"Reporting to Mother!" Huangfu Yun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "We just need to find one or two scapegoats! Or we can pin the blame on Huangfu Xuan and Huangfu Zong, what do you think?"
"Do you think they can be so easily outmaneuvered by you? How foolish!" Huangfu Ting sneered. "Finding a scapegoat is fine, but has the Crown Prince decided who it will be?" Huangfu Ting's lips curled up as he walked in front of the Crown Prince.
Empress Yao turned and looked at the two of them, then walked to her phoenix throne. "Your Highness, please speak!"
"We haven't yet figured out who's more suitable!" Huangfu Yun said, "but I'm confident I can resolve this matter perfectly!"
"Oh?" Empress Yao sneered. "I have a very good candidate."
"Who is it? Your subject will certainly comply!" Huangfu Yun immediately bowed his head and said.
"I will tell you about this later. I was just asking for your opinion! Now that you've also thought of being a scapegoat, then I won't go against your wishes. Crown Prince, you may leave!" Empress Yao raised her eyebrows slightly, a hint of a smile appearing on her face.
"Yes." Huangfu Yun felt a chill run down his spine. He wondered who the scapegoat Yao had mentioned was. He pondered this, and looking at the expressions on Yao's and Huangfu Ting's faces, he retreated with trepidation.
Before Huangfu Ting could ask, Empress Yao spoke first, "Ting'er, do you know what to do?"
"What does Mother mean?" Huangfu Ting stepped forward, wanting to understand her meaning more clearly. "Hmm?" Empress Yao raised her eyebrows slightly.
"Yes." Huangfu Ting nodded and immediately went downstairs.
Whether that's what she meant or not, just do what you want!
Nan Xuzong and Huangfu Xuan walked along the corridor, passed through several alleyways, and entered Rongguang Palace, where palace maids were still guarding the place.
Nan Xuzong dismissed everyone and sat down opposite Huangfu Xuan.
"Why do you want me to ignore this matter?" Huangfu Xuan asked, somewhat dissatisfied, with a great deal of confusion in his heart.
"No rush. If you get involved, wouldn't they be even happier?" Nan Xuzong smiled.
What do you mean?
"Empress Yao and the Second Prince will definitely find a scapegoat, and that scapegoat will be the person who finds the murderer. If you take on Prince Lin's matter, not only will it not bring you any benefit, but it will also bring trouble upon yourself! Wouldn't it be better to let them kill their own people?"
"Is what you say true?" Huangfu Xuan looked at him. "The Crown Prince is mainly trying to leave a good impression on Father Emperor by taking advantage of this incident. He will definitely find a culprit to take the blame. I'm afraid it will be you or me!"
"The Crown Prince wouldn't be so foolish. Empress Yao has already summoned the Crown Prince and his second elder brother, presumably for this matter. The Crown Prince can't hold back any longer; if he wants to survive, he has to make his move! Don't worry, the target isn't us. We can just sit back, drink, and watch the show!"
"Are you saying that the Crown Prince, this pawn, is going to be discarded by Empress Yao and Huangfu Ting?"
"Hmm." Nan Xuzong nodded. "In my opinion, Huangfu Ting definitely forced the Crown Prince to do something against the will of Heaven, whether it was fabricated or real, it's hard to say!"
"Why not tell Father everything?"
"Father is deaf to reason; only facts can prove it!" Nan Xuzong poured wine for himself and others. "Judging from Father's expression today, he's deeply poisoned and probably has less time left than I do!"
"Empress Yao is truly ruthless!"
"So shouldn't you take more measures of your own?" Nan Xuzong smiled.
"Thank you for the reminder!" Huangfu Xuan sneered and downed his wine in one gulp. "By the way, Fourth Brother, I would like to ask you to help diagnose Yi'er's illness... I, I need to hurry back and be with her!"
"Hmm, how is she now?" Nan Xuzong took out a bottle of medicine from his pocket. "This is the antidote for the bone-corroding poison. Treat her well!"
"What?" Huangfu Xuan was extremely surprised. "This, this is the antidote? You mean, she, she won't die?"
“Yes, let’s go back to the manor and take a look.” Nan Xuzong smiled. “I already know about what happened between you last night. It’s rare that Third Brother has changed his mind and wants her for life.”
"...Thank you, Fourth Brother!" Huangfu Xuan exclaimed excitedly. "Let's go quickly!"
The two quickly returned to the Prince Xuan's mansion.
Ma Ruyi sat peacefully in the courtyard, basking in the sun, her face expressionless and quiet.
