Qin Ge was tasked with investigating Feng Yu's wife and had already uncovered clues.
It turned out that Feng Yu's wife had not died from grief upon hearing of her husband's supposed death. Instead, Feng Yu had secretly hidden her in a secluded mountain behind a Buddhist temple connected to the underground tunnels of the Lu residence, guarded by four martial maids, living a life cut off from the world.
Even Emperor Chunming, who had been searching for her these past few days, was beaten to it by Qin Ge.
When Feng Yu's wife was brought before the Crown Prince, she confessed everything about her husband's deeds.
It was indeed Feng Yu who had conspired with the enemy and betrayed the nation. The Crown Prince already had the Northern Wei General as a witness, though his motives remained unclear.
With tears streaming down her face, Feng Yu's wife said, "Back then, I was gravely ill and beyond cure. He took me everywhere seeking treatment, but it was to no avail. Later, at a medical clinic, we encountered His Highness Prince Rui—now the Emperor. He privately introduced us to a witch doctor who used unorthodox methods and miraculously cured my illness. Only later did I learn that Feng Yu had begun secretly serving Prince Rui, even going so far as to betray the Late Emperor, collude with the enemy, incite rebellions among the feudal lords, and pit them against each other—all to ensure Prince Rui's ascension to the throne..."
The Crown Prince's expression was icy and grave. "That witch doctor—was she the one who poisoned me with the gu curse?"
Feng Yu's wife was taken aback that the Crown Prince had already uncovered the truth about the gu poison but confessed nonetheless: "Yes. When Your Highness was still in swaddling clothes, I overheard them plotting to use the gu poison to torment you to death, ensuring the throne would never return to you..."
What she hadn't expected was that despite her husband's relentless scheming over the years, the Crown Prince had survived against all odds, even as a child in dire straits. Now, he had uncovered the truth and was poised to exact vengeance and reclaim the throne that was rightfully his.
The Crown Prince clenched his fists, closed his eyes briefly, and asked in a low voice, "Where is that witch doctor now?"
Feng Yu's wife answered truthfully, "Twenty years ago, after my recovery, I never saw her again. She was already an old woman in her seventies back then. Even if she wasn’t silenced, she’s likely long dead."
So Feng Yu had been right—there was no cure for the gu poison. The only solution now was to lure out the gu worm and destroy it completely.
A cold, mocking smile curled on the Crown Prince's lips, though his tone was frigid. "So, to repay his so-called savior, he willingly led fifty thousand troops into an ambush, resulting in their annihilation, the fall of the northern borders, and the fatal injury of the Late Emperor. Over the years, he has continued his atrocities, systematically eliminating loyal ministers and generals, all while living like a stray dog under a false identity... Truly, General Zhaoyong is a man of deep loyalty and righteousness."
Feng Yu's wife, overwhelmed by guilt, bowed her head and wept. "He was haunted by nightmares, regretting his actions, but once he took that first wrong step, there was no turning back. Fearful of being exposed, he kept killing, and no matter how much I pleaded, he insisted there was no way out—that turning back would mean a death without a burial..."
The Crown Prince stared at her coldly. "Is there anything else you’re hiding from me?"
She shook her head hastily. "This guilty woman has confessed everything. I dare not conceal anything from Your Highness..."
But as she spoke, a memory surfaced.
Years ago, she had overheard her husband and Prince Rui discussing how Empress Huigong could have safely delivered her child, had it not been for Princess Consort Rui deliberately sending someone to the Kunning Palace with false news that the Late Emperor had collapsed from vomiting blood. The shock had caused Empress Huigong to go into premature labor.
In truth, the Late Emperor had not been critically ill—it was all a ruse to deceive the Empress. The premature birth was publicly attributed to exhaustion...
The Crown Prince listened silently, his face darkening with fury. It felt as though countless venomous insects were gnawing at his nerves, his eyes filling with bloodshot veins like a spider’s web. Overwhelming hatred and excruciating pain threatened to consume his sanity.
Cao Yuanlu noticed the Crown Prince’s pallor and guessed his headache had flared up again.
With Yun Kui absent from the palace, suppressing the gu poison would be difficult. Given that the Crown Prince was preparing to remove the curse, Cao Yuanlu hesitated but ultimately decided to summon He Bailing for consultation.
