385: Unhinged

Unhinged

This turn of events was quite bizarre to everyone around. The Imperial physicians had been taken aback when Princess Nalan did not throw a tantrum when they uncovered that the sleeping Prince Yi was in fact dead.  1

When the initial discovery was made Princess Nalan was asleep on a spare bed Molin had brought in for her. When she heard them she immediately rushed over, pushed them aside, and just sat there staring at him. They took her delayed reaction to be due to shock and sleep fog... but now it was clear that was just the quiet before the storm.

What antidote will bring a dead man back to life?!

Molin knit his brows and took a hesitant step forward and tried to reason with her, "Nalan...He's dea-"

"Shut up!" Princess Nalan barked, pointing the knife at him, before she quickly caught herself and put it up back to Lei Xing's neck, "Don't move! Get the antidote now!" When no one moved, Princess Nalan became even more agitated, "What? You think I won't kill her?! I'll kill her ri-"

"Get the antidote." The Emperor finally said and Princess Nalan felt vindicated, but then no one moved. The guards, eunuchs, and physicians behind the Emperor glanced at each other, all waiting for someone else, who knew about this antidote the Emperor was hiding, to go get this antidote. 

When no one moved, the Emperor glanced at the head physician, who was standing behind him, with a frown, "Go get the antidote." He repeated. 

The head physician blinked and knit his brows in confusion, "Emp-" 

"Now." The Emperor harshly cut him off, narrowing his eyes at the head physician. The man still looked confused for a moment before he caught the drift and quickly bowed, "Of course." He nervously said and then rushed inside.

"See, I told you." Princess Nalan whispered into Lei Xing's ear. 

"Hm, I see it now... " Lei Xing mumbled in response. Of course, Lei Xing knew her Emperor was smart enough to know that playing along was the safest tactic, "Um... can you move that knife a bit? It hurts." 

Princess Nalan frowned, surprised she would dare to make such a cordial request in the situation.  "No, you're my hostage."

Lei Xing went quiet for a bit and then let out an irritated breath, "Well, unless you actually plan on killing me, in which case you can't blame me for being heartless later, move it." Lei Xing quietly ordered, "I'll really die if you keep jabbing into the same spot."

Princess Nalan blinked at the back of Lei Xing's head, "You - you're surprisingly brave. Are you not scared? I could really kill you."

"I am being practical. You have nothing to gain and everything to lose by killing me. If he's not already dead, he will die. You will die. Your unborn baby will die and most likely everyone you know will die because this will mean war." Lei Xing quietly explained, "If you kill me, you will have no one to intercede on your behalf. Of course, no one wants war. So you will get your antidote but let's not accidentally kill me in the process and ruin everything. I'm on your side here." Lei Xing empathetically said. 

On hearing these words, Princess Nalan's mind cleared a bit and she glanced at all guards surrounding the area and her eyes landed on the Emperor, who was visibly seething. She found herself hesitating for a moment and her knife tip pressing into Lei Xing's neck slightly eased. But then the head physician returned carrying a jar and Princess Nalan's mind snapped back into form and she indignantly said to Lei Xing, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

The head physician made his way to the front and held out a small vial with both hands to the Emperor. The Emperor glanced at it and then said, "Give it to him." He said, motioning towards Molin. The head physician complied and Molin took the bottle and awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. Things were really out of control now. 

"Now. You have your antidote, give me my Empress." The Emperor said, moving forward to retrieve Lei Xing himself.

"No! Stop!" Princess Nalan shouted, moving back with Lei Xing, pressing the tip of the knife into the same wound Lei Xing had just warned her about. The Emperor stopped in his tracks and Lei Xing closed her eyes in exasperation. Honestly, she did not think Princess Nalan intended to kill her - Princess Nalan's apology before the assaulting her told her that much. But at this rate, it was looking like this girl would accidentally kill her. 

"Molin, you go give him the antidote." Princess Nalan ordered, then she narrowed her eyes at the Emperor, "I will release when I see Shan hail and hearty!" Princess Nalan declared and everyone instantly felt like banging their heads against the wall. 