"Yi'er." Huangfu Xuan was already calling Ma Ruyi's name when he was still at the courtyard gate. Ma Ruyi got up from the chaise lounge and watched Huangfu Xuan walk in briskly with a smile on his face. She couldn't help but smile as well. She really rarely saw him smile.
Then Nan Xuzong followed him in. Nan Xuzong was gentle and refined, and he entered without making a sound.
"Yi'er, I'm back!" Huangfu Xuan stepped forward and immediately embraced Ma Ruyi. Ignoring Nan Xuzong's presence, he kissed Ma Ruyi's lips and asked, "Why do you look unhappy?"
"No, it's good that you're back." Ma Ruyi's tone was somewhat indifferent, and her expression wasn't particularly good.
"I have found the antidote to the Bone-Corroding Poison, which was developed by my fourth brother!" Huangfu Xuan said, then immediately looked at Nan Xuzong, "Fourth brother, please help me take a look."
"Hmm." Nan Xuzong hummed. "Please, Third Imperial Consort, sit on the chaise lounge!"
It means that you, Huangfu Xuan, should stop showing off your love in front of me. Let me, Nan Xuzong, watch this properly, and then I'll go back to my residence. You can do whatever you want, while I, Nan Xuzong, will go with my Wushang!
Huangfu Xuan didn't care about Nan Xuzong's opinion at all! He helped Ma Ruyi sit on the chaise longue, while Ma Ruyi was still in a daze. "Xuan, what did you just say? You said my poison can be cured, right?"
"That's right, that's right, quickly take this antidote." Huangfu Xuan glanced at Nan Xuzong, who didn't object at all, so he immediately took out the antidote from his pocket and handed it to Ma Ruyi. "Yi'er, quickly take the antidote. I told you, everything will be alright!"
"...Yes." Ma Ruyi nodded excitedly. She wouldn't die, she wouldn't die! She could stay by his side and spend her whole life with him. How wonderful, how wonderful!
She took the antidote, her hands trembling. Huangfu Xuan watched as he pulled her into his arms again, then took the antidote from her. "Let me feed you!"
He carefully opened the antidote and brought it to her lips. Ma Ruyi drank the antidote, looking at Huangfu Xuan with teary eyes, then at Nan Xuzong, "Thank you so much, Fourth Prince, for the medicine. Otherwise, Ruyi would have surely died!"
"Of course." Nan Xuzong smiled, his eyes turning to Huangfu Xuan. Huangfu Xuan understood and immediately helped wipe away Ma Ruyi's tears. "Good girl, don't cry. How are you feeling now?"
"I feel much better now, even though I was in a lot of pain," Ma Ruyi said, wiping away her tears.
At this moment, Nan Xuzong cast out a golden thread, which wrapped around Ma Ruyi's wrist. He placed two fingers on the golden thread and slowly examined the illness.
Huangfu Xuan and Ma Ruyi both quieted down.
After a short while, Nan Xuzong removed the gold thread and said, "I'm fine now. I just need to recuperate. However, there are a few things I'd like to say to my third brother."
"Okay." Huangfu Xuan nodded and gently patted Ma Ruyi's shoulder. "I'll be right back. You should get some rest."
"Okay." Ma Ruyi smiled. She was finally healed. How wonderful! Her new life was about to begin, wasn't it? What a beautiful thing it was to be given a second chance at life!
Nan Xuzong and Huangfu Xuan went directly into Huangfu Xuan's study, and Nan Xuzong immediately wrote a prescription for Huangfu Xuan, saying, "Just have the imperial physician decoct the medicine, and pay attention to conditioning."
"Yes, thank you!" Huangfu Xuan glanced at the prescription written on the paper and nodded.
"By the way, you just said you had a few words to say to me. What is it?" Huangfu Xuan handed the prescription to the guard who beckoned him over. The guard took it and immediately withdrew.
"Hmm, the Third Princess Consort's body isn't quite up to par in that regard; her weakness is showing on her face. You'll have to figure it out yourself!" Nan Xuzong said in a deep voice. "I'm leaving! Wu Shang is still waiting for me!"
"What do you mean?" Huangfu Xuan shouted, but Nan Xuzong had already quickly left.
Watching Nan Xuzong's departing figure, Huangfu Xuan thought about what he had just said. That, that refers to... um, okay, I understand!
Huangfu Xuan looked somewhat embarrassed and sat back down at his desk to begin making arrangements.
At this moment, Crown Prince Huangfu Yun had just returned to his Eastern Palace. He was preoccupied with his thoughts and wondering which scapegoat he should find. He went into the inner palace and sat back down on the bed when he noticed something hard under his buttocks. He immediately got up to check.
Unexpectedly, he found a letter, and after checking that no one was around, he opened it.
