and Lin Qiang felt so much pain he almost cried. "Damn, I must have lost a lot of hair!"
"Let go! Let go! If you don't let go, I'll use pressure point techniques on you!"
"Go ahead and order if you dare! Don't expect me to talk to you again!"
"Okay, okay, I won't, I won't. Let go, let go!"
"You'll put me down if I let go?"
"No... let go, let go..."
Yuan Qiong snorted and loosened her grip slightly: "So, are you going to let go or not?"
"Let it go, let it go."
Emma. That little girl is too fierce!
Lin Qiang put her down and quickly touched his hair. He was so young; he couldn't afford to go bald like this!
Author's Note: Ah, working overtime is a painful experience~ The 996 work schedule is really unbearable. I'm so sorry for updating so late every day, my darlings...
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the [nutrient solution]:
Even the top bunkmate who's terrible at naming things gets a name from one bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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