He Bailing had been staying in the Eastern Palace these past few days, ready to assist the Crown Prince in expelling the gu poison.
The Crown Prince sat on the couch, fingertips pressed to his temples, veins bulging as if they might burst through his skin. Every pulse throbbed with a bloodthirsty frenzy.
When He Bailing arrived, the Crown Prince wasted no time. "Light the incense. Everyone else, leave."
His voice, strained from restraint, was hoarse, like the growl of a trapped beast.
The incense he referred to was the same poisonous fragrance Emperor Chunming had tried to use against him at the Banruo Temple. After examination, He Bailing had discovered that the incense burner contained a heavy dose of Tibetan incense, which could easily trigger internal heat and exacerbate agitation. While harmless to ordinary people, it was deadly to the Crown Prince, whose body harbored the gu worm.
He Bailing had since modified the Tibetan incense formula, ready to use it to provoke the gu worm.
Still, Cao Yuanlu hesitated, worried for his master’s safety. "Perhaps we should summon Yun Kui back first. If the extraction fails, she could still help His Highness..."
But the Crown Prince had made up his mind. Knowing his current state was the optimal moment to remove the curse, he refused to delay further or call Yun Kui back, lest all their efforts go to waste.
"Leave," he commanded sternly.
He Bailing had no choice but to comply, adding the prescribed amount of Tibetan incense to the burner before exchanging a glance with Cao Yuanlu. The two withdrew.
Qin Ge, having secured Feng Yu’s wife, joined Luo Zhang and Zhao Yuedong in guarding the Chengguang Palace with armed soldiers. No one was to disturb the Crown Prince during the procedure.
As the incense burned, wisps of white smoke curled from the gilded burner, deceptively gentle yet triggering a violent reaction in his body. The pain escalated from sharp to unbearable in moments.
It felt as though countless needles were piercing his skull. He gripped the hilt of his dagger so tightly his knuckles turned white, veins standing out on the back of his hand.
In the past, he could alleviate the agony by cutting his skin, but today was different. To force the gu worm out, he had to endure the torment unchecked.
Sweat beaded on his forehead as he sensed the gu worm stirring inside his skull, though its exact location remained unclear. He could only wait.
The haze of incense filled the chamber. From initial agitation to the brink of madness, his consciousness now teetered on the edge of delirium.
He saw his ailing grandmother on her deathbed, clutching his hand and urging him to grow strong, to never let the throne fall into another’s hands. But he had been only three years old, tormented by headaches, alone and desperate, struggling just to survive.
He thought of the portraits of his father and mother—seen only during ancestral rites. He despised them, never referring to them as "Father" or "Mother," and hated his own name, "Qi’an," which felt like a cruel joke.
He longed to ask them—since they had brought him into this world, why had they abandoned him, leaving him to endure endless torment with every breath, never knowing the warmth of human kindness?
Only now, with the truth laid bare, did he realize that everything had been orchestrated by unseen hands. The loss of his parents, the ruin of his health, his fall from grace—all were the machinations of Emperor Chunming, his consort, and Feng Yu!
Rage and hatred burned within him, so intense he wished he could tear them apart limb by limb, offering their blood to appease the souls of the fallen soldiers at Wolf Mountain and to honor his late parents in the afterlife.
The fury stirred the poison within him. Veins bulged at his temples, his hair clung damply to his face, and his body convulsed in agony. In his delirium, he glimpsed the radiant girl—bright and pure, who would cling to him, press her cheek against his, call him "husband" with tender shyness, fear for his life, and see him as her sole refuge. Even as she left, her heart whispered for him to stay safe...
How could he die? He had a kingdom to uphold, vengeance to claim, and her—his precious one—to cradle in his hands.
The venomous creature writhed beneath his skin. His crimson eyes flashed coldly as he raised a dagger and slashed the back of his neck. Dark blood pooled on the ground, thick and viscous.
The black parasite twitched in the puddle before lying still.
Drenched in sweat, the Crown Prince collapsed, as if his bones had been ripped from his body.
The suffocating grip on his throat loosened. Pain ebbed slowly through his veins, and a bleak smile touched his twisted face.
At last... at last...
