Tantai Jin said calmly, "Understood. Continue with the matter regarding the Eighth Prince."
The ministers began arguing, each voicing their opinions.
When Tantai Minglang had ascended the throne earlier, he had nearly executed all the princes, not even sparing the princesses. The Eighth Prince was the only one who had managed to escape.
Now seventeen years old, intelligent and clever, he had originally been a formidable rival to Tantai Minglang. Using a clever ruse to escape, he had gone unnoticed by Tantai Minglang at the time.
It was only recently that a rebel army suddenly emerged in the imperial city, spreading propaganda about Tantai Jin's illegitimate claim to the throne and his brutality in killing people at the Mohe River.
To the common people, the legitimacy of a ruler’s claim mattered little, but if the ruler was cruel and allied with demons, it would surely cause alarm.
The ambitious Eighth Prince had not yet reached the age of maturity.
Lacking substantial support, he had no choice but to hide and move around with his followers. In Tantai Jin’s eyes, the Eighth Prince was nothing more than a minor nuisance, like a flea.
Yet sometimes, even a flea could be irritating if it couldn’t be caught.
Some suggested using a conciliatory approach to build an image of a benevolent ruler, promising not to harm the Eighth Prince if he surrendered. Others proposed conducting door-to-door searches to eliminate his influence. There were even those who advised Tantai Jin to pay more attention to his own reputation.
Tantai Jin had no interest in their debates. Smiling faintly, he said, "Ye Chu Feng, find him. Once you do, chop him up and feed him to the dogs."
He tossed the soul-summoning banner, and Ye Chu Feng caught it steadily.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Since searches had failed to turn him up, the Eighth Prince must have been using some special method. Fighting evil with evil seemed fitting.
Tantai Jin asked, "Is there anything else?"
The ministers exchanged uneasy glances.
"If not, you are dismissed." Tantai Jin stood, sweeping his robes aside as he headed toward the Chengqian Palace.
No one dared to stop him, and they could only watch as the young emperor walked away.
Under the guidance of the palace maids, Su Su barely managed to prepare three dishes.
When no one was looking, she secretly infused them with the talismans she had drawn.
The curved jade asked, "What is this?"
Su Su replied, "A few days ago, Tantai Jin asked me to teach him talisman drawing. I secretly kept two sheets of talisman paper."
"Did you poison him?"
"In a way," Su Su said. "It will make him uncomfortable, just enough to draw the Night Shadow Guard’s attention."
Only a threat to Tantai Jin’s safety could summon the Night Shadow Guard. It wasn’t a great plan, but for Su Su, it was the only option.
The palace maids helped her carry the dishes out.
Before entering the main hall, the food-tasting eunuch was already prepared. Su Su watched calmly as the eunuch used silver chopsticks to taste a piece of the food.
The eunuch’s expression turned peculiar, and his chewing motion froze.
The dish wasn’t exactly inedible, but it tasted strange—overly sweet and not at all pleasant.
Su Su smiled brightly. "If it’s not poisonous, may I proceed?"
"Young lady, please."
The eunuch did not stop her. Su Su had only mentioned adding a few dishes for His Majesty. As long as there was no poison, it was harmless.
Over the past few days, everyone had realized that if the emperor truly disliked her, he would not have allowed her to stay in the palace.
It was better not to offend someone whose future status remained uncertain.
Su Su entered smoothly, only to find that Tantai Jin had already returned. He was seated at his desk, reading a book, without looking up.
She was somewhat surprised but understood it was to be expected.
It was no surprise that Tantai Jin knew what she had been up to.
Su Su moved closer and saw that Tantai Jin was indeed reading.
The book was titled "Qi Yi," which Su Su recognized as a text discussing human ethics and morality.This type of book is generally used as introductory reading for youths, meticulously explaining human ethics, relationships, the life-and-death bonds between friends, the profound love between husband and wife, respect for the elderly, and care for children.
Though not particularly profound, he read it with great seriousness.
Su Su suddenly remembered that he was born without emotions—even his understanding of moral principles had been learned by observing others. Only then could he react appropriately when situations arose.
Hearing Su Su enter, Tantai Jin looked up.
He closed the book without the slightest hint of embarrassment, walked over, and took his seat.
