“Jiang Xuanjin, what are you doing?”
Zhou Wu, who was following behind, shouted angrily and rushed forward, attempting to disarm him.
However, Jiang Xuanjin reacted swiftly. He pulled Li Huaiyu closer, turning her body and holding her tightly in his arms, the tip of his sword pressing against her neck.
Zhou Wu was momentarily stunned, staring at him in disbelief.
The sounds of fighting outside gradually diminished. Xu Xian and Yun Lanqing seemed to be shouting something, and the people around them slowly stopped moving, staring in shock at the scene before them.
Huaiyu leaned against him, just as she had countless times before, resting against his chest and feeling his warmth.
But this time, she felt cold all over, a chill running from her throat to her fingertips. Her eyes widened, completely unfocused.
“You…” she heard her voice, soft and trembling, “do you want to kill me?”
Jiang Xuanjin let out a cold laugh, not loosening his grip on the sword even a fraction.
This action was already an answer. Huaiyu couldn’t help but let out a laugh, though her eyes were red: “Why?”
She had worried about him, risked everything to save him, faced death without fear, and never thought that opening this door would lead to his sword.
She couldn’t understand, no matter how hard she tried.
“Your Highness, stop!” Xu Xian rushed forward, shocked at the scene, and shouted in a panic.
Jiang Xuanjin sneered, his voice icy: “Tell your people to drop their weapons and surrender.”
Surrender…?
Upon hearing this term, Yun Lanqing and Han Xiao quickly reacted, glancing around at the situation, their expressions turning extremely grim.
They had fallen into a trap!
Privately mobilizing the Imperial Guards, holding the Emperor hostage, and surrounding the Imperial Study—these actions were tantamount to rebellion.
“No!” Li Huaiyu shook her head, taking a deep breath as she looked for Li Huailin, who had been outside just moments ago.
Huailin knew they weren’t rebelling; he had thanked Xu Xian in the court, clearly aware that they were trapped and needed to rescue the Emperor.
But at this moment, when she looked out, Huailin was standing far away among the guards, his expression cold and distant, seemingly unwilling to say a word.
Huaiyu was taken aback.
“There’s no need to struggle anymore,” the man behind her said lightly, “you can’t escape.”
Xu Xian and the others looked at the blood on Huaiyu’s neck, and one by one, they dropped their weapons, forced to kneel on the ground by the guards rushing in from behind. Zhou Wu, still wanting to save her, had eyes full of pain and anger, but as soon as he moved, Jiang Xuanjin’s sword pressed even tighter. He could only stand rigidly, then was kicked in the knee by a guard, forcing him to kneel hard.
Cold fingers trembled uncontrollably, and Huaiyu could hardly breathe. She choked out, word by word, “Didn’t you say… you liked me?”
Didn’t you say you would believe me?
Didn’t you say… that a beloved person is as precious as life, and that one would never forget them?
What is this?
What does this all mean?!
“Like?”
Jiang Xuanjin slowly chewed on the word, his expression blank, eyes filled with mockery.
“How could a mere subject dare to like Your Highness?”
Your Highness.
The way he uttered those words still carried the lingering scent of incense and the taste of blood.
Time seemed to have stopped; it felt like it was still March 27, an auspicious day for funerals. He had exchanged poison for a sword, ready to send her to the underworld.
Huaiyu shivered, slowly turning her head, allowing his sword to cut into her flesh, blood flowing down as she faced him.
“How did you know?”
“From the bamboo forest on the mountain.” Jiang Xuanjin frowned slightly. “I was behind that stone screen.”
The rustling bamboo could cover her breathing, and naturally, it could cover his as well. He had heard every word of her conversation with Liu Yunlie.
—I initially approached him with the thought of killing him.
Recalling her words from that day, the color drained from Huaiyu’s face.
“Can you trust me one more time?” She slowly reached out to grasp his sleeve.
Jiang Xuanjin chuckled lightly, devoid of any emotion: “I’ve trusted you many times.”
And each time, he had been wrong. She had deceived him from the beginning; everything about liking him and wanting to be with him was a ruse to use him to clear her name.
Princess Danyang, Liu Yunlie was right; she was deeply scheming and ruthless, and even in death, she had left behind a way to deal with him.
