Chapter 135: Why are you so stupid?! Who asked you to save me?? (4000)

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" Several poisoned darts flew in from the back window for a sneak attack.

Truth be told, He Lingfeng's martial arts skills were actually quite impressive. Unfortunately, having been tormented by poison for far too long, his body was agonizingly weak. At this moment, he grit his teeth and lunged forward with every ounce of remaining strength he could muster, successfully intercepting two of the poisoned darts, while the third, inevitably, embedded itself deeply into his shoulder socket.

"Ugh!" Following a muffled groan came the sound of a body hitting the floor. "Crown Prince!" Jin'er gasped in alarm. With a fierce flick of her secret fan backward, a flurry of poisoned needles darted toward the back window. Hearing a sharp cry of agony, Jin'er turned her head right back to deal with the foes right in front of her.

Listening to the groans of a certain someone behind her, Jin'er felt a mix of anxiety and fury. Glaring at the persistent men in black clinging to her relentlessly, she clenched her teeth and instantly channeled the fire spirit within her body. Spinning around, a towering wave of fire carrying immense internal energy swept toward the figures lunging at her once more.

"Ah!!!" A chorus of miserable screams rang out simultaneously as the men were sent flying through the air. Moments later, they crashed against the walls and doors before slamming onto the floor, writhing miserably and enduring the excruciating agony of being consumed by raging flames.

This entire sequence of movements had taken place in the span of merely two blinks of an eye.

Paying no heed to anything else, Jin'er hurried over to flip He Lingfeng onto his back, swiftly striking his acupoints to prevent the poison from spreading. Just as she pulled out the toxic dart, another group of intruders burst through the door.

"Damn it! Go to hell!!"

"Your Highness, Milady!" Jin'er hurled a fireball outward, only to realize the intruders were actually the Crown Prince's personal guards. Fortunately, the two of them possessed decent skills and narrowly managed to dodge it.

"This subordinate is late, please forgive the Crown Prince, Your Majesty! The assassins fled, but I have already dispatched men to pursue them..." one of the guard leaders reported as he entered. Mid-sentence, he froze in astonishment upon seeing the divine female doctor burying her face into the Crown Prince's shoulder socket, while the Crown Prince tilted his head back, furrowing his brow with a muffled groan, his complexion deathly pale.

Only then did he realize the Crown Prince was injured. Panicking, he spun around and bolted toward the doorway, shouting at the top of his lungs, "The Crown Prince has been assassinated! Quick, summon the imperial physician! Oh, wait—no, quickly inform the Emperor!" With a divine doctor right here, who on earth needed an imperial physician? He must have completely lost his mind in panic.

In an instant, the Crown Prince's quarters descended into chaos. Outside the doorway, the guards cast hesitant glances inside, not daring to step forward. Although the divine doctor had her back to them, judging by the continuous streams of dark blood she spat out beside her, she was clearly sucking the poisoned blood out of the Crown Prince.

The strange tactile sensation transmitting from his lips left He Lingfeng in a state of intense agitation, his cheeks tinged with a delicate flush. At the same time, he worried she might be implicated and poisoned along with him. Yet, at this moment, any attempt to push her away was beyond his feeble physical strength, leaving him with no choice but to passively yield to her ministrations.

Finally, she stopped. "Someone come in, carry the Crown Prince to the bed. And bring others to clean up this room."

At Jin'er's command, the guards at the entrance rushed inside instantly. Those assigned to lift the Crown Prince did so, those tasked with removing bodies hauled them away, and others scrubbed the floor clean. Before long, the room was thoroughly tidied up, though a faint trace of blood still lingered in the air.

After feeding He Lingfeng the antidote, Jin'er finally let out a long breath of relief.

"I'm fine." Seeing that Jin'er's brow remained tightly furrowed as if she were deeply worried about him, He Lingfeng offered her a faint, weak smile and spoke in a soft voice.

