Chu Qing's words were like a knife stabbing straight at the Empress Dowager's heart.
The Empress Dowager pointed at Chu Qing with a trembling finger, her face full of hatred. "Who do you think you are! How dare you speak to me in such a tone! What right do you have to tell me what to do!"
Chu Qing squinted and smiled. "My husband is still working hard for the Great Yan in Chuanzhou. Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, aren't you afraid of chilling our hearts by saying so?"
"You..." The Empress Dowager gritted her teeth and then said sternly, "Since you occupy the positions of the Prince and Princess of Ning in the Great Yan, you should work hard for the Great Yan! Otherwise, I'll let you know what it's like to fall from the clouds to the bottom!"
Chu Qing laughed out of anger. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is really imposing." Then, she turned to Yuan Rui with a different look on her face and said, "Please, Your Majesty, recall the Prince of Ning and demote us to commoners directly. My husband and I don't deserve the titles of the Prince and Princess of Ning."
Chu Qing knew Yuan Rui very well. She knew that he wouldn't misunderstand her words.
Sure enough, after hearing Chu Qing's words, instead of thinking that she was threatening him, Yuan Rui felt a sense of guilt welling up in his heart.
That man gave up his position as a proper prince of Dongyi and came back to help him solve his difficulties.
But his mother kept on ridiculing them. This... made him feel extremely ashamed!
The Empress Dowager seemed not to notice Yuan Rui's expression and continued to sneer, "Do you think you can threaten my son with just a few words? Let me tell you, even without you two, the Great Yan will still thrive!"
No! It can't!
Without the Prince of Ning, no one in the Great Yan could defend it!
Yuan Rui silently wailed in his heart.
Seeing that neither of them said a word, the Empress Dowager went even further and said, "Why, are you feeling ashamed of your act of usurping someone else's place?"
"Enough!" Yuan Rui finally couldn't bear his anger and roared.
His mother... Where was she like a respected Empress Dowager now!
Instead... She was more like a crazy woman!
Thinking of this, Yuan Rui said in a deep voice, "Come here. Help the Empress Dowager back to the Changle Palace to rest. Without my order, no one is allowed to disturb her. And..."
Yuan Rui looked at the stunned Empress Dowager expressionlessly and continued, "Mother must have been too tired these days and probably doesn't want to come out. So... stay in the Changle Palace and have a good rest these days."
Hearing the last sentence, the Empress Dowager finally came to her senses and said sharply, "You're going to put me under house arrest!"
Yuan Rui looked up at her and waved his hand wearily. "Help the Empress Dowager back."
Before the Empress Dowager could struggle, several little eunuchs stepped forward and forcibly helped her out.
Seeing this, although Chu Qing felt very happy in her heart, she still sighed, thinking that the Emperor's actions might be criticized. "After all... she's still your mother... What you're doing..."
Yuan Rui looked complicated. Finally, he said in a suppressed tone, "But she's never treated me like her own son. All I've got from her is endless disgust and oppression..."
Hearing this, Chu Qing frowned thoughtfully.
...
Far away in Chuanzhou, Wei Ying had a detailed conversation with Anduo Zebu. Although the other party didn't get the prescription to treat the strange disease, he brought a piece of news that could be considered good.
That was... as long as one could keep a certain distance from the patient and cover one's mouth and nose with a cotton cloth soaked in several kinds of herbal medicines, one could effectively prevent oneself from being infected.
These kinds of herbal medicines were quite common. They were exactly the medicines that Wu Ya had found could relieve the condition.
Knowing that he could protect himself from being infected, Wei Ying immediately ordered someone to prepare.
While his subordinates were preparing the cotton cloth, Wei Ying went to see Hu Yan Longchang, who had come to Chuanzhou with Wu Ya.
When he saw Hu Yan Longchang again, Wei Ying was a little surprised at the change in the other person.
The once powerful warrior had actually become a fat man with a big head and big ears?
Was the food in their Great Yan prison really... so good?
Hu Yan Longchang naturally felt Wei Ying's inquiring look. He snorted, but his heart was very complicated.
After he was caught when trying to escape, he thought that the people of the Great Yan would be more harsh on him!
But instead... they sent all kinds of delicious food and good wine to him!
Meat and wine, nothing was missing!
He was the famous eldest prince of Xiliang!
How could he... resist such temptation!
So... every time the sumptuous meals were sent to him, he ate them all without leaving a bit.
Even after eating these, someone would still send him some desserts.
If it weren't for the occasional shrill cries from the cells beside him, he would have almost had the illusion that he was a guest in the Great Yan!
So...
He was unconsciously fattened up by the people of the Great Yan...
The well - built muscles he had always been proud of had long since left him.
Thinking of this, Hu Yan Longchang glared at Wei Ying fiercely and then said, "I advise you to let me go back earlier! Otherwise... Chuanzhou City will surely suffer!"
Hu Yan Longchang didn't know why he was brought here at first. It wasn't until someone asked him about the strange disease that he knew that his father had come up with such a cruel method to save him back.
Wei Ying still looked at him expressionlessly. Just when Hu Yan Longchang thought that Wei Ying had become a mute, he said coldly, "Do you think that if Hu Yan Zhuori had another son, he would still save you back?"
Hu Yan Longchang's eyebrows twitched. A bad premonition suddenly hit him.
"What nonsense are you talking about! Now I'm the only prince left in Xiliang! If you don't let me go back! In a few days, there will be no one left alive in Chuanzhou City! A bunch of commoners. It's an honor for them to be exchanged for me!"
Wei Ying's eyes turned cold. Then, before anyone could react, he drew his sword and chopped. Hu Yan Longchang let out a scream of pain.
His leg...
It had been cut off by Wei Ying without warning!
"Wei Ying, are you crazy! If my father sees how you've treated me! He will surely massacre your Great Yan!" Hu Yan Longchang wailed and cursed with hatred.
Wei Ying just glanced at him indifferently and said faintly, "You're useless now."
"What do you mean!" Hu Yan Longchang's heart skipped a beat.
Could it be... that they had already got the prescription to treat the strange disease?
This... was impossible!
Before he could react, Wei Ying had already turned around and left.
So...
He came here...
Just to cut off his leg?
Before he could think further, the excruciating pain made Hu Yan Longchang faint.
Anduo Zebu, who had been following Wei Ying, was also a little surprised to see Wei Ying's behavior.
"What's the meaning of this, Prince of Ning?"
Such bloodshed couldn't just be for venting anger, could it?
Hearing this, Wei Ying smiled.
"Because... we've kept him for too long. He was useful before, so when he became a captive, we didn't treat him harshly. But as a Xiliang person who has harmed the people of the Great Yan, he's no good person. So... since he's useless now, what I just did was all for... venting my anger."