Chapter 99: The Outcome

After the Seventh Prince left, the Fourth Prince suddenly laughed—a bitter laugh at the bond between brothers, which seemed less important than a mere painter by his side.

Once the laughter faded, his expression turned icy cold, a look of sorrow never before seen on his face, palpable enough for anyone to sense the pain etched there.

Ye Mo stood quietly by, not daring to disturb him until the Fourth Prince broke the silence: “Let’s go... right now.”

When Yu Hualiang regained consciousness, he found himself cradled in the Seventh Prince’s arms. This time, he abandoned all pride, holding him tightly, tears soaking through his clothes.

A heavy smile lingered on the Seventh Prince’s face as he gently supported Yu’s back, soothing him with slow, rhythmic strokes as if lulling him to sleep.

“I...” Yu Hualiang began.

“You were poisoned with a resurrection toxin, but now you’re fine,” the Seventh Prince replied calmly.

Embarrassed, Yu nodded. He hadn’t meant to ask what had happened; he wanted to say, “I missed you.”

More than welfare, Yu feared the truth: had the Seventh Prince really betrayed them?

“Are you... truly conspiring with the Fourth Prince?”

The Seventh Prince avoided a direct answer but said plainly, “Yes.”

His blunt confession left Yu speechless. After a moment, Yu asked again, “And now?”

The Seventh Prince stared at him, sighed, but gave no reply.

Frowning with rising anger, Yu pressed: “Even if he wants me dead?”

“Will you still conspire with him?”

Those words cut deeper than any before his leap into the abyss.

Without a word, the Seventh Prince tried to rise, but Yu dragged him back, pressing his body against him.

Surprised, the Seventh Prince froze. Yu, lying atop him, gazed up with eyes shimmering with tears: “Didn’t you say... you loved me?”

The Seventh Prince stiffly nodded. Yu continued, “I love you too—I can’t live without you, do you understand?”

Yu’s outburst stunned the Seventh Prince but warmed his heart. After so long, he finally heard those words—but this time, he could not yield to him.

“Please don’t leave! I really don’t want you to go!”

Suddenly, the Seventh Prince flipped him beneath him and kissed him. Though Yu resisted fiercely, he couldn’t withstand the tenderness of that kiss.

Afterwards, gasping beneath him, Yu heard the Seventh Prince whisper, “I owe him my life. I’m going to save him... I’ll return soon.”

Watching the Seventh Prince leave, Yu knew nothing could stop him now.

The Seventh Prince would never forget the spilled poisoned wine.

When his own mother died, he became a child abandoned by all. Someone tried to kill him by secretly ordering a eunuch to prepare a cup of poison.

At that moment, the Fourth Prince’s mother came with her son to visit him.

The mischievous Fourth Prince accidentally knocked over the poisoned wine. Seeing this, his mother recognized the danger and took pity, petitioning the emperor to adopt the Seventh Prince as her own.

Thus, he owed the Fourth Prince and his mother a life.

Now, the only thing he could do was protect the Fourth Prince’s life.

Ye Hao reported to the emperor that the Fourth Prince was plotting rebellion, with the painter Wang Ji testifying and producing undeniable evidence—the half of a military token found by his bedside.

With proof in hand, the emperor ordered the Fourth Prince’s capture and confinement by the Linghe River—the very place where the Second Prince had died.

The Seventh Prince, holding the other half of the token, led a secret squad of death guards trained with the Fourth Prince and Yu to rescue him.

Yet, he was arrested for treason and thrown into the Heavenly Prison.

This news was delivered to Yu Hualiang by Ye Hao, who summoned him to the palace.

Yu’s expression grew heavy. The emperor smiled upon seeing him: “What troubles you, Painter Yu? I have no intention of imprisoning you.”

“I, Yu Hualiang, am but a commoner... yet favored by Your Majesty...” Yu spoke in a flat tone that soon wearied the emperor.

The emperor interrupted: “I know your loyalty to the Seventh Prince. If you can coax him to reveal the Fourth Prince’s escape route, I may spare his life.”

Yu’s eyes brightened. “Is that true? I mean... Your Majesty?”

The emperor smiled. “I do not jest.”

But Yu recalled the cold look the Seventh Prince wore when he left. “It’s impossible.”

“Impossible? No faith in the Seventh Prince?”

Yu nodded. “If he risks his life to save the Fourth Prince, he would never betray him.”

“Then I will trouble you no further. You may leave.”

Yu was taken aback by the emperor’s sudden generosity, sensing a scheme. Indeed, after leaving, he overheard maids gossiping.

“Who would have thought the traitor was the Seventh Prince.”

“He always seemed loyal. Let the Fourth Prince rebel. The Seventh Prince, so handsome, thrown in prison... they’ll surely torment him.”

Yu’s heart ached. Watching the two maids’ figures, he forced himself to believe it was a play arranged by the emperor.

The Seventh Prince was still his brother, and he remembered that no one was allowed to torture him. They only wanted to force him to reveal the Fourth Prince’s whereabouts.

Shaking his head, he walked away. Minister Meng and the emperor emerged from behind a tree. Meng fixed his gaze on Yu: “He’s clever; it seems this is not enough.”

