LoT Phoenix 1

Chapter 176: Pretending to be a God

The 7th Prince went mad when he saw you. The Noble Consort was on guard against you and didn't let you get close. You had to let it go for now and hide your doubts.

Xiu Ying: (The trickiest thing is to face the Noble Consort after this. She would think that I would hurt her son?)

You were frustrated and depressed. Suddenly you heard Shi Lian's scream. You were startled and rushed in the house.

Xiu Ying: Shi Lian! What happened?

Shi Lian: Your Highness.. What, what is that? Is that a face?

Shi Lian huddled close to you, pointing her finger at something on the floor. You patted the back of Shi Lian's hand, stepped forward and picked it up. It was a mask of a human face. It is the mask you used when you went to Western Liang. Then you found it again, thinking that the workmanship is exquisite and lifelike, and it was a pity to throw it away. Unexpectedly, Shi Lian found it accidentally when she was doing her housework. It scared her.

Xiu Ying: No. It's just a mask. Don't worry.

Shi Lian: A mask? It's so lifelike! I thought it was a real face.

Hearing your explanation, Shi Lian's fear slowly went away. She picked up the mask and looked at it carefully with curiosity.

Xiu Ying: A real face? I'm not some sick murderer. Why would I have a real human face mask?

Shi Lian: [Sticking out her tongue] It's so lifelike! That's why it scared me.

Shi Lian's words made your heart thump. Nobody noticed that it was a fake when you put on this mask at first. If it hadn't accidentally fallen off when you were being punished, nobody would find out that it was fake.

Xiu Ying: (So, what if someone makes a mask look exactly like my face? Does it... mean anyone can impersonate me?)

The truth seemed to come to light at this moment. In other words, someone impersonated me and did something to the 7th Prince. Is that why her acted like this when he saw me? It seemed to be the best explanation. But if it was really the case, we must not delay. You must get to the bottom of this and be on your guard. Otherwise, if someone set you up bearing your face, you would be caught off guard.

Shi Lian: [Noticing your look] Your Highness, what are you going to go?

THE MYSTERY

On a snowy night, the lights were dim, the cold wind was blowing. There was snow all over the sky. The 7th Prince sat in a wheelchair. The little eunuch behind him lowered his head, slowly pushing the wheelchair. But it seemed to be a little too slow, the 7th Prince was soon impatient.

7th Prince: Why are you moving so slow like a tortoise in such heavy snow? Move!

Being scolded, the little eunuch behind him was still moving slow. The 7th Prince went madder and immediately turned around to see who was so bold.

7th Prince: Are you new? Where are the old ones?

The lights today seemed to be dimmer than before. It's hard to see people's faces. You could only vaguely tell that wasn't someone you know.

7th Prince: How dare you! You guys are getting bolder, sending these idiots to me? Why? you think that I'm hopeless?

Despite his anger, the people behind him were silent. The 7th Prince got tired and stopped, thinking about now to punish the stupid little eunuch. Just then, the wheelchair stopped. He shouted several times but didn't hear a response. When he looked back, the little eunuch had gone away.

7th Prince: Anyone here? Someone!

The 7th Prince suddenly found that there was no sound and no one there, only snowflakes falling from the sky. The piercing chill made him feel alive. At the same time, a faint voice came.

Xiu Ying: Do you know what you did wrong?

The 7th Prince seemed to hear a voice. But the snow was so heavy that he couldn't tell whether it was a man or a woman. Despite the panic in his heart, he tried to stay calm.

7th Prince: Who is there?

Xiu Ying: I knew exactly what happened two years ago.

7th Prince: Two years ago? How did you know?

Xiu Ying: I happened to pass by. I would've never thought I would see something like that. But I was occupied so I couldn't stay. So I've come to see you today.

7th Prince: I, I didn't mean to do that! Fairy! Leave me alone!

You thought it was going to take a lot of effort to make the 7th Prince believe you. You've prepared every word you were about to say. You didn't expect the 7th Prince to believe you so easily. Well, he thought you were a ghost. It was natural that he believed in a fairy.

Xiu Ying: [Speaking slowly] Leave you alone? Why would I do that?

7th Prince: At first, it was Xiu Ying who wanted to hurt me. I... was just trying to protect myself!

The snow was falling quietly, and the cold wind was piercing to the bone. But the 7th Prince didn't feel anything. He looked agitated and went on talking.

7th Prince: She wanted to hurt me, so I protected myself. I didn't know so many innocent people would be involved... I didn't mean to do it. Fairy, leave me alone!

Hearing this, you were confused, but you suddenly remembered what Shi Lian had said to you.

Shi Lian: In fact, he has done this before, setting people on fire... Two year ago, he burned down a restaurant and many people died. It was the Noble Consort's family who came forward to settle this...

Xiu Ying: SO, you burned down a restaurant?

7th Prince: I can explain it, fairy! I would never have done it if she hadn't tried to hurt me! I just wanted her dead! I thought it was over that she died. I didn't know that she would be back. Does she want revenge?

The 7th Prince was not only agitated but also frightened, sounding like he was about to cry. It seemed that what happened two year ago was definitely now what he said, otherwise he wouldn't have been so scared. However, what was certain was that two years ago, something did happen to the 7th Prince and "you". He thought "you" wanted to hurt him, so he killed "you".

Xiu Ying: [Speaking slowly] Is that true? But she said she didn't want to hurt you.

7th Prince: [Agitated] Yes! She wanted to hurt me! She's got a lot of intrigues. She wanted me dead a long time ago!

Xiu Ying: Then tell me, how did she try to hurt you?

7th Prince: She asked me to go to the restaurant and said that she wanted to help me bring down the 6th and the Crown Prince! I was hopeless and I didn't want my brothers to do well. So I went to her.

7th Prince: She was still so cunning that if I didn't obey her, she put poison into the wine and tried to force me to drink it. Fortunately, I was on guard. There was a poison needle on my wheelchair. So I got her poisoned first and she fell to the floor...

7th Prince: But she wanted me to die with her. We accidentally knocked over the candle while we fought, so the place was burned down...

Xiu Ying: A candle? Not a single person in the whole restaurant got out?

7th Prince: I don't know, it might be burning too hard! I don't know! I didn't want them to die. Father was so angry, I was so scared!

There were still many things to suspect in his words, but it didn't seem that he was lying. Is it possible that he didn't know the truth?

Xiu Ying: Are you so sure that Xiu Ying  is dead?

7th Prince: Yes! The poison needle on my wheelchair was fatal and there was no cure. She couldn't have survived it, let alone escaped from the fire. I would have died if it hadn't been for the Dark Guard.

You stood in the dark, looking up at the falling snow and the lights, It was beautiful, but a chill kept coming out from the bottom of your heart. That "you" who tried to hurt the 7th Prince died two years ago? She impersonated you but she just died so easily? Is that the truth? Although you were confused, you didn't know where to find the answer.