Chapter 125

Returning to Prince An’s residence, Yan Ling could no longer contain his anger. He smashed things around, his fury threatening to destroy everything in sight.

Several maids knelt on the ground, trembling and not daring to speak.

Yan Ling took a deep breath, barely venting his anger, and coldly ordered the maids to clean up the mess. He then turned and went to the study, instructing someone to summon Miao Qiyuan.

When Miao Qiyuan entered the study, he saw Yan Ling’s bleak expression, clearly having returned with a belly full of anger.

“Your Highness has been poisoned by Gu. You should control your temper,” Miao Qiyuan reminded. “Although the Xiang Gu is not very aggressive, it can sense its master’s emotional changes. Anger will only make it restless and cause you discomfort.”

Yan Ling looked up at Miao Qiyuan and coldly asked, “Is there really no one who can cure this poison except the one who administered it?”

Miao Qiyuan was silent for a long time. “It’s not that no one can cure it, but I don’t know who can.”

Yan Ling said coldly, “Since you are skilled in poisons, is there no one among your fellow disciples who is proficient in Gu poison?”

“Poison and Gu are two different things,” Miao Qiyuan tried to explain the difference. “Gu is a dark art, and I only study herbs. I am truly powerless—”

Bang!

Yan Ling smashed the teacup in his hand, his face livid. “I am a prince. Must this damn Gu poison control me for the rest of my life?!”

Miao Qiyuan frowned, clearly aware of Yan Ling’s emotional breakdown, a stark contrast to his previously calm and gentle demeanor.

Was it the loss of control over the situation that made him anxious, or was the fear and helplessness of being poisoned by Gu that made him so furious?

If this continued daily, he might not need Yan Donghuang to act; he could torment himself to death.

Miao Qiyuan hesitated for a long time before saying, “There is a reclusive expert on Qingmang Mountain who might be able to cure this Gu, but he is eccentric and may not be willing to come down the mountain.”

Hearing this, Yan Ling felt a surge of hope. “What kind of expert?”

Miao Qiyuan shook his head. “I don’t know. I only know he has been on Qingmang Mountain since childhood and rarely sees outsiders.”

“What if you go personally?” Yan Ling asked urgently. “Tell him that as long as he is willing to cure me, he can name his price. Even if it’s ten thousand taels of gold, I am willing to give it to him!”

Miao Qiyuan sighed silently, suddenly thinking of a saying.

AA snake eventually bites a person who catches snakes all year round
As someone skilled in poisons, he failed to poison others but let Gu poison Yan Ling. Was this ironic or retribution?

Suppressing his gloom, he nodded. “I will try.”

Yan Ling’s tone was firm. “Make sure to bring him back, no matter the cost.”

Miao Qiyuan looked outside. “I will leave at dawn tomorrow, avoiding prying eyes. Once the city gates open, I will ride swiftly to Qingmang Mountain.” After speaking, he bowed and left to prepare.

Yan Ling did not respond, letting him leave.

Sitting in the chair, Yan Ling’s anger subsided somewhat, but his expression remained gloomy, like a layer of frost.

Yan Donghuang had ordered him to oversee the selection of companion readers, clearly with ulterior motives. She deliberately dragged him into the muddy waters, preventing him from staying out of the fray and maintaining his reputation for being indifferent to fame and fortune. She wanted him to be isolated and become a thorn in the side of the other princes, making it impossible for him to continue hiding his talents.

Such deep scheming.

Thinking of Yan Ying and Yan Yu’s mocking today, Yan Ling angrily swept all the books and documents off the desk.

Years of disguise were ruined today, all thanks to Yan Donghuang!

This thought flashed through his mind, and a sharp pain surged in his chest. Yan Ling’s face changed, and he quickly calmed his intense anger.

The feeling of his organs being gnawed lasted for nearly the time it took to burn a stick of incense. Compared to last night, the pain was not as severe. But it was still unbearable, and cold sweats broke out on his forehead. He closed his eyes, gripping the corner of the desk tightly. After the pain subsided, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Yan Donghuang, since you have no regard for old ties, don’t blame me for being ruthless.
…

Miao Qiyuan left early the following day. To avoid attracting attention, he dressed as a servant in plain green clothes. After leaving Prince An’s residence, he walked to the southern market and rented a carriage.

Riding the carriage out of the city, Miao Qiyuan breathed a sigh of relief. He decided to switch to a fast horse in the neighboring city and travel day and night to reach Qingmang Mountain in three days, and another three days to return.

