Isn’t that basically inviting a wolf into the house? Who would be so kindhearted?
Yan Luo looked at the so-called ‘action guide’ in the palace maid’s hand. Though she sat on the chair looking slightly weary, the aura surrounding her made the maid unable to meet her eyes.
“Your Majesty, Her Highness said that treacherous ministers now control the court. To truly take command of the government, we must overthrow them. Right now, this is our only option. King Jin is someone we can trust. Please, Your Majesty, consider this carefully.”
“You may go. Tell the Empress Dowager that I will think it over,” Yan Luo replied softly, with a trace of fatigue in her voice. Yet when it rang in the maid’s ears, it carried undeniable authority.
The maid was briefly stunned. Though she wanted to say more, she swallowed her words in the end and softly answered:
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Then, with a few swift movements, she disappeared without a trace.
Clearly, her martial arts skills were extremely high. No wonder she had managed to enter the sleeping quarters without alerting the guards outside.
Yan Luo rubbed her temples slightly. Just then, Little Pink’s voice rang in her ears, warning of the presence of poison. At that very moment, the space before her flickered, and a figure appeared.
It was unknown when he had arrived, but Jun Yulin, who had overheard some unknown portion of their conversation, stood there with a dark expression, staring at the letter beside her.
He said nothing, simply stepped forward, raised a hand, and scattered some kind of powder onto the letter. Yan Luo followed behind him, watching as the white powder turned black. Jun Yulin’s face darkened even more.
Poison. And strong poison at that.
It was the same type he had previously detected faint traces of from Yan Luo’s father, the former emperor. But this time, the dosage was many times higher.
Although it still wouldn’t take effect immediately, it would gradually weaken Yan Luo’s body, until she died silently and without a trace.
Lu Yan’s calculation should be that once Yan Luo received the letter, Yan Luo would keep it on her at all times as a precaution against him.
This poison’s most devious trait was that it would slowly degrade over time, eventually leaving no trace of residue, no matter where it was searched for.
A death that left no mark.
“Luoluo, I said I’d spare her life. But beyond that, you’re not allowed to interfere,” Jun Yulin said.
He felt a little scared. Lu Yan’s methods were far more ruthless than he had imagined.
If he hadn’t had that earlier conversation with this little girl, would they still be caught in mutual misunderstanding? Would Lu Yan have taken advantage of that opportunity?
He didn’t dare imagine it.
Yan Luo only felt the emotions of the original owner roiling inside her, and a dull pain spreading in her chest. But eventually, it faded. She simply nodded and said nothing more.
Three days later.
Imperial physicians were seen entering and leaving the emperor’s bedchamber.
Five days later, news spread that the young emperor was gravely ill.
The court fell into chaos. The emperor’s condition worsened—and at the same time, someone seemed to have thrown open the gates, allowing foreign troops from a neighboring nation to enter the capital with the intent to breach the city.
In the Empress Dowager’s quarters, Lu Yan sat listening to her confidante report all this. Reclining on the soft couch in her room, a glint of excitement shone through her otherwise gentle features.
She raised her hand to admire her slender fingers—fair, flawless, painted crimson with rouge. Beautiful and delicate, maintained like the hands of a maiden in her prime.
She had always cherished her hands the most, because the man she loved once said what he likes the most about her was… her hands.