---
Sheng Manor
With nothing to occupy her during the day and too wary to venture outside, Yun Kui took out the sleeping robe she had brought from the palace and resumed her embroidery. Her needlework had improved, no longer as clumsy as before.
Yet midway through, a sharp, inexplicable pain pierced her chest. Startled, she pricked her finger and bit her lip against the sting.
Sheng Yu stepped inside just as a drop of blood bloomed starkly against the white silk. He hurried forward, only to find his daughter pale-faced, a sheen of sweat at her brow.
"What’s wrong?" he asked urgently.
A dull ache lingered in Yun Kui’s chest, and tears spilled unbidden. "Is His Highness in danger? I’m afraid... I feel his pain..."
Seeing the depth of her worry, Sheng Yu patted her shoulder. "I’ve had men watching the palace. Any news will reach us immediately. The Crown Prince will be fine—rest easy."
Clutching the robe, she hesitated before whispering, "Can I... go see him?"
Sheng Yu sighed. He would give her anything—except permission to risk her life.
"The Imperial Guards commander is stationed at the Eastern Palace. Assassins have already tried silencing him. And you, as the Crown Prince’s... close attendant, would draw attention. If hidden enemies connect you to him, they might use you against me or His Highness. Do you understand?"
Yun Kui lowered her eyes, nodding silently as she fought back tears.
Sheng Yu sat beside her, eyeing the garment. "Is this robe for His Highness?"
"...Yes," she murmured, setting aside her needle.
His heart twisted. After a long pause, he ventured, "How has His Highness treated you in the palace?"
"He’s been very kind to me."
Kind—but how?
His daughter had served in the Eastern Palace for half a year, tending to the Crown Prince’s headaches, sharing his bed night after night, yet still held no formal status. She was guileless, ambitious for nothing—what were the Crown Prince’s intentions?
A daughter of the Sheng house was no servant.
Tapping his knee, Sheng Yu pressed, "And you? What do you want for your future?"
Yun Kui faltered.
She longed to stay by His Highness’s side, to be his wife, to never part.
But how could she say this to Sheng Yu?
The Crown Prince was his sovereign; Sheng Yu, his loyal subject. She couldn’t ask the future emperor to forsake duty and heirs for her sake—even if she wished it.
And to Sheng Yu, whom she now saw as a father, how could she speak so boldly of love?
Pressing her lips, she only said, "I’ll follow His Highness’s arrangements."
Sheng Yu drew a slow breath. "Do you... love him?"
After a moment, she nodded. "He’s good to me. I love him. I want to stay with him forever."
Silence fell again.
They sat together for hours—Yun Kui stitching, Sheng Yu listening to her tales of palace life.
That evening, a servant announced Qin Ge’s arrival with urgent news.
Yun Kui’s heart lurched. She rushed out, meeting him at once. "Has something happened to His Highness?"
Qin Ge shook his head. "The poison is purged. His Highness sent me to reassure you."
Relief flooded her. "Thank heavens..."
Noticing Sheng Yu’s approach, Qin Ge bowed slightly and lowered his voice. "The Emperor is secretly mobilizing troops, coercing military families into backing him. His Highness may act within days—the capital will be upheaved. He asks Lord Sheng to guard the manor and ensure the young lady’s safety."
Sheng Yu’s expression hardened with a nod.
Qin Ge continued, relaying the Crown Prince’s words—especially those meant for Yun Kui in Sheng Yu’s presence.
"His Highness said the obsidian ring in the lady’s possession commands the Eastern Palace’s shadow guards. She must protect herself. Once the dust settles, he will return to... wed her properly."
Yun Kui’s lips parted, but it was too late to stop him.
The words struck Sheng Yu like thunder—especially the last phrase.
"Wed her properly."
When royalty spoke of "wedding," did it mean what he thought?
Long after Qin Ge left, Sheng Yu remained stunned.
Yun Kui flushed with embarrassment. Why had Qin Ge said such things in front of her father?
Sheng Yu studied her, conflicted. "What of this ring?"
She retrieved the obsidian ring from its box and handed it to him. "His Highness gave it to me."
Sheng Yu recognized it instantly. "This belonged to the Late Emperor."
For the Crown Prince to bestow such a treasure upon her—and speak of marriage—
Could it be that his delay in granting her status was because he intended... to make her Empress?
