“Husband…”

Su Ziyue walked timidly to Chu Rui’s side.

Her face was full of guilt and self-reproach. “The Crown Princess is so beautiful, I never imagined she would have such deep schemes. If she hadn’t deceived me, I wouldn’t have eaten those osmanthus cakes… Husband, please forgive me.”

Chu Rui turned his head, his voice extremely indifferent. “The inner palace is full of treachery. You’re inexperienced in worldly matters, so being deceived is normal. Don’t take it to heart.”

Su Ziyue breathed a sigh of relief and smiled sweetly. “I knew my husband wouldn’t blame me.”

“There’s one matter where I can only ask for your help.” He grasped his wife’s hand. “Find a time to visit Lady Boyuan, and see if you can persuade her to arrange for me to meet with Marquis Boyuan in secret.”

Su Ziyue nodded. “Alright.”

She had met Lady Boyuan before. This lady particularly loved jewelry. Among her dowry was an East Sea luminous pearl that her father had purchased at a high price—the most valuable item in her dowry. However, she didn’t care for such ostentatious objects. Giving it to Lady Boyuan would bring her husband convenience in official circles. Why not?

Yun Chu sat in the carriage, pondering inwardly.

There were only three subsidiary parasites in total. The first was in Su Ziyue’s body, the second was certainly in Chu Rui’s body, so where was the third?

This person Chu Rui was skilled at disguise. How to kill the parasitic worm in his body was also a major problem.

Better to detoxify the Emperor first.

Once the poison was removed, it wouldn’t matter who had the subsidiary parasites.

In the blink of an eye, it was the day when the current Crown Prince Chu Yi would lead troops to crusade against Dongling Kingdom.

Before dawn broke, Chu Yi awoke.

Usually when he woke early, he would rise quietly and carefully, not disturbing Yun Chu’s continued rest.

Today was different. After waking, he pulled the woman beside him into his embrace, kissing her again and again until he had kissed Yun Chu awake.

Yun Chu’s arms encircled his neck, her eyes full of reluctance. “The people of Dongling Kingdom are insidious and cunning, stopping at nothing. In dealing with them, you need not harbor any kindness. The children and I will wait for your safe return.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to myself.” Chu Yi held her tightly. “I’m worried about you, worried about the children…”

The capital appeared prosperous and peaceful, undisturbed, but in reality, undercurrents surged everywhere. He worried that Yun Chu, a single woman, couldn’t handle it all.

However, he couldn’t speak the words of not going to war.

First, it was an imperial edict. Defying small matters was inconsequential, but if he defied an edict regarding something as major as leading troops to battle, there was only one result—execution without mercy.

Second, he was the Crown Prince, a subject, a person of the Great Jin Kingdom. Dongling Kingdom had coveted them for a long time; he couldn’t ignore it.

Finally, Dongling Kingdom had kidnapped Changsheng once and could very likely do so a second time. Without repelling Dongling Kingdom, they would make a comeback sooner or later.

Therefore, this battle—he had to go.

“Don’t worry about me.” Yun Chu curved her lips into a smile. “As long as I remove the parasitic poison from Imperial Father, Chu Rui will be executed. Rest assured, I’ll handle everything properly.”

She rose and dressed Chu Yi in his garments, draped the armor and battle robe over him, and placed the armored helmet on his head.

“Wow, Father looks so imposing!” Chu Hongyu darted in from outside. “Father looks so mighty, he’ll surely annihilate Dongling Kingdom completely!”

Chu Changsheng raised his head to look at his father. “Father, you must return safe and sound!”

The wet nurse also carried over little Jue. The little one seemed to sense his father was about to depart for battle and wasn’t in good spirits, his little mouth pouting, looking as if he would cry at any moment.

“Little Jue, be good.” Though Chu Yi wore hard armor, his voice was extremely gentle. “Your father will return victorious soon. You four—mother and children—need not see me off!”

