Chapter 4: Chapter 437: The Noble Consort Becomes a Prisoner

“If you want Great Qin, then prepare your head!”

Helian Mingshuo turned to look at the arrogant Wu Hao below the city tower and spoke loudly.

With just this one sentence, the morale that he had been suppressing while stalling for time was instantly bolstered!

Hearing this, Wu Hao did not get angry; instead, he continued to look at Helian Mingshuo with great interest, his gaze as if he were looking at a clown.

Ye Jinxi narrowed her eyes slightly. Just what kind of trump card did he have that allowed him to be so unscrupulous?

“Bring the person up!”

The smile vanished abruptly from Wu Hao's face. He gestured behind him with a wave of his hand and spoke in a cold voice.

Ye Jinxi frowned, waiting in confusion.

Looking at Wu Hao's sinister gaze, Helian Mingshuo felt a tightening in his chest, yet his expression remained composed. He had an intuition that the person Wu Hao was about to bring up would affect him, but who exactly was that person?

Helian Chuchu also turned her head to look. Her heart, however, was incredibly calm. No matter who it was, Great Qin could not be handed over. Even if Wu Hao brought the living, breathing Imperial Father up, Great Qin would still be Great Qin! It would never belong to Tianqi!

As Wu Hao's voice fell, the army retreated a few steps to both sides in synchronized steps, showing the strict military discipline of the Tianqi soldiers. On the cleared path, a prisoner cart was slowly pulled forward.

“Eh! There's a cultivator inside!” Deng Ling'er clung to the city wall, standing on her tiptoes. As soon as her small body poked above the wall, her eyes could just see the situation below the tower.

At this moment, her large eyes were spinning as she watched the prisoner cart approaching from a distance.

Hearing this, Ye Jinxi reached out and pulled Deng Ling'er into her arms so she could see more clearly, asking curiously, “How does Ling'er know there is a cultivator imprisoned inside?”

Held in Ye Jinxi's arms, Deng Ling'er felt a warmth in her heart. She pointed a small hand and said crisply, “Look, Auntie Ye, that prisoner cart is cast from iron bars, used specifically to imprison cultivators.”

Ye Jinxi followed the direction of Deng Ling'er's small hand and couldn't help but nod.

Indeed, ordinary people were imprisoned in wooden carts, while this one was for cultivators. However, it could only hold the most ordinary cultivators; if someone with a higher cultivation level were inside, this cart likely wouldn't be able to hold them.

As if sensing Ye Jinxi's thoughts, Deng Ling'er blinked her eyes and continued, “Auntie Ye, if it's a high-level cultivator, they will first feed them Spirit-Dissipating Powder before locking them inside.”

Spirit-Dissipating Powder?!

Ye Jinxi couldn't help but feel embarrassed. How could she have forgotten? Back on Mount Jiuzhong, hadn't Zhu Xuanji and Murong Lingmo been force-fed Spirit-Dissipating Powder, which was why they couldn't use even a shred of spiritual power?!

“Auntie Ye, this Spirit-Dissipating Powder is made from Tianshan Snow Lotuses and the silk of Blood Silkworms. To those who do not know cultivation, eating it is not only harmless but actually highly nourishing, but to a cultivator, it is a lethal drug. Tianshan Snow Lotuses are relatively common, but Blood Silkworms are very rare. The Great Deity Temple's Hall Master happened to encounter a few and captured them to raise. So, anyone who can eat Spirit-Dissipating Powder means their cultivation is indeed quite good.”

Deng Ling'er slowly explained the Spirit-Dissipating Powder.

Ye Jinxi could only press her hand to her forehead. Could it be that having eaten Spirit-Dissipating Powder was actually a matter of great honor?

“Imperial Mother!”

Just then, Helian Mingshuo, who was not far to her side, suddenly let out a loud cry.

