"You're quite adaptable," Xiao Jingcheng said. "Go and change into clean clothes first. I have many things to instruct you to do."
Captain Cui immediately replied, "Yes! Thank you, Crown Prince, for your kindness!"
The guards stood up in a flurry and quickly retreated.
Xiao Jingcheng looked at Xiao Wuchen, who was soaking wet. "You should also go back and change your clothes. I've had some ginger soup cooked and it will be sent to your room later. We'll talk after you've settled down."
"Yes."
With a hint of uneasiness, Xiao Wuchen temporarily bid farewell to Xiao Jingcheng and ascended the wooden stairs.
As he went up the stairs, he secretly sized up his surroundings.
The Liuxiang Tower was indeed unusually quiet. Could it be that Xiao Yixuan had really been killed?
When passing by Xiao Yixuan's room, Xiao Wuchen unconsciously quickened his steps.
In the past, whenever there was any noise, Xiao Yixuan would call him in for a chat. But now, the room was completely silent, not even a breath could be heard, which made Xiao Wuchen feel even more uneasy.
Back in his room, he lit the oil lamp and quickly changed his clothes. The waiter also brought the ginger soup to the door.
After drinking a bowl of ginger soup, Xiao Wuchen gradually warmed up. He went downstairs again and came before Xiao Jingcheng. He took out the note that had mysteriously appeared in his room that day and handed it over.
"Was this secret letter sent to my room by you, Crown Prince?"
Xiao Jingcheng took a look and readily admitted, "Yes, I personally put it in your room."
Xiao Wuchen's heart tightened.
It was Xiao Jingcheng who had sent it himself? That meant he might have been hiding nearby at that time. Fortunately, he hadn't chosen to give this secret letter to Xiao Yixuan. Otherwise, he might have been dead by now.
The letter said that it was Xiao Yixuan who had planned all this and wanted to get rid of Xiao Jingcheng.
Now, Xiao Jingcheng was here, but Xiao Yixuan was nowhere to be found. Could it be that Xiao Yixuan...
In front of Xiao Jingcheng, Xiao Wuchen put the secret letter on the paper and burned it to ashes. Then he knelt on one knee in front of Xiao Jingcheng. "Your Highness, please see clearly. I had nothing to do with the assassination attempt on you. It was not until I received this secret letter from you that I learned what Second Brother had done."
Xiao Wuchen once again expressed his loyalty.
"I know. He only used you and never regarded you as a brother," Xiao Jingcheng said. "After you came back here, didn't you notice anything?"
Xiao Wuchen paused for a moment and replied, "Second Brother, the Ye siblings, and the guards who came with us to Dongli Town have all disappeared."
Xiao Jingcheng asked, "Do you know where he went?"
Xiao Wuchen's heart sank.
"I don't know, Your Highness. Please enlighten me."
Xiao Jingcheng bent down and helped him up, then let him sit on the chair and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Uncle rebelled. He led his troops into the capital, broke into the palace, and ascended the throne. Father and Concubine Feng have disappeared from the capital."
"What?!" Xiao Wuchen was extremely shocked and was about to jump up from the chair, but was held down by Xiao Jingcheng's strength. "Uncle... rebelled?!"
Xiao Wuchen couldn't believe it.
Their uncle had indeed been very capable in the past, but now he was so weak that he seemed to be blown down by the wind. He had fallen ill two or three times during his visit to Dongli Town. How could such a person lead a rebellion?
Moreover... he had succeeded in the rebellion?!
Even Father couldn't defeat him?
"This news was brought to Dongli Town by a eunuch from Concubine Feng's palace at the risk of his life and passed on to Xiao Yixuan," Xiao Jingcheng said calmly. "After receiving the news, your Second Brother, along with the Ye siblings and the others, left Dongli Town overnight and headed south. I think they must have gone to look for Father and Concubine Feng."
"He never thought of waiting for you to come back and taking you with him. He didn't even leave you a single word to tell you about this."
Xiao Wuchen's fingers were trembling.
He knew that in Xiao Yixuan's heart, he had always been insignificant. When fleeing, Xiao Yixuan would rather take the Ye siblings than inform him.
Although he had long known that Xiao Yixuan seemed gentle and approachable on the surface, but in fact, he was the most cold - blooded and profit - seeking person and would never treat him sincerely. But when he really knew that he had been so simply abandoned, Xiao Wuchen still couldn't help feeling angry and desolate.
Seeing Xiao Wuchen with his head down, biting his lips tightly and trying to digest this earth - shattering news, Xiao Jingcheng let go of his shoulder and returned to his previous seat.
After a while, Xiao Wuchen raised his head. His eyes were slightly red.
"Your Highness, you just said that Father left with Concubine Feng?"
Xiao Jingcheng nodded.
Xiao Wuchen seemed to have guessed something and tentatively asked, "Then... what about the Queen?"
"The Queen?" Xiao Jingcheng gave a soft laugh. "There is a rumor in the capital that I'm not Father's flesh and blood, but a bastard born from my mother's affair with Uncle. After Father heard this rumor, he issued an imperial edict to depose the Queen and sent my mother to the cold palace. Now, there is no longer a Queen."
Xiao Wuchen was greatly surprised and couldn't help looking at Xiao Jingcheng's face.
In terms of appearance, Xiao Jingcheng obviously resembled the noble and serene Queen more, but there was also a hint of Xiao Tianye in his eyebrows. After hearing this rumor, Xiao Wuchen naturally associated it with Xiao Tianchi and found that he also bore a certain resemblance to Xiao Tianchi.
As if seeing through Xiao Wuchen's thoughts, Xiao Jingcheng said, "I know my mother. With her character, she would never do anything against the etiquette. I must be Father's flesh and blood. Spreading such rumors is just to make Father voluntarily depose my mother's position as the Queen."
That's right. First, they tried every means to kill Xiao Jingcheng so that the Eastern Palace would be leaderless.
The Queen would surely be greatly shocked when she heard this news. At this time, spreading that rumor would make the position of the middle palace unstable. Then, Concubine Feng and Xiao Yixuan could naturally take their places.
From beginning to end, the only victims were Shen Lingyun and Xiao Jingcheng.
"Then, Your Highness, what do you plan to do by finding me?" Xiao Wuchen asked.
Now, there were only three paths in front of the two brothers.
One was to go south like Xiao Yixuan to look for Xiao Tianye. After the family reunion, they would help their father regain the world.
The second was to return to the capital and submit to Xiao Tianchi, becoming enemies with their father.
The third was to disappear from the world, change their names and identities, and live the rest of their lives as ordinary people.
Xiao Jingcheng looked out of the window at the rain curtain. After a moment's pause, he said, "No matter whose flesh and blood I am, I only have one mother, and that is Shen Lingyun of the Shen family in Hexi. It was she who carried me in her womb for ten months and gave birth to me. Although she was extremely strict with me and never showed me a smiling face, if you ask who in this world cares about me the most, it must be her."
"So, wherever my mother is, I'll be."
Xiao Jingcheng reached out his hand to Xiao Wuchen. "I'm going to find a way to return to the capital. Will you come with me?"