Chapter 308

"You're under Chen's protection; he'll keep you alive," Liu said.

【1】 "Follow Chen Tou; he will protect your life."

Before Chen Guanlou could object, Bi Lu was already shaking her head frantically, weeping: "I don't want to go! I don't want to be sent away to strangers and unknown places just because you say so! Even if I die, I want to stay by your side. Master, let me continue serving you—and the young master."

【2】 Before Chen Guanlou could object, Bi Lu was already shaking her head frantically, weeping: "I don't want to! I don't want to! My mistress can't just dismiss me like that, send me off to strangers and unknown places. Even if I die, I want to stay by your side. Mistress, let me continue serving you—and the young master."

Bi Lu gazed pleadingly at Liu.

【3】 Bi Lu gazed pleadingly at Liu Shi.

Liu wept softly, and even her tears were beautiful—a broken beauty that stirred a perverse sense of satisfaction. Her fragile, defenseless beauty seemed as if a single touch could shatter her.

【4】 Liu Shi wept softly; even her crying was beautiful. A broken beauty that gave a perverse sense of satisfaction—a fragile beauty that seemed to shatter at the slightest touch.

After a moment's thought, Chen Guanlou took a clean handkerchief and handed it to her.

【5】 Chen Guanlou thought for a moment, then took a clean handkerchief and handed it to her.

Liu took the handkerchief, wiping her tears as she sobbed, "You're so foolish! Once you've become the Prince's, you're marked as his—there's no escaping it from now on. If one day the Prince dies, all his women must die with him; no one survives alone. You still have time to change your mind."

【6】 Liu Shi took the handkerchief, wiped her tears, and sobbed, "You're so foolish! Once you're with the Prince, you're marked as his. From now on, you can never escape. If one day the Prince is gone, all his women must die with him—no one survives alone. You still have time to change your mind."

"I've made up my mind, please grant me your blessing," Bi Lu said firmly.

【7】 "Your maid has made up her mind. Please grant me this favor," Bi Lu said firmly.

"You're such a fool," Liu murmured, filled with disdain, guilt, and pity as the two women embraced and wept together.

【8】 "You're such a fool," Liu Shi murmured, filled with disdain, guilt, and sorrow. The mistress and maid clung to each other, weeping.

Chen Guanlou, as a man, couldn't bear to watch this scene—he decisively stepped outside and chopped firewood in the courtyard, venting his boundless energy.

【9】 Chen Guanlou, as a man, couldn't bear to watch this scene. He stepped out decisively and chopped firewood in the courtyard, venting his boundless energy.

Half a quarter-hour later, the maid Bi Lu helped Liu walk out of the room.

【10】 Half a quarter-hour passed; the maid Bi Lu helped Liu Shi walk out the door.

Liu felt embarrassed. "I've embarrassed you, Chen."

【11】 Liu Shi felt awkward. "I've embarrassed you, Chen Tou."

"Don't worry—I've seen you worse."

【12】 "It's nothing! I've seen you worse."

These words left both parties awkwardly silent. The "worse" moment naturally referred to when Li Dahong had just died—Liu, a widow, utterly alone. Without help from the prison guards, she couldn't have even arranged his funeral.

【13】 At these words, both fell awkwardly silent. The worse time, of course, had been when Li Dahong had just died—Liu Shi, a widow, utterly alone. Without the help of the Tianlaomiao jailers, Li Dahong's funeral could not have been arranged.

Liu wiped her slightly swollen eyes and bowed her head slightly. "Let it be as if I never came. I've caused you too much trouble—please forgive me."

【14】 Liu Shi wiped her slightly swollen eyes and bowed her head slightly. "Today, pretend I never came. I've caused you too much trouble—please forgive me."

"Don't be so pessimistic!" Chen Guanlou looked at her. "It's not over yet. Why not try to make some effort, make some preparations?"

【15】 "Don't be so pessimistic!" Chen Guanlou looked at her. "It's not yet at its worst. Why not try to make some effort, make some preparations?"

Liu gave a bitter smile. "We're all on the list. No matter how hard we try, we can't escape. Even the Prince has fallen—what can we women do? We're fish on the chopping block, powerless against fate."

【16】 Liu Shi gave a bitter smile. "We're all on the list. No matter how hard we try, we can't escape. Even the Prince has fallen—what can we women do? We're fish on the chopping block; it's beyond human power."

Chen Guanlou thought for a moment, then suddenly asked: "Does the Prince have any martial experts protecting him?"

