novelraw Chapter 802 - 780: About to Go Crazy
Chapter 802 - 780: About to Go Crazy
Han Ziqi followed the Imperial Physician here, and Xie Jue’s Shadow Guards were kneeling all over the place, faces grave. Though Xie Jue’s meals were not attended by a dedicated person during his travels, they were always inspected by the Shadow Guards before being presented to him. It was Ying Er and Ying Liu who constantly checked, so nobody would tamper with Xie Jue’s meals, and Fang Chuning never imagined anyone would mess with them.
Both wild rabbits were poisoned, a lethal toxin sealing the throat at first sight of blood, showing the poison’s ferocity, akin to deadly red arsenic. Ying Er and Ying Liu found nothing unusual during their examination.
This poison is colorless and tasteless, with no reaction when tested with a silver needle, thus Ying Er and Ying Liu failed to detect anything amiss.
This poison is rare.
Fang Chuning’s face was extremely grim, the angrier he was, the calmer he became, his dark eyes fixated on Han Ziqi, sending shivers down Han Ziqi’s spine. "Prince, I swear, if I had even the slightest thought of harming you, let me be struck by lightning and die without a whole corpse. I wish more than anyone else for you to reach the Capital City safely and meet with my father, to bring peace to Sannan. How could I possibly poison you?"
He proclaimed his innocence while facing Fang Chuning’s angry yet calm gaze. If he had any guilty conscience, he felt Fang Chuning would slash him dead with a knife to avenge Xie Jue.
Xie Jue’s face was pale and solemn, his gaze heavy on the two dead rabbits, gifts from Fang Chuning, poisoned to death in the tent in less than a quarter of an hour. Sannan people’s hands stretched unknowingly to him, yet he was completely unaware. The ancients often said to be cautious in peace, but his days of peace and happiness had lasted too long, making him forget the times of flashing swords and concealed threats.
Not only did he forget, but his Shadow Guards were also negligent.
Years ago, after he and Xie Xun betrayed the Capital City and returned to Ningzhou, Ningzhou Iron Cavalry numbered in the hundreds of thousands, but they couldn’t ensure everyone’s loyalty to the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, to their brotherhood. Many soldiers were more loyal to royal power, loyal to the people, and no matter the reason, they all hoped the brothers wouldn’t divide Beining, thus danger surrounded Xie Jue and Xie Xun.
They encountered various assassination attempts, and meals were frequently poisoned. Every hot meal had to be consumed with caution, fearing they would fall into the enemy’s trap.
Just in the Ningzhou Prince Manor, Xie Jue had been poisoned sixteen times. The Shadow Guards meticulously managed his diet, from selecting ingredients to finished products, without the involvement of outsiders, yet poisoning still occurred.
After Xie Xun ascended the throne, the crisis subsided, and finally his surroundings calmed down. Starting a year ago, his environment quieted down, and no one tampered with his meals anymore. Unexpectedly, on the journey to the Sannan Capital, he encountered another poison attempt, nearly successful, just short of separating him from Zhixu and Anning.
It was a venomous toxin sealing the throat at first sight of blood. Just a sip of broth would have killed him!
"I trust you don’t have the audacity for such a deed!" Xie Jue’s voice was somber, as he calmly looked at Han Ziqi, striving to maintain a steady tone. "Yet this poison is difficult for the Imperial Physician to detect. You Sannan people are adept with poisons, so I request the Princely Heir to take the meals back and thoroughly examine what poison this is? This toxin was silently placed in my food, and due to the two little rabbits, I narrowly escaped. I need to know who poisoned me, hoping the Princely Heir finds the culprit swiftly!"
"Rest assured, Prince, I will certainly provide you with an answer!" Han Ziqi was also seething with anger, determined to dismember the culprit once found.
After Han Ziqi went to investigate, Fang Chuning took a deep breath and looked at the Imperial Physician with furrowed brows, asking gravely, "The poisons in Sannan are numerous and undefendable, how should we prevent them in the future when even silver needles can’t detect toxicity? How can I guarantee the Prince’s dietary safety?"
More than pursuing responsibility, Fang Chuning cared about protecting Xie Jue.
The Imperial Physician was worried, "Prince, General, forgive my incompetence; this poison is hard to guard against, and I am at a loss for preventive measures at the moment. Henceforth, the Prince’s meals should be handled personally to minimize opportunities for outsiders to poison."
"This time, the Prince encountered danger due to our inadequate guard; please punish us," Ying Er knelt in guilt as the Shadow Guards hadn’t made such a grave mistake for a long time.
"Colorless and tasteless poison, undetectable by silver needles, lacking divine abilities, how could you know the meals were poisoned? Rise," Xie Jue said lightly.
"Starting today, we will be responsible for the Prince’s meals, ensuring it’s untouched by others; please rest assured!"
Xie Jue nodded; even without his command, the Shadow Guards would personally prepare his meals, specifically advising, "Fang Chuning and I, together in charge."
"Yes!"
The Imperial Physician and the Shadow Guards left together, taking the poisoned rabbits as they departed, and a cold wind stirred, bringing Fang Chuning right to Xie Jue’s side, tightly embracing him. Xie Jue knew Fang Chuning was frightened; the two little rabbits dying before him almost became Fang Chuning’s fate, nearly separating him from Fang Chuning. Holding Fang Chuning, he felt the trembling in his body, making Xie Jue’s heart ache. He gently soothed Fang Chuning’s back, "It’s alright, Anning, don’t be afraid!"
"I’m terrified!" Fang Chuning’s voice was hoarse, biting hard on his shoulder while choking, "Just a little bit more, you’d have died in front of me."
Without any warning and no signs at all, he’d be separated from him by life and death!
Fang Chuning suddenly raised his head, gripping Xie Jue’s chin with one hand, and kissed him fiercely, like a frantic beast fiercely biting his mate after surviving a disaster. Amidst feeling his warmth, breath, and heartbeat, touching this scorching body and listening to the powerful heartbeat seemed the only way to confirm he was still alive.
After the rain, a rainbow hung in the sky—they had just admired the splendid rainbow, not expecting such an ecstasy and near-death separation.
Fang Chuning bit Xie Jue’s lips until they bled, tenderly licking his wound, pressing his nose against him with a fierce and resolute look, "Ting Feng, I refuse to accept separation by life or death!"
The scene of the two rabbits convulsing and dying flashed in his mind, replaced with Xie Jue, driving Fang Chuning into madness!