Chapter 127: Is There a Traitor?

The room was silent—so silent that there was almost no sound at all. Qin Wanru sat cautiously behind the folding screen, composed and calm, casually holding a piece of paper in her hand. It was the very paper she had just written but hadn’t yet shown to Chu Liuchen. Footsteps approached outside, and prompted by Xiao Xuanzi’s hint, Qin Wanru hurriedly slipped into the inner chamber.

Only upon entering did she realize why she needed to hide away; in truth, she should have left much earlier.

Now, sitting in the back, she couldn’t leave at all.

Someone had come—why was there no greeting?

“What’s the matter? Coming to this Southern Palace and not even willing to speak? Then why bother showing such friendliness in front of Uncle Emperor?” Chu Liuchen’s low cough shattered the stillness outside. His long, pale eyelashes fluttered twice as he coughed, his body wrapped in a heavy snow-white fur cloak, leaning against the broad chair. A faint, gentle smile graced his face.

That smile was exquisite yet pale, highlighting his frailty.

Like a peerless young beauty stepping out of a painting, he reclined at an angle—delicate, weak, yet elegant.

“Chu Liuchen, why are you doing this?” Chu Liuyue clenched his teeth, sitting down in the chair opposite Chu Liuchen. Usually proud and composed, he could not help but lose control when facing Chu Liuchen, his hand tightening into a fist, nearly wanting to strike that detestable face.

His voice was accompanied by a piercing scream from outside the window.

A sharp, desperate scream—filled with the hopelessness and agony of impending death—suddenly pierced the quiet room. Qin Wanru bit her lip, suppressing the tension rising in her chest.

Chu Liuyue suddenly stood, about to speak, when another harsh, shrill curse came from outside: “Chu Liuchen, you sickly wretch, you won’t die well…”

Another deathly scream followed, clearly from the person who had just cursed Chu Liuchen.

After the scream came a deathly silence.

Chu Liuyue trembled with rage. He recognized these two as the men he had brought today—formerly servants at the palace of Prince Chen. He had found excuses to take them away, deliberately to embarrass Chu Liuchen. He wanted Chu Liuchen to know that he was nothing now but a weak, useless invalid.

Unexpectedly, before even meeting Chu Liuchen face to face, these two had been dragged away—at this point, they likely had no chance to survive.

Filled with fury, Chu Liuyue was not truly concerned for his men but felt deeply humiliated by Chu Liuchen. Earlier, he had even paraded these two men before several brothers, inadvertently revealing that they had once belonged to Chu Liuchen.

“Chu Liuchen, what exactly do you mean by this?” Chu Liuyue ground his teeth as he sat heavily, glaring at Chu Liuchen’s pale, fragile face.

He wished he could strangle this sickly ghost right then.

“Nothing much. They used to be my men, but now not only have they betrayed me, they even dared to insult me. I wonder who gave them the courage to do so,” Chu Liuchen said lazily, his expression unchanged as he smiled faintly at Chu Liuyue, speaking as if referring to birds rather than people.

Damn it—the useless wretch even cursed Chu Liuchen at the last moment. Chu Liuyue couldn’t believe that if Chu Liuchen had done nothing, his men would curse him on their deathbed!

This was clearly Chu Liuchen’s doing, but without proof—since the men were dead—how could he find witnesses?

“Brother, tell me, who gave them such audacity to do this?” Chu Liuchen asked indifferently. He ranked third in the royal family, and the emperor, to show equal favor, had his own son stand with him, acknowledging him as the Third Prince.

Who gave them such courage? The implication was that Chu Liuyue had ordered them to insult Chu Liuchen. This made Chu Liuyue both angry and resentful, but without evidence, even the emperor wouldn’t listen. No one understood why the emperor showed such unusual patience toward Chu Liuchen.

“Chu Liuchen, don’t push people too far!” Chu Liuyue’s face turned pale.

“Brother, just say it. What brings you today? Don’t waste time on nonsense. I’m unwell and can’t endure sitting long,” Chu Liuchen said with a few soft coughs, lifting his handsome face with a slight wrinkle of his high nose, clearly showing his impatience.

“Can’t you all just behave for a while? I don’t know how much longer I’ll live with this body. Are you trying to anger me to death? Maybe tomorrow I’ll tell Grandmother and Uncle Emperor to investigate who’s wishing me dead, not even letting me rest properly!”

