Chapter 410 The Last Forgiveness (Part Two)

Chapter 410 The Last Forgiveness (Part Two)

The warm sun once again cast its glow across the sky, and two straight days of clear skies had melted away much of the snow within the bamboo grove.

In the entire Qingfeng Garden, the snow had also melted, turning into droplets that trickled down from the stone ledges and eaves.

Drop by drop, they splashed into fine, misty sprays.

"Cough..."

A bowl of steaming hot medicine, dark and bitter-looking, was handed over by the young man whose pallor had somewhat improved. He downed it in one gulp, his gaze fixed on the girl who had brought him the medicine, unwilling to tear his gaze away.

Only when the bowl was snatched from his hands by the girl, who showed no sign of goodwill, did he suppress the warmth of joy in his heart, his face regaining the serene composure befitting Prince Yun Ji, radiant and composed.

"Rao Rao, Yun Ji is fine now, don't worry."

His voice was clear, like a flowing stream, and just hearing his tone made it hard to feel any lingering anger. It seemed that getting angry at such a Prince YueHua would be an unforgivable sin, something to be despised.

"The wicked live for a thousand years. Compared to me, the wicked one, you, Yun Ji, are truly the one and only in the Three Kingdoms. Would I worry that you might just drop dead..."

No matter how unforgivable it seemed, Su Rao still showed no sign of goodwill, her sharp words spilling out effortlessly. But when she mentioned his death, she noticed a flicker of emotion in his obsidian-like phoenix eyes, and she stopped herself, immediately grabbing Yun Ji's wrist to check his pulse.

Today, his pulse was steady, unlike the erratic and weak pulse from the previous night. His heart had calmed, his breath was even, and his pulse was stable.

After checking his pulse and confirming that Yun Ji was temporarily fine, Su Rao finally let out a sigh of relief, the worry in her brow quietly fading.

"Since Jì Yuè is fine now, and the issue with my younger sister has been resolved, let's head back to Yun County. There's someone there who needs to meet you."

In a detached voice, Su Er walked in from the outer room, his demeanor unusually serious.

Su Rao and Yun Ji both looked over, wondering what was wrong with Su Er. It wasn’t until they saw the person Su Er mentioned that they understood why he was so composed.

Arriving in Yun County from Langjing before the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, a small group of just a few people traveled in two carriages. They did not return directly to the Su residence in Yun County but instead went to the Su family’s villa there.

The confusion that Su Rao and Yun Ji had felt along the way was resolved upon meeting the person Su Er had spoken of.

That person was Ronggu.

Ronggu, Empress Rong’s trusted maid, was actually in Su Er’s hands.

Ronggu was the reason behind Su Er’s questioning of Rong Xiao on the night Prince Yun Ji was buried in Yun County. She was the person behind the Su family’s crisis...

"Prince Yun Ji, Princess Ronghua, both of you attended Emperor Wei’s birthday banquet. Whether what I say is true or false, Su Er has doubts and finds it hard to believe, thinking that I am deliberately trying to stir up discord between Yun Lang and the Zhu Xian kingdom, which had just settled into peace.

But I believe that once you two see this item, you will know that I am not deliberately stirring up discord. I only do not want my mistress to die in vain. The despicable deeds of the Zhu Xian brothers, their ambition, using my mistress to obtain the princess of the former dynasty, and then cruelly killing her.

I have no ability to avenge my mistress and kill those two despicable and treacherous brothers, fearing it would implicate my princess. But if I do not do something, my mistress will not rest in peace."

In the side room of the villa, Ronggu knelt on the ground, holding a painting in her hands. It depicted a couple sitting opposite each other under a white plum tree, gazing at each other. Although it was just a painting, one could see the affection between the couple in the painting, their eyes soft and gentle.

This painting, like the one that had implicated the Su family, not only featured the same man and woman—the Great Qin Crown Prince and his consort—but also bore the same artistic style and brushwork, unmistakably the work of the same hand.

