"Please let Yi'er help Imperial father to his bedchamber..."
"En... This humble son wanted to say something to imperial father but not sure if he was to say it or not..." Duan Xingyi lifted his beautiful eyes and looked at Duan Chen! Since he was thinking of Duan Jingyang, this was a good opportunity! An opportunity to make Duan Chen trust him even more!
"Do father and son have to be so hesitant when talking to each other?" Duan Chen turned his gaze to look at Duan Xingyi. He truly liked this son of his from the bottom of his heart!
"Actually... it is about imperial brother... He had already been imprisoned in his pavilion for more than three months… Furthermore, he had caught a cold days before and it seemed that until now he hasn't recovered yet. Besides, it was already a known fact that third imperial sister was married into the Xiao family. No matter how unwilling first brother was, it would be impossible for him to do anything excessive… So... Xing Yi wanted to ask for a favor for his imperial brother, how about Imperial father release him from his confinement?" A light flickered in Duan Xingyi's deep eyes as his thin lips curled up into a strange arc. Duan Chen might have had this intention long ago, but he had to take the initiative, only then he could wrap Duan Chen into his palm!
"Yi'er… Is that your real intention?" Duan Chen turned around and looked straight at Duan Xingyi, and his eyes flickered with a strange light!
"Imperial Father, forgive this son for overstepping his boundaries. It's just that this son truly feels that royal brother has already received the punishment he deserved and should be removed from his seclusion...!" Duan Xingyi's gaze was firm as he spoke in a sonorous manner!
"You… don't hate him...?!" Duan Chen stared fixedly at Duan Xingyi before him. It was as if a string was slowly tightening in his heart!
"Why would Imperial father thinks that? Imperial brother and Xing Yi are both imperial father's sons, so it is only right for them to care one another, why would they hold grudges?! Furthermore, there was nothing in this son's heart but gratitude since he entered the palace..." Duan Xingyi's every word was loyal and willing, every word was like words from the bottom of his heart!
"Then the grudges of the previous generation…" The string in Duan Chen's heart did not loosen as he continued asking!
"If this son remembers, Father had said that whatever grudges there was between the previous generation, it wasn't something that Xing Yi could control or stop. What Xing Yi only wants to do now is to stay by imperial father's side to play chess, taste tea with, and feel the love of a father that he hasn't tasted in a long time…" Duan Xingyi's emotions were genuine. Crystalline light flickered in his eyes as every word he said was like a warm stream that flowed into Duan Chen's heart!
"My good son… You are a good son!" Duan Chen was gratified as he extended his hand to grasp Duan Xingyi's shoulder. His eyes were filled with mist!
"Father…"
"As expected, you did not disappoint imperial father! How great would it be if your imperial sister thought the same…
Even though Duan Chen only avoided the topic at hand, he was still seen by Duan Xingyi! There was no doubt that Duan Chen knew what his imperial sister was doing, which was why he sighed so emotionally! Moreover, he seemed to know every word and action! As expected of the Emperor of the Mo Empire, he truly has some skills!
"In reply to Imperial Father, this son just wanted to pay a visit to the third elder sister and see if she is happy in the Xiao Estate…" As Duan Xingyi spoke, the image of Duan Muyan suddenly appeared in his mind. At the bottom of his heart, his heart throbbed with a faint unfathomable desire!
"It's rare for you to have this kind of intention! Mu Yan, she…" Duan Chen wanted to say something, but he hesitated, and his expression turned gloomy. Back then, he was the one who forced his daughter into the fire pit. Now, wouldn't he feel guilty if he cared for her?!
"The third sister is fine. Although she is a little less mature, I believe that she will get used to it in a short time. The Prince of Qi is taking good care of her…" Duan Xingyi parted his thin lips, deep in thought!
"Mm… Yi'er, it seems you have a good heart. Father is truly tired. You may withdraw now…" Duan Chen lightly patted Duan Xingyi's shoulder before walking towards the bed!
