Back in the Imperial Garden, after Chen Qing and Chen Chu finished discussing the marriage grant, the conversation turned to the Northern Plains Heir.
Northern Plains Frontier Marshal Fang Dingzhi was Emperor Wuzhao Chen Qing’s sworn brother of several decades, so his loyalty was beyond doubt.
Fang Dingzhi had indeed lived up to Chen Qing’s trust, remaining loyal without fail for thirty years.
If Fang Dingzhi were ever captured by the Longevity Sect, he would choose death before yielding.
If Chen Fengyi had not injured Fang Lingqiu’s manhood, Chen Qing would never have worried that Fang Dingzhi might one day rebel.
Although things had not yet reached that point, Chen Qing had to stay on guard.
Secretly imprisoning Fang Lingqiu could hold things down for a while, but not for long. Once Fang Dingzhi lost patience, it would only bring even greater trouble.
But Chen Qing still could not think of a perfect solution.
Handing Chen Fengyi over to Fang Dingzhi for punishment might soothe his rage.
But… Fengyi was the only bloodline left in this world from his short-lived Crown Prince. How could he possibly hand him over?
In the end, Chen Qing decided to leave this troublesome matter to Chen Chu, as a test for him.
So Fang Lingqiu was moved to the Ninth Prince’s Residence in advance.
By then, Chen Fengyi had already awakened in bed and was being treated by the imperial physicians. Furious beyond reason, he cursed nonstop.
“Chen Chu, you actually dared to scheme against me, this Imperial Grandson! I will report you to Grandfather Emperor and have you torn to pieces!”
“Just you wait, Imperial Grandson~”
“If I don’t make you pay, I will hand the crown prince position over to you myself!”
The imperial physicians kept their heads down and treated him as though they heard nothing.
Just as Chen Fengyi was cursing with relish, a leisurely voice drifted in. “Looks like I went too easy on you. You still haven’t learned your lesson.”
“Who?!”
Chen Fengyi was puzzled at first, and the next second his face twisted in terror as if he had seen a ghost.
He recognized that voice.
It was like a nightmare.
Chen Chu appeared beside the bed like a drifting apparition, grabbed Chen Fengyi by the shoulder with one hand, and hauled him outside.
Before leaving, he said, “Go back to the palace and report truthfully to His Majesty: Chen Chu is borrowing the Imperial Grandson for a moment.”
Chen Chu moved like a wraith. The guards of Grandson Manor did not even have time to react before he had taken Chen Fengyi out of the residence and disappeared without a trace.
Soon, Chen Chu brought Chen Fengyi into the secret chamber and threw him in front of Fang Lingqiu.
Chen Fengyi was in a sorry state, shocked and furious. “Chen Chu, what are you doing? Grandfather Emperor will never let you get away with this!”
“Whether His Majesty lets me off the hook is a matter for later. You should be worrying about whether Heir Fang will let you off right now.”
At the same time, Chen Chu said to Fang Lingqiu, “I’ve brought the man to you. Kill him or cut him up, it’s all up to you.”
He did not forget to toss over a sharp sword he had somehow picked up. It flew through the air and stabbed into the floor, the hilt still swaying.
Only then did Chen Fengyi finally realize how serious the situation was. He staggered to his feet and looked at Fang Lingqiu carefully. “I-I didn’t mean to hurt you. You won’t hurt me, right? Fang Lingqiu, we’re good friends, aren’t we?”
Even he had no confidence in those words.
When enemies meet, their eyes burn red.
Fang Lingqiu pulled the sword from the ground and held it tightly. His eyes were bloodshot as he slowly raised the blade toward Chen Fengyi’s chest.
Chen Fengyi’s heart was in his throat. Instinctively, he tried to mobilize his spiritual power and strike first, only to discover that it seemed sealed by a mysterious strength. He could not move even a trace of it and could only await his fate.
Yet no matter how badly Fang Lingqiu wanted to drive the sword in, his hand would not obey.
He struggled internally, but in the end he still lacked the courage.
He angrily threw the sword aside and looked at Chen Chu. “Please, Ninth Prince, kill him for me!”
But this time Chen Chu did not indulge him. He said calmly, “Revenge is your own business. Having someone else do it is no longer revenge. Heir Fang, it’s only a matter of striking the blade. You do not need to think so much.”