【17】 Chen Guanlou thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Does the Prince have martial cultivators protecting him?"

"Of course he does," Liu replied, though puzzled.

【18】 "Of course he does," Liu Shi replied honestly, though she didn't fully understand.

"Is there a Grandmaster among them?" Chen's heart tightened slightly.

【19】 "Is there a Master?" Chen Guanlou felt a flicker of tension inside.

Liu paused. "I've never seen a Grandmaster. But I know during the palace coup, a strange eunuch never left the Prince's side. I never saw his face, but I knew he was always near the Prince."

【20】 Liu Shi blinked, then said, "I've never seen a Master. But I know, during the palace coup, a strange eunuch never left the Prince's side. I never saw his figure, but I knew he was always near the Prince."

"Why do you think that eunuch is a Grandmaster?"

【21】 "Why do you think that eunuch is a Master?"

"Because the Prince once said no one could kill him unless a Grandmaster struck him down. In the past, he sometimes went out incognito, accompanied by only two or three servants—but no one ever worried about his safety."

【22】 "Because the Prince once said no one could kill him unless a Master struck him himself. In the past, he sometimes went out in disguise, with only two or three attendants. Yet no one ever worried for his safety." After recounting what she knew, Liu Shi sighed softly. "But if one day the palace issues an order—will the Master still protect the Prince?"

"I don't know," Chen replied after thinking. "I've never even seen a Grandmaster. But if the Prince has one protecting him, you should feel more at ease. As he said himself, only a Grandmaster can kill him."

【23】 "I don't know—I've never seen a Master," Chen Guanlou said after a pause. "But if the Prince has a Master protecting him, you should be more at ease. As the Prince himself said, only a Master can kill him."

"But what if the Emperor gives the order…?"

【24】 "But if the Emperor issues an order..."

"So what? When pushed to the brink, you can't just endure and submit passively. You must fight back, right?"

【25】 "So what? When a man is pushed to the brink, he can't just swallow his anger and submit. He must fight back, right?"

"If we fight back, everyone will be dragged down with us."

【26】 "If we fight back, everyone will be dragged down."

"If we don't fight back, do you think others won't be dragged down? Do you know Xie Changling? He's been thrown into the imperial prison. The purge against the Eastern Palace has only just begun—more people will be imprisoned soon."

【27】 "If we don't fight back, do you think others won't be dragged down? Do you know Xie Gechen? He's been thrown into Tianlaomiao. The purge against the Eastern Palace has only just begun—many more will be locked up after this."

Liu instantly clutched her chest. "Is Master Xie imprisoned?"

【28】 At this, Liu Shi clutched her chest tightly. "Is Master Xie imprisoned?"

"Yes!"

【29】 "Yes!"

Liu wept silently. "Master Xie is such a capable man—the Prince always relied on him, often saying he would one day become a pillar of the court. Who would have thought that in a single night, he'd become a prisoner?"

【30】 Liu Shi wept silently. "Master Xie is a man of great ability. The Prince always relied on him, and has said many times that Master Xie will one day be a pillar of the court. Who would have thought that in a single night, he became a prisoner?"

"So… you should try to persuade the Prince to prepare more thoroughly. Better safe than sorry."

【31】 "So… you could try to persuade the Prince. Better to prepare more, no matter what."

Liu nodded through her tears. "You're right. I don't ask for much—just preserve a single drop of bloodline. You know my maid Bi Lu—if one day she comes to you alone, please help her."

【32】 Liu Shi nodded through her tears. "You're right. I ask for nothing else—just to preserve a single drop of blood. You know my maid Bi Lu. If one day she comes alone, please help her."

"Master…" Bi Lu cried out in alarm.

【33】 "Mistress…" Bi Lu cried out in alarm.

"Alright," Chen Guanlou agreed decisively. "If one day you're in trouble, I'll help as much as I can."

【34】 "Fine!" Chen Guanlou agreed decisively. "If one day you're in trouble, I'll help as much as I can."

After Liu and her maid left, Chen Guanlou sat alone, eating meat and drinking wine, tastelessly.

【35】 Liu Shi and Bi Lu left. Chen Guanlou sat alone, eating meat and drinking wine, tasteless.

The Prince's Mansion is in dire straits.

【36】 The Zhong Wang's mansion is in dire straits!

Otherwise, Liu wouldn't have come to him like a headless fly, weeping and pleading. Clearly, someone is pressuring the Prince's Mansion. One misstep by the Prince will give them an excuse to crush him completely.

