Chapter 49 Shouldn’t Have Touched My Crown Prince Brother

Chapter 49: Don't You Dare Mess With My Crown Prince Brother

As usual.

Su Zheng and Luo Yunchen dined together.

Luo Yunchen occasionally picked up food and placed it on Su Zheng's plate, and Su Zheng accepted whatever he was given without a fuss, as if it were only natural.

They ate and chatted about the situation in Nancheng, never once mentioning the half-month deadline, as if they had both forgotten it.

Luo Yunchen said, "Crown Prince Brother, the personnel and topography of Nancheng have been recorded in detail, including each person’s place of origin, relatives, neighborhood relations, personal skills, and even medical history—all thoroughly documented.

Also, the topography of Nancheng, down to the smallest ravines and cellars, is very detailed.

The officials who were in charge back then have also been investigated; they are mostly people affiliated with the Shen clan’s faction.

Crown Prince Brother, do you want to take this opportunity to strip these people of their official posts?"

"Strip them, it’s no big deal.

But Chen Di, what about the candidates to replace these officials?

If they are still people of the Shen clan, stripping them might cause even greater harm than not stripping them.

If the replacements are of the Lin clan’s faction, wouldn’t that be handing the advantage to someone else?"

"Then let the Shen and Lin clans contend with each other, and neither side’s people will get the positions."

"Do you have a candidate?"

"If I say I do, will Crown Prince Brother believe me?"

Su Zheng rolled his eyes at him and retorted matter-of-factly, "What else? Do I have a choice?"

A smile curved Luo Yunchen’s lips. "No, Crown Prince Brother can only trust me. Don’t worry, I will find someone who will genuinely serve the people’s interests to take that position."

"Alright, when should I go and speak to Father Emperor?"

"Within these two days. Crown Prince Brother, don’t mention the refugees. Just say that you happened to go to Nancheng and saw, in the capital, right under the emperor's nose, such ruins and broken walls that it’s as if the eternal rivers and mountains of our dynasty had a piece missing, a very bad omen. Request that the emperor decree that you oversee the restoration of Nancheng, to restore the grandeur of Dayin's landscapes."

Su Zheng, in the midst of his busyness, gave Luo Yunchen a thumbs up. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!

Luo Yunchen was amused by Su Zheng’s gesture, his eyes filled with delight.

Looking at Su Zheng, Luo Yunchen ran his tongue along his teeth. Such a Crown Prince Brother looked so kissable; he wanted to gobble him up!

He was at his breaking point!

Auxiliary Hall.

As soon as Luo Yunchen entered the inner hall, he saw incense smoke curling up from a burner on the table.

With just one glance, Luo Yunchen lifted his robe and sat down on the bed.

A palace maid stood in the outer hall holding a bowl of tea: "Young Master, your maidservant has brought you tea."

"Enter."

The maid took a deep breath, stepped forward, and walked barefoot into the hall.

Her slender jade-like feet, peeking out from under her long skirt, were hidden and revealed as she walked.

The maid walked up to Luo Yunchen, knelt beside his legs, placed the tray on the ground, lifted the tea cup, and held it up to Luo Yunchen’s eyes.

The light sleeves slid down, revealing her white, slender forearms.

The woman slightly lowered her head, but her waist was straight, emphasizing her shapely figure.

Luo Yunchen took the tea cup without touching the woman at all.

Although the maid felt regret in her heart, she did not show it at all, gently withdrawing her hand, every move oozed soft charm and seduction.

The tea cup turned between Luo Yunchen’s fingers; he brought it to his nose, swirled it, and sniffed it.

Luo Yunchen did not drink, but said in a quiet, measured tone: "Ziyi, how long have you been in my service?"

The maid was taken aback when she heard this name.

Her waist immediately straightened even more, and she made a formal bow with clasped hands, saying: "Answering my master, from the time you saved me three years ago, I have been at your every command. It has been three years now."

"Only three years? I thought it had been a long time, long enough for you to forget that I am your master and dare to be two-faced."

Ziyi trembled all over, hastily prostrated herself and kowtowed: "I implore you to see the truth! Ziyi has absolutely no intention of betraying you, nor any thought of harming you! Please believe Ziyi!"

"I believe you have no intention of harming me."

Hearing this, Ziyi breathed a sigh of relief and slowly straightened up.

Then she heard Luo Yunchen say again: "In the past few days since you came to my side, I've known all along and permitted it—your sneaky incitements, framed accusations, and subtle manipulations against the other maids."

Ziyi felt a moment of panic; she had thought that her private instigations, frame-ups, and manipulations of those maids went completely unnoticed.

She never expected that her master knew them like the back of his hand.

Then, Ziyi became excited again.

The master just said that he allowed it! He let me!

Did that mean she was special in her master's eyes?

"Just a few insignificant maids at best; if they mess up, they get kicked out."

The more Ziyi listened, the more she couldn’t control her racing heart!

The master said they were all unimportant, so they could be driven away.

Then she, who was kept, must be important!

But Luo Yunchen’s next sentence sent her crashing down from cloud nine!

"Just like you. Your little schemes, your ambitions—they mean nothing to me, so I simply can't be bothered to care."

Ziyi’s voice trembled slightly: "Master, I..."

Luo Yunchen’s originally quiet tone suddenly turned sharp: "But you dared, dared to scheme against my Crown Prince Brother! Who gave you the audacity!"

Ziyi’s body shrank back, and she instinctively shook her head to defend herself: "I didn’t, Master, Ziyi didn’t..."

Luo Yunchen twirled the cup in his hand once more, his tone turning somber again as if his earlier harshness had been a mere illusion. "The tea has been laced with the medicine the Crown Prince gave you, doesn't it?"

Ziyi nodded frantically. "Yes, yes, it was the Crown Prince who gave me the medicine. He told me to, to drug you, my lord. I—I only..."

Luo Yunchen let out a low laugh. "You're clever, pinning everything on my Crown Prince brother."

Ziyi's emotions seesawed, her nerves stretched to the breaking point. For a moment, she was dazed, unable to tell if her master was actually praising her.

Before Ziyi had time to think, she heard her master say, "You took the medicine the Crown Prince gave you, gave part of it to another palace maid, and incited her to go to the Crown Prince's people—wasn't that you?"

Luo Yunchen's words were not a question, so he didn't expect an answer from Ziyi.

He tilted his head back, drinking all the warm tea in one gulp, then tossed the cup carelessly aside.

"Clink, clink." The cup landed on the tray with a clatter, wobbled briefly, then settled still.

Startled by the sound, Ziyi snapped back to alertness. Fearful yet excited, the thought hit her: He drank it.

Her master knew what was inside, yet he still drank it—right in front of her!

Could it be that her master intended to...

Ziyi raised her head hopefully once more to look at Luo Yunchen.

But before the smile could reach her lips, she felt a tightness at her neck and her breath caught.

Luo Yunchen grasped Ziyi's throat, expressionless. "What you think doesn't matter. I don't have the energy to bother with that. Even if one day you betray me and are no longer of use, that is your choice.

But you should never have touched my Crown Prince brother. Even a single thought warrants death!"