After Marrying the Disabled Crown Prince of the Enemy Country Chapter 72

Chapter 72 Implicated
After returning to the Taizi Mansion from the secret passage, it was already late at night.
An Xuan was waiting outside the bedroom, and when he saw them coming back, he took a few steps forward and said, “Your Highness, someone from the palace has arrived.”
Hearing this, Le Zhi frowned slightly.
Why does Cui Feng come to the mansion at this hour?
But Huo Du’s expression did not change, as if he knew it. Le Zhi glanced at him suspiciously and followed him to the front hall.
“Pay respect to Your Highness and Taizifei.” Cui Feng was very polite. The last edict left a deep impression on him. He must be careful about this Highness Taizi.
Huo Du responded lightly.
“It’s really urgent for me to disturb you late at night. The drought in Shengyang City is severe this year. Although the court has pulled out a lot of relief funds, it has not improved in the slightest, and now there is violence and chaos in the city. By His Majesty’s order, Your Highness Taizi is requested to go to Shengyang City tomorrow morning to quell the riots.”
Cui Feng paused slightly as if thinking about something.
“Tomorrow morning?” Le Zhi was shocked.
How can it be so sudden?
Hearing this, Cui Feng lowered his eyes and smiled, and turned toward Huo Du, “There are some things that I shouldn’t have said, but since Taizifei asked, I’ll say a little more. This errand, His Majesty originally planned to let the Third Prince go, but you also know what happened today… and the other princes are still young now, so have to trouble you to work hard for this trip?”
After thinking about it, again and again, Cui Feng still said it. A eunuch like him who had been immersed in the palace for most of his life naturally knew the truth that misfortunes came from their mouths. However, from the day the Third Prince returned to the court, he completely belonged to the Empress’s side.
Although this was said by him, it was actually the Empress’s behest.
Le Zhi froze in place with the hands that were hidden in the sleeves hanging by the side tightly clenched and unable to react for a while.
Now that the edict had been passed, Cui Feng also bowed and retired tactfully.
“Cui Feng.” Huo Du stopped him without raising his eyelids, “You knew you shouldn’t have to say it, but you still said it anyway…”
That’s it, you’re looking for death.
He smiled and waved his hand, “Someone, send Eunuch Cui off.”
Cui Feng’s brows twitched, his whole body trembled for no reason, and some inexplicable fear and remorse suddenly appeared in his heart. But the words have been spoken, and could not be reversed. He frowned and followed the servant out of the mansion.
“Let’s go, go back to the bedroom.” Huo Du said slowly.
At this time, Le Zhi finally regained her senses. She quickly stepped forward to bar the way, looked straight into his black eyes, and asked word by word, “The edict, Shengyang City, quelling the riots… you already expected these things early on?”
Her voice trembled a little, but her eyes did not shift.
—
The Yongning Palace was brightly lit. The empress who should have been sleeping peacefully under the quilt was all neatly dressed, with no sign of sleepiness on her face.
“Is Empress satisfied?” Huo Changyun said with a smile, but there was a coldness in his tone.
Lin Wanning knew she could not hide it from him, but she still pretended to act stupid and said, “What does Your Majesty mean by this? I don’t understand.”
The heater in the bedroom was burning vigorously, and the silver carbon inside made a little spark sound. The soothing fragrance of tranquility seemed to be ineffective at this moment, and it was useless, unable to soothe anyone’s mind.
Huo Changyun, who was standing beside the incense burner, suddenly turned around and walked toward the beauty’s couch at a fast pace.
Lin Wanning sat upright on the couch.
He approached her, raised his hand, and squeezed her chin, staring at her intently, “Empress has done so much, it’s because you don’t believe in me?”
With some effort between his fingers, he squeezed until some red marks on the delicate skin. Lin Wanning frowned slightly and said softly, “I naturally believe in Your Majesty. It was Xu’er who disappointed Your Majesty.”
“Ah.”
Huo Changyun heard the complaint hidden in her words, and then let go of his hand and laughed, “Empress, let’s think about it. Since he returned to Qi, has he ever done a commendable thing?”
Hearing this, Lin Wanning pursed her lips sadly.
Indeed, there is none.
“Now he has the heart of being a traitor and has been layout in public.” Huo Changyun said in a deep voice, “But even so, I still forgive him.”
After a pause, he raised his eyes and continued, “About Shengyang City and Cui Feng… Does Empress still want to act stupid with me?”
Lin Wanning’s eyes widened in disbelief. She was not surprised that he knew about Shengyang City. But to win over Cui Feng, she had already done it without leakage. How on earth did he learn about it?
Huo Changyun admired her changing expression with satisfaction. He stretched out his right hand to hold her side face, and gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb.
His hand was icy cold and when it touched her face, it made Lin Wanning tremble uncontrollably.
Soon, he withdrew his hand and turned to walk outside the hall.
“Your Majesty!” Lin Wanning was so frightened by his actions tonight that she fell to her knees and asked tremblingly, “Since you already know, why did you let Taizi go…”
Since you saw through my poor plan early on, why did you let me push the boat with the current as smoothly as I thought?
Huo Changyun paused slightly but did not answer. After half a breath, he lifted his legs and left without hesitation.
Not long after Emperor Qi left, Qin Momo anxiously walked into the bedroom. When she saw Lin Wanning sitting in a daze, she ran over in shock and helped her up to sit on the bed.
“Why is Empress sitting on the ground in this cold winter.”