His words were truly infuriating, but Chu Liuyue couldn’t fully lose his temper. Although his intent was to provoke Chu Liuchen, he dared not speak openly. Everyone could see the emperor’s favoritism, especially with the Grand Empress Dowager involved. Sometimes Chu Liuyue even suspected that Chu Liuchen might be the emperor’s own son, explaining why the emperor cared for him more than his own.

“I’m here to check on your health!” Chu Liuyue forced the words out through clenched teeth, suppressing his rage, telling himself to endure. After all, this sickly ghost might not have long to live—the palace physicians could not say how long he’d survive.

A congenital defect, a virus carried from the womb.

“Thank you, Brother. You may leave now. I’m truly tired and can’t spend more time talking or reminiscing about brotherhood,” Chu Liuchen waved dismissively, casting a sideways, mocking glance at Chu Liuyue—an expression that nearly broke Chu Liuyue’s composure.

Biting his teeth hard was the only way he kept himself from losing control.

“The emperor sent me to see how you’re doing. If you need anything, just say. Also, a miracle doctor has been found; he wants to know when you can come to the mansion for treatment,” Chu Liuyue said grimly, relaying the emperor’s instructions.

“No!” Chu Liuchen waved his hand, seemingly cold as he tugged at his snow cloak, his face growing even paler beneath the white fur.

“Those are all useless quacks. I don’t want to see them!”

“The emperor means just to have a look. Maybe it will help?” Seeing Chu Liuchen like this made Chu Liuyue somewhat glad. Although that detestable smile still annoyed him, the eyes showed no vitality. He still liked him. For a moment, his expression softened.

He inwardly sneered with a cruel satisfaction. Just a stubborn sickly wretch—why bother arguing? He might not even see the sun rise tomorrow.

“No!” Chu Liuchen tilted his head stubbornly, grabbed the inkstone nearby, and threw it out. It landed near Chu Liuyue’s feet, splattering a few drops of ink onto his robe, leaving a black stain.

Chu Liuyue’s face darkened, his brows tightly furrowed. He wanted to give up and leave but also wished to show face before the emperor, proving his dedication to Chu Liuchen’s affairs.

Chu Liuchen’s temper worsened.

“Third Brother, the emperor means well, and so does the Grand Empress Dowager. Look…” Chu Liuyue had to suppress his anger, forcing a smile, sitting back down with a sincere and earnest demeanor, trying to persuade him.

Chu Liuchen rudely interrupted, “If you care for me, then let me rest. You keep coming under various pretexts—how can I rest? Do you all secretly wish me dead?”

His eyes narrowed, head tilted slightly with a youthful defiance that made one want to drag him out and give him a good beating.

“Third Brother, how can you say such things!” Chu Liuyue snapped. “The emperor and Grand Empress Dowager only want what’s best for you. How can you speak like this?”

“Enough. Leave. I’m tired,” Chu Liuchen waved him off as though shooing a pesky fly.

“Chu Liuchen, you—”

“Oh, by the way, Brother, remember not to bring my men here anymore. Otherwise, I might have no choice but to tell Uncle Emperor. If my men are all yours, how can I even protect my own life?”

A seemingly casual remark, yet its weight was immense. Chu Liuyue’s face went pale.

“Those traitors are better left to others. I don’t need them here. But if something happens to me, such traitors will be uncovered. Then no one will be able to explain anything. Don’t say these traitors care about my health. This so-called brotherhood is just a performance for Uncle Emperor and Grand Empress Dowager. No one takes it seriously!”

Chu Liuchen smiled wickedly. “Spies and informants are truly annoying. They make me so angry I can’t even take my medicine. Why bother seeing a doctor? Looks like I’ll have to go to the palace and have a talk!”

His words tore away the gentle veneer of brotherhood, revealing the dark, rotten core they all tried to conceal.

His words were both vague and sharp, difficult to grasp and even harder to confront.

Chu Liuyue clenched his hand tightly, realizing too late that he had fallen into the sickly wretch’s trap from the start. No matter what, he was suppressed. He had been foolish to think he could provoke this sickly ghost. Gritting his teeth, his hand slowly relaxed, voice hoarse: “What do you want?”

“That’s not treason! They returned to me of their own accord!” Chu Liuyue said bitterly.

“Not traitors? Then spies? And ones who betrayed me, daring to insult me. Calling me sickly and wishing me ill! Brother, I think we should go to the palace and tell Uncle Emperor. Let him judge this fairly!”

Chu Liuyue was taken aback. He realized then that from the beginning, he had been caught in the sickly ghost’s snare and was utterly dominated. It was his own mistake to try to provoke this wretch.

He bit his lip and slowly relaxed his grip, voice hoarse: “What are you going to do?”