Chapter 68
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The people inside the room were instantly drawn to the sound, looking toward the door. Several eunuchs and guards were blocking someone.
“Who is this! Dared to be so disrespectful, bring him in,” the Third Prince exclaimed.
Soon, a tall, robust figure with a commanding presence walked in.
Lin Qingyang was stunned; it turned out to be Huo Luo.
The princes naturally recognized Huo Luo, a familiar presence from their childhood days spent in the palace. They didn’t blame him for the breach of etiquette.
Huo Luo maintained a stoic expression as he bowed to everyone.
“Huo Luo, what did you say outside just now? Do you know him?” Prince Yuan Ye pointed at Lin Qingyang, who was kneeling.
“Naturally, I know him. I taught him how to play cuju, and that technique was also my instruction. I didn’t expect it would cause him trouble. It’s just a technique, why bother the three princes with such a fuss?” Huo Luo spoke in a cold tone, his gaze emotionless as he scanned the three princes.
It’s truly laughable, Lin Qingyang thought, how a similar technique could make these three princes behave like startled birds, fearing someone’s reappearance. It seemed like baseless paranoia.
As they listened to Huo Luo’s words, the three princes wore somewhat embarrassed expressions, and the tense atmosphere from earlier gradually eased.
Lin Qingyang, feeling surprised, stole a glance at Huo Luo. Huo Luo had come to help him, and he naturally wouldn’t do anything suspicious. But why did Huo Luo come? Were they acquainted? To help him, Huo Luo even went as far as telling a lie in front of the princes. If this deception was exposed, it could lead to serious consequences.
“Is it really you who taught him? You’ve never been willing to teach it after learning, and we’ve almost never seen you use it,” the Eldest Prince questioned.
“Destiny brought us together, so I taught him,” Huo Luo replied directly.
While the Eldest Prince and Yuan Ye were displeased with Huo Luo’s attitude, they didn’t dare to provoke him directly. At least not now.
“Try not to use such a technique in the future to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings,” the Third Prince said, sounding somewhat displeased.
“What’s wrong with it?” Huo Luo became obstinate.
“You clearly know that it’s…” The Third Prince paused here, choking on his words. There wasn’t a strict rule about it, but it brought up unpleasant memories.
The name and identity of that person were something everyone preferred not to mention. Not only because his name was forever engraved on the pillar of shame for the Yuan dynasty but also because it stirred an uneasy feeling about the past. By avoiding the mention of that person, it was as if he never existed, and they didn’t have to bear the invisible pressure.
“Enough,” Yuan Ye controlled his temper and spoke, “Since it’s all a misunderstanding, let’s drop it. There’s no need to argue endlessly. Lin Qingyang, you can leave. The technique you used just now, don’t use it again. You don’t need to know why. Just obey.”
Lin Qingyang naturally responded respectfully and was about to leave.
Huo Luo originally came to help Lin Qingyang get out of trouble. Since the mission had been accomplished, there was no need to stay any longer.
However, the three princes seemed to want to keep him.
“Huo Luo, Yue Chen should have come with you, right? Since you’re both here, come join us to watch the match. Send someone to call him over,” Yuan Ye spoke, and his tone had softened compared to earlier.
Even the Crown Prince and the Third Prince changed their attitudes and invited Huo Luo to join them.
The Huo General’s residence and the Yue family in Lanxi were both staunch supporters of the current dynasty. They had never been swayed by any prince. The two heirs of this generation were like free spirits, keeping their distance from the court and avoiding political entanglements. They were indifferent to the overtures of anyone. However, it had to be acknowledged that these two individuals represented the pinnacle of talent among the younger generation, one in civil affairs and the other in military prowess. Even the emperor regretted their disinterest in court affairs.
In the recent case, if not for them, nobody would have known about the dangerous elements hidden in the capital. The emperor trusted them to handle the matter, so he disregarded popular opinions and granted them significant authority to deal with it.
People in the court say that if these two individuals were to enter the court, given time, they would undoubtedly stand at the forefront among civil and military officials.
Such talents with backgrounds, capabilities, and loyalty, carrying the influence of their respective factions, would be a tremendous asset to anyone they pledged allegiance to.
For those with ambitions, who wouldn’t be envious?
It’s just a pity that wild horses are hard to tame.
In the face of the enthusiastic invitation from the princes, which was a rare display of humility, Huo Luo was accustomed to such situations. He frowned impatiently and declined, “We don’t want to disturb Your Highnesses’ enjoyment. We’ll just watch casually from the spectator stand.”
However, Yuan Ye took a step forward, “It’s been a long time since you’ve been to the palace. We haven’t seen each other for a while. Can’t we catch up?”
Among these people, Yuan Ye was closest to Huo Luo and Yue Chen. After all, they used to follow behind Yuan Yan like little followers.
However, after that incident, Huo Luo and Yue Chen rarely visited the palace.
Yuan Ye had always thought that these two would lean more towards him, but they never came to surrender. He even watched them give up the opportunity to enter the court, which made Yuan Ye somewhat annoyed. However, both the queen mother and the Cheng family told him that if he could win over these two, whether now or in the future, it would be a great help to him.
