Chapter 565: My personal feud with Chen Yan is far from settled!

Late March.

Chang'an.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the carved windows of the Qiao Wangfu Shufang, casting mottled shadows on the Qingzhuan Dimian.

The drooping willows beyond the eaves sprouted fresh green; where the wind passed, supple branches swayed gently, bringing a faint scent of grass and trees, yet it could not dispel the solemn atmosphere inside the Shufang.

Yuwen Ang sat upright at the head seat, wearing a moon‑white Brothel, its collar and cuffs embroidered with dark‑gold swirling‑cloud patterns; his black hair was bound with a jade crown, revealing a smooth forehead.

His narrow eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze swept over the several advisors seated around the table.

The young man's face showed no usual youthful greenness; instead it exuded a composure and sharpness incongruous with his age.

On the desk lay several plain sheets, densely covered with writing whose ink had not yet dried, clearly the core of the recent discussion.

The advisors were all scholars past their thirties, some clad in blue scholar robes, others in gray cloth robes.

At this moment they hushed their voices and held their breath, awaiting the young prince's final decision.

Just a Half Hour Rest ago, they each voiced their opinions, analyzing the court situation and personnel deployments repeatedly, and finally settled on a meticulous plan.

Yuwen Ang's fingertips lightly tapped the tabletop, producing a crisp thud‑thud that rang distinctly in the silent Shufang.

He pondered briefly, his gaze again sweeping the crowd to ensure nothing was missed, then abruptly steadied his mind, a flash of resolve in his eyes, "Very well, proceed as we just discussed!"

Having said so, he raised his hand in a gesture, his tone regaining a measure of calm, "Go each your own way; be meticulous, and do not let any rumor slip out."

"Yes, Prince!" the advisors replied in unison, their voices respectful and orderly.

Everyone rose, bowed to Yuwen Ang, and together said, "We take our leave!"

Then, in turn, they turned and slipped out of the Shufang quietly.

However, when the leading advisor stepped over the Shufang threshold, he suddenly halted.

In the corridor outside the Shufang stood a lively young woman, none other than the Qiao Princess Consort Shangguan Suqing.

She wore a light pink ruqun, its hem embroidered with delicate entwined‑branch lotus patterns.

Her jet‑black hair was twisted into a coil bun, secured with a single sheep‑fat jade hairpin.

Her pure face bore a gentle smile, and she carried an exquisite gilded food box, evidently having waited here for some time.

Seeing this, the advisors promptly stopped, bowed to Shangguan Suqing, and respectfully said, "Greetings, Princess Consort."

Shangguan Suqing gave a slight nod, speaking softly, "Gentlemen, no need for formalities; proceed quickly."

After bowing again in thanks, they carefully slipped past her side and departed silently.

The sound of the advisors' bows startled Yuwen Ang in the Shufang.

He looked up, meeting Shangguan Suqing's gaze, and also saw the familiar food box in her hand.

When everyone had gone far, Shangguan Suqing lifted the food box and slipped into the Shufang, her footsteps so light they were almost inaudible.

She walked straight to the table, placed the food box on one side of the desk, and opened its lid.

A rich fresh fragrance instantly spread, mingling with a faint sweetness of herbs, refreshing the senses.

Inside the food box lay a thick cotton cushion supporting a white porcelain bowl.

The bowl held a milky, thick soup, its steam curling upward and condensing into a faint mist in the air.

Shangguan Suqing lifted the white porcelain bowl, carefully handing it to Yuwen Ang, her voice gentle as spring rain, "Prince, you've been busy for so long; you must be tired..."

"Drink some of the deer‑marrow soup I just simmered, with added warming herbs; sip it while hot to warm your body."

Yuwen Ang's gaze left the bowl, landing on Shangguan Suqing's lightly smiling face; his brows twitched imperceptibly, and in a flat tone he asked, "Princess Consort, when did you arrive?"

Shangguan Suqing's smile faded slightly; she pressed her lips together, her long lashes fluttered gently, and she answered truthfully, "I've been here for a while; seeing the Prince discussing matters with the gentlemen, I dared not intrude..."

Yuwen Ang narrowed his eyes slightly, his sharp gaze like a drawn sword, fixed on the woman before him, his tone carrying an elusive depth, "Then just now, you must have heard everything, right?"

The atmosphere in the Shufang instantly grew somewhat stagnant.

Shangguan Suqing's fingers gripping the bowl's rim tightened slightly; she gave a soft nod, her voice lowered, "Hmm..."