Six days should be enough. However, as the carriage rumbled along outside the city, a sharp sound suddenly pierced the air.

An arrow seemed to come out of nowhere!

Miao Qiyuan’s face changed dramatically, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart. In a panic, he tried to dodge, but an arrow pierced through the carriage, penetrating his forehead and pinning him to the carriage.

The horse, frightened, ran wildly.

In the chaos, Miao Qiyuan’s body was thrown out of the carriage, hitting the ground hard. The horse broke free of its reins and galloped away!

The carriage overturned, breaking into pieces.

On the city wall, Si Ying, carrying a bow, expressionlessly withdrew his gaze, turned, and descended the wall, ordering, “Send the message to Prince An’s residence.”

“Yes.”

Si Ying said no more and headed to the Crown Princess’s residence.

Miao Qiyuan was shot and killed outside the city. The city gate guards went out to investigate and sent someone to report to the Ministry of Justice. Prince An and the Ministry of Justice received the news almost simultaneously.

“Miao Qiyuan was shot and killed?” Yan Ling staggered, his face pale as if struck by lightning. “How could he…”

“Yes,” the guard replied, bowing his head. “Lord Miao’s carriage had just left the city when he was shot through the head and died on the spot.”

Yan Ling’s face turned ashen, and he collapsed onto the couch.

Miao Qiyuan was dead.
Miao Qiyuan was dead.
Who killed him?
Was it Yan Donghuang?

Yan Ling sat in the chair, pale, his hand trembling as he reached for the teacup, only to find the desk empty. He stared blankly at the bare desk for a long time before realizing that he had thrown everything off the desk, and it had not been cleaned up.

With Miao Qiyuan dead, didn’t that cut off all his hope?

Must he be controlled by Yan Donghuang for the rest of his life?

Chapter 126

“Miao Qiyuan had many innocent lives on his hands; death was too easy for him,” Yan Donghuang said coldly, sitting in the carriage heading to the palace.

In the four corners of the carriage, fist-sized luminous pearls cast their light, illuminating the entire space.

Yuan Ziying knelt beside her, nodding obediently. “Your Highness is right; he deserved to die.”

Although she had tested poisons on people before, she had never harmed innocent people. Those she tested on were evildoers, so it was a way of ridding the world of harm. However, testing poisons was not a righteous act, and now that she was in the capital, not in the deep mountains, she couldn’t take lives lightly.

Yan Donghuang flipped through a military book and casually asked, “Can the Xiang Gu be cured?”

“It can,” Yuan Ziying nodded, her face falling slightly. “Does Your Highness want to cure Prince An?”

“No,” Yan Donghuang shook her head, her voice cold and ruthless. “I want him to suffer and die.”

Yuan Ziying smiled sweetly. “I think the same. Someone like Prince An, who appears gentle and harmless but is actually hypocritical and sinister, should experience the pain and torment of the poison to know the consequences of taking lives lightly.”

Yan Donghuang said nothing more.

The carriage arrived at the palace gate, and Yuan Ziying got out, lifting the curtain and extending her arm to Yan Donghuang.

Yan Donghuang bent down to exit the carriage and raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s this?”

Yuan Ziying replied matter-of-factly, “Isn’t this how palace maids serve the nobles?”

“You’re not a palace maid, and I’m not a frail noble,” Yan Donghuang said lightly, jumping down from the carriage. “Just follow me and do your job; you don’t need to serve me.”

Yuan Ziying obediently stepped back and walked beside Yan Donghuang.

After the early morning court sessions resumed on the sixth day, the ministers gradually got used to Yan Donghuang’s regency and her firm, decisive style. After all, she was the heir appointed by the emperor, a position not to be taken lightly. The military power she held was a strong backing, and the ministers had to pass through the Nan Gate or Donghua Gate every morning and evening. The guards at the palace gates were the formidable Qingluan Army. Even if they wanted to weaken the influence of the Crown Princess, it was impossible. The deterrent power of the army could not be ignored. So even though she had not yet ascended the throne, Yan Donghuang’s position in the court was becoming more stable.
She attended court sessions in the morning, held meetings in the political hall after court, and stayed in the palace to have lunch with Emperor Wu Lie, chatting about state affairs. In the afternoon, if not too busy, she would occasionally inspect the military camps or stay in her residence to handle some trivial matters. When she left Chongming Hall, it was already the hour of the tiger. The weather looked gloomy, and the air was colder.