"Why are you so foolish?! Who asked you to save me? I could easily handle those measly hidden weapons myself; why on earth did you lunge forward like that?! You're just making things harder! If you had died, wouldn't all my hard work over the past two months have gone down the drain? Who would I collect the one hundred thousand taels from?! It infuriates me to no end!" The more Jin'er spoke, the angrier she became, unleashing a fierce, tongue-lashing scold upon He Lingfeng.

"Hey, don't treat my kind intentions like a donkey's lung, will you? I risked my life to save you, you know!" He Lingfeng protested indignantly, though due to his profound weakness, his words carried zero intimidation.

"Did I ask you to save me? Just managing to take care of yourself would be a blessing in disguise!"

"Whose audacity is this large, daring to speak to my Lingfeng with such insolence and disrespect?" An aged yet majestic voice resonated through the room. Jin'er didn't even need to look to know who it was. With a deeply vexed glare at the thoroughly unyielding He Lingfeng, she finally stood up and stepped aside.

The Earth Emperor frowned as he glanced at Jin'er, too preoccupied to interrogate her for the moment. Instead, he hurried over to the bedside, sat down, and asked with mounting anxiety, "Lingfeng, how are you feeling? Are your injuries severe?"

"Father, I am fine. Fortunately, Jin'er saved me." As he spoke, He Lingfeng turned his gaze toward Jin'er standing off to the side, a faint smile curving the corners of his lips.

Jin'er, who had still been somewhat puffed up with anger, merely curled her lip and suppressed the displeasure on her face.

"What on earth is going on here? Weren't those two assassins captured already? How did more assassins appear out of nowhere? And so many of them at that." The Earth Emperor furrowed his brow deeply, his tone tinged with mounting exasperation.

"Father, this son happens to have matters to discuss with you." With that, He Lingfeng glanced toward the palace maids and eunuchs standing nearby, and the attendants immediately bowed and backed out of the room. "Jin'er, you may stay." Seeing that Jin'er was also preparing to follow them out, He Lingfeng hurriedly called her back.

Jin'er turned around, only to find the Earth Emperor staring at her with a furrowed brow and a probing gaze.

"Your hair..." The Earth Emperor inspected her more closely, narrowing his eyes slightly as he said in a deep voice, "Are you from the Fire Country?"

"..."

When this was uttered, Jin'er instinctively stroked a strand of her long hair to inspect it. Sure enough, it was no longer as black as ink; instead, it possessed a faint, shimmering crimson hue, reminding her of the fiery spirit's outburst just moments earlier. In truth, the color wasn't overwhelmingly obvious, but she hadn't expected the elderly emperor's eyes to be so sharp.

"Jin'er, are you of the Fire Country imperial lineage?" He Lingfeng asked in utter astonishment, excitement and curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

"I suppose so." Jin'er replied with a touch of melancholy.

"What do you mean by 'I suppose so'? If you are, you are; if you aren't, you aren't!" the Earth Emperor snapped irritably.

"I'm an orphan. I only discovered I possessed the fire spirit recently."

"Oh?" The Earth Emperor raised an eyebrow, staring intently at Jin'er as he said in a low voice, "Could it be that you came to my Earth Country's imperial palace to gather intelligence, or perhaps to assassinate me?"

Jin'er let out a speechless, dry laugh. "Your Majesty, are you certain a spy looks like me? I neither pander to everything nor know how to conceal my spiritual energy, exposing my flaws with such absolute ease. Furthermore, the Fire Country and the Earth Country are separated by the Water Country—what benefit would assassinating the Emperor bring to the Fire Country? To pave the way for the Water Country and the Metal Country to reap the benefits?" She genuinely wondered if his mind was starting to fail him in his old age.

The Earth Emperor opened his mouth to retort, but found himself utterly devoid of any opposing argument. With a disgruntled huff, he turned his head away.

In truth, these logical points were not lost on him. However, the events of the past two days had already left him immensely frustrated and distressed, and now, coupled with the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince, his thoughts were in complete disarray. It appeared the situation was far from as simple as he had originally anticipated.

