Chapter 103: The Reason (1)

"I don't know either. It just feels strange. I've never tasted this flavor before, and none of these ingredients could produce it. What's even stranger is that every single dish has it," Zhen Xiaoyan said with a frown. "Everyone, stop eating! There's definitely something wrong with this food!" Although Ye Lang hadn't noticed anything unusual, he trusted Zhen Xiaoyan completely, and immediately spat out what he'd just eaten.

"Xiaolang, what's wrong?" Those nearby, seeing Ye Lang's reaction, immediately asked.

"There's something wrong with the food!" Mu Lang said.

"Nonsense! This is food prepared in the imperial palace, checked and double-checked at every level, how could there be a problem?" Ye Chengtian immediately objected.

Ye Lang shook his head. "I don't know, but there must be something wrong!"

"How can you be so sure?" Ye Yi asked.

"The fat lady says it tastes strange. She works with food all day, so she can't be wrong," Ye Lang replied.

"Fat lady?" Ye Yi didn't know he was referring to Zhen Xiaoyan until someone explained. He then turned to her directly, "Are you certain there's something wrong with the food?"

"I'm sure there's a strange taste, but I can't be certain there's something wrong!" Zhen Xiaoyan nodded.

"A strange taste? Maybe something just fell in by accident," Ruan Lian'er suggested.

"Even so, it can't be eaten!" Zhen Xiaoyan insisted. To her, food with a strange taste was inedible, no matter whether others had any reaction or not.

"Hey, Grandma, why are you here today?" Ye Lang seemed to only just notice.

"Silly boy, I've been here the whole time. Did you just realize?" Ruan Lian'er patted Ye Lang on the head and laughed.

"Yeah, it's strange. Even my uncles are here, and my cousins too. Everyone from our Ye family in the capital is present. How neat!" Ye Lang said in a daze.

Yet, words spoken unintentionally can have profound meaning.

"?!" Ye Yi, Ye Chengtian, and the others looked around, realizing that, just as Ye Lang had said, the entire Ye family was present today.

"Why are all of you here?" Ye Yi looked at those whose presence was hardly necessary for the occasion.

"Everyone said they wanted to see Lan Yu off, and since we were free, we all came. Is something wrong?" someone replied.

Ye Yi continued, "Who suggested this in the first place?"

"I heard it from Second Sister-in-law..."

"I heard it from Third Brother..."

"I heard it from—"

In the end, no one claimed to have started it; everyone heard it from someone else, and the origin was lost.

Perhaps it was just an idea that arose in idle conversation, and if so, it was no big deal. But the greatest fear was that it wasn't so simple.

"Ye Lang, what are you doing? Why are you still eating!"

Zhen Xiaoyan's anxious shout interrupted everyone's thoughts. They saw Ye Lang carefully tasting the problematic dishes. Everyone's hearts clenched—was he being absent-minded again?

"I'm trying to figure out exactly what's wrong..." Ye Lang answered, and continued eating—

"...Are you crazy? If there's something wrong, what if you get poisoned? Shouldn't we just throw it all away?" Long Anqi dragged Ye Lang over.

"Ah..." Ye Lang responded.

"What is it? Did you get hurt?" Long Anqi asked worriedly.

"No, I... I figured it out. It's the Seven-Day Death. This poison is colorless and tasteless; after ingestion, it doesn't kill immediately, but takes effect after seven days, or sooner if triggered by a catalyst. The fat lady could detect it because it must have reacted with something in the food, but only she could taste it. Also, after being poisoned with Seven-Day Death, you must not use battle energy or magic, or the poison will activate at once," Ye Lang explained calmly, as if describing something trivial.

At that moment, the color drained from every face in the room.

"Is there an antidote?" Ye Yi asked.

"There is, but usually only the person who made it has the antidote. This poison is unique—there are many ways to make it!" Ye Lang replied.

"So, we have to find the poisoner, right?" Ye Yi asked, though he clearly knew the answer. What he really wanted to know was: who did this?

The prime suspect was the Emperor himself. This farewell banquet had been arranged by the palace, and if one wanted to wipe out the Ye family, this would be the most effective way—leave no survivors.

Could it be that the Emperor had begun to fear the Ye family's power?

To serve a sovereign is to serve a tiger—this truth holds everywhere. The Ye family knew it well and never let their secure position make them forget it.

Yet, they thought it would be a long time before the Empire would seek to destroy them. For now, the Ye family was loyal and steadfast; eliminating them would only harm the Empire and bring no benefit. So what was the reason? No one knew, but soon they would understand.

