“Correct! Thank you for Your Highness’s grace in not killing me.”
“Heh…” Chu Li laughed lightly and said, “You say that now, but that’s not what you said then. Do you remember what you said at the time? You said as long as you didn’t die, someday you would make me die without a burial place.”
“This subject deserves ten thousand deaths!” Ming Yuan knelt on the ground, unmoved and appearing very composed.
“Actually, I think the same as you.” Chu Li slowly spoke this sentence, causing Ming Yuan to raise his eyebrows in some confusion.
Chu Li’s voice was indifferent as he said slowly, “I once suffered such humiliation too, even more unbearable than yours.”
The soldier’s brow furrowed slightly and he said nothing more. Chu Li continued speaking to himself, “When I was six years old, my birth sister Princess Yao Hua was eleven. Xichuan formed a marriage alliance with our country. While other palaces couldn’t avoid it fast enough, my mother actively sent Yao Hua out. That year, Xichuan’s Great Emperor was already 63 years old. Less than a year later, Xichuan sent Yao Hua back, saying she had fallen ill and the southern climate would be better for recovery. After Yao Hua returned to the palace, she was confined in Bei Ming Hall with no one allowed to visit. Mother had never been close to me since childhood, but Yao Hua, being the eldest princess, took great care of me. I climbed the wall to enter Bei Ming Hall, only to discover her entire body had rotted—she lay on the bed like a mass of dead flesh, emitting a strong stench, with no palace servants attending her. Finally, within half a month, she died on her own.”
“Later, the palace matrons told me that Xichuan’s Great Emperor forced Yao Hua to mate with stallions in front of all the civil and military officials, then threw her into a herd of horses that had been fed aphrodisiacs. If not for the old matron under Yao Hua who risked her life to save her, she might have died in Xichuan long ago. After hearing this, I cried and ran to tell Father Emperor. His health was already failing then, and he spent his days surrounded by those painted young officials, relying on secret court medicines to support that filthy thing of his. He didn’t avoid me either—after listening to my account, he just smiled numbly and said, ‘Xichuan’s Great Emperor’s games are quite novel.’ From that day on, I knew Southern Chu had no hope. To stand up with dignity, I could only rely on myself.”
No matter how calm the soldier was, he couldn’t help but be moved at this moment—not by Chu Li’s words, but because these palace scandals were not things he should be hearing.
Chu Li seemed unaware of the soldier’s unease and continued, “But heaven seemed deliberately unwilling to give me a chance. When I was nine, like Yao Hua, I was sent to Great Qi by my mother as goods. Because she sent two children consecutively, avoiding two wars, she leaped to become the most prestigious empress dowager in the country, her influence even surpassing Empress Liu at the time. But I lived through a period in Great Qi that was worse than that of pigs and dogs. I still remember the first day I arrived at Great Qi—the Qi King sat upright on his throne with dozens of his robust and handsome sons below. He held the then-Crown Prince Qi An and pointed at me, saying to all the civil and military officials, ‘Look, this is the son of that worthless waste from Southern Chu.’ Then everyone surrounded me and burst into laughter. Eight-year-old Qi Yu ran up and spat in my face. My personal guard Fang Lin was furious, but before he could speak, his head was cut off. Blood from his neck sprayed all over my face, his eyeballs flew out and landed on the tip of my boots, and his white brains still echo in my dreams to this day. I know he was calling on me to avenge him.”
“I lived like a dog in Great Qi’s Ronghua Palace—even worse than a dog. When someone kicked one side of my face, not only couldn’t I bite him, I had to offer the other side. Because I had to stay alive. So many eyes were watching me, they clamored in my ears day and night—I couldn’t die, I had to get revenge.”
Chu Li laughed coldly and continued, “Finally, I endured until I came out on top. I returned to Southern Chu, returned to this place I deeply despised. Ming Yuan, tell me, what is power exactly? Is it glory and wealth? Or fine clothes and luxurious garments?”
“Neither!” Ming Yuan said sternly, “This subject believes power allows one to live like a human being.”
“Well said.” Chu Li chuckled lightly, “Power truly is a good thing, so all people and things standing in the way must be completely eliminated without leaving future troubles. This is proper—there’s nothing to hesitate about.”
As if speaking to himself, Chu Li said faintly, his voice growing smaller and smaller. Finally, he suddenly opened his eyes, raised his head, and said to Ming Yuan, “So, you know what to do?”
“Yes! This subordinate understands!”
Chu Li slowly closed his eyes again and said softly, “The clan forces of Southern Chu are deeply entrenched—it’s time for a purge. Too much time has already been wasted. If he couldn’t do it, then let me do it.”
“At Qianqing Four Quarters, send more personnel. Not only must you prevent people inside from getting out, but strictly guard against outsiders getting in.” Just as Ming Yuan stood up to withdraw, Chu Li said in a low voice.
