Chapter 465 The Cat and Mouse Game
As night fell, Song Ci was awakened by a faint disturbance.
She sat up, making some noise, and Hong You came in from outside, rubbing her eyes and asked, "Madam, would you like some water?"
"Hmm, what time is it?"
Hong You glanced at the Western clock and said, "Madam, it is already the second quarter of the Yin hour."
Song Ci took the tea that Hong You handed over, sipped it, and looked outside, saying, "There seems to be some commotion outside."
Hong You listened intently for a moment, went outside to listen again, and came back to report, "Madam, there is nothing."
In fact, Song Ci couldn’t hear anything anymore either, and said, "Hmm, go back to sleep."
She lay back down, listening to the ticking of the Western clock’s hands in the quiet room, and after a long while, fell asleep again.
...
Song Zhiyuan had not returned home and stayed in the palace until the news reached him, and then he headed to the Imperial Study.
Emperor Chu saw him coming and said, "Just in time, shall we go have a look together?"
Song Zhiyuan nodded and followed him to the Heavenly Prison.
In the Heavenly Prison, there were some vicious criminals and some ministers who had committed serious crimes.
And tonight, some newcomers had been locked in.
Emperor Chu and Song Zhiyuan, wrapped in cloaks, stood in front of a cell, coldly watching a young boy of about sixteen or seventeen with disheveled hair.
The boy had somewhat delicate features, and upon seeing Emperor Chu, he was filled with rage and rushed forward.
"Chu dog, your Chu Family will meet a horrid end."
Emperor Chu remained expressionless. A Dragon Guard flicked his finger, and a needle as thin as a hair pierced through the boy’s lips.
The boy screamed, clutched his mouth, and fell to the ground, wailing in agony.
Emperor Chu squatted down and looked at the boy, "Are you a remnant of the Xia Family?"
The boy widened his eyes, full of hatred, his gaze as if he wished to devour Emperor Chu, and shouted, "If you have the guts, kill me. The wronged spirits of our Xia Family will haunt you for hundreds of thousands of years."
Emperor Chu looked towards the two neighboring cells and said, "Where is the true heir of the Xia Family?"
The boy’s pupils contracted, a trace of terror flashed through them.
Emperor Chu smiled, reached out with the large ring on his finger, and touched the boy’s face, "If you really think you are the last heir of the Xia Dynasty’s Royal Family, then I find the Xia Family bloodline rather disappointing. Fools like you are not intimidating. If you’re not a real fool, then you are loyal and honest, trying to buy time here so the true heir of the Xia Family can escape? Or did he never even enter the city and used you to declare war on me, telling me he has returned?"
The boy’s eyes were filled with shock, his gaze venomous.
"Seems I’ve hit the mark a little, again setting a target for kidnapping and revealing some flaws intentionally to let me see through a plan full of loopholes. Is it to use these few spies as stepping stones to let the real traitors settle down? Or is it just using a few insignificant spies to put on a show for me, playing a game of cat and mouse?"
The boy lay on the ground, his fingers curled, suddenly leaped up, opened his mouth, and spat something at Emperor Chu.
Song Zhiyuan subconsciously moved in front of Emperor Chu to shield him, but though he was fast, someone was faster. A Shadow Guard, ever present like a shadow, kicked the boy away. The poison that was about to hit Emperor Chu’s face splattered in the air and landed on the grass, sizzling.
Everyone was shocked.
Looking back at the boy, his mouth was sizzling, visibly smoking and melting.
No one knew what kind of poison it was, but it was incredibly ferocious.
Emperor Chu patted Song Zhiyuan on the shoulder, looked at the dying boy, and said coldly, "Quite loyal, what a pity. Your master may not be moved."
He turned and left the cell.
Song Zhiyuan glanced at the boy and followed him out.