He also knew that the two people around him were also competing for Yue Chen and Huo Luo. He would never let the opportunity slip away from them.
Lin Qingyang watched the princes try hard to detain Huo Luo, and couldn’t help but give Huo Luo a thumbs up in his heart. This guy, with such a lack of social skills, was lucky that Chu Lishu would ascend to the throne in the future. If one of these three ascended to the throne, they might seek revenge on Huo Luo for his current behavior.
However, these people were not very clever. Striking where it hurts, they clearly knew that Huo Luo and Yue Chen were a pair. Couldn’t they see that Yue Chen was the brains of the operation? As long as Yue Chen agreed to something, Huo Luo would definitely support him. Huo Luo would never make decisions on his own. Dealing with such a hard nut would be time-consuming and laborious.
These people were deadlocked here, making it impossible for Lin Qingyang to leave. He could only watch.
“By the way, didn’t Emperor Father mention before that he wanted Yue Chen and Huo Luo to enter the palace to serve as our assistants? It’s a good opportunity for us to talk about it now,” the Third Prince cleverly found an excuse.
Huo Luo immediately frowned and expressed his displeasure, saying, “What? We haven’t received any imperial edict, and we have no such intention. I believe His Majesty won’t trouble us.”
He and Yue Chen had both sworn not to enter the imperial palace again. It was impossible for them to go.
Upon hearing such a direct rebuttal, the three princes were at a loss for words.
Lin Qingyang, on the other hand, looked puzzled. This is weird? They are so firm about not wanting to go, but in the original plot, they were serving as assistants and acknowledging the male lead as their master. Was there some change in the middle?
At the thought of this, Lin Qingyang tensed up, fearing that the system would throw out another mission. For him, each additional mission meant another unforeseen change, and he dared not accept it.
However, after waiting for a while, there was no notification sound in his mind, and Lin Qingyang breathed a sigh of relief.
Just at that moment, patience wore thin for Huo Luo. Combined with the high temperature due to the burning charcoal in the room, it was too hot for someone engaged in martial arts. Huo Luo felt increasingly restless.
“If the three princes have no other business, Yue Chen is still waiting for me outside. I will take my leave.” Huo Luo said, bowing and preparing to leave.
Yuan Ye saw him as unresponsive, which was simply disrespectful for him as the Crown Prince. He was infuriated, feeling a lump in his chest, but he couldn’t erupt in anger. He could only wave his hand to let Huo Luo leave.
Lin Qingyang breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to leave, and hurriedly followed Huo Luo’s steps to exit.
However, a sudden “pu” sound came from behind, followed by frantic cries. A large number of guards and eunuchs rushed into the room.
Lin Qingyang and Huo Luo turned around and were instantly horrified.
The leading eunuch shouted loudly, “Quick, fetch a physician! The Crown Prince is injured!”
Just moments ago, Yuan Ye, who seemed perfectly fine, began vomiting blood incessantly. He collapsed, sitting in a chair. Though still conscious, his face turned an ashen gray, indicating a severe illness.
The courtyard descended into chaos. The head eunuch called for a physician urgently, and the head master from the neighboring area rushed over with his attendants. Witnessing the situation, he was so scared that his legs went weak, exclaiming, “What’s going on?!”
No one knew exactly what had happened. The Eldest Prince and the Third Prince almost simultaneously looked at each other, their eyes filled with suspicion.
The Eldest Prince shouted to encircle the courtyard and restrict entry and exit. The Third Prince also called for the physician to come quickly. It seemed as if both were deeply concerned about the ailing Crown Prince.
The courtyard was tightly sealed, leaving no room for movement. Lin Qingyang and Huo Luo found themselves confined to a corner.
The scene unfolding before Lin Qingyang left him bewildered. Unable to contain his confusion, he asked Huo Luo, “What’s going on? Is he unwell?”
“How would I know? I’m just responsible for getting you out,” Huo Luo replied, his brows furrowed as he observed Yuan Ye still vomiting blood. At this rate, there was a genuine concern for his life.
“However… it’s definitely not a simple illness,” Huo Luo added. After all, with his formidable martial skills, if someone had launched a sneak attack, he would have noticed.
Lin Qingyang furrowed his brows, pondering for a moment. Then, with a raised eyebrow, he couldn’t help but quip, “Could it be that he was angered by you just now? If that’s the case, would you be convicted?” The thought of being held responsible for Yuan Ye’s condition worried him.
Huo Luo rolled his eyes at Lin Qingyang and retorted, “I haven’t asked you yet. How did you manage that move? Only two people in the world can execute it—one is me, and the other is already dead!”
Lin Qingyang’s mouth twitched, saying, “I really figured it out on my own. Do you think I’m unjustly accused?”
Huo Luo couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows, looking at Lin Qingyang with curiosity. “I really didn’t expect you to have such talent.”
“Don’t believe me? Ask Xu Wenze. I performed it for him that night. It’s really something I practiced on my own. Besides, it’s not that difficult, is it?” Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but complain.
