Chapter 901: Who Do You Think You Are?
Chu Liuchen entered the room with Xiao Xuanzi.
As an ordinary guest room, it was unusually exquisite. The decoration inside was elegant but gorgeous, in line with the style of the whole Prince Chen"s Mansion.
There was a faint elegant fragrance in the air.
Chu Liuchen sat in the chair beside the bed, leaned against the wide chair rail, and said indifferently, "Wake him up!"
Chu Qing, who was on the bed, clenched his fists in his sleeves.
An imperial physician got closer and took out a long needle from his medicine chest. It shone with a bright cold light with the sunlight through the window and cast a blazing light on Chu Qing"s face. Suddenly Chu Qing felt pain in his philtrum before he could react. The sharp pain made him tremble and open his eyes.
The imperial physician calmly took the long needle from his philtrum and stepped aside respectfully. "Your Highness, Commandery Prince Qing has been woken up!"
Chu Liuchen waved his hand, and the imperial physician left. Chu Qing was lying on the bed, still in a daze.
"So, what do you want to tell me?" Chu Liuchen asked casually.
Chu Qing knew that his trick had been discovered, so he sat up and said, "My Eldest Brother…"
"I am now the third prince of Uncle the Emperor, so you"d better be careful with your words and stop calling me Eldest Brother. Even though I don"t care about that, you will still be punished for talking nonsense if Uncle the Emperor or other officials hear it."
Chu Liuchen looked up at Chu Qing, smiling, but his voice was as cold as a sharp blade that was trying to destroy something.
His handsome eyes were deep without any trace of smile!
"Your Highness, although you are the third prince of Uncle the Emperor, blood is thicker than water. Now, I am your only biological brother!" Chu Qing said in a low voice.
"Commandery Prince Qing, I don"t care what you say. However, you"d better stop talking about the inexplicable bloodline relations.h.i.+p between you and me. It"s of no use to me. In my opinion, my relations.h.i.+p with my other brothers is closer than the one with you!" Chu Liuchen said lazily. His cold eyes slipped across Chu Qing"s neck like a blade, which made Chu Qing feel a twinge in his heart.
He had long known it was extremely difficult to deal with Chu Liuchen and that the kins.h.i.+p he mentioned might not be able to win Chu Liuchen"s heart, but he still made a try.
"Anyway, I have always regarded you as my biological elder brother!" Chu Qing said bitterly with a lonely look.
As the children of the Former Emperor, they were indeed the closest brothers. Besides, they were both in an awkward situation now because the Former Emperor had pa.s.sed away. From this point of view, their relations.h.i.+p should not be so distant.
Chu Qing believed that no matter how much coldness Chu Liuchen showed, the latter must feel closer to him at the bottom of his heart. After all, they were kids of the same father but different mothers. "Now there is such a scene, so how can he not be close to me?"
"If that"s all you want to talk with me, why don"t you follow me to meet Uncle the Emperor and repeat to him what you said just now?" Chu Liuchen suddenly smiled with glittering eyes.
"Uncle the Emperor should like to hear these words from the bottom of your heart!"
Chu Qing raised his head and stared at Chu Liuchen. He couldn"t help breathing rapidly. How could he dare to say that in front of the Emperor? At that time, the Emperor must send him into prison and imprison him forever.
"Your Highness, we are the closest relatives!" Chu Qing couldn"t help pleading.
Chu Liuchen seemed to be amused by Chu Qing"s excitement. He leaned against the chair on the side, and his expression became a little gentler. However, in Chu Qing"s eyes, the gentleness was no longer what it was but like a bloodthirsty and bone-chilling sharp sword.
"I don"t have a close relative like you. If you want to recognize brothers, go and meet Uncle the Emperor. Xiao Xuanzi, show Commandery Prince Qing…"
"Don"t go too far, Chu Liuchen!" Chu Qing was infuriated by Chu Liuchen"s ruthlessness. He stood up in anger.
"What"s going on? You don"t call me Eldest Brother anymore?" Chu Liuchen raised his eyebrows and said with a faint smile.
Chu Qing looked at Chu Liuchen"s strangely charming face and couldn"t even say a word for a while. "How can there be such a person, whose heart can never be broken through no matter in what aspect? It seems that he doesn"t care about anyone or anything. How can such a man be taken down?"
"But on the contrary, if I can take him down, it will be of great benefit to my future. Anyway, he is just a patient with no ambitions and can"t become the future Emperor."
Thinking of this, Chu Qing calmed down again and even showed a smile on his face. But in the next moment, the smile was frozen.
"I don"t care whether you are here to rope me in or to do something else. You must return alive from Nan Jiang first!"
Chu Liuchen raised the corners of his light-colored lips. His smile seemed to be bringing forth fragrance like flowers but it also made Chu Qing tremble with fear.
Suppressing the panic in his heart, Chu Qing said with a smile, "Your Highness, what do you mean? Will there be any danger during the journey to Nan Jiang?"
Chu Liuchen raised his handsome eyebrows and said, "If there is no danger, why do you insist on seeing me today? Of course, Commandery Prince Qing, if you are unwilling to tell me, I will leave!"
