Chapter 397 The Long Hidden Ident.i.ty of Princess Royal
“How… how did King Jin obtain that edict?” After a long while, Mo Xuetong finally found her voice, with her shocked eyes turning bright once more. She lifted up his head difficultly to ask Feng Yuran, a bitter smile pa.s.sing across her lips. The news was too incredulous.
Such an incredible edict placed King Jin in a position of definite victory. However, the late Emperor still won the throne. What exactly happened that made King Jin, who was so close to the throne, turn into a rebel!
Feng Yuran leaned back and pulled Mo Xuetong to his chest, patting her gently on the back of her hand. The gold and silver collar shone brightly on his purple coat, complementing his dazzling and emotionless gaze. He was as beautiful and composed as a painting.
“King Jin was incredibly powerful back then, with one of his spies next to the Emperor. He stole the empty edict out of the palace. However, the late Emperor caught wind of that and acted first, destroying King Jin manor. King Jin was caught off guard and could not retaliate. After searching King Jin manor, the edict and a personal seal of King Jin could not be found. The counsel of King Jin said that these two objects were hidden within a jade ornament, taken away by Consort Jin or Princess Shuanglan.”
“It had disappeared since then?” Mo Xuetong gasped heavily twice, asking with bewildered eyes.
King Jin was extremely bold to steal such an edict!
“No, that’s why they are searching for it.”
Mo Xuetong was silent as a chill ran up her heart. She felt her body turn cold at the thought of the empty edict with the late Emperor’s seal. It was an effective doc.u.ment that would be an official edict about succession if it landed into the hands of King Yan, King Chu or King Ning, where they would fill in their own name. No wonder the four great manors were all involved despite their influence.
With such a decree, anyone could become the Emperor officially. That surely enticed everyone!
“Your father supports you?” The bright and watery eyes shone of brilliance.
From the performance of Emperor Zongwen and the hidden power of Feng Yuran, it could be seen that Emperor Zongwen was most satisfied with this seemingly illegitimate King Xuan. Since Feng Yuran fooled others with his provocative ways, he allowed his soon to think that Feng Yuran had the least chance, making them fight amongst themselves.
The most popular candidates, Feng Yulei and Feng Yuxuan, were all covers for Feng Yuran. This Eighth Prince who was ignored by court officials was the one that Emperor Zongwen adored.
That was the method of Emperor Zongwen. Obviously, he succeeded!
No one treated Feng Yuran as a real opponent; they thought him a man to deal with casually. If they did become the emperor, every single one would love to have such a useless and arrogant brother, so as to gain a good reputation for themselves.
Mo Xuetong exclaimed at the cruelty Emperor Zongwen had to his other sons, and the love he had for Feng Yuran! She felt sadness and coldness as she realized that the family relations.h.i.+p in an imperial household was different from that of ordinary people.
“Only for his miserable guilt.” Feng Yuran pulled Mo Xuetong’s hand and explained coldly. He smiled coldly as his eyes shone devilishly under his long eyelashes, showing disdain beneath.
“Is Mother…” Mo Xuetong thought about it before biting her lips. However, she could not endure it and still asked carefully. That was the only reason why Feng Yuran had no grat.i.tude for Emperor Zongwen despite his love for him.
“Mother was poisoned. The imperial doctor in the palace lied to me when I was young and told me that Mother had died due to her poor health. However, I obviously saw the black blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. Mother died after eating the cakes that the Empress served, but he did nothing to avenge her.” Feng Yuran smirked, a tinge of hatred flas.h.i.+ng across his eyes.
“I was hiding beneath the bed and Mother asked me not to come out. I heard Mother thank the servant of the Empress and I heard her eat the cake. I was scared but I dared not come out. When Mother heard that the Empress had arrived, she pulled me in and reminded me with a frightened voice. That woman brought her men personally, and Mother died when they left.”
Feng Yuran’s cold dark pupils had no warmth within. His seductively handsome face had deep devilish hatred curved within. He was bloodthirsty like a blossoming flower, extracting the breathing of other people in one instant. Cold loneliness was hidden within his eyes as his words traveled far, as if he were talking about something unrelated to him.
He held a cold and bright smile!
Mo Xuetong’s heart hurt as she grabbed his hand. He was merely a little kid when he saw his mother swallow those deadly cakes. How much hatred and pain did he harbor?
“Mother will be glad that you want to avenge her.” Mo Xuetong hugged him and comforted him, kissing his slim lips voluntarily. Ding General Manor was a strong powerful ally that gave Emperor Zongwen power. Even if Emperor Zongwen did want to punish the Empress, he could not do that.
“If he had no ability to avenge Mother, I will do it.” Feng Yuran promised coldly as he grabbed Mo Xuetong’s hand tight. The Emperor said that Mother was the woman he loved the most yet he saw Mother die under his nose, agreeing to whatever the imperial doctor of the Empress said. If not for the fact that he feigned being poisoned too, he would not have survived in the harem as well.