Ye Jinxi looked down. The prisoner cart had been pushed to the front, right beside Wu Hao. The person inside the cart was currently lifting her head to look at the city wall, and a pale, beautiful face appeared before her eyes.

It was the Noble Consort!

Confusion rose in Ye Jinxi's heart. Hadn't the Noble Consort already escaped the palace? How could she have been captured by Wu Hao?!

Furthermore, wasn't the Noble Consort a member of the Dao Sect? And a peace-marriage princess of Tianqi—how could she be brought here by the State Preceptor of Tianqi to... threaten Helian Mingshuo?

Ye Jinxi turned to look at Helian Mingshuo and saw him looking anxious and incredulous. She understood a little now. She had always heard that Helian Mingshuo was a filial son, and she had always thought that there was no true familial affection within the imperial family, only a performance. She hadn't expected it to be real!

No wonder Helian Jian had instructed the Empress that she must never release the Noble Consort; it was because he feared Helian Mingshuo would be threatened because of her.

Ye Jinxi couldn't help but curl her lip. Her father-in-law could think of the Crown Prince being manipulated by villains and becoming incompetent, he could think of Helian Mingshuo being released, and he could think of the Noble Consort being used to threaten Great Qin, but he certainly wouldn't think that she intended to make Helian Chuchu the Empress!

Thinking of this, Ye Jinxi felt a sudden surge of triumph.

“Daddy! What is Mommy laughing at?”

Yuanbao climbed into Bu Feichen's arms, looking up at Ye Jinxi far away on the city tower, asking in confusion.

Seeing Ye Jinxi's smug expression, the corners of Bu Feichen's mouth also curled up. “Your mommy is laughing at a fool.”

“Who is a fool?” Yuanbao asked, blinking his watery, large eyes.

“Far away in the distance, yet right before your eyes,” Bu Feichen said softly.

Yuanbao looked left and right, finally following Bu Feichen's gaze, and acted as if he had realized something. “Oh! I know! Mommy is the fool!”

“But why is Mommy laughing at herself?” Yuanbao continued to ask, looking up.

Bu Feichen:...

“Because... she is foolish.” A hint of helplessness seemed to linger in Bu Feichen's low voice.

Hiding in the shadows, the Shadow suppressed his laughter, his face turning red from holding it in. His master's meaning was actually that the Emperor had long since anticipated the Madam's thoughts, yet the Madam was unaware and remained smugly triumphant, hence why she was foolish.

But... the Master was not good at explaining, and answering the little master's question was far too forced!

On the city tower.

Helian Chuchu gripped the city wall tightly with both hands. Her face was exceptionally calm, but her eyes betrayed her. At this moment, her emotions were incredibly complex. She wanted to question the woman kneeling in the prisoner cart: after she had saved her, why was she trying to harm her!

“Wu Hao! Release my Imperial Mother at once!”

Helian Mingshuo's eyes widened, and his entire body leaned forward in an agitated manner. The several generals behind him, fearing he would fall from the tower, hurriedly reached out to grab his arms.

“Hahahaha...”

Seeing Helian Mingshuo in such an extremely furious state, no longer as composed as before, Wu Hao couldn't help but laugh joyfully. “Well? Have you thought it through? Will you hand over Pingcheng or not!”

Helian Mingshuo said resentfully, “My Imperial Mother is merely a woman, how can you lay hands on her!”

“A woman?!”

Wu Hao seemed to have heard a massive joke and immediately burst into laughter again. He didn't stop until tears formed in his eyes, and only then did he pause, pointing a finger at the Noble Consort in the cart. “You say she is merely a woman?! Oh, right, you don't know yet! She is a member of the Dao...”

“Wu Hao!”

Wu Hao's words were suddenly interrupted by the sharp, loud voice of a woman.

Wu Hao felt his throat tighten. He turned his head in dissatisfaction, only to see that the Noble Consort, who had been kneeling in the cart, had already stood up, her cold eyes staring at him.

“Hmph! Don't think that by glaring at me like that, I will release you!”

The woman's gaze was so venomous, as if he were being stared down by a poisonous snake, that Wu Hao felt his skin crawl. He turned his head uncomfortably and snorted.

Seeing Wu Hao shut his mouth, the Noble Consort finally breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.

“What is she? A member of the Dao Sect?”

Suddenly, at this moment, a woman picked up where Wu Hao left off, speaking slowly. Her voice was plain, yet carried a hint of mockery.

The Noble Consort's eyes suddenly widened. She turned to look toward the city tower and cried out in anguish, “Chuchu! Don't talk nonsense!”

Heh...

Ye Jinxi let out a cold laugh. The Noble Consort probably still thought the current Helian Chuchu was that weak, easily deceived, precious princess!

If she hadn't given Helian Chuchu some pointers before coming here, Helian Chuchu would likely have been deceived by the Noble Consort's brilliant performance!

Unfortunately...

“Are you very surprised to see that I am still alive?” Helian Chuchu looked down at the Noble Consort indifferently and spoke slowly.

Hearing this, the Noble Consort froze in place, seemingly unable to recognize the Helian Chuchu before her.

As early as when Helian Chuchu first spoke of the Noble Consort being a member of the Dao Sect, Helian Mingshuo's mind had been in chaos. It was only after the Noble Consort denied it that he regained his senses. Now, hearing Helian Chuchu's words, he hurriedly stepped forward, grabbed Helian Chuchu's arm, and said reproachfully, “Chuchu, what is wrong with you? How can you speak to your Imperial Mother like that?”

Helian Chuchu looked up at Helian Mingshuo stubbornly. “Eldest Brother, if it weren't for Sister Ye, there would likely be no one named Helian Chuchu in this world.”

“This!” Helian Mingshuo was startled. At this moment, his mind was already a mess. He turned to look at the Noble Consort below the tower and gritted his teeth, “What does this have to do with Imperial Mother?!”

As soon as these words left his mouth, Helian Mingshuo felt a profound sense of regret, but it was ultimately too late.

Helian Chuchu's face turned pale. She took a step back, wrenching her arm from Helian Mingshuo's grasp, and gave a miserable laugh. “Yes! If I die, I die. What does it have to do with the Noble Consort?”

“Chuchu! I... I didn't mean it like that...” Helian Mingshuo's hand reached out into the air, but he hesitated to move forward.

He had indeed chosen to believe the Noble Consort. When he heard that Helian Chuchu and he had almost faced life and death, his first thought was still to distance the Noble Consort from Helian Chuchu's fate. He truly had failed his sister!

But she was his biological mother; how could he doubt her?!

Ye Jinxi took a step forward, supporting Helian Chuchu's arm and secretly channeling a stream of pure spiritual energy into her. Only then did Helian Chuchu's pale complexion improve significantly.

Ye Jinxi looked down at the Noble Consort and said coldly, “Noble Consort, look after yourself.”

The Noble Consort's heart jolted. She looked at the coldness in Ye Jinxi's eyes. Even if Ye Jinxi knew she wanted to kill Helian Chuchu, so what? That wasn't enough for Ye Jinxi to say such a thing.

Could it be... Ye Jinxi knew it was she who had poisoned the Emperor?!

How could that be!

But when these words fell into Helian Mingshuo's ears, the meaning changed to: *Since you have become a prisoner, Noble Consort, you might as well end your own life early. Don't make things difficult for others, and I won't expose the fact that you wanted to kill Helian Chuchu!*

Helian Mingshuo felt a surge of anger. “Miss Ye, Imperial Mother is not that kind of person!”

Ha?!

A person who could personally poison and kill the one she loved could certainly act with even more speed, ruthlessness, and precision against a woman with no blood relation to her!

However, Helian Mingshuo did not know this.

Ye Jinxi couldn't help but roll her eyes. “First Prince, why don't you ask your Imperial Mother exactly what she has done?”