"That's right. If you don't want to die, you'd best surrender quietly!" An unexpected figure appeared atop the city wall, where no one could reach. Her gaze toward Ye Lang was cold enough to chill the bone, as if she wanted to devour him.

"What are you talking about, Princess Eighth?" someone asked in confusion—many still had no idea their food had been poisoned.

The figure was not the Emperor, but the Eighth Princess—Zhao Yaoru, the woman Ye Lang had called terrifying, the one he warned everyone to beware. Zhao Yaoru ignored the others and fixed her eyes on Ye Lang. "Ye Lang—"

"What's the matter? There's nothing for us to discuss," Ye Lang replied, meeting her gaze.

A vein throbbed on Zhao Yaoru's forehead. She snorted, "Fine, even facing death you're still like this."

"Speak for yourself—don't curse others!" Ye Lang retorted.

"Xiaolang, don't say anything. What exactly do you want? Why did you poison us?" Ye Yi stopped Ye Lang and addressed Zhao Yaoru.

"What?! Poisoned?" The crowd erupted. Only now did they realize they'd been poisoned.

"Because I want to negotiate with you, but I was afraid you'd refuse, so I had you poisoned first. I originally meant to talk after you'd finished eating, but I didn’t expect you’d discover it so soon. And you even recognized the Seven-Day Death—I'm impressed!" Zhao Yaoru's eyes never left Ye Lang.

"I've tasted it before, so I recognized it. No need to be impressed," Ye Lang replied.

You've tasted it?! This is a legendary poison! Zhao Yaoru's eyes widened in surprise.

"By accident. I thought it was cold medicine..." Ye Lang scratched his head sheepishly.

"What exactly do you want to discuss?" Ye Yi asked again.

"Nothing much, just to ask if you're willing to work for me. I can guarantee things will be just as they used to be," Zhao Yaoru asked coolly and calmly.

"No way!" Ye Lang was the first to jump in.

"I wasn't asking you. Stay out of this!" Zhao Yaoru snapped.

"Oh—" Ye Lang replied.

"What do the rest of you say?" Zhao Yaoru asked.

At this point, Ye Lang spoke up again, "This won't do. You should promise things will be even better than before!"

Pretending he hadn't spoken, Ye Lang turned his head away.

"Ye Lang! Shut your mouth, I'll deal with you later!" Zhao Yaoru roared, feeling her anger boil over at the sight of him. Fortunately, after today, she would never have to see him again.

"Why should I listen to you? You're not the Emperor, and you're not my wife," Ye Lang protested.

"I'm about to be!" Zhao Yaoru snorted coldly, referring to her imminent ascension.

Ye Lang, however, misunderstood, and immediately shouted, "No way! I'd rather die than marry you!"

The whole place fell silent.

"Shut up! I'd rather die than marry you!" Zhao Yaoru retorted furiously.

"Then why did you say you're about to be?" Ye Lang looked at her with puzzlement.

"Are you an idiot?"

"I used to be, but maybe not anymore," Ye Lang replied.

"Son, she means she's about to become Emperor," Long Anqi said helplessly, shaking her head. Her precious son still couldn't grasp the situation.

"Oh, so that's it! You scared me. I thought she was going to force me to marry her. She's scary—no, terrifying," Ye Lang said, finally at ease.

Zhao Yaoru gnashed her teeth, wishing she could swallow Ye Lang whole.

"Wait, that's not right. You want to be Emperor? Can a woman be Emperor? And your father—the current Emperor—would he pass the throne to you?" Ye Lang asked in confusion.

"Of course a woman can be Emperor. The ruler of the Ella Empire is a woman!" Zhao Yaoru answered. "And as for my father... he's already agreed to pass the throne to me!"

"Yeah, right. Who'd believe that? Call him out here!" Ye Lang scoffed.

"Bring the former Emperor up!" Zhao Yaoru clapped her hands and spoke calmly.

The former Emperor? Could it be—

No, that's impossible!

But reality was merciless...

A man appeared on the city wall, carrying a tray. On the tray rested a bloodied human head—that of the Emperor. Even now, his face was frozen in shock and disbelief.

"Brother, are you playing a trick with her? This is too much—hurry up and take away that fake head," Ye Lanyu said, remembering the last time Ye Lang had faked a severed head. Many others suspected the same, hoping it was just another prank.

As outrageous as it was, a prank would at least be harmless!

In everyone's hearts, they all hoped Ye Lang and Zhao Yaoru were just putting on an act, deceiving them. But was that really the case?