Tie Xin took a deep breath, finally regaining a sliver of composure.
Although he detested Liu Jin for being an accomplice, he knew that if the Prince hadn't been willing, no one could have forced him to do these things!
"You can go. This place... doesn't need you."
Tie Xin pushed Liu Jin away forcefully.
Liu Jin was still persistent, "Tie Xin, let me..."
"Scram!" Tie Xin struck out at him.
If he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be able to once Consort Yu came out!
Considering that Prince Xuan and their Prince had been good brothers since childhood, Tie Xin didn't want Liu Jin to die here!
"Hurry and go!"
Liu Jin glanced once more in the direction of the sleeping quarters, and finally turned to leave.
But he didn't truly leave. That night, he stayed in the front courtyard, waiting.
The young guard knew he was here. If there was any disturbance from the Prince's side, he could at least notify him immediately.
It wasn't until dawn was approaching and there was no movement from the Prince's mansion that Liu Jin finally breathed a sigh of relief and left the逍遥王府 (Xiāoyáo Wángfǔ).
It was heard that Consort Yu had been a martial artist before, and it was also rumored that her martial arts were profound and hidden.
It was precisely because of this that none of the concubines in the harem dared to provoke Consort Yu.
However, Consort Yu seemed to have lived a life of peace and detachment over the years, spending her days with a single lamp, chanting scriptures and praying for the Fifth Prince.
Now, it seemed that the rumors of her unfathomable martial arts were indeed true.
That night, Tie Xin and Nanny Wen stayed outside Feng Wuya's sleeping quarters.
No one spoke, not even a single exchange.
Not long after Liu Jin left, before dawn, there was finally some movement from inside, and someone emerged.
Tie Xin abruptly got up from the ground, looking at the tightly shut door.
The door opened, and the person who came out was Consort Yu.
"Your Highness..." Nanny Wen's heart choked, her eyes instantly blurring.
Her Highness... had become like this!
Her face, which should have been only in her early thirties, was full of wrinkles!
Her black hair, though not as white as the Prince's, was also streaked with gray.
Her lifeless face made her look like an old woman in her fifties or sixties!
"Your Highness..." Nanny Wen wanted to support her, but was pushed away by her.
Tie Xin was so shocked he couldn't speak, only staring at Consort Yu's face, forgetting to breathe.
Consort Yu... had aged so drastically overnight!
The Prince had only turned his long hair white, but Consort Yu had aged all over.
Her former appearance was nowhere to be seen; she had completely transformed into an old woman in her twilight years.
"Your Highness..."
"Keep a close eye on your Prince."
Consort Yu stepped out of the room.
Each step was so heavy.
Her back was indescribably cold and desolate.
Tie Xin didn't dare to chase after her. After a moment of hesitation, he immediately turned and entered the room.
Feng Wuya was still asleep on the bed, his face peaceful.
However, the white hair was truly glaring.
Every time Tie Xin looked at it, it made him feel a little more distressed.
But now, although he still looked frail, he at least didn't seem like he would... disappear at any moment, as he had last night.
Tie Xin breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to look back at Consort Yu's condition.
But when he reached the doorway, Consort Yu was nowhere to be seen in the courtyard!
Consort Yu had left!
Did the Prince know that Consort Yu had aged overnight for him?
Tie Xin walked to the bedside and carefully tucked the quilt around Feng Wuya.
Feng Wuya slept soundly. Although his breathing was weak, it was at least even.
"I wonder how Consort Yu is now? Your Highness, please wake up quickly. Your subordinate is worried about Consort Yu..."
Tie Xin sat by the bed, filled with unease. "Will Consort Yu... be unfavorable towards Miss Chu?"
...
Consort Yu would not kill Chu Qianli.
Because if Chu Qianli died, her son would likely not survive either!
In a daze last night, Wuya had kept saying, "If Mother Consort intends to harm A'Li, then kill me first."
She couldn't lay a hand on that woman.
But she also absolutely couldn't stand by and watch her son suffer while Chu Qianli could still live carefree with Feng Yexuan!
How could they be worthy of her son?
Chu Qianli had been brought back last night.
After Liu Jin brought her back, he used the excuse that she was exhausted from treating the Fifth Prince and had fallen asleep, asking Fu Ning to request Prince Xuan not to disturb her for the time being.
Feng Yexuan had come and indeed found that the girl was sleeping very soundly; she hadn't even known he entered the room.
If not for seeing her breathing strongly and evenly, he would have suspected she had been drugged.
Sleeping so soundly, it seemed she was truly exhausted.
During the period he was in trouble, Chu Qianli had been the one treating him personally. He heard that in the first few days, she had barely slept.
Now that she was finally sleeping so soundly, he couldn't bear to disturb her.
So, after watching her for a while, he returned to his own sleeping quarters.
Early this morning, Liu Jin arrived.
Upon arrival, the first thing he did was kneel before him with a thud.
"Did something happen to Li'er?" Feng Yexuan's heart tightened, and he stood up abruptly.
"It's not Miss Chu."
Liu Jin lowered his head. Having not slept all night, his voice sounded extremely hoarse, "It's... it's the Fifth Prince."
... Liu Jin relayed the matter of the Mandarin Duck Gu, focusing on the key points, to Feng Yexuan.
As for Feng Wuya severing his own heart meridians to remove the Gu to avoid implicating Chu Qianli, he also briefly mentioned it.
The more Feng Yexuan listened, the colder his heart grew.
Severing his own meridians!
Wuya's body was already so frail. How could he survive after severing his own meridians!
"You... actually took matters into your own hands!"
Feng Yexuan's face turned ashen, and he immediately walked towards the door.
Such a major event, and no one had consulted him.
While Chu Qianli was indeed unaware, why hadn't his Fifth Brother sought him out first? Perhaps there would have been other solutions.
Severing his own meridians, did he truly not want to live anymore?
Feng Yexuan wasn't angry now, but worried.
He didn't know how Feng Wuya was doing now!
Even though Liu Jin said that Consort Yu was using her internal energy to protect Feng Wuya's heart meridians, with such a severe injury, she could only protect him for a while, not forever!
He had to go and see Wuya himself, and he had to find a way to save Wuya's life.
Unexpectedly, as Feng Yexuan stepped out of his sleeping quarters, he saw Leng Ji rushing towards him, "Your... Your Highness, Miss Chu... something's happened!"
... The palace maid responsible for delivering meals said that an old madam with half-white hair and dressed in fine robes had taken Miss Chu away.
Fu Ning had chased after them, and the maid could only quickly report to Leng Ji.
When Feng Yexuan reached the back mountain, he saw Fu Ning, who had fallen to the ground and was still spitting blood.
"Who took the young lady away?" Liu Jin immediately went over and helped Fu Ning up.
Feng Yexuan took a swift stride, his tall figure standing before Fu Ning.
Fu Ning took a deep breath and finally managed to find his voice, "It was... it was Consort Yu. Consort Yu... captured the young lady and ran... in that direction."
Towards the direction of the Imperial Palace!
Before Fu Ning could say another word, he opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Keep an eye on her!"
Feng Yexuan uttered these words, then took a step and quickly pursued.