Fan Liangdi had died by taking poison. That such an unyielding person would actually have a day when she voluntarily took poison—this day became Zhou Weiqi’s nightmare. He was shocked speechless, cold sweat seeping from head to toe. Looking at Fan Liangdi lying motionless on the bed, her body already stiff, he lifted his foot in a daze wanting to go closer for a clear look. But he had only taken two steps when his legs went soft and he collapsed to the ground, his vision going dark as he lost consciousness.
Nanny Fang was terrified out of her wits. She threw herself violently toward the bed, reaching out with trembling hands to check Fan Liangdi’s breath. But Fan Liangdi had already stopped breathing, no different from a cat’s nose—ice cold and utterly lifeless.
Fan Liangdi had grown up under her service since childhood. No one understood this young lady’s temperament better than she did. Nothing could make her conceive of wanting to die. This mistress was the sort who would rather kill everyone under heaven than harm herself. Yet now she was so panicked her mind grew muddled. Hadn’t last time’s incident already passed? Her Majesty had personally said the Crown Prince would pursue it no further. Her Majesty had even written home several times demanding the northwestern account books and dividends for this matter. How was it that now, when clearly everything was fine and they’d already escaped disaster, Her Majesty suddenly couldn’t think it through and wanted to commit suicide? She gripped the bed rail somewhat bewildered, suddenly remembering Fan Liangdi’s slightly reddened eyes when leaving Qingning Hall today—eyes that powder couldn’t conceal. Her heart trembled, and her entire body shivered involuntarily—that was it. The Crown Prince’s hurdle had been passed, but the Empress’s hurdle…
When the Crown Prince was finally summoned later, Nanny Fang dared not remain silent, yet dared not speak entirely according to her own speculation. She could only vaguely mention that Fan Liangdi had just been to Qingning Hall that afternoon.
The Crown Prince’s complexion was extremely poor. He couldn’t say he was particularly infatuated with Lady Fan, much less that he valued Lady Fan as highly as he appeared to on the surface. But after all, they’d been together day and night for so many years. After all, Lady Fan had borne him a son. After all, Lady Fan had wholeheartedly drawn the entire Fan clan under his command, willingly engaging in deadly business for him, bearing the risk of beheading and clan extermination. And now, Lady Fan had died before him without the slightest warning…
His health was poor. No matter how decisive and ruthless he might be behind the scenes, face-to-face he couldn’t bear the sight of blood at all. At this moment, seeing the dark black bloodstain at the corner of Lady Fan’s mouth, then reaching out to feel Lady Fan’s pulse, he immediately felt the world spinning, nearly losing his footing and collapsing to the ground. He gasped heavily, feeling somewhat unable to breathe. Each breath brought searing pain. He clenched his fists at his sides as a cold smile appeared on his pale, gaunt face.
His mother—his mother who claimed to be so forbearing and tolerant for his sake—after he had clearly indicated this matter was over, she still wouldn’t let it go… He retreated two steps, feeling something sweet and fishy in his throat. After a bout of coughing, he actually spat out several drops of bloody foam. Looking at the blood spots in his palm, ignoring the roomful of servants frightened out of their wits, he swept aside those around him and strode toward Qingning Hall.
Xie Siyi seemed to have anticipated his arrival. Seeing his complexion, she hesitated slightly, then immediately turned and led the palace maids and eunuchs away, withdrawing completely. She closed the door and personally stood guard before the hall.
Rain had already begun falling in a patter. Each additional rainfall now brought an additional degree of coolness. Xie Siyi unconsciously rubbed her hands together, thinking of the Crown Prince’s deathly pale face just now, and sighed deeply.
“Why did you…” The Crown Prince’s eyes were bloodshot. He felt all these years of grievances surging to his heart in this instant. Walking closer several steps to look at Empress Lu, his voice hoarse with resentment: “Why have you never considered things from my perspective?! I said this matter was settled!”
Empress Lu looked at him and felt only sorrow. This sorrow rose from the soles of her feet to the bottom of her heart, making all her limbs and bones seem frozen together. She forced the corners of her mouth into what passed for a smile and softly opened her lips to ask: “Why? Naturally it’s for you—for you, this stubborn mule as dull as a pig!”
The Crown Prince’s face flushed red to the roots of his neck. Gasping heavily, clutching his chest, for a moment he couldn’t catch his breath. He retreated two steps and collapsed into a goose-neck chair, his face flushed as he glared furiously at Empress Lu, sneering mockingly: “For me? You did it for me? What a joke.”
Empress Lu threw a stack of letters in his face and descended from her elevated phoenix throne. Her face nearly pressed against the Crown Prince’s nose. She stared directly at him, laughing coldly with infinite disappointment: “A joke? You yourself are a joke. You think you can control Lady Fan? Look how capable she is! Who do you think you are, able to clean up her messes how many times?! The Huangjue Temple matter isn’t even completely settled yet. The Imperial Guards are still out there arresting people everywhere, yet she dares conceive thoughts of murdering for money. You can subdue her?!”
The Crown Prince was stunned by her words: “What murdering for money?”
Between Empress Lu’s brows was both exhaustion and disappointment. This son of hers—he single-mindedly displayed his honest loyalty before the Emperor. Combined with his poor health and that matter from his childhood, he had always enjoyed Emperor Jianzhang’s leniency. But perhaps he’d pretended to be honest for so long that he truly had no brains left.
She spoke gravely of what Fan Liangdi had done to the Chen family, her voice dropping lower: “This happened right under your nose, exactly the same as last time’s incident in Tianshui Town, Jinzhong. Did you notice? You don’t even know what the person in your bed is doing, yet you dare sleep in the same bed with her. Where do you get such audacity?!”
By the end of these words, Empress Lu actually had little strength left. Whether the Crown Prince understood or not, she no longer wished to say more. Regarding this son, she felt she had already done her utmost. Looking at him, she sighed extremely softly: “Even if I did wrong before, I thought these decades I’ve tried my best to make amends… Search your conscience—what more do you want from me before you feel I don’t owe you? Must I die, taking your brother, your wife and children with me, before you’re satisfied?”
The Crown Prince pressed his lips together and looked up at her, then suddenly bent over and began coughing violently, wave after wave, as if he would cough out his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. He clenched his fists but felt unsure at whom to direct this anger. Expressionless, he lowered his head.