Chu Liuchen stood up and was about to leave.
Chu Qing became very anxious. Of course, his purpose of coming to Prince Chen"s Mansion today was to see Chu Liuchen. Otherwise, he would not have pretended to faint just now. He had come to Prince Chen"s Mansion many times but he could never get the chance to see Chu Liuchen. It was not easy for him to meet Chu Liuchen today, so how could he let go of such an opportunity?
"Wait, Your Highness! I have something to ask you, please!" Chu Qing decided to confess and said hurriedly.
"You want to consult me, but have I agreed to help you?" Chu Liuchen stopped, glanced scornfully at him and said with a cold smile, "Who do you think you are?"
"Who do you think you are?"
Chu Qing felt that all his blood was rus.h.i.+ng up to his head, and his whole face was red. Who was he? He was also the son of the Former Emperor! Even though he was not the legitimate son, he was still the descendant of the Former Emperor. Why did Chu Liuchen look down on him and talk to him in such a frivolous tone?
It was as if he were a beggar begging for mercy on the street.
"I…" Chu Qing almost blurted out some improper words. Fortunately, he was rational enough to close his mouth in time. After calming down, he said with a pale face, "No matter what you think of it or how unwilling you are to admit it, something does exist, Your Highness!"
"You have good ideas!" Chu Liuchen burst into laughter, but his eyes became colder and murderous. "Aren"t you afraid that I will kill you out of anger? Even if I accidentally kill you, Uncle the Emperor won"t punish me. After all, one son of the Former Emperor has been enough!"
On hearing his words, Chu Qing was unable to keep calm anymore and the panic on his face was clearer and clearer. He couldn"t help taking a step back, which made him hit a pillar beside the bed, making a clear sound.
What Chu Liuchen said was true. If Chu Liuchen murdered him, the Emperor would not be angry. Instead, he would be happy. Compared with Chu Liuchen, he was more like a threat to the Emperor because he was not only the son of the Former Emperor but also in good health. If he was killed by Chu Liuchen, the Emperor would definitely be cheerful!
How could Chu Qing not panic when he was aware of that?
Chu Liuchen looked at him coldly and said, "Just tell me what you want to say. Don"t make trouble for me and say something unnecessary."
"Your Highness, I want to ask you for help!" Chu Qing gritted his teeth and said bluntly. He knew that what he had said before didn"t help and even irritated Chu Liuchen. He no longer dared to keep Chu Liuchen in suspense.
Chu Qing indeed came with a purpose today. After making a full consideration, he felt that he couldn"t go to Nan Jiang for the time being. Everyone knew it was a very dangerous journey and he might even die there. Considering that he had a bright future, he didn"t want to go there now. Moreover, it wasn"t the right time. He miscalculated before.
"You don"t want to go to Nan Jiang, do you?" Chu Liuchen raised his eyebrows and asked.
"No, it"s too dangerous there. I… I"m not willing to go before I get married!" Chu Qing gritted his teeth and told Chu Liuchen his intention.
"Since you didn"t want to go, why did you ask for permission at that time? What"s the point of regretting it now? Uncle the Emperor has already made a decision, and I can"t save you. Besides, why should I save you?" Chu Liuchen said casually, and his long eyelashes cast a strange shadow on his white cheeks.
Chu Qing swallowed. What he had said before was prepared for this moment—He had intended to get Chu Liuchen"s help in the name of brotherhood, but it was useless at all.
"If you can help me get rid of this job, I, Chu Qing, will definitely help you when you are in trouble, Your Highness!" Chu Qing raised his head and tried his best to look straight at Chu Liuchen"s handsome face.
That was a greatly handsome face. His facial features were so delicate that they seemed to be carved ones. Chu Qing used to think that he was outstanding in appearance among men, but compared with Chu Liuchen, he was nothing. Such a man like Chu Liuchen was incomparably handsome. But so what? What could a patient be proud of?
"You will repay me?" Chu Liuchen asked casually.
"Yes. If you need my help, I will definitely give you a hand!" Chu Qing looked at Chu Liuchen seriously and spared no efforts to show his sincerity.
"It"s good for me to get your help, but unfortunately, I can"t help you get rid of the journey to Nan Jiang!" Chu Liuchen smiled with some previous elegance. But what he said meant nothing to Chu Qing. It seemed that he was teasing Chu Qing.
Chu Qing"s face turned livid. He narrowed his eyes hard and suppressed the anger in his heart. They were both the sons of the Former Emperor. Why could Chu Liuchen be favored more than him? As Commandery Prince Qing, he played no roles in the imperial court. But he, Prince Chen, could be favored and trusted by the Emperor alone!
"Shouldn"t such a diplomatic mission be Chu Liuchen"s task? Why does it finally fall on me? At that time, I just took advantage of the opportunity to show my loyalty. Why is the Emperor so partial? Isn"t the death of the legitimate son of the Former Emperor much better than that of a concubine"s son?"
"However, although you are going Nan Jiang, I can help you in other things!" Chu Liuchen"s next sentence immediately gave Chu Qing new hope. His eyes immediately lit up and he asked hurriedly, "What"s it?"