Ming Yuan’s brow tightened as he solemnly agreed. Chu Li thought for a moment and added, “Most of the imperial city’s guards come from clan families. Go transfer some guards from the outer city with clean backgrounds to stand guard, to prevent anyone from exploiting loopholes.”
“Yes!” Ming Yuan replied, “The guards currently stationed at the main palace, Eastern Palace, and Southern Gardens are Green Standard Army troops. What does Your Highness think of transferring some of them to remain in the palace?”
“Good, you go arrange it.” Chu Li responded, his breathing gradually calming as if he had fallen asleep.
Ming Yuan bowed and withdrew from the great hall. In the silent hall, only a lone flame illuminated the solitary figure.
This was the first time since the founding of the dynasty that the Cold Palace at Qianqing Four Quarters had none of the atmosphere a cold palace should have. Outside the brightly lit gates, over two hundred guards, both visible and hidden sentries, surrounded the entire palace complex so thoroughly that not even a fly could enter silently.
Qing Xia sat beside the table. After several days of observation, she knew in her heart that the problem was in the food.
But turning to look at the high courtyard walls and thinking of the formation outside, she still didn’t have a perfect plan to ensure she could escape without fail. In that case, there was no need to wrong her stomach. She picked up a slice of winter bamboo shoot and put it in her mouth—a bit salty. It seemed that even though Chu Li hadn’t yet stripped her of her title, the people below had already read the wind direction and knew this empress was now in name only, so they had become slack in their duties.
After efficiently finishing her meal and clearing the dishes herself, she suddenly discovered a blue bottle in the food box. Qing Xia frowned and carefully picked it up. The bottle looked plain and unremarkable with no special features, but it emanated a fresh fragrance. She pulled out the stopper and sniffed at it, discovering it was actually a bottle of jasmine oil.
Jasmine flowers had the effect of repelling mosquitoes and insects. Because their scent was much more pleasant than citronella, palace maids and servants all liked to apply it. She just hadn’t expected someone to secretly send this to her through such means. Having been in the Chu palace for only a month or so, Qing Xia couldn’t think of any loyal subordinates she might have. Could it be a faithful follower of the original Zhuang Qing Xia?
After sending out the food box with puzzlement, the sky darkened. After applying the flower oil, she indeed slept much more soundly. However, when she woke up the next morning, she was shocked by a piece of news for a long time.
That evening, the capital Shengdu, which normally enforced curfew, was filled with fireworks and bustling with voices. Sitting in the remote Qianqing Four Quarters, Qing Xia could feel the heartfelt jubilation of Southern Chu’s people.
Chu Li had finally acted. The Chu King died of illness the first night, and the next day, with the unanimous petition of all civil and military officials, he became Southern Chu’s monarch. This prince who had once traveled to foreign lands as a hostage had finally become Great Chu’s master, standing at the pinnacle of Southern Chu’s power.
Qing Xia sat under the fireworks and smiled coldly. An illegitimate name leads to unjustified words—the palace coup a few days ago must have greatly shocked him, which was why he acted so impatiently. All obstacles in his path had been removed by him. The civil and military officials had long been purged and replaced, so what of a senile, incompetent ruler?
Finally, Chu Li became the new Great Emperor of Chu. One month later, he would hold a grand ancestral ceremony at the Chu ancestral temple, announcing it to heaven, earth, and the ancestors. All three other nations would send envoys then. Except for Great Qi, which had tense relations with Southern Chu, the other two countries would have royal relatives participating. Even some weak vassal states from the north and Nanjiang would come to pay tribute. Chu’s national image was immediately renewed, no longer showing the past decadent and corrupt appearance.
To welcome the ancestral ceremony one month later and display an image of national prosperity and military strength before foreign dignitaries, Chu Li personally went to the military headquarters to drill elite troops. Southern Chu’s harem immediately fell into a new round of struggles.
Having sat outside all last night, she felt dizzy when she got up this morning. After washing her face with a basin of water, Qing Xia finally couldn’t support herself anymore and collapsed on the bed. When she woke up, it was already midnight. The food sent by the servants sat on the table, long since cold.
Zhuang Qing Xia’s body was truly poor—to fall ill at this time.
Qing Xia forced herself to sit up, feeling parched. With no servants to attend her, this was usually manageable, but now it proved quite inconvenient. Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but shake her head and curse inwardly—people truly couldn’t become complacent. In the past, she could persist through missions even with severe injuries in primitive forests, but now, with just a minor illness, even fetching water was so difficult.
Supporting herself against the wall, she stood up, took the water bucket, and walked to the well in the courtyard. With great effort, she drew up a bucket of water but spilled more than half of it. It was already winter, and the well water was ice-cold. Qing Xia took a sip and felt as if steel needles were piercing her lungs. She couldn’t help but cough loudly. A wave of dizziness suddenly struck, her vision went black, and she could no longer hold on—she fainted just like that.
When she woke up again, it was still night, still collapsed beside the well. Qing Xia looked back at the room where the candle had gone out—the food on the table was untouched, so presumably the night hadn’t yet passed.