Li Huailin’s silence seemed to spur Li Huaiyu on even more. She pointed at her nose, “Others dare to commit regicide, let alone me? In the eyes of the world, I am a heinous criminal, the notorious Eldest Princess of Danyang, willing to do anything to seize power! It’s like slicing vegetables to you!”
Li Huailin lowered his eyes, as if seriously considering for a moment, then asked, “Sister, do you want the throne?”
Huaiyu sneered, “Do you think I care?”
“The edict left by Emperor Xiao, I haven’t destroyed it, it’s still hidden in Ming Mountain Palace,” Li Huailin said, “If Sister is willing to do me a favor, I am willing to abdicate voluntarily.”
An emperor who would resort to any means to stay in power was now talking about abdication. Huaiyu found it absurd. After thinking for a moment, she rolled her eyes, “You’re not adopting my straightforwardness, but you’re learning Ziyang Jun’s indirectness? Worried about someone, just say it. Want to reunite with someone, just say it. What’s the point of beating around the bush?”
Li Huailin’s face tensed, “I’m not worried about her, I just want to find her.”
“Then forgive me for not being able to help,” Huaiyu released him, brushing the dust off her hands, “Whether you abdicate or not has nothing to do with me. Who ultimately sits on the throne also has nothing to do with me. If you want to find someone, go find them yourself.”
Li Huailin’s face darkened, and he glanced at Jiang Xuanjin, who seemed to see nothing wrong with what the Eldest Princess said, only whispering to her softly, “Feeling tired? Breakfast is ready over there. Go and have some.”
“And what about you?”
“I have some things to discuss with him.”
Frowning at him, then at Li Huailin, Huaiyu scratched her head, “If you want to beat him up, just call me. You’re not suited to fight him, I’m more convenient.”
There was a hint of amusement in his eyes as Jiang Xuanjin nodded, watching her leave.
As the door closed, the room darkened slightly. Li Huailin’s hostility was no longer concealed. He looked at the man in front of him and asked, “What exactly do you want?”
Sitting down in the chair, adjusting his robe, Jiang Xuanjin said calmly, “Your sister cares a lot about you. Until she discovered that you harbored murderous intent towards her, in her heart, you were more important than me. So I want to know, now that things have come to this, does she want to kill you for revenge?”
The answer was no. He deliberately placed a dagger on the nearby table. Huaiyu had yelled loudly and cursed loudly, but hadn’t thought of killing him directly. There were only the three of them in the hall just now, and no one would know if Li Huailin died here. Yet she still couldn’t bring herself to do it.
With his jaw slightly tightened, Jiang Xuanjin seemed somewhat displeased, “You issued an edict for me to send poisoned wine to her. She doesn’t resent you, but she wants to kill me.”
Why?
Li Huailin pursed his lips, avoiding the question, “She doesn’t want to kill me, but you do.”
Jiang Xuanjin hated him, for some reason, even more than his sister did. He could feel it all the way here. If it weren’t for wanting to send him back to see his sister, this man would have sent him to the underworld long ago in Fengyi.
“Do you know why?” he didn’t deny it, just asked.
“Why else would there be regicide?” Li Huailin sneered, “Now that you, Ziyang, are dominant, killing me will allow you to ascend to the throne directly.”
Shaking his head indifferently, Jiang Xuanjin said, “Born to be loyal to the emperor, listen to words of benevolence and righteousness, I have no greed for the throne. What I’m doing now is just to seek revenge for my grievances.”
“Personal grievances?”
Looking up at him, Jiang Xuanjin’s eyes were icy, “Your Majesty issued an edict for me to give the Eldest Princess poisoned wine. I, as a humble servant, have been wrongly accused, and it has caused the Eldest Princess immense pain. Shouldn’t there be some retribution for that?”
“…,” Li Huailin looked at him incredulously, his pupils shrinking slightly, “Are you leaving the capital suddenly, raising troops in rebellion, just for this?”
“Isn’t this reason enough?” Jiang Xuanjin got up slowly, his hand resting on the armrest,
“Do you know why the Eldest Princess killed Li Shan?”
The rumors in the world all say that the Eldest Princess killed Li Shan to seize power and harm the innocent. Li Huailin had never thought of asking her the reason, but now that he heard him mention it, he asked in surprise, “Do you know?”
“At first, I didn’t know either, but after she was imprisoned, I heard Qing Si mention some old matters. I sent someone to investigate. Unexpectedly, something was found out.”
Approaching him, Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze upon him. “Prince Pingling, Li Shan, once intruded into the late Emperor’s harem, employing despicable means to insult the mother of a nation. The late Empress did not die from childbirth complications but from shame and indignation on the day of your birth.”
Li Huailin shook, almost instinctively denying, “You lie!”
Li Shan clearly stated that the Empress Mother loved him, but was forcibly taken by the late Emperor, leaving her with no choice but to comply with him in secret.
