“Consort Xuan, you are so polite. Her Majesty has already given it to you. Do you want Her Majesty to take it back?” Princess Caifeng was watching Mo Xuetong’s behavior closely. When she saw that Mo Xuetong was still refusing, she decided to use the Empress Dowager’s name to suppress her. Even though it was given in her name, it was indeed a gift from the Empress Dowager, so Mo Xuetong did not have any reason to refuse.
Mo Xuetong could only stand up and said respectfully to the Empress Dowager, “Many thanks for the reward, My Majesty!”
“There’s no need to be so polite!” the Empress Dowager said with a smile.
Mo Xuetong sat down again, but Princess Caifeng came over and said to her with a warm smile, “Consort Xuan, this bracelet is really beautiful. You should open it and have a look. I’ll help you put it on.”
As she spoke, she was about to open the box!
The box was facing Mo Xuetong’s face!
Feng Yuran’s lazy expression immediately turned sharp. He stared at the box with his pretty eyes and slowly looked at Princess Caifeng’s face. His eyes were filled with viciousness and bloodlust. He picked up a small teacup by the table and fiddled with it as if he did not mean anything.
Qin Yufeng’s expression also changed as he immediately understood Princess Caifeng’s intentions.
He knew the truth. There was a detailed record in the book that Crown Prince Xieyue lent him. The South Pearl necklace was indeed made of the best South Pearls, but when it was made, some medicine was added to the South Pearls. The Southern Barbarian Lands had a special method to make poison, and the medicine on the South Pearl necklace was the essence at that time.
No matter how many years the South Pearl had been locked in this jewelry box, it would be fine. But if the box was opened, the mixture of the medicine on the South Pearls and the air would slowly produce an incurable poison. No matter who touched this poison, they would die. Within 24 hours, they would definitely die and there was no antidote.
Even if a man touched it slightly, it would also flow into his blood vessels through his skin.
“Your Highness, no, I’ll look at it later.” Mo Xuetong placed her hand on Princess Caifeng’s and looked at the people around her awkwardly. It was okay to take out the accessory that was given and put it on. However, since there were so many people present, it was impolite. Furthermore, one of them was a princess and the other was a prince’s wife. How could they try to wear them on the spot like those petty people?
Seeing Princess Caifeng acted like this, the Empress Dowager could not be happy at all. If not for the loss of the child of Consort Yu and the loss of her secret pawn, she would not have allowed Feng Yuzhen to marry such a petty woman. She could not help but frown as she wondered if the Southern Barbarian Lands’ palace had already been so poor that their noble princess looked as if she had not seen many good things.
“My Lady, our princess wants to put it on for you in such a hurry because of your extraordinary appearance. You will definitely be more beautiful if you wear it. My Lady, please wear it and satisfy our princess’s wishes.” At this time, Hu Qianyue had no choice but to come out to help Princess Caifeng. Since Princess Caifeng had lost her etiquette, as the daughter of an official, she had to help her out. Actually, she also hated herself in her heart. “Why did I listen to Princess Caifeng and enter the palace with her back then?”
But now that things had come to this point, she had no choice but to help Princess Caifeng!
Hu Qianyue was glad that the poison would not take effect on the spot, and it was invisible. Besides, no one in the Qin Kingdom knew the poison so well!
She should not have known about this, but since she would come to the Qin Kingdom with Princess Caifeng this time, the Empress of the Southern Barbarian Lands especially asked her to go to the palace and told her about it. She also told her that when she came back this time, she would be the wife of the Third Prince. Then, she would be a member of the royal family.
They sent the necklace with an evil intention. It was Crown Prince Xieyue who came to the Qin Kingdom, so if something happened in the Qin Kingdom, the blame would inevitably fall on the crown prince. Crown Prince Xieyue could not be on good terms with the Qin Kingdom, and he would also become their enemy. As the gift was given by that way, how could an ordinary person get it?
Although the poison couldn’t be found out, Hu Qianyue only needed to say a few words to attract the attention to Crown Prince Xieyue. By then, Xieyue wouldn’t be able to explain it no matter how hard he tried. This gift was sent out before Xieyue knew it. Even if Xieyue had found out, he wouldn’t be able to get it back.
However, now that things went off course, Hu Qianyue did not dare to say anything else. She could only go along with Princess Caifeng’s wishes and try to persuade her. If anything were to happen to Consort Xuan, Princess Caifeng would definitely push the blame onto her. She had not expected that this idiot Caifeng would drag her down as well.
Since she had already come to the palace, she could not avoid such things. She only hoped that no one would find out that Consort Xuan’s death had something to do with this necklace!
However, Hu Qianyue still had something to rely on. Every item on the altar of the temple was a rare treasure, and this necklace was left by a high priest. Since there was no antidote, it had been left there all the time. She did not believe that the Qin Kingdom would find evidence without her secret advice!
“Consort Xuan, just wear it. Let me have a look!” Princess Caifeng looked more and more sincere and there was a hint of expectation in her eyes. Her beautiful eyes were filled with charm. In the past, Princess Caifeng had used this expression to solve every problem. Who would be able to reject such a simple request from a beautiful woman?
But now, this situation made people feel a little weird!
