Shu’er…
In the silent night sky, stars dotted the darkness.
“Shu’er.”
Wei Yi’s ink-dark pupils were bottomlessly deep.
Countless scenes of being together with Ji Yunshu flashed through his mind.
When he was tired, she would let him rest with his head pillowed on her lap.
When he was afraid, she would stroke his head and tell him not to be scared.
When he was happy, she was even happier than him.
When he was in danger, she would risk her life to save him.
He still remembered that night in Jinjiang – he had carried her injured form, singing songs all the way, walking slowly along the quiet streets.
Releasing Kongming lanterns together, floating river lanterns together, making clay figurines together, together…
The scenes kept flashing before his eyes.
Then gradually disappeared!
“Shu’er…”
No matter how he called that name, his voice could not penetrate the redwood door before him. It could only circle by his ears.
Growing smaller and smaller!
He had almost… already despaired to the point of abandoning the thought of getting out.
In the end, he could only hug his trembling arms and curl up into a ball again.
“Knock knock.”
Someone was knocking at the door.
Hearing the sound, he lifted his head and vaguely saw a person standing at the doorway.
That person was not tall, hunched over. Judging from the silhouette of the hair ornaments and clothing, it should be an old palace nanny.
“Child? Can you hear me?”
The old woman’s voice was weathered but carried a kind and gentle tone, even somewhat sorrowful.
Wei Yi pushed himself up and moved closer to the door.
“Who are you?”
The old woman outside heard the voice and her body tensed. The lantern in her hand nearly fell to the ground.
Her wrinkled face showed extreme discomfort, and her deeply sunken eye sockets had already reddened.
Wasn’t this person the old nanny Wei Yi had encountered in the courtyard when Jing Xuan first captured him and brought him into the palace?
“Child, you must be hungry, right?”
Wei Yi didn’t answer.
The old woman took half a pastry from her bosom and pushed it through the door crack.
“Here, eat something. Don’t let yourself starve.”
The pastry was passed inside, but Wei Yi still didn’t take it.
He asked again, “Who are you?”
“I am…” The old woman suddenly choked on her words and swallowed them back.
Just as she was about to speak—
Two young eunuchs from Zhang Qi Hall heard movement here and hurried over.
The old woman’s hand trembled and she withdrew it, causing the pastry she had passed through to fall to the ground.
“Who’s over there?”
The two young eunuchs came over carrying lanterns.
The old woman’s steps were unsteady. She quickly tried to dodge to the side but was still caught.
“Nanny Zhang? So late – what are you doing here?”
The old woman kept her head lowered. “Just out for a walk. Didn’t expect to walk here.”
“Don’t wander around so late at night. Her Ladyship has ordered that no unnecessary people are allowed to come here.”
“Yes, I’ll leave right away.”
Bowing, the old woman left.
The two young eunuchs exchanged a few words in low voices, glanced at the room where Wei Yi was confined, then left reassured.
Inside the room, Wei Yi looked at the half pastry that had fallen on the ground. After a long while, he finally squatted down and picked it up.
A thin layer of dust covered the pastry. He held it in his hands, his fingertips gradually tightening their grip.
He took a bite.
Forcibly holding back the tears in his eyes.
The lonely, cold night penetrated into one’s very marrow.
Stinging pain, stinging pain…
The next day.
Two imperial edicts from His Majesty were delivered to the General’s Manor.
The eunuch hurriedly left after transmitting the edicts.
The edicts contained nothing more than two points: first, Ji Li’s position was revoked; second, Ji Huan was dispatched to lead troops immediately without delay.
The two brothers each held an edict, both furious beyond measure.
Ji Huan directly threw his edict onto the table. “All these years, I’ve risked life and limb for Great Dalin, conquering countless cities. Now they’re actually sending me to the border to fight barbarians. I can’t swallow this insult.”
Ji Li was much calmer. “Even if you can’t swallow it, you must.”
“Elder Brother, are we just going to let this go?”
“Do you want to rebel?”
Ugh!
Rebel?
Ji Huan truly had never considered this point. He swallowed and said, “Though I’m dissatisfied with His Majesty’s decision this time, if we rebelled, that would be treason – a grave crime.”
“Since you know this, don’t speak of it anymore.” Ji Li’s tone was dully depressed. “Enough. You should hurry and prepare. The matter of eliminating the barbarians cannot be delayed. Be careful yourself, don’t act impulsively and ruin things. Though a hundred thousand troops are enough to fight barbarians, don’t be careless.”
“I know, but…”
Ji Huan stammered, unable to get the words out. He simply waved his hand and left.
As soon as he left, Ji Shuhan summoned Ji Li over.
“What exactly is going on? How is it that after one trip to the palace, one gets his position revoked and the other gets sent to the border to fight barbarians?”
Ji Shuhan was extremely angry.
Ji Li answered honestly. “Your son, as Minister of War, naturally had to obstruct Prince Rong’s return to the capital. I just didn’t expect that the late emperor’s testament in Prince Rong’s hands was genuine. This provoked His Majesty’s great fury. He charged your son with the crime of attempting to execute a prince, which is why my position was revoked.”
“You’re still not telling the truth?”
“Everything I said is…”
“Bang!”
Ji Shuhan slapped the table.
“Your father has served in court for many years. Though I resigned and returned home, I still understand the intrigues within. This time, it’s a factional struggle between Prince Yi and Prince Rong. Muqing became Prince Yi’s consort, so naturally you should help Prince Yi gain power. But you’ve always been careful, never allowing yourself to be used. Even if you were to help, you should have done so covertly. Now look what’s happened – you became the scapegoat and got your position revoked. Huan’er,å ‚å ‚ a great general, also got sent to the border to fight barbarians. What face does our Ji family have left to stand in the capital?” He continued angrily, “If Prince Yi becomes Crown Prince, Muqing will be the future empress. But now something’s gone wrong, Prince Yi has suffered a setback, and Prince Rong has gained the advantage instead. This Crown Prince position is really uncertain now.”
He sighed!
To put it plainly, what Ji Shuhan cared about most was still whether his own daughter could become empress.
Ji Li endured the scolding without much explanation.
He could hardly say that his sister had been bedded by someone in the palace, that Jing Yi held leverage over them, and that he was forced to become the scapegoat, could he?
Better to swallow those words.
“Father, just rest assured. Your son has his own plans.”
“What plans?”
“We’ll talk later. Now that the edict has been issued, your son still needs to return to the Ministry of War.”
“Go on then, go on.”
Ji Shuhan looked completely defeated, drinking tea to calm his shock.
After Ji Li left, he saw Ji Wanxin in the corridor.
He called out to her.
“Wanxin.”
Ji Wanxin’s steps halted as she revealed her pitifully touching face.
“Does Elder Brother have business with me?”
“Nothing much. I just noticed the weather hasn’t been good lately, and your constitution is weak, so I wanted to remind you of a few things.”
“Wanxin understands.”
Actually, Ji Li’s intention wasn’t this. His eyes rolled and he asked, “Elder Brother has something he wants to ask you. Answer me honestly.”
Ji Wanxin’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Elder Brother, just ask. As long as Wanxin knows, naturally I won’t conceal anything.”
“Have you been in contact with Yunshu all along?”
Ugh!
Her downcast eyes flickered imperceptibly.
“Last time when Yunshu went to Yu Prefecture and passed through Jinjiang, we did meet once. After that, there’s been no further contact.”
True!
But—
Ji Li didn’t believe it. “Even if you haven’t met, have you been corresponding by letter?”
“We have not!”