“Hmph, you don’t know how surprised we were the first time we saw it. Everyone wanted to learn, but that person happened to be busy and couldn’t teach us. Little did we know we wouldn’t see it a second time. Many people even remembered it incorrectly. Later, I relied on memory to figure it out, but I fell countless times.”
Lin Qingyang probably figured it out. It should be that Yuan Ran accidentally performed it once on the football field, and before he could teach these kids, he went off to the battlefield. Later, only Huo Luo persisted and learned it, but when Yuan Ran had an accident, everyone dared not touch memories related to him, and Huo Luo naturally wouldn’t perform it again.
Until today, he unexpectedly kicked it out.
“That’s because you insist on imitating someone else’s method based on memory, which makes it slow. I just figured out which posture looks cool on my own, so it happened to coincide.” Lin Qingyang said helplessly.
“Maybe.” Huo Luo didn’t have much curiosity about why Lin Qingyang learned it. Perhaps there were more people who could do it, but everyone just didn’t dare to show it.
“By the way, thank you for coming to save me. But how did you know to come?” Lin Qingyang asked curiously.
“At someone’s request.”
“Xu Wenzhe?” Lin Qingyang’s first reaction was Xu Wenzhe. After all, Xu Wenzhe had the best relationship with both of them, and he had seen Lin Qingyang being taken away. At that time, he seemed very worried, probably already guessed something, so it made sense for him to seek help from these two.
But Huo Luo spoke up, “No, it’s your cousin.”
Lin Qingyang was instantly stunned, “He asked you to come and save me?”
Huo Luo nodded, showing no signs of surprise.
However, Lin Qingyang was somewhat shocked. The reason Lin Qingyang’s first reaction was Xu Wenzhe and not Chu Lishi wasn’t because of his good relationship with Xu Wenzhe, but because Chu Lishi shouldn’t have been involved in this matter at all.
Because this matter was related to the identity of Yuan Ran, if Chu Lishi appeared to ask for help from Huo Luo and Yue Chen, what reason could he use? Wasn’t he afraid that these two would suspect him?
After all, according to Chu Lishi’s current character setting, there was no reason for him to guess that Yuan Yang might be facing some crisis. Since he shouldn’t know anything, how could he even think of seeking Huo Luo’s help?
Even if Huo Luo, being straightforward, couldn’t see through anything, how could he escape the scrutiny of Yue Chen’s sharp eyes?
Oh no, could there be another plot twist coming up?
On the other side, Yue Chen and Chu Lishi are waiting not far from the courtyard.
Seeing Chu Lishi’s stern expression, Yue Chen waved his hand and said, “It’s okay. Since Huo Luo has admitted to teaching it himself, nothing should happen.”
“I know,” Chu Lishi replied directly.
“That expression of yours, what’s it for?” Yue Chen squinted, smiling like a fox. “Anyway, since we have nothing else to do, why don’t we talk? How did you know that the footwork would cause trouble for Lin Qingyang, and the princes would be bothered by it? You’ve been living in Jiangnan before, even if Lin Qingyang is in the capital, he wouldn’t have had a chance to meet.”
“Cousin hasn’t had a chance to meet, but what about cousin’s cousin?”
“Still talking about cousin’s cousin…” Yue Chen was amused by Chu Lishi’s way of speaking, but the laughter stopped abruptly. It seemed like he remembered something.
“The former legitimate grandson of Prince Zhenbei, I wonder if he has the qualification to watch the palace’s cuju match. And I happened to be in Jiangnan with him…”
Yue Chen’s expression became somewhat unpleasant as if he was holding back something. “Well… it’s really a reason that makes it impossible for people to verify and refute.”
Chu Lishi ignored Yue Chen’s complaints; he knew that Yue Chen was becoming more suspicious of his identity. Yue Chen was too clever, daring to entertain bold assumptions. In the face of such incredible situations, as long as there was a hint of doubt, he was eager to verify. However, his own identity was already elusive, and if he didn’t admit it, Yue Chen would be at a loss.
The youth who trained behind him back then had indeed grown formidable. If Yue Chen and Huo Luo had been two years older back then, perhaps they would have gone to the battlefield with him, eventually dying in that battle, just like countless talented youths who followed him into battle.
Back in the capital, there were many talented individuals. Even though Chu Lishi and Yue Chen were considered outstanding at the time, they were still relatively inexperienced. However, now they had become shining stars, while those talented individuals had become lost souls, burying their lofty ideals and aspirations along with his identity.
But it didn’t matter; he would reclaim everything.
However, why hadn’t Huo Luo brought the person out yet? Chu Lishi was growing impatient.
Suddenly, there was a commotion in the distant courtyard, and soon a large group of people rushed towards it.
Yue Chen’s expression immediately changed. “It couldn’t be that fool causing trouble, could it?” With that, he hurriedly ran over.
Chu Lishi didn’t have the qualification to get closer and could only stand among the onlooking students.
Xu Wenzhe happened to be there too and approached, asking, “What’s going on? Where is Brother Lin? Why hasn’t he come out yet? Could it be…”
“It has nothing to do with him.” Chu Lishi replied in a calm tone, not elaborating further.
Soon, news spread from the courtyard.
Crown Prince Yuan Ye was poisoned in the Imperial Academy!
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