’But I’m in the Cold Palace. What’s even worth spying on?’
’Who is targeting now?’
’Could it be my father?’
’Or the Second Prince?’
’Or even one of the other Princes?’
Lu Mingyuan pondered for a mont before dismissing the possibility of it being his father. A man of Emperor Yong’an’s stature wouldn’t resort to sending two new eunuchs to spy on him.
It had to be one of the other Princes.
After the case of the Demoness of the Demon Kingdom and the assassination of the Fifth Prince, the palace maids and eunuchs had been almost completely replaced.
That ant new spies needed to be sent in.
Learning from past experience, the first person Lu Mingyuan thought of was the Second Prince, Lu Guangjing.
He had what one might call a love-hate relationship with his second brother.
While he was pleased to see him take out the other Princes, he still hadn’t forgotten how Lu Guangjing had frad him.
"Things have been unstable recently, and I have urgent matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave now."
Zhou Pingfu seed to have received an order, as he left in quite a hurry.
"Alright. Go on, then."
After saying goodbye, Lu Mingyuan had planned to have dinner at Princess Consort Zhao’s residence, but he found that Yang Yingchan wasn’t there.
He could only return to Qingzhu Hall, where he found a new copy of the Great Yan Mountain and River Mansion Report already on his desk. His eyes were quickly drawn to the headline.
Liangqiao Mutiny: Third Prince Leads Troops in Defiance of the Court’s Order to Return to the Capital?
He was utterly shocked.
’The Third Prince, Lu Guangyao, has rebelled?’
’How is that possible?’
’Given his simple and honest nature, he wouldn’t have been surprised if any of the other Princes had rebelled, but Lu Guangyao was the least likely of them all.’
Soon, Lu Mingyuan realized sothing was amiss.
First it was the Fifth Prince, then the Eldest Prince, and now sothing had happened to the Third Prince. There were no such coincidences in the world; soone had to be plotting behind the scenes.
’This couldn’t be Second Brother’s doing too, could it?’
’But Lu Guangjing has absolutely no connection to military power.’
Lu Mingyuan couldn’t make the connection at all.
’How could Lu Guangjing have such far-reaching abilities?’
’If he had that kind of power, why not just usurp the throne already?’
But he quickly shook his head.
Lu Guangjing’s thods might be formidable, but he was still too green to challenge their father.
For now, all he could say was that the Second Prince was highly suspicious.
Regardless, all of this had happened too suddenly. Combined with the recent surveillance...
He didn’t believe for a second that it was a coincidence.
He wondered what else his second brother was planning.
Now that his third brother was in trouble, the Court would surely not sit idly by. Judging from the earlier scene at court, another storm of change was undoubtedly on the horizon.
From the presence of those two eunuchs, it was clear that Lu Guangjing was starting to target him.
At this thought, Lu Mingyuan’s eyes narrowed.
’If he’s making his target, he’s definitely picked the wrong person.’
...
At the gates of the Imperial City, a five-horse carriage slowly rolled past.
It was escorted by squadrons of the Bright Lamp Bureau’s brocade-clad guards.
Atop the Imperial City’s walls stood a Ninth Realm Daoist, responsible for the escort mission.
An imposing man in a purple Python Robe sat inside the carriage, wearing custom-made Dragon-locking Handcuffs. His expression was haggard, his eyes were bloodshot, and his face was covered in a ssy, unkempt stubble from days without shaving. He looked utterly dejected.
This five-horse carriage was the last shred of dignity afforded to him.
Once he left the Imperial Capital City, he would never be able to return.
Exile to the Western Border was the most rciful punishnt his father could bestow.
For this, his mother had to abdicate her position as Empress.
When he heard the news, he was in total disbelief, filled with shock and terror. Even now, he had yet to recover.
It ant he had lost all hope!
He was filled with regret. Why couldn’t he have just admitted his guilt sooner? He had stubbornly believed he could find the real culprit, that he could start over.
At the sa ti, he couldn’t understand how he had lost so completely.
In truth, it is incredibly difficult for a person to truly admit their own incompetence and failure.
Now, Lu Changfeng felt he had absolutely no hope of making a coback.
Before, he could still count on his mother. Who could he count on now?
He was filled with hate.
He hated everyone!
A sinister look flashed across Lu Changfeng’s face.
Soon, he saw a woman in a red dress ahead of him. She was exceptionally beautiful, with her fair hands clasped together. Her figure was graceful, her skin as white as porcelain, and the vermilion hairpins and precious gems in her chignon gave her an air of dignified nobility.
It was Princess Consort Zhao, Yang Yingchan.
With the Eldest Prince released from prison only to be exiled to the Western Border, she, as a Hostage, was forbidden from leaving the Capital. Etiquette required her to co and see her husband off.
She had been escorted here from the Harem by n from the Bright Lamp Bureau.
The mont Lu Changfeng saw Yang Yingchan, his eyes lit up. He walked over and threw his arms around her.
"Chan’Er, thank goodness you’re here."
The only person he could rely on now was Yang Yingchan.
Even he had never imagined he would one day fall so low.
Yang Yingchan, who had once seed like a re luxury, had now beco his only salvation in this ti of desperate need.
