Unable to confront Sui Huan directly, they vented their anger on the one who had brought him back. Rumors circulated that Sui Huan was behind the Chen Emperor’s illness and the prince’s confinement. Despite Ning Ye’s devotion to Sui Huan, she often argued with him due to her loyalty to her father and brother.
Sui Huan gazed at her, his eyes cold. “Ning Ye, I’m in a bad mood. Stay quiet, or I won’t be nice.”
Ning Ye choked back tears and finally cried out, “Sui Huan, have you been using me all along? You don’t love me at all, do you?”
“I do care for you, but your father and brother refuse to accept me and won’t let me marry you,” Sui Huan replied coldly. “You can only blame them for ruining your future.”
Desperate, Ning Ye clung to him, tears streaming down her face. “Really? You’re willing to marry me?”
“If they don’t stop me, I’ll marry you,” Sui Huan said with a light laugh.
Though Chen Huang was poisoned and unlikely to wake again, the Crown Prince was simply hiding from trouble. The Eastern Palace was heavily guarded, making it difficult for Sui Huan to confront the Crown Prince directly. He planned to cut off the Eastern Palace’s supply lines, but Ning Ye’s connection as the Crown Prince’s sister complicated matters.
“Father Emperor won’t stop you.”
He loves me the most and will agree to anything!” Ning Ye argued.
“Unfortunately, your father is bedridden now, and only the Crown Prince’s word counts,” Sui Huan replied. “If the Crown Prince falls ill too, we might have a chance to get married.”
Ning Ye lowered her head, her mind racing.
Later that evening, after visiting the Crown Prince, he suddenly fell seriously ill.
Crying, Ning Ye hugged Sui Huan: “I did all this for you. If you dare to betray me, I’ll kill you!”
Sui Huan patted her back soothingly: “Don’t worry, I’ll prepare for our marriage as soon as possible.”
With the Crown Prince’s fall, according to their agreement with the Chen royal family, they would support the three-year-old son of Chen Huang and divide the power of the Chen kingdom.
“Disarm all Eastern Palace guards and replace them with our people,” Sui Huan ordered his subordinates.