【37】 Otherwise, Liu Shi wouldn't have come to him like a headless fly, weeping and pleading. Clearly, someone is pressuring the Zhong Wang's mansion. One misstep by the Prince, and they'll have an excuse to keep crushing him—until the mansion is utterly eradicated.

Today was unusually busy.

【38】 Today was lively.

In the dead of night, Qi Wuxiu, long absent, climbed over the wall—bearded, disheveled, looking like a destitute beggar with no roof over his head.

【39】 In the dead of night, Qi Wuxiu, long vanished, climbed over the wall—beard unkempt, dressed in rags, a man with no roof over his head.

Chen Guanlou teased him: "Bankrupt? Lost your house too?"

【40】 Chen Guanlou teased him: "Bankrupt? Lost your house too?"

Qi Wuxiu moved like a zombie, drinking silently.

【41】 Qi Wuxiu moved like a walking corpse, drinking silently.

Chen snapped his fingers loudly beside his ear. "Hey, snap out of it."

【42】 Chen Guanlou snapped his fingers near his ear. "Hey, come back to life."

"Today I went with my superior to the Prince's Mansion," Qi Wuxiu finally spoke.

【43】 "Today I went to the Zhong Wang's mansion with my superior," Qi Wuxiu finally spoke.

"And?"

【44】 "And then?"

"The entire Prince's Mansion was like startled rabbits. The Prince himself was pale as death. You should've seen it—he looked like he was ready to drink poison, even had his final memorial written."

【45】 "The entire Zhong Wang's mansion was like frightened rabbits. The Prince himself was pale as death. You didn't see the scene—he looked ready to drink poison at any moment, even had his final memorial written."

"So?" Chen played the silent listener, offering no judgment, just listening.

【46】 "So?" Chen Guanlou played the straight man, offering no comment—just listening.

"I've never seen him so hopeless," Qi Wuxiu grabbed his hair, his expression deeply depressed. "Why must it come to this? Why must they drive him to death? Isn't deposing him enough?"

【47】 "I've never seen him so desperate," Qi Wuxiu grabbed his hair, his expression heavy with depression. "Why must it come to this? Why? Isn't destroying him enough? Must they drive him to death?"

"How did your Embroidered Uniform Guard discuss this internally? Why did you go to the Prince's Mansion today?" Chen probed.

【48】 "How did your Embroidered Uniform Guard discuss this? What were you doing at the Zhong Wang's mansion today?" Chen Guanlou probed.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard were ordered to visit the Prince's Mansion merely to inspect and ensure his safety. We never expected him to be so terrified."

【49】 "The Embroidered Uniform Guard were ordered to the Zhong Wang's mansion just to inspect and ensure his safety. We never expected they'd be so terrified."

"Your Embroidered Uniform Guard have a fearsome reputation—it's natural he'd be frightened," Chen sipped his tea, his thoughts growing clearer.

【50】 "Your Embroidered Uniform Guard have a fearsome reputation—being startled is normal," Chen Guanlou sipped tea, his thoughts growing clearer.

"I feel someone in the palace wants to force the Prince to die."

【51】 "I feel someone in the palace wants to force the Zhong Wang to die."

"Why not say outright—the old Emperor wants to kill the Prince?"

【52】 "Why not say outright that the old Emperor wants to force the Zhong Wang to die?"

"No, no, no…" Qi Wuxiu shook his head violently. "The Embroidered Uniform Guard have recently been investigating certain people—clearly to defend the Prince. How could the Emperor be so conflicted? On one hand supporting him, on the other driving him to death? Impossible. Someone else must be behind this."

【53】 "No no no…" Qi Wuxiu shook his head violently. "The Embroidered Uniform Guard have recently been investigating certain people—clearly to defend the Zhong Wang. How contradictory would the Emperor be, supporting the Zhong Wang while trying to kill him? Impossible. It must be someone else."

"Besides, I have reliable information: Chancellor Wu is about to retire, while Chancellor Li remains in place. This is a clear signal—the Emperor is keeping Li to protect the Prince. Wu's retirement means Prince Jin is in trouble—that's a warning."

【54】 "Besides, I have reliable news: Chancellor Wu is about to retire, while Chancellor Li remains in place. This clear signal means the Emperor is keeping Li to use him to protect the Zhong Wang. Wu's retirement, and the Jin Wang's worsening situation—that's a warning."