He had almost been completely defeated.
Unable to stop himself from laughing coldly, Jiang Xuanjin asked her, “Did you enjoy watching me step into your trap, watching me fall for you? Doesn’t it feel satisfying?”
The person who had once killed her was now being toyed with by her, completely oblivious, like a fool. Such a way of revenge was exhilarating to think about.
Isn’t it more satisfying to destroy the heart than to take a life?
“No.” Huaiyu shook her head, wanting to explain, but suddenly a large number of guards surged in from outside, forcibly taking Xu Xian and the others away.
“Wait!” She panicked, “Jiang Xuanjin, they came to save you; you can’t treat them like this!”
Save him? Jiang Xuanjin replied, “I’ve been perfectly fine in the Imperial Study; why would I need saving? At this point, do you still want to lie?”
“The crime of rebellion deserves death. This time, you sent those around you to the underworld.”
Breath caught in her throat, Huaiyu felt a sharp pain in her heart, and tears finally streamed down her face, her voice choked: “Whatever you have against me, they truly just wanted to help me save you!”
“I don’t believe it.” Jiang Xuanjin calmly spat out those three words.
Huaiyu, furious, reached out to hit him, her hand raised halfway, but he caught her wrist.
“Your Highness!” Zhou Wu, struggling not to leave, shouted in alarm at her movement.
As she moved, the wound on her neck deepened a truly horrifying sight.
Hearing his voice, Jiang Xuanjin turned to glance at him, his eyes growing colder: “No wonder.”
No wonder these people were protecting her; they were all from Feiyun Palace, over a dozen of them, each having served her in bed, all her people.
“You’re quite impressive,” he said.
Huaiyu cried and stomped her feet, desperately grabbing his sword, not caring that her hand was cut, hoarsely saying to him, “Don’t you want me dead? If I die as you wish, you’ll let them go!”
With that, she pressed the sword hard against her neck—
Jiang Xuanjin’s pupils constricted, forcefully prying the sword away, covering her throat with his hand.
With one stroke, blood gushed forth.
“Your Highness!” The nearby Cheng Xu shouted, his eyes red.
The sword clattered to the ground, and Jiang Xuanjin stepped back two paces, gripping his injured hand, saying, “Bind her up.”
After a pause, he added, “And gag her.”
“Yes.” The guards responded and moved in.
Huaiyu stood there, looking up at the group being taken away, then cast one last glance at Jiang Xuanjin.
Can feelings be so easily swayed? Once emotions are stirred, all the soft parts of her are laid bare before him; as soon as he thrusts his sword, she would feel unbearable pain.
Sister-in-law was right; if she didn’t like him so much, it wouldn’t hurt this badly.
Danyang understood this well, which is why for over twenty years, she had never been hurt by anyone. But now, why was she acting like a madwoman, daring to fall in love with her enemy?
Look at how tragic the outcome would be!
Prince Ziyang was indeed Prince Ziyang, with a heart for the country and the world, upright and just, not on the same path as someone as despicable and shameless as her.
There was no way it would end well.
Not looking at him anymore, Huaiyu lowered her gaze, allowing the guards to drag her outside, her heart feeling as if it had been pierced by a giant hole, the biting autumn wind pouring in, chilling her to the bone.
Li Huailin stood outside the Imperial Study, tightly guarded. The nearby Imperial Guards were kneeling on the ground, and when Huaiyu walked past, she stopped to signal for someone to remove the cloth stuffed in her mouth.
Cheng Xu hesitated for a moment before taking out the cloth.
Huaiyu looked over and asked, “Huailin, when did you recognize me?”
Avoiding her gaze, Li Huailin remained silent, his slightly fluttering eyelashes betraying his unease.
Understanding, Huaiyu nodded gently, a half-smile on her lips: “The methods my elder sister taught you, you’ve finally learned to use.”
But the first to taste it was her.
Retracting her gaze, she straightened her back, pretending to be indifferent as Cheng Xu continued to stuff her mouth, then moved forward.
But when Zhou Wu looked back, he saw her face full of confusion, her eyes like thin glass, easily shattered with a light touch.
“Your Highness,” he frowned and called out, “You still have us; we will never betray you!”