Suddenly, Fang Lingqiu roared in fury, “Easy for you to say! He is the Imperial Grandson! If I kill him, that is the same as forcing my father the marshal to rebel! My 300,000 Northern Plains soldiers will all become enemies of Tianchen! How can I, Fang Lingqiu, put my father the marshal in such a dilemma and ignore the lives of 300,000 Northern Plains soldiers because of my own hatred? I can’t do it!!!”
Chen Chu’s expression remained cold. “Rebelling is only rebelling. The sky won’t fall. If the Northern Plains rebels, the Longevity Sect will certainly support you with all its might. The Northern Plains may not necessarily lose. Who knows? If you kill Chen Fengyi, you might even grant your father the marshal the chance to become the one who rules under heaven one day.”
Chen Fengyi went completely numb, staring at Chen Chu in raging disbelief. Why don’t you listen to yourself and hear what you’re saying?
You’re also a Tianchen prince, yet you’re encouraging someone else to rebel. How dare you?!
But he did not dare speak. Compared with Fang Lingqiu, who saw him as a mortal enemy, he was even more afraid of Chen Chu.
Afraid to the point of going mad.
Chen Chu was simply a complete lunatic!
If he dared to talk back, he feared he would immediately suffer inhuman torture.
In the end, Fang Lingqiu still did not lose his reason. “Ninth Prince, you’re deliberately provoking me! You win. I won’t kill him. Let me go back, and I will report everything that happened today to my father the marshal in full.”
Chen Chu said flatly, “You’re wrong. I really would let you kill him. Think it over again. Even if you kill him, I will still let you leave.”
Fang Lingqiu shook his head.
Chen Chu said, “Fine. I respect your choice. But killing him would indeed bring enormous trouble. Merely venting your anger, however, will not cause any problems.”
Chen Fengyi thought, ‘You are a demon!’
Fang Lingqiu was tempted, but he had no real plan of his own. “How far can I go?”
Chen Chu turned and walked out. “As long as he does not die or lose any body parts, neither you nor the Northern Plains will have any trouble.”
Only after Chen Chu left the secret chamber did the screams, wails, and pleas for mercy begin to overlap in a chaotic chorus.
About an incense stick later, Yu Chenghua arrived at the Ninth Prince’s Residence and said politely, “Your Highness, this old servant is following His Majesty’s imperial order and has come to collect the Imperial Grandson.”
“The man is in the secret chamber. I will trouble Grand Director Yu to fetch him personally.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
Chen Fengyi, covered in blood and beyond recognition, was carried out over Yu Chenghua’s shoulder. As he passed Chen Chu, Yu Chenghua thought for a moment and still stopped. “Your Highness, this old servant suggests that you should go to the imperial palace and take the initiative to explain things to His Majesty. This old servant is worried that His Majesty will be displeased.”
Chen Chu glanced at Chen Fengyi absentmindedly, and the latter’s crotch suddenly leaked warm liquid.
He had not urinated when Fang Lingqiu was beating him, but after seeing this demon again, he was so frightened that he wet himself.
At that moment Chen Fengyi was nearly falling apart emotionally. Was this man sent by Heaven to torment him?
He had gone through his entire life without ever being beaten, yet on the same day he had suffered two vicious beatings and nearly lost half his life.
And the one behind it all was the Chen Chu before him.
The stench struck Yu Chenghua’s nose, and he frowned slightly.
“If His Majesty is displeased and sends down thunder, I will take it.”
Chen Chu said indifferently.
“Sigh. This old servant takes his leave.”
Chen Chu returned to the secret chamber. By then, Fang Lingqiu was already collapsed on the ground, panting heavily, his expression utterly hollow and dazed.
His manhood was gone. He was no longer even a man. He truly wanted to die.
“Heir Fang, get ready to leave. I will escort you out of the city to meet up with Liu Chuang. He will take you back to the Northern Plains.”
“All right!”
Fang Lingqiu stood up from the ground and followed Chen Chu out. They left the city unhindered and met up with the 3,000 Northern Plains Iron Cavalry stationed outside the city.
Liu Chuang said he would return immediately after sending the heir back to the Northern Plains and would then remain at Chen Chu’s side.
To avoid complications, Liu Chuang did not dare delay. He immediately prepared several fast horses, ready to rush Fang Lingqiu back to the Northern Plains without stopping.
Just as they were about to set out, Chen Chu came before Fang Lingqiu, took out a brocade pouch, and said calmly, “As long as the Northern Plains does not rebel, I guarantee that once His Majesty passes away, I will personally hand Chen Fengyi over to you. Go.”
“Also, take this brocade pouch with you and give it to Frontier Marshal Fang.”