Chapter 473 - A Cruel Crown Prince
Sheng Li and Ying Lili looked at each other and then at the man in front of them. "Are you sure?" Sheng Li asked the maidservant.
"Yes, Your Highness," the servant replied, who was an appointed spy in the Empress's manor. "The Empress has arranged a poison for the Emperor," he stated.
Sheng Li clenched his fists and knitted his brows. "So, Eunuch Zhen saw me with the Fourth Brother," Sheng Li muttered.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"At what time, Eunuch Zhen leaves the Palace?" Sheng Li asked his spy.
"Since Eunuch Zhen is the chief Eunuch in the Emperor's manor, he hardly goes out. However, I have seen him going for a walk sometimes in the evening," the Spy informed the Crown Prince.
"On which specific days does Eunuch Zhen go out?" Ying Lili queried the spy.
"Your Highness, it is not specific. It is random. I will inform his highness when I see Eunuch Zhen leaving for the evening walk," the Spy suggested to them.
"The poison had been arranged. We cannot wait for Eunuch Zhen to leave the palace, specifically for the evening walk. If the poison is deadly and is fed to the Emperor before all that then everything will turn upside-down," Sheng Li concluded. "Let's create a situation. Force the Eunuch Zhen to leave the Empress's manor today," Sheng Li gave the task to the spy.
"Yes, your highness," the spy acknowledged the command of Sheng Li.
"Make sure he leaves for the market. Also, try to take the poison from the Empress's manor," Sheng Li ordered his spy.
"Your Highness, I will try my best," the spy lowered his head. Sheng Li nodded his head. Ying Lili thanked him and also told him to be careful. The spy stood up and left the chamber of the Crown Prince.
Ying Lili turned towards Sheng Li, and with a worried expression, said, "Sheng Li, even the Fourth Brother's turned selfish and evil. She has a grudge against you. She thinks that you are the reason that the Fourth Brother is no longer in the Palace."
"Are you scared, Lili?" Sheng Li questioned her. He then smiled and said, "Did you see how the people whom I respect deeply turn against me? After I lost my mother, Mother Hui used to come to me sometimes. Her concubine status never allowed her to meet the higher-ranked princes, but she used to meet me. I am not able to understand why? Am I that hateful? Am I that heartless to them? It hurts, Lili," Sheng Li suddenly turned emotional.
"That's why I never wanted you to get involved with me. The enemies I have, want to hurt you as well," Sheng Li stated.
Ying Lili grasped both of the hands of Sheng Li and caressed them. She could not let Sheng Li's morale go down at this point.
"I am not scared. How could I get scared? Maybe Mother Hui never showed her evil side to anyone. My uncle, whom I believed was evil, and because of him, I lost my parents. However, we never got to see his true face. Similarly, Mother Hui never showed her true side. She remained quiet and waited for her time.
You are neither hateful nor heartless. You told me that the Imperial Palace is like a war ground. Everyone wants the downfall of the other for power. It is the same with Empress Hui. She wants her son to be in power."
"You always encourage me. I think I shall not be gentle with Empress Hui just because she was good to me when I was a child. I might kill her at this rate if she will not stop," Sheng Li affirmed.
Ying Lili frowned. At this point, she did not know what was going on in the head of Sheng Li. "What do you say? I think I will poison her to death," Sheng Li told Ying Lili. His eyes were teary. "You promised me that you would be cruel to others, for me. Will you let your husband kill the mother whom he respects?" Sheng Li waited for her answer.
Ying Lili intensely gazed into the eyes of Sheng Li and continued to stare at them. "If you respect her then you will not kill her," Ying Lili replied.
"But if I do not kill her, everything will change," Sheng Li answered. "We might lose many innocent lives," he added.
"I think you will not be able to kill her because you felt motherly love in her embrace after Sister Qi Jing," Ying Lili reasoned.
Sheng Li took a deep breath. "I have another plan then." Ying Lili astonishingly peered at him. "But it does not mean that I will be kind to her. After all, I am a Cruel Crown Prince," Sheng Li pronounced. Ying Lili was confused to hear him.
Sheng Li leaned closer to Ying Lili's ear and shared his plan with her. Ying Lili widened her eyes. "Do you think it is possible?" Ying Lili questioned him.
"I make impossible things possible, Lili. It is the only way she and other Consorts will stop scheming," Sheng Li stated. Ying Lili smiled and nodded her head.
"I have faith in you," Ying Lili asserted. "I want to take you somewhere," Ying Lili expressed her desire.
"Where?"
"To your mother's place. Tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival. We will go to your mother's place tomorrow. I have something to show you," Ying Lili stated.
"Did you revive that place?" Sheng Li asked her.
Ying Lili hummed. "Forgive me. I went alone outside. But Commander Yang was with me. Don't worry. He did not come inside the place. He only guarded it." She informed him.
"Sure. It's been a long time. I find peace at that place. I would love to see what it looks like," Sheng Li said and passed her a smile. He turned normal. "Today, I need to find the sources of Empress Hui from Eunuch Zhen and then have to go to the Courtesan's house."
"I will also go to the Courtesan's house with you."
"You refused earlier, Lili," Sheng Li was confused, thinking why Ying Lili wanted to go with him.
"Because you will definitely need a woman at such a place," Ying Lili answered.