"Mother… Yan'er… My child, it's all my fault. My single misjudgment has harmed them all…"
Chu Yanxi murmured dejectedly, truly regretting his actions. His own death would have been insignificant, but he had instead caused the woman he loved most in this life to become mentally impaired, and his infant child to suffer such misfortunes.
And his Empress Mother… who had raised him with such hardship. If not for him, she would not have taken such risks. She would still be the revered Empress, and would not have met such an end.
To be humiliated by these wretches… it was all his fault that such grave mistakes were made. He was filled with immense remorse.
"Does Your Highness the Third Prince regret his actions?"
Ling Mohan also noticed Chu Yanxi's emotions. The look in his eyes darkened, and he accurately voiced Chu Yanxi's innermost thoughts.
When Chu Yanxi finally raised his eyes, the fiery anger that had previously consumed them was gone. In its place was a profound calmness, as if his spirit had been drained, leaving him utterly listless, like a walking corpse.
"Can you let Yan'er go?"
Chu Yanxi pleaded subserviently, his only desire now for Feng Ruoyan's safety, asking for nothing else.
A faint smile curved Ling Mohan's lips. He was clearly pleased with Chu Yanxi's reaction, or rather, he had been waiting for Chu Yanxi to intercede for Feng Ruoyan.
Only by confirming Feng Ruoyan's importance to Chu Yanxi could he better utilize her as a pawn.
"As long as you let Yan'er go, I will do anything." After careful consideration, Chu Yanxi uttered these words without any bottom line. He had lost everything. Feng Ruoyan was his deepest connection in this life. How could he stand by and watch her suffer because of him again?
Ling Mohan remained outwardly indifferent, simply sitting there without answering Chu Yanxi. He was waiting… waiting to see how far Chu Yanxi would go for Feng Ruoyan.
"Ah… child… the child, my child… child!"
Feng Ruoyan suddenly cried out loudly, her gaze frantically scanning her surroundings as if searching for something. She continued to murmur about the child… the child.
Finally, she lunged like a madwoman towards a low stool placed nearby, clutching it to her chest with a loving smile on her face. "Baby, don't be afraid… don't be afraid, Mommy's here… Mommy's here…"
It was evident that Feng Ruoyan now treated the stool as her child, holding it affectionately and humming a lullaby.
Watching Feng Ruoyan in her deranged state, Chu Yanxi's heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife, his very breath agonizing.
He struggled, wanting to pull Feng Ruoyan into his embrace and comfort her, but his body was bound by iron chains, rendering him completely immobile.
"Yan'er… Yan'er…" he whispered in pained tones, tears cascading down his cheeks and onto the floor.
Chu Yanxi's anguished sobs echoed through the dungeon, stirring a sense of sorrow in anyone who heard them.
Even the previously frenzied Feng Ruoyan, upon hearing the pained cries, turned her head to look at Chu Yanxi. With a bewildered expression, she walked towards him, but the iron bars blocked her path. She could only gaze at Chu Yanxi from afar, a hint of sadness stirring within her.
This inexplicable emotion made Feng Ruoyan feel very uncomfortable. She didn't even recognize this man, so why did she feel so distressed seeing him cry, as if she too wanted to weep?
"Who are you… why are you crying…"
Feng Ruoyan's soft, sweet voice rang out. At this moment, Feng Ruoyan was no different from a three-year-old child. Her gaze towards Chu Yanxi was one of complete confusion, as if she were looking at a very strange stranger.
"Yan'er, Yan'er, it's me. You really don't recognize me, Yan'er… what happened to you? How did you become like this…"
"Ah… ah… don't kill me, don't kill me… I… I won't dare anymore, don't… don't kill me…"
As if suddenly startled, Feng Ruoyan immediately clutched her head and shrank into a corner, as if someone were about to kill her.
"Yan'er…"
With every "Yan'er" Chu Yanxi called out, Feng Ruoyan's condition worsened. Ling Mohan, fearing that Feng Ruoyan might be overly frightened and trigger the poison within her, leading to her death, and thus losing his greatest leverage against Chu Yanxi, quickly ordered the guards outside the door to take Feng Ruoyan away.
"Yan'er… Yan'er, Ling Mohan, what are you doing? Tell them to let go of Yan'er… let go of Yan'er…"
After Feng Ruoyan was taken away by the guards, Chu Yanxi's emotions became even more agitated. He shouted Feng Ruoyan's name almost frenziedly, as if trying to make her stay.
"Stop shouting. Even if you scream until your throat is raw, Feng Ruoyan won't recognize you. Don't waste your breath!"
His ears aching from Chu Yanxi's outcry, Ling Mohan impatiently urged Chu Yanxi to shut his mouth.
"Ling Mohan, whatever grudges you have, take them out on me. Is it not despicable to attack a woman!"
"This general feels no sense of disgrace. Besides, dealing with despicable people requires despicable means. It's simply returning the favor!"
Using these methods was the most effective way to deal with someone like Chu Yanxi.
Ling Mohan felt no shame in his actions whatsoever. Instead, he considered himself quite clever for devising such a brilliant plan.
This was Chu Yanxi's first time witnessing Ling Mohan's sheer shamelessness. The rage churning in his chest was impossible to vent, so he could only suppress it fiercely, feeling extremely stifled.
He took deep, ragged breaths, which managed to alleviate a sliver of his anger. After calming down, Chu Yanxi decided to negotiate with Ling Mohan properly, to secure Feng Ruoyan's release.
"What must I do for you to spare Yan'er?"
This was exactly what Ling Mohan had been waiting for. Only with unconditional submission could he lay out his terms.
Ling Mohan's interest was immediately piqued. He stood up from his chair and took two steps forward, closing the distance between them.
"All this general desires is stability. As long as Your Highness the Third Prince can ensure stability, this general will naturally not trouble Feng Ruoyan."
As his words fell, Ling Mohan stood up. "Feng Ruoyan's life or death rests entirely on Your Highness the Third Prince's decision."