She had originally thought that since the last time Yuwen Ang and Weiguogong Chen Yan joined forces, plotted against Qi State's Gao Changjing and earned great Unprecedented Merit, the Grand Preceptor restored the princely title and granted abundant rewards…

The past grievances between them should have completely thawed.

Yet having just heard the discussion inside the Shufang, she realized that her own Prince had never abandoned the thought of opposing Chen Yan.

Torn repeatedly, Shangguan Suqing's gentle demeanor was replaced by deep worry; she lifted her head, her gaze pleading, "Prince, I truly do not understand…"

"You partnered with Chen Zhuguo, working in earnest cooperation, earning great Unprecedented Merit for Great Zhou; now your princely title has been restored, your reputation soaring, so why persist in opposing Chen Zhuguo?"

"If such actions are discovered, won't they jeopardize the Prince's future?"

Yuwen Ang seemed to hear something absurd, and suddenly let out a series of cold snickers, his laughter tinged with uncontainable resentment and unwillingness.

He slammed his hand down heavily on the desk, the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone trembling faintly, "My alliance with Chen Yan against the outside was for the public!"

"It is because I am of the Yuwen royal clan; how could I stand idly by while Qi State schemes against Great Zhou?"

"But personal grudges are a separate matter!"

The partnership that ignores past enmities is because Yuwen Ang sees clearly what it means that when the nest collapses, no egg remains whole!

But one code returns to one code…

Shangguan Suqing was startled by the sudden outburst of anger; the bowl in her hand trembled slightly, nearly spilling the soup.

She pressed her lips together, intending to say something conciliatory, but seeing Yuwen Ang's face full of fury, the words at her mouth were swallowed, leaving her in silence.

When Yuwen Ang recalled those past events, a massive stone seemed to block his heart, choking his breath.

His chest heaved violently, the fire in his eyes nearly igniting, his voice suddenly rose sharply, with a harsh tone, "My personal feud with Chen Yan is far from settled!"

His fingers clenched tightly, his tone filled with gnashing hatred, "I can't swallow that sentiment!"

Only Yuwen Ang's heavy breathing remained in the Shufang; the sunlight outside the window stayed bright, yet seemed unable to pierce the dense hatred.

Only the interwoven light and shadow fell upon the angry young prince's face.

Shangguan Suqing stared at the swirling hatred in Yuwen Ang's eyes, that almost obsessive malice tightening her heart.

She bit her rosy lips, her long lashes seeming to hold a faint veil of sorrow, and after a moment she sighed lightly, her voice bearing an unmistakable apprehension, "But Chen Zhuguo's methods—how terrifying they are!"

"Everyone from the court to the common folk knows, his mind is meticulous, ruthless and decisive; even the two Grand Pillars of State were brought down by him with the Grand Preceptor's aid!"

"I, the concubine, am worried...."

"Worried that the Prince is playing with fire and will burn himself?" Before she could finish, Yu Wen Ang coldly cut her off.

The young Prince curled his lip, a mocking snort curling at the corner of his mouth, his sharp gaze seeing through the worry she hadn't voiced.

Shangguan Suqing neither denied nor affirmed, merely gave a slight nod, her voice as low as a mosquito, the tail drawn out extremely long, full of helplessness and anxiety: "Hmm....."

"Hmph!" Yu Wen Ang suddenly clenched his fist, gritting his teeth as he shouted loudly, "How could the Prince not know how fierce that scoundrel Chen Yan is?"

"He holds military authority, and has the Grand Preceptor as his backing; his power is tangled like roots. Naturally, the Prince would not be foolish enough to clash with him directly!"

As soon as the words fell, a flash of Dark Hawk's ferocity flashed in his eyes, a grim, cold expression appearing on his face, his voice pressed down extremely low, carrying a chilling dread: "What the Prince intends to do is to play the dark!"

"Slowly administer a chronic poison to him, letting him suffer endless torment unknowingly, and finally die in agony!"

"What?!" Shangguan Suqing trembled all over, the white porcelain bowl in her hand nearly slipping from her grasp.

She stared at the man before her in disbelief; that face, still bearing a hint of youthful naivety, now bore a ruthlessness incongruous with his age.

Shangguan Suqing looked at Yu Wen Ang's eyes, seeing the intense murderous intent and hatred, her heart a mixture of five flavors, she could only sigh heavily again, her tone full of incomprehension and admonition: "Prince, now that your princely title has been restored, your future bright, wouldn't it be better to enjoy a life of wealth and honor?"