His daughter, who had been wandering outside for seventeen years—before he could even warm her heart—was she now to be taken into the palace?
Yun Kui grew uneasy under his gaze and lowered her head. "Do you think... the Crown Prince might be in danger?"
Sheng Yu, however, was not worried about this. "The man who repelled the Northern Wei's six hundred thousand strong army—there’s no need to doubt his military prowess or strategic genius. The Crown Prince is surrounded by fierce generals and elite soldiers. Now that the Gu poison has been neutralized and Feng Yu captured, no one in this world can stop him."
...
In a single night, the city descended into chaos—bloodshed, turmoil, and a shift in the heavens themselves.
The sounds of slaughter, galloping hooves, and clashing weapons roared like thunder, wave after wave surging from the outskirts toward the imperial palace. The common folk shut their doors, and the streets were thick with an air of death and carnage.
How could the imperial guards possibly withstand the Crown Prince’s battle-hardened elite troops? Even the families of Emperor Chunming’s concubines, though pressured by his veiled threats, recognized the inevitable. Most surrendered to the Crown Prince without resistance.
Qianqing Palace.
Emperor Chunming stood beneath the flickering golden candlelight, clad in his dragon robes and the twelve-beaded imperial crown. He had lit every stick of incense in the Boshan burner, filling the hall with thick, fragrant smoke.
He waited silently for the Crown Prince’s arrival.
His closest military commander, Lu Qi, had been captured, leaving the Imperial Guards leaderless. His distant forces? Lin Cheng had been executed, his household purged. These days, Emperor Chunming had been scrambling, unable to find suitable replacements.
With only the capital’s feeble guards, how could he possibly hold back the Crown Prince’s relentless advance?
He had only himself to blame—too obsessed with maintaining a righteous image, too cautious to openly oppose the Crown Prince. Instead, he had schemed in the shadows, waiting for the Crown Prince to fall in battle, to be assassinated, or to succumb to the Gu poison—anything to prove that he, not the Crown Prince, was Heaven’s chosen ruler.
But instead of the Crown Prince’s death, he had watched his most trusted ministers fall one by one. He had watched as Lu Qi’s true identity was exposed, as the Crown Prince uncovered the truth of the past. And now, as the army stormed the gates, as his guards collapsed like a crumbling mountain—only then did he realize that all these years of patience had been nothing but a farce.
If he had known it would come to this, he should have acted ruthlessly from the start—eliminated the threat once and for all!
The imperial guards fought desperately, but they could not hold back the Crown Prince’s overwhelming assault.
As the sounds of battle drew nearer, Emperor Chunming slowly rose from his throne, watching as the armored, blood-soaked figure strode into the hall.
The Crown Prince’s gaze was icy, burning with hatred.
He raised his sword and stepped forward, his voice low and heavy. "Feng Yu—or should I say, Lu Qi—has confessed everything. Twenty years ago, you conspired with him to betray the nation, sacrificing fifty thousand soldiers at Wolf Mountain as stepping stones to your throne. Later, you incited the feudal lords to rebel, reaping the benefits while they tore each other apart. Have I misspoken even a single word?"
Emperor Chunming chuckled, his eyes drifting over the curling incense smoke. "I never imagined you’d uncover the truth of what happened two decades ago. But we are uncle and nephew—I treated you well all these years. Let me be merciful one last time and allow you to die with clarity. Yes, I did all these things. But so what? If I could climb to this throne through my own means, then it proves that Heaven favored me over your father—over you!"
He was stalling, yet the Crown Prince showed no signs of distress. Even immersed in the thick, poisoned incense, he seemed unaffected—far less reactive than he had been at Banruo Temple...
A flicker of doubt crossed Emperor Chunming’s mind. Before he could dwell on it, the Crown Prince smirked and gestured. A disheveled woman, her hair ornaments askew, was dragged in and thrown to the ground.
The Empress!
The Crown Prince pressed his blade against her throat, his voice frigid. "You were the one who spread false news of the Late Emperor’s critical condition to the Kunning Palace, causing my mother to die in premature labor. Wasn’t you?"
The Empress trembled, her face ashen. "I—I didn’t... I was just blinded by greed..."
