Your Highness, Please Love Me Tender

153. Xiao Shengnian Is Degraded (3)

Translator: Flying Lines

The carriage drove all the way to the entrance of the palace. Yu Che watched Xiao Shengnian enter the palace gate and stopped the carriage to the side, waiting for Xiao Shengnian to come out.

But soon, Yu Che saw that another carriage stopped outside the palace. Prince Qin and a sad-looking middle-aged man got out of the carriage.

The middle-aged man looked sad, but his lips curled into a smile. This contradictory combination made Yu Che feel very strange.

“Uncle,” Xiao Luoxuan, who just got off the carriage, looked flustered and helplessly looked at the Guqin Master.

“Be calm,” the Guqin Master glanced at Xiao Luoxuan.

“But…” Xiao Luoxuan’s legs were still a little weak. Recalling what the Guqin Master had said to him before, he felt a sense of fear.

The Guqin Master told Xiao Luoxuan that he had given the Emperor a Gu.

Murdering the Emperor was a capital crime. What made Xiao Luoxuan even more fearful was that the Guqin Master wanted to threaten the Emperor with it.

“What are you afraid of?” the Guqin Master sneered, “Luoxuan, don’t forget that I gave you everything that you have now.”

Xiao Luoxuan felt gloomy. He had always been restricted by the Guqin Master, but he had no ability to resist. This sense of helplessness made Xiao Luoxuan hate the Guqin Master’s guts, but the Guqin Master saved his life. He was able to become a prince because of the Guqin Master. Everything he owned now came from the Guqin Master.

“Get moving. Aren’t you still thinking about that Sharp Sword? When you become the Emperor of State YanHui, you think that you won’t be able to find a Sharp Sword then?” the Guqin Master walked towards the palace gate first.

Xiao Luoxuan gritted his teeth and followed. There was no turning back for him. He knew that he was just a chess piece for the Guqin Master, but he had no choice.

“Sharp Sword, don’t let me down. Even if it means that I have to break your wings, I will make you stay by my side,” Xiao Luoxuan thought silently. He felt that he was a bird imprisoned in a noble cage by the Guqin Master and that he had no freedom at all, but the Sharp Sword managed to got out of the Guqin Master’s control and he was now soaring freely in the sky. He couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t accept the fact that the Sharp Sword had left him just like that.

He must get the Sharp Sword.

There was a trace of gloom in Xiao Luoxuan’s eyes as he entered the palace with the Guqin Master.

Yu Che retracted his gaze and felt that something was wrong. He could only vaguely hear the conversation between the Guqin Master and Prince Qin, but he couldn’t understand what they were planning to do.

*

When Xiao Shengnian entered the Imperial Study, the Emperor was reading the official documents with an annoyed expression while supporting his head with one hand. When he saw Xiao Shengnian come in, the Emperor suddenly swept all the documents to the ground.

Xiao Shengnian was not flustered. He knelt onto the ground neither fast nor slow, and his voice sounded very respectful, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Stand up,” the Emperor waved his hand.

Xiao Shengnian stood up and acted appropriately. He knew that the Emperor’s mood was subject to the influence of the Gu worms in his body. At this moment, if he said too much, it would only invite trouble, so he decided to remain silent and wait for the Emperor’s response.

“YouGuang, I heard that your medical skills are not bad. Come here and touch my pulse,” the Emperor beckoned.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Xiao Shengnian did not refuse, but obeyed the Emperor.

At this moment, the door of the Imperial Study was suddenly opened and the Guqin Master and Xiao Luoxuan appeared at the door.

The Guqin Master sneered. He walked in come swaggeringly and the first thing he said was, “Sire, you got my Gu. Not to mention your son, even if you let all the imperial physicians come, your illness won’t be cured.”

“You…” The Emperor was furious, but strangely, when the Guqin Master came in, the Emperor felt the annoyance in his body instantly disappeared.

“Now I’m in control of your life. I’m here to make demands, not to watch you pulling a long face,” the Guqin Master showed an ugly smile. He found a chair and sat down. He also told Prince Qin who was standing behind him to take a seat.

The Emperor frowned and looked at Xiao Luoxuan with a stern look.

Xiao Luoxuan broke out in cold sweat. He didn’t dare to look to the Emperor’s direction. He lowered his head and sat down beside the Guqin Master.

“YouGuang, you go out first,” the Emperor felt that he had been embarrassed. He didn’t want Xiao Shengnian to see him being threatened. He liked to be in absolute control, not to be controlled.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Stop. Don’t let your seventh son leave,” the Guqin Master said.

The Emperor was furious, but he couldn’t fall out with the Guqin Master now. He responded with a fake smile and let Xiao Shengnian stand to the side.

“Hu Qin, you and I have an agreement, but what you’re doing now…” The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, and his voice made people feel pressured.

The Guqin Master ignored the Emperor and glanced at Xiao Shengnian before looking at Xiao Luoxuan.

Xiao Luoxuan looked at Xiao Shengnian with hatred and his eyes seemed to be burning with anger. He held the armrest tightly with his right hand and it seemed like he meant to tear Xiao Shengnian into pieces .

Xiao Shengnian stood with his eyes closed. His temperament was elegant and noble, and his blue robe was meticulously worn by him.

Seeing how Xiao Shengnian was acting now, the Guqin Master had a playful smile on his face. He had always heard that Prince Rui was as elegant as jade. Today, he discovered that Prince Rui’s appearance was also unparalleled and quite eye-catching.

The Guqin Master looked at Xiao Luoxuan and he couldn’t help frowning. He really didn’t like Xiao Luoxuan showing all of his emotions on his face, but he was, after all, his nephew. the Guqin Master said, “Luoxuan, your seventh brother is here. Go, kill him.”

“Uncle…” Hearing this, Xiao Luoxuan turned to the Guqin Master with a stunned expression.

“Let me remind you, Sharp Sword has slept with him. If you kill him, Sharp Sword will belong to you alone.” the Guqin Master smiled with a sickly expression. Ever since he found out that he only needed to mention the words “Sharp Sword” to stimulate Xiao Luoxuan, he often said that to stimulate the killing spirit in his body.

Xiao Luoxuan looked embarrassed. Although he hated Xiao Shengnian for having Sharp Sword, he didn’t want to take Xiao Shengnian’s life. How could he kill someone, especially in front of his father?

“Hu Qin, don’t go too far. Although I’m poisoned, I’m not under your control. The moment I give the order, you will die right here and now.” The Emperor was so angry that he started to laugh. The Guqin Master intended to make his two sons cut each other’s throat in front of him, which made the Emperor feel embarrassed. The Emperor’s volume turned very loud. His aura of a supreme superior made Xiao Luoxuan feel like he was sitting on pins and needles and he almost kneel in front of the Emperor.

“I was just joking,” the Guqin Master smiled. He knew that he couldn’t push his luck too far. Rabbit would bite when it was anxious, let alone an almighty ruler.

The Emperor snorted coldly and didn’t speak again.

“Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, didn’t mean to give offence…” the Guqin Master sneered. He glanced at Xiao Shengnian and continued to say to the Emperor, “I, your humble servant, think that your seventh son shows no respect at all, thus he is not worthy of being a prince. Why not depose him?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Depose him, and we’ll continue our talk. He’s just one of your many sons. Is he really that important?”

The Emperor held his tongue.

Xiao Shengnian’s face was calm and his eyes were gentle. He did not seem to hear what the Guqin Master was saying.

“YouGuang…” The Emperor had already made a decision. Although he liked Prince Rui, too much was at stake right now, so the Emperor was thinking about giving up his son.

Even without YouGuang, he still had Jiale and a dozen of other sons. Did it really matter if he lost this one?

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Xiao Shengnian knelt down. He always knew that his father was cold-blooded, but he had never tried anything to harm him.

His parents were the ones who brought him to this world. However calculating Xiao Shengnian was, he was willing to be a gentle and filial son as long as the Emperor appeared to be kind to him.

As long as the Emperor chose to protect Xiao Shengnian today, Xiao Shengnian would find a way to detoxify the Emperor. And unless the Emperor died naturally, he would not use any means to seize the throne.

Xiao Shengnian still had some foolish sense of filial piety in his mind, so the weakness he showed towards the Emperor was faked, but his filial piety was true.

However, the Emperor chose to sacrifice him.

“YouGuang, your medical skills are not good, but you want to treat my illness without permission. You’re not being filial. You left State YanHui for a few months before; you were not being loyal. As a prince, you are not filial or loyal. Today, I remove your position as Prince Rui and you’ll be imprisoned in the Yong’an Palace.

“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty.”

Xiao Shengnian didn’t argue with his father or say anything to blame the Guqin Master. Today was the last time he knelt down in front of his father, as his father had given him so much favor for so many years. Even if his father used him as a shield sometimes, he still thanked him for everything he had given him.

