The Scum Shou's Survival Guide Chapter 42 Part2

Ch 42 (2) - Shocking! The scene of the brothers' tragic conflict for love!

By the time they returned to the temporary palace, it was dusk.

The eunuchs and serving maids of the palace busied themselves in an orderly manner as Ye Ming followed Li ZeChen into the main hall.

Li ZeChen went in to change his clothes. By the time he came back out, Ye Ming had brewed a pot of tea. As usual, Ye Ming was seated at the table docilely, waiting for Li ZeChen. When he saw Li ZeChen, he lowered his gaze, deferentially poured a cup of tea, and handed it over. “Your Majesty is tired, have some tea to moisten your throat.”

Li ZeChen looked at the fine bone-china teacup that Ye Ming held up. The dainty and exquisite teacup was gently gripped in the long, slender fingers, with the soft, pale fingertips covering part of the tiny, blue flowers decorating the cup. It was like the contrast of snow against plum blossoms.

He loves every inch of this person, especially his hands. He likes Ye Ming's hands very much.

It was a pity that this beauty concealed a corrosive poison.

Li ZeChen accepted the teacup expressionlessly, and lifted his sleeves to block his face as he made to drain the teacup. He smiled, “Wenqing's skill in preparing tea is as good as ever.”

Ye Ming lowered his head meekly, and was about to speak when he suddenly heard a ruckus outside, followed by the shrill scream of a maidservant. Ye Ming's expression changed as he recalled yesterday night's meeting with Li ZeYuan. Could it be LiZeYuan's people?!

He looked back anxiously at LiZeChen, but saw that LiZeChen's face was pale, with blood trickling from the corners of his lips. Li ZeChen grasped weakly at the table, before toppling over to the ground. He appeared to have been poisoned!

What is going on? He did not give him any poison!

Ye Ming rushed over to support LiZeChen, asking anxiously, “Your Majesty, what's wrong?”

Li ZeChen suddenly shoved Ye Ming's hand away, his eyes fixing him with an unprecedentedly cold gaze!

He had long known that Li ZeYuan would make his move today, and also knew about the poison that Li ZeYuan had given to Ye Ming. Hence, he had not touched a drop of that cup of tea, but he still affected the appearance of being poisoned to lull Li ZeYuan and Ye Ming into a false sense of a.s.surance! All so to make them think that he has fallen into their trap!

From a glance at Li ZeYuan's expression, Ye Ming knew that he has been misunderstood, but he still could not understand why Li ZeChen has been poisoned. He swallowed the words he wanted to say with great difficulty.

At the next moment, the front doors of the main hall were violently kicked open, and a group of people clad in black came rushing in. From their center, Li ZeYuan came striding in with a sword at his waist and a cold look on his face! When he saw Li ZeChen lying on the floor, weakened from poison, he laughed out loud!

Ye Ming's expression twisted. At this stage, he was clear that he has been used by Li ZeYuan. And because he had hesitated over telling Li ZeChen of his plans, he had caused a terrible disaster for Li ZeChen!

Although Li ZeChen had indeed forced him, but….. as the Emperor, he had been a just ruler, and he had ascended to the throne in the right and proper manner. And Ye Ming had inadvertently played the role of a sinful traitor, destined to go down the annals of history as a traitor!

Being a male Empress would be a stain on his name and bring shame upon his family, but being a traitor is a sin that would implicate all nine generations of his family. His family has always been loyal. If he was found to be complicit in this rebellion, in all likelihood, his father would kill him with own hands to cleanse the stain from their family's name, and would never forgive him.

He is an official. From childhood, he had been instilled with a strong sense of loyalty and devotion to their monarch. He should never have wavered!

Ye Ming's heart ached with remorse. He glared ahead at Li ZeYuan with reddened eyes. “You said you wouldn't do this!” he flung out angrily.

Li ZeYuan thought that Ye Ming had obeyed his instructions and given Li ZeChen the poison, and was only making a show of accusing him of lying to Ye Ming for giving him poison instead of a sleeping drug. He smiled gently, clearly in a good mood as he coaxed, “Wenqing, you don't have to worry. Li ZeChen will surely die today, I will definitely rescue you from him.”

Li ZeChen remained where he was, looking at the two of them with sad eyes.

Hehe….. such a loving couple. 

Did you think that after getting rid of me, Li ZeYuan will let you go?

Or is it because….. you can accept Li ZeYuan, but not me. 

Li ZeChen turned his head and said slowly, “So, you went to see him last night, is that it?”

Ye Ming met Li ZeChen's gaze. Li ZeChen's eyes were like dark, bottomless pools. Suddenly, he felt his heart ache, but he really did meet with Li ZeYuan the night before. Ye Ming nodded. “Yes….. I'm sorry, but I…..”

“Enough!” Li ZeChen's voice rose to a shout, then he began coughing blood again.

Ye Ming fell silent, his face turning pale. This was the first time Li ZeChen has rebuffed him so harshly.

