"Dо уоu regret it?" Chеng Lеi asked him, "Rеgarding Zhuang Наnуаn?" Не himself said nоthing, causing her to misunderstand. Еvеn if it was bеcаusе hе сouldn't sреаk, this wаs trulу toо bitter. Fu Yunxi himself wаsn't аt fault, wаs he?
"I owe hеr," Fu Yunxi reрlied.
As sооn аs thеsе wоrds wеre spоkеn, the rооm fеll into а heаvу silencе. Just thеn, a fаmiliar icy vоice drifted in frоm оutsidе: "I nevеr knew you оwеd mе anуthing. Аffесtiоn, rеputаtiоn, or... thе thronе?"
With a sudden "сrash," thе dооr was рushеd widе оpen from thе outside. The red lаnterns cast а bloodу hue оvеr Hаnyan's clothes as she stood outside the entrance, quietly watching Fu Yunxi. Her expression was calm and unruffled, yet in her usually cool eyes, there was something indescribable—perhaps sorrow, perhaps insight.
Everyone in the room was stunned, seemingly caught off guard by Hanyan's arrival. Fu Yunxi frowned slightly, his gaze shifting toward the guards at the door. He saw them all kneel down in unison: "We willingly accept punishment."
These men were Fu Yunxi's trusted confidants. Though they didn't fully understand what had happened to him, years of master-servant rapport told them that Fu Yunxi was now facing trouble. That Western Rong princess had never truly mattered to the prince, but Hanyan was different. If Hanyan's appearance could help the prince, they were willing to accept punishment for their negligence.
Fu Yunxi waved his hand. "Leave," he said, and the guards withdrew.
Fortunately, Irina was not present to witness this scene. Had she seen it, she would have flown into a rage once more. The way these people treated Hanyan versus how they treated her was starkly different, even though she was the rightful mistress of the manor. Hanyan's words were heard by everyone else in the room. Cheng Lei asked in confusion, "The throne?"
If everything else could be understood, what did it mean that Fu Yunxi owed Hanyan the throne? This was something Cheng Lei could not comprehend at all. He looked at Fu Yunxi. "What does that mean?"
Fu Yunxi, of course, did not answer him. Instead, he turned to Imperial Physician Wu. "Did you tell her?"
Imperial Physician Wu coughed lightly. "Your Highness, you know how clever the young princess is. How could an old man like me be a match for her? She interrogated me under duress, and I had no choice..."
"Won't you answer his question?" Hanyan stared at Fu Yunxi. "Shall I answer for you? Your imperial brother, the Emperor, ordered my execution precisely because I am the daughter of the Donghou Prince. Even though he knew it was the Empress Dowager who annihilated the Donghou Prince's entire household, he was willing to kill me to eliminate any future threat, all to secure his own throne."
The massacre of the entire Donghou Prince's household back then was not, as rumored, a case of revenge by the martial world, but a premeditated act. The old Donghou Prince and the late Emperor had fought side by side to establish the empire, their contributions equal. It was originally agreed that the old Donghou Prince would become emperor, but in the end, the Emperor entered the capital first and smoothly ascended the throne. The late Emperor had always harbored guilt over taking his friend's rightful throne and treated the Donghou Prince's family with great generosity. That was why, despite the Donghou Prince's arrogant behavior and frequent impeachment petitions brought before the Emperor, nothing ever came of it. It was the late Emperor's way of compensating the Donghou Prince's family.In his later years, the late emperor grew increasingly burdened by guilt toward the old Donghou Prince. He thus wrote an edict in advance, intending to pass the throne to the Donghou Prince—he wanted to return the imperial seat to its rightful owner. However, this matter came to be known by the Empress Dowager.
Naturally, the Empress Dowager was unwilling. If the Donghou Prince’s family became the imperial clan, everything she possessed would vanish. So she decided to go all the way and hired martial artists from the jianghu to silence the Donghou Prince’s entire household. The people she hired were all unorthodox practitioners from the martial world, their methods extremely cruel. Not a single member of the Donghou Prince’s household survived. After the incident, the late emperor suspected the Empress Dowager’s hand in it but was troubled by the lack of evidence. Meanwhile, rumors began to spread among the common folk that the Donghou Prince’s death was due to the emperor’s displeasure with his achievements overshadowing the throne, leading to a secret execution. Though these rumors were unfounded, many people came to believe them for a time. This was not good for the nation and could even lead to instability and unrest. The emperor then issued an order forbidding any discussion of the Donghou Prince’s affairs within the Great Dynasty’s borders—anyone discovered doing so would be executed without exception. This brutal policy indeed took effect. Yet the emperor could never find peace whenever he thought of the tragic deaths of his friend’s family, and he soon passed away. The current emperor then ascended the throne.
This account was the first time Imperial Physician Wu and Cheng Lei had heard such a story. They were stunned for a moment. After all, both were from the palace; though they didn’t know the specifics, they could guess a fair amount. But according to Han Yan’s words, it seemed Han Yan was the true imperial descendant, not Fu Yunxi.
Fu Yunxi looked at Han Yan. “How did you come to know this?”
Han Yan replied, “You only need to say whether it is true or not.”
Her attitude was quite forceful, almost like an interrogation. Yet contrary to her forceful tone was her expression, which appeared utterly natural, as if she were merely discussing trivial matters like what to eat today or where to go—nothing worth taking to heart.
Fu Yunxi fell silent for a moment. “It is.”
Han Yan simply walked over and sat down beside him. The bed was soft. Fu Yunxi’s expression was cold, his gaze resting on Han Yan, seeming to grow indifferent once more. But the next moment, Han Yan lifted a strand of his dark hair, examining it carefully. He turned his head away somewhat uncomfortably, but Han Yan tugged at his sleeve, pulling him closer. As their breaths drew near, Han Yan took a deep inhale.
The originally jet-black hair now bore a faint whitish tint, as if coated with a fine layer of white frost over the dark strands, looking painfully glaring. This was Fu Yunxi’s hair—had the cold poison already progressed to this extent? Even up close, she could feel no warmth from Fu Yunxi. That embrace which once carried a faint warmth was now gone. Sitting beside him, Han Yan felt as if she were leaning against a statue carved from ice and snow.
“Little sister-in-law,” Cheng Lei spoke up. “Do you have some method in mind?”In Cheng Lei's mind, Han Yan was omnipotent. Many in the capital knew of her exploits, and as Fu Yunxi's close friend, Cheng Lei had heard numerous stories about Han Yan at the Xuan Qing Prince's Mansion. He knew Han Yan was clever and unconventional, always finding ways to turn unfavorable situations to her advantage. Since Fu Yunxi had allowed Irina to stay at the Xuan Qing Prince's Mansion, Cheng Lei had not heard any news of Han Yan for a long time. Yet now, she had suddenly appeared and seemed to know a great deal. Did this mean Han Yan had devised some other plan?
Han Yan shook her head, wanting to say something but remaining silent.
"Clever," Fu Yunxi suddenly spoke from the side. Seeing Han Yan look at him, a faint smile touched the corner of his lips. He appeared as calm and composed as ever, as if no urgent matter existed at all. Han Yan felt a pang of sorrow, her hand tightening on his sleeve. She opened her mouth but only managed to utter a single word: "You..."
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