She had never expected it—back then, the Late Emperor lay dying, the feudal lords rebelled and turned on each other, and the Empress, still pregnant and unaware of the child’s gender, suddenly found her unremarkable husband the most likely candidate for the throne.
If he became Emperor, wouldn’t she be Empress?
Tempted, and with a nudge from Prince Rui, she had begun feigning friendship with Empress Huigong, tending to her during her pregnancy. Then, on the day Empress Huigong was exhausted from court affairs, she had sent someone to deliver the false news of the Late Emperor’s impending death. Before Empress Huigong could verify it, she had collapsed...
The Crown Prince listened to her silent confession, his expression darkening.
Meanwhile, Emperor Chunming’s composure shattered. His earlier confidence gave way to frantic agitation. He needed to confirm one thing—now.
The Crown Prince’s lips curled into a cold smile. "What are you waiting for, Your Majesty?"
Emperor Chunming’s eyes bore into him.
The Crown Prince spoke as if it were nothing. "Ah, I forgot to mention—the Gu poison in my body has been neutralized. No matter how much incense you burn in Qianqing Palace, it has no effect on me now."
Emperor Chunming’s pupils contracted violently. It was as if his spine had been ripped out—he collapsed onto the throne, muttering in disbelief. "Impossible... Did Lu Qi tell you? Why would he...?"
Even if Lu Qi had confessed everything, why would he cut off his last hope? The Gu poison was his final gamble—if the Crown Prince lost control and died here, there was still a chance to turn the tide.
He had burned enough incense in the palace today to fill Banruo Temple ten times over. The moment the Crown Prince stepped inside, he should have had no chance of survival!
Yet somehow... he had cured the poison in advance...
The Crown Prince chuckled. "You wanted me to die with clarity, Uncle. But I am not so generous. The questions you can’t answer—save them for the underworld. Though I wonder if the souls of those fifty thousand soldiers will let you pass in peace."
The Empress wailed, kowtowing frantically and begging for mercy.
Emperor Chunming’s face was deathly pale, drenched in cold sweat. His lips trembled as he whispered, "The victor is king, the loser a bandit. Just... make it quick."
The Crown Prince’s voice was glacial. "I lost both parents young, suffered twenty years of torment, and waited this long for vengeance. Do you really think I’d grant you a swift death?"
His expression hardened, the last trace of humor vanishing. "You will both die by a thousand cuts—until the last drop of blood leaves your bodies."
In a single night, the throne changed hands.
The empire finally returned to its rightful ruler. As the dust settled, all those involved awaited their fates.
The morning sun pierced through the gloom, illuminating the city’s bloodshed and ruin—and glinting off the golden tiles of the Forbidden Palace’s highest towers.
Yun Kui had lain awake all night, listening to the sounds of battle. Only when dawn came and the news of victory arrived did she finally drift into a shallow sleep.
In her dreams, she saw the Crown Prince—now clad in dragon robes—standing before a sea of kneeling subjects, their thunderous cries of "Long live the Emperor!" shaking the heavens and echoing in her ears.
She also dreamed that the Crown Prince came to find her. He was dressed in a dark blue robe, the poison in his system already cured, the ferocity in his brows and eyes faded away, his gaze clear and serene, as if all storms had settled.
Still lost in the joy of the dream, a light flick suddenly landed on her forehead, startling her awake.
Before her was a face she knew all too well, yet upon closer inspection, there was something different about it.
Just as she had seen in her dream, his features were bright and clear, like a mountain spring, without a trace of shadow.
Overjoyed, she called out, "Your Highness? Have all your matters been resolved?"
He had actually arrived so quickly.
Xiao Qi'an replied, "Yes, everything is settled."
Yun Kui was about to speak but hesitated, then cautiously asked, "Should I... address you as 'Your Majesty' now?"
Xiao Qi'an pinched her cheek. "Do I need to remind you what to call me?"
Yun Kui pressed her lips together, her heart blooming with happiness, her eyes shining.
This was her Emperor, her husband.
He lifted her into his arms, and she wrapped her hands around his neck, whispering softly in his ear again and again, "Husband, husband, husband..."
The storms of blades and frost, the bloodshed and turmoil, finally began to fade into the distance. The realm embarked on a new chapter.
She and her husband, from this moment on, would share endless years of peace and prosperity.
