A faint smell of blood seemed to be lingering in the air.
Ning Yuwang frowned. Both Chu Heyao and An Ruoqian were injured.
"Sister-in-law," Chu Heyao's eyes were filled with surprise. He craned his neck to look outside. "Where's Ziyan?"
"The heir went to the Pei Mansion."
Ning Yuwang told them about the incident of Grand Tutor Pei fainting. But to her surprise, Ning Fengnian and Chu Heyao exchanged a glance and sighed simultaneously.
However, there was no trace of surprise in their eyes, indicating that they had already known about this.
A thought flashed through Ning Yuwang's mind. "Father, why did Grand Tutor Pei faint?"
Ning Fengnian first glanced at An Ruoqian but didn't say a word. The latter was quite sensible and immediately excused herself, saying she wanted to go out for some fresh air.
But Chu Heyao stopped An Ruoqian, who was about to get up. "I've been indebted to Ruoqian's help all the way. There's no need to be so formal."
Seeing his insistence, Ning Fengnian had no choice but to speak up. "The emperor has been in a coma and hasn't woken up yet. A faction in the court led by Grand Tutor An intends to make the third prince the crown prince and temporarily take over the emperor's duties."
Chu Heyao lowered his eyes, seemingly having no objections to this matter.
The emperor of Chu was in a coma?
Ning Yuwang raised her eyebrows. It was really a great piece of good news.
After all, she was the "culprit" who made the emperor of Chu fall into a coma.
Her expression remained unchanged. She coughed lightly and continued along with Ning Fengnian's words. "Since ancient times, it has been the rule to establish the eldest son of the legitimate wife as the heir. Grand Tutor An is being a bit too hasty."
The emperor of Chu only announced externally that he had sent Chu Heyao for training. No matter how people speculated that the second prince had fallen out of favor, he was still the eldest son of the legitimate wife of the emperor of Chu.
It wasn't that he couldn't come back. How could they let a younger half - brother take the throne?
Moreover, the queen of Chu was still in the palace. How could she tolerate such remarks in the court?
"There are also many who support the second prince. The two factions had a big argument in the court. I don't know who lured Grand Tutor Pei to the court today and forced him to make a choice."
Ning Fengnian rubbed his forehead. "Some even pushed him aggressively."
Both Grand Tutor Pei and he were neutral. However, the former had retired from the court for many years and no longer cared about court affairs.
The latter had a hot temper and didn't like to get involved in such things.
But the faction supporting the second prince tried to make Grand Tutor Pei oppose Grand Tutor An because of his high prestige in the court, hoping to increase their chances of winning.
Their intention was right, but they didn't use the right means.
Moreover, Grand Tutor Pei was deceived into coming. He was naturally angry and finally fainted.
Ning Fengnian guessed that if Grand Tutor Pei hadn't fainted, he would have been the next one to be forced.
The two factions in the court had been arguing about this matter for many days, forcing the remaining "neutral" faction to take leave and avoid the situation.
He had also taken a few days' leave today by the way.
After listening to the whole story, Ning Yuwang thought: You people of the Chu Dynasty really know how to play! You don't even let the retired old officials off.
There was a hint of disdain in her eyes. It was precisely the people of the second - prince's faction who were the most aggressive, which made Chu Heyao feel even more guilty.
He suddenly stood up. "How about I go and visit Grand Tutor Pei?"
He also wanted to apologize to Grand Tutor Pei on behalf of his mother and the court officials.
"No," An Ruoqian, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly spoke up. "The second prince's whereabouts should not be exposed."
The journey back to the capital from Xiaoshan for Chu Heyao and An Ruoqian had been anything but peaceful. They had been hunted day and night.
Even when they stayed in an inn, they couldn't avoid being poisoned or assassinated.
It seemed that the person behind the scenes was constantly monitoring his movements.
Fortunately, An Ruoqian was smart. She bought some farmer's clothes, and the two of them quietly changed their outfits, finally getting rid of the assassins.
They thought they were safe, but unexpectedly, as soon as they entered the city gate, the assassins caught up with them again.
Chu Heyao frowned as he told the story. It seemed that he and An Ruoqian had been discovered after they entered the city and submitted their travel documents.