"According to your words, the actions behind the Zhu Xian kingdom, when I went there, Xianyi Chishaou recognized who I was. He and Xianyi Chiwei used Crown Prince Yun Lang and the Yao family to implicate the entire Su family, all for the purpose of obtaining me, the princess of the former dynasty, to rally the scattered remnants of Great Qin under my name, so they could rightfully unify the Three Kingdoms and become the second Great Qin."

A cold, almost icy atmosphere.

Su Rao held the painting presented by Ronggu, while Su Er took out the painting Emperor Wei had given to old General Su in prison. Comparing the two, it was clear they were indeed the same person’s handwriting, not a copy by someone else. Moreover, Emperor Wei’s fondness for painting was well-known.

The hands holding the scroll, their recently healed fingers now pale again, revealed the turmoil she felt.

"Rao Rao, don’t be too hard on yourself."

Seeing this, Yun Ji moved his slender fingers and grasped Su Rao's hand. His sharp eyes, no longer hidden, fixed on the kneeling Ronggu, who bowed her head.

With just one look, Ronggu felt he had seen through everything. Sweat beads uncontrollably formed on her forehead.

Ronggu was captured by Su Er because Empress Rong, imprisoned in the cold palace by Emperor Wei, had sent her to find Su Rao. Her plan was to drag the entire Zhu Xian kingdom down with her if she fell. But before Ronggu could approach Su Rao, Su Er, lurking in the shadows, caught her. Helpless, Ronggu had to tell Su Er everything she had prepared for Su Rao. As long as her mistress's goal was achieved, the process did not matter.

After comparing the two paintings, Su Rao and Yun Ji confirmed they were created by Emperor Wei. The aged and faded paper suggested the paintings were likely made by Emperor Wei during his time as a hostage in Great Qin, preserved for over a decade.

"Jì Yuè, little sister, I’m telling you today that the Su family’s crisis was orchestrated by the two brothers of Zhu Xian. It’s not about unresolved grievances or me, Su Yumo, asking you to act. I just want you to stay alert, especially about your relationship with Xianyi Chishaou..."

After Ronggu was taken away, Su Er glanced at his grandfather, who had gone to the main house for tea, and spoke gravely:

"Since little sister is a Su family daughter, her marriage to Prince Yi of Zhu Xian, lacking parental consent, a matchmaker, or proper rituals, isn’t valid in our family."

Clearly, Su Er was frustrated with Su Rao’s rushed marriage and had been bottling up his anger. Learning the Su family’s crisis was tied to the Zhu Xian brothers, not Empress Rong, made him rethink Su Rao’s marriage to Xianyi Chishaou.

"This matter, since little sister has returned, must be resolved..."

"Second brother..."

Before Su Er could continue, Su Rao directly interrupted.

"There is no need to resolve anything between me and Xianyi Chishaou."

About the divorce letter, Su Rao said she had already taken care of it. However, in response to Ronggu's words and the evidence of the paintings, Su Rao added:

The crisis of her Su family, her identity as the princess of the former dynasty being exposed without warning—if it was said that Emperor Wei and the Crown Prince were in cahoots, she believed it. But if it was said that Xianyi Chishaou was also involved, she did not believe it.

When Su Rao approached Xianyi Chishaou during the Zhu Xian-Yun Lang war, he had chances to act if he had ulterior motives, but he didn’t—he stayed honorable.

"Yu Mo, Xianyi Chishaou is indeed as Rao Rao knows him. Although he is aloof and proud, he is actually a righteous gentleman, clear-minded and upright."

Su Rao's understanding of Xianyi Chishaou and her trust in him were without doubt. For Yun Ji, he would not feel any jealousy because of this, and he objectively evaluated and viewed Xianyi Chishaou.

Xianyi Chishaou is an opponent worthy of their respect and a king worthy of others' admiration.