Chapter 225: It’s Not Easy for Me to Be Alive

Chapter 225: It's Not Easy for Me to Be Alive

Before leaving, Nan Rui sternly instructed, "Prefect Feng, this Prince's trip is merely for leisure. Consider that you haven't seen me today."

Prefect Feng repeatedly agreed, "Your Highness, please rest assured."

Nan Rui gave Prefect Feng another sidelong glance as a warning before leaving with his men.

When he arrived at Yun City, the city gates had already been ordered open by Meng Huaining, which puzzled Nan Rui somewhat.

Entering the city, Nan Rui headed straight for the county office.

Such a significant event had occurred in Yun City, even if it was just a false alarm. As a prince of Daliang, he needed to investigate thoroughly.

"First, accompany this Prince to the county office," Nan Rui instructed several subordinates.

"Yes," they replied, then dispersed around Nan Rui to protect him.

Nan Rui walked along the street and arrived at the county office.

At that moment, Mo Chuhan had just returned with a group of officers and was about to go out to inform the people that no one had smallpox. Unexpectedly, he encountered Nan Rui right at the door.

He immediately became wary. His younger brother had speculated that he might have been among the assassins sent by Nan Rui to kill the ninth prince.

In other words, even if Nan Rui wasn't the one who planted the puppet worm in him, he was still involved.

Therefore, upon seeing Nan Rui, not only did Mo Chuhan's vigilance rise, but the anger in his heart also surged.

Nan Rui recognized Mo Chuhan at once. He didn't expect to coincidentally meet him here, but he didn't know Mo Chuhan's current situation, so he didn't act rashly.

After a moment's hesitation, Mo Chuhan still bowed to Nan Rui.

After all, before things turned sour, when encountering a prince of the current dynasty, one should still maintain appearances.

"Why has Your Highness, Prince Rui, come here?"

Nan Rui frowned slightly. If the mother worm in his hand encountered a child worm, there would definitely be a reaction. However, despite being in such close proximity to Mo Chuhan, there was no response at all.

As he wondered about this, he raised his hand toward Mo Chuhan. "Mo... dispense with the formalities."

Nan Rui had intended to say "General Mo, dispense with the formalities," but thinking of the Mo family's plight, he momentarily didn't know how to address Mo Chuhan.

Mo Chuhan quickly straightened up without saying anything further, intending to leave the initiative to speak to Nan Rui.

Meanwhile, the group of officers following him were stunned.

They had just heard Chief Mo call the man in front of them "Your Highness, Prince Rui." They didn't know how to react, forgetting even the basic act of kneeling.

Nan Rui looked Mo Chuhan over again and, curious, asked, "Are you now serving in the office?"

Mo Chuhan dared not tell the truth, fearing it would implicate Meng Huaining.

"The magistrate doesn't know my identity. I'm just looking for a job to support my family."

Whether he believed it or not, Nan Rui didn't press the matter further.

What he was most concerned about was why his mother worm couldn't control Mo Chuhan.

During their conversation, Nan Rui had tried manipulating the mother worm, but Mo Chuhan showed no reaction at all.

He couldn't figure out what was wrong. Unless he personally intervened, Mo Chuhan's puppet worm could not be removed.

"Your body?" Nan Rui intended to find out more from Mo Chuhan.

At this point, Mo Chuhan was completely certain that the puppet worm in him was directly related to Nan Rui.

Thinking about this, he no longer wanted to beat around the bush with Nan Rui. At worst, it would be a lose-lose situation, and he didn't take the dozen or so guards accompanying Nan Rui seriously.

With this thought, Mo Chuhan laughed coldly. "Thanks to Your Highness, Prince Rui, it's not easy for me to be alive."

Upon hearing this, Nan Rui's expression changed instantly.

"What do you know?"

Mo Chuhan first glanced at the few officers behind him. He guessed that Nan Rui's purpose in coming here was because of him.

Even though his entire family had been exiled, it wasn't something that could be openly discussed. Yet, Nan Rui had asked so brazenly.

If he had been equally careless and said it directly in front of those officers, their secret dealings would have been exposed.

"Does the Prince really intend to discuss this here?"

Reminded thusly, Nan Rui realized that there were not only his guards present, but also those officers. Indeed, he had been careless.

Nan Rui immediately turned around. "Come with this Prince."

Mo Chuhan dismissed the stunned officers and followed Nan Rui away in large strides.

The two went directly to a nearby restaurant and reserved a private room.

Facing Nan Rui, Mo Chuhan didn't hold back and sat down directly.

Nan Rui wasn't annoyed. He sat opposite him and, after a moment of contemplation, took the initiative to speak.

"This Prince came to the northwest to find you."

Hearing him say this, Mo Chuhan wasn't surprised.

"I wonder what business Prince Rui has with me?"

Nan Rui had no intention of beating around the bush and directly placed the small porcelain bottle on the table.

"This bottle contains the queen of the puppet insect."

Mo Chuhan raised his eyebrows, asking despite knowing the answer: "What does this have to do with me?"

Nan Rui shook his head helplessly with a bitter smile.

"Why must you make this Prince spell everything out when you already know everything?"

Mo Chuhan scoffed, no longer willing to play dumb.

"The men of the Mo family have shed their blood on the battlefield for the protection of Dashun's territory, and now we've been reduced to the entire clan being exiled. Could we possibly still pose a threat to anyone?"

Upon hearing this, Nan Rui hurriedly explained, "You've misunderstood; I didn't come here with any ill intentions towards the Mo family."

"Since that's the case, I shall take my leave now." Mo Chuhan stood up, intending to leave.

If it wasn't about harming the Mo family, regardless of Prince Rui's true purpose, he had no desire to indulge him.

As for the matter of his wife, the ninth princess consort, removing the insect from him, he had no intention of explaining it to Nan Rui.

Seeing that Mo Chuhan was truly leaving, Nan Rui quickly got up to stop him.

"I'm also being coerced. Please sit down first and let me finish what I have to say."

Mo Chuhan glanced at Nan Rui sideways, reluctantly sitting back down.

Nan Rui composed himself before speaking: "Don't think that just because the queen insect is in my hands now, the puppet insect on your body was planted by me.

You should know that my mother, the imperial concubine, was not favored, and my presence in the palace has always been low-key. I am well aware that I lack the abilities to be an emperor, so I have deliberately avoided getting involved in the power struggles of the court.

Despite this, I was still targeted by someone."

With that, Nan Rui lifted the porcelain bottle in his hand to show Mo Chuhan.

"It was the former owner of this queen insect who threatened my mother, the imperial concubine, forcing me to do his bidding. Anything you've seen or heard related to me was not done out of my own volition."

Just as Nan Rui finished speaking, there was a knock on the door. A guard entered to report, "Your Highness, Ninth Master Mo and his wife have arrived."

Nan Rui did not expect Mo Jiuye to show up at this time.