Shi Xiangcheng immediately froze in place.
A sensible child, before they have the ability to save themselves, must first learn not to cause trouble for His Highness.
The Crown Prince entered the temple and looked at her, saying, "I have come in. Let him go. The child is innocent."
The Green Robe Woman smiled and said, "Your Highness, you truly care for your people like your own children, daring to enter for the sake of an unrelated child. In your current physical condition, you could be killed by me at any moment."
The Crown Prince coughed weakly a few times before calmly replying, "You want my life?"
"Are you willing to give it?" the Green Robe Woman asked.
The Crown Prince smiled. "Life is only given once. Once it's gone, it's gone. Naturally, I am unwilling to give it."
The Green Robe Woman narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Then let it be this child's life, so that the people of the world may keep a good Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince's expression changed. He spoke up, "Stop."
His emotions stirred, causing him to cough several more times. "You called me here, surely not to make me watch him die. State your purpose, and perhaps I can fulfill it."
The Green Robe Woman smiled and tossed him a small vial. The Crown Prince barely caught it and frowned as he examined it.
"Cyanide. You drink it, or he drinks it. Your Highness, choose."
The Crown Prince tightened his grip on the vial and raised his gaze to meet the woman's.
The little troublemaker, Zong Jincheng, had recently learned the names of several common poisons. Upon hearing "cyanide," he was stunned. This was the deadliest poison in the world, with no known antidote.
Zong Jincheng cried out anxiously, "Your Highness, you mustn't drink it! That will kill you!"
The Green Robe Woman patted his head and said, "Kid, you better not stop him, or I'll make you drink this cyanide instead."
The little troublemaker glared at her angrily. "I'll drink it! I'll drink it! Don't harm His Highness!"
Hearing this, the Crown Prince's brow twitched, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
The Green Robe Woman chuckled. "You little rascal, I didn't expect you to talk so much, but you do have some guts. Fine, if the Crown Prince doesn't drink it, I'll let you taste it and satisfy your curiosity."
Zong Jincheng continued to glare at her.
Evil woman! Who would be curious about what poison tastes like?
The Crown Prince held the vial of cyanide and smiled gently. "Jincheng, when you grow up, you must become a good official, one who works for the people. Remember my words: do not confront others head-on. Be tactful in your actions, and you will avoid making enemies. Only by protecting yourself first can you protect more people."
Tears streamed down Zong Jincheng's face as he nodded vigorously, then shook his head. "Your Highness, I remember, I remember everything you've said. I'll listen to you, but don't drink that! It will kill you, it really will!"
The Crown Prince's fingers were thin, the bones clearly visible. He uncorked the vial and said, "I hope you keep your word. Once I drink this, you will let him go."
"No! You mustn't drink it, Your Highness! You mustn't!" Zong Jincheng struggled desperately, but the Green Robe Woman held him firmly in place.
The Crown Prince raised the vial and drank its contents in one go.
"Thud—"
The vial fell to the ground, and the Crown Prince's figure collapsed as well. He knelt on the ground, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
The poison was vicious, taking effect immediately.
"Your Highness!" Zong Jincheng wept uncontrollably, struggling to crawl toward him, but the Green Robe Woman dragged him back.
She pulled Zong Jincheng out, and as she passed the Crown Prince, she said, "The Crown Prince of a nation, willingly swallowing poison for the sake of an unrelated child. It's truly hard to believe."
With that, she took Zong Jincheng outside and addressed the crowd, "Step aside. Once I'm safe, I'll let this kid go."
"What about the Crown Prince?" a guard shouted anxiously.
The Green Robe Woman replied, "He's still in the temple. Let me go, or this kid dies with me."
Zong Jincheng cried out in anguish, "Don't let her go! She killed His Highness! She made him drink cyanide!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately turned their attention to the temple. The Green Robe Woman's face darkened, and she gritted her teeth. "The poison isn't cyanide. The Crown Prince won't die. But if you keep blocking me, that might change."
"Let her go," the Crown Princess, Qing Rong, said as she walked in, her belly swollen with child. Her expression was grave as she issued the order.
"Yes," the Eastern Palace guards complied, stepping aside.
The Green Robe Woman dragged Zong Jincheng back, and once she reached a safe distance, she tossed him into the air and fled.
"Cui Liu, save Jincheng!" Xu Wan called out.
The little troublemaker tumbled through the air but was caught securely by Cui Liu. As soon as he saw Xu Wan, he burst into tears and threw himself into her arms. "Mother, that evil woman made His Highness drink cyanide! It's poison! He's going to die! He's going to die because he saved me!"
Xu Wan's heart trembled, and she glanced anxiously toward the dilapidated temple.
The Crown Princess had brought a physician with her, anticipating injuries that would need immediate treatment. Though she had expected it, seeing the Crown Prince's mouth continuously bleeding made her eyes redden. "Your Highness... Quick, physician, save His Highness!"
The Crown Prince was still conscious, though barely. Seeing her, his pale face contorted with worry. "Qing Rong, I told you not to come. You're about to give birth. Don't... don't risk the baby."
He had guessed who the assailant was before coming. There were always eyes watching him, and those who truly wanted him dead would have acted long ago. They wouldn't have waited until now.
Moreover, since they had taken Zong Jincheng, it was surely to test his relationship with the boy. Therefore, he was certain the poison wasn't cyanide.
Zong Jincheng's identity couldn't be revealed yet. He needed to buy more time for the boy to grow up...
The Crown Princess wept as she spoke, "I couldn't stay away, Your Highness. I couldn't. You promised me you'd be safe. How did you end up hurt again?"
The Crown Prince smiled faintly and held her hand, comforting her in a low voice, "Don't be afraid. I... I'm fine..."
With that, he lost consciousness.
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
The poison the Crown Prince had ingested wasn't cyanide, but a milder toxin that caused immediate bleeding without damaging internal organs. Once the physician cleared the poison, he would recover.
However, the news of the Crown Prince risking his life to save Zong Jincheng quickly spread throughout the capital, giving rise to a bizarre yet intriguing rumor.
"Have you heard? That little troublemaker from the Yangyuan Marquis Manor is actually the Crown Prince's son. The Crown Prince was willing to give his life to save him."
"That can't be true. How old is that kid? Are you saying the Crown Prince became a father at fifteen? But he didn't marry the Crown Princess until he was eighteen!"
"What's so strange about that? Royalty has had children as young as twelve. This is clearly an illegitimate child. The Crown Prince must have been too embarrassed to raise him himself, so he entrusted him to the Zong family."
"Exactly! I think so too. My cousin's sister-in-law said the Crown Prince took an instant liking to the little troublemaker when he first met him. To protect him, he even punished that boy from the Zhai Family by making him copy books. It's been almost a year, and he's still not done. Isn't that like being imprisoned?"
"I also heard the Crown Prince visits the Marquis Manor once a month just to spend time with that little troublemaker. What else could that mean if not that he's his father? What adult would regularly visit someone else's child for no reason?"
"Heavens! That little troublemaker is already the leader of the four young troublemakers. If he really is the Crown Prince's son, won't he turn the capital upside down?"
