"Whether there is a conclusion or not, it no longer has any relation to Princess Yaochi," the eunuch said firmly.
He had never encountered a woman with such poor character.
Nobody in the entire Capital City could match her ignorance of manners.
The eunuch’s face nearly betrayed how much he despised Li Chengyuan.
But Li Chengyuan, as if blind to his disdain, focused solely on the Seventh Prince.
"Your Highness is seriously injured, if there is a mishap along the way, can you bear the responsibility?"
"If Princess Yaochi seeks accountability, please, take it up with His Majesty later. For now, this old servant must take His Highness the Seventh Prince before His Majesty," the eunuch said wearily, waving his hand, "What are you all standing around for? If you delay the Emperor’s business, watch your heads!"
His words were very clear.
Even someone as foolish as Li Chengyuan could understand them.
The eunuch today was accompanied by the Ironclad Army, each member wrapped in chilling, pitch-black iron armor, holding iron swords, their presence imposing.
Li Chengyuan, in her anger, had not noticed them before, but now that she did, she couldn’t help but feel intimidated.
The eunuch sneered coldly.
"Princess Yaochi, please make way," he said.
Li Chengyuan, feeling affronted, blurted, "You—"
By this time, the Ironclad Army had advanced to the front, and under their gaze, Li Chengyuan had no choice but to step back.
Circumstances change; what stalls now may proceed later. When the truth comes out, proving the Seventh Prince’s innocence, those who looked down on him will have their day of reckoning.
Li Chengyuan knew that Xiao Hongshen was destined to ascend to the throne, so she was not worried.
The Ironclad Army dismantled the door and then, carrying the bed, took away the Seventh Prince.
Li Chengyuan did not leave his side and followed closely.
On the way, Yan Lingzhen saw them from a distance, felt curious, yet dared not delay for long.
Yan Wanqing, dressed as Hong Wu, was about to leave by the door when they accidentally ran into each other.
Yan Lingzhen’s eyes sparkled as she took Hong Wu’s hand and said, "Sister, it’s getting late; Xiaoliu wants Sister to tell him a story to sleep."
"Such a big person still needing Sister to soothe," Hong Wu laughed and addressed the crowd, "Since family members have come for me, I won’t delay. I’ll take my leave; please, continue as you were."
The two left together, and on the way, Yan Lingzhen clearly explained the situation about Yan Wanqing to Hong Wu.
Upon hearing her master was injured, Hong Wu grew anxious, quickening her steps.
When the two reached the courtyard.
Yan Lingzhen knocked on the door.
From inside, Yan Hongzhao asked cautiously, "Who is it?"
"It’s me, Xiaoliu. Sister Xiaowu, open the door," Yan Lingzhen said.
When Yan Hongzhao opened the door and saw Yan Wanqing also standing outside, she hesitated a moment, "Ah, Sister?"
Hong Wu walked straight into the room, turned her back to close the door, then tore off the mask on her face, revealing her own features.
"How is the master faring now?" Hong Wu asked.
Yan Hongzhao sighed, "She has not woken up yet."
"What should we do?" Hong Wu felt uneasy, "The Emperor has already summoned the Seventh Prince, and I wonder if he will call for the master as well."
Yan Lingzhen recalled the spectacle she had just witnessed, "So it was eight iron men carrying the bed with the Seventh Prince."
Tut-tut, such bold moves by the old Emperor.
He had the entire bed brought over with the man.
"It shouldn’t involve us; those fireworks were the Seventh Prince’s doing. Why should it fall on my sister?" It would be absurd if it backfired on us.
Yan Lingzhen was quite composed.
Hong Wu, burdened with concerns, was not able to elaborate to the two young women in front of her.
All she could do was to swallow her worries.
The only option was to wait and see what unfolds.
Yan Wanqing lay quietly on the bed, her brows slightly furrowed, her expression unsettling, yet she made no sound.
The three young women sat in the room with her, each lost in her own thoughts.
He only hoped that the night would pass quietly.
But contrary to his wishes.
Footsteps came from outside the door, very urgent.
Yan Hongzhao and Hong Wu exchanged glances. Hong Wu leaped onto the roof beam, slowly pulling out her dagger.
When the person outside approached the door, a strong smell of blood rushed towards them.
"He’s injured." Yan Lingzhen was very sensitive to the smell of blood.
Yan Hongzhao clenched his fists and faced the door, while even Yan Lingzhen had her poisoned needles ready.
The person outside coughed lightly, "Open the door, I am an old friend of the Yan Family."
"Old friend?" Yan Lingzhen’s eyes flashed with doubt.
"Let me in first, I have something to explain to the Commandery Princess," the speaker coughed several more times.
Yan Lingzhen nodded at Yan Hongzhao, "Open the door, Fifth Sister."
If the person was lying, she would certainly make him lie down. Her recently developed poison was not for show.
Yan Hongzhao went to open the door.
Standing outside was a handsome monk with blood on the corner of his lips, looking pale, and apparently in bad shape.
Of course, he was well disguised. Yan Lingzhen believed that no one present except herself could see through it.
Xun Kong looked at the two girls, one taller and one shorter, his expression softened a bit, "You must be Xiaowu and Xiaoliu."
Yan Hongzhao asked cautiously, "Who are you? What do you want with my sister?"
She had never heard her sister mention such an old friend.
Xun Kong turned to close the door, "This is a long story. Where is Yan Wanqing?"
He remembered that Song Huaxu had been harsh on her today. Xun Kong came over to check, fearing that if something happened, he couldn’t face the Yan Family in the afterlife.
Yan Lingzhen pointed to the couch, "My sister hasn’t woken up yet."
"How come?" Xun Kong frowned. He quickly walked over, his index and middle finger about to touch Yan Wanqing’s exposed wrist when he heard Yan Lingzhen’s cold voice.
"Make one more move, and I’ll kill you." Yan Lingzhen walked over, frowning. Seeing Xun Kong look at her, she didn’t back down, "You still haven’t said who you are. If it’s a long story, then make it short. If it’s not clear, we will treat everyone as a bad person."
Xun Kong, chastised by this young girl, could not help but smile from the corners of his eyes.
Only then did Yan Lingzhen notice that the colors of his eyes were different.
In ancient times, weren’t those with heterochromia considered demons?
Before she could think further, she heard Xun Kong speak.
"Actually, you should call me uncle."
"What???" Yan Lingzhen and Yan Hongzhao exclaimed in unison.
Even Hong Wu on the roof beam was taken aback.
"Uncle?" Yan Lingzhen couldn’t believe her ears, "I’ve never heard that my father had a brother. Could you be Yan An’s brother?"
Xun Kong shook his head, "I and your father, my elder brother, are from the same mother. We are twins."
The revelations became more and more sensational.
Yan Lingzhen was struggling to digest this information.
"But you look very young, how can you be my father’s brother."
Xun Kong shrugged with a wry smile, "How old do you think your father is?"
"There’s a portrait of father in mother’s study—"
"A portrait can never depict the entirety of a real person." Xun Kong shook his head, "Your father and I share some resemblance. Back then, due to the Imperial Family’s fear, and because I was born with heterochromia—a sign they believe could overturn the state—your grandfather intended to strangle me at birth."
"How could he do that?" Yan Lingzhen frowned, "It’s just because of different eye colors, which is determined by the amount of melanin in the iris. How can people demonize others for that?"
Listening to the young girl’s outcry of injustice pleased Xun Kong, though he didn’t completely understand the other words she said.
"At that time, my mother took pity and secretly sent me away during the night, which is how I escaped that fate," Xun Kong continued.