"Why must you cling to revenge like this, gambling with your own life?"

Yu Wen Ang sneered, his face full of confidence, "As the saying goes, one learns from a pitfall; previously I fell into Chen Yan's hands, merely an accident and oversight..."

"This time the Prince has plotted meticulously; from selecting the herbs to the timing of the poison, every step has been repeatedly simulated, surely the Prince will, unnoticed by gods and ghosts, take Chen Yan's dog's life!"

"But..." Shangguan Suqing still full of worry, still wanted to say something to dissuade, trying to make him change his mind.

"There's nothing 'but' about it!" Yu Wen Ang again shouted loudly, his voice suddenly high, bearing an uncompromising resolve.

He raised his hand, swung it heavily, and said with conviction: "Princess, no need for more words! This matter is decided in the Prince's heart, unchangeable!"

"In this Chang'an city, as long as Yu Wen Ang is here, there is no place for Chen Yan to stand!"

"As long as Chen Yan lives, the Prince cannot have a single day of peace!"

"In short, with me there is no him, with him there is no me!"

Shangguan Suqing saw his resolute attitude, knowing any further persuasion would be futile.

The sparkle in her eyes gradually dimmed, she lightly lowered her eyelids, her voice carrying a faint powerless compliance: "Yes....."

In the end, the woman still chose to remain silent.

Seeing Shangguan Suqing no longer speak, Yu Wen Ang's emotions also gradually calmed a bit.

He waved his hand, as if to disperse the lingering displeasure about Chen Yan in the air, his tone much softer: "Enough, let's not mention that pestilent fellow, lest we soil our ears."

Then, his gaze fell on the white porcelain bowl still steaming on the table, a rare gentle smile appearing on his face, and he asked: "Princess, what soup have you boiled for the Prince today?"

"It smells especially fragrant!"

"It's deer marrow soup." Shangguan Suqing quickly composed herself, gently passed the bowl forward, her voice returning to its usual gentle tone, "Prince, drink it while it's hot, replenish your body...."

"Fine." Yu Wen Ang replied with a smile, reaching for the bowl without hesitation, tilting his head and gulping it down.

The warm broth slid down his throat, carrying a rich fresh aroma and a faint medicinal taste, the warmth instantly spreading through his limbs and bones.

He set the bowl down, his face full of satisfaction, looking at the woman who had never left his side, gentle and caring, a warmth rose in his heart.

Then, he reached out and grasped her hand, his palm warm and strong, his eyes steadfast as he vowed: "Princess, it's wonderful to have you!"

"Once the Prince eliminates Chen Yan, clears the obstacles, I will later make you the Great Zhou's second most honored lady... uh!"

Before the words finished, Yu Wen Ang's complexion suddenly changed dramatically!

He suddenly clutched his throat, his eyes bulging.

His face showed extreme pain, black blood spurted from his mouth corner, nostrils, and eyes, sliding slowly down his cheek, terrifying.

His body went limp, the white porcelain bowl in his hand fell with a "clang" onto the floor.

It shattered into several pieces, the broth splashing onto his robes.

He collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, slumping onto the rosewood chair, eyes tightly closed, completely dead.

"Prince! What happened to you?"

Shangguan Suqing was frightened by the sudden turn of events, her face turning ashen as paper, she cried out in shock.

She hurriedly rushed forward, both hands tightly pushing Yu Wen Ang's body, her voice trembling with sobs, calling out: "Prince! Don't scare me!"

"You, wake up quickly!"

"Quickly, someone!"

The servants and maids in the Shufang's outer courtyard, originally each performing their duties, suddenly heard the Princess's mournful cry for help from within the Shufang, startled, they immediately set aside their tasks and hurried toward the Shufang.

"Princess! What happened here?" the first maid who rushed into the Shufang asked anxiously, but when she saw Yu Wen Ang on the chair with black blood flowing from his seven orifices, she was instantly terrified, letting out a scream: "Ah—!"

The servants following closely also poured in, seeing the scene, each one was pale and trembling.

They stood there at a loss.

"Quick, go to the palace and fetch the imperial physician!"

"Quick, find the imperial physician!"

Shangguan Suqing turned sharply, emotionally urging the servants, her voice hoarse from over‑tension, eyes already filled with tears.

Only then did the servants snap out of their stupor, quickly regaining composure, nodding: "Yes... yes! We'll go at once!"