Tantai Jin immediately identified the three distinct dishes. He stopped the palace attendants from serving him or testing the food for poison again, picked up a bite with his chopsticks, and asked Su Su, "Did you make this?"
Su Su nodded.
"Why? Don't you despise me?"
Su Su said, "I want to see my grandmother."
Tantai Jin glanced at her. "Come here and eat."
Su Su had anticipated this. Calmly, she walked over, took Tantai Jin's chopsticks, and put the food in her mouth.
Tantai Jin watched her unblinkingly as Su Su swallowed.
"No poison," she said.
Tantai Jin said nothing more, picked up another pair of chopsticks, and began to eat.
After a moment's thought, Su Su simply joined him for the meal.
Tantai Jin didn't scold her for this and continued eating peacefully.
Su Su noticed that his dining manners were very proper—he didn't overindulge in any particular dish, but he also didn't avoid any.
Even the three dishes Su Su had prepared, he sampled a few bites of each without showing any unusual expression. While other emperors feared having their preferences deduced, Tantai Jin had no such concerns—he naturally held no particular fondness for anything.
Su Su asked hopefully, "May I see Grandmother now?"
He looked up and asked, "Are you trying to curry favor with me?"
Su Su gritted her teeth. "Yes."
Tantai Jin said indifferently, "I don't feel it."
Su Su said, "Then I'll teach you Talisman Drawing."
Tantai Jin glanced at her. "I have Taoist priests."
Su Su stared at him, then stood up to leave.
Tantai Jin suddenly said, "Is that all the patience you have?"
Seeing that Su Su didn't turn back and their relationship was about to freeze over again, Tantai Jin fell silent for a moment before saying, "Help me track someone, and I'll let you see Old Madam Ye."
The girl immediately turned back joyfully. "Really?"
Tantai Jin looked at her smiling face and pursed his lips slightly. "Mm, come here."
Su Su ran back. "Who do you want to track?"
Tantai Jin gazed deeply at her, and seeing no unusual expression on her face, his thin lips moved. "Eighth Prince."
Su Su said, "Your brother?"
"Yes."
"Alright, I'll try, but I can't guarantee it will work."
The two returned to Chengqian Palace. Su Su glanced at the sky, silently calculating the time in her heart.
She sat cross-legged before the desk, while Tantai Jin's dark eyes watched her.
The girl gently turned her wrist, and the Silver Bell on the table chimed continuously. With the mindset of a charlatan, Su Su deliberately made the ritual appear complex and impressive, though in reality, she was merely shaking the bell for show.
She couldn't track a person, let alone a small dog.
She kept her eyes open, occasionally glancing at the Silver Bell and sometimes at Tantai Jin. Knowing he understood nothing about this, Su Su felt confident boldly deceiving him.
The young man's dark gaze rested quietly on her face.
After a while, Su Su felt somewhat guilty, but she didn't show it, waiting for what she had put in Tantai Jin's food to take effect.
After a long moment, he asked softly, "Are you toying with me? Is it fun?"The young man's voice was gentle, yet it sent shivers down Su Su's spine. Meeting his cold, indifferent gaze, she thought to herself—the timing should be right, so why hasn't Tantai Jin shown any reaction yet?
Could the incantation have lost its effect? That shouldn't be possible.
Back when the Law Enforcement Elder used this immortal art to punish her, it had worked even on her immortal body. How could it fail on a mere mortal?
Just then, Tantai Jin shifted slightly, his expression shifting subtly.
Su Su saw him press his lips tightly together and lift his eyes to glare coldly at her.
Feigning ignorance, she asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Tantai Jin said, "What did you put in the food?"
Su Su frowned, feigning indignation. "You suspect I poisoned you? I ate it too, so why am I fine?"
Tantai Jin remained silent, a layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead as he scrutinized her.
Su Su said, "If you're unwell, I'll call the imperial physician for you."
Suddenly, her wrist was seized.
"Don't go."
She noticed the faint redness on the pale skin of the young man's fingers.
A mischievous thought crossed Su Su's mind—was the itching driving him mad? This kind of itch was unbearable, gnawing at one's very core, and scratching only made it worse.
"Undo it, or I won't let you off easily."
