Chapter 26: Another Step Closer

Xiu Ying froze when he saw what's contained inside the bottle. Huang Fei Hong who noticed his indifference when he looked at the bottle, asked in worried.

"What's wrong? What's that thing?"

"It is the expertise of people from the South. Gu poison."

Huang Fei Hong now has the same reaction as Xiu Ying just now. He has heard about Gu poison but never sees one.

"You mean 'that' Gu poison? The one that bewitched on another person?"

Xiu Ying nods. Gu poison was created by sealing venomous creatures inside a closed container, where they devoured one another and allegedly concentrated their toxins into a single survivor, whose body would be fed upon by larvae until consumed. The last surviving larva held the complex poison.

Gu was used in black magic practices such as manipulating sexual partners, creating malignant diseases and causing death. A gu spirit could transform into various animals. And the one inside the bottle is a larva of a worm.

"I'm sure she intends to plant this Gu inside His Majesty and make him her puppet." Xiu Ying wraps the bottle and keeps it back inside the box. It is dangerous if it falls into someone else's hands.

Fei Hong slams the table. His expression turns dark and cold. Xiu Ying and Jing Yi never saw Huang Fei Hong in his "general mode" can't help but shivers.

"That woman is digging her own grave." In an instant, Fei Hong leaves the imperial pharmacy, heads to the underground prison.

After Fei Hong left, Xiu Ying turns to Jing Yi and taps on his shoulder. "You're lucky. If someone tried to hurt you, I guess the general will make sure that the person's seven descendants won't live a peaceful life."

"What do you mean, young master?"

Xiu Ying just smiles and inwardly feeling sympathy towards Fei Hong.

......

Inside the underground prison, the sounds of women's scream echoed. Huang Fei Hong stands with arms crossed, looking down at the prisoners with a sneer. When the hot iron branding on the thighs, steam floating in the air, and the hissing sounds of skins being burnt until it showing the red flesh, it almost makes Yu Li Na peed in her robe.

Momo and Xiao Lu (Wen Qian's servant) were taken into interrogation. Huang Fei Hong intentionally did the torture in front of Yu Li Na's cell, so she can clearly how worse her punishment is going to be.

Yu Li Na already lost her mind, trembles and screams along when she saw her minions were tortured mercilessly. When she and the others were arrested, they tried to threaten using Yu Chenyi's name but Huang Fei Hong asked the guards to give them fifty slaps in return. Now, Yu Li Na's face looks like it was being stung by bees. There are bloodstains all over her robe and she no longer looks like a Noble Consort but more like a beggar.

"So now, are you willing to tell me everything?" Fei Hong's low voice makes even the guards shiver.

Momo and Xiao Lu are in pain and it feels like they almost lost their voice due to continuous screams.

"Well, if you still won't tell me anything, I don't mind taking out other 'gifts' for both of you. We have plenty of 'gifts' and some of it both of you should be glad because your girls are the first ones to receive it."

Xiao Lu lifts her head weakly. In a trembling voice, she said, "I- I'll... tell you...My lord... I- I'll tell everything."

"No! Don't you spit dare spit out any nonsense! Or else my uncle won't let your family go!" Yu Li Na went mad, keep banging on the cells.

Huang Fei Hong shot a deathly glare towards Yu Li Na and then he turns back to Xiao Lu. "Don't worry. If you're willing to tell me everything, I'll make sure His Majesty will lessen your punishments. Plus, you're an accomplice to drug a consort, not the emperor so it won't be severe like them. And I promise you, no one will touch will your family."

Xiao Lu weakly nods. "Y- yes.. I'll say everything... please... keep my family safe..."

After Fei Hong reassures him that he'll ask his men to bring Xiao Lu's family to a safe place, Xiao Lu starts to tell everything that happened.

Just like most of the servants, Xiao Lu came from a poor family. Her mother was sick and her father barely got the money to support her younger brothers. Most of the money she got was given to her dad to buy the medicine for her sick mother.

