CMWKSD -Chapter 273 Something Is Amiss with the Northern Barbarians’ Emperor

Shen Zongyan saw Jiang Xunan looking at him as if he wanted to speak but was holding back.
For some reason, Shen Zongyan just knew that this man was once again letting his thoughts run wild.

So he simply closed his eyes—out of sight, out of mind.

Once Ji Youqin finished instructing the servants to prepare everything and place it all in the courtyard, Jiang Xunan walked out of the room.

The moment he saw what was laid out before him, he still felt an overwhelming shock.

Because when Jiu Yue said steam, she meant actual steaming!!!

He had honestly thought she was joking at first.

And just like that, in a daze, Jiang Xunan was ordered by Jiu Yue to carry Shen Zongyan into the steamer.

The instant his hands touched Shen Zongyan’s scarred and ravaged body, all of Jiang Xunan’s scattered thoughts vanished.

Only sorrow remained.

Even without anyone saying a word, just by looking at Shen Zongyan, Jiang Xunan could imagine how much suffering he had endured.

Shen Zongyan’s entire body was wrapped in white cloth, the fabric soaked through with medicinal powder.

Inside the steamer, a stool had been placed for him to sit on.

The heat rising from the soles of his feet made it impossible to keep one’s eyes open.

Every wound on his body throbbed with unbearable pain.

Yet Shen Zongyan did not utter a single sound.

Jiu Yue stood on a raised frame, silver needles in hand.

From time to time, she would drive one into Shen Zongyan’s body.

Before long, both of them were drenched in sweat.

When General Shen and Ji Yiqing entered the courtyard, what they saw was this terrifying scene.

Yet neither of them dared to speak.

They were afraid of disturbing Jiu Yue.

Shen Zongyan seemed to sense something and slowly opened his eyes.

He saw an elderly man in the courtyard—half his hair silver, yet brimming with vitality.

The bond from deep within his bloodline made Shen Zongyan’s eyes redden. His lips moved, as if wanting to speak.

But General Shen could not hold back any longer.

He staggered a couple of steps forward toward the steamer. “Son…”

No parent could remain unmoved seeing their own child suffer like this.

Though Shen Zongyan’s memories had not yet returned, a tear slid down the corner of his eye.

Jiu Yue could not afford to be distracted.

She only said coolly to Shen Zongyan, “Focus.”

Shen Zongyan gave a soft “Mm,” then hurriedly closed his eyes.

Not long after, Madam Shen arrived, followed by Ji Chaomian—and even the Crown Prince.

Everyone in the courtyard was sweating profusely, yet no one suggested going inside first.

The steamer was replaced several times midway through.

After all, Jiu Yue wasn’t steaming meat—it was impossible to steam Shen Zongyan until he was cooked.

More than an hour later…

The half-unconscious Shen Zongyan finally emerged from this torture-like treatment.

Unexpectedly, the instant he opened his eyes—The clear, innocent light in them vanished.

His entire aura changed abruptly.

“Your Highness! There is something wrong with the Northern Barbarians’ Emperor!”

The Crown Prince had been standing at the very back.

He had only wanted to confirm Shen Zongyan’s condition—and to find out whether Shen Zongyan’s return had anything to do with Prince Hui.

Who could have expected Shen Zongyan to drop such a bomb the moment he spoke?

Everyone in the room instantly turned solemn.

Jiang Xunan and Ying Yi immediately moved to the outside.

Before long, they had the entire room surrounded—Ensuring that no one else could overhear this matter.

General Shen helped Shen Zongyan sit down and placed a cushion behind his back.

Shen Zongyan coughed several times before slowly beginning to recount what had happened after his disappearance.

After he went missing, he had been abducted.

He was then imprisoned in Prince Hui’s secret base for cultivating poison men.

At the time, no one discovered his true identity.

They merely thought he was a captive taken from the battlefield.

While enduring various experiments in the secret base, he constantly searched for a chance to escape.

After another forced dose of poison—

Prince Hui arrived at the secret base with a man in tow.

Shen Zongyan had seen the Northern Barbarians’ Emperor before.

At a single glance, he realized that the man looked exactly like him.

Yet that man showed Prince Hui utmost deference.

Though they were said to be ruler and subject, it was the “emperor” who seemed more like Prince Hui’s subordinate.

This sent a tidal wave of shock crashing through Shen Zongyan’s heart.

This was absolutely not the state a ruler and minister should be in.

Later, after the incident where Shen Zongsheng led a bandit-suppression campaign, Prince Hui secretly went to see Shen Zongsheng once.

The brothers were twins, after all—their identical appearances.

Prince Hui almost immediately thought of Shen Zongyan.

Then came the poison, the needles, the gu, the torture…What followed was Shen Zongyan being sent back to Great Qi.

Jiu Yue’s earlier guess had been correct.

Shen Zongyan truly was the “test question” Prince Hui had given her.

After all, one couldn’t just poison or plant gu in any random person.

It had to be someone with status—someone Jiu Yue would not refuse to save.

And Shen Zongyan fit that role perfectly.

Jiu Yue seemed completely unconcerned about the danger she might face after curing him.

She merely handed several prepared prescriptions to General Shen.

“There’s nothing serious now. Just go back and recuperate properly according to these prescriptions.”

General Shen clutched the prescriptions, his eyes filled with reluctance and pity. “Your Highness…”

Jiu Yue clicked her tongue.

Arms crossed, she looked at the roomful of people watching her with worry written all over their faces.

“Have you all forgotten? I’m Jiu Yue—not an ordinary person.”

“I can’t guarantee everything, but I can guarantee I’ll get out alive.”

“Now, let’s properly talk about this so-called Northern Barbarians’ Emperor.”

Ji Yiqing, Ji Chaomian, and the Crown Prince were the brains of the group.

The three exchanged glances.

Almost involuntarily, a bold speculation formed in their minds.

In fact, this was thanks to Prince Hui’s past act of replacing Great Qi generals with lookalikes— Which made such a theory possible.

“The current Northern Barbarians’ Emperor may be a fake.”

The Crown Prince paused briefly, then continued, “Back then, Father Emperor had also suspected that Prince Hui lost the throne because of his poor health. How could he possibly be willing to do so much for the Northern Barbarians’ Emperor?”

“Now that we think about it, the mastermind behind that fake emperor is likely Prince Hui himself. Otherwise, how could he be willing to submit to someone else?”

Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian both felt this was highly plausible.

Yet the thought still seemed unbelievable.

Was Prince Hui’s courage truly that great?

If Prince Hui and the current Northern Barbarians’ Emperor really managed to deceive the world—Then whether this war could truly break out was no longer certain.

Great Qi might instead accept this “grand gift” from the Northern Barbarians in a far gentler way.

The Crown Prince could no longer wait.

He turned and prepared to leave, intending to return and discuss everything thoroughly with Emperor Fengyuan.

Before leaving, he looked at Jiu Yue, who seemed completely out of the loop.

He stepped forward and flicked her forehead.

Jiu Yue yelped.

She chased after him as he ran outside.

Why was this person so annoying?!

Once outside the courtyard, seeing the guards filling the yard, the Crown Prince even had the childish urge to stick out his tongue at her.

Thankfully, he restrained himself.

At the gate, he stopped and looked back at Jiu Yue standing there.

“Jiu Yue.”

Jiu Yue stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him angrily. “What?”

“If you dare flick me again, I swear I’ll—”

“Be careful. You must be very careful.”

Jiu Yue snorted and turned her face away.

In the end, she still muttered awkwardly, somewhat bashfully, “I know already!”