Lin Wanning shook her head weakly. She caught a glimpse of Qin Momo’s face and asked, “What happened?”
“Empress, Cui Gonggong went to the Taizi Mansion to deliver the edict, but he hasn’t returned to the palace at this moment.”
“No need to wait.” Lin Wanning hooked her lips and pulled out a sad smile, “He won’t be coming back.”
Hearing this, Qin Momo was stunned, “You mean, Taizi has…”
The smiling expression on the pale face gave people a sense of uneasiness. Lin Wanning shook her head affirmatively, “It’s not Taizi.”
Cui Feng, who has been serving beside Huo Changyun since he was born, had worked hard for decades for nothing. Even so, did not he just kill him with just a word?
The person beside her pillow’s heart and blood was cold.
“Qin Momo… Qin Momo!” Lin Wanning suddenly grabbed Qin Momo’s arm tightly, a little out of control, and her tone was frightened and panicked, “Since he is so cruel and if he knew about Huo Xiao’s matter, will he, will he…”
Her heart tightened, and fear spread all over her body, “Do you think he already knew that the accident back then was…”
“Empress!”
Qin Momo raised her volume and pulled Lin Wanning out of her panic in time. She patted her back with her hand and comforted her in a low voice, “Empress, don’t worry. There is this servant in everything. Don’t be afraid.”
Under the comfort of Qin Momo, Lin Wanning finally fell asleep.
Looking at the haggard face of the person on the bed, Qin Momo frowned in distress.
Over the years, she had taken care of the Empress. Although they were master and servant, she also regarded her as her own daughter. When Madam brought her back from the street, she treated her very well. After Madam left, she had taken responsibility as a mother for her. The Empress had spent most of her life managing the Lin family and her son, and without her, the Lin family would have fallen a long time ago.
If the events of that year were revealed, she would bear all this for the empress. She had absolutely no regrets.
—
It was late at night, and the imperial garden was silent.
Huo Changyun walked to the familiar red plum tree unconsciously and stood still. The palace people stood behind him, trying their best to keep their breathing low, not daring to disturb the emperor’s tranquility and anger him.
Lin Wanning’s question just now was still echoing in his ears. Huo Changyun looked at red plums that could not see the color clearly in the dark with heavy eyes.
Why did he let Huo Du go even though he knew that Lin Wanning had laid a trap in Shengyang City?
His eyes moved slightly, and he suddenly did not dare to look directly at the red plum tree. But in just a moment, his expression returned to normal.
The cold wind suddenly rose, the thick clouds were blown away, and the bright moon and stars spread the cold light on the earth.
The red plums were more like fire than blood. Fire… Huo Changyun thought of the fire in Cangyan Mountain.
His hands clenched, and the anger on his face was covered by the night.
Every mountain range in Great Qi was related to the faith of the national. That bastard dared to burn it. For the sake of a woman, his mind was no longer clear.
Then the trip to Shengyang City should be regarded as the punishment given to him by his imperial father. It was a punishment and a test.
If he could survive this calamity, he would be worthy to sit in the position of the heir apparent to the throne. If not…
He, Huo Changyun, did not need a useless son.
His thoughts gradually returned. He took a few steps forward, broke off a red plum, and put it on his nose to smell it lightly.
—
“Yes.”
Huo Du looked at the foxy eyes full of surprise and admitted. Looking at each other, he could not possibly lie to her.
It felt as if the tip of a knife had been stabbed in the heart, and the pain of fine numbness spread out. Le Zhi could not help but take a step back and almost bumped into the door.
Seeing this, Huo Du subconsciously stretched out a hand to help her. But she immediately raised a hand to block him, she raised her eyes, and her black eyelashes trembled, “Let me… let me be alone.”
Without waiting for Huo Du to answer, she turned and walked out of the hall.
The cold wind was blowing outside, but Le Zhi did not feel cold at all. She tried her best to calm herself down and sort her thoughts from the beginning.
She thought that her plan was seamless. She cooperated with Shen Qingyan to use Prime Minister’s power to attack Huo Xu, and also let Shen Qingyan free.
In fact, she was still complacent until Cui Feng appeared. Huo Xu’s current situation, the tragic state of his downfall, and the stupidity of not suspecting her at all, all made her feel happy.
Unexpectedly, the joy turned to sorrow.
The harem of the previous dynasty was full of turbulence. She did all the calculations but missed Huo Xu’s good mother, as well as the shrewd Emperor Qi. Compared to them, she was still too immature.
The mist in front of her eyes accumulated more and more, and after the long eyelashes were wetted, they fell one by one. She stubbornly raised her hand to wipe it hard, but the more she wiped it, the wetter it became. She simply could not wipe it all.
Why is the bedroom so far away? She had not arrived after walking for a long time.
She finally could not bear it, squatted down, and buried her face in her knees, crying softly.
Suddenly, a warm hand caressed the top of her head. Le Zhi slowly raised her head and stared at the person sitting in the white jade wheelchair in a daze. Her emotions were complicated, and the bottom of her eyes went from confusion to anger.
She was immature and ill-thought-out. But Huo Du obviously had it all figured out and even knew about the chaos in Shengyang City. He clearly could have told her earlier and let her revise her plan.
If so, he would not be implicated in this matter, and he would not have to go to the place where riots were everywhere.
“Why?” Le Zhi raised her voice and asked him.
“To see you smile, ah.”
Huo Du stared into her eyes and said naturally.
The author has something to say：
Du: What’s the matter? Can’t I put love first?
Zhi: I can’t fix it anymore…