It showed that the person behind the scenes was extremely powerful and had even placed people at the city gate.
Thinking about the matter of establishing the crown prince, he suddenly realized with disappointment who the person behind the scenes was.
"I just want to serve my father in his illness. I don't care about other things," Chu Heyao had never been interested in the position of the crown prince or the highest throne, even though the queen of Chu had reminded him from time to time.
He still lived a carefree life and always made concessions, advocating brotherly harmony.
He had thought that the event of brothers killing each other in ancient history should not happen in this dynasty.
But no matter how much he resisted and conceded, the matter of seizing the throne still happened.
Ning Fengnian looked at him expectantly. After all, it was a matter of the royal family. As a neutral court official, it was naturally not appropriate for him to get involved.
As for Yuan Qingrong, he tightly closed his lips, as if he had heard nothing.
It was Ning Yuwang who had a cold and fierce look in her eyes. "Some things are unavoidable."
Just like Yan Zhao's past, there was no way to avoid it.
Ning Yuwang didn't like the emperor of Chu, but she didn't dislike Chu Heyao.
Like Yan Zhao, she judged people based on their actions rather than their identities.
She only targeted the evil people like the emperor and the queen of Chu, but would not implicate Chu Heyao and Chu Nian'an.
After all, in the royal family, these two people were extremely kind.
"I know," Chu Heyao sighed. His former high - spiritedness had turned into loneliness and unspeakable sorrow.
"Second prince," An Ruoqian comforted him in a low voice, but unexpectedly, a pair of eyes stared at her without any hesitation.
She raised her eyes. It was Ning Yuwang, who looked at her without flinching. The latter's voice was cold and indifferent. "Miss An, why did you come back to the capital with the second prince?"
Grand Tutor An was the maternal grandfather of the third prince. Strictly speaking, An Ruoqian should also call Chu Heye her cousin.
But because of the matter of establishing the crown prince, Grand Tutor An clearly supported the third prince.
An Ruoqian and Chu Heyao should not be so close. In fact, they should avoid suspicion.
But Ning Yuwang clearly remembered that just now, Chu Heyao had affectionately called An Ruoqian by her name and said not to be so formal.
Unconscious actions and words could never deceive people.
Before An Ruoqian could speak, Chu Heyao had already protected her. But when facing Ning Yuwang's suspicion, he suddenly changed his address.
"Ruoqian... I've relied on Miss An's protection all the way."
Not long after he was "sent" to Xiaoshan for training, he happened to meet An Ruoqian at the foot of the mountain one day. She said that she had come to Xiaoshan to look for herbs according to her master's order.
Since Chu Heyao was familiar with the terrain, he led An Ruoqian to look for them. Gradually, they found that the other person was completely different from what they had known before.
The former seemed unrestrained and free - spirited, but in fact, he was overly simple and kind.
The latter usually seemed gentle and shy, but unexpectedly, she was highly skilled in martial arts and decisive in dealing with things.
According to An Ruoqian, she had stayed in Xiaoshan for a long time according to her master's order.
During their long - term acquaintance, some feelings gradually developed between them.
Of course, neither Chu Heyao nor An Ruoqian said the last sentence. It was something that Ning Yuwang had seen with her own eyes.
Chu Heyao received an urgent summons from the queen to return to the capital. Coincidentally, An Ruoqian also received an order from her master to return. So the two of them decided to return to the capital together.
What a coincidence.
During the assassination, An Ruoqian helped him all the way, and their relationship gradually deepened.
When they entered the capital, originally Chu Heyao and An Ruoqian should have gone their separate ways.
But they happened to meet the assassins again, so they had to continue traveling together.
And Ning Fengnian had just returned from the palace. Seeing that someone was actually attacking in broad daylight at the foot of the imperial city, he sent people to help.
Chu Heyao and An Ruoqian pretended to escape but actually hid quietly under the carriage of the Marquis of Yongning and followed it into the mansion.
After listening to the whole story, Ning Yuwang looked at An Ruoqian meaningfully. "What a coincidence."
An Ruoqian met her clear eyes without flinching, completely different from her usual shy appearance. "Thanks to this coincidence, the second prince was able to return safely."
The coincidence she mentioned was the encounter with the Marquis of Yongning.