"The Ninth Prince back then... the matter was not spread, but there were still a few insiders. He... died in the Empress Dowager's sleeping quarters."
"What?" Chu Qianli was so shocked she almost jumped up.
Feng Dingchu hadn't run away from home back then, but had died.
A young hero, at the peak of his brilliance, yet he died in his own mother's sleeping quarters.
Why had he been living like a walking corpse until now? Could his death back then be related to the Empress Dowager?
"I don't know much about what happened back then. If he really is the Ninth Prince... I'm afraid it won't be safe for him to stay in the palace."
Royal secrets were beyond anyone's speculation.
But if he had already died once, and now returned, if certain people found out, it wouldn't necessarily mean he wouldn't die again.
Moreover, wasn't he already poisoned now?
Poisoned in the palace, wouldn't that be obvious?
If no one had poisoned him, how could he have been poisoned and fallen unconscious?
"A'li, if he is your friend, then you are now also implicated. Those people from over a decade ago would never want you to uncover their secrets."
"I understand." Chu Qianli understood Fulong's warning.
"The palace is too chaotic tonight, and the guards are not as strict. I will arrange for him to leave immediately."
"No, I have to stay with him. I'll leave with him."
Although most of the poison in Feng Dingchu's body had been removed, the worst part was that he himself didn't want to live.
Human will could be a terrifying thing. If he wanted to die, perhaps no one could save him. m..oΓg
Fulong, looking through the screen at the faint figure on the bed, felt a strange pang of sadness.
If, if things really had something to do with the Empress Dowager... he was also the Empress Dowager's son!
He didn't know what mistake this son had made, or what unspeakable secret he knew, that the Empress Dowager wanted him dead.
"A'li, we shouldn't speculate wildly about these matters for now. Perhaps it's not as we imagine."
Fulong's thoughts were also Chu Qianli's guesses, and Fulong saw it clearly.
He gently patted Chu Qianli's shoulder and said in a low voice, "The Empress Dowager tonight... in this state, she won't have the ability to do anything to the Ninth Prince."
If she were truly in such a state and still insisted on poisoning the Ninth Prince, that would truly be heart-wrenching.
Anyone who was treated like this by their own mother would probably not want to live.
But Fulong still hoped that the Ninth Prince wouldn't be so tragic.
"Perhaps this was done by someone else, but if that's the case, you are in great danger here."
Although he hadn't received any orders to search for assassins, there was still the Shadow Kill controlled by the Emperor, which he couldn't manage.
Shadow Kill might not be idle.
"I'll escort you out of the palace first. You take him... and go to Prince Xiaoyao's manor to take refuge. It's far from the court struggles and is relatively safe for now."
Chu Qianli, however, felt a sense of melancholy.
Now, even those around Wuya had people who wanted him dead. There was no truly safe place in the entire imperial city anymore.
However, Prince Xiaoyao's manor could offer refuge for now.
After all, the Empress Dowager had passed away. Her staying in the palace was meaningless. The Emperor wouldn't suspect her reason for leaving.
"Zi Yue is like that, let her act faster. I'm short of people here."
Chu Qianli suddenly remembered something, her wrist turned, and she took out a lot of gold leaves from her spatial storage.
"Fu Ning said you were very poor now. Take these gold leaves to use first."
"A'li..." Fulong resisted, how could he use a woman's money?
"You spent all your money on me, is it not allowed for me to give you some money?"
Chu Qianli stuffed the gold leaves into his hand, "Don't worry, I'm the Empress, after all. I have plenty of money. If you're ever short of money in the future, I'll support you!"
Fulong smiled somewhat helplessly, "Alright, then it's better to obey than to refuse. Now, I'll first..."
But his words stopped abruptly.
The two looked at each other, their expressions changing simultaneously!