What an Audacious and Sly Servant! - Chapter 77

Chapter 77 – It is Useless Even if You Give Up the Country

When Chu Xun reached the outskirt of the capital city, it was already at zi time[1].

The moon was hanging beside the imperial palace, illuminating the capital city’s night.

In the end, the capital city was a bustling place. Even in the middle of the night, music and laughter were still around. There were always some nobles spending money like water.

The carriage passed through the main road quickly. It directly headed for the gate of the palace. The guards on night shift saw the carriage driver drove violently and stopped just before the guard’s nose. The young guard lost himself in confusion. What sort of situation is this?

Mo Biao who was driving the carriage shouted, “Open the gate quick.”

The young guard turned more confused, “Sister Zhu Li? Aren’t you in……” He pointed inside the palace. Today when he was having dinner he saw Zhu Li brought along several palace maids and moved busily. He heard because the Emperor was about to return to the palace and Empress Dowager made them to clean up Ming Jue Palace.

Mo Biao was too lazy to talk further with him. She pulled out the waist pendant and urged again, “What’s wrong with me? You dare to stop even the Emperor’s carriage? If the matter is delayed, even if you have ten heads they will not be enough to cut! Open the gate immediately!”

“Oh, oh, oh……” The young guard and his other subordinates hastily opened the gate. They only felt a gush of wind entered from the gate. In a blink, the Emperor’s carriage had already disappeared behind the corner of the palace walls.

Chu Xun instantly went to the imprisoned Prince Chen’s Cold Palace. Prince Chen had yet to sleep. He was currently reading a book alone. When he saw his nephew had a murderous look, his eyelids only raised up. He was not surprised at all. “Xun er is busy with the national matters so how do you have free time to come to Imperial Uncle’s place?”

“Why ask when you already know, Imperial Uncle? What do you want to give me the antidote?”

Prince Chen put down the book. With his eyebrows raised, he smiled and asked, “Xun er is quite healthy. Why would you need an antidote?”

Chu Xun gritted his teeth. He silently tried to fathom this pig uncle of his. He obviously knew yet pretended to oblivious to it. He probably wanted to embarrass Chu Xun so he surely wouldn’t easily compromise. Chu Xun felt confronting him forcefully and directly was not a way. Changing his tone, he changed his expression faster than a woman could.

“In the earlier years, Imperial Uncle roamed the jianghu and had broad knowledge. Zhen coming here because zhen’s friend is inflicted with an unknown poison. The physicians had no idea about it hence zhen wants to invite Imperial Uncle to go out and have a look.” Chu Xun too gave Prince Chen an innocent smile, “Right, Imperial Uncle is also an old friend with zhen’s friend’s family. On account of old friendship, you should have a look of the patient. Don’t you think so?”

Prince Chen was silent for a while. His eyes when looking at Chu Xun shone and dimmed quickly. What he was thinking about was unknown.

While the Emperor opposite him stood without moving with a shameless face.

In the end, Prince Chen stood up. His mood seemed to be quite well, “Fine then. Let’s have a look.”

Mei Qian Deng had already been sent to the Ming Jue Palace. Before Chu Xun left, he had specially ordered to place Mei Qian Deng in the room beside his bedroom. By norm, the Emperor shouldn’t be staying in the Ming Jue Palace. Ming Jue Palace was only for Crown Prince. However, Chu Xun was the most powerful person in the world. Even if it was not appropriate, when he persisted, everyone couldn’t do anything about it.

Ming Jue Palace was still the same like five years ago. Even the small room Mei Qian Deng used to stay five years ago, Chu Xun still maintained it.

When Prince Chen followed Chu Xun and appeared inside the Ming Jue Palace, Zhu Li, Zhao Mo Ran and a group of imperial physicians were shocked. All of them thought with that murderous look Chu Xun had when he went to Prince Chen, it would turn into either one killed. They had already prepared the possibility Prince Chen ‘suddenly died’.

“Imperial Uncle, please take a look quick.”

Chu Xun brought Prince Chen to the side of Mei Qian Deng’s bed.

Everyone silently retreated, creating a half circle. Their eyes were wide open as they watched closely Prince Chen’s every move.

Prince Chen calmly sat beside Mei Qian Deng’s bed. He first seriously checked her externally. Then, he used the back of his hand to touch the pulse on Mei Qian Deng’s neck.

Someone among the spectators drew a cold air. The others were holding their breath. Zhao Mo Ran planned: If Prince Chen launched an attack and snap Mei Qian Deng’s neck, he wouldn’t be able to save her in time. While Young Master Zhao thinking, he raised his inner energy to seventy percent.