The main reason was that Mo Xuetong looked younger and purer than Princess Caifeng. There was a hint of awkwardness and uneasiness on her beautiful face. She bit her lips, making others feel as if Princess Caifeng was forcing her. Her clear eyes were even filled with tears.
She was at a loss what to do. It was as if she knew that this was inappropriate, but she was still hesitating. Compared to how Princess Caifeng and Hu Qianyue were pushing her together, it made one feel pity for her. Even the Empress Dowager had a gentle expression on her face. She was just about to wave her hand and let her open it and take a look at it.
Princess Caifeng did not realize that she had gone too far. She still tried to open the box enthusiastically. Anyway, she would have her own way to get Consort Xuan to put it on. As long as the necklace touched Consort Xuan’s skin, she would die. If she told her elder brother about it later, her elder brother would definitely agree to marry her to King Xuan.
So what if she was given the title of second consort first? Anyway, Consort Xuan could not live more than 24 hours. After 24 hours, Consort Xuan would be dead, and she would be the legitimate Consort Xuan. She could help her elder brother better. At this time, Princess Caifeng would say that she was doing this to find a better support for her elder brother.
She only felt that she was doing all this for her elder brother. She did not think that she was selfish and vicious! The satisfaction in her eyes could not be hidden no matter how hard she tried to. The smile on her lips was originally very affectionate, but now, it was filled with coldness and viciousness. In her eyes, Consort Xuan was now a dead person. She really did not take her seriously!
Mo Xuetong’s eyes had been fixed on Princess Caifeng warily. When she saw that the latter ignored the Empress Dowager who was present and insisted on opening it, her eyes grew cold. She tried to do something.
But at the same time, the teacup in Feng Yuran’s hand had been pointed at Princess Caifeng’s wrist. His eyes were filled with viciousness. At least, he would cripple Princess Caifeng’s hand. In his opinion, there was no need for the princess to exist if she dared to plot against Tong’er. As for Xieyue, he had his own way of dealing with him. Furthermore, he had always been arrogant. So what if he crippled her! Could it be that there was someone else who wanted to take revenge on him?
The air in the main hall grew heavier unconsciously. King Ning and King Yan both frowned. King Chu’s eyes twitched as if he wanted to say something, but he managed to hold it back. He had sent this necklace to Mo Xuetong, and if he said something, it meant that he knew the secret.
“Caifeng, put it down!” Just as the air in the hall was about to explode, an angry rebuke suddenly came from the entrance of the hall.
Everyone looked back and saw the gloomy-faced Crown Prince Xieyue striding in.
Just now, everyone’s attention was focused on Caifeng and Mo Xuetong, and no one heard the voice of Crown Prince Xieyue asking to come in.
“Elder brother?” Princess Caifeng’s hand stopped on the jewelry box. She looked up at the grim-faced Crown Prince Xieyue in shock.
“Caifeng, where did you get this jewelry box? Why is it here? I’ve told you that you can’t touch anything in the sacrificial temple!” Crown Prince Xieyue looked at Princess Caifeng’s hand coldly with a dark expression on his face. If Qin Yufeng had not sent someone to inform him, he would not have known that Caifeng had such thoughts. She wanted to kill Consort Xuan. It would depend on whether King Xuan was willing or not.
Even though Feng Yuran had not seen Crown Prince Xieyue and Princess Caifeng in public in the past few days, he had been dealing with Xieyue in private. King Xuan, who was said to be the most dissolute man, had already changed his image in the heart of Crown Prince Xieyue. That was why he did not dare to force Feng Yuran to marry Caifeng. How could Caifeng manipulate such a man?
Regardless of whether she had depended on his power or not, she was still his younger sister!
He still had certain affection for his younger sister. But now, he was angry. Her intention was obvious—she wanted to kill Consort Xuan. Others might not doubt that, but the scheming King Xuan would eventually find out that it had something to do with him. At that time, Caifeng would not be able to get what she wanted, nor would he.
Everything in the sacrificial temple couldn’t be touched!
Hearing this, You Yue’e and the others stood up subconsciously and stepped back. Everyone understood what he meant. This so-called national treasure might not be a good thing. What did Princess Caifeng who wanted to open the box and give it to Mo Xuetong want to do?
“Elder brother, how could it not be a good thing? The things in the temple are all good things. Father has never allowed me to touch them.” Princess Caifeng had already prepared an excuse. Although she did not expect that Crown Prince Xieyue would appear at this critical moment, she was flustered, but she still raised her head and said with a smile, pretending to be at a loss.
Of course, Xieyue would not expose the words of Princess Caifeng. Since he learned that this necklace was sent to the Qin Kingdom as a gift by the Empress of the Southern Barbarian Lands, he had been trying to get it back, so as not to cause trouble. He knew clearly about the Empress’ thoughts—she wanted him to be enemy of the Qin Kingdom. Then, she and his third brother would benefit from it.
It was best to take back the necklace before the box was opened. That was why he was so straightforward.
However, he did not want to implicate Princess Caifeng in this matter. Thus, he followed Princess Caifeng’s words and said, “Father did not allow you to touch them because he was afraid that you would be poisoned. Why would this necklace be sent to the Qin Kingdom? Could it be one of the gifts that the Empress sent first?”
