Huo Qiyuan paid no mind to Leng Feng's tears and continued, "Yesterday, His Majesty told me that the reason you suddenly went mad was likely due to control by some non-toxic drugs, which is why the spiritual spring water couldn't detect it. At that moment, I felt a wave of relief."
"Because the Leng Feng I know, when his consciousness is clear, would not even frown if his own life was threatened, or if he had to die for me or for his brothers! He would never betray me, nor would he harm his own people!"
Leng Feng's hands, propped on the ground, slowly tightened, leaving behind a trail of scratches.
Huo Qiyuan asked him, "Is your consciousness clear now?"
"Yes!" Leng Feng's voice was barely a whisper as he answered.
Huo Qiyuan nodded, his eyes shifting from complex emotion back to a cold clarity. "I understand!"
Huo Qiyuan stood up and returned to the inner chambers, not sparing Leng Feng another glance. "Issue an order that from today onwards, the Leng word team no longer has a Leng Feng. As for him, take him to kneel outside the door of Leng Ren's room. Tomorrow, after Leng Ren wakes up, send him back to Yao Jing along with the butler."
"Your Highness, Second Brother..." Leng Heng knelt on the ground with a thud, attempting to plead for Leng Feng.
But Huo Qiyuan interrupted him coldly before he could finish, "No matter who it is, anyone who pleads for him will be treated as an accomplice. If you can't bear to part with him, then go back with him!"
"Your Highness..." Leng Feng looked up, his face tear-streaked and his eyes filled with pain as he gazed at Huo Qiyuan. He knew that for betraying his prince while his consciousness was clear, the prince would never forgive him.
As Huo Qiyuan's closest guards, they could protect his safety if used well, but if they harbored ill intentions, they could also claim their master's life.
Moreover, Huo Qiyuan had given him repeated chances, yet Leng Feng had never told the truth. Therefore, he was the one who had lost his loyalty first, and he could not blame Huo Qiyuan for expelling him from the guard team.
Once disloyal, never to be trusted again.
Huo Qiyuan returned to the inner chambers to rest. Leng Feng remained prostrate on the ground, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably. The grey floor tiles were soaked with his tears.
After he had cried his fill, Leng Heng stepped forward to help him up. Once outside the room, the two of them went directly to kneel outside Leng Ren's door. Leng Feng lifted his robes and knelt heavily once more.
Leng Si and Leng Ao cast questioning glances at Leng Heng. The latter shook his head with a somber expression. They knew that Leng Feng's punishment would not be light.
Seeing Leng Feng's state, the three of them were deeply worried. He was already very weak, and if he had to kneel like this all night, he would not be able to endure it. But these were the prince's orders. If it were any other time, they might have pleaded with him, but now they dared not say a word.
Noticing Leng Feng's trembling body, Leng Si and Leng Ao exchanged a look and sighed in unison. At this moment, any further words were simply futile.
Second Brother had indeed made a mistake. He shouldn't have betrayed the prince for a woman he had known for only twenty-odd days!
Leng Ao returned to the room to care for Leng Ren. Leng Si and Leng Heng did not rest. One stood beside Leng Feng, while the other stood by the door, watching them. They stood like that for the entire night.
The night felt incredibly long, especially for Leng Feng. Several times, he could no longer bear it and collapsed while kneeling, but he quickly got up and resumed his kneeling posture. By the time dawn approached, his kneeling position was no longer recognizable.
Seeing the man with pale lips, Leng Heng felt a pang of sympathy. He moved his numb legs and ran into the room. Shortly thereafter, Leng Ren's weak voice could be heard.
"Since I have woken up, you may take him away!"
Leng Ren had been sleeping soundly when he was nudged awake. Leng Heng had told him that the prince had expelled Leng Feng from the Leng word team and had ordered him to kneel outside until Leng Ren woke up.
As brothers who had grown up together, Leng Ren also felt reluctant, but he would not disobey the prince's orders. Since he could not plead for mercy, he decided to let him kneel for a shorter period.
"Big Brother, I'm sorry..." Leng Feng's voice was as weak as a mosquito's hum. After speaking, he completely fainted. Not only could Leng Ren in the room not hear him, but even Leng Si, standing at the door, could not make out his words.
Leng Heng carried him to the front courtyard, found an empty room to settle them both, and then returned to Qingya Pavilion. The prince was truly angry this time. It was best to send Leng Feng back to Yao Jing first.
Perhaps if he was out of the prince's sight, he might calm down after a while, and Leng Feng might have a chance to return. Moreover, based on what the prince implied, Second Brother was likely also controlled by drugs. Once back in Yao Jing, with His Majesty there, they would surely find a way to break the drug's effects on Second Brother!
Leng Ren's condition had already improved significantly. The excruciating pain he had suffered in the previous two days had made him wish for death. In just two days, he had lost so much weight from the pain.
He used his right arm to prop himself up to sit. Leng Ao quickly stepped forward to support him. "My left arm, it's not crippled, is it?"
"Rest assured, Big Brother! The Prince said that as long as you rest well from now on, your left arm will surely recover completely."
"His Majesty gave the Prince another peculiar item this time, which is what treated your left arm. That thing looked like a person, with very fine and sharp blades on its hands. It looked quite sinister..."
"What's sinister about it? The Prince said it's called a medical robot, a... a high-tech product!"
...
They were all happy when Leng Ren woke up and eagerly told him about the robot treating his injury. Leng Ren leaned against the bed, smiling as he watched them, listening with great interest.
Not long after, Huo Qiyuan also arrived. Although Leng Feng was not in the courtyard, some traces of his presence could still be seen. Huo Qiyuan pushed open the door and entered. The group was in the midst of a conversation.
"How are you feeling?"
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
...
"Thank you, Your Highness, and Your Majesty. Your subordinates have heard that if it weren't for Your Highness bringing back the robot in time, my arm would have been completely crippled," Leng Ren said, attempting to get up to thank him.
Huo Qiyuan placed a hand on his right shoulder, stopping Leng Ren from rising. "Don't move! What you need now is good rest, so don't bother with such formalities."
Leng Ren pursed his lips but could not help but speak, "Your Highness, my arm has been reattached, and Little Ten is out of danger. Your subordinate has a presumptuous request, and I hope Your Highness can..."
Huo Qiyuan did not let Leng Ren continue. He had been very angry last night. Leng Feng had clearly been conscious, yet he had chosen to conceal the truth and even released suspicious individuals privately.
In the past, or in the army, such an act would have resulted in immediate beheading, with no room for negotiation. Although Huo Qiyuan had punished him seemingly heartlessly, he ultimately could not bring himself to take his life.
Twenty-five years of shared life and death had seen them together longer than his own parents had been with him. Throughout their journey, Leng Ren, Leng Feng, and Leng Kui had protected him like elder brothers, and when he encountered danger, they had even thrown themselves into the fray to save him at the risk of their own lives.