At that moment, He Lingfeng spoke up: "Father, you should hear me out and let me explain everything before you make any decisions."

Seeing the Earth Emperor nod in agreement, He Lingfeng proceeded to recount the entire sequence of events from beginning to end in his still-feeble voice.

...

"This—how is this possible?!" The Earth Emperor was struck dumbfounded, his complexion draining to a stark white. He found it utterly impossible to believe that such a monstrous conspiracy had been orchestrated by the gentle and virtuous Imperial Concubine Zhen, nor could he fathom that the sweet and endearing Yunchang was capable of such two-faced treachery!

"No, impossible! Someone must be deliberately driving a wedge between us!" The Earth Emperor abruptly whipped his head around, fixing a cold glare on Jin'er, who was waiting nearby.

Jin'er rolled her eyes and retorted sharply, "I know the truth is often cruel, but that doesn't mean we should resort to self-deception. What purpose would it serve for me to sow discord? I'm not so idle that I'd risk my own life just to play some convoluted game of outwitting enemies in the imperial palace! Hmph! If I truly wanted to do something, your Lingfeng would have died hundreds of times over already."

"You!!" The Earth Emperor was so enraged that his mustache twitched, yet he found himself entirely powerless against her. He simply couldn't fathom how he was managing to tolerate her arrogance and disrespect, nor could he understand how she could be so recklessly bold. Didn't she fear that once she cured Lingfeng's ailment, he would charge her with the crime of deceiving the sovereign?!

"The hour is late. You should rest well. I will ponder this thoroughly upon my return." With that, he rose to his feet, shot Jin'er one final glare, and swept his sleeves away in towering fury.

After he departed, He Lingfeng let out a helpless, rueful chuckle. "You, honestly—your temper completely overshadows my father's. Are you truly not afraid at all?"

Jin'er returned to her chair, picked up a teacup, took a gentle sip, and replied nonchalantly, "Not afraid. I'm still useful to him."

"You really are a fool. Once you cure me, won't you be of no use anymore? But it doesn't matter; with me around, Father won't do anything to you," He Lingfeng said earnestly, gazing at Jin'er.

"All right, go to sleep. We still have to celebrate your birthday tomorrow, so you need a proper rest." Jin'er stood up, suddenly paused, turned her head back with a smile, and said, "By the way, happy birthday." With that, she leisurely made her way toward the outer chamber.

That smile of hers almost made He Lingfeng forget how to breathe. It wasn't until the candlelight in the room was suddenly extinguished that he snapped back to reality. Happy birthday?

"Ahem! Well, Jin'er, happy birthday to you too." Raising his voice as much as he possibly could, he called out toward the archway.

"Hehe, same to you, same to you. Go to sleep."

Hearing this, He Lingfeng smiled faintly, finally turning over to close his eyes in peace.

————————————————————

"Your Majesty, you're here. Why are there bloodshot veins in your eyes? Did you not sleep well last night?" Imperial Concubine Zhen glided forward and asked with a concerned expression.

The Earth Emperor cast a cool glance at her, turning his gaze toward the palace maids standing nearby. "All of you, withdraw. Furthermore, go and summon the Princess here."

The attendants bowed in unison and retreated.

"Your Majesty, what is the matter? Is something troubling you? I heard the Crown Prince was assassinated last night—is he gravely injured?" Imperial Concubine Zhen inquired with a face full of feigned worry.

"Lingfeng is blessed with great fortune; he will be fine." The Earth Emperor took a deep breath, walked over to a chair, and sat down in silence.

"Father." Yunchang stepped into the room, a sweet smile gracing her features.

The Earth Emperor stared at her in a daze, a turbulent mix of emotions churning within him that he could not put into words.

"Father, what's wrong?" Yunchang walked forward, her expression puzzled. Why did her father seem so strange today?

The Earth Emperor offered a bitter, self-deprecating smile, turned his gaze to Imperial Concubine Zhen, and said, "You... wish to become the Empress." A flash of shock crossed Imperial Concubine Zhen's face, her eyes flickering with panic before she swiftly regained her composure. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, she saw the Earth Emperor turn his gaze back toward Yunchang. "And you... wish to be the Empress Regnant."