When Yu Li Na knew about her situation, she offered her almost a hundred silver taels. All she need to do was keep burning the incense that Yu Li Na gave to her. Xiao Lu knows that Yu Li Na's intention might not be good and if it's possible, she doesn't want to involve in any crimes but thinking about her mother, she agreed.

Every day, she'll burn the incense and she was asked to put a mild poisonous powder inside Wen Qian's tea. That's why Wen Qian's headache never gets better as the poisonous powder will enhance her headache that was caused by the wolfsbane and the incense burner is also another poison in disguised.

[A/N : wolfsbane - cause headache; mild powder - enhance wolfsbane reaction; incense - reduce headache but actually decrease fertility]

It was like a cycle thus will cause a neverending pain and in the end, Wen Qian can no longer get pregnant. Xiao Lu wants to stop do as she was ordered but Yu Li Na threatens to harm her family. She also sent some men to hit her father caused her father lays on the bed for a week.

"You liar! You slut only know how to lie!! Don't you dare put all the blame on me when you're the one who agreed to do the job! You got the money now you want to back out! You whore!"

Fei Hong looks at the guard near Yu Li Na's cell, pointing at Yu Li Na using his chin. The guard got the hint. He unlocked the cell and gives her two slaps, one on each cheek.

Being slapped by a big and hard palm-full of callous makes Yu Li Na slump on the ground. She quickly sliding away to the corner, holds her swollen cheek and bleeding mouth. Fei Hong returns her glares with a smirk.

Then, Fei Hong asked the guards to take Xiao Lu back to her cell. Her punishment will be decided by Wu Zhang Wei later. But as for now, Fei Hong asked the guards to give her ointments for her wounds and a little better food.

Done with Xiao Lu, Fei Hong now facing Yu Li Na's closest and most trusted servant. Even after being tortured, Momo didn't intend to say anything. Looking at the silent girl who looks like her soul almost left her body, Fei Hong sighs. He lowers his body until he is eye-to-eye with Momo. "Don't say that I didn't warn you. If you're not gonna say anything in front of me, then prepare to face His Majesty. Just want to let you know, His Majesty is merciless, especially if it involves someone he cares a lot."

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He straightens his body back, "I give you two days. Just two days to tell me everything. If not, not only you but your whole family lineage will disappear from this world." The guards drag her away.

Momo and Yu Li Na exchange glances. Momo quickly lowers her head when Yu Li Na sent her warning through her eyes.

.....

Meanwhile, inside the imperial bedchamber, the emperor is having fun being taken care of. It wasn't serious but he unconsciously groans when wants to sit up as his body had lied too long causing muscles to sore. Xiu Ying who heard it quickly ran to his side and help him up.

Feeling guilty but Xiu Ying looks cute when he's worried so Zhang Wei keeps pretending to be weak. Now, Xiu Ying is feeding him lunch. Xiu Ying can only ignore the silly smiles plastered on Zhang Wei's face.

"Your Majesty... Stop staring at me." Xiu Ying said but his hand still moves to feed the emperor.

"Why? Look also cannot? It's not like Zhen doing anything. Zhen just admiring a beautiful person." He shamelessly said.

Xiu Ying's hand hanging in the air and face flushed. He takes a deep breath and thickens his skin, pretends like he didn't hear his words just now.

"Xiu Ying didn't eat?" Zhang Wei asked when he noticed Xiu Ying keep feeding him and no extra meals for another person.

"I'll eat in my room later."

"Why don't you just eat here? Isn't it easier that way? You can keep staying here and no need to go back and forth between Zhen's room and yours." After he woke up from the coma, Zhang Wei is more straightforward in his actions and words.

"And that's the reason I want to eat in my room. So I could escape from here, even just for a while." Xiu Ying moves away from the bed to put away the emptied bowls.