"So that's how it is! That's how it is! Damn it, no, I have to think of a better way!" Huangfu Yun's eyes were filled with ruthlessness. "Since you want me to be unhappy, then I'll make sure you're all unhappy! You actually want to use me as a scapegoat, I'll kill you all!"
Huangfu Yun immediately took the letter and hurried toward the Dragon Palace of Emperor Zhou.
"Please go and tell Father Emperor immediately that I have something to ask to see him!" Huangfu Yun shouted immediately in front of the Longgan Hall.
On the other side, Huangfu Ting also found a letter on his bed. He immediately opened it, and his veins bulged as he was filled with rage.
"Someone, go and find out where the Crown Prince is now!"
Soon after, someone came to report, "The Crown Prince has gone to the Dragon Gate Hall, probably to meet the Emperor!"
"Damn it!" Huangfu Ting immediately took a shortcut to Empress Yao's Ningfeng Palace, barged in, and handed the letter to Empress Yao.
After reading it, Empress Yao rose from her throne. "Ting'er, since the pawn wants to break free of the game and refuses to be manipulated, then let's implement the plan ahead of time! That's all..."
"Your Majesty, I will go immediately!" Huangfu Ting's anger was barely contained. "This is a golden opportunity, Mother Empress, the position of Crown Prince will surely be mine this time!"
"Definitely," Empress Yao said coldly. "As long as you don't disappoint me, I will fight for everything for you!"
"Thank you, Mother!"
"I need to go to the Dragon Palace immediately. You go and do what you need to do!"
"yes!"
The sky began to darken.
When Nan Xuzong returned to the Prince Zong's residence, Ji Wushang was tending to some delicate flowers in the garden. The flowers, red and green, were very beautiful. Even more beautiful was the pretty, pale white figure moving among the flowers.
"Fourth Prince..." "Shh!" Nan Xuzong immediately silenced the guards and maids in the garden, waving his hand to signal them all to leave.
Nan Xuzong tiptoed into the garden and saw Ji Wushang watering the flowers. He immediately went over and asked, "Shall I help you?"
“Cong, you’re back.” Ji Wushang smiled and looked at him. “I had nothing to do, so I tended to these flowers to keep myself occupied.”
"This is a bit tiring, don't do these rough tasks for too long." Nan Xuzong stepped forward and took the watering can from the plants. "I'll water the plants for you."
"No, you should stand here first. I have something to tell you later," Ji Wushang said with a smile.
"No rush, watch me." Nan Xuzong gently pulled her behind him and then helped pour all the water. "Okay, here you go."
Ji Wushang looked at him helplessly and followed him into the Moxuan Garden.
"I have already given the antidote to the bone-corroding poison to my third brother. They must be even more loving than before, so we don't need to worry about them anymore!"
"That's good. I heard this morning that Third Brother was looking for Third Princess Consort in the rainy night yesterday. Third Brother has learned how to cherish people. That's wonderful."
"That's right." Nan Xuzong smiled. "What were you trying to tell me just now?"
Ji Wushang whispered a few words in his ear.
"It's too dangerous! If things get exposed, we'll probably be found out!" Nan Xuzong said nervously.
"Don't be nervous, Cong. He will definitely go to the Dragon Gate Hall to request an audience with the Emperor, and Empress Yao will definitely prevent him from meeting with the Emperor. When the Crown Prince returns to the Eastern Palace, things will probably be a different story!"
"Wu Shang, aren't you afraid that if the Crown Prince dies this time, then the Second Prince will become the Crown Prince?" Nan Xu Cong asked with some doubt.
"No, just follow my plan. I'll make him suffer a nightmare of empty promises!" Ji Wushang sneered. "Just have your third brother cooperate and do his job well. The position of Crown Prince is his!"
"Okay!" Nan Xuzong nodded. "Then we're done for now, right?"
"That's not it. If the Second Prince fails to become the Crown Prince, he and Empress Yao will retaliate. The Third Prince needs our full support!"
You've forgotten to count one person... Never mind. Nan Xuzong thought for a moment before saying, "In that case, I'll spend more time with you."
"Before that, Cong, I'll have to trouble you this time," Ji Wushang said with a smile.
Huangfu Yun waited anxiously in front of the Dragon Gate Hall, "How is it?"
"Your Highness, the Emperor has already retired for the night. Please return tomorrow."
"What?!" Huangfu Yun's face turned pale. It wasn't even that late yet, how could they have gone to bed already? It must be that woman, Empress Yao! His secret has been exposed!
"We can't wait any longer!" Huangfu Yun immediately turned around and returned to his palace. However, before he even entered the palace, he saw from afar that a large number of people were already standing there, surrounding the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace!