Chapter 130: Impossible

Xiao Youlan was somewhat surprised; was Xiao Mingyu really being this straightforward?

However, this emotion did not show on his face. Xiao Youlan's expression remained indifferent as he gestured to him, "Since that is the case, then I must trouble Fourth Brother to bring out the antidote."

Xiao Mingyu glanced at him, "However, I have conditions."

Xiao Youlan said coldly, "Fourth Brother does not have the room to negotiate conditions."

"Nan Xueyin is an Assassin I have cultivated for many years. Over these years, how much manpower, material resources, and wealth have I spent on her? Could it be that all of this is not enough to exchange for some benefits from the Crown Prince here? Or is it that in the Crown Prince's heart, Nan Xueyin is merely so-so, not worth spending any price to obtain easily?" As he spoke, a contemptuous sneer appeared on Xiao Mingyu's face.

Nan Xueyin frowned.

She realized that she had indeed been by Xiao Mingyu's side for too long, long enough for Xiao Mingyu to know very clearly what kind of words could hurt her heart.

However, she heard a soft chuckle from Xiao Youlan.

He said, "No wonder Little Xue was always unhappy at the Duan Prince Mansion. It turns out that in your eyes, she is just an Assassin, just a very useful blade. But she is resilient and has her own opinions; she knows clearly what she wants. She is the one and only Nan Xueyin in this world. She is steadfast and loyal. The reason she had the heart to leave the Duan Prince Mansion was simply because she had been let down too, too many times."

Nan Xueyin's heart softened to an incredible degree, and even her eye sockets felt slightly hot and burning.

She unconsciously turned her gaze to look at Xiao Youlan.

From her angle, she could see his smooth-lined profile.

His gaze was indifferent as it fell upon Xiao Mingyu, "In this world, many people do not know how to cherish things while they have them, only regretting it deeply once they have lost them completely. But things in this world are never unchanging; no one is born destined to be hurt, nor is it possible to wait in the same spot forever for someone to turn back. However, Fourth Brother does not seem to understand this point."

Xiao Mingyu was stunned for quite a while.

He subconsciously felt that this was the absolute truth.

But when he looked at Nan Xueyin, he only saw her turn her head to look at Xiao Youlan, her dark eyes brimming with moisture, containing many emotions.

Almost immediately, Xiao Mingyu felt it: she liked him.

It was also at this moment that he suddenly recalled that in the past, Nan Xueyin had once looked at him with such eyes.

How long ago that was, Xiao Mingyu could not remember clearly.

But he could be certain that she had once revealed such a look to him.

Xiao Mingyu only felt his heart plummeting violently; it seemed he was truly about to completely lose someone very, very important.

"So, where is the antidote?"

Xiao Youlan's cold, clear voice interrupted Xiao Mingyu's train of thought.

Xiao Mingyu's body lacked strength, so he leaned back against the chair to muster the energy to speak, "I... can give the antidote, it's just that the antidote is not on me right now."

Xiao Youlan stared at him.

"The antidotes are all in Lianzhou. I came out in a hurry and didn't expect that anyone would want to leave my side—"

Speaking to this point, his gaze paused on Nan Xueyin.

Nan Xueyin:?

Is this blaming me?

She couldn't help but frown. Xiao Mingyu saw it and also knitted his brows, continuing his words, "In short, to get the antidote, there are currently only two ways."

"One, let Nan Xueyin come back with me. Once we reach Lianzhou, I will hand the antidote to Nan Xueyin and let her bring the antidote back to Fengdu."

"Impossible."

Before the words had even faded, Xiao Youlan interrupted him cleanly and decisively.

Xiao Mingyu tugged at the corner of his mouth, looking unsurprised, "Crown Prince, you really do like Nan Xueyin. A round trip takes at most five days, and you are already reluctant?"

His tone was deliberately mocking.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Youlan was very frank and said, "Yes. I cannot leave her."

Xiao Mingyu couldn't help but be startled.

Such words, he only dared to think about in his heart and had never spoken them aloud; he would feel embarrassed and also feel that he had lost his own nobility and dignity.

Xiao Youlan... how could he dare?

"Tell me the second way," Xiao Youlan signaled.

Xiao Mingyu suppressed all his complex thoughts, took a deep breath, and said, "I have already become betrothed to the Yan Family. In a few days, I will leave Fengdu and return to Lianzhou to prepare for the upcoming official wedding. The Crown Prince can send someone you trust, for example, Shu Yu, and let him go with me. Once we reach Lianzhou, I will hand the antidote to him, and he can bring the antidote back to Fengdu."

This method was actually not bad.

It did not require Nan Xueyin to leave the Eastern Palace, and it would not take long.

However, Xiao Youlan still shook his head, "Impossible."

Xiao Mingyu couldn't help but get a little angry, "This won't do, that won't do. Crown Prince, aren't your demands a bit too high?"

Xiao Youlan spoke the truth, "It is not that the demands are high, it is just that I do not trust you."

"Then why doesn't the Crown Prince say what exactly would work?"

"Today, Fourth Brother will write a letter yourself, send it to Lianzhou, and have someone prepare two portions of the antidote and send them to Fengdu by fast horse. They must arrive within five days."

Xiao Mingyu's expression turned slightly stern, "You..."

"Before Fourth Brother leaves Fengdu, the two of them must take the antidote. I must watch in person to ensure there are no problems after they take it."

This was the safest method Xiao Youlan could think of.

Xiao Mingyu was so angry he laughed, "The Crown Prince really has a good plan. But what if I don't agree?"

Xiao Youlan raised an eyebrow, "That would be even easier to handle."

He spoke unhurriedly, "Over these years, Consort Xian has often been seriously ill, and Fourth Brother has therefore returned to Fengdu, stayed at Jiaoyuan for a few days, and then left. Coincidentally, the Imperial Physician who has taken Consort Xian's pulse all these years is the same one, surnamed Yu. Every year, Fourth Brother sends a large sum of money to this Imperial Physician Yu's home."

Xiao Mingyu's complexion changed instantly.

He had clearly been very careful and cautious about this matter; how could the Crown Prince know?!

"Fourth Brother, how long have you been a leisurely Prince in Lianzhou, and how long have you been amassing wealth? The Lianzhou officialdom is actually just Fourth Brother's tool for amassing wealth; only by listening to you can one be an official, and if one doesn't listen to you, there is only a dead end. Wang Yong, does Fourth Brother still remember him?"

Xiao Mingyu's pupils contracted violently.

Nan Xueyin also remembered this person; it was precisely Xiao Mingyu who had sent her to the Dali Temple Prison to kill him.

It was also that time that she almost died there.

"Fourth Brother perhaps knows that Wang Yong's arrest involved the hand of my Eastern Palace. Although you had Little Xue sneak into the Dali Temple Prison to kill him and seal his lips, this action indeed disrupted many of my plans. However, Fourth Brother surely does not know that I still hold Wang Yong's advisor in my hands—what Wang Yong knew, his advisor also knows, and he can also provide evidence."

Xiao Youlan suddenly revealed a slight smile, "Fourth Brother, tell me, if those corrupt deeds you committed in Lianzhou were all exposed, could your marriage with the Yan Family still continue? Would you, this Prince Duan, still be able to continue as one?"