The emperor looked at him: “Tang’er... you must go.”

Lin Tang lowered his head silently, reluctant. The emperor sighed: “Rest assured... I will not kill him after this.”

Hearing the promise, Tang flew off lightly.

Yu lowered his head deep in thought. Suddenly, Lin Tang appeared unnoticed. Yu’s peripheral vision caught a flicker of darkness.

He looked up and smiled faintly. “It’s you. How are your wounds?”

Lin Tang’s expression showed no desire to discuss such matters.

Yu frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Come with me.”

He followed Lin Tang to the princess’s chamber, only to find it adorned entirely in white.

From within came the sound of weeping, and Yu began to understand.

Each step forward felt heavy. He lifted the layers of white silk to find Qianqian lying in the center, her complexion like jade, eyes closed as if asleep.

A young maid sobbed beside her. Two tigers she had raised nuzzled her hand as if seeking a response.

Tears welled in Yu’s eyes. “How... did she die?”

Lin Tang answered softly: “Assassination... by Ye Mo.”

Yu’s voice broke. “Why...?”

Lin Tang continued: “Their plan.”

“What plan?”

“In half a month, the princess is to marry into the Xia tribes... if she doesn’t arrive, the Xia will use it as a pretext to invade.”

Only now did Yu realize she was but a pawn. He moved closer, but the maid pushed him away, cursing bitterly: “Get lost! You’re the Seventh Prince’s man! He’s the one who proposed this marriage! Why aren’t you locked up yet?”

“I’m not... I’m not,” Yu stammered.

Lin Tang dragged him out. Still reeling from the princess’s death, Yu barely registered as Lin Tang brought another person before him.

Yu recognized the man—tall and burly, trembling in fear as he knelt.

A bad feeling crept over Yu.

Lin Tang commanded coldly, “Speak!”

The man lowered his head, stammering slowly: “I was once the prefect of Jincheng County...”

Jincheng... Yu was no stranger to the name. He remembered begging the prefect to lead troops up the mountain to quell bandits and save Aliu.

The prefect, afraid of trouble, refused. Now Yu’s gaze grew colder.

“What do you want to say?”

The man trembled as he produced a token engraved with “Xianzhang.” Yu knew it was the Seventh Prince’s token.

“When you asked me to go up the mountain to save someone, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to... but the Seventh Prince ordered me not to interfere.”

A buzz echoed in Yu’s mind. The Seventh Prince had given the order? What did it mean? He forced himself to plead with him!

Seeing Yu’s expression, the man added, “I was curious and asked the bandits about the Seventh Prince’s intent... he wanted to kill someone.”

“Aliu...” Yu nearly fainted, his emotions spiraling, tears streaming down his face.

He quickly slapped himself several times, then looked at the man and Lin Tang, startled. How had he missed this? It was all the emperor’s ploy.

Its purpose was to make Yu believe and hate the Seventh Prince.

He laughed bitterly, pointing at the man: “Oh, I see. It’s all a performance! How could the Seventh Prince collude with bandits?”

Lin Tang replied coldly: “If you doubt it, you can ask him yourself in the prison.”

Yu looked at him and understood—they were pushing him to a dead end.

The dungeon was dark and foul, more so than where the Fourth Prince had been held. Upon entering, they heard agonized screams from deep within.

Led to a cell, Yu saw the Seventh Prince sitting with disheveled hair, dressed in a thin, rough prison garment, back turned as he gazed through the small barred window.

The cell door opened, and Yu entered. The Seventh Prince moved slowly, turning to see Yu rise.

“Ziliang, here to see me one last time?” the Seventh Prince smiled softly, sweet as ever, as if their farewell was not about life and death.

Yu stared coldly. “Qianqian is dead.”

The Seventh Prince’s expression darkened with sorrow. “Did Fourth Brother do it?”

Yu was surprised. “You knew?”

The Seventh Prince nodded.

Yu glared at him, furious: “That was your own sister! How could you do such a thing? Am I just another pawn to you? When I’m useless... you’ll kill me too?”

Each word struck like a dagger. The Seventh Prince embraced him tightly: “You’re not... don’t think like that.”

Yu pushed him away with force, demanding, “What about Aliu...?”

The Seventh Prince’s face filled with regret as he lowered his head: “You already know.”

Yu felt as if he had fallen from heaven into hell. The Seventh Prince really had killed Aliu—and hypocritically helped him seek Aliu’s safety?

Panting heavily, Yu asked in a broken voice, his low sobs shattering hearts, “Did you really... kill Aliu?”

The Seventh Prince suddenly bowed his head in submission: “Yes... only by killing him... would your heart truly be mine.”

“You’re... too selfish,” Yu whispered as tears fell.

In a flash, Yu, intending to help the emperor, smiled and stepped closer. The Seventh Prince, unaccustomed to such warmth, stepped back. “Ziliang...”

“Honestly, the emperor gave you three days... if you don’t reveal the Fourth Prince’s whereabouts... they’ll force me to speak. You know I know nothing... do you know what will happen?”

With those words, Yu turned and left. The Seventh Prince watched his retreating figure, lost in thought.

Yu knew this was like an impossible choice: if your mother and I fell into the river, who would you save?

Yet he still hoped for an answer.