Princess Zhaoling 11

After hearing Zhaoling's words, the emperor grew serious as well. "What secret?"

Zhaoling looked troubled. She hesitated for a while before saying, "Actually, before Li Lianhua went there, I accidentally entered the Tower of Ultimate Bliss. At the time, I didn't know the Mother Worm was inside, and I don't know why it didn't attack me.

"But... but on the wall of the Tower of Ultimate Bliss, I saw an account of a secret. It concerned Consort Ying, my late paternal grandmother."

The emperor already had a bad feeling. The Tower of Ultimate Bliss had been used to pray for a son, and now an account of a secret had appeared inside it. Recalling what Zhaoling had said about bloodlines, he took a deep breath and said expressionlessly, "Continue!"

Zhaoling went on, "There was a skeleton in the Tower of Ultimate Bliss. The account on the wall was left by that person.

"According to the writing, his name was Feng Alu, a Nanyin sorcerer. He had infiltrated the palace to assassinate the emperor and avenge Consort Xuan.

"But he happened to meet Consort Ying, the emperor's favored consort, and fell in love with her at first sight. He even forgot the hatred he bore for the wrongs done to his homeland and family, wishing only to stay in the palace as Consort Ying's male favorite.

"At the time, the emperor had no sons. Consort Ying devised a plan: she had the Tower of Ultimate Bliss built under the pretext of praying for a son, but secretly confined Feng Alu inside so she could bed him whenever she pleased.

"Before long, Consort Ying did indeed become pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy.

"To conceal the secret, Consort Ying destroyed the Tower of Ultimate Bliss with Feng Alu still inside."

The emperor's face was exceedingly grim. After quite a while, he said, his face still grim, "So Li Lianhua and Fang Duobing know as well?"

Zhaoling shook her head. "How could I not destroy something so consequential? I carefully checked the place and erased every word. Only, when I thought of my relationship with the man whose skeleton it was, I left it untouched."

That was a lie. Zhaoling had sensed the Mother Worm inside the skeleton, so she had left it alone.

The emperor was still puzzled. "Since you destroyed it, what does this have to do with your going to the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance and insisting on having a child with Li Lianhua?"

Zhaoling's expression turned grim. "I wonder if you've heard the rumors of hauntings near the Tower of Ultimate Bliss, Father Emperor. When I investigated, I found that Grandmother's subordinates were guarding the ruins for her.

"I'm not certain whether they had also entered the tower, even though I've dealt with them all now. But once enough people know a secret, it's no longer a secret.

"I set my sights on Li Lianhua because he is a descendant of Prince Fangji. If I had his child, we would still have room to maneuver even if the secret came to light.

"And I hurried to the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance because I'd already received word that Jiao Liqiao was a Nanyin holy maiden.

"The writing on the wall was only one person's account. I can't be certain the skeleton was Feng Alu's.

"I'd heard that Nanyin had many secret arts, so I went to Jiao Liqiao to interrogate her for a secret method of verifying bloodlines. That way, we could be prepared, whether the secret was true or false."

The emperor had not expected Zhaoling to act so meticulously. Still clinging to a sliver of hope, he asked her, "Did you find a secret method? What was the result?"

Zhaoling shook her head, her face grim. The emperor gave up hope as well. "Go and find Li Lianhua at once. Aside from the Lethe Flower, you may use any spirit medicine in the palace. If Li Lianhua still dies, you must formally establish your relationship with him before he does!"

Zhaoling nodded. "Don't worry, Father Emperor!"

When Zhaoling arrived at the Lotus Tower, Li Lianhua seemed to have expected her. "You're here, Princess."

Looking at Li Lianhua's paper-pale face, Zhaoling shook her head inwardly. She had never imagined that Li Xiangyi, once so extraordinarily gifted, would come to this.

Zhaoling said coolly, "It seems you know why I've come?"

Li Lianhua looked perfectly calm. "Before my senior brother died, he said he'd poisoned the emperor, and that only the Lethe Flower could cure him."

Zhaoling sighed too. "I didn't expect him to hate you so much that he'd even poison Father Emperor just to get at you.

"But it's not as though there's no medicine that can save you. If you become my prince consort, you may use any spirit medicine in the palace except the Lethe Flower. There's a thousand-year snow lotus in the palace. Together with my medical skills, it could extend your life. Perhaps by then, we could even find another Lethe Flower!"

Li Lianhua merely pushed the box containing the Lethe Flower over to Zhaoling. "I have no romantic feelings for you, Princess. A forced marriage is not what I seek. The Lethe Flower is here, and I don't have long to live. You needn't worry that my origins will cause any trouble."

Zhaoling sighed. Fine, she would just have to force the bow.

She handed the Lethe Flower to the emperor's shadow guards and had her own shadow guards escort it back to the palace with them.

Then she darted forward and sealed Li Lianhua's acupoints before he could react.

When Li Lianhua woke again, his body felt lighter than ever before. The Bicha that had clung to his bones and seeped into his marrow was now completely gone.

But Li Lianhua felt no relief at all, because Princess Zhaoling was beside him, wearing only an undergarment and smiling at him.

Li Lianhua's expression was cold and sharp, making him look a little like Li Xiangyi again. "Princess, even if something happened between us, what can you do if I'm unwilling?

"Women do suffer the greater loss in such matters, but you're a princess, and the crown princess at that. Your chastity isn't all that important, is it?

"Surely you don't think I'm such a paragon that I'd rush to take responsibility just because you slept with me.

"There's no need for that. Really, there isn't."

Zhaoling was still smiling. She took Li Lianhua's hand and placed it on her belly. "I know you're very angry with me now, but don't you care about your child either?

"You know me. I never act on impulse. After years of preparation, just this once was enough."

Li Lianhua-Li Lianhua turned to stone!

On Mount Yun Yin, Qin Po welcomed a triumphant Zhaoling and a dejected Li Lianhua.

Her head was about to explode. What on earth had she just heard?

What did they mean, Li Lianhua's poison had been cured? What did they mean, the crown princess wanted to take Li Lianhua as her prince consort? What did they mean, the crown princess was already carrying Li Lianhua's child?

She struck Li Lianhua hard with her palm. "What did I teach you? How could you do what that wretched disciple Shan Gudao did?"

Li Lianhua had grievances he could not voice and could only let Qin Po chase him around and beat him.

Qin Po readily agreed to Zhaoling's marriage proposal, though it was not entirely so he could take responsibility. It was also to deal with the consequences of her own earlier impulsiveness.

At the time, Shan Gudao had made her so furious that she had exposed Li Lianhua's origins before everyone. Now that she thought about it, only by marrying into the imperial family could he avoid being viewed with suspicion.

Besides, Princess Zhaoling was frank and magnanimous, and she and Li Lianhua were very well suited to each other.