"Your Majesty!"

"Father!" Yunchang gasped in horror, taking quite a while to process the words before dropping heavily to her knees with a loud thud. "Yunchang has been wronged! Where on earth did Father hear such malicious rumors? Yunchang swears she has never harbored any such ambitions. Please, Father, see the truth clearly!"

"Your Majesty, this concubine has been blessed to accompany Your Majesty for over twenty winters, thanking the heavens above every single day for your grace. How could I ever dare to harbor extravagant desires for the position of Empress? Please, Your Majesty, believe this concubine..."

The Earth Emperor closed his eyes, letting out a heavy, sorrowful sigh. "As the sovereign of a nation, I have only Imperial Concubine Zhen by my side, and only this pair of children, Yunchang and Lingfeng. All my love was bestowed upon the three of you! Why must you be so relentlessly ungrateful?!"

With a sudden, furious roar, the Earth Emperor startled Imperial Concubine Zhen into dropping to her knees as well, trembling slightly alongside Yunchang.

"Your Majesty, what has come over you? This concubine has no idea what offense she has committed to enrage Your Majesty to this extent," Imperial Concubine Zhen sobbed, her frail and delicate demeanor designed to evoke deep pity. Yet, as the Earth Emperor looked upon her, he felt only a profound sense of disgust.

"For ten whole years—you tortured him for ten years, and now you sought to take his life! How truly vicious your hearts are! You went to unimaginable lengths to import Mengxiang fragrance from the Water Country, repeatedly instructing me to ensure the Crown Prince used it as well. When the supply was once interrupted, you even played the part of a loving mother and sent the Mengxiang fragrance from your own palace! Hmph! How thoughtful indeed!

"And as for you! Every few days you slip out of the palace, scouring everywhere for handsome young men to keep around you. You call them guards, but in reality, they are your kept male concubines! Utterly devoid of propriety, wantonly taking innocent lives, and acting with unbridled audacity!!"

"Your Majesty! I am wronged! This concubine is wronged! This concubine has no idea what Your Majesty is talking about!" Imperial Concubine Zhen's face was utterly devoid of color, etched with absolute panic.

"Father, this daughter is also wronged! This daughter has never done any of those things; I am truly wronged!" Yunchang cried out passionately, putting on an elaborate display of innocence, while her heart was already a chaotic mess of panic and dread. She couldn't fathom how her father had suddenly uncovered so much. Even if Shi Yuan had mentioned her keeping male concubines, based solely on his one-sided testimony, her father shouldn't have believed him so readily. Moreover, how on earth had he come to suspect her mother of poisoning the Crown Prince?!

A storm of thoughts raced through her mind, yet her lips never stopped pleading her innocence.

"Enough!" The Earth Emperor abruptly stood up, slamming his palm down onto the table. "I am not here to pass judgment on you today, so there is no need to be so terrified and high-strung! After all these years, I lack the energy and the desire to dig up evidence, nor do I wish to become the laughingstock of our ministers and subjects!

"Since the Crown Prince is now out of mortal danger, I have no other reservations. Yunchang is no longer young; because of Lingfeng's condition, her marriage has been delayed, but now is the time. I have already dispatched a formal letter agreeing to forge an alliance with the Metal Country through a marriage of state, and in ten days, Yunchang will be sent there."

Hearing this, both Imperial Concubine Zhen and Yunchang were struck dumb, unable to utter a single word for a long, agonizing moment.

"No!! Father, this daughter will not marry! I want to stay by Father and Mother's side forever; I won't marry!" Regaining her senses, Yunchang wept as she lunged forward, clutching the hem of the Earth Emperor's robe and pleading incessantly. At that moment, her dream of becoming Empress shattered like a crystal pane covered in cracks, instantly reduced to countless tiny, irrecoverable shards at the slightest touch.

"My mind is made up, say no more!" [Today's update ends here]

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