"Then imperial brother…" Duan Xingyi probed, only to see Duan Chen lightly waving his hand. Duan Xingyi tactfully withdrew from the Imperial bedchamber! The moment he turned around, his pair of pure peach blossom eyes became exceptionally dark!
After leaving the Imperial bedchamber, Duan Xingyi headed straight to the Phoenix Storage Pavilion! He originally thought that no matter how much trouble Duan Zitong caused, it wouldn't disrupt his plans. But now, it would seem that Duan Chen had yet to grow old and muddle-headed! He must have known that Duan Zitong had poisoned Duan Jingyang's medicine a long time ago!
Only Qing Lan was in the Phoenix Storage Pavilion sweeping. When she saw Duan Xingyi walk in, she immediately put down her brush to pay her respects!
"Your servant greets the Second Prince!"
"At ease! Where's elder sister?!" Duan Xingyi's gaze swept the surroundings, but he didn't see Duan Zitong, so he couldn't help but ask!
"Reporting to the second prince, the princess should be at the Tutor Hall by this time. If anything the second prince wants to say, this servant will go report right away…" Just as Qing Lan was about to head towards the palace gate, she was stopped by Duan Xingyi!
"Forget it! I'll go myself!" It had been a long time since he'd seen Xiao Yuxuan! Duan Xingyi thought for a moment before turning around and walking away!
Tutor Manor.
Xiao Yuxuan sat cross-legged in his white dress, his slender jade-like fingers caressing the zither. His fingertips played and a wonderful music flowed out.
At the center of the main hall, Duan Zitong's graceful figure stood with a smile on her face. With her eyebrows raised low, her jade sleeves flowing with the wind, she held the colorful fan tightly in her hands, like a roaming phoenix depicting the life of a Dan Qing. Her movements were graceful and elegant, like a butterfly dashing in the middle of a flower, as the sound of the zither gradually intensified.
Just when Duan Zitong's mind was fully focused on building a beautiful scene, the sound of the zither suddenly stopped. The entire hall became silent!
"Yuxuan?" Duan Zitong steadied her sleeves and looked suspiciously at the god-like man before him, only to see him staring at the door with a torch-like gaze. When she looked back, Duan Xingyi was right in front of her, standing by the entrance with her hands folded behind her back!
"Xing Yi? Why are you here?" Duan Zitong's voice was slightly low, obviously dissatisfied with Duan Xingyi interrupting his leisure!
"It's nothing. I just came to take a look. Earlier, Xing Yi was praising you in front of imperial father, saying that your improvement is increasing by the day. Now it seems like he wasn't lying after all… It's been hard on you all this time! " Duan Xingyi lightly laughed as he say this. As he leisurely walked into the hall, his devilish peach blossom eyes recovered their usual demonic charm!
Seeing Duan Xingyi step into the Tutor Hall, Xiao Yuxuan retracted the rejection in his heart and stood up to pay his respects!
"Yuxuan greets the Second Prince!" His voice was cold and without a trace of warmth, and he kowtowing was something he couldn't help but do. The moment he saw Duan Xingyi, Xiao Yuxuan truly wanted to take the urge and give him a punch!
"At ease. The Imperial Tutor has been so diligent in teaching royal sister. As his royal brother, I should be thanking you…" Duan Xingyi raised his thin lips in interest as his gaze shot straight at Xiao Yuxuan. His sword-like eyebrows were with starry eyes, and was incomparably handsome. This was the face that Duan Mu Yan liked, right?! But he believed that he, Duan Xingyi, wasn't that bad either! As he thought of this, his jade-like fingers subconsciously brushed past his cheeks!
"The Second Prince is too serious. This is a favour from the Emperor, thus he has to bear the burden of this position bestowed upon him. As the Grand Tutor, Yuxuan does not dare neglect his responsibility!" Xiao Yuxuan indifferently replied, and without avoiding Duan Xingyi's gaze, he faced him!
"Xing Yi, you came to look for elder sister or you're here with an edict from imperial father?!" At the side, Duan Zitong could clearly see the murderous intent in their eyes. She immediately changed the topic!
