Chapter 2016
The Prodigal Son 10
After dealing with Princess Shuya, Wen Xinyi turned her attention to the Duchess of Chengguo.
Lu Zhiyuan stepped forward and stood in front of the Duchess of Cheng.
Lu Zhiyuan: "Your Highness, please direct your resentment at me, I only beg you to spare my mother."
Wen Xinyi no longer had any feelings for Lu Zhiyuan; all she felt was resentment.
She resented him for being spineless, unable to even protect the woman he loved.
Wen Xinyi: "Don't be hasty, I won't let you off the hook. One by one, I want you to watch your mother and your wife being tortured in front of you. It's all because of you!"
Lu Zhiyuan asked with a pained expression, "Xinyi, what happened to you?"
Wen Xinyi: "I've always been like this. If anyone wrongs me, I'll repay them tenfold. You're just too foolish to see my true nature."
Lu Zhiyuan closed his eyes and sighed.
He recalled the words the Duchess of Cheng had said to him, calling him stupid, blind, and unable to judge people, and that he was being manipulated by a scheming woman.
He used to disagree with this statement, but now he has to admit that his mother was right.
His mother's judgment was far superior to his.
Looking at his wife, who remained calm even in the face of such danger, Lu Zhiyuan was even more impressed with the Duchess of Cheng's judgment.
Wen Xinyi ordered, "Draw a turtle on the face of the Duchess of Chengguo, and as for the Heir Apparent's wife, draw a tortoise."
"Yes." Two eunuchs approached Lady Chengguo and Liu Yuer with knives in hand.
Lu Zhiyuan held one in each hand, protecting his mother and wife behind him.
Looking at the back of the person's head in front of her, Liu Yu'er felt a touch of emotion.
He is able to stand in front of danger to protect his wife.
This man does have some redeeming qualities.
Although Lu Zhiyuan had practiced martial arts with the Duke of Cheng since childhood, he later devoted himself to literature and had not practiced his martial arts for many years.
Therefore, he was no match for the two eunuchs and was pushed aside.
Two eunuchs approached Lady Chengguo and Liu Yuer and raised their knives.
Lady Cheng resignedly closed her eyes, waiting for the knife to fall.
Liu Yuer spoke up: "Three, two, one, fall!"
Apart from Liu Yu'er, everyone in the palace collapsed.
Liu Tong withdrew her foot.
He doesn't need to save the day; his younger sister's poison skills weren't learned for nothing.
Everyone collapsed to the ground, utterly powerless and unable to move.
Wen Xinyi couldn't help but question Liu Yuer: "What did you do?"
Liu Yuer ignored Wen Xinyi, walked to the Empress's side, took out a small bottle, opened the cap, and brought it to the Empress's nose.
Empress Liu smelled a pungent odor and couldn't help but sneeze, feeling her strength return to her body.
With Liu Yu'er's help, Empress Liu stood up.
Liu Yu'er shoved the bottle into Empress Liu's hand, and Empress Liu hurriedly ran to the dragon bedside and let the emperor, who was pretending to be sick, smell it.
After the emperor sneezed, he regained his strength and was helped off the dragon bed by Empress Liu.
Emperor: "Why does it smell so bad?"
Liu Yu'er was administering the antidote to the Duchess of Chengguo when she replied, "The antidote smells terrible. The poison itself is colorless and odorless."
The Emperor said, "The name of the poison is quite nice, 'Sad Breeze,' rather poetic. Yu'er, do you still have any of this poison?"
After Liu Yuer cured Lu Zhiyuan of the poison, she handed the bottle to Lu Zhiyuan and asked him to use it to cure others.
Liu Yu'er walked to the emperor's side, took out a small blue porcelain bottle, and handed it to the emperor.
"This is the only bottle left. The man who sold me the poison said that this 'Sad Breeze' is extremely difficult to make, and three of the ingredients are very hard to find. It took him ten years to make three bottles of Sad Breeze. One bottle has already been used up. He kept one for himself and offered me the remaining one in exchange for money."
The Emperor asked, "Where is that person?" Such a capable yet dangerous individual must be kept under control.
Liu Yu'er shook her head: "I don't know. He took the money and left."
The emperor sighed, "Then forget it."
The emperor walked up to Wen Xinyi and kicked her hard: "You wretch!"
The man was quite strong, and Wen Xinyi was kicked so hard that she spat out a mouthful of blood.
Wen Xinyi was indeed a clever woman who could outwit the young master and the emperor. Seeing that the emperor acted as if nothing had happened, she immediately realized that the emperor had known about their scheme all along. This time, the emperor was using a counter-strategy to lure them into a trap.
Liu Yuer, a woman whom the emperor disregarded, was actually the emperor's greatest trump card.
Wen Xinyi couldn't help but ask Lu Zhiyuan, "How do you feel about your wife keeping so much from you?"
Lu Zhiyuan's expression was complicated; he had naturally figured it out.
Liu Yu'er participated in the emperor's plan against the Prince of Liyang and Wen Xinyi, but she kept it a secret from her husband.
In Liu Yuer's heart, he, her husband, held no place.
But it's not Liu Yu'er's fault; it's because he's an inadequate husband.
Lu Zhiyuan: "I respect her. Whatever she does, I support her."
Wen Xinyi gritted her teeth: "You're such a good husband!"
Lu Zhiyuan turned his head away, not wanting to look at Wen Xinyi anymore.
Wen Xinyi has squandered all the beautiful love of my youth.
Lu Zhiyuan, supporting the Duchess of Cheng, bid farewell to the Emperor.
The emperor waved his hand.
Empress Liu hurriedly said to Liu Yu'er, "Yu'er, everything is fine here in the palace. You should accompany your mother-in-law and husband back to the mansion."
"Yes." Liu Yu'er replied, taking the other arm of the Duchess of Chengguo, and left the emperor's palace with Lu Zhiyuan.
Liu Yuer and Lu Zhiyuan remained silent throughout the journey.
Lady Cheng looked left and right, sighed, and took the initiative to speak: "Yu'er, we owe you so much this time."
Liu Yu'er: "I'm just glad my mother-in-law doesn't blame me for hiding it!"
Lady Cheng: "This was His Majesty's plan. Without His Majesty's permission, you naturally cannot reveal the news to the outside world."
Lu Zhiyuan also spoke up: "This time, I have implicated my mother and wife. It is all my fault."
Liu Yuer sighed and comforted Lu Zhiyuan: "It's not your fault, it's just that Consort Li is too stubborn. She's the same kind of person as Princess Shuya."
Liu Yuer paused, then said with a hint of sympathy, "You're really unlucky."
The two women I encountered were both venomous.
Lu Zhiyuan's face instantly transformed into a fan-shaped image, with frustration occupying the largest square.
Lady Cheng also felt that her son was unlucky, but said: "Yuan'er is lucky, he married you, Yu'er."
This daughter-in-law not only gave birth to her grandchildren, but also brought good fortune to her husband.
With Liu Yu'er around, the Emperor shouldn't punish the Duke of Cheng's mansion because of Consort Li's matter.
Lu Zhiyuan also thought of this and sincerely thanked Liu Yuer.
Liu Yuer: "I am also a member of the Lu family."
Lady Chengguo said, "Yes, we are all family, there is no need for thanks."
Lu Zhiyuan gave a soft "hmm".
As the three of them walked along, they discovered that the palace had been almost completely cleared, and all the rebels had been captured.
The person leading the group was Liu Chong, the second son of the Liu family. (End of Chapter)