Then, not only Prince Ning but even the guard beside him saw that Liu Yufeng’s eyes began to bleed first—though only a little, it was shockingly unsettling—followed by his ears, mouth, and nostrils.
“This is… Qing’er, you…”
Though he believed in his heart that his sister was doing this to save Liu Yufeng, the scene that followed was unbearable. Watching Liu Yufeng writhe in pain on the ground before him, blood seeping from all seven orifices, Prince Ning stepped forward in astonishment and whispered to her.
“This is a man the Emperor ordered to be executed. Could it be that you, Brother Ning, wish to save him? But this poison of mine has no antidote… It seems the toxicity isn’t strong enough. I thought it would kill swiftly, yet it’s taking so long, and his screams are truly unbearable… Ah, finally, it’s over.”
Seeing Prince Ning’s expression and tone, she knew he was shocked. Noting the concern and disbelief in his eyes, Wanqing smiled faintly and spoke lightly. Observing his deepening confusion and disappointment, she shrugged nonchalantly.
Watching his dismayed expression and the stunned, horrified looks of the two guards, she chuckled softly. As Liu Yufeng’s screams continued, she even frowned in exaggerated discomfort, raising a hand to cover her ears.
Only when Liu Yufeng finally stopped struggling, lying limp on the ground with his eyes shut and face covered in blood, did she sigh in relief and lower her hand.
“Qing’er, you… you killed him, you…”
Prince Ning was baffled by his sister’s demeanor. Just moments ago, she had seemed intent on saving him, yet now she had poisoned him with her own hands. Though his eyes refused to believe it, and his heart struggled to accept it, he still stepped forward, placing a hand under Liu Yufeng’s nose. When he confirmed there was no breath left, he rose with a look of unmistakable reproach.
“Dead? Seems he’s truly dead.”
At his words, the guard hesitantly stepped forward and checked for himself. Only after confirming the lack of breath did he relax, turning to his companion.
“Alright, Brother Ning, I was just helping these two gentlemen out, wasn’t I? This man was truly despicable—even in death, he had to ruin one of their eyes. Big brother, I think you should hurry and take your comrade to see the imperial physician, see if there’s any hope. As for this fellow, since we killed him and made his death so gruesome, why not do a good deed and take him out of the palace to bury him properly?”
Wanqing knew Prince Ning misunderstood her, but she brushed it off with a playful smile, stepping forward to coax him. When he remained sullen, she turned to the guards with a kind expression. Though they were taken aback, one supported the other as they nodded gratefully.
“In that case, many thanks to the young lady and Prince Ning. I’ll take my brother to see the physician now…”
The guard hadn’t expected their secret execution mission to end with one of them injured. Though unsure if his comrade’s eyes could recover, the target was already dead. He had no idea who this woman beside Prince Ning was, but her ruthlessness and methods left him deeply impressed.
As they left, Wanqing waved cheerfully, as if bidding farewell to old friends.
“Take care, take care, big brother…”
Prince Ning, however, couldn’t remain calm. He checked Liu Yufeng’s breath again—still nothing. The thought that his sister had killed someone right before him, especially someone without any grudge, was unbearable. Grabbing her arm, he demanded with pain and disbelief:
“Qing’er, how could you do this to Brother Liu? You…”
“Ugh, always so impatient. I did this to save him! Do you realize what would happen if we openly rescued him in front of the Emperor’s men? Hurry, carry him out of the palace. Once we’re outside, I can revive him…”
Faced with her brother’s accusatory gaze, Wanqing sighed and explained, urging him to act quickly.
“You… want me to carry him? You…”
Prince Ning was exasperated by his sister’s flippant attitude. The idea of hauling a bloodied corpse made him grimace.
“Fine, I won’t carry him. If you won’t either, then let him die here for real. I’m leaving…”
Annoyed by his earlier accusations, Wanqing turned on her heel with a haughty pout.
“Alright, alright, I’ll carry him! But with so many people in the palace, what if someone sees…?”
Prince Ning’s brows furrowed into a deep frown. Though reluctant, he remembered his acquaintance with Liu Yufeng and his ties to Leng Mingye. Gritting his teeth, he hoisted the body onto his shoulder, careful to avoid the blood.
“Haha, Brother Ning, so heroic yet so clueless! Why not fetch a sedan chair? We can ride out together with him hidden inside. Surely you have someone in the palace who can arrange that?”
Wanqing couldn’t help but laugh at his miserable expression, though she was still irked by his earlier distrust.
“Underestimating me, are you? Wait here.”
Realizing her suggestion was sound, Prince Ning set Liu Yufeng down and went to summon a few eunuchs with sedan chairs. Soon, they were comfortably seated, effortlessly exiting the palace gates. Before passing through, Wanqing had already taken measures to mask the blood and administered a life-sustaining pill to Liu Yufeng.
“Qingfeng, take us straight to Prince Ning’s residence.”
Once in the carriage, Wanqing gave the order to her attendants. Upon arriving at the manor, she treated Liu Yufeng with acupuncture and medicine. Half an hour later, his eyes finally fluttered open, his pallid face gradually regaining color.
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