"No, it's just that there were some days when I didn't see my elder sister, so I came to take a look at her…" Duan Xingyi smiled seductively and shifted his gaze from Xiao Yuxuan to Duan Zitong!
"That's rare! I might as well return to my residence and have elder sister personally make tea for you! " As Duan Zitong spoke, he turned to Xiao Yuxuan.
"Yuxuan, then let's end it here today. It's been hard on you…"
Xiao Yuxuan bowed slightly, sending Duan Zitong and Duan Xingyi off with his eyes before getting up with an icy glare.
In the Phoenix Storage Pavilion, Duan Zitong closed the doors to the palace and ordered Qin Lan to wait outside. Then she walked over to the jade table and poured tea for herself!
"Could it be that there is something important?Otherwise, you wouldn't have come to the Tutor Hall to find me. Was it about Duan Jingyang?! Have you made up your mind to deal with him?!" As Duan Zitong spoke, he didn't notice the disdain and ridicule in Duan Xingyi's eyes!
"Elder sister is half right. It is indeed about Duan Jingyang! However… When Xing Yi was drinking tea with imperial father today, he had already requested for Imperial Father's forgiveness. He hoped that he could ease Duan Jingyang's house arrest…" Duan Xingyi said indifferently. His pair of charming eyes met Duan Zitong's cold and incredulous gaze without any hesitation!
"You?! Are you crazy?! It was one thing if you didn't kill him! Why did you still release him?!" Duan Zitong frowned as she reprimanded! She couldn't figure out what her little brother was thinking at all!
"If you don't stop… I'm afraid that Duan Jingyang will really die in his residence…." Duan Xingyi spoke with a carefree tone. His deep eyes glinted with a cold light!
"You… What are you talking about! He's perfectly fine, how could he possibly die…" Duan Zitong's voice shook, and her panicked gaze immediately avoided Duan Xingyi. She turned around, picked up the teapot, and poured two cups!
"I've already killed Li Jiancheng from the imperial hospital!" Duan Xingyi strolled over to the table and sat down slowly. He lifted the teacup with his thin lips and took a light sip. The tea was fragrant, but it didn't have the same fragrance as the ambergris. It was more pleasurable and less murderous.
"You… How did you know?!" Duan Zitong's eyes widened as she looked at Duan Xingyi in disbelief! She thought that he had done this matter flawlessly, but he never expected that Duan Xingyi would know about it like the back of his hand!
"Not only me, even imperial father knows about this. Although he didn't say it out loud, he must have been disappointed with elder sister. My elder sister, I have already warned you! Don't act recklessly! This is the Great Mo Imperial Palace, if you have your eyes and ears everywhere, so does imperial father! You maybe the imperial father's daughter but so is Duan Jingyang! If you really kill Duan Jingyang in his pavilion, do you think imperial father will forgive you?! " Duan Xingyi retorted coldly. His gaze was as cold as ice.
"Father... Imperial father knows about it too?! How is this possible?!" Even now, Duan Zitong still didn't believe that her plan was already known by her brother and worst, the emperor.
"Impossible?! There was no wall in this world that the emperor would let the wind pass through! Don't talk about me and imperial father, perhaps even Xiao Yuxuan knew of this! And there was also Duan Jingyang himself. If he really drank the cold medicine that elder sister had meticulously prepared for him every day, he would have died a long time ago! Why is he still safe and sound in his pavilion...! Hadn't elder sister thought of that?!" Duan Xingyi's every word was like a sharp blade that pierced Duan Zitong's heart. The plan that she originally thought was flawless was already known by almost everyone?!
"How could this be… Then father, he…" Duan Zitong's face was deathly pale and her eyes flickered with indecision. Just as Duan Xingyi had said, no matter how weak Duan Jingyang was, he was still the emperor's biological son. The crime of murdering a prince was not a joke!
"Don't worry, elder sister! Even though imperial father knew about it, in the end, it did not turn into a tragedy, so he turned a blind eye! Otherwise, why do you think this younger brother of yours begged the Emperor to let Duan Jingyang go?!" Duan Xingyi's thin lips slightly curled up. His quiet voice contained a hidden sense of ridicule!