The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

Chapter 163 Jiang Jingchen: I...I'm dizzy!

The night at Shou Kang Palace was so quiet it was almost deathly still.

The Empress Dowager leaned against the soft couch, her complexion much worse than during the day.

That usually kind and gentle face now appeared sickly pale in the candlelight, with sunken eyes and bloodless lips.

The palace servants held their breath and walked on tiptoe, afraid of making the slightest sound.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, fiddling with her prayer beads, and remained motionless for a long time.

"Everyone, get out of here," she suddenly said, her voice hoarse.

The palace servants, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, quietly withdrew.

Only one person remained.

Shen Qinghe stood in the corner, head down, her whole body trembling slightly.

"come over."

Shen Qinghe trembled, but dared not disobey, and stepped forward step by step.

She looked at the seemingly kind old woman on the bed, and recalled the screams she had heard in the night, and the young girls who had been carried out—

The Empress Dowager grasped her wrist, her fingernails tracing the old and new marks left by the restraints.

Shen Qinghe shuddered slightly in pain, but gritted her teeth and dared not make a sound.

The Empress Dowager looked at the marks and smiled.

The smile was very kind, but there was a coldness in the eyes.

"Good child," she said, her voice as soft as a sigh, "The Shen family sent you here to share my burdens."

She took a small porcelain bottle from beside her pillow and handed it to Shen Qinghe.

"Here, drink it."

Shen Qinghe stared at the porcelain vase, her face ashen.

She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

The Empress Dowager continued to smile, but her gaze grew increasingly cold.

"What? You don't want to?"

Shen Qinghe trembled all over.

She remembered her parents' words of advice before she left home: "Serve the Empress Dowager well, and the Shen family's wealth and prosperity will depend entirely on you."

She closed her eyes, took the porcelain bottle, and drank it all in one gulp.

The Empress Dowager released her hand with satisfaction, leaned back on the couch, and closed her eyes.

A moment later, a palace maid brought over a bowl and presented it to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager took it and slowly drank it.

The liquid in the bowl was dark red.

After drinking it, the Empress Dowager's complexion visibly regained some color. Her sickly pallor faded, and her eyes regained their sparkle.

She opened her eyes and let out a long sigh of relief.

The Empress Dowager leaned back on the couch, a slight smile playing on her lips.

During her three years at the imperial temple, she kept a group of young girls.

They used their lives to prolong their own.

The Shen family knew this secret.

But they still offered up their two daughters.

"Good child," the Empress Dowager said softly, "The Shen family truly deserves to be my good servants."

"Has the woman who ran away been found?"

The man in black in the shadows lowered his head.

"Your subordinate is incompetent... The Dali Temple, the Prime Minister's residence, the Xie family, and even the Northern Desert... all seem to be involved."

The Empress Dowager smiled.

The smile was very kind, but the man in black lowered his head even further.

"Interesting," the Empress Dowager said. "So many people are investigating me."

She held the prayer beads in her hand, her gaze passing through the window to the distant nightscape.

"Clean up the mess completely. Even if they trace it back to me, what can they do without evidence?"

The man in black lowered his head.

"Yes."

The Empress Dowager waved her hand, and the man in black disappeared into the darkness.

She leaned against the couch, gazing at the magnificent ceiling above her, her eyes filled with a distant longing.

almost.

If we can hold on a little longer, as long as that thing is found—

---

A secluded courtyard somewhere in the capital.

The four people sat around the table, the atmosphere heavy.

Xie Yu scratched his head: "So the 'Empress Dowager' that woman mentioned, is it really the Empress Dowager we're thinking of?"

Ashina Lie frowned: "Shouldn't your Central Plains empress dowagers be fasting and chanting Buddhist scriptures? Why are you doing this?"

Chu Qingzi's face was pale, and she remained silent.

Jiang Jingchen looked at her, feeling a pang of pain in his heart.

He knew what she was thinking.

The woman who had fallen into a coma was someone she had saved. Those words were words she had heard with her own ears. The Empress Dowager was a woman of her grandmotherly generation whom she had always respected.

Now that she knows the truth, she must be feeling terrible.

"Miss Chu," he said softly.

Chu Qingzi raised her head and looked at him.

Jiang Jingchen said seriously, "No matter who it is, if they do something wrong, they should pay the price."

Chu Qingzi looked at him, her eyes slightly red.

Just then, the window moved slightly.

Ling Feng flipped over and landed in front of the four people.

Xie Yu was startled: "Can't you use the door?"

Ling Feng ignored him, took out a letter from his pocket, and presented it with both hands.