Seeing his handsome eyes contain coldness and sharpness never seen before, with the light in his pupils dimming and filled with murderous intent and hatred. Mo Xuetong caressed his hand to comfort him and to attract his attention. He could not rush into revenge as Ding General Manor was still powerful now. He must plan this matter for a longer time.
If he rushed forth and lost his composure, Ding General Manor could easily fault his plans and they would have gone to waste.
Lying on his chest, she changed the topic. “Mother would want us to come over tomorrow for a family banquet at Princess Royal’s manor. Do you want to go together?”
Feng Yuran closed his eyes for a while before opening them, with the usually seductive smile returning to his face. “How can I not go to my aunt’s family banquet? She’ll believe that I’m too arrogant if I miss it!”
Princess Royal had always been nice to Feng Yuran, loving him the most and helping him most of the time. Even though Princess Royal had a family banquet this time, everyone who came was connected. On this occasion, the four possible candidates of the throne would be together.
With the prestigious status of Princess Royal in the imperial family, everyone would join this banquet!
“What does Mother want?” Mo Xuetong played with the b.u.t.tons of Feng Yuran, b.u.t.toning it and unb.u.t.toning it profusely as she asked in confusion.
She believed that Princess Royal had a deeper intention to this matter. If Princess Royal was the second daughter King Jin sent secretly into the palace, she must be affiliated with Bai Yihao, who was someone Mo Xuetong was also jealous of. Furthermore, Princess Royal had helped Bai Yihao in his recent plan to hurt Mo Xuetong. That made it hard for Mo Xuetong to believe that Princess Royal merely wanted to talk to her nephews because she was bored.
“Don’t worry. I will accompany you; it will be alright.” Feng Yuran touched her head and smiled.
“But aren’t you worried that she’ll kidnap all of you for Bai Yihao?” Mo Xuetong asked depressingly. The thought of Princess Royal, whom she treated genuinely with all her heart, hurting her secretly made her unhappy.
Qin Kingdom would have no future if she kidnapped all these four princes and sent them to Yan Kingdom. Bai Yihao would have the most to gain, increasing his territory.
Mo Xuetong did not know how Bai Yihao found Princess Royal but the thought of his mother, Princess Shuanglan finding Mother made her realize that it wouldn’t be a difficult task for her to find her own sister. Princess Shuanglan was not an easy character, having everything under her control. Her son was equally amazing.
“Aunt won’t do it. After all, she is descendent of the Feng family.” Feng Yuran explained.
The thought of Mo Xuetong worrying for his safety made him smile involuntarily. He was all smiles and was truly happy compared to before.
“However, what if Bai Yihao forced her?” Mo Xuetong could not help but be reminded of the bitter end of Princess Royal, where she was imprisoned by Emperor Zongwen. She had originally thought that a princess like her with no children would not need to get involved in the mess of succession, as she did not know the complicated details within. To think about it, as a niece, she was placed of a much lower priority than Bai Yihao.
If Emperor Zongwen knew that Princess Royal helped Bai Yihao to hurt children of the Royal family, she would naturally be imprisoned.
Bai Yihao was extremely arrogant and heartless but he would not force Princess Royal to do something she did not want to do. After all, Princess Royal was his aunt, and he would treat her nicely for King Jin or for Princess Shuanglan. I heard that Princess Shuanglan was extremely close to Princess Royal. As Consort Jin’s second daughter died early, she loved Princess Royal, who was born around the same time as her second daughter. Hence, she kept inviting her over to play, developing a good relations.h.i.+p with her.” Feng Yuran squinted, hiding the darkness from within.
“Which meant that Princess Shuanglan knew about all these, and must have contacted Princess Royal before.” Mo Xuetong frowned.
“She did contact her. However, as a woman, it was inconvenient for Princess Shuanglan to leave Yan Palace, restricting their interactions with each other. But when Bai Yihao was sent to Qin Kingdom as a hostage, Princess Royal treated him nicely and even spare a garden in her manor for him to stay.”
A garden? Mo Xuetong thought of the garden full of peach blossoms and the man dressed in snow white within. She s.h.i.+vered involuntarily.
That man gave her an extremely dangerous and disturbing feeling. He was not here but every time she thought about it, she would be uncontrollably nervous! As if there were still a web in the dark, silently opening its mouth!
“Focus, you can only think of me now.” Sensing her distraction, Feng Yuran lifted her small head unhappily. His eyes fell on her crimson lips as his lips covered hers as a punishment.
At first, he merely touched her. But when she moaned uncontrollably, his kiss continued eagerly and enthusiastically. He pierced open her cherry lips arrogantly and kissed her gently, an inexplicable excitement within the slight pain.
She felt as if she were in a fire, where every part of her body burnt. The fear and panic just now dissipated in the fiery flames. His body smelled like the aura of masculinity as he opened his arms to hug her slender waist. He rea.s.sured her inexplicably.
The fiery pa.s.sion of the man beside her made her lost. Not knowing what to do, she could only open her cherry lips to let him intrude.
Her body was tightly wrapped in his arms. His shoulders were wide and his muscles were tight, and it was easy for him to turn around and cover her body. Her soft body was the best encouragement for him as he pounced on her.