Zhu Li who was beside Zhao Mo Ran used her elbow to push Young Master Zhao and softly said, “Since when Prince Chen knows medical skills? Do you know?”

Zhao Mo Ran shook his head. Clenching his teeth, he raised his internal force to a hundred percent.

However, Prince Chen didn’t snap Mei Qian Deng’s neck. After he had checked the pulse on her neck, he grabbed Mei Qian Deng’s palm. He checked her pulse for a moment. Then, he inspected her wound in the passing.

Finally he opened his mouth, “It is rumoured that among the poisons in jianghu that can make people unconscious, there are three types that are hard to cure. All of them are colourless and odourless. The first one is called Intense Cold. The poisoned person’s body temperature will gradually lower, the blood flow and all organs will solidify. After a month without antidote, the person will turn into a frozen block from inside to outside. The second one is called Blood Ant. The poisoned person will appear to be sleeping soundly but actually the whole body is like being bitten by ten million ants. Unable to endure it and can’t move at the same time, seven days later that person will surely die. When that person dies, countless small pores will appear all over the body and black blood will flow out. Just thinking about it is nauseating.” Prince Chen glanced at Chu Xun.

Chu Xun’s whole body trembled. He felt goose bumps over his body.

“And the third type is called One into Half. If it is one of the first two poisons, there is still an antidote. This third one really doesn’t have any antidote. The moment the poison mixed with the blood, it will penetrate into the head and slowly swallow the brain. In the end, the poisoned person’s brain will be half-malfunctioned. When wakes up, that person will turn to an idiot.”

Prince Chen looked at Chu Xun again. His eyes had some glimmers of gloating over his misfortune. Clearly, if Prince Chen was saying the truth, then the one Mei Qian Deng was poisoned with was most probably the third one. At that time, the assassins were aiming at Chu Xun. If when Chu Xun woke up he turned into an idiot……

The aftermaths would be without saying.

Chu Xun’s expression was really bad. He looked at those several imperial physicians, “Have you all ever heard of these poisons?”

The imperial physicians shook their head.

Chu Xun knead his forehead, “Imperial Uncle, it can’t be you have been put under house arrest too long, reading too many books and make them up?”

Prince Chen with a solemn face, “Since Xun er doesn’t believe, then why invite Imperial Uncle to inspect this young miss? Actually, who is this young miss? This Prince doesn’t seem to know this friend.”

“She is Mei family’s little daughter.”

“Old Master Mei actually has an illegitimate daughter?!”

Chu Xun had strongly thought, the Prince Chen tonight was extremely not normal. Holding his temper, he spitted out words from his clenched teeth, “She is Mei Qian Deng.”

Prince Chen changed his face into a surprised one. Wow, to think the Seventh Young Master Mei is actually a girl. This is really a fairy tale in jianghu. He had even felt he had yet to tease Chu Xun not enough as he seriously added, “Imperial Uncle recently read a fairy tale book. It mentioned how a young girl got cursed by someone else. She too slept and couldn’t wake up. She was unconscious for a long time. None of the various methods can wake her up. In the end, the person she liked kissed her lips once and the girl instantly woke up. Xun er, why don’t you try it too?”

Someone among the crowd couldn’t stop himself, with a ‘puchi'[2] sound, the breath held earlier escaped due to the shock. They had never notice Prince Chen could still make such a childish joke. In the past, Prince Chen only had to give a look at someone and that person would break out in sweats.

Did he eat wrong medicine today or had the Emperor secretly gave Prince Chen a medicine?

Chu Xun didn’t respond to Prince Chen. Instead, he said to the people behind him, “All of you retreat first. I have something to discuss with Imperial Uncle alone.”

“Your Majesty, this is not proper……” Zhu Li immediately defied the decree. Your Majesty, Prince Chen is a very dangerous person. His martial arts are extremely good and always thinking of harming you! If he suddenly trouble you, how are we supposed to explain to Empress Dowager, how are we supposed to explain to the late Emperor? Plus, Senior Official Song will collectively bury us alive with you too!

Chu Xun gave Zhu Li an unflinching look. Zhu Li still wanted to fight on but in the end, she was dragged away by Zhao Mo Ran.

In the room, only Chu Xun and Prince Chen were left.

The atmosphere suddenly turned subtle.

Prince Chen stayed calm. He sat beside the bed while sizing up the unconscious Mei Qian Deng. He really didn’t notice Mei Qian Deng was actually a girl back when he first saw her. He then thought back of that year when his old affairs with Old Master Mei. Prince Chen had always liked Old Master Mei. He was a just and smart person.

“Imperial Uncle.”

“En?”

“Why not, zhen exchange the throne with you?”

Prince Chen was clearly shocked. He raised his head and uncertainly asked Chu Xun, “Exchange with what?”