Father, thank you for your decision today. I’ll no longer be held back by my sense of loyalty and filial piety.

The Emperor had yet to notice what he had lost. To him, his life was the most important. Moreover, he had only deposed Xiao Shengnian to buy some time. The Emperor had always been conceited, so he would not be willing to be suppressed by the Guqin Master.

After ordering someone to take Xiao Shengnian to the Yong’an Palace, the door to the imperial study was once again closed. The study was filled with the tranquility before a storm came, but none of it had anything to do with Xiao Shengnian.

The Yong’an Palace was a deserted palace. There were weeds everywhere. Rumor had it that a concubine hanged herself here and ever since then, her spirit had been haunting this place. Whoever stayed in this palace would have nightmares and get sick. So as time went by, this palace got deserted.

The gate of the Yong’an Palace was closed, leaving Xiao Shengnian standing alone in the courtyard.

Yu Che, who was outside the imperial palace, waited for a long time without seeing Xiao Shengnian coming out. It was already noon. Yu Che was worried. He always felt an ominous premonition but he also felt that he was overthinking.

He didn’t dare to leave without permission. He waited with an empty stomach till it was afternoon when a team of palace guards came out with a decree.

Yu Che stopped the last palace guard and asked, “Bro, where are you going?”

“Why should you care? Get out of the way!

“Please do me a favor. I’m from Prince Rui’s Residence,” Yu Che chuckled as he stuffed a silver ingot into the man’s hand. Also, he mentioned Prince Rui’s residence. Prince Rui’s name had always been very useful. Even the palace guards had to give Prince Rui some face.

“Prince Rui’s Residence?” The voice was mixed with complicated emotions. It sounded both like gloating and pity. Without being given enough time to figure out why the man sounded so strange, Yu Che heard him saying, “Prince Rui has been deposed and the decree has been issued. In the future, there will be no Prince Rui in State YanHui.”

“What?” Yu Che was shocked, but the palace guard was unwilling to talk more with Yu Che and ran around him.

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Yu Che ran back to Prince Rui’s Residence and found Zhui Xing.

Yu Che gasped and said anxiously, “Zhui Xing, His Highness has been deposed.”

Zhui Xing was stunned for a moment. Slight wrinkles appeared on his ice-cold face which had not changed all year round. He frowned and nodded, “Got it.”

“His Highness has been deposed. Did you not hear what I said?” Seeing how calm Zhui Xing was, Yu Che couldn’t help but emphasize it again.

“Got it, I’ll send someone to the imperial palace to see the prince. Go find someone… to inform the Emperor of State YanLing.”

“What is the point of informing the Emperor of State YanLing?” Yu Che muttered.

“Because the Emperor of Yan Ling is His Highness’s consort, he is entitled to know what happened to His Highness. Besides, his attitude affects what kind of plan His Highness will adopt.”

Yu Che nodded. While the palace guards had yet to arrive, he immediately left from the back door of the mansion. He rode a horse and rushed to State YanLing from the capital city.

After five or six horses died, Yu Che arrived at the border of State YanHui a few days later. The patrolling of the border was much looser than before, because the army of State YanHui suffered a great loss in the battle with State Liukong, and they didn’t know that Prince Rui had been deposed, so Yu Che smoothly left State YanHui and crossed State Xi.

However, after reaching State YanLing, Yu Che was immediately caught.

State YanLing was more rigorous towards businessmen from other countries. No one allowed to carry any dangerous items. If one was not a businessman and was not a citizen of State YanLing, the soldiers of the border would usually catch them directly.

Fortunately, Su Jie was still at the border at this time, and Xiao ShengXian had just been carried back from Mount Zangling by the soldiers.

“Yu Che?” Su Jie found that the figure being held by the soldiers was very familiar and he shouted.

Yu Che turned his head, but because Su Jie still had a disguise on his face, Yu Che didn’t know that Su Jie was the person he wanted to see.

“What are you doing here?” Su Jie asked after approaching Yu Che.

“You are… Mister Wen?” After hearing his voice, Yu Che said hesitantly .

Su Jie nodded.

“Mister Wen, Prince Rui has been deposed and is locked in the imperial palace. I’m here to tell you about…” Yu Che had dark circles around his eyes and he was much thinner than before. He hadn’t slept well all the way here and his body couldn’t hold it anymore. Now that he saw Su Jie, Yu Che was so excited that his brain stopped working. He felt dizzy and his voice became lower and lower. Everything in front of him became a blur. And he fainted and collapsed onto the ground before he finished what he was going to say.