Chapter 109

Huangfu Xin felt so much pain! He rubbed his head that was splitting and slowly sat up. It was so dark here. Where was he? Why was he here?

With a squeak, the iron door of the dark chamber was opened. The sudden light was so dazzling that Huangfu Xin couldn’t open his eyes.

Long Ri came inside and glimpsed Huangfu Xin, who was sitting on the ground with his eyes squinted. A glint of surprise flashed across Long Ri’s eyes. Huangfu Xin woke up quite quickly. It seemed that the bucket of cold water wouldn’t be necessary.

Amidst thinking, with a splash, a bucket of cold water passed by and was poured all over Huangfu Xin.

“Argh…” Huangfu Xin was startled by the cold water pouring on him all of a sudden.

Long Ri looked around and took a glance at Long Yue behind.

Looking at Long Ri’s confused eyes, Long Yue said with the corners of his mouth twitching, “Why do you look at me? Since the water is carried here, do you still want to take it back?”

Then, Long Yue went forward, took the bucket of cold water from Long Ri and poured it on Huangfu Xin as well.

“Argh…” Another scream in pain came. Two buckets of cold water woke Huangfu Xin up completely.

“Who… Who are you? How dare you treat me like this…” Huangfu Xin slightly shivered because he was soaked in the cold water.

Hearing that, neither Long Ri nor Long Yue answered. They went forward, directly pulled Huangfu Xin up, and dragged him away.

“Who… Who on earth are you? Where are you taking me to?” Seeing their reaction, Huangfu Xin became frightened but he was too seriously injured to resist.

After walking for a while, Huangfu Xin gradually calmed down because Long Ri and Long Yue took him to a place he was most familiar with. The Council Hall of Elders of the Huangfu Family, which was where the elders held regular meetings.

Upon entering the Council Hall of Elders, Long Ri and Long Yue threw Huangfu Xin to the ground and then walked up there.

Huangfu Xin struggled to sit up and looked up at the seat of honor only to see that it was Huangfu Cang who sat on the seat where he usually sat. And the two men who took him here were standing behind Huangfu Cang on both sides respectively.

As he looked downward, it was the new crown princess, Duanmu Xi, who sat on the first seat on the left side while the most senior elder, Huangfu Song sat on the first seat on the right side.

Seeing the scene, Huangfu Xin had a bad foreboding. Suddenly, two heavy things were thrown beside him as if to testify his thought. As he took a closer look, he saw Liu Xinmei, Consort Liu and Huangfu Lian, Prince Kang.

Instantly, Huangfu Xin’s mind just went blank. He slumped on the ground as if his soul were taken away.

Thrown to the ground, Huangfu Lian was totally light-headed and didn’t realize where he was. He sat up with difficulty. When he saw Liu Xinmei who was covered in blood on the ground, he was flustered, “Mother…” Huangfu Lian quickly climbed to Liu Xinmei and helped her up tremblingly while calling her, “Mother, how are you feeling?”

Liu Xinmei opened her eyes slowly. As she saw Huangfu Lian, her pupils contracted abruptly. She grabbed his hand and said anxiously, “Lian, run! Your father…”

In the middle of talking, Liu Xinmei suddenly stopped because she saw Huangfu Cang sitting on the seat of honor. At the moment, she got even more anxious. Somehow, she just managed to push Huangfu Lian who was hugging her away, saying, “Lian, run. Leave me alone…”

“Mother…” Huangfu Lian who hadn’t completely come to himself was even confused by Liu Xinmei.

With his black eyes glittering with fierceness, Huangfu Cang shouted sternly, “Liu Xinmei, enough!”

Did this bi*ch really think that they would still have a chance to leave here alive today?

Hearing the familiar voice, Huangfu Lian raised his head to look at Huangfu Cang sitting on the seat of honor, “Father…”

“Shut up! How can a bastard call me father?” Huangfu Cang looked at Huangfu Lian disdainfully.

Huangfu Lian looked so confused and totally didn’t understand what Huangfu Cang meant, “What do you mean? What bastard?”

He couldn’t help wondering, “Why does he call me a bastard? How can I be a bastard? I’m his eldest son. Why can’t I call him father?”

When Huangfu Cang looked at Huangfu Lian’s confounded facial expression, his black eyes glistened. Didn’t Huangfu Lian know that?

“Ask your good mother. Whose son on earth are you?”

Hearing that, Huangfu Lian got even more fretful and then gazed at Huangfu Cang, saying hurriedly, “Of course I’m your son. I’m your eldest son!”

Huangfu Cang snorted and stared at Huangfu Lian, saying dismissively, “Humph. I’m not qualified to be your father. Your father is right beside you.”

Following Huangfu Cang’s gaze, Huangfu Lian saw the dull Huangfu Xin and asked in disbelief, “No! This is impossible. I’m the eldest prince of the Qinglong Empire. I’m Huangfu Lian, Prince Kang. How can I be his son?”

While yelling, Huangfu Lian crawled to Liu Xinmei and shook her body harshly, “Mother, say something! Tell everyone that I’m not his son. I’m Father’s son! I’m Father’s son!”