“Exchange with her antidote.”

“……”

The room entered a very dangerous silence again.

Chu Xun seemed to think this idea was not bad. A trace of freedom was clear on his face.

How could it not be? What was so happy about being the Emperor? Even if the world was in his hands, a group of freeloading officials would made some wicked ideas and tricks for him every day. Most importantly, he couldn’t even chase after the girl he liked. Zhen is the most perfect person in the world. Initially, zhen thought there will be no girl who can match zhen in this world. Yet, he never expect that all creatures mutually complimented. That he would come across a young girl who followed her own heart.

The more a person chased after perfection, the more picky and persistent the person was. They wouldn’t easily fancy something because their standard was too high and they weren’t willing to lower it. Hence, the moment they saw one, they would become crazy. They would obsessed, they would abandon everything else as long as they could have it forever.

How could he let go?

Just as Chu Xun thinking about what he could do after passing the throne, a gush of wind appeared beside his ear suddenly.

‘Pa——!’

An extremely clear slap landed on him.

After the monarch of a nation and the Emperor of the land, Chu Xun blinked his eyes in stupidly, he felt the gradually hot pain on the half side of his face.

Chu Xun slightly gasped. He had a disbelieved face as he looked at Prince Chen in front of him.

Imperial Uncle, it seems like just now there is a really amazing assassin moved without a trace and gave zhen a slap? Imperial Uncle, did you see that person?

Chu Xun was done staring at Prince Chen. He foolishly looked around, as if he was searching for the person who had ate a bear’s gut to hit him.

After a while, Chu Xun finally realised the truth. His nostrils were wide open due to anger, “Imperial Uncle, a gentleman only use his hand, never his mouth.”

Wait, it seemed like something was not right.

“A gentleman only use his mouth, never his hand!”

Prince Chen had hit the Emperor yet he didn’t appear to be scared. Earlier, he probably was just teasing Chu Xun. But, if you’re currently standing before Prince Chen, you would surely feel the intimidating aura from Prince Chen. He no longer joked around. With a heavy face he reprimanded Chu Xun, “This slap is on behalf of your Imperial Father.”

Chu Xun smirked, “Imperial Father had deceased. Now, it’s a game between zhen and Imperial Uncle. Didn’t Imperial Uncle dream of becoming the Emperor? Those assassins of yours are like flies staring at a smelly chicken egg as they watched zhen, hated unable to enter through the cracks. Why suddenly pretend to be an upright person now?”

“If this Prince says, this matter has nothing to do with this Prince, will Xun er believe it?”

“No.”

Prince Chen shrugged his shoulders. He himself too felt it was unbelievable.

“But Imperial Uncle here really doesn’t have the antidote.”

“Imperial Uncle, please don’t force zhen. If Mei Qian Deng dies, you will be the first to accompany her.”

“Help Imperial Uncle to dig the hole deeper. Else, Imperial Uncle afraid will crawl out in the middle of the night to haunt Xun er.”

Chu Xun was angered by Prince Chen for the whole night and even suffered a slap for nothing. The first slap in his life, just like that was gone. Chu Xun’s eyes as he looked at Prince Chen right now was wishing dearly he could cut him into a thousand pieces. However, the late Emperor had decreed, no matter what happened, Prince Chen couldn’t be killed. Prince Chen’s death would only either be suicide or dead due to age or illness. In any case, Chu Xun’s hands were forbidden from being smeared with his uncle’s blood.

He heard Prince Chen said, “Imperial Brother had died. This Prince’s resentment towards him too had disappeared. This Prince felt like having the constitution of attracting evil upon born into here. Don’t Xun er think so?” Prince Chen’s words were from his conscience. Thinking of the past, it was indeed like that.

“Although Mei Qian Deng’s father used the killing a thousand enemy but self-damaged eight hundred method to destroy this Prince’s plan, this Prince still admire him for being a true man. If this Prince has the antidote, why hide it. There is no point of it personally and publicly.”

What Prince Chen should say was almost done. He personally went to open the door. Outside, a line of people were standing. Their looks were like preparing for a big battle. Seeing Prince Chen coming out, they held their breath. Prince Chen’s mischievous heart came back. He turned his head around and added, “After all, this Prince is not Xun er, willful like a girl.”

Chu Xun: (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻ Who are you saying is like a girl!

(Author pushed the spectacles: Imperial Uncle, you have reached the truth. They actually are holding the wrong scripts!)

[Mini Theatre]

Mei Qian Deng: I heard you want to let go of the whole country for my sake?

Chu Xun: Yes, so are you willing to let go of a small part of jianghu for zhen?

[1] Between 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.

[2] Sound of snorting