Chapter 403: The Truth of Harming, Retribution!

"Ye'er—"

"Ye'er!!"

"Your Majesty, please, for the sake of past feelings, spare Ye'er!"

"Ye'er was harmed by someone; he definitely was harmed by someone!"

"Your Majesty—"

"Consort De was dragged away, her voice quickly fading at the end of the long street."

"No one dared to speak, kneeling and waiting in a low voice for Emperor Yan to say: 'Regarding today's affair, whoever dares to discuss it privately in even half a sentence, I will not lightly pardon!'"

"Did you hear that?"

"Even Consort Rong and the Eldest Princess trembled."

"Yes—Your Majesty!"

"Emperor Yan's eyes suddenly shifted, devoid of any emotion, landing on Li Qingluo and Sha Qi."

"You came to present a gift on behalf of Prince Su?"

Li Qingluo: "Your Majesty, Prince Su gave us silver and entrusted us to deliver a brocade box to this Hall of Hibiscus and Cherry today."

"A flicker of killing intent flashed in Emperor Yan's eyes."

"But when he saw that hairpin on the ground, his gaze wavered."

"Are you a little disciple of Immortal Yunhe? How come I've never heard that Qingguan Temple has a Daoist named Luo Yi?"

Li Qingluo: "Your Majesty, I am a little disciple my master took on only during his recent travels, less than two years ago. Perhaps in my master's eyes I am hopelessly inept, not outstanding like my senior brother Qingyangzi, so I have never mentioned it to Your Majesty."

"However, I have been the one responsible for affairs in the Hall of Hibiscus and Cherry these past few days."

"Emperor Yan now greatly trusts Immortal Yunhe."

"Upon hearing Li Qingluo's identity, he finally suppressed the killing intent in his heart."

"Emperor Yan raised his hand, and the attendants carrying the sedan chair that had never been set down quickly departed."

"Li Qingluo looked toward the Eldest Princess."

"The Eldest Princess, as if waking from a dream, quickly followed."

"Father Emperor—"

"Father Emperor, wait for your subject—"

"The Eldest Princess had repeatedly sought an audience with Emperor Yan without success; today she finally managed to see his face, so she naturally clung to him immediately."

"The other consorts also followed and dispersed."

"Only Consort Rong, when passing Li Qingluo, stopped especially beside her."

"Somewhat interesting."

"She snorted, swaying her fan amidst a crowd of palace attendants, and slowly departed."

"Li Qingluo glanced at the entire Hall of Hibiscus and Cherry and shook her head."

"The people of this palace probably have no way to survive."

"However, though they are pitiable, the Palace of Cassia Fragrance from back then was even more pitiable."

"She and Sha Qi quickly returned to the Palace of Cassia Fragrance."

"Meanwhile, Emperor Yan, after finally dealing with his eldest daughter Xiyue, finally met Immortal Yunhe."

Emperor Yan: "National Preceptor, beloved subject, come quickly; I have a question for you."

"Immortal Yunhe, still feeling a bit dizzy, came before Emperor Yan."

"Your Majesty, I don't know... what matter?"

Emperor Yan: "Exactly how many disciples do you have?"

"Emperor Yan's tone was somewhat probing."

Immortal Yunhe: "Six or seven... seven or eight?"

Emperor Yan chuckled, but his eyes were icy: "National Preceptor, although you are already eighty, you look more vigorous than a person in their thirties. How can you not remember how many disciples you have?"

"However many there are, you need not hide it from me. Speak?"

"For example, I have eight sons and ten daughters."

"I've heard the National Preceptor has no children; your disciples are like your children, so why can't you state it clearly?"

Immortal Yunhe: "Your Majesty, how dare this humble subject compare himself to you? Those disciples dare not even be compared to your imperial highnesses."

"However, this humble subject indeed has eight disciples."

"Among them, there is a little disciple who, due to the hurry of returning, has not yet been registered at the Daoist temple."

"This humble subject therefore did not know how to answer Your Majesty's question."

"But he is indeed this humble subject's little disciple, a mischievous monkey I took in during my years of wandering abroad."

"If one day he causes some trouble, please, Your Majesty, show leniency."

Emperor Yan narrowed his eyes: "Oh? Could you even calculate what deadly disaster he might recently invite?"

Immortal Yunhe waved his whisk, making a single-handed salute: "This is precisely why this humble subject does not wish to bring him conspicuously before Your Majesty; I fear this child cannot escape this calamity."

Emperor Yan gave a slight smile: "Rest assured, with me present, how could I let your disciple suffer any grievance?"

"Just focus on teaching me the Dao of longevity; the rest, just set your mind at ease."

"After leaving the hall, Immortal Yunhe immediately summoned Qingyangzi."

"Quickly speak, Master, where exactly does this little disciple of mine come from?"

"In a hurry, they shoved your little junior brother at me, Master, yet I still haven't met him."

"If we bump into each other face to face next time and mistake each other, what then?"

"Are you trying to kill me?"

Qingyangzi smiled narrowly: "Yes, Master."

After Osmanthus Fragrance Palace received the small note, Duan Rongshi slowly rose.

"Let's go, accompany me to the Cold Palace."

"Go see Mother Consort's old acquaintances, to see if they still remember her appearance."

Li Qingluo immediately threw down her pen and stood up: "Let's go!"

Duan Rongshi left Osmanthus Fragrance Palace for the first time in several days.

The sky was already growing dark.

He wore a night outfit, his face masked.

He led Li Qingluo around, easily evading the palace guards' eyes, and easily reached the Cold Palace.