He patted the three children’s heads, turned around, and strode out with large steps.

Reaching the doorway, he turned back and met Yun Chu’s somewhat reddened eyes.

He still couldn’t restrain himself. He quickly turned back, kissed Yun Chu’s eyes, then rapidly turned and disappeared at the main entrance.

The Crown Prince led troops to war, with the full court of civil and military officials seeing him off, and citizens throughout the city lining the streets to watch Chu Yi depart into the distance.

Although Chu Yi had told Yun Chu not to see him off, she couldn’t help herself. She changed into plain clothes, brought two maidservants, and squeezed into the crowd.

Standing among the people, she looked up at the man at the very front sitting on a tall horse.

When she had decided to marry him, she was probably five parts fond of him.

Later, after becoming his wife and giving birth to little Jue, those five parts of fondness became ten parts complete.

Like the children, he had also become an indispensable person in her life.

Chu Yi led his troops out of the capital and arrived outside the city gates.

The Emperor, accompanied by civil and military officials, stood on the city wall raising cups in farewell—a grand scene.

Yun Chu watched the Emperor on the city wall from afar. She discovered that the Emperor actually needed Eunuch Gao and an old nanny to support him to steady his form.

Hadn’t Wu Yun said that after taking the first three detoxification pills, the Emperor’s body would recover significantly? Why did it feel like the Emperor’s body was deteriorating even more?

Could it be…

Thinking of this, Yun Chu’s heart sank.

She suppressed her thoughts, left the crowd, and walked to the base of the city wall, quietly waiting for Consort Yin.

Consort Yin had long since cried herself into a tearful mess, just like when her son had first gone to suppress bandits—she had cried her heart out then too.

“Mother Consort.” Yun Chu walked to her side. “The Crown Prince’s departure will surely result in a safe and triumphant return, which will truly secure his position as the nation’s heir apparent. Mother Consort should take good care of your own health.”

Consort Yin wiped her tears and sighed. “Ah, even if he returns safely and triumphantly, that’s still at least half a year. Just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable… I don’t understand why Yi’er, being the Crown Prince, must lead troops to war. Why did His Majesty issue such an edict…”

“Mother Consort, mind your words.” Yun Chu glanced around and lowered her voice. “I have something to discuss with Mother Consort. Let’s share a carriage.”

Consort Yin was in distress and didn’t think much of it, following Yun Chu into her carriage.

After boarding, Yun Chu said, “I’d like to ask Mother to go and count how many black spots are on Imperial Father’s chest.”

“What?” Consort Yin’s watery eyes widened. “Chu’er, what—what are you trying to do?”

Yun Chu hesitated for a moment.

Consort Yin had a simple personality with no schemes whatsoever. If she knew about the Emperor being poisoned with parasites, she would certainly speak of it before the Emperor, and then Consort Yin would also become suspect in the Emperor’s eyes.

She paused before saying, “This is something the Crown Prince instructed. It can connect with celestial phenomena to examine fortune, and can also calculate whether this battle will be won or lost.”

“I see…” Consort Yin nodded. “Rest assured, tonight I’ll find out for you.”

Before evening even arrived, news came from the palace—the Emperor had a total of nine black spots on his chest.

Yun Chu’s heart immediately sank to the bottom.

These past few days, she had given Eunuch Gao a total of three detoxification pills. The Emperor’s chest should only have six black spots remaining.

In other words, Eunuch Gao had not administered the medicine to the Emperor.

Had Eunuch Gao explained everything to the Emperor, and the Emperor refused to take the medicine, or…

No, if Eunuch Gao had confessed, the Emperor would certainly have summoned her to the palace and forced her to explain what exactly this medicine was…

Eunuch Gao had also been poisoned with parasites!

Yun Chu didn’t feel discouraged but rather felt fortunate. If not for this development, she really wouldn’t have thought that one of the subsidiary parasites was actually in Eunuch Gao’s body.