Chapter 288: Failure (1/2)

“This son came to ask if Royal Father remembers my mother.” Qi Yun stared at the emperor and noted the flash of surprise and derision on the man's face. It made his fury burn hotter.

Before the emperor could respond, he took a deep breath and continued, “When I was young, my mother was the only one by my side. Royal Father is too busy to even pay me a visit. Mother was never allowed to attend the family dinner due to her lower background… Days after days, she waited for the man who'd promised her a lifetime of happiness to come, but he never did. She was still defending you even right before her death… She should've led a carefree life, but she was trapped in this palace with no end in sight.”

His eyes turned red as he swallowed a sob, reminiscing about the loved one he'd lost.

“I only have one question for you,” Qi Yun said slowly, p.r.o.nouncing every syllable. “Have you ever regretted it?”

The emperor frowned. After a long pause, he asked in a strange voice, “Regret what?”

A peel of sharp laughter escaped Qi Yun's mouth. The emperor's face grew dark. Before he could say anything else, Qi Yun stopped laughing and shot him a frigid glare. “Regret what? How can you ask that? Fine, let me tell you what you should regret. You should regret trapping her in the palace but never showing her any love. You should regret getting her killed.”

“Enough!” snapped the emperor. “Have you forgotten you are my son? You're getting too bold! You have no right to question me!”

Qi Yun stared at him with venom in his eyes. After the emperor was done scolding him, he said, “Isn't Royal Father suspecting this son? Then let me tell you this: I allied with Brother Nan long ago, and I knew about Prince Duan's plan beforehand.”

“I asked Brother Nan to circle the palace so that Prince Duan would make his move. If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have known how Royal Father really thinks of me. Since you already consider me a villain, I should play the part, shouldn't I?”

The emperor cowered under Qi Yun's sharp gaze, his robe and hair drenched by sweat. He looked ridiculous with his dark red face.

Qi Yun's words. .h.i.t the emperor where he was most tender. There was no love left in Qi Yun's heart, only the thrill of revenge.

The emperor trembled in fury and threw a teacup at Qi Yun, who easily dodged it and seized his father's wrist.

“What the h.e.l.l are you doing?” The emperor was frightened by his son's reaction, his voice shaking without him realizing.

“What does Royal Father think this son is going to do?” Qi Yun approached the emperor and asked, his lips curved into a terrifyingly cruel smile.

The emperor's pupils contracted. He'd never been this scared before, not even when Qi Chen stormed the palace. He knew Qi Chen wanted only the throne and nothing else, and thus wouldn't actively try to hurt him. Qi Yun was different. He was looking for more.

“Are you going to commit treason?” The emperor struggled with all he'd gotten, but Qi Yun was too strong for him to resist. “Guards! Arrest this man! Guards!”

No one answered his call.

The old eunuch opened the door. Qi Yun glanced at him and let go of the emperor, who fell onto the bed, panting, his face pale.

“How did it go?” Qi Yun asked coolly.

The eunuch answered without sparing the emperor a glance, “Prince Nan Xun made his way here in time and restrained all the guards outside.”

All color drained from the emperor's face. Not even in his worst nightmare could he imagine being played by his son, and the one son he'd deemed incompetent before. It shocked him even more that his confidante had defected to Qi Yun.

He broke into laughter with his gaze fixed on Qi Yun, who looked back at him calmly.

“Do you think you've won?” the emperor sneered. “Haha, you can't get what you want even after everything you've done! I've decreed that Prince Duan is to be prince regent with the ninth prince on the throne. You can't be the emperor even after I die!”

There were tears in his eyes from laughing too hard.

The old eunuch snorted. “Your Majesty, I'm afraid the prince has antic.i.p.ated that as well. He's ordered this old servant to replace the imperial seal. The decree you've drafted before is kept safe in my hands. The fourth prince, who Your Majesty favors so much, is going to take the throne after your death.”