After Marrying the Disabled, I Became the Prime Minister’s Wife

Chapter 422

The carriage curtain was lifted. Chu Ruoyan felt a pang of nausea in her stomach the moment she saw that heavily powdered face. She turned her head away and scoffed coldly, "Are you here to laugh at me?"

"How could that be? Cousin Miaomiao, we both share the surname Yun. Naturally, your older cousin wishes the best for you!"

"Wishing me well by knocking my younger cousin unconscious? What, do you still want to send me back?" Chu Ruoyan let out a deliberate sneer. Yun Zihao raised his pinky finger, laughing so hard he trembled like a branch in the wind. Shaking his head as he laughed, he said, "Cousin Miaomiao, since when have you become so spineless? That man surnamed Yan dared to strip you of your position as Empress. Don't you want to fight your way back and drag him down from the throne?"

Chu Ruoyan thought to herself that he was finally getting to the point, but her face remained full of disdain. "Easier said than done. Do you think the people in the imperial palace are just useless fools? And don't think I don't know what you're plotting. You want to use me and my second brother to help you seize the throne. Keep dreaming!"

If she had agreed right away, Yun Zihao might have harbored some suspicions.

But seeing her prickly demeanor now, coupled with the fact that even the Chu family had secretly sent her out of the palace, it was evident that she had truly fallen out with the Emperor.

Completely reassured, he coaxed with a smile, "How could that be? Didn't your cousin already say that we are a family? When I rule the world one day, I will grant you the title of Grand Princess and Yun Lang the title of Prince. Wouldn't that be better than your current state in the Cold Palace?"

Chu Ruoyan secretly laughed at his empty promises, which held absolutely no temptation for her. How could a Grand Princess compare to the reigning Empress?

She shot him a sidelong glance. "Why don't you let my second brother rule the world? That way, I would be a genuine Grand Princess, wouldn't I?"

Yun Zihao burst into loud laughter. "Cousin Miaomiao, your ambition is quite something! Good, that's how it should be. We of the Yun family received the mandate of heaven and are meant to stand above the masses! However, as for this throne..." He rolled his eyes thoughtfully. "It's not that your cousin won't agree to it, but your second brother simply has no interest in it!"

After speaking, he turned sideways. There stood Yun Lang, dressed in blood-red robes, standing expressionlessly in front of the carriage.

"Second Brother!" Chu Ruoyan called out softly.

Yun Lang gave her a slight nod. His gaze paused on Yun Zhao beside him, and then he looked coldly at Yun Zihao. "Whoever wants to be Emperor can be Emperor. But shouldn't you fulfill the promise you made to me?"

Chu Ruoyan was stunned. Yun Zihao clapped his hands and let out a shrill laugh. "Don't be in such a hurry, little cousin. I promised you I would release Yun Zhao, and I will definitely do it, just not right now."

Chu Ruoyan suddenly understood. No wonder her second brother had entered the palace late at night and told her to play along without explaining anything.

It turned out that Yun Zihao was using their eldest brother to threaten him.

A fierce glint flashed in Yun Lang's peach-blossom eyes. "If not now, then when? Yun Zihao, stop playing games with me!"

Before Yun Zihao could speak, a young girl in red behind him said angrily, "Yun Lang, our master agreed with you that he would only return Yun Zhao to you after you helped him succeed. Are you trying to back out?"

"Zhuque, do not be insolent," Yun Zihao lightly reprimanded her, then said leisurely, "Yun Lang, Miaomiao, please don't mind her. This Zhuque is the sister of the Azure Dragon Envoy, Song Jia. She harbors a deep-seated hatred for Yan Zheng. But she is not wrong; as long as the Great Sheng Dynasty is restored, I will give you whatever you want."

Yun Lang gritted his teeth, about to lash out, but Chu Ruoyan quickly interjected, "Then what do you want us to do?"

Yun Zihao smiled. "That's more like it. Cousin Miaomiao is much more reasonable. I don't ask for much. I just need you to go back and stall Yan Zheng."

Chu Ruoyan scoffed, "I've been thrown into the Cold Palace. How am I supposed to stall him?"

"Has Cousin Miaomiao forgotten the child in your womb? Even if Yan Zheng doesn't care about you, he must care about his own flesh and blood. I don't care what method you use, as long as you can stall him for three days."

Three days?

It seemed he would make a major move within these three days.

Chu Ruoyan narrowed her eyes and remained silent. Yun Zihao clapped his hands, and Yun Zhao, who had been sitting quietly in the carriage, suddenly stood up and leaped to his side.

Murderous intent flared in Yun Lang's eyes, and Chu Ruoyan's gaze darkened. "What is the meaning of this!"

Yun Zihao giggled. "Oh, don't misunderstand. Your cousin has no intention of using him to threaten you. I just want to offer a friendly reminder: cooperation leads to a win-win, while refusal leads to mutual destruction. What do you say?"

Chu Ruoyan watched Yun Zhao, whose eyes were hollow, following Yun Zihao like a marionette.

With an ache in her heart, she bit her lip and said, "Fine, I agree!"

"Hahahaha, ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‍that's right. It's good that you know what's best for you, little cousin. Then your older cousin will wait for your good news!" After saying that, he considerately waved his hand. Coupled with his face, which was painted like a glamorous ghost, it was enough to make one's skin crawl with dread.

After Yun Zihao left, only one carriage and the siblings remained.

Chu Ruoyan watched Yun Lang standing motionless, his eyes fixed intensely in the direction Yun Zhao had left. She couldn't help but ask, "Second Brother, what exactly happened? That day you chased after Eldest Brother—did you still fail to catch up to him?"

Yun Lang watched for a long time, only slowly turning his head back when they were out of sight.

He climbed into the carriage, staying silent for quite a while before saying, "No, I caught up to him. I also used the mind-bewitching powder the old master gave me to knock him out and carry him back to the Baixiao Pavilion, but—"

His voice abruptly stopped, as if recalling an extremely painful memory. The veins on the back of his hands bulged one by one. "The moment he woke up, he went mad trying to escape. I locked him in the cellar, but he forced the iron door open. Yes, you heard me right. He broke the iron chains with his bare hands and repeatedly bashed his head against the iron door, eventually running out with his head covered in blood. I was afraid that trapping him further would cost him his life, so I could only let him go. But the moment he returned to Yun Zihao's side, he became quiet, just like what you saw earlier."

Chu Ruoyan's heart trembled slightly. "Are you saying that Yun Zihao is controlling him? Could it be puppet sorcery?"

"It's not Yun Zihao; he doesn't have that kind of ability! As for puppet sorcery..." Yun Lang's gaze darkened. "The old master said it isn't puppet sorcery. Although puppet sorcery can control a person's mind, it is far from making someone go completely insane just by leaving the caster. But he refused to say exactly what it is. He only mentioned that we must catch the person pulling the strings behind the scenes to be certain."

Chu Ruoyan felt a chill run up her spine.

What could it be that even Qin Yiru remained so secretive about?

"Yan Zheng once mentioned that Yun Zihao also has experts from the Western Frontier assisting him. I'm afraid they are the ones who did this!"

Yun Lang furrowed his brows in frustration. Chu Ruoyan comforted him, "Second Brother, as long as Eldest Brother is still alive, we will always find a way to save him. Don't worry."

Yun Lang remained silent for a long time before saying, "Miaomiao, Eldest Brother and I are twins, as you know."

Chu Ruoyan nodded, and then heard him say, "But ever since the incident more than a decade ago, I have never been able to feel his presence again... Miaomiao, I'm just afraid that he..."

His voice choked. It was a rare sight for her to see her usually proud and unyielding brother with red eyes.

Any words of comfort seemed pale at this moment. She could only raise her hand and gently hold his. "Second Brother, you have to believe in Eldest Brother. Since we siblings were able to reunite after being separated for so many years, he will definitely be safe and sound too!"