In a low and dejected voice, Zhang Wei asked, "Are you that unwilling to stay with Zhen? Does Zhen disturbing Xiu Ying's life so much?"

Xiu Ying turns back to face the emperor. Zhang Wei looking down at his quilt, playing with his fingers. Xiu Ying sighs. "It's not that I'm not unwilling but Your Majesty should restrain yourself from doing... things like that."

Zhang Wei tilts his head, "What things? You mean staring at you?"

"Staring at me... Saying... su- such things... Acting s- so close..." Xiu Ying feels embarrassed but he needs to make it clear so the emperor will understand him.

"But Zhen had told you before, Zhen to get close to you, Zhen wants to you know better, so isn't it normal for Zhen to do and say all that?"

"......"

"Does Zhen makes Xiu Ying uncomfortable?"

"......" Xiu Ying doesn't know how to answer. It's not like he's uncomfortable but it's just too embarrassing! No one ever sweet-talked like to him and no one ever courted him in his past life. So he doesn't know how to react.

"Zhen knows Xiu Ying might no longer have the same feelings towards Zhen but... can you give Zhen a chance? Or... Am I too detestable in your eyes?"

Again, Xiu Ying lost for words. He really doesn't know how to reply to those questions. These kinds of things are a first for him.

Zhang Wei faintly smiles when Xiu Ying just looks at him without saying anything. "Zhen...sorry. Zhen knows what Zhen did to you is just too unforgivable and Zhen can understand if Xiu Ying hates Zhen for that. But... can Zhen asked for one thing? Please... don't leave Zhen. Right now, Xiu Ying still doesn't have anyone in your heart so just stay by Zhen's side and if one day... Xiu Ying has found someone else to give your heart, Zhen will re- release you. Zhen won't stop you from leaving this place and go with your loved one. So, for now, stay with Zhen."

While saying these, Zhang Wei's eyes become watery but he still keeps his smiles. He looks to another side to hide this ugly sight.

Suddenly, Xiu Ying remembered his mom's words in his past lives. "Love doesn't mean we must own the person we love. True love is when you value your lover's happiness more than yours and make their happiness your first priority."

Xiu Ying slowly approaching the bed and takes a seat on it. Zhang Wei turns his head and they're eye-to-eye. Xiu Ying raises his hand and wipes off the tears stain on the corner of Zhang Wei's eyes, brings much surprise to the latter, but he let it be.

"Why... why me, Your Majesty?"

"You can invite love, but you cannot dictate how, when, and where love expresses itself. You can choose to surrender to love or not, but in the end, love strikes like lightning: unpredictable and irrefutable. Does Zhen need a reason for falling for you? Do Zhen needs to explain why Zhen's heartbeat is thumping hard when you're around?" Zhang Wei himself also didn't know what makes him fall for Xiu Ying.

If it's about face, there are a few gers or women that can compete with Xiu Ying. If it's because his father is the prime minister, Zhang Wei had been offered by a country in the east to take in one of the ger princes as his concubine but he rejected. If it's his knowledge in his medical, Zhang Wei thinks he falls for Xiu Ying before he even knows about it.

That's why he can't explain why his heart is beating loudly when Xiu Ying is by his side. Watching from afar is no longer enough. He wants to embrace Xiu Ying in his arms, holding him tight and never let him go. He wants to have a family with Xiu Ying. Sometimes, he even imagined their prince and princess running around the courtyard.

But all that...is just an imagination. A dream that might never be fulfilled.

Xiu Ying sighs. "Get well fast then let's settle Yu Li Na's matter first. After that, we'll talk about this, okay?" Xiu Ying gently caressing Zhang Wei's cheek.

Xiu Ying feels like he saw the emperor wagging his tail just now. "Hmn! Thank you, Ying-er!" Zhang Wei pulls Xiu Ying into his arms, hugging him tightly.

Xiu Ying shakes his head and puts his hand on Zhang Wei's back, returning the hug.

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