Chapter 351: Eliminating The Threa (1/2)

t

Qi Yun scoffed. “Isn't Brother Nan your favorite, Empress Dowager? What changed?”

Her face clouded for a brief moment. “So? He's not part of the Qi family. How can someone like him be considered one of us? How can you trust him? Don't you know that a subordinate may end up garnering more respect than his master? Haven't you heard how the others had been flattering him? If one day he comes to his full power and replaces you, you only have yourself to blame.”

Qi Yun sighed, resigned, his anger fading away. The extravagantly dressed woman was nothing but an ungraceful loser.

His question had been rhetorical. Of course he knew why the empress dowager had paid that much attention to Nan Xun in the beginning. She simply wanted insurance. She started treating Nan Xun with kindness when his talent started to show. However, no one realized that Nan Xun's heart would come to be occupied by one woman. If anyone dared hurt her, even someone who'd given him the world could be nothing but his enemy.

“Take good care of the empress dowager. At her age, she shouldn't go out without a good reason.” With that, Qi Yun walked away with a flourish of his sleeves. The farce might as well have never happened.

The empress dowager slumped dejectedly. It looked as if she'd aged a decade in an instant. She watched Qi Yun go. There was a lump in her throat preventing her from saying anything.

Shangguan Yue crawled to the empress dowager despite the burning pain and grabbed her foot. “Help me, Your Royal Highness. I was telling the truth. Don't give me up. If you let them take me, they'll torture me to death. I'm begging you, Your Royal Highness.”

The burn had damaged her vocal cords. Her grating voice sounded almost h.e.l.lish. The empress dowager had been overwhelmed with her fury for Nan Xun and Qi Yun. Shangguan Yue's plea didn't help.

Scowling, the empress dowager kicked Shangguan Yue away and looked down at her. “Do you know what you've done? You're more trouble than you're worth. What use do I have for you?”

Since they left the Palace of Compa.s.sion and Tranquility, Nan Xun hadn't let go of Jun Huang's hand. It was as if he feared that she'd be in danger again if he did. He couldn't help but be afraid at the thought of what would have happened if Jun Huang had been hit by the boiling tea.

Jun Huang turned to him and noted his pursed lips. He was still beating himself up for what had happened. She chuckled. The sound was a ray of sunlight breaking through the heavy clouds. Nan Xun came to a stop.

“What are you laughing about? Do you know what the boiling tea would have done to you? Do you know what the empress dowager would have done if Qi Yun and I hadn't arrived in time? How am I to keep you safe?” Nan Xun was still scowling.

Jun Huang knew he was right. She stayed silent lest she misspeak. Nan Xun sighed. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” Jun Huang said faintly, hiding her slightly burned hand under her sleeves. Nan Xun didn't notice.

What happened today made Nan Xun realize that many dangers lay hidden in the shadows still. Jun Huang might get hurt anytime. He silently swore to take her away from the imperial city once everything settled.

He pulled Jun Huang close, still reeling from what could have happened. He was afraid that he'd one day fail to protect her and leave her defenseless. He feared that she'd get hurt despite his caution.

“I know you're not afraid of them,” Nan Xun said seriously, his eyes determined. “I know you've restrained yourself because I told you the empress dowager was kind to me when I was young. However, I never want you to be hurt. Don't worry about the empress dowager. I'll take care of everything. She's never going to lay a finger on you again.”

Jun Huang knew Nan Xun meant it. He would never appease her with lies. His oath touched Jun Huang. She rested her head on his chest and nodded.

They held each other tightly in the royal garden, fitting together perfectly like they were always meant to be together. Even the maids pa.s.sing by couldn't help looking at them with envy. It didn't seem possible for mortals to have a love like theirs.

Qi Yun looked at them from afar. He still felt a pang of hurt when he saw them, but the pain didn't last. Lingering in his heart was a faint, dull sense of loss.

There were countless couples in the world, but Jun Huang and Nan Xun were the only one that could hurt him. And yet he seemed to catch them in an intimate moment all the time.

Instead of approaching them immediately, Qi Yun had the servants prepare some tea. He sat down at a stone table and didn't leave until he finished the pot.

He got to his feet. The couple had finally let go of each other and were looking at the koi fish in the pond.