Chu Yao sighed, thinking that the little girl had done something as shocking as running away from home, all for the sake of survival, but in the end she was implicated by him. She must be very unwilling. No wonder she always liked to throw little tantrums when they first met in this life.
"Don't worry, Shuangshuang, I've made arrangements," he said softly.
Wushuang said urgently, "You didn't understand what I meant... Huh?"
She suddenly stopped talking.
How could he believe that so easily?
Ignoring her ramblings, I didn't ask her anything.
Chu Yao said, “You should remember, right? That night I let you bathe and sleep in my tent. After I went out, I met Chu Ye. Because my imperial uncle was unwell, he came to welcome me back to the capital on behalf of the emperor. Naturally, a grand banquet was held in the main tent. Everything was normal until someone came to report that you were unwell, so I went out to check. I had only walked a dozen steps when I heard someone burst into the main tent, and the sounds of swords clashing were extremely intense… I quickly turned back, but Chu Ye was already seriously injured, and all the assassins committed suicide. Before they died, they all said the same thing: I had ordered them to do it. I had left the banquet before they broke in, which became the biggest evidence that I knew about it beforehand. Chu Ye and I have always been on good terms, so he naturally said he didn’t believe I would harm him. But I don’t know who sent a message to the palace. Before dawn, Eunuch Luo Yuzhi, who was by my imperial uncle’s side, brought an imperial edict and personally executed me.”
Wu Shuang stared wide-eyed, and it took her a long time to realize what Chu Yao was talking about.
"You...you...Chu Yao..." She was so surprised that she couldn't even speak clearly.
Chu Yao nodded and smiled: "I'm the same as you."
No wonder he always clung to her back then!
Wushuang had never doubted Chu Yao's abilities, so she thought that since he knew about her past life, he would naturally be able to save himself, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
Upon closer examination, Chu Yao's words were not without flaws, so he pressed further: "But your kung fu is so good, ordinary people are no match for you, and you were wronged, so why would you surrender and let others do as they please?"
Chu Yao narrowed his eyes, a hint of hatred appearing on his face: "They probably thought the same as you, that I was difficult to deal with. They didn't say it directly, but secretly poisoned my tea. When I was poisoned and unable to move, struggling for my life, I heard Eunuch Luo and Chu Ye's conversation..."
Do you suspect that your brother-in-law is secretly plotting against you?
This explains why it was Chu Ye's guards who dealt with her—it was clearly a case of killing her to silence her.
"Yes!" Chu Yao said without any concealment. "It's just that I've never understood why he did this. Logically speaking, the higher my achievements, the more beneficial it should be for him."
The two were not only cousins, but their mothers were also sisters. Even if they weren't on good terms, others would only see them as being in the same boat. Chu Ye was highly regarded by the court officials and favored by Emperor Deqing, so he needed someone as capable as Chu Yao to support him even more.
Wushuang understands all these principles.
Therefore, if Chu Ye really plots to kill Chu Yao, it will not benefit him at all. He must be out of his mind, full of holes.
Based on Wushuang's understanding of Chu Ye, although he sometimes seems carefree and irresponsible, he is reliable, intelligent, and capable of achieving great things.
He doesn't seem like the kind of person who would do something so harmful to others and himself.
“That’s right,” Wushuang murmured, “You’re cousins, but you don’t have the same kind of rivalry as biological brothers…”
An idea suddenly popped into her head, but because it was too bold and too far-fetched, she was so frightened that she stopped talking abruptly.
"Chu...Chu...Yao." Wushuang's voice trembled slightly, "Important matter...Important matter, you two are brothers, aren't you?"
After she finished speaking, she buried her head in the covers, like an ostrich.
This kind of thing is an insult to the old princess's reputation. Although Chu Yao doesn't seem to have a good relationship with the old princess, they are still mother and son. Will he be angry with her?
Chu Yao squinted as he dug Wushuang out, held her on his lap, and asked, "What do you know?"
Wushuang then stammered out her story about seeing Emperor Deqing and the old princess at the Lu family teahouse that day.
"But...but I didn't see them together with my own eyes. Maybe they went separately, not in advance, unlike what I guessed. Please don't scold me..."
Chu Yao thought more deeply than she did and did not pursue the topic further. Instead, he said, "Recently, you've been going out frequently. Have you had any unpleasant encounters with anyone? Think carefully, and it's best if it's related to someone who participated in the hunt."
Although she didn't understand why Chu Yao suddenly changed the subject, Wu Shuang still thought about it very seriously: "No, I don't like to argue with people. I usually don't take things to heart unless they are serious. Besides, I have Wanwan, Peipei and Cousin Sheng with me. They will help me think of things that I might not think of on my own, so I won't easily make enemies."
That is to say, no one wants to harm her.
Only Emperor Deqing and the old princess are suspicious.
If they weren't feeling guilty and afraid their secrets would be leaked, why would they kill someone to silence them?
Chu Yao thought: It seems it's time to investigate some things properly.
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Chapter 149 | Table of Contents
Chapter 149:
The thunderstorm raged all night, delaying the time of dawn. (Seeking books website: http://www.qiushu.cc/)
Chu Yao stood by the study window, recalling the confession he had obtained earlier.
"Yes, I delivered that Prince Ying's baby."
“Premature birth? How could that be? I’ve been a midwife for over 20 years. How could I not tell the difference between premature and full-term? That baby weighed a full nine pounds, had a rosy complexion, and cried loudly. Not only was it full-term, but it was also very well-nourished in the womb.”
"How was I supposed to know that the Prince of Ying's mansion was going to spread rumors that he was premature? There are so many complicated matters within the imperial clan. I don't want to lose my head, so why should I get involved? Besides, the Prince of Ying's mansion gave me a red envelope that was ten times larger than usual to keep quiet. It's all thanks to this money that I was able to retire early and go back to my hometown to enjoy a peaceful life."
"Why should I say it now? Your knife is right here. If I don't speak, won't I lose my head right now?"
"..."
He always thought his mother was temperamental, which was why she treated him badly.
Now I suddenly realize it.
If he wasn't his father's biological son, then everything would make sense.
That's why his mother kept stopping his father from submitting a petition to appoint him as the heir apparent. After his father's death, she insisted on her own way, leaving him, the eldest son, aside and insisting that if the posthumous child was male, he would inherit the title of prince...