Relying on the daughter of Prince Zhenbei, perhaps he could still make sothing of himself on the border.
Held in Lu Changfeng’s embrace, Yang Yingchan’s expression remained placid.
Outsiders all said that for the daughter of a Vassal King to marry the reigning Eldest Imperial Son was a blessing of imnse fortune. They said the Eldest Imperial Son had won a great beauty and was enjoying untold bliss with such a mouth-watering belle in his arms, making him the envy of all. But how could the world possibly know of her lonely suffering?
The sinister look and disgust in Lu Changfeng’s eyes vanished. He reached out, attempting to stroke his Princess Consort’s cheek, and said softly,
"I used to hit you quite hard, didn’t I?"
’How could I have failed to cherish such an exquisitely beautiful woman before?’
Yang Yingchan turned her head slightly, her gaze shifting elsewhere as she said softly, "It didn’t hurt."
Her evasive movent quickly infuriated Lu Changfeng.
’This woman is just like she’s always been, still looking down on .’
’Ever since this girl ca to his side, her eyes had held a look of indifference, as if she resented having been married to him.’
’From that point on, he had secretly resolved to make her suffer.’
And in fact, he had.
But now was not the ti to turn hostile.
Lu Changfeng could only clench his fists and suppress the rage in his heart.
That is, until he saw the bracelet of Buddha Beads on Yang Yingchan’s fair wrist. His expression changed in an instant.
"You don’t have the habit of worshipping Buddha. Who gave you these Buddha Beads?"
Hearing this, Yang Yingchan didn’t answer right away, hesitating for a mont.
"The Empress Mother gave them to ."
Seeing her reaction, Lu Changfeng’s expression flickered through several changes.
"If my mother had given them to you, you wouldn’t have hesitated like that."
Left with no choice, Yang Yingchan decided to tell the truth. "The Sixth Prince gave them to ," she said faintly.
Lu Changfeng could no longer contain his fury. Her words ignited his rage completely. He swung his cuffed hands, slapping the noble Princess Consort so hard that she stumbled and fell onto the bluestone slabs. He flew into a thunderous rage and roared,
"You bitch!!"
He leaned down, gnashing his teeth as he demanded, "All these years you’ve been married to , how have I wronged you? Your clothes, your status, all your wealth and glory! I could tolerate your indifference, but you actually dared to seduce that waste!"
Many of the Bright Lamp Guards witnessed this, yet none stepped forward to help. They all just watched with cold indifference.
Yang Yingchan lay on the ground, her face bright red. She looked away, like a clay Bodhisattva that would never get angry, and said with a numb expression, "I only married you because my father was afraid of dying."
Lu Changfeng looked at his official wife, who for over a decade had looked at him with the dead, indifferent eyes of a corpse. Even now, she maintained that sa apathetic attitude. This fanned the flas of his rage even higher, and a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.
"Don’t tell you let that bastard touch you."
"I didn’t..."
Yang Yingchan said with extre coldness.
But Lu Changfeng’s face was a mask of disbelief, and boundless disgust filled his eyes.
"That dandy, Lu Mingyuan... any woman he sets his sights on is dood. Not a single one of them cos out of it clean."
"Bitch! You dare cuckold ? I’ll kill you!"
Lu Changfeng lunged forward again, this ti holding nothing back. He actually channeled his Martial Dao Primordial Qi, as if he truly intended to beat her to death.
This ti, the Bright Lamp Bureau commander at their side finally intervened, stopping the Eldest Prince.
Princess Consort Zhao was a Hostage; no harm could be allowed to befall her.
At least for now, Great Yan didn’t have the spare resources to deal with Prince Zhenbei.
Yang Yingchan got to her feet. She looked at the restrained Lu Changfeng, straightened her dark hair and clothes, and finally gave him a slight bow.
"Husband, I wish you a safe journey."
Then, Lu Changfeng was shoved back into the carriage. From the window, he watched her retreating back, his rage impossible to quell.
’His own wife had slept with another man. What man could possibly endure such humiliation?’
It was as if a black fire had ignited in his heart.
Soon, an endless, malevolent aura enveloped his body.
The thought of himself being exiled to the Western Border while she spent her nights pleasuring Lu Mingyuan sent his qi and blood surging in reverse. His ridians turned a blackish-blue, and his Dantian fell into chaos.
The eerie black energy surrounding him grew denser and denser.
"Do you hate him? If you hate him, then give your body. I will fight for the throne for you."
"I will take revenge for you. Yang Yingchan will not die a good death."
"I will make sure Lu Mingyuan dies without a place for burial..."
A series of demonic whispers echoed in his ears.
Lu Changfeng looked as if he had beco a Fallen Demon. His will was completely devoured by the Heart Demon, and his eyes turned crimson.
A boundless power erupted from him, and he actually managed to shatter the Dragon-locking Bracelets.
At this mont, the carriage had already traveled dozens of li out from the Imperial Capital City.
The Daoist escorting them sensed the disturbance in the carriage and narrowed his eyes. ’His Daoxin is shattered, he’s possessed by a Heart Demon, and an aberration is taking root.’
...
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