Li ZeYuan looked at Li ZeChen's pained expression, gloating over his misery. So what if you've s.n.a.t.c.hed away my right to the throne? In the end, the person you love the most has betrayed you! Today, you will die by my hands! 

All that you have stolen from me, you will return tenfold, a hundredfold back to me! 

“Fifth brother, have you ever thought that this day would come?” Li ZeYuan slowly walked over to stand in front of Li ZeChen, and pulled out the sword sheathed at his waist. A cruel light flickered in his eyes, and his lips curled in a sneer. “How pitiful….. look at you now. You should never have tried to take what did not belong to you, it could never have ended well for you.”

{T/N: Li ZeChen's the younger brother, by the way.}

Li ZeChen's lifted his gaze to look at him, slowly wiping away the blood from the corners of his mouth. He replied dully, “Is that so….. the t.i.tle of Emperor was granted to zhèn by our Imperial Father. It rightfully belongs to zhèn.”

Upon hearing Li ZeChen's words, Li ZeYuan was unable to control the bitter hatred from surging forth in his eyes, warping his features. He spat, “The throne was mine to begin with! You stole it from me!”

Li ZeChen sneered, “Was it not your own doing? Imperial Father doted on you, but you couldn't wait for him to die…… did you know, as he was dying, how very disappointed in you he was, haha……”

Li ZeYuan pointed the sword at Li ZeChen, fairly quivering with rage. “That was because you forced my hand!”

Li ZeChen only looked at him contemptuously.

His expression seemed to send Li ZeYuan back to the day Li ZeChen ascended the throne. His entire body was garbed in the magnificent robes of the Emperor, looking aloof and untouchable, and showing him the same look of contempt while proclaiming him a failure as Li ZeYuan was seized and banished.

Li ZeYuan has led a high and mighty life, frequently humiliating and ridiculing others, he himself has never had to suffer such degradation!

Li ZeYuan could no longer control his murderous rage. He sneered, “Once you are dead, the entire country will be mine, I am the rightful Son of Heaven!” And with that, he swung his sword at Li ZeChen!

All this while, Ye Ming has been standing by the side. He knows that he has been used by Li ZeYuan, and he knows that Li ZeChen thinks he had conspired with Li ZeYuan. His heart was already a mess of of confusion and deep regret.

Because he had hesitated, he had brought a calamity down on Li ZeChen. He had inadvertently lent a hand to the enemy, he could never forgive himself for this!

When he saw that Li ZeYuan had moved to strike, Ye Ming flung himself forwards without a second thought!

Of course, Li ZeChen had no intention of allowing Li ZeYuan to kill him. Since he has already lured Li ZeYuan out into the open, he was ready to tighten the net. He had been prepared to dodge the sword blow, but then Ye Ming suddenly threw himself in front of him. He had moved so quickly, even Li ZeChen did not realize what had happened!

In the next moment, Li ZeYuan's sword plunged into Ye Ming's shoulder!

Hot blood splashed onto L ZeYuan's face. He froze in disbelief. This…. what happened?

Li ZeYuan had never imagined that Ye Ming would risk his own life to save Li ZeChen. His movements also halted, then he roared angrily, “What are you doing?!”

Ye Ming's face was drawn in pain and deathly pale. He turned his head slightly, his eyes glittering with a resolute light as he stared back at Li ZeYuan. He enunciated slowly, “Your Highness, what you did was wrong. Cease this at once, and repent.”

Li ZeYuan looked at Ye Ming fixedly, his eyes growing cold. “So you're saying….. you've decided to stand by him?”

Ye Ming said, “Chén cannot betray His Majesty.”

Fury crashed into Li ZeYuan, his eyes grew dark and stormy, and gleamed with a bloodthirsty light. His voice was chilly, “I treated you well, and this is how you repay me? He mistreated you, and yet you would help him?”

Ye Ming lowered his eyes, but his voice remained firm, “I am sorry….. but I cannot be a traitor for you.”

Li ZeYuan stared at Ye Ming for a good long while. He suddenly burst into wild laughter, a look of madness on his face. “Could it be after having slept with him, you've developed feelings for him? It turns out you're just another s.l.u.t….. in that case, I'll send you to h.e.l.l with him!”

He withdrew his sword, and slashed it at Ye Ming. This time, he meant to kill Ye Ming as well!

Ye Ming did not intend to dodge. I'm sorry…..

Chén is useless, I can only repay you with my life. 

Ye Ming closed his eyes and waited for death, but then he felt himself being spun around. He was held tightly in Li ZeChen's embrace as his body was turned aside. Ye Ming couldn't help but open his eyes, and saw Li ZeChen's broad shoulders in front of him. He was gripping Li ZeYuan's blade with his bare hand!

Thanks to rayne and Alxenia123 for the ko-fis!!!! ❤

Happy reading!

-Syeki

Like what I do? ❤ Buy me a ~ ?

Ah ah my heart is racing! Ugh, why is this story playing with my heart?!? AM I A JOKE TO YOU???

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Also, thanks so much for the chapter!

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