Li Huaiyu couldn’t hear him; she was dazed, counting the blue stone bricks beneath her feet, feeling as if she were trapped in a nightmare.
Would she wake up soon? After waking up, would she still be in Feiyun Palace, with her father still kindly holding Huailin and smiling at her, and Huailin still sweetly calling, “Elder sister is the best!”
The warm sun shone through the window; nothing bad had happened. She had her father and her younger brother, and everything was fine.
Could she wake up? She couldn’t take it anymore…
“Your Highness!” Someone exclaimed.
Huaiyu had no strength to respond; her vision darkened, and she finally fainted.
On August 25, the eighth year of Daxing, the remnants of Danyang mobilized thirty thousand Imperial Guards to rebel against the throne, holding His Majesty hostage in the Imperial Study. Fortunately, Prince Ziyang’s reinforcements arrived in time, ensuring the Emperor’s safety and the remnants were all imprisoned in the death cell.
When the common people heard the news, they still discussed it fervently.
“This Princess has been dead for so long, yet her people are still causing trouble?”
“They should be wiped out completely; who cares about their merits? Look at what they’ve done!”
“The Emperor has achieved great merit again; the court should have more good officials like him!”
Lu Jingxing stood at the entrance of Canghai Yizhu Pavilion, pale-faced as he listened to the chatter outside, fanning himself as he walked out.
The death cell, which ordinary people could not enter, was accessible to him with money, but he had to wait two extra hours until the officials who came to interrogate had left before he followed the jailer inside.
The cell was dark and damp, the atmosphere heavy with death. He walked to the innermost room and saw the person sitting against the bars, softly calling, “Huaiyu.”
Li Huaiyu had her hair down, dressed in prison clothes, a white cloth wrapped around her neck. Hearing his voice, she turned back and smiled lightly: “I guessed you would come.”
Seeing her lips as pale as paper, Lu Jingxing frowned, squatting down to grasp the bars beside her, reaching out to touch her face.
“Do I look miserable?” Huaiyu said with a grin, “It’s rare for you not to mock me; your eyes are full of pity.”
“Are you sad?” he asked her.
The smile froze on her face, and Huaiyu lowered her gaze: “Can you comfort someone? If I smile at you, you should smile back; saying these words will make me cry.”
Lu Jingxing reached out and handed her a handkerchief.
Her throat tightened, and Huaiyu said hoarsely, “I cry very hard.”
“I know,” Lu Jingxing replied, “After all these years, what haven’t I seen of you?”
A wave of bitterness surged in her heart, and Huaiyu gritted her teeth, resting her forehead against the bars, sobbing uncontrollably like a wounded beast.
“I harmed Xu Xian and the others!”
Because she worried about Jiang Xuanjin, she harmed so many people. It would have been better if she hadn’t borrowed the body of Miss Bai Si to come back to life; at least they would all be fine and not like this…
“No one expected it to turn out this way.” Lu Jingxing said gently, wiping her face with the handkerchief, “The decision was made together; it’s not your fault.”
“How could it not be my fault!” Huaiyu shouted, punching the bars, “If it weren’t for me, everyone wouldn’t have entered the palace at all!”
Lu Jingxing paused, pulling her fist back, frowning as he looked at the wound from her punch, rummaging through his sleeve pocket, and dejectedly said, “I didn’t bring any medicine.”
Huaiyu was furious: “Can’t you scold me a little?”
“Your request is a bit special, but I still don’t want to fulfill it.” Lu Jingxing smirked, his phoenix eyes filled with amusement.
Huaiyu stared at him in astonishment for a while, then covered her forehead with her hand, unable to help but chuckle softly: “How can there be someone like you, completely unaware of how serious things are?”
“I know, but isn’t there always a way out?” Lu Jingxing said, “As long as you’re alive, everything can be discussed.”
Wiping her face in disbelief, Huaiyu asked, “Lu Jingxing, do you like me?”
“Your Highness is overthinking,” he replied smoothly, “My eyes aren’t blind yet.”
Cursing under her breath, Huaiyu kicked the bars.
Lu Jingxing smiled, pulling out his folding fan from his waist and opening it in front of him, saying, “If one day Your Highness develops feelings for me, you can tell me; I’ve prepared a dowry but have yet to experience what a betrothal gift feels like.”