Lei Xing was the first person to speak up, clearly at her wit's end, "Nalan, he's currently unconscious, right? Even if he takes the antidote now, it won't take effect immediately, right? It could be a few hours, all night even before he wakes... You don't expect us to stand here all night like this, right?"

"If that's what it takes." Princess Nalan dismissively responded, "I won't release her until Shan comes out here on his own two feet!"

{...Huh? O_O')...Okay, reason has officially left the building, time for plan B...}

Plan B involved a hard elbow jab to Princess Nalan's pregnant stomach. Lei Xing did not want to harm an innocent child, but between a stranger's child and her own life... she felt inclined to choose herself at this moment. 

Other than the moral dilemma of that plan, there was a problem of risk levels. If she did this, one of two things would happen. One, the sudden pain would send Princess Nalan into shock and she would instinctively move to protect her stomach and release Lei Xing, or at least move the knife from Lei Xing's neck enough for her to make a potential break for it. It was either that or the shock from the attack would cause Princess Nalan to instinctively drive the knife into Lei Xing's neck, killing her. 

Overall, not a good plan. 

{...This sucks (≖_≖ )...}

Lei Xing looked at the Emperor, her eyes asking him now what? She was out of ideas. It was not like they could string Prince Yi's corpse up like a marionette and make him walk out here for Princess Nalan. 

"Molin, what are you doing? Hurry up and go!" Princess Nalan ordered when Molin just stood there staring at her with a frown.

"Ah yes..." Molin awkwardly responded and then turned to go do as she bid. He had been too preoccupied thinking about how he was going to explain this situation to Princess Nalan's brothers. Prince Yi was dead, there was no antidote that would bring him back to life. He had made sure it himself.

At this rate, Princess Nalan was really going to get herself in big trouble. Things have really gotten out of control now and he was truly at a loss.  This was not Zou, there was no way she was going to get away with this sort of behavior. 

The Emperor let out an irritated breath and to everyone's surprise, he turned around as if he were leaving, only for him to grab Molin by the back of his shirt and start dragging him back, storming towards Princess Nalan. 

"What are you doing?! Let me go!" Molin protested, he would have spun around and tried to attack but there were so many swords pointed at his face that he was forced into compliance. 

"What are you doing?! Stop! I swear I will really kill her! I mean it!" Princess Nalan barked, moving back herself with Lei Xing as the Emperor kept taking purposeful strides towards them. 

The Emperor stopped a few feet from and threw Molin to the ground between them and then swiftly grabbed a sword from the hand of one of the guards at his side and put the sword to Molin's neck, "Release her."

He was done negotiating. 

Princess Nalan was taken aback by this and hesitated a few moments and then glared at the Emperor, "I'll kill her."

"And I'll kill this man. Then I will personally escort you back to your country so you can watch as I burn it to the ground, killing every man, woman, and child within. After that, I will allow you to rot in my prison so you can have a lifetime of solitude to reflect on this foolishness. Of course, I will also decapitate Jun Shan today as well, as someone who committed acts of treason, it is only right that he is not buried whole. That child you're carrying will also not be spared." The Emperor matter-of-factly stated. 

"You wouldn't dare." Princess Nalan said in a low voice, her hand slightly shaking but she still held the knife dangerously close to Lei Xing's neck. 

The Emperor scoffed, "You're not the only one who can be unreasonable. Kill her if you want but know that I will make it my personal life mission to make the rest of your life a living nightmare." The Emperor could see Princess Nalan wavering so he narrowed his eyes and pressed on, "Make your choice, kill her or release her. I give you ten seconds or I will make the choice for you, starting with this man." 

Both Princess Nalan and Lei Xing stared at him with eyes widened in shock at his words. 

{...Have you gone mad too?! What do you mean by you will make the choice for her?! Why are you goading her into killing me?! What sort of tactic is this?! I don't want to die for you to have your revenge plot! \(

_<)/...}

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