"Gentlemen, this is a secret letter from His Highness the Crown Prince."

Jiang Jingchen took it and unfolded it.

The letter was very short, only a few lines long.

"Now that things have come to this, there's no need for further investigation. Remain still and await my message."

Jiang Jingchen was stunned.

Ling Feng then asked, "Lord Jiang, you were injured by the assassin. How are your injuries? Do you feel dizzy?"

Jiang Jingchen was taken aback.

He looked at Ling Feng's expressionless face, then at the words on the letter, and suddenly understood something.

"Ah," he raised his hand to his forehead, swaying slightly, "I'm dizzy... I'm dizzy..."

Before he could finish speaking, he fell backward.

Xie Yu: "…………"

Ashina Lie: "…………"

Chu Qingzi: "…………"

The three men stared at Jiang Jingchen lying on the ground, speechless for a long time.

Xie Yu squatted down and poked his face.

"Brother Chen?"

Jiang Jingchen remained motionless.

Xie Yu looked up at Ling Feng.

"Isn't this acting a bit fake?"

Ling Feng remained expressionless.

Whether it's true or not is not important. What's important is that from now on, since Jiang Shaoqing is seriously injured and cannot get out of bed, his duties at the Dali Temple will be temporarily taken over by someone else.

"And what about the woman?" he asked.

Ling Feng looked at Chu Qingzi.

"His Highness has already arranged for people to handle Miss Chu's situation. That woman cannot be moved for now; we'll deal with her after she wakes up."

Chu Qingzi nodded.

Ling Feng then looked at Ashina Lie.

"Your Highness, His Highness asked me to convey a message to you—"

Ashina Lie raised an eyebrow.

"What did you say?"

Ling Feng paused.

"He said that you helped Jiang Shaoqing last night, and he remembered it. If you ever need his help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."

Ashina Lie paused for a moment, then laughed.

"Oh, is Your Highness thanking me?"

Ling Feng didn't say anything, turned around and disappeared into the night.

Xie Yu looked at Jiang Jingchen on the ground, then at Chu Qingzi, then at Ashina Lie, and scratched his head.

"So... what do we do now?"

Ashina Lie thought for a moment.

"wait."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Waiting for the show to begin."

He hooked his arm around Xie Yu's shoulder, laughing smugly.

"We're family, so we should watch the show together."

This time, Xie Yu didn't slap his hand away.

She just rolled her eyes.

"Who's family with you?"

On the ground, Jiang Jingchen remained motionless.

Chu Qingzi looked down at him, a slight smile playing on her lips.

The smile was faint, but it was warmer than usual.

Outside the window, the moonlight was obscured by dark clouds.

Something is quietly brewing in the darkness.

---

The Eastern Palace.

Xiao Chenyuan stood by the window, looking at the palace in the night.

Ling Feng appeared silently behind him.

"Your Highness, everything has been arranged."

Xiao Chenyuan nodded.

"What about Jiang Jingchen?"

"I'm already dizzy."

Xiao Chenyuan's lips curled up slightly.

"Where is that woman?"

Ling Feng said in a low voice, "It's all arranged."

Xiao Chenyuan remained silent for a moment.

"The Empress Dowager is starting to get anxious."

Ling Feng nodded.

"She sent people to investigate the woman's whereabouts. There will be more action."

Xiao Chenyuan turned around and looked at him.

"Then let her move."

He paused.

"The more you move, the more you leak."

Ling Feng lowered his head.

"Yes."

Xiao Chenyuan looked out the window again.

Under the moonlight, the roof of Shou Kang Palace was faintly visible.

He remembered that many years ago, that woman was also like this, standing on high, looking down at everyone.

Now, it's finally her turn.

"Is Yaoyao asleep?" he suddenly asked.

Ling Feng: "…………"

Your Highness, we are discussing serious matters!

But he still answered honestly, "Your Highness, the Crown Princess had dinner with Madam Jiang at the Yongning Marquis's residence tonight and retired earlier."

Xiao Chenyuan nodded.

"Tomorrow," he said, "I'll deliver the message to her."

Ling Feng was taken aback.

"What news?"

Xiao Chenyuan glanced at him.

"The Empress Dowager's affairs."

Ling Feng asked, puzzled, "Didn't Your Highness say that the Crown Princess shouldn't get involved?"

Xiao Chenyuan remained silent for a moment.

"The more she knows, the safer she is," he said. "I don't want to hide it from her anymore."

Ling Feng looked at him and suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

Your Highness has truly changed.

She used to carry everything on her own, but now she's willing to entrust her back to someone.