The Crown Prince saw how the Empress was crying while looking at the Emperor, who was lying unconscious on the bed. Eunuch Jin saw him and found a strange expression on the Crown Prince's face.

  "Your highness," Eunuch Jin mumbled and walked towards him, but by then Sheng Li had moved from his place. He went towards the Empress, pushing Eunuch Jin away. The other wives of the Emperor looked at Sheng Li with a confused expression. They stood up from their respective seats.

  ??

  He halted right in front of Weng Wei, who then lifted her head. Before she could understand anything, Sheng Li pulled her up, grabbing her arm tightly, shocking everyone there. "Why did you do this?" Sheng Li questioned her, scowling at her.

  The Royal Physician stood up from his seat upon hearing the voice of the Crown Prince. Eunuch Jin tried intervening when Sheng Li glared at him. "No one will come to the front if he/she wants to live," Sheng Li loudly said.

  "Crown Prince, what are you doing? Leave my arm! You are disgracing the Empress," Weng Wei sternly said.

  "You are a disgrace to this Han Family. You killed my mother. I stayed quiet. Do you take me as a fool? How dare you harm Lili? You tortured me, beat me, tried to kill me- all was fine but you harmed my Lili." Sheng Li brought the sword closer to her neck and continued, "Be ready to die! I should have killed you earlier."

  Jian Guozhi reached there and saw Sheng Li had pointed his sword at Weng Wei's neck. He quickly went towards them and grabbed Sheng Li's wrist. Weng Wei covered her neck, which got cut and was bleeding, with her palm. She started crying and the two consorts went to her.

  "Leave my hand," Sheng Li growled.

  "Calm down," Jian sternly said.

  Sheng Li lost his temper and kicked him. Jian Guozhi fell back, his back hit against the table. The flower vase on the table fell down and it broke into pieces. The Empress, the Consorts and the Virtuous Lady covered their ears as the vase smashed on the floor.

  "Sheng Li, you are fighting with your elder brother! Shame on you. If the Emperor will be awake, I will request him to uncrowned you," Weng Wei scowled at him.

  "Before that I will kill you. How dare you harm the person precious to me?!" Sheng Li stepped towards her when Jian Guozhi grabbed his arm, stopping him. Nianzu had also arrived there. He also came to the front of Sheng Li and placed both of his hands on his shoulders. "Stop, Sheng Li! You cannot act like this. Our father and Sister Lili are going to be angry seeing you like this," Nianzu asserted. He tried calming down Sheng Li.

  "The poison is spreading in her body. Remember what Ying Lili did when you were on the deathbed. She kept calm in the entire situation. At least for her don't do anything," Jian Guozhi proclaimed.

  "Let's go back. Father also needs rest! Come with us," Nianzu added. Sheng Li was glaring at Weng Wei, who was also glaring at him.

  The soldiers had come there but seeing Sheng Li no one came forward. "What are you looking at?! Arrest him and take him away. Follow my orders. I am the Empress," Weng Wei commanded.

  "Enough, mother!" Jian Guozhi shouted at her. He left Sheng Li's arm and went to his mother. Holding her arm, he took her away from there. Everyone in the chamber was terrified to see this side of Sheng Li. They had only heard that Sheng Li was ruthless in the battlefield but never thought that he would be ruthless?to his own family.

  "Come to the Zhenzhu Inn after treating our father," Sheng Li told the Royal Physician, who was trembling in fear.

  "Y-yes, y-your highness."

  Sheng Li turned and left the chamber. There were tears in his eyes. His mind had stopped working in this situation. 'Why did you save me?' he murmured as he hastened towards the Zhenzhu Inn.

  "Nothing will happen to Sister Lili. Physician Yan is doing his best," Nianzu assured Sheng Li, who did not respond. They soon reached the Zhenzhu Inn, where Ying Lili's treatment was going on. Sheng Li stood beside the bed and saw how pale Ying Lili had turned. Physician Yan was applying the herb over the wound when he heard the Crown Prince, "Be gentle. She is feeling pain."