Su Su crouched down and asked softly, "Are you going to kill me?"
The young man lifted his eyes, their moistness making them appear strangely pure. His voice was hoarse, almost squeezed from his throat. "Yes."
Su Su said, "It really wasn't me. What's wrong with you?"
She was inwardly astonished. When she had fallen victim to this spell as a child, the itching had made her laugh and cry simultaneously, begging the Law Enforcement Uncle for mercy. No amount of fidgeting could ease the discomfort—she had even felt the urge to rub against a tree.
But Tantai Jin's reaction was far too composed.
If not for the sweat covering his body, Su Su would have thought the talisman had failed.
Deliberately, she reached out to touch his forehead, her nail grazing his skin. "Your forehead is burning up. Could it be that you've fallen ill from all the wicked deeds you've committed lately? Don't avoid treatment out of fear."
Her nail left a red mark on the young man's handsome face.
His breathing grew rapid.
Su Su thought to herself, if he could still endure this without breaking, she would go back and resume her cultivation.
The next moment, her waist tightened as she was pulled into a fierce embrace.
The hand gripping her waist was deathly pale, trembling as it held her. The young man gritted his teeth, his voice shaking as he said, "I know it was you, you..."
Su Su knew he must be struggling to curse her, but though his lips trembled, no insults emerged.
"I will kill you. I will definitely kill you," he stammered, his words slurred.
Surprisingly, Su Su detected a hint of grievance in his trembling voice.
A glint of malice flashed in her eyes as she tried to push him away. "Hey, if you're suffering, don't drag me into it. Let me go so I can fetch the imperial physician."
The young man's grip tightened even more.
It was as if he had become the childhood version of Su Su—only whereas she had wanted to rub her back against a tree trunk, Tantai Jin was using Su Su as that tree trunk.
The pressure around her waist was so tight it hurt.
Su Su frowned and pinched him, trying to make him release her. Tantai Jin let out a muffled groan, his voice cracking.
Realizing her mistake, Su Su understood that any painful stimulus would only worsen the effects of the spell.
She tried to subdue him and escape, but a sharp pain shot through her lips—he had bitten her.
A powerful force threw Su Su backward, sending her tumbling onto the couch.
The young man atop her seemed to have gone mad, covering her lips with his own.He pressed down so tightly that Su Su’s lips and teeth felt scorching hot. She looked up in a daze and saw a pair of eyes filled with pain and discomfort.
They seemed to carry a plea, revealing a hint of pitifulness.
For a moment, she was almost mesmerized by those eyes. She grabbed his collar, trying to pull him away.
Her lips burned.
He refused to leave. Su Su was furious. This was a sorcery meant to make him feel itchy and uncomfortable, not something to arouse him. What was he doing?
She conjured a talisman in the air and forcibly pulled him away.
Just as she was about to run out to find the Night Shadow Guard, someone grabbed her ankle.
He raised his eyes, his gaze filled with three parts hatred and seven parts something she couldn’t quite decipher.
"Help me... I’m in so much pain..."
Su Su said, "I’ll call for help."
"No, not them... only you... mmm..." He bit his lip, leaving two bloody marks, and his words became indistinct.
Su Su asked, "What?"
Trembling slightly, he finally managed to speak clearly, "You do it, or I’ll kill Old Madam Ye!"
Su Su nearly laughed in disbelief.
She stared at him expressionlessly for a moment and asked, "What do you need me to do?"
The young man on the ground clutched her ankle tightly, groaning in agony.
"Hit me," he stammered. "Hit me."
Su Su said, "You said it yourself."
"Mmm... hmm..."
Su Su looked at his flushed face, and a thought crossed her mind—this was indeed a perfect opportunity. She blinked and leaned close to his ear, whispering, "You won’t blame me afterward, will you?"
"No... I won’t..."
She shook her head. "I don’t believe you."
His lips were nearly bitten bloody, and his eyes could no longer maintain clarity.
Su Su touched his eyes and sighed, "But you look so pitiful."
His body trembled.
Su Su kicked him hard in the shoulder and rubbed her wrist. "So I’ll grant your wish."
Thinking of Xiao Lin, she wished she could beat him to death!
The young man curled up on the ground, his fingers trembling slightly. He licked his lips and remained silent.
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