“If Your Majesty doubts it, you may inquire,” Jiang Xuanjin stated expressionlessly. “At the time, more than a hundred palace maids were dismissed by him, with the majority meeting unfortunate ends. However, there are still some who know the truth, surviving on the outskirts of the capital.”
“No,” Li Huailin stubbornly refused, “I do not believe.”
Unconcerned with whether he believed or not, Jiang Xuanjin continued, “For committing such heinous acts against morality and principles, the late Emperor confined Li Shan to Pingling, forbidding him from returning to the capital, which was already a merciful act. Yet, it seems Prince Pingling is ungrateful, taking advantage of the late Emperor’s demise and the youth of Your Majesty and the Eldest Princess to once again seek power in the capital.”
“If Your Majesty thinks Prince Pingling is a good man who has aided you greatly, do you know what he’s doing behind your back, where you cannot see?”
“He’s using his position to manipulate the sovereign, amass wealth, seize power, and even harbor ill intentions towards the Eldest Princess.”
With a darkening gaze, Jiang Xuanjin continued, “For someone who has lost all sense of morality and humanity, punishing him with death by a thousand cuts would not be excessive.”
Growing paler, Li Huailin stepped back two paces, murmuring, “You’re lying. Prince Pingling is an honorable man, he wouldn’t do such things…”
“I am merely informing Your Majesty of the reasons why the Eldest Princess killed Prince Pingling,” Jiang Xuanjin stated. “So that you know, you have never stood on the side of righteousness. All your deeds have been wicked, aiding tyranny, nurturing troubles, harming those who were kind to you, and eliminating loyal subjects. Your current predicament is entirely of your own making, with no one else to blame.”
Each word struck like a hammer, heavily impacting Li Huailin’s heart. He staggered, almost losing his balance.
“Li Huaixue is also at fault,” Jiang Xuanjin softened his tone, shaking his head. “She shouldn’t have shielded you so well, shouldn’t have made you think she’s a bad person while you, yourself, are far worse. You are not worthy of her protection.”
“You… you shut up!”
“Are you afraid of facing the consequences of your actions?” Jiang Xuanjin scoffed lightly. “When Your Majesty used me to hurt her, did you ever consider how much pain she would endure?”
Li Huailin’s eyelashes trembled, his hand clutching his sleeve turning pale.
“I have repaid what I owed, and Your Majesty cannot remain indifferent,” Jiang Xuanjin lightly brushed the dust off his shoulder. “At the moment we both suffered, she always rushed to you first. If you cannot endure the same hardships as her, how can I be content?”
“What… what do you want?”
“Doesn’t Your Majesty want to see Noble Consort Ning?” Jiang Xuanjin asked. “From Fengyi to Yixian City, she has been with us all the way.”
The frantic heart, upon hearing the three words “Noble Consort Ning”, suddenly calmed. Li Huailin’s eyes brightened. “Are you willing to let me see her?”
“I have gone to great lengths just to let Your Majesty see her at this moment,” Jiang Xuanjin said, stepping aside. “Please.”
At first elated, then slightly angry, Li Huailin lifted his robe and strode out, muttering angrily. If she had been with them all along, why didn’t she come to see him? Even if she was locked away, couldn’t she have sent a message through someone? Was she intentionally avoiding him?
In such a critical situation, she left him alone. She said she loved him to the extreme. Even if he wasn’t angry at the time and still thought she was clever, upon reflection, he would be furious. In her heart, he wasn’t worth much!
Following Jiang Xuanjin out of the door and onto the carriage, Li Huailin asked unpleasantly, “Is she kept far away?”
Jiang Xuanjin nodded.
“Do you hate me so much that you’ve set a trap for me to fall into?” Li Huailin frowned at him. “I can negotiate with you. As long as you let me and her leave safely, I will give you whatever you want.”
Jiang Xuanjin remained silent, his gaze fixed on the carriage wall. Li Huailin said nothing more and didn’t bother with him. As soon as the carriage stopped, he swiftly jumped down from the shaft.
“Your Majesty, please slow down,” whispered a eunuch.
Ignoring the eunuch’s words, Li Huailin glanced at the courtyard ahead and strode in without hesitation.
The courtyard felt much colder than outside, and as soon as he rounded the corner of the screen wall, paper money began to fall from above, scattering all over him.
“Dare you!” Brushing away the ominous debris, Li Huailin roared furiously, “How dare you shower this filth upon me!”
The white paper money fluttered down, revealing a lustrous coffin placed in the center of the courtyard, filled with numerous blocks of ice, with a faint figure discernible within. Kneeling beside it, a woman wept with bloodshot eyes, raising her head to glance at him before continuing to scatter more paper money.
“Handmaiden?” Recognizing the woman as one of Ning Wanwei’s palace maids, Li Huailin was shocked for a moment, a thought flashed through his mind, only to be swiftly dismissed. Impossible, Ning Wanwei couldn’t be dead. There was no reason for her to die!