Yan Donghuang walked to the palace gate and saw Feng Yaoguang waiting there.

Feng Yaoguang naturally saw her, too.

Today, Yan Donghuang wore only a black robe. Her body was tall and slender, and she looked agile and neat. Martial artists could withstand the cold better than ordinary people, often forgetting to wear cloaks. But today’s weather was not sunny, and wearing so little was worrying.

Feng Yaoguang quickly stepped forward, draping a soft fox fur cloak over Yan Donghuang’s shoulders, disapprovingly saying, “The weather is cold; Your Highness should be careful not to catch a cold.”

Yan Donghuang tied the cloak and smiled faintly. “Weren’t you going to the military camp today? How do you have time to come here?”

“I went to the camp and came back,” Feng Yaoguang said, glancing at Yuan Ziying, who followed closely. “Xie Yunjian is off this afternoon; Miss Yuan can go see him.”

“Why?” Yuan Ziying frowned. “My duty is to protect the Crown Princess.”

Feng Yaoguang paused. “But you don’t need to follow all the time; I’ll be here this afternoon—”

“What is your role?” Yuan Ziying asked.

Feng Yaoguang was surprised. “My role?”

“Yes, your role,” Yuan Ziying nodded seriously. “The palace and the Crown Princess’s residence are not battlefields; there’s no need for military formations. Your presence is not very useful.”

Feng Yaoguang was strangely silent.
Was he being looked down upon by a little girl?

Yuan Ziying continued, “General Feng knows martial arts, and so does the Crown Princess. They don’t need your protection. But if someone poisons the Crown Princess, you can’t recognize the poison. Can you replace me?”

Feng Yaoguang was speechless, unable to refute her logic. After all, Yuan Ziying made a valid point. But poisoning wasn’t a daily occurrence, and his presence wasn’t just for protection.

“Let’s get on the carriage,” Yan Donghuang said, ignoring their childish argument, and stepped onto the carriage.

Feng Yaoguang was about to follow when Yuan Ziying blocked him. “Men and women should not be too close. I’ll ride with Her Highness.”

Feng Yaoguang raised an eyebrow, staring at her for a moment. “I heard a rumor today that a woman in the capital wants to marry Xie Yunjian and become the general’s wife.”

Yuan Ziying frowned. “Who?”

Feng Yaoguang said, “You can ask Xie Yunjian.”

Yuan Ziying looked at him suspiciously. “Are you lying?”

“Why would I lie?”

Yuan Ziying’s face darkened, and she got on the carriage, lifted the curtain, and entered. “Even so, I’ll ride the carriage back to the residence and then find Xie Yunjian to settle this.”

Feng Yaoguang’s mouth twitched, and he had to mount his horse.

Yan Donghuang leaned back in the carriage, looking at Yuan Ziying’s tense face, and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Did you take Feng Yaoguang’s words seriously?”

Yuan Ziying said nothing.

“To like someone, you must pursue them sincerely, not forcefully,” Yan Donghuang said calmly. “Although I don’t know what happened between you and Xie Yunjian, using absolute force to make the other party unable to resist is no different from nobles using power to oppress commoners.”

Yuan Ziying seemed to understand but was still confused. “But the emperor’s selection of concubines didn’t ask for those women’s opinions.”

Yan Donghuang was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. “That’s the unfairness of power; it allows one to do as they please. But the emperor’s greatest love is for the country and power. He doesn’t seek equal love from the women in the harem or pursue mutual affection.”

When the emperor has three palaces and six courtyards—or rather when he sits on the throne—his feelings cannot be equal. Everyone looks up to him, and their love is mixed with awe. How can it be equal?

“Will Your Highness use power to demand men to serve you in the palace?” Yuan Ziying asked out of curiosity, with no intention of offense. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, looking somewhat expectant.

Feng Yaoguang, sitting on his horse, pricked up his ears at this question, listening intently.

Yan Donghuang glanced at her, her tone subtle. “Do you hope I use power or not?”

Yuan Ziying thought for a moment and answered thoughtfully, “On one hand, I hope Your Highness can do as you please, trampling those arrogant men underfoot, making them revere you like a deity. On the other hand, I hope Your Highness can have a precious relationship, someone who truly loves you, willing to entrust their life to you wholeheartedly, growing old together.”