Yuchi Yan’s hand reaching to help Qin Yining froze in mid-air. He bent over, looking at the dark crown of the woman kneeling before him, his mood exceptionally heavy – no less heavy than when he learned that the grain taxes and treasury silver had all been hidden away by the Grand Emperor.
He had finally thought of a solution that killed two birds with one stone, arranging her within his reach. Was it all going to fall apart again?
Just now he had left with Qin Huaiyuan and Duke Anguo, but his mind was filled with images of her setting up the altar to question Heaven. He couldn’t wait to see her again, to be alone with her, so halfway he thought of an excuse to dismiss the two men and returned alone.
Who knew that before he even reached the villa, he encountered the imperial guard responsible for delivering messages.
After asking about the whole situation, Yuchi Yan’s heart sank.
His first thought wasn’t how to deal with the Empress who had ruined things, but a panicked desire to keep Qin Yining, thinking about how to soothe her emotions.
But now, seeing Qin Yining retreating in panic like a startled bird truly made Yuchi Yan panic.
“Yining, what are you doing? Who could deny you a way to live? You…”
“Your Majesty!” Qin Yining retreated again, pressing her forehead to the ground: “If Your Majesty refuses to leave your subject’s daughter a way to live, then please grant your subject’s daughter death with a white silk rope.”
“Where does this come from? Rise first.” Yuchi Yan stubbornly tried to help Qin Yining up.
Qin Yining backed away, prostrating on the ground: “Your Majesty, you bestowed Xuan Su Temple upon your subject’s daughter for cultivation, for which your subject’s daughter is infinitely grateful. Your subject’s daughter is also very happy to do what little she can for the country. However, your subject’s daughter’s permanent residence here inevitably arouses suspicion.”
“Who dares suspect you? Who dares speak nonsense? We will definitely remove their heads! Don’t be like this, rise and speak first, all right?” Seeing that helping was useless, Yuchi Yan simply crouched in front of her.
But Qin Yining still refused to raise her head, maintaining her kneeling posture: “Please allow your subject’s daughter to return to the Qin family to cultivate. Your subject’s daughter was once among Your Majesty’s potential consort candidates. People will surely think unclearly about Your Majesty and your subject’s daughter. This place was after all once an imperial villa, very close to the imperial palace. Though Your Majesty and your subject’s daughter are completely innocent, outsiders will say Your Majesty has the advantage of proximity. If because of your subject’s daughter, Your Majesty’s character suffers criticism, then even if your subject’s daughter died ten thousand times, it wouldn’t be enough to atone for such sins!”
Yuchi Yan looked at Qin Yining with heartache. His gaze swept to Ji Yun kneeling and sobbing behind Qin Yining, seeing her swollen left cheek, and anger blazed up in his heart.
According to the guard’s report, the Empress and Qin Yining had indeed clashed earlier. Now this slap had landed on the servant girl’s face – if not for the servant’s loyal protection of her master, wouldn’t it have been Qin Yining who was struck?
Yuchi Yan looked at Li Yanyan with resentment.
Qin Yining’s words continued: “Your subject’s daughter suffered disasters in childhood. Just as I returned home to reunite with family, our household suffered various calamities. I’ve been separated from my parents more than together, unable to serve them filially at their side – this is your subject’s daughter’s greatest sorrow and difficulty. Your Majesty, you know better than anyone what little worth your subject’s daughter has. Your subject’s daughter has never concealed anything from Your Majesty. Please show mercy and allow your subject’s daughter to return home to cultivate.”
Thinking of Qin Yining’s experiences, Yuchi Yan felt immense heartache, but he truly couldn’t bear to let her go.
Once Qin Yining returned to the Qin mansion, seeing each other again would be as difficult as ascending to heaven. There would be no more opportunities for them to meet privately like this.
But looking at the swollen face of Qin Yining’s servant girl, thinking of her background and pride, thinking of her life story, Yuchi Yan truly couldn’t bear for Qin Yining to suffer outside criticism after enduring so much grievance.
The Empress was Yuchi Yan’s bedside companion, yet even she suspected Qin Yining was his kept mistress. What about those who didn’t understand his character? Wouldn’t they imagine them in even more sordid terms?
For a moment, Yuchi Yan felt his heart being cut by knives.
“You…”
“Please grant your subject’s daughter’s request.” Qin Yining began kowtowing.
Yuchi Yan pressed his lips together and closed his eyes.
In this instant, he thought of many things.
He thought of Qin Huaiyuan’s strategies, of Qin Yining’s intelligence, of the Qin family’s contributions to the court, and also of how resolutely Qin Yining had treated him that day in the palace.
Between them, speaking honestly, it was actually already impossible.
The hope he held was merely that she might change her mind and give him a chance to pursue her.
But now it seemed even this simple wish couldn’t be realized. It was his newly wed Empress who had made things become like this.
“Enough. Enough.” Yuchi Yan sat dejectedly on the ground: “Don’t be sad. We permit you to return and cultivate. Go home and be a lay practitioner. We’ll continue to keep Xuan Su Temple for you. After today’s events, Xuan Su Temple’s incense offerings will flourish more and more. If you wish to come, you may also stay briefly. We… We won’t force you anymore.”
Hearing this, Qin Yining’s anxious heart could finally be set at ease.
She originally hadn’t planned this.
But Li Yanyan came with malicious intent, and their relationship was irreconcilable. Facing someone hostile to her, she felt no psychological pressure using the situation to her advantage.
So seeing Li Yanyan becoming increasingly impatient with her, she deliberately provoked Li Yanyan to anger, hoping to take advantage of Yuchi Yan’s heartache and fury to let her leave.
As for how Yuchi Yan would deal with Li Yanyan, she believed that as long as Yuchi Yan had even a little sense, he wouldn’t do anything to Li Yanyan.
After all, with Prince Ning seriously ill, the next person capable of commanding troops to resist Great Zhou would be Li Yanyan’s father, Duke Anguo Li Mian.
There was no reason for the Emperor to use Li Mian for war while punishing Li Mian’s daughter.
Seeing the Emperor finally relent and speak that double-edged phrase about “not forcing,” Qin Yining properly kowtowed: “Your subject’s daughter thanks Your Majesty for your grace.”
Yuchi Yan’s heart was bleeding.
He was fulfilling Qin Yining’s wishes – who could fulfill his?
Angrily turning back to look at the culprit who caused this situation, Yuchi Yan truly wanted to strangle Li Yanyan.
Standing up with Eunuch Lu’s support, Yuchi Yan was just about to speak when someone rushed in from outside. Reaching the hall entrance, they fell to their knees with a thud, tears streaming as they kowtowed: “Your Majesty! Prince Ning has… passed away!”
“What!” Yuchi Yan’s vision went dark and he staggered back two steps, fortunately caught by the quick-thinking Eunuch Lu.
Yuchi Yan’s relationship with Prince Ning was quite deep. After the unacceptable shock, tears began streaming down his face.
“Imperial Uncle, Imperial Uncle, it is We who have wronged you!”
“Your Majesty, please don’t cry yourself ill.” Eunuch Lu sobbed as he consoled.
Qin Yining was also shocked pale by this sudden tragic news. Thinking of Prince Ning’s lifetime of military service, her heart filled with sorrow and she couldn’t help crying as well.
“Prepare horses, We must go to Prince Ning’s mansion immediately!” Yuchi Yan couldn’t be bothered dealing with Li Yanyan anymore and stumbled outside.
Li Yanyan, supported by Nanny Li and Liu Bao, also hurried after him.
Qin Yining wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve.
Ji Yun asked: “Miss, do you want to go see Prince Ning’s mansion?”