Turning his gaze around the courtyard, he asked, “Where is your mistress?”
The handmaiden remained silent, her hand trembling as she held the paper money.
Growing inexplicably irritated, Li Huailin strode over and grabbed her, “I’m asking you a question, can’t you…”
Before he could finish his sentence, his peripheral vision caught sight of the coffin next to him, and all the air seemed to leave his throat in a rush. Li Huailin stood there, stunned, releasing the handmaiden, stiffening for a moment. He reached out slowly, methodically wiping away the dust from the coffin lid.
The serene face gradually became clear: crescent-shaped eyebrows, lips as delicate as vermilion, Ning Wanwei lay quietly inside, as if she were having a beautiful dream. There was even a faint blush on her cheeks.
His chest tightened, and Li Huailin emitted a low groan, feeling like he might be dreaming. How could he dream of Ning Wanwei lying in a coffin? She should be lying on her Phoenix couch!
Gripping the edge of the coffin lid, Li Huailin exerted force, as if trying to rescue her from within.
“She has been dead for a long time, the smell is strong. Your Majesty, it’s best not to open it,” Jiang Xuanjin stood behind him, holding three joss sticks, which he then placed into the incense burner in front of the coffin.
Li Huailin abruptly turned around, his eyes bloodshot. “It’s you?”
Jiang Xuanjin looked at him indifferently.
“You hate me, come at me, why harm her?!” Li Huailin yelled angrily, kicking aside the brazier burning paper money beside him, and charged straight towards Jiang Xuanjin.
His fists, fueled by rage, lacked precision. Jiang Xuanjin easily dodged them, not bothering to explain, only asking him, “Didn’t you want to be rid of her? Didn’t you ignore her for a long time? What’s the rush now?”
“You scoundrel!” Missing his punches, Li Huailin lunged again, shouting madly, “I want you to pay for her life!”
“Pay?” Jiang Xuanjin chuckled lightly, sidestepping his attack. “If anyone’s paying, it should be you first.”
His hands trembling uncontrollably, Li Huailin missed several blows, his face contorting with anger. He glanced back at the person in the coffin. It felt like a needle piercing his brain, causing him to roar in pain, hands clutching his head.
“Being favored by Your Majesty because of the Eldest Princess is my fortune. I have no grievances,”
“Your Majesty can’t sleep? I’ll sing you a lullaby.”
“All the glory I have is given by Your Majesty. If Your Majesty wants it back, I have no complaints.”
…
The hem of the palace attire fluttered, then gradually settled, turning into black and white. Li Huailin gripped the dragon robe over his chest tightly, gasping for air as if he couldn’t breathe, veins bulging on his hand.
He hadn’t had a chance to say, hadn’t had a chance to tell her that he hadn’t loved her just because of the Eldest Princess, that he only quarreled with her to make her care a little more, that he sent her to the Cold Palace just to make her come to beg him. When Fengyi moved her to another courtyard, it was only because he was afraid she would be harmed because of him… He wasn’t angry with her. He loved her, just as she loved him.
He had a bad temper and was easily irritable, only she could soothe him. When he couldn’t sleep at night, tossing and turning, only holding her could give him peace… He… couldn’t be without her.
Bracing himself, Li Huailin stumbled back to the side of the coffin. Determinedly, he lifted the lid of the lustrous coffin.
Even though it had been kept chilled, in the June heat, the body decayed quickly. As soon as the coffin lid opened, the foul stench forced everyone to retreat. Li Huailin, however, seemed completely unaffected, grabbing Ning Wanwei’s hand, and stubbornly lifting her out.
A deep scar, traversing her entire neck, Li Huailin’s hand trembled, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, his eyes bloodshot.
“The Consort took her own life,” the handmaiden spoke up from behind him, “Please, Your Majesty, grant her some peace and let her rest well.”
Did she take her own life? Li Huailin turned around, looking at her incredulously.
With red eyes, the handmaiden spoke calmly, “On the day General Liu Yunlie attacked the city and came to the other courtyard with men to capture the Consort, knowing they intended to use her to threaten Your Majesty, unable to escape, she chose to end her life to repay Your Majesty’s kindness.”
The crimson blood splattered on the green stone ground of the courtyard, shocking everyone. Throughout history, few consorts were willing to die for their sovereign, yet Li Huailin, by some virtue or fortune, had encountered Ning Guifei.
“Before her passing, the Consort had a message for Your Majesty,” the handmaiden tried to sound calm but couldn’t help but sound resentful, “She said, in the next life, if Your Majesty remains a sovereign, she will remain a consort; if Your Majesty becomes a commoner, she will be your wife. As long as in the next life, she doesn’t have a face resembling anyone else’s, she will be satisfied with Your Majesty’s undivided attention!”