In the Cold Palace, Consort De knelt on the ground, desperately begging the Young Wang Eunuch: "Please, I don't want to die. Let me see Ye'er one more time——"

The once lofty Consort De no longer bore her former aloof and noble appearance, wringing her hands in disarray, filthy all over as she pleaded with a eunuch.

Young Wang Eunuch: "Consort De, it's not that this servant refuses to help you."

"In truth, you have committed a grave mistake today, and the Sixth Prince has killed someone; in this lifetime, you have no chance to see each other again."

"This servant advises you to just go on your way."

"As for the Sixth Prince, after all he is also a prince, the Emperor's own son; even if he killed someone, he is still a fool, and the Emperor would not be cruel enough to execute him."

"At least, he'll surely spare his life?"

"As for you, whether it's white silk or poisoned wine, you'd better choose a way to die quickly."

"Don't make things difficult for us servants; if we have to act ourselves, your departure won't be dignified."

The Young Wang Eunuch's cold voice sounded in Consort De's ears like one death-summoning talisman after another.

She could not control herself, her eyes full of terror, her whole body trembling.

"No…… I am the daughter of the Zhuang family, my father is a fourth-rank official——"

"I cannot die, I will not die——"

The Young Wang Eunuch's eyes showed impatience.

Just as he was about to wave his hand to signal the little eunuchs behind him to come forward and ruthlessly finish her off, several stones suddenly attacked them from behind.

The eunuchs fell in a heap on the ground.

Li Qingluo stepped forward and kicked them, discovering they were truly unconscious; only then did Duan Rongshi walk out from behind her.

He pulled down the mask on his face.

Consort De saw him and shrank back in fright.

"Little… Xiao Wu… what are you doing here?"

"Is it you…… is it you who did this!?"

"Duan Rongshi, after all, is it you——"

Duan Rongshi coldly stared at her: "It's me."

"Consort De, wasn't it you who first harmed me?"

He said, throwing the osmanthus cake wrapped in a handkerchief in front of her.

Consort De's face turned deathly pale: "You really know…… no wonder these years he hasn't become a fool."

"But you clearly know what's going on, why didn't you report it to the Emperor?"

"Why——?"

Duan Rongshi: "If I had exposed you years ago, this prince could still have waited until today for you to watch your son slowly become a fool?"

Consort De was about to go mad: "Why!?"

"Why on earth would you do this?"

"He is your brother after all——"

Before Duan Rongshi could answer, Li Qingluo stepped forward and grabbed her collar: "You want to harm others, don't you allow others to take revenge on you?"

"If you hadn't harmed him, this karmic retribution wouldn't have fallen on your own son!"

"It's just cause and effect, Consort De, what are you resenting?"

Consort De's eyes filled with desperate tears.

Yet she laughed: "Yes, this is all this palace's karmic retribution!"

"But this palace doesn't understand, the Sixth Prince usually behaves well. Why did he suddenly go mad and kill someone today?"

"Duan Rongshi, is this also your doing?"

Duan Rongshi: "It's me."

"These years, this prince has also been putting chronic poison in Duan Rongye's food and drink."

"Every time you sent me an osmanthus cake, he would eat a poisoned meal."

"The poison cannot be detected by silver needles, and even those poisoned for three to five years show no symptoms. Consort De, is it not similar to the poison you gave this prince?"

"But the poison in the Sixth Prince has another deadly aspect."

"When he smells the scent of osmanthus, it will arouse the bloodlust in his heart."

"If you hadn't recently been making osmanthus cakes every day and sending them to Osmanthus Fragrance Palace, this prince thinks he wouldn't have gone mad so quickly."

The scent of osmanthus……

The scent of osmanthus!?

Consort De pulled out the hairpin from her bosom.

This hairpin was something she grabbed at hand when she was dragged away today and took with her.

At this moment, the hairpin exuded a strong osmanthus fragrance that assailed the nose.

This is the hairpin!

It's also the osmanthus cake they've been making daily at the Jin Ying Palace lately that harmed Ye'er!

Consort De burst into tears.

"It turns out it really was me..."

Duan Rongshi: "It's you. If you weren't so eager to kill this king, Duan Rongye wouldn't have gone mad so quickly."

"And this king perhaps wouldn't have given you this hairpin so quickly either."

"Consort De, how does it feel?"

Consort De: "Not good."

"When I felt Ye'er becoming slower day by day, becoming foolish…… becoming like a child, my heart ached more than being eaten by ten thousand insects."

"But I didn't dare tell His Majesty."

"Nor do I allow anyone to privately discuss how my Ye'er has become a fool."

"I just fear that it's her, Zong Zheng Qingyue, who has turned into a vengeful ghost, taking her revenge!"

"I should have thought of yours..."

"I should have realized earlier that it was you, you little beast, who did all of this!"

Consort De let out a shrill wail, suddenly rose and tried to stab Duan Rongshi.

Li Qingluo kicked her over with one foot.

She bent over and slapped Consort De.

"Speak, was it you who killed the Noble Consort back then?"

Consort De laughed loudly: "Duan Rongshi, you want to avenge your mother, don't you?"

"All these years of hiding and biding, building up power, suppressing restraint, but deep down you've long been just like this palace, going crazy day by day, right?"

"Do you want to know exactly how your mother died back then?"

"I refuse to tell you!"

"I want you to suffer torment day and night, never getting the answer, never catching the culprit—"

She gazed at Duan Rongshi with resentment, each word piercing his heart.

Duan Rongshi also merely said coldly: "All right."

"Duan Rongye will soon accompany you on the journey."

"Your Zhuang family will also disappear along with you from this world."

"They will all be your burial companions!"