“Just keep talking nonsense!” Li Huaiyu said, both angry and amused.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, no longer as full as it had been in the middle of the month. The night wind was cool and refreshing, and the sounds from the cell seemed small.
Jiang Xuanjin leaned against the outer wall, silently listening to the laughter and scolding from inside, a white cloth wrapped around his hand standing out in the night.
“I told you before, but you never believed me.” Liu Yunlie sat beside him on a shoulder litter, his face pale, one hand pressed against his abdomen, “Now you believe it completely, right?”
He muttered again, “But it’s not entirely your fault; she has many men and knows best how to manipulate people’s hearts.”
Standing up straight, Jiang Xuanjin took a step outside: “You’ve worked hard.”
“If I can help you see her true colors, my efforts won’t be in vain.” Liu Yunlie signaled for his attendants to lift the litter and follow him, saying, “Quickly write a divorce decree; it’s not suitable to be entangled with her any longer.”
After taking a few steps, Jiang Xuanjin paused and asked him, “Why did Xu Xian and the others suddenly rebel?”
He had entered the palace intending to confront Qi Han. Who would have thought that Qi Han would say Xu Xian had rebellious intentions and was secretly preparing troops, urging him to set aside other matters and focus on protecting the Emperor.
He hadn’t believed it at first, but after waiting five days, Xu Xian truly moved the Imperial Guards and took the Emperor hostage.
But what was the reason? Xu Xian wasn’t an impulsive person; with him in the court, even if the Emperor faced danger, the rebels would never have a good end. So why would he do something so thankless?
Was it because of… Danyang? Did Danyang want to rebel?
But she had already changed her body; the blood flowing in her veins was no longer royal. What use was rebellion?
Thinking of her, his heart ached, the pain so intense that his lips turned pale.
“How would I know the thoughts of the rebels?” Liu Yunlie said, “But one thing is certain: they are now fighting for their lives. They will use all sorts of excuses to justify themselves; you must not believe them again.”
Frowning, Jiang Xuanjin glanced at him, his gaze deep: “Can I trust your words?”
Liu Yunlie paused, then smiled: “You don’t have to trust me; just trust what you see as the truth.”
“They are rebelling; that is a fact.”
Lowering his gaze, Jiang Xuanjin continued walking, exiting the prison and heading towards the Jiang residence.
When he got into the carriage, he was a bit distracted, almost stumbling and falling.
“Master!” Cheng Xu hurriedly supported him, “Are you alright?”
Staring blankly at the carriage shaft for a moment, Jiang Xuanjin suddenly remembered the person who had insisted on staying with him to go to the pharmacy.
At that time, Li Huaiyu clearly knew who he was. What kind of feelings did she have when she sang “Spring Day Feast” to him?
Spring day feast, a cup of green wine, a song repeated.
I bow to Chen San and make three wishes: First, may my lord live a thousand years. Second, may I remain healthy. Third, may we meet every year like the swallows on the beams.
“I want to see you for a long time~”
A sharp pain pierced his heart, and Jiang Xuanjin gritted his teeth, his eyes suddenly filled with hatred. He clenched his fists and stood still for a long time before saying in a deep voice, “Let’s go back.”
“What?” Cheng Xu thought he had misheard, looking at their location and then at his master.
Jiang Xuanjin stubbornly repeated, “Let’s go back.”
He didn’t want to ride in this carriage anymore, nor did he want to think of the person in the prison.
But why? He also wanted to ask why, why did someone who seemed to have so much affection for him turn out to be deceiving him all along? Why did someone who claimed to care for him harbor thoughts of killing him?
Why did she promise not to deceive him, yet never spoke a word of truth?
Why did she promise not to let go of his hand, yet still released him in this way, causing him to fall into the abyss, shattered to pieces!
Why…
“You’re so beautiful; I want to peel the sweetest oranges in the world for you to eat!”
“I’m not joking; I’m serious. Once I pass through the door, I’ll take good care of you, making sure you’re not cold, not hungry, and when you’re tired, I’ll massage your shoulders, and when you’re sleepy, I’ll… I’ll sleep with you.”
“Someone like me, who is true inside and out, saying I like you means I really like you. I like you on the outside, and I like you in my heart!”
