Empress Dowager Xuan rose from bed, draping her robe over her shoulders as she weakly pressed a hand to her forehead. "Zhai Nanny, is Eleventh Master still here? Ah, why do I feel like I can't wake up properly after sleeping... Don't make that face, help me up quickly..."
Zhai Nanny pursed her lips tightly as she assisted the Empress Dowager to the window, pointing disapprovingly at the figure under the opposite corridor. "There, he hasn't left yet. Who knows if that decoction hasn't boiled dry by now... Hmm? Isn't that Shao Shang? Why is she hiding in the corner...The inner courtyard of the Palace of Eternal Peace was shaped like the character "凹," with the main hall and residence facing south at the northern end. However, Empress Dowager Xuan had recently moved to the more ventilated eastern inner chamber, where she could see Huo Bu Yi under the opposite corridor through the window—and also spot the young girl crouched behind the corner, