Chapter Seventy-Six: Remnants of the Former Dynasty

The Crown Prince chose to help conceal the truth, partly out of appreciation for talent, and partly because he knew this man was the one dearest to Guli’s heart. If anything were to happen to him, Guli might truly lose her mind upon waking. The Crown Prince could not bear to let his beloved sister suffer any further.

“If you truly care for her, then do as I say,” he instructed.

Lie Chang’an fell silent, but the Crown Prince understood that this was agreement.

“There’s one more thing...” The Crown Prince hesitated before deciding to be frank. “I am aware of your feelings for the Princess.”

Lie Chang’an, kneeling, stiffened abruptly. His hands, clenched in fists at his sides, slowly relaxed.

“There’s no need for you to be nervous,” the Crown Prince sighed, his tone gentle. “I mean you no harm. However, I hope you understand—”

“I do.” Before he could finish, Lie Chang’an spoke.

His voice was hoarse, heavy with suppressed bitterness, all his emotions buried deep beneath the pain in his heart. With a bitter smile tugging at his lips, he said, “I am not worthy, nor do I dare to harbour such foolish hopes.”

The Crown Prince sighed and nodded. “As long as you understand.”

It was not that the Crown Prince looked down on Lie Chang’an; he simply knew all too well how much the Emperor, Empress, and even the Empress Dowager cherished Guli. Lie Chang’an was extraordinary in every respect—character, talent, appearance—but he came from humble origins. The Emperor valued family background above all. He could promote and trust Lie Chang’an, admiring his virtue and abilities, but he would never entrust Guli to a general with no powerful family to stand behind him. Otherwise, the Empress would not have set her sights early on the son of the Marquis of Dingguo, Zhou Siyuan, as Guli’s match.

Only a formidable family background could provide true security, withstand tempests, and, should anything happen in the future, be strong enough to protect their precious jewel.

After hiring a carriage, they rushed to the city without delay. The Crown Prince sent word back to the palace, urging the Emperor to summon the royal physicians to save Guli.

The Princess was gravely wounded—and poisoned.

When this news reached the palace, it was thrown into an uproar. It was said that the Empress Dowager fainted on the spot upon hearing it.

The Crown Prince knew that this news would bring both joy and sorrow in equal measure, though on the surface, everyone wore anxious expressions, shedding tears of worry for the Princess and hardly able to stomach their meals.

The Eastern Palace.

Returning to his residence, the Crown Prince did not even bother to change out of his travelling clothes before summoning his most trusted minister.

“What have you found out?” he asked.

Minister Wang, the Minister of Justice, bowed and replied, “Upon receiving Your Highness’s message by carrier pigeon, I began investigating at once. It is just as Your Highness suspected. Furthermore, the Ministry of Justice apprehended a suspiciously masked man at the city gate last night.”

“Oh?” The Crown Prince raised his brows in surprise. “And who is this man?”

“A remnant of the former dynasty.”

A remnant of the former dynasty?

The Crown Prince gave a mirthless laugh, his tone tinged with mockery. “Rumours of former dynasty remnants have circulated for years, yet none have ever truly been caught. And now, by sheer coincidence, one has been captured? Could this not be a ploy by our enemies?”

Minister Wang nodded, his expression grave. “That is precisely my suspicion, Your Highness. At first, no matter how harsh our interrogation, the man refused to speak. Then, quite suddenly, he admitted he was a remnant of the former dynasty, claiming he had sent men to ambush the Crown Prince and Princess Danqing on the road to Lihuai County. After saying this, he broke into wild laughter and then bit off his own tongue, ending his life.”