“Jiang Xuanjin~”
With a muffled groan, Jiang Xuanjin grasped the fabric of his chest, unable to take another step.
“Master…” Cheng Xu worriedly came up to support him, and upon seeing his face, he was startled.
He hadn’t suffered any serious injuries, yet his face was as pale as the white cloth on his hand, his dark pupils unfocused, and he looked weak enough to collapse.
The nearby Yufeng also came up to support him, wanting to take him back to the residence quickly.
“Don’t move.” After walking just a few steps, Jiang Xuanjin gasped for breath, stopping them.
The night was deep, and the street was empty, only the long banners hanging outside the shops fluttering in the wind.
Staring at the character for “wine” on the banner for a while, Jiang Xuanjin broke free from the support of the two beside him and walked straight toward the already closed tavern.
Cheng Xu and Yufeng were dumbfounded.
Jiang Shen was also particularly restless tonight, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He was just about to get up and go to a concubine’s room when he unexpectedly saw Cheng Xu, pale-faced, come to find him.
“Second Young Master, you need to help quickly!”
Seeing him so flustered was rare; Jiang Shen immediately realized something had happened to Jiang Xuanjin and hurriedly put on his clothes to follow him.
The third young master of the Jiang family had never done anything to worry the old master; he was not tempted by worldly fame and fortune, nor did he have any bad habits. Even drinking, he only did so at banquets, never touching it on ordinary days.
However, when Jiang Shen entered the tavern, he saw Jiang Xuanjin already had five wine jars beside him, all neatly arranged.
“Second Brother.” Jiang Xuanjin waved at him, his eyes bright.
Jiang Shen’s mouth twitched, knowing he was already heavily drunk, but he still imitated him and waved back, asking, “Third Brother, what are you doing?”
Jiang Xuanjin held the sixth jar of wine, smiling with red lips and white teeth: “I’m drinking!”
“I know, but I’m asking why you’re drinking?” Jiang Shen sat down beside him, shaking the empty wine jar.
Jiang Xuanjin paused, as if thinking for a moment, then said, “I’m sad.”
“Do you know the saying ‘drinking to drown sorrow only makes it worse’?”
“I don’t know.” Jiang Xuanjin answered childishly, “The wine is good!”
Jiang Shen sighed deeply, snatching the wine jar from his hand and taking a big gulp, swallowing it with a gulp: “It’s indeed not bad.”
Frowning at the wine in Jiang Shen’s hand, Jiang Xuanjin became unhappy.
“I heard from your elder brother that Miss Bai Si is in trouble.” Jiang Shen returned the wine jar to him, asking softly, “Is it because of her?”
Jiang Xuanjin shook his head: “I don’t know Miss Bai Si; I only know the Princess.”
After saying that, he smiled at him: “Does Second Brother know the Princess? The one with many lovers, who has caused trouble for the court for eight years, the one I personally sent poison to.”
Jiang Shen was stunned; Jiang Chong hadn’t told him about this, and he didn’t know.
“The Princess is quite powerful; even in death, she can come back to life, and not only that, she deceived me.” Jiang Xuanjin muttered, finishing the jar in his hand and turning to the shopkeeper, saying, “Excuse me, bring me another jar.”
The shopkeeper, dressed in nightclothes and a robe, was clearly woken from his bed, his face filled with fear. He didn’t dare say a word and quickly brought over several jars.
Grasping a full jar of wine again, Jiang Xuanjin leaned on his brow, his dark eyes half-closed, a smile that wasn’t quite a smile: “No wonder Lu Jingxing treats her so well.”
Li Huaiyu and Lu Jingxing, what was their relationship? The whole capital knew.
“Stop drinking.” Jiang Shen reached out to support him, “Let’s go back to the residence first?”
“No.” Jiang Xuanjin shook his head, “I don’t want to go back.”
Once his temper flared, no one could persuade him. Jiang Shen thought for a moment, calling Cheng Xu to buy some sleeping powder.
Cheng Xu was troubled, but seeing his master’s condition, he still took the order.
So, after drinking the last cup of wine, Jiang Xuanjin quietly fell asleep, sleeping very soundly.
He had a warm dream, where in April, the spring light was beautiful, the grass grew, and the orioles flew. He woke up under a tree and saw Bai Zhuzhi.
