Chapter 37: The Crippled Young Lady (Thirty-Seven)

Chapter 37: The Disabled Lady (Part 37)

With a cold, sharp gaze and a face as calm as still water, Su Kui arched an eyebrow, her expression hovering between a smile and a sneer. "I am just uncertain whether these words are your own, younger sister, or those of the Emperor? Given my status, remaining in the palace for long hardly seems appropriate."

"How could it be inappropriate? Why don't you simply stay the night, sister? Anything you lack or require, I have here; I would never treat you poorly!" Feng Qingqing grabbed Su Kui’s hand, exerting pressure behind her grip.

She was determined to carry out this task the Emperor had entrusted to her!

Su Kui’s pupils darkened slightly. It seemed Yuan Chen had made up his mind to detain her as leverage against Jun Mo.

Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, the high-pitched voice of the Head Eunuch echoed from outside the hall:

"His Imperial Majesty arrives—"

Feng Qingqing hurriedly smoothed her ornate gown, her head heavy with pearls and emeralds, and walked forward with a beaming face. She bowed gracefully, her voice dripping with tenderness: "This concubine greets Your Majesty, and welcomes your holy arrival."

Before she could finish her bow, a pair of large palms lifted her up. "Rise, my beloved consort."

On his handsome face was a gentle smile, devoid of any imperial arrogance. Seeing Su Kui, who had just moved toward the doorway, he took the initiative to stop her. "We are all one family, Princess; there is no need for such formalities."

What a fine "one family" it was.

"Many thanks, Your Majesty," Su Kui replied with a cold laugh, though her face remained impassive. Since when did "family" spend their days plotting to destroy one another?

As her mind raced for a counter-strategy, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from outside. A guard, covered in dust and looking utterly exhausted, lunged toward Yuan Chen, his voice thick with grief. "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Prince Regent... he..."

Su Kui’s mind went blank, and a chill washed over her entire body, as if a bucket of icy water had been poured over her head.

"What is the meaning of this stuttering? Speak!" Yuan Chen flicked his sleeve, snorting coldly.

The guard closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "In the battle against the leaders of the Jin army, the Prince Regent fell into an ambush. He has been missing for three days now. I fear... I fear that..."

Su Kui clenched her palms. "Fear what!"

"That the odds are against his survival!"

The four words felt as heavy as Mount Tai, crushing her, leaving her unable to catch her breath.

The air grew thin, and her vision blurred. Before she could even weep, Su Kui collapsed into unconsciousness.

As she plummeted into darkness, she heard a flurry of exclamations—people rushing to catch her, others calling for imperial physicians—the noise making her head ache.

When she awoke, she was lying in a side hall of the Jingyang Palace, with hazy pink silk curtains separating the bed from the rest of the room.

The May night breeze carried an indescribable restlessness. Su Kui slowly opened her eyes, her gaze sharp and clear.

The cat kept by Feng Qingqing let out an occasional whimper, which sounded particularly chilling in this inner palace, a place filled with the ghosts of the departed.

Su Kui, however, laughed coldly, her cat-like eyes glinting with a fierce light in the darkness. Usually, guards reported matters in the Outer Court; how could one possibly have run all the way to the Inner Palace?

It was likely that as soon as Yuan Chen made his move, he could not wait to strike at her to break her spirit.

It was highly probable that Jun Mo was missing, but the guard had also said "missing"—that did not necessarily mean death.

At the very least, she remained in this world, did she not? If she still existed, it meant her mission was ongoing, and Jun Mo... must still be alive.

Before leaving, Jun Mo had instructed her to protect herself. For nearly a month, she had felt that the number of secret guards around her had multiplied several times over. That sensation had not faded even after she entered the palace.

So, it meant Jun Mo had long ago foreseen this. He knew that once he went to war, Yuan Chen would surely target Su Kui, who was left behind at the Prince’s residence.

This man—he truly was meticulous, his thoughts shifting in a hundred ways, impossible to fathom. He had already arranged for everything.

Emperor Yuan Chen always felt he had victory in his grasp, yet he failed to understand the principle of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.