  Physician Yan nodded. Xing-Fu brought a chair for the Crown Prince and told him to sit on it, but Sheng Li did not sit. There was fear inside him- the fear of losing Ying Lili. With each passing second, Sheng Li's heart was sinking. This was the main reason he did not want Ying Lili to be a part of his life. Did he make a mistake by loving her? He contemplated.

  Wang Hao was standing near the second door, observing the expressions of the Crown Prince. He had promised himself that he would not let anything happen to the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. He squinted his eyes and walked out of the chamber.

  ~~~~~

  Jian Guozhi left the hand of his mother once they reached his mother's chamber. "Jian, go and arrest Sheng Li. Throw him in prison. How dare he point a sword at me?" Weng Wei was infuriated. Her hand was still near her neck, where the wound clotted by now.

  "Enough Mother!" Jian Guozhi bellowed at her again. He turned back and placed his hands on his waist. Weng Wei was bewildered to see how her son was behaving.

  "Tell me where Hu Jingguo is?" Jian Guozhi questioned.

  "Pardon me!" Weng Wei was befuddled.

  Jian Guozhi turned to face his mother. "Just give me an answer. Where is Hu Jingguo? You ordered his abduction, right? Tell me where he is?" Jian Guozhi repeated himself.

  "I do not know. And why is it bothering you? Isn't this what we want? Ying Lili will die and Sheng Li will be uncrowned for raising his hand on the Empress. My son, you will get the Crown," Weng Wei with a broad smile said.

  "I warned you not to do this! Still you went against my wish. Have you lost your mind? You plotted an assasination against Ying Lili. Trust me, mother, if you will not tell me about Hu Jingguo then I will ask for the most severe punishment for you," pronounced Jian Guozhi. "Please tell me where Hu Jingguo is," he requested after that.

  Weng Wei's eyes widened seeing his son acts. She did everything for him and today he was speaking like this to her!

  "Don't tell me you did something to our father for your greed," Weng Wei heard Jian Guozhi, who was looking at her skeptically.

  "Jian, how can you accuse your mother? His Majesty is my life. If anything happens to him then, there is no meaning to me staying alive," Weng Wei affirmed. Her eyes were misty while her voice was cracking.

  "I doubt you. Your love for us was never genuine. Let's put this conversation aside. Just tell me about Hu Jingguo. Tell me about his location, if you consider me your son." He grabbed both of her arms and repeated his questions at her.

  "Are you saying that you do not want the Crown and do not want to become the next Emperor? My love for you and my husband was always genuine and still is! You were deprived of your birth rights and I only did whatever was good for you. How could you doubt your mother's intentions?" Weng Wei questioned her son.

  "Can't you see the situation? Can't you see that your son never wanted this? Mother, I did not save you from Sheng Li for having a debate with me. I saved you so that you can tell me about Hu Jingguo's location. Tell me else I will tell everyone that you murdered Sheng Li's mother. I have evidence with me. Don't test my patience," Jian Guozhi threatened his mother. He let go of his grip from her arms and stepped back.

  Weng Wei was devastated to hear her son's words. "Evidence against me? Are you doing this to your own mother, who sacrificed everything for you?!"

  Jian Guozhi scoffed. "You did not sacrifice anything for me, mother. It was all for you. It was your jealousy from the beginning towards Sheng Li's mother. What wrong did a child do to you? Do you even have any idea how guilt-stricken I used to be after ill-treating Sheng Li? Leave the past memories aside for now!

  You harmed the woman who saved your son's life. Your son would not be alive today if that day Ying Lili had not saved me!?Still you have no shame and ordered to harm her. Don't make me take any step which will tarnish your image which you have built all these years. If you cannot think about anyone other than your greed then at least think about your son once. I need to repay Ying Lili for the kindness she showed me. She saved my life and I will save hers even if I die," Jian Guozhi pronounced.