Anger stems from one's own incompetence, sorrow from the regrets of this life.
Yet after these emotions, Mei Ru Yan's heart gradually settled into calm. Perhaps dying like this wasn't so bad—it would spare her from endlessly yearning for someone forever out of reach.
With these thoughts, she stopped struggling altogether, closing her eyes to await death.
But the expected pain never came. After what felt like an eternity, she cracked her eyes open and looked up to see the two burly men standing rigid, their faces deathly pale as the light rapidly faded from their eyes.
Within moments, both men collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
Mei Ru Yan rolled over and scanned her surroundings. Through the mist-shrouded tall grass, a figure holding a lantern stood not far away. The wind rustled through the vegetation, making the dampness clinging to the blue robes seem particularly heavy.
"Sir," Mei Ru Yan called out joyfully as she stood up.
Wei Yuzhi coughed for a while before approaching to untie her. "Why didn't you resist? I always thought you had strong survival instincts."
"I..." Mei Ru Yan didn't know how to explain.
"Because of him?" Wei Yuzhi walked slowly through the grass, his tone indifferent. "It's not worth it. He's never paused for anyone."
"At least he was sincere with me once!" Mei Ru Yan retorted. "Otherwise he wouldn't have asked me to avenge him."
She believed Mister Mo had acknowledged their relationship by saying such words.
Cough. "I have no experience in such matters, but logically speaking, if he truly cared for you, shouldn't your safety be his priority?" Wei Yuzhi tilted his head slightly to look at her. "Why would he ask you to seek revenge?"
Mei Ru Yan pressed her lips together. "Perhaps he lacked experience too."
After a thoughtful pause, Wei Yuzhi smiled faintly. "You're right. Before you, he'd never cared for anyone."
But Wei Yuzhi maintained that love required no experience—it was instinctive. Just as he'd never anticipated his own feelings. Though he'd often given An Jiu difficulties, his subconscious had never wished to harm her.
Withdrawing his gaze, Wei Yuzhi thought: Women in love, no matter how clever or worldly they were before, all become moths drawn to flame. Was Mei Shisi such a person too?
Perhaps even with answers, he would remain merely an observer.
Those with high mental strength possessed some precognition—like how he'd known from the first glance that An Jiu would never belong to him, yet still found himself sinking deeper into this quagmire against his will.
In this regard, his only difference from Mei Ru Yan was this: he remained fully aware.
Mei Ru Yan broke the silence. "Sir, will the Crown Prince succeed?"
"Worried about Hua Rongjian?" Wei Yuzhi asked.
"Speaking with you, sir, feels like having no secrets at all." Mei Ru Yan laughed. "He's actually quite decent. Despite knowing my ill intentions, he still tolerated me and treated me well. Only... later he seemed to become a different person."
"Oh?" Wei Yuzhi's impression of Hua Rongjian was mediocre. Were it not for his status as the Hua Clan's second son, he wouldn't have noticed the man at all.
Compared to Hua Rongtian's dazzling brilliance, Hua Rongjian seemed utterly ordinary.
Mei Ru Yan sighed and shook her head. "I can't understand it either."When I first met Hua Rongjian, though his behavior was quite unpleasant, he was actually a kind and gentlemanly man. Later, after some unknown misfortune, his entire temperament changed drastically, becoming increasingly cruel and sinister. Even though Mei Ru Yan had no feelings for him to speak of, witnessing someone who was once like sunshine descend into darkness was hard to watch without a sigh.
"Whether the Crown Prince ascends the throne or not is unimportant to the Liao Kingdom," Wei Yuzhi said. His main task was to find the Medicine, and stirring chaos in the Song Dynasty was merely a side mission. "Go to the Liao Kingdom. Take this token with you."
Wei Yuzhi stopped and handed her the jade pendant from his waist.
"Thank you, Master!" Mei Ru Yan was overjoyed and carefully tucked the token into her bosom.
"Five li to the north, there's a manor. With this token, you can take a horse there and leave. The north is in turmoil—be careful." Wei Yuzhi's face grew increasingly pale, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
Mei Ru Yan worriedly asked, "Are you alright, Master? Should I stay and take care of you for a while?"
"No need. It's just an old ailment—won't kill me," Wei Yuzhi replied lightly. "Go."
After a moment's hesitation, Mei Ru Yan bowed deeply to Wei Yuzhi and turned to leave.
Watching her retreating figure, Wei Yuzhi murmured, "Of all the sufferings in this world, the bitterest is the inability to obtain what one desires."
It was unclear whether he was speaking of himself or Mei Ru Yan.
The funeral bell tolled until dawn. The palace sent messengers to the Second Prince's residence, and soon the steward relayed the news to the city gates.
The Second Prince asked Chu Dingjiang, "Master, should I go or not?"
At present, neither the Crown Prince nor the Second Prince dared make any major moves, both striving for "legitimacy." Neither wanted to be the one who usurped the throne and bore eternal infamy.
"Your Highness must go," Chu Dingjiang affirmed.
Chu Dingjiang had released news of the emperor's death not primarily to force the wavering court officials to take sides, but to make the military officers supporting the Second Prince understand that the tide was unstoppable. They had already begun their actions—success would make them meritorious ministers, failure would brand them as treasonous usurpers.
One step forward was heaven; one step back, hell.
The Second Prince hesitated. "But the court officials..."
"Did His Majesty not once bestow upon Your Highness a secret Imperial Edict?" Chu Dingjiang smiled faintly.
"My father knew the Crown Prince's nature well. That edict was only given as a safeguard in case the Crown Prince couldn't tolerate me." Now, this edict was both something the Second Prince couldn't discard and yet found too hot to handle. If he wanted to ascend to that supreme position, this edict would be evidence of his illegitimacy—proof that the late emperor had not intended him to inherit. But if he destroyed it now and failed, wouldn't he lose his last lifeline?
"How many people know the contents of this edict?" Chu Dingjiang asked.
The Second Prince's eyes lit up. "Master, what do you mean?"
Chu Dingjiang pulled out a bright yellow silk scroll from his robe and spread it on the table.
After reading it, the Second Prince was utterly shocked, his hands trembling as he lifted the edict. "This... this is!"
The edict was crystal clear: The late emperor passed suddenly, returning to the five elements. I, receiving the mandate of heaven and the great legacy of past emperors, in accordance with the late emperor's final decree...
Deeply mindful of the gravity of this trust, I am filled with solemn reverence. The Second Prince Zhao Huo, benevolent, wise, filial, and fraternal, has won the hearts of all under heaven. He is fit to ascend the throne. Let civil and military officials unite in assisting governance to bring peace to our people. With reverence, I announce to heaven and earth that he shall assume the imperial throne at this time, inheriting prosperity and continuing glorious rule...Let the next year be the first year of Yuanning. A general pardon shall be granted to the world, and a new beginning made with the people...
This Imperial Edict was drafted by a Hanlin Academy scribe. The seal stamped at the end was one the Second Prince had seen countless times—utterly flawless. Had someone claimed this edict was genuine now, he wouldn’t have doubted it.
"This Hanlin Academy scribe is willing to pledge allegiance to Your Highness," said Chu Dingjiang.
Hearing this, the Second Prince sobered considerably, calming his earlier excitement. Since Chu Dingjiang said this person had defected, it meant the edict did not reflect the emperor’s true intentions. "So this edict is fake?"
Chu Dingjiang replied, "It is both real and unreal."
The Second Prince was puzzled. "What do you mean by that?" (To be continued...)
PS: Last night, after midnight, my home internet was cut off due to unpaid bills. I simply didn’t continue writing. This morning, I got up to pay the bill before finishing this chapter. (>_
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