The cold wind swept through the garden, carrying bursts of floral fragrance.
The two stood stiffly, with no sign of stopping inside.
Ye Luan rolled her eyes at the sky in exasperation, wondering if they weren't afraid of freezing to death while having an affair here.
"Your Highness, I heard that the King of Dingbei brought a woman to Zhongzhou this time. Perhaps you can start with her."
Ye Luan's hearing was sharp. The moment she heard the words "King of Dingbei," she quickly shifted her position, hiding behind the rockery to listen.
"Moreover, ever since the King of Dingbei arrived, the Crown Prince has been frequenting the post station. I don't believe for a moment that they have no collusion."
'Currently, His Majesty dotes on you the most. If the Crown Prince is caught colluding with the outer court, his position as Crown Prince can be easily replaced.'
Another deep male voice followed, "You don't need to worry about so much. Just take good care of His Majesty for me. Once I, this Prince, ascend the throne after bringing down Qi Linzhou, you will definitely be rewarded."
Holy crap.
It's a prince and a concubine?
Ye Luan quickly withdrew her curious gaze and leaned against the rockery wall, daring not to make a sound.
When the rustling sounds from inside ceased, the two breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, it was over.
'Who is it? What are you doing hiding there, come out!'
Suddenly, a shrill voice came from the corridor. The sounds inside instantly froze.
Ye Luan's heart leaped. She shoved Lan Murou into a stone cave behind them, covering her with weeds, and then leaped up herself, hiding in the bamboo forest behind.
The wind rustled through the bamboo.
Ye Luan looked back and saw a stout figure emerge from behind the rockery. The person turned and chased her, so she quickly ran into the bamboo forest.
After running for an unknown duration, she finally managed to shake off her pursuer.
She leaned against the wall of the拱门 (gǒngmén - archway) and took a deep breath. After waiting for a while, she walked back.
"Murou, come out quickly."
Lan Murou, covered in weeds and dirt, was pulled out by her, her chest heaving with fright.
"I saw the person who left. I heard that eunuch call out 'Consort Han.' Let's leave quickly. If that person comes to their senses, they'll definitely silence us."
Ye Luan said, "There might be people guarding outside." After a pause, she pulled Lan Murou along. "Forget it, let's hurry back. They wouldn't dare to harm us in broad daylight again."
The two skirted around the rockery and left. Behind an archway not far away, a gorgeously dressed concubine walked out, her delicate face filled with murderous intent.
"My Lady, how shall we handle this?"
The woman, adorned with pearl and jade ornaments, didn't speak. She made a throat-slitting gesture.
But the next second, a cold laugh came from behind them, startling them into turning around.
"King of Dingbei?!"
The man, clad in snow-white robes and a white fox fur cloak, possessed an alluring countenance. His thin lips curved into a smile as he slowly approached them.
"Seize them!"
His voice was chillingly terrifying.
Several hidden guards immediately appeared and subdued Consort Han and the others.
Consort Han's eyes widened in fear. She couldn't understand why he was here and why he was causing trouble for her.
But her fear of the King of Dingbei was deeply ingrained.
The notorious King of Dingbei, Xiao Chizhan, had a fearsome reputation throughout the Nine Provinces. He had not only murdered his father and brothers but also usurped the throne, establishing a puppet regime, and was the true ruler of Daliang.
His methods were extremely cruel, and he most enjoyed tormenting people.
"Why are you here, Your Highness? What do you want?"
Xiao Chizhan looked down at the woman, whose cleavage was partially exposed, and frowned with disgust. Then, he took out a knife and grinned as he lifted the woman's chin.
"You? You want to kill the woman I hold in my heart."
Were those two people just now the King of Dingbei's subordinates?
Consort Han was startled. Just as she was about to say something, his seductive red eyes, as if poisoned, swept across her face, sending a chill down her spine.
The sharp blade grazed her tender skin. She trembled uncontrollably, completely unable to speak.
"Your... Your Highness—"
"Hush, be quiet. You're noisy."
His sinister eyes fixed on hers. The knife in his hand slowly moved upward, settling near the corner of her eye.
"You say you dirtied her eyes. Should I gouge out your eyes as compensation?"
The tip of the blade pierced her eyelashes, bringing a bone-chilling pain.
Consort Han trembled uncontrollably. She had no doubt that the King of Dingbei could kill her silently here without leaving any trace.
'Your Highness, spare me. I didn't know those two young ladies were yours. Please be magnanimous and spare me this time—'
Xiao Chizhan listened to her speak, narrowing his eyes slightly. "If your voice were half as pleasant as hers, I might have left you intact."
As he spoke, he seemed to savor something, a subtle, extremely eerie smile flashing in his narrowed eyes.
The wind in the imperial garden carried floral scents, and the pearl and jade ornaments made faint rustling sounds.
Consort Han felt as if she were enveloped by death. She quickly turned her head, thinking of a way to escape.
She wasn't foolish enough to try and seduce the devil before her. He clearly wouldn't fall for that, or he wouldn't have threatened her with a knife.
She recalled the events of the banquet just now, swallowed, and tentatively spoke.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince of Northern Qi has always been at odds with you, and he is colluding with the Third Prince. If Your Highness needs my help, I will not fail."
Xiao Chizhan's thoughts were interrupted by her words, and the displeasure of his plans being disrupted was evident in his eyes.
He lowered his gaze and sneered at her, "You've been colluding with Qi Linliang, that adulterous couple, for so long. Would you abandon him for me?"
"I swear loyalty to Your Highness until death."
"Heh!" Xiao Chizhan leaned down and used the knife to lift the woman's chin. "If I wanted to, I could directly destroy Zhongzhou. You are truly foolish!"
Consort Han was stunned, her face turning ashen.
"I will give you three choices for your end. First, to be caught in the act by Emperor Mingji. Second, to have your eyes and limbs gouged out and be imprisoned in the cold palace for eternity. Third, to hang yourself."
Whichever it was, it was a dead end.
Consort Han was both furious and terrified, trembling all over. She wanted to curse, to kill the madman before her, but she could only humbly conceal the murderous intent in her eyes.
She still had a prince, and she absolutely could not be ruined by the King of Dingbei.
If she truly angered him, she would implicate her entire family.
"Speak, which one do you prefer?"
She didn't want to choose any of them.
Xiao Chizhan, as if losing patience, let out a cold, chilling killing intent.
"Since you don't want to choose, how about I choose an ending for you?"
The moment he spoke, blood gushed out. The woman fell to the ground, her eyes wide with unfulfilled grievances, without even a single cry of pain.
Xiao Chizhan glanced at her coldly. "Consider yourself lucky. I don't have time to play with you right now."
"Your Highness, how shall we dispose of the body?"
A faint, mocking laugh came.
"Naturally, we'll send it to that good-for-nothing Qi Linliang."
"Yes."
The man paused in his departure and looked back, saying leisurely, "Oh, right. Dig out her eyes and put them in a sandalwood box."
"Yes."