“Yun Xi, I said you are not to interfere in this matter.” Her tone had become firm, clearly preventing Fu Yun Xi from finding evidence against her.
The Emperor noticed the tension between them and felt conflicted. One was his blood brother, the other was the Empress Dowager who had raised him – he didn’t want to hurt either of them. After composing himself, he said, “Yun Xi, I promise you’ll get an explanation for this. My actions today were inappropriate, and I apologize.”
Han Yan nestled in Fu Yun Xi’s arms, her expression hidden from others. As she lowered her head in thought, she marveled at how the Emperor, despite his supreme position, was so carefully apologizing to Fu Yun Xi. It seemed the rumors were true about the Emperor’s affection for Fu Yun Xi. However, the peculiar relationship between the Empress Dowager and Fu Yun Xi was puzzling.
Fu Yun Xi replied coolly, “Your humble servant dares not accept. But as a man who cannot protect his wife, I cannot serve as an example to the world. Please strip me of my official position, as I have no face to meet the people.”
His bland rejection of the Emperor’s apology made Han Yan want to laugh. She mentally applauded Fu Yun Xi – this was an outright refusal to accept the Emperor’s apology. When the Emperor’s gaze fell on Han Yan, she pretended to fearfully bury her head in Fu Yun Xi’s embrace. How amusing – did he think she would help smooth things over? The Emperor underestimated Zhuang Han Yan. If he dared to pluck her feathers, he should be prepared to have his eyes pecked out.
The Emperor naturally wouldn’t let Fu Yun Xi resign. Caught in a difficult position, he didn’t know what to do. He was annoyed at the Empress Dowager’s rash actions today and angry at Han Yan for not reading the situation – the matter started because of her, yet she wouldn’t say anything to help resolve it. Sighing, he asked, “Tell me, what will it take to appease you?”
Without blinking, Fu Yun Xi said, “Please grant my Princess Consort an Imperial Sword. Seeing this sword would be like seeing Your Majesty – no one would dare harm her.”
Han Yan was startled, never expecting Fu Yun Xi to make such a request. A warm feeling surged in her heart. Indeed, with the Imperial Sword, even if the Empress Dowager wanted to openly oppose her, she would have to think thrice. At least she wouldn’t dare trouble her in public. However, historically the Imperial Sword was only granted to meritorious officials or those with great achievements, representing supreme honor. She had done nothing and held a lowly position – how could she receive such an item? She hesitated.
“Outrageous!” Before Han Yan could figure out how to handle the situation, the Empress Dowager shouted angrily, “Yun Xi, don’t forget your place! Princess Xuan Qing has no meritorious service – how can she receive the Imperial Sword? Are you treating the royal family’s dignity as a joke?” She glared fiercely at Han Yan.
Han Yan neither avoided nor yielded, her lips curling in an almost imperceptible smile. She heard Fu Yun Xi speak above her head: “I dare not. If Your Majesty disagrees, I have no choice. But given the dangers outside, I can only resign my position to stay home and protect my Princess Consort.” He gave the Empress Dowager a meaningful look: “The Princess is young and accidents happen easily. Even today, in front of Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager, something almost happened.”
“What happened to her?” The Empress Dowager was furious, worried the Emperor might actually grant the Imperial Sword – which wouldn’t be good for her. Her tone turned harsh: “I was merely checking if she was still a maiden!”
Seeing the moment was right, Han Yan suddenly coughed, her handkerchief showing traces of blood. She tilted her head back and fainted in Fu Yun Xi’s arms. Seeing this, Fu Yun Xi said nothing more except a cold “Farewell” before turning to leave with large strides.
The Emperor knew his royal brother never went back on his words – he truly meant to leave forever. He quickly called out: “Stop!”
Fu Yun Xi didn’t pause until he heard: “You can have the Imperial Sword, but you’re not allowed to resign!”
Fu Yun Xi finally halted slightly: “Thank you.”
In his arms, Han Yan was about to burst out laughing. This was the first time she’d seen someone so blatantly threaten the Emperor. She couldn’t help but marvel: “My Lord is truly brilliant, haha!”
Fu Yun Xi carried her into the carriage and sat her down. Han Yan, wearing only a red undergarment, felt extremely awkward and quickly covered herself with her arms. Fu Yun Xi removed his cloak and draped it over her: “You troublemaker!”
Han Yan stared at him: “How am I making trouble!” Today’s events had been handled step by step – calling it thrilling would be an understatement. However, Han Yan hadn’t expected the Empress Dowager to be so brazen. For all her calculations, she hadn’t anticipated that Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi hadn’t done anything, yet the spring poison had been cured. Thinking of this, she asked curiously: “From the Empress Dowager’s words, that spring poison couldn’t have been cured by an ordinary person. Who did you find to cure it?”
Fu Yun Xi helped her tie the cloak’s strings at her chest: “The Imperial Physician.”
Han Yan suddenly understood – no wonder the medical skill was so superior. Then she heard Fu Yun Xi ask: “Why did you enter the palace without waiting for me?”
Han Yan was surprised: “Was I supposed to defy the imperial order? Besides, I had someone tell you. I knew you’d come to the palace if you heard, and the Emperor wouldn’t dare do anything to me in front of you.”
“What if I hadn’t come to the palace?” Fu Yun Xi’s fingers paused slightly hearing her answer.
Han Yan looked at him strangely: “Not come? Impossible. You wouldn’t abandon me.” After speaking, she was stunned – when had she come to trust Fu Yun Xi so much? To believe that as long as he was around, she would be safe; that if he knew she was in danger, he would come to save her immediately.
Fu Yun Xi changed the subject: “Why did you cough blood?”
Han Yan didn’t understand his meaning until Fu Yun Xi pulled out her handkerchief with spots of blood. She smiled: “This is from before… it’s nothing.”
Fu Yun Xi pressed his lips together: “Don’t go to dangerous places in the future.”
Han Yan paused, then nodded: “I understand.”
Meanwhile, in another place…
In Cai Feng Palace, for the first time, there was the sound of a teacup shattering.
The Empress Dowager reclined on her couch, looking at the incense altar on the small table before her, her eyes flickering with emotion. Today, Matron Li had been ordered by the Emperor to receive fifty strikes with the heavy bamboo and was banished to the laundry house. Though it was the Emperor’s order, it was really to appease Fu Yun Xi. Matron Li had served her for over ten years, only to fall like this. Well done, Zhuang Han Yan!
Today they hadn’t caught her weakness, and instead, she lost her confidante. Zhuang Han Yan had merely put on an act, yet managed to make the Emperor issue such an order! Her gaze turned cold – this Zhuang Han Yan had something in her very nature that opposed her. Don’t keep her, don’t keep her – keeping her would only breed enmity.