Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT) novel Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Peng Xiu’s motive

AN: This author is asking for reviews. Thank you and happy reading.

Han Xin walked out of the hidden room, his figure imposing and his expression unreadable. He couldn’t fathom why Princess Xiu had papers laced with poison in a hidden room. Did she use the same paper to write letters to the emperor? Did she want to carry out revenge for her disgraced mother? What was her motive exactly? Han Xin found that he couldn’t get a read on her.

He opened the door to the study and beckoned the older lady inside. She entered with her head bowed, her body trembling with fear. When she saw that the hidden room was discovered she bowed her head even lower. Han Xin noticed her little actions.

It seemed she was aware of the existence of the hidden room. He pulled a chair and sat down his gaze fixed on her. Han Zhan leaned nonchalantly against the bookshelf, staring at his nails with feigned disinterest but he was watching her every move. If she decided to run into a wall, he would be there to stop her.

"What happened the day Princess Xiu was kidnapped by the crown prince of Zhen?" Han Xin asked. His voice was calm but it carried with it an oppressive tone that made her shiver in fright.

The elderly lady’s hands shook as she began to speak. "The crown prince of Zhen breached the gates of the palace," she stammered. "He demanded Princess Xiu come with him, threatening to burn down the palace if she refused."

Han Xin’s eyes narrowed with scepticism clear in his gaze. She had retold the story exactly as in the letter sent to him by his Majesty but something was not adding up.

Han Zhan chuckled, his tone mocking. "The palace looks like it suffered no damage at all. It seems the crown prince didn’t even have to fight his way in." The older lady quivered under their scrutiny, her forehead laced with a sheen layer of cold sweat. How could the crown prince of Zhen infiltrate the palace of a deposed empress without provocation? It was unbelievable.

"Tell us the truth," Han Zhan demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "How did the crown prince gain entry so easily?"

The elder lady’s eyes darted around the room, searching for a way out. "I-I don’t know," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "He... he had an entire army. He broke through the gates and entered the palace. I am telling the truth."

Han Zhan’s sword flashed in the dim light, the blade resting against the elder lady’s throat. She tilted her head back, her eyes wide with terror. Han Zhan sneered, looking down at her as if she were an insignificant insect. "Tell the whole truth," he hissed, "or you will suffer death by a thousand cuts." This matter involved the royal family and they were well in their right to investigate.

Han Xin’s gaze hardened as he held up the paper with a handkerchief. "What do you know about this paper laced with poison?" he demanded.

The elder woman, already trembling, seemed to shrink further under his scrutiny. She crawled forward, her voice quivering with fear. "I swear, General, I I I had no idea about the poison," she pleaded. "But the princess... she had a master who taught her for years. Then, one day, the master stopped coming. The princess also sent out letters, but I don’t know who she was writing to."

Rubbing her bloodied hands in a pleading gesture she begged, "Please, spare my life, my lord. I have told you everything I know."

His expression remained impassive as he pieced together this mystery. Her voice was messing with his thought process so he ordered her to leave. The elder woman scrambled to her feet, having received amnesty, and hurried out, the door closing behind her with a soft thud. After she was gone, he turned to Han Zhan.

"Here is what I am thinking... she wrote letters to Xiang Yu for years giving the prince an illusion that they were in a relationship. We already know writing letters is her thing. So, he came here to propose marriage, but she refused, and he ended up kidnapping her," he said, his voice low and his expression thoughtful.

"Then what about the paper? Who was she poisoning because we know it’s not you? It could be the emperor, Xiang Yu or someone else we don’t know about," replied Han Zhan, unable to put that face with all of this planned malice.