As the Emperor approached, Gu Yanxi retreated several steps to avoid him. If not for the crimson stain spreading across his chest, his steady gait would have seemed entirely uninjured.
"Gu Yanxi! You...!" The Emperor's voice trembled with fury as he shouted, "Guards! Summon the imperial physicians! Quickly!"
Lai Fu, standing guard at the entrance, jolted upright and made to rush toward the imperial medical institute. But Hua Zhi, who had also risen to her feet, swiftly grabbed his arm. "Shaoyao! Fetch Shaoyao!"
Changing direction immediately, Lai Fu dashed off toward a different destination.
Hua Zhi bit down hard on the flesh of her hand. With only two people in the chamber and the Emperor unharmed, the injured could only be Yanxi.
She had been pondering how to resolve this predicament, considering what Yanxi could do to extricate himself without provoking the Emperor's wrath. Never had she imagined he would resort to self-harm as the price.
She ought to enter. She wanted to enter. It took every ounce of her self-control to keep her feet rooted in place.
To the Emperor, she was the source of this conflict between uncle and nephew. Her presence now might ignite the Emperor's fury, worsening the situation and rendering Yanxi's bloodshed meaningless.
Hold back. Hold back just a little longer. Wait for Shaoyao to arrive. Hua Zhi's teeth unconsciously clamped down harder.
Inside the hall, Yanxi slid down against a pillar to sit on the floor. Gazing at the half-buried dagger in his chest, he reached to pull it out. This time, the Emperor managed to stop him in time, gripping his nephew's hand with such force his features contorted with rage.
"A woman! All for a woman!" the Emperor sneered. "You would cast aside your status, stake your very life! Everything I taught you wasn't meant for you to defy me over some woman!His cold smile deepened. "Don't tell me our imperial house has produced a lovesick fool."
Gu Yanxi closed his eyes, unwilling to argue. How could he explain to an Emperor surrounded by countless women that he only wished to share his life with one woman? That he dreamed of traveling the great mountains with her, of growing old together with children who bore her likeness?
He knew it was futile.
Had he known this confrontation was coming, he would have prepared better—perhaps worn an extra layer. Without his thick Official Uniform, he felt distinctly cold. Or perhaps it was the blood flowing too swiftly from his wound, warmth gradually cooling as it soaked his chest, clinging unpleasantly to his garments.
A Zhi would surely be furious. He had promised her just days ago to consult her before revealing his identity. But upon learning she had been summoned to the palace and discerning the Emperor's intentions, he could no longer afford such considerations.
This was the man he had revered as a father! How could he... how could he force A Zhi into the palace!
The Emperor's strength finally deserted him as well. He slumped wearily to the floor, his mind clouded and heavy. Though he wished to contemplate the matter clearly, his thoughts refused to focus. A leaden weight pressed upon his heart, leaving him with a pervasive sense of wrongness.
BANG! The hall doors were kicked open violently. Shaoyao stormed in like a whirlwind, ignoring the Emperor completely as she dropped to her knees beside her brother. Tearing open his blood-soaked garments, she examined the grievous wound before shooting him a fierce glare. Seizing his wrist, she found his pulse racing too wildly to discern properly. She slapped her own face sharply—the pain clearing her mind enough to properly assess his condition.
Meanwhile, Lai Fu took in the scene and quietly fetched a chair, respectfully assisting the Emperor to rise and be seated.Only Hua Zhi remained standing at the doorway. The large patches of dark red staining the white inner robe stung her eyes painfully. Raising her gaze, she met Yan Xi’s eyes.
Within them lay sorrow, and a resignation she understood.
She stepped over the threshold to approach Yan Xi, crouching beside Shaoyao to examine the bloodstained dagger. Its material was identical to those he had gifted her.
By then, Shaoyao had already laid out her set of golden needles, inserting them swiftly and steadily into the acupoints on his chest. The bleeding visibly slowed.
Then she overturned her medicine chest, shaking it out completely. Selecting one vial, she pulled out the stopper, gripped Gu Yanxi’s jaw fiercely, and poured the contents down his throat. She picked out several other bottles and jars—identifiable only to herself—arranging them in sequence before grabbing a slightly larger one. When opened, the pungent aroma of strong liquor filled the air. "Hua Hua, pull out the dagger."
Hua Zhi heard herself swallow hard, yet her hands moved without hesitation to grip the hilt. She steadied herself, then exerted force. As the blade withdrew with a spray of blood, Shaoyao immediately poured the entire bottle of strong liquor over the wound. Gu Yanxi, who had remained silent during the extraction, let out a muffled groan.
Hua Zhi’s hand trembled almost imperceptibly around the dagger. She didn’t look up at the person who had been watching her all along, instead following Shaoyao’s movements as she cleaned the wound, applied layers of medicine, and retrieved the golden needles.
Then she watched as Shaoyao swept the bottles and jars back into the medicine chest like rubbish, wordlessly clutching the chest as she ran out.
With the fading patter of footsteps, the vast hall seemed to grow even quieter.
Hua Zhi helped Yanxi to his feet. "Whether it’s condemnation or execution, we await the Emperor’s decree."
Unwilling to burden A Zhi, Gu Yanxi strained to support his own weight without leaning on her. Hua Zhi shot him a glare, wedging herself under his arm to forcibly bear most of his weight as they moved outward.
Hidden within his sleeves, the Emperor’s hands clenched into fists, his thin lips pressed into a tight line. He watched the two leaning on each other as they exited the hall, his gaze lingering for a long, long time.
The path out of the palace felt endless, especially now. Wind swayed the lanterns along the covered corridor, their flickering shadows suggesting countless figures lurking in the darkness—whether living or dead.
Hua Zhi no longer felt the cold. A faint sweat glistened on her forehead, her breathing grew quicker, yet she continued supporting him steadily.
Suddenly, rapid footsteps approached from behind. Without turning, Hua Zhi knew who it was. Sure enough, the weight on her lightened moments later as Shaoyao supported Yanxi from the other side.
Seeing Shaoyao’s reddened eyes, Hua Zhi knew she had been hiding somewhere crying. She reached over to pat Shaoyao’s head in comfort, and they slowly moved forward together.
She didn’t dare walk faster, fearing the wound might reopen.
Gu Yanxi glanced left, then right—as if everything he possessed was right here. A sense of contentment unexpectedly bloomed in his heart. He subtly drew both women closer against him. They noticed but neither looked up.
After what felt like an eternity, the palace gate finally came into view.
Outside the gate, the Hua family carriage had waited for ages. Ying Chun had bitten her ninth fingernail until it bled before finally seeing her seemingly unharmed young lady—and the clearly unwell Lu Xiansheng.
She hastily directed Li De to drive the carriage over. Together, they helped Gu Yanxi board.A gust of wind swept by as Hua Zhi stepped onto the carriage frame. She glanced back at the palace, dark and heavy as if roaring with mountains of corpses and seas of blood—a place she hoped she would never have to enter again.
PS: Chapter two simply can't be fixed and needs to be rewritten. Three updates tomorrow. Many readers have mentioned that Kongkong's writing has a cinematic quality—that's because I mentally stage every scene, rehearsing each character's movements, positioning, and emotional shifts in my mind, which is why the writing process is slow.
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