Chapter 597: Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night
Chapter 597: Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night
The prince naturally would not listen to the maid’s words, but instead became even more nervous.
After all, how could a maid have the courage to deceive a prince? It must be Anya’s instructions!
In that case, Anya’s intentions became intriguing.
Ignoring the maid’s obstruction, the prince hurried into the palace and finally saw the two of them at the stone pavilion in the courtyard.
There were no overly intimate gestures, they seemed more like two close friends chatting.
As he approached, the prince listened in and found that the conversation was mostly about cultivation of Literature Saint Dao Lineage and did not involve any personal relationships. He finally breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Maybe I’m just thinking too much?’ The prince shook his head slightly, unaware of the contempt in Anya’s eyes as they swept past him.
“Master Qin, it’s been a long time, I trust you are well,” the prince greeted with clasped hands.
Qin Feng immediately returned the gesture, but he sensed something was wrong.
Every time he visited Anya’s palace, this prince would always show up.If it was just once, it might have been a coincidence, but twice… Qin Feng raised an eyebrow, understanding that this guy was suspicious of him.
After some casual conversation between the three of them, Qin Feng took his leave under the pretext of visiting Lord Deng.
The prince wanted to accompany him like last time, but Anya stopped him and said, “Brother, I have just received a new poem, why don’t we appreciate it together?”
“A poem? Could it be one written by Master Qin?” The prince was immediately interested. Qin Feng’s poems were unprecedented. He copied every poem that came out and framed it in his study, where he would look at it day and night.
He was particularly fond of the poem about beauty.
Anya nodded slightly, then took the blank scroll that Qin Feng had recently written out of her space treasure and laid it flat on the stone table.
The prince’s eyes changed slightly when he saw it, and he quickly put away the white scroll, as if he had found a treasure. “It is indeed a magnificent poem.”
…
Three days passed in a hurry, during which the sky lost its former clarity and remained clouded with incessant rain.
Outside the Imperial City, in the quiet mountains and forests, Mr Qian of the Thirty-Six Stars, who had just returned from a mission, lay in a pool of blood, his life hanging by a thread.
Fresh blood washed down with the mountain rain, and a figure stood on the mountain path. In a matter of moments, the figure transformed, flesh and bone shifting until it took on the appearance of Mr Qian and disappeared into the rain curtain.
On the other side, Qin Feng received a letter from the Crown Prince. The contents were simple, inviting him to the Fox’s Whisper Pavilion tonight for a discussion.
When the Crown Prince invites you, there’s no reason to refuse, right?
Qin Feng quickly wrote a reply and handed it to the messenger.
Looking up at the endless sky, Qin Feng muttered, “I wonder when the rain will stop?”
Outside the Qin residence, hidden in the shadows, Bing Mian saw the departing messenger disappear into the darkness.
…
Night fell, and the rain showed no signs of abating, only intensifying.
Torrential rains poured down and pedestrians hurried through the streets.
The street vendors had long since disappeared, and many shops closed early. But the taverns and brothels seemed to thrive in the rain.
Especially in the Fox’s Whisper Pavilion, where the music was warm and the atmosphere lively. The sounds of flirtation and banter filled the air, intoxicating those inside.
Qin Feng and the Crown Prince were already seated in a private room, watching the fox ladies dance in the hall and exchanging comments.
One moment praising a pair of captivating legs, the next admiring someone’s graceful demeanour.
The Crown Prince chuckled, “It seems that you and I, Brother Qin, are kindred spirits.”
‘Just because we have similar interests doesn’t mean we’re kindred spirits…’ Qin Feng cleared his throat and changed the subject, “Why didn’t His Royal Highness’s guards accompany us?”
The Crown Prince waved his hand, “This isn’t the palace. You can just call me Brother Jinwen, as for the guards, they’re waiting outside Fox’s Whispering Pavilion.”
“It would be rather uncomfortable if we were being watched while visiting a brothel,” the prince continued.
Jinwen was the prince’s name.
“That makes sense,” Qin Feng nodded, refilled the prince’s drink, and then asked, “I wonder why Brother Jinwen summoned me here?”
The prince took a sip of his drink and replied truthfully, “I am dissatisfied with Su Tianyue, the chief of the Tushan Fox Clan. I know you have a good relationship with her from your trip to the western regions. I hope you can help me persuade her.”
Persuade, is that what you call it… Qin Feng raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice, “So, Brother Jinwen wants me to act as a mediator. But will His Majesty agree to you marrying into the Fox Clan?”
The prince had just taken a sip of his drink and nearly choked on hearing this.
After coughing several times in a row, he finally recovered, “You have misunderstood. I simply wish to form an alliance with the Tushan Fox Clan to solidify my position as heir.”
“I see,” Qin Feng mused, resting his chin on his hand.
In ancient times, it was all too common for family members to fight for the throne.
Instead of relying on the prestige of being the heir, it was wiser to rely on one’s own formidable power.
“However, this matter is of great importance. I will summon Chief Su Tianyue, and you can speak to her yourself.”
A short time later, Su Tianyue entered the room wearing a magnificent long dress.
Even the prince, who was used to seeing beauties, couldn’t help but be dazzled. Of course, he wouldn’t let beauty cloud his judgement. He sincerely explained the purpose of his visit.
Su Tianyue didn’t react immediately. Instead, she leaned against Qin Feng’s body and exhaled softly, “Lord Qin, this is an important matter. As a woman, I don’t know how to decide. It’s better if you make the decision for me. After all… I have been yours for a long time.”
As these words were spoken, the Prince’s eyes widened. How could he have imagined that Qin Feng and Su Tianyue would have such a relationship?
“Brother Qin, you and her…” Before he could finish his sentence, the prince’s eyes suddenly reddened, his expression filled with immense pain. He clutched his chest and tried to say something, but he couldn’t utter a word.
This sudden turn of events shocked both Qin Feng and Su Tianyue.
Qin Feng rushed forward to check the prince’s condition, but the prince had already stopped moving, and there was no breath coming from his mouth or nose.
“Dead?” Su Tianyue’s eyebrows knitted together, and her face instantly darkened.
Qin Feng staggered back in fear, his voice trembling, “The wine… it’s poisoned.”
Swoosh!
At that moment, a figure dressed in red and wearing a white mask swooped into the room and went to check on the fallen prince. This person was undoubtedly from the Prison Department!
After confirming the prince’s death, he beat his chest without saying a word, shattered the gauze window, and flew out of Fox’s Whispering Pavilion. Then he shouted loudly, “The prince is dead! Qin Feng of the Qin Family conspired with the Tushan Fox Clan to kill the prince!”
The voice was loud, piercing through the curtain of rain.
As he shouted, the man pulled a match from his pocket and struck it, a streak of red light piercing the dark clouds and illuminating the night sky.
At the sound of the scream, the guards stationed outside the brothel were stunned, then rushed into the Fox Whispering Pavilion.
If the crown prince was indeed dead, these guards would naturally face certain death as well!
Inside the room, Qin Feng and Su Tianyue looked at each other, the tension from earlier completely gone, replaced by a hint of amusement.
“Shouting so loudly despite being injured, such a disappointing performance,” Su Tianyue joked.
Qin Feng sat down and poured himself a glass of wine, then downed it in one gulp.
“Indeed, this wine is still laced with poison, it has a unique taste. I wonder how many rats we can catch this time…”