Chapter 232: Chapter 232

Nangong Jue stared intently at the smiling fox mask, squeezing two words through his teeth:

But the man responded with laughter, "All’s fair in war, who’s to blame for being foolish?"

Nangong Jue gritted his teeth, channeling his Inner Strength into his palm, and struck out towards him.

However, the strike did not harm the man in the slightest. Instead, Nangong Jue spat out another mouthful of fresh blood, feeling a surge of vitality overwhelming him, as if his insides were ablaze.

Especially his heart, which felt as though an iron hand was gripping it tightly, causing a heavy, suffocating pain.

Nangong Jue was startled: This poison... could it be?

As if seeing through his thoughts, the lazy voice of the man in the red robe drifted in the wind.

"If you do not want your blood to reverse and your meridians to rupture and die, it would be best not to rashly use your Inner Strength within six hours."

"The Cultivation Technique the Crown Prince practices is unique, making him immune to a hundred poisons, yet this poison..."

The man in the red robe paused slightly, curling his lips in a smile, "was born for you. If you don’t believe it, go ahead and try using it."

Hearing this, Nangong Jue abruptly looked up at him, his eyes dark as an abyss, occasionally flashing with red, filled with treacherous intent.

Few in the world knew of the Cultivation Technique he practiced.

Nangong Jue quietly gathered Inner Strength, and indeed, a heart-wrenching pain shot from his chest as the True Qi inside him rampaged like a wild horse.

Nangong Jue strained to steady his mind, his gaze fixed on the man’s mask as if trying to see through it to his face.

"Who are you really? What is your purpose?"

"The Crown Prince has lofty aspirations, his heart set only on imperial achievements, yet even now he has no Crown Princess Consort. On such a long night, is it lonely to sleep alone?" Googlᴇ search 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹⟡𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⟡𝙣𝙚𝙩

Nangong Jue frowned at him, his gaze dark and somber, "What are you trying to say?"

The man flicked open a folding fan with a ’swish’, waving it with a touch of elegance and charm.

"How about I find you a Crown Princess Consort?"

Nangong Jue froze, looking at him deeply, pressing his lips in silence.

The man continued to wave the fan, muttering, "Tell me, is there someone you fancy?"

"It doesn’t matter if there is, I’ve already chosen a Crown Princess Consort for you."

Nangong Jue remained silent for a while, looking at him, "If you have an illness, go treat it."

The man in the red robe lazily rolled his eyes, "No need for you to worry about that, you’d better think more about the wedding night to come."

As soon as Nangong Jue heard this, his face hardened, "What do you mean?"

"Why rush? You’ll know soon enough."

Lin Yanran, still in her carefully applied makeup and splendid clothes, was about to rush to the study in desperation when the nanny finally returned.

Lin Yanran, momentarily forgetting her elegant demeanor, hurried forward, "How is it? Has His Highness the Crown Prince finished discussing matters with Father?"

The nanny, panting and holding her waist, nodded, and Lin Yanran’s face lit up with joy, immediately asking, "Is the Crown Prince coming this way?"

As she spoke, Lin Yanran uneasily reached up to adjust her hair ornament, tidied her hair, displaying a young girl’s shyness and excitement for a rendezvous with her beloved.

The nanny took a long breath, "Miss, the Crown Prince, after leaving the study, went straight away."

Lin Yanran’s hand paused in tidying her dress, the smile on her face frozen, "What did you say? Left?"

The nanny, seeing her reaction, despite not wanting to disappoint her, replied truthfully with a heavy heart, "Yes, Miss, the Crown Prince has already returned to the Eastern Palace."

Lin Yanran’s body swayed slightly, her cheeks, blushed with rouge, turned somewhat pale.

Mrs. Qin saw this and quickly reached out to support her, holding her half in her arms, soothing in a gentle voice, "Yan’er, perhaps it’s late, and the Crown Prince, considerate of your illness, did not wish to disturb you, so he did not come to see you."

Lin Yanran gazed at her blankly, somewhat dazed, "Is that so?"

Mrs. Qin also felt a pang of heartache for her.

Already weakened by illness, she had gotten up in the dead of night, dressed and bathed, quite the ordeal!

Waiting all night, only to hear ’he left’, how could it not be disappointing? How could it not be heart-wrenching?

Mrs. Qin affectionately stroked her hair, "Of course it is true. The Crown Prince has always been thoughtful and considerate, surely taking your health into account, and not wishing to disturb your rest. Perhaps he will come to see you tomorrow."

"Why wait until tomorrow? This longing, one day feels like three autumns, can the Second Miss bear to wait?"

Suddenly, a lazy voice crept in with the night breeze, startling everyone in the room.

Mrs. Qin reacted the quickest, instinctively stepping forward to shield Lin Yanran, her eyes fixed on the door, "Who’s there? Somebody! Guards!"

But despite her shouting, there was no response from the guards outside, not even from the maids or servants.

Mrs. Qin grew increasingly uneasy, raising her voice, "Quick...!"

"Yelling like ducks climbing trees, unbearable! Even if you scream till your throat is sore, no one will come in."

Suddenly, a cold wind blew through, and everyone felt a flash, Mrs. Qin opened her mouth but no sound came out.

And there was now an additional figure in the room, a tall man in black attire with a masked face.

The nanny let out a shriek, spreading her arms like a hen protecting her chicks, she shielded Mrs. Qin and Lin Yanran, glaring at the man in black.

"Bandit! Don’t you dare harm the madam and the little...!"

Before she could finish speaking, the man in black struck her with a palm, sending her flying several meters to the ground, unconscious.

Lin Yanran, scared out of her wits, hid in Mrs. Qin’s embrace, her body trembling as she looked at the man in black, "Who are you? What do you want? Don’t do anything reckless, I’ll give you money! You can have as much as you want!"

The man in black scratched his ear, his eyes full of disdain, "Reckless? Where do you get your confidence? With your pretentious and vicious nature, I’m afraid you’d disgrace my family."

Hearing this, Lin Yanran immediately became furious.

How dare such a shady scoundrel insult her this way? What right did he have?

Though filled with fiery anger, she dared not act, her face turning red with rage, nearly steaming from her ears!

"If that’s the case, I’ll give you money, you take it and leave, I’ll pretend you never came, and no one will pursue you."

Lin Yanran, restraining her anger, took out a box of gold bars.

The man in black glanced at it and suddenly gave her a chop on the side of her neck. Lin Yanran’s body slumped, passing out, and was hoisted onto his shoulder.

Mrs. Qin was horrified at this sight, disregarding danger and fear, she rushed forward to grab her.

The man in black looked at her scornfully, kicked her away, "Off you go."

Unable to even utter a cry after having her Mute Acupoint struck, Mrs. Qin passed out from the fall.

The man in black silently carried Lin Yanran out of the Minister Mansion.