Liu Xinmei just let Huangfu Lian shake her harshly. Looking at her son acting so frantically, she closed her eyes in pain. It was her fault. It was all her fault. She ruined not only herself but also her son.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and crawled to Huangfu Cang, begging, “Your Majesty, it’s my fault. It’s all my fault. Please let go of Lian. He knows nothing at all. Please. Let go of him. Please…”

Listening to Liu Xinmei’s begging, Huangfu Lian closed his eyes despairingly. He was really not Huangfu Cang’s son. Why? Why did his mother do that?

“You unchaste woman! How dare you beg me for mercy?”

Huangfu Cang’s black eyes were full of annoyance. He didn’t want to see this disgusting woman for another second, “Madam Liu is found to be a promiscuous and debauched woman, who has given birth to a bastard. Her title of the consort shall be recalled. Offer her the poisonous wine now!”

As Huangfu Cang gave the order, someone immediately came forward to take off Liu Xinmei’s bloodstained clothes and her tilted coronet.

Eunuch Wang fetched a cup of poisonous wine, “Madam Liu, take it!”

Liu Xinmei looked at the cup of poisonous wine held by Eunuch Wang and her heart thumped. Endless fear almost consumed her. Now, she finally felt a hint of death. Previously, she thought that she was not afraid of death but when she was really faced with death, she was afraid and turned around again to look at Huangfu Cang, “Your Majesty…”

“De’an…” Huangfu Cang looked at Eunuch Wang with a disgruntled facial expression.

Eunuch Wang subconsciously trembled, immediately went forward to pinch Liu Xinmei’s mouth and made her drink the poisonous wine.

Now, Liu Xinmei could clearly feel that the poisonous wine was corroding her internal organs. She felt so regretful. The man who she always thought she loved was still feigning madness and acting like an idiot. She knew that he was definitely sober now. She was so silly. How could she believe that the man loved her…

“Mother…” Seeing that, Huangfu Lian finally came to his senses. He dashed to Liu Xinmei and caught her.

Red blood dripped from Liu Xinmei’s mouth. She raised her hand with difficulty and gently stroked Huangfu Lian’s face, “I’m… I’m sorry…” Liu Xinmei’s hand slowly hung and her eyes were closed.

“Mother…” Huangfu Lian felt a grave heartache and meanwhile, a wave of fear swept over him. He didn’t want to die. He really didn’t want to die at all.

Huangfu Cang stared at the grieved Huangfu Lian, his black eyes glittering. He didn’t have many children. He had four sons and a daughter only, including Huangfu Lian. Actually, he didn’t like this eldest son born by a consort before but he still had expectations for this son. Never had he thought that Huangfu Lian was not his son.

“Huangfu Lian, I can give you a chance of surviving. As long as you kill Huangfu Xin, I will spare your life,” Huangfu Cang said and then threw a dagger at Huangfu Lian.

To kill Huangfu Xin! Huangfu Lian picked up the dagger with trembling hands and turned to look at Huangfu Xin who still looked as if becoming dull. Was this man his birth father? It was this man who ruined his mother and him. There was a glint of resentment flashing across Huangfu Lian’s eyes. He grabbed the dagger and went at Huangfu Xin.

Looking at the dagger that came for him, Huangfu Xin was no longer dull all of a sudden. He bent down to dodge Huangfu Lian’s attack, directly snatched the dagger from Huangfu Lian with a backhand and then turned around to stab the dagger into Huangfu Lian’s heart.

“You… You…” Huangfu Lian directly collapsed after uttering two words only.

The elders present were all astonished by the sudden twist. They didn’t expect that it would be Huangfu Lian who was killed. Only Huangfu Cang, Huangfu Song and Duanmu Xi were not surprised at all.

Huangfu Cang’s lips curved into a sneer, “Why don’t you continue pretending? I thought you would keep pretending. Indeed, it surprises me a lot that you should kill your birth son. Huangfu Xin, I’ve overestimated you!”

“Is there any evidence to prove that he was my son?” Huangfu Xin still didn’t want to give up. Now that Liu Xinmei and Huangfu Lian were both dead, no one could prove that he had an affair with Liu Xinmei. As long as no one could prove that he was guilty, he would be safe today.

Unfortunately, life didn’t work like that.

Huangfu Song glimpsed Huangfu Xin who still wanted to argue back, his black eyes full of disappointment. He stood up and stooped down to say to Huangfu Cang, “Now Huangfu Xin has been removed from the Council of Elders. He is at Your Majesty’s disposal!”

“Elder Song.” Huangfu Xin was greatly startled.

Huangfu Song paid no heed to Huangfu Xin’s yell and directly turned to leave the Council Hall of Elders.

“Somebody come here.”

“Grandpa!” No sooner had Huangfu Cang meant to deal with Huangfu Xin than he was stopped by Duanmu Xi.

Duanmu Xi glanced at Huangfu Xin and turned to say to Huangfu Cang, “Grandpa, please give this man to me!” She must deal with this man on her own.

Staring at Duanmu Xi who looked rather serious, Huangfu Cang nodded, “Okay. I will leave him at your disposal.” Although he didn’t know what grudges she held against Huangfu Xin, since she wanted to handle this man on her own, he would approve of her request for sure.

In the end, Huangfu Cang left the Council of Elders with the others. Yet, he still asked Long Ri and Long Yue to stay for the sake of Duanmu Xi’s safety.