That porcelain-white little face was sweetly smiling, happily saying to him: “The orange tree I planted has borne fruit; can I peel oranges for you to eat?”
He couldn’t help but smile back at her, but he disdainfully said, “Sour.”
“Not sour, not sour; I’ll peel the biggest and sweetest one for you!” Her eyes curved like crescent moons, and she gestured a shape as big as the moon, softly coaxing him, “Just taste it, okay?”
Okay. He heard his own voice answering like that.
Sunlight filtered through the branches, dappling his features, and Bai Zhuzhi laughed, reaching out to grab him, holding him tightly, showing no intention of letting go.
…
The moon hung quietly in the sky, appearing small from the prison window.
Lu Jingxing had left, and Huaiyu leaned against the bars, dazed, covering her small abdomen.
The situation was already a mess; she hadn’t dared to tell them much about her belly, but since waking up in the prison, she had felt a constant pulling pain in her lower abdomen.
She was a bit scared, trying to maintain a calm mindset, following the physician’s advice to suppress her anger and sadness.
But… how could she control it? Even if she tried hard to pretend that nothing had happened today, not thinking about why Huailin didn’t explain for her, the wound on her neck was real and painful, enough to make her want to cry.
The sound of chains rattled from the adjacent cell, and Huaiyu was startled, quickly sitting up on her knees, only to see Xu Xian being pushed in, covered in blood.
“General!” she exclaimed.
Seeing that she was unharmed, Xu Xian breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing into the straw and laughing, “Your Highness, don’t panic; it’s just a minor injury.”
Just a minor injury? His prison clothes were soaked in blood! Huaiyu rushed to the bars between the two cells, gripping the wooden bars and looking at him anxiously, but there was nothing she could do.
Xu Xian moved closer, panting as he whispered, “Your Highness, they want us to admit to the crime of rebellion.”
“I know…” Huaiyu’s eyes turned red, “I know what they want to do.”
Feigning that Jiang Xuanjin was in trouble, luring her to rescue him, and then using the crime of rebellion to capture them all.
“Then…” Xu Xian hesitated to ask, “Do you know who set this up?”
Upon hearing this question, Huaiyu’s face turned pale, and she lowered her eyes, gripping the bars tightly.
“Do you still refuse to believe?” Xu Xian chuckled lightly, “Long before you had your incident, we mentioned that the Emperor is not as innocent as you think.”
Li Huailin was raised in a dragon robe; although he had always been under the protection of the Princess, he was a person with strong opinions. Many times, his sharpness would startle them.
But the Princess had never noticed… or rather, had never doubted her brother.
“He’s only fifteen,” Huaiyu said in a hoarse voice, “How can you expect me to believe?”
She would rather believe he had been deceived and used by those cunning old men.
“Do you think if he didn’t want you dead, anyone could force him to write the decree for your execution?” Xu Xian couldn’t help but lower his voice, “If he were truly innocent, why would he remain silent while you were taken away?”
“He…”
“He has followed Jiang Xuanjin since childhood, learning all the upright things.” Xu Xian said, “And you… when you did those things, never explained anything to him. You protected him from the filth, but did you ever think about how he would see you?”
The Princess who killed the Prince of Pingling, the Princess who executed the old palace maid, the Princess who monopolized power and was willful—how could any of them appear good in the Emperor’s eyes?
The young Emperor had grown up; he would also have a heart for punishing evil and promoting good.
And his elder sister was the greatest evil in all of Northern Wei.
Huaiyu gripped the bars, laughing softly: “Am I… being used by him to show the officials his authority?”
Xu Xian nodded.
The young Emperor taking power lacked authority, and eliminating the Princess was the quickest and best way for him to establish his authority.
“But…” Huaiyu instinctively shook her head.
How could it be like this? How could Huailin sacrifice her life just to establish his authority?
She truly regarded him as her younger brother…
Falling to the ground, Huaiyu took a deep breath, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
“Your Highness?” Xu Xian was startled, “What’s wrong?”
“I…” She reached out to cover her abdomen, frowning. Gritting her teeth, she took a deep breath, “My stomach hurts.”
Her stomach? Xu Xian was taken aback, as if realizing something, and turned to call for help.
“Don’t!” Huaiyu quickly stopped him, whispering, “If what you said is true, and Huailin wants me dead, then we mustn’t let anyone discover that something is wrong with me!”
Xu Xian paused, looking at her with great concern, his brows furrowed tightly.
Huaiyu lay back in the straw for a moment, gently slowing her breathing, forcing herself to endure the sharp pain.
It’s fine; she was Danyang, what great storms hadn’t she seen? These matters wouldn’t defeat her; she would be fine.
Reassuring herself repeatedly, she gently caressed her abdomen, whispering, “They don’t want me anymore; you can’t leave me, stay and accompany me, okay?”
The pain gradually subsided, and Huaiyu’s eyes brightened, smiling inwardly at it.
Exhausted in body and mind, she lay down and had no strength to get back up.
The straw was filthy and smelled bad, but she was too tired; as soon as she closed her eyes, she fell asleep.
Daylight came a bit late. Cheng Xu looked at the time, hesitated for a long time outside the main building before finally pushing the door open.
The Emperor had just opened his eyes, still a bit drowsy, a faint smile lingering at the corners of his lips.
“Cheng Xu,” he asked, “Where is the Madam?”
Cheng Xu was startled, looking at him with a face full of panic.
Jiang Xuanjin looked at his expression in confusion, reaching out to touch the empty side of the bed, then glancing around the empty room, slowly realizing.
What happened last night was just a dream.
The smile on his face gradually faded as he got up. Sitting by the bed for a while, his expression returned to normal: “Isn’t it time to enter the palace?”
“Yes,” Cheng Xu replied, “It’s already the hour of Chen; breakfast is prepared in the side hall.”
Nodding, Jiang Xuanjin nonchalantly changed his clothes and washed up, glancing at the thick protective talisman on the dressing table, reaching for his engraved pendant to tie it on: “Before I return, have Yufeng clean out the unnecessary items in this room.”
“Unnecessary?” Cheng Xu was taken aback, then looked at the protective talisman, instantly understanding, and lowered his head to comply.
Most people in the residence were unaware of what had happened, and even less knew that the rebellion in the palace was related to their Emperor’s wife. So when Jiang Xuanjin left, Xu Chuniang was still confused.
“Where has the Emperor’s wife gone?” she asked Lingxiu.
Lingxiu was even more confused: “I don’t know; the young lady hasn’t returned for two days, and the Emperor didn’t say anything last night.”
Prince Ziyang had returned to the residence, so she didn’t want to disturb him further. Xu Chuniang had the maid pack up and took her leave, planning to wait until the couple returned and announced the good news before coming to celebrate.
There was no morning court today. A group of ministers gathered in Longyan Palace, and Li Huailin frequently glanced at Jiang Xuanjin, asking, “Is Your Majesty alright?”
Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze: “I am unharmed.”
“Your wife was mixed in with the rebels; I’m sure Your Majesty was caught off guard as well,” Li Huailin said, “There are many discussions in the court; to be fair, this case of rebellion should be handed over to Prime Minister Qi…”
“Your Majesty,” Jiang Xuanjin interjected, “Prime Minister Qi still has charges against him and should be dismissed and investigated.”
Qi Han, standing nearby, was taken aback, his expression turning ugly: “Your Majesty, it’s clear that the case of overturning the verdict is the scheme of Princess Danyang; why do you still cling to it?”
“The evidence is all genuine; then it should be punished.” Jiang Xuanjin said coldly, “I have never looked at party struggles; I only look at the facts.”
Qi Han choked, glancing nervously at the Emperor on the throne.
Li Huailin helplessly said, “What Your Majesty said is reasonable, but the court is currently lacking personnel; if we convict the Prime Minister, how can the court remain stable?”
“Indeed.” Situ Jing also chimed in, “Your Majesty, think carefully.”
Jiang Xuanjin frowned, glancing at them before saying, “It’s fine not to convict for now.”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the Emperor had finally come to his senses, but who would have thought that his next sentence would be: “The case of rebellion will be judged by me.”
“Your Majesty?” Li Huailin was a bit surprised, “But the Madam…”
“Does Your Majesty think I would be biased?” Jiang Xuanjin asked.
Li Huailin hesitated and shook his head: “No.”
“Then that’s good.” Jiang Xuanjin clasped his hands, “I will ensure that the responsibilities of all related parties are thoroughly investigated.”
After saying this, he bowed and turned to leave the main hall.
The hall fell silent for a moment, and Li Huailin watched his departing figure, suddenly whispering, “That’s fine.”
Qi Han didn’t understand what these two words meant and worriedly said, “Your Majesty, if those in prison reveal the truth…”
“What of it?” Li Huailin smiled, “No one has evidence.”
Qi Han was stunned, suddenly realizing, and quickly bowed to him: “Your Majesty is wise.”
It wasn’t that he was wise. These were the methods the Princess had always used, leaving no evidence while sending people to their deaths; no one could do anything about her, could they?
Li Huailin smiled, gently stroking the dragon head on the armrest of his chair.
Jiang Xuanjin went to the prison, first interrogating Xu Xian, Han Xiao, and the others one by one. The result was that these two confessed, saying exactly the same thing—they thought he was trapped in the Imperial Study, so they came to save him.
“Save me?” He scoffed, “My relationship with you all doesn’t seem to be that close.”
Han Xiao gritted his teeth: “Who has a good relationship with you? If it weren’t for the fact that the Princess was worried about you and couldn’t sleep all night, who would want to save you?”
Hearing this, Jiang Xuanjin’s fingers stiffened slightly, slowly tightening his sleeves, his eyes cold: “Do you think I would still believe such words?”
“Believe it or not.” Han Xiao retorted angrily, “Your Highness is truly blind; why did you choose her?”
Once was not enough; he had fallen for her a second time.
Losing patience with his shouting, Jiang Xuanjin waved his hand, signaling for someone to take him back.
Cheng Xu stepped forward to ask, “Do you want to interrogate anyone else?”
Jiang Xuanjin fell silent, and after a long time, he ordered for Bai Ai to be brought up.
The once refined person he had seen in the academy now knelt before him, his eyes sharp, revealing a hint of ferocity.
“Did Princess Danyang ask you to write Jiang Shen’s paper?” Jiang Xuanjin asked calmly.
“I don’t know.”
“This question is unrelated to the case of rebellion,” Jiang Xuanjin said, “But you’d better answer me seriously.”
Bai Ai raised his eyes to look at him, filled with mockery: “Since it’s unrelated, why does Your Majesty ask?”
Indeed, he was here to judge the case of rebellion; how did he suddenly think to ask this? Jiang Xuanjin wanted to laugh, but looking at the person before him, he still stubbornly asked, “Is it?”
Bai Ai fell silent, appearing resigned to punishment.
Staring at him for a moment, Jiang Xuanjin said, “You’re unwilling to betray her? You’re quite loyal. How much benefit did she give you to make so many of you follow her so devotedly?”
Benefit? Bai Ai thought for a moment, then chuckled lightly: “Your Highness only gave me a brush.”
A very ordinary brush, but when she gave it to him, she said: “From now on, write whatever you want; if you want to take the imperial examination, I will add my name for you. As long as you survive, you will find that there are many interesting things in this world.”
Saying this, she pulled him up from the falling flower river.
At that time, the water on him splashed all over her, and he was a bit panicked, but the person before him smiled brilliantly, unconcerned, brushing the water droplets off her face and pulling him out.
“People should strive to live well,” she said.
He still remembered the tone of that sentence, full of vitality and hope, making one feel empowered to live on.
However, the person who said that sentence almost cut her own throat yesterday.
With even more hostility in his eyes, Bai Ai said, “How can someone as heartless as Your Majesty understand the value of friendship? It’s pointless to say more; if you want to kill or torture me, just give me a quick answer.”
The people of Feiyun Palace were indeed tough; this rumor was not false. Jiang Xuanjin sneered, turning to Cheng Xu: “Bring in Miss Bai from the Bai family.”
It had been a long time since he had heard this title from his master’s mouth; Cheng Xu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly complied, turning to bring her in.
Li Huaiyu had slept for a while, her face still pale. She had been vomiting since early morning, and the leftover food in the prison made her feel nauseous, unable to eat a single bite.
Just as she was feeling unwell, Cheng Xu’s voice rang out from outside the cell: “Madam, His Highness requests your presence.”