CHAPTER 353: CHAPTER 328: A TOKEN PUNISHMENT

After Su Jingchen’s analysis, Yu Xiaolian also felt that Prince Jin was temporarily avoiding the Crown Prince’s sharp edge, conserving energy.

But what exactly did Prince Jin do to provoke the Emperor so much that he was sent back to his fief, not to enter the Capital without summons?

Faced with Yu Xiaolian’s confusion, Su Jingchen showed a smug expression, "I know!"

"Then hurry up and say it!" Yu Xiaolian glared at Su Jingchen.

Su Jingchen analyzed, "Prince Jin already had a number of followers in the Capital. Last year, he married the granddaughter of Elder Fu, strengthening his support. How could the Crown Prince not be wary?

The excavation of the Prince’s Tomb on Mang Mountain seemed to be the Crown Prince’s doing. Actually, it was all orchestrated by Prince Jin himself."

This was not just Su Jingchen’s speculation but was also confessed by County Magistrate Ma on his deathbed in a bid to survive.

County Magistrate Ma, until his death, did not know that it was Su Jingchen who killed him. He thought that the ones who came were the Crown Prince’s men. To survive, County Magistrate Ma ruthlessly abandoned Prince Jin and turned to the Crown Prince, pleading with Su Jingchen not to kill him, willing to testify against Prince Jin’s framing of the Crown Prince.

Yu Xiaolian was a bit confused, "Wasn’t Prince Jin punished by the Emperor for the tomb robbery? Why is there still suspicion on the Crown Prince?"

Su Jingchen said solemnly, "Since ancient times, emperors have been suspicious. Superficially, this matter seems like Prince Jin lost to the Crown Prince, but actually, Prince Jin won."

Yu Xiaolian was puzzled, "How so?"

"Yu State is Prince Jin’s fief. According to the law, Prince Jin is responsible for guarding all royal tombs in his domain. When a tomb is robbed, the Emperor would first hold Prince Jin accountable, so no one expected Prince Jin would dig his own grave. Everyone’s first suspicion was not Prince Jin.

But as you said, the current Emperor relies on the Crown Prince to find the Life-extending Blood Pack from the Witch Clan for him, so even if the Emperor knows that this matter is likely related to the Crown Prince, he chooses to turn a blind eye to protect him.

Since the Emperor chose to protect the Crown Prince, he could only wrong Prince Jin."

Yu Xiaolian responded with an "Oh," no wonder the Emperor’s punishment of Prince Jin was so superficial; it was merely symbolic.

But... Yu Xiaolian realized a big problem.

"Now the Crown Prince holds the Emperor’s Life-extending Blood Pack. Doesn’t that mean the Emperor is indirectly controlled by the Crown Prince?"

Su Jingchen gave Yu Xiaolian an approving look. She truly was the girl he admired, quickly identifying the core issue.

"And then? What else did you find?" Su Jingchen wanted to test Yu Xiaolian further.

Yu Xiaolian stroked her chin, thought carefully, and after a while, her eyes lit up, "So, is Prince Jin essentially the Emperor’s backup plan?"

Su Jingchen smiled, "Not just Prince Jin, but also Prince Huainan and the Great General of the South, they were all sent away from the Capital by the Emperor.

These people appear to be fulfilling their duties, but they are all searching for a new Life-extending Blood Pack for the Emperor."

Yu Xiaolian frowned, "Are two living blood packs not enough?"

"Not enough. It’s said that the Emperor needs to drink a fresh cup of blood every day. Last year, even though Princess Consort Dai was pregnant with the royal child, the Emperor didn’t stop drinking her blood. Later, to protect her child, she voluntarily brought her sister into the palace.

Even though the sisters alternate in giving blood, over time, their bodies can’t take it. It’s said they’re already reaching the end of their tether this late autumn."

Thinking about how her namesake was bled to death in the book, Yu Xiaolian shivered inwardly.

This method of dying was too cruel.

Moreover, she couldn’t understand why those two girls from the Witch Clan would willingly become the Emperor’s living blood packs.

If it were her, kept captive and drained daily, she’d rather die than benefit the old Emperor.

Living like this was worse than death.

"How do you know about these things?" Yu Xiaolian suddenly realized that Su Jingchen seemed to know more than she did.

Su Jingchen replied calmly, "I’ve always been in contact with Jiang Lin. He told me all these things."

Yu Xiaolian hadn’t received a letter from Jiang Lin in half a year, yet he maintained communication with Su Jingchen all along.

Su Jingchen continued, "So, our top priority right now is to remove the Longevity Gu from your body."

"Our," Yu Xiaolian’s lips curled into a smile.

"I don’t like beating around the bush. I prefer to have a straightforward face-to-face conversation. There are some things I want to be open and honest with you about." Yu Xiaolian didn’t want the kind of misunderstandings found in romance novels that cause separations.

She wanted to lay everything out in the open and ideally reach an agreement with Su Jingchen.

"Go ahead!" Su Jingchen said.

Yu Xiaolian pondered for a moment, then said, "About the matter of the green velvet poppy, I want to handle it myself..."

"No way!" Su Jingchen interrupted Yu Xiaolian, his attitude resolute.

"Listen to me first..." Yu Xiaolian raised her voice.

Su Jingchen held back his words, "Go on!"

"About the green velvet poppy, I’ll take care of it myself. You stay in Luocheng, study hard, prepare for the exams. Perhaps by the time you become the top scholar, I’ll have already removed the Longevity Gu. Then, I’ll definitely come back for you." Yu Xiaolian thought it would be the best of both worlds.

But to her surprise, Su Jingchen shook his head without even considering her words, "I understand your intention. You don’t want to delay my future, but I’ve already said that our priority is to free you from the Longevity Gu. As for the imperial exams, a few years’ delay doesn’t matter."

Looking at the stubborn Su Jingchen, Yu Xiaolian felt a headache coming on, "What if the green velvet poppy never blooms? We could be waiting there for maybe three years, five years, or even ten years..."

Su Jingchen interrupted Yu Xiaolian, "Even if it’s ten years, I’m willing.

My mind is made up, and if you try to secretly go to the Western Snow Mountain alone, you’re as good as dead."

Yu Xiaolian tried to persuade him again, "Why are you so stubborn? You study for the top scholar exams, I look for the antidote, and we won’t delay each other.

Can’t you let me come back and become a scholar’s wife, basking in the glory?"

Su Jingchen remained unmoved, "Lian’er, how many decades are there in life?

A decade without you would feel like years.

You must understand, to me—you are much more important than the imperial exams."

Yu Xiaolian’s heart softened, "Why are you so set on me? Am I that good?"

Su Jingchen replied seriously and affectionately, "You are... excellent!"

Yu Xiaolian laughed, "If we both leave together, we might be said to be eloping?"

Su Jingchen took Yu Xiaolian’s hand, "In a few days, I’ll visit your house to propose marriage, delivering the marriage contract and betrothal gifts all the way to Taohua Village."

Yu Xiaolian asked, "Will your father agree? Have you told him? How do you plan to explain your trip to the Western Regions to your family?"

The matter of betrothal with Yu Xiaolian had long been discussed with Su Dafu, who considered Yu Xiaolian’s current fame and status and agreed despite having initially lamented over Lin Zilan, the daughter of the Linzhou Magistrate, whom he had preferred as a daughter-in-law.

But knowing he couldn’t control Su Jingchen, Su Dafu just nagged a bit and let it go. Moreover, Yu Xiaolian wasn’t bad either, which gave Su Dafu some comfort in his heart.