Chapter 71: So Handsome, Pursuit and Killing

The old Emperor doted on the Ninth Prince, and with the Third Prince gaining power in the court, Consorts Zhao and Shu had stood equally in the rear palace. Yet suddenly, a Noble Consort appeared, deeply favored by the Emperor.

This not only affected the dynamics of court politics but also reduced the frequency with which the old Emperor visited the Ninth Prince.

The Ninth Prince was still young and had no right to attend court sessions. If the Qian Yuan Princess bore him a son or daughter, Consort Zhao truly dared not imagine what the future would hold.

Consort Zhao’s worries were not unfounded.

Although the Noble Consort was a princess sent from the enemy kingdom for a political marriage, the old Emperor appeared muddle-headed now, no longer the heroic figure of his youth, and he had gradually become obsessed with alchemy. Just a few days ago, he had even summoned Daoists into the palace…

The Third Prince did not benefit entirely either.

After the Qian Yuan Princess was enfeoffed as Noble Consort, she whispered who knew what pillow talk into the old Emperor’s ear, resulting in some of his powers being curtailed. With the precedent of the Crown Prince’s abolition, he naturally felt fearful.

Thus, the two consorts in the rear palace tacitly reached an agreement: deal with this bewitching consort perched above them first!

…

After the envoys were killed, Qian Yuan not only showed no anger but even expressed deep remorse, listing a series of crimes and pushing all the blame onto the envoys.

The Qian Yuan King stated that he had never imagined the envoys would be so audaciously bold, and offered his apologies.

Something so unusual must have a demon behind it, yet the old Emperor did not investigate deeply, so the court ministers said no more.

With a sovereign lowering his posture to such a degree, if they pressed further, it would be ungracious. No one wanted to bear the crime of provoking war.

The news reached the frontier.

Xue Cheng spat repeatedly, “Disgusting! Disgusting!” He viciously sliced meat from the roasted lamb leg with his knife, then shoved a huge mouthful into his mouth, chewing with a ferocious expression. “Cowards afraid of trouble—killing those who shouldn’t be killed while chasing down those who should. Utterly worse than beasts!”

Behind the screen.

Qin Yan was bare-chested, having just applied golden sore medicine. He held a snow-white gauze cloth in his hands, wrapping it around his chest and abdomen to cover the gruesome wounds, with blood seeping through from beneath.

From start to finish, he remained utterly silent, his expression indifferent as if the injuries weren’t his own. Only his lips were paler than usual. He said, “He doesn’t have the guts. It’s the Third Prince.”

The Third Prince could not tolerate the rise of any competitive prince. Especially after Qin Yan killed the envoys without facing repercussions, his fear reached its peak.

Even knowing the old Emperor would never favor an inauspicious person—or even give Qin Yan a good look—he still felt uneasy.

Seeing Qin Yan gradually winning the people’s hearts and recognition, he feared the court winds might shift. The moment he heard Qin Yan had left the city, the Third Prince issued an assassination order.

Even if his father later discovered it was him, he wouldn’t be blamed for it.

After all…

He was just an unloved disaster star.

It was all pros and no cons.

Unfortunately, Qin Yan didn’t die. The Third Prince’s capabilities were limited; even mobilizing everyone useful under him, he failed to kill Qin Yan beyond the frontier.

The wounds on Qin Yan’s body were self-inflicted.

Covered in bloodstains and scars, he had appeared before the Old General without a word and directly fainted, thereby gaining the greatest assistance.

At this moment, the Old General was writing a memorial, viciously cursing the old Emperor—only he dared to do so.

Qin Yan lowered his gaze, expressionless as he tied the final knot on the white gauze. But by chance, he caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure flickering past, tentatively poking at the blood-seeping cloth.

Gu Changhuai had personally witnessed Qin Yan swing his sword to hack himself, then faint before the Old General. Seeing Qin Yan bandage himself without any emotional fluctuation… for a moment, he suspected the wounds were fake—maybe hiding tomato sauce inside?

He tried poking with his finger but touched nothing.

Gu Changhuai felt regretful, then looked Qin Yan up and down again. Dressed, he appeared slim; undressed, he was all muscle. For some reason, the originally relaxed muscles tensed in an instant, making the subcutaneous lines starkly defined—the sturdy arms, the abs, as if poised to erupt at any moment.

“Wow—”

He couldn’t help exclaiming in admiration. Taking advantage of being invisible, he raised his brows and whistled.

Rare, rare.

So good-looking, so good-looking.

The next instant.

It was covered by the snow-white inner robe. Qin Yan put on the inner robe without changing expression, tilted his head to tie the garment strings, revealing a slightly reddened ear tip.

Gu Changhuai let out an “Eh,” muttering, “The garment strings seem tied in the wrong spot…”

Halfway through his words, he sniffed, drawn by the aroma of roasted lamb leg in the air. He squinted, turned his head, and drifted unsteadily outward. Seeing Xue Cheng eating so ferociously, he raged impotently, throwing a flurry of air punches. “Why do you get to eat and drink lavishly while I can only be a ghost?!”

He didn’t notice.

Qin Yan behind the screen paused his hands, quietly let out a breath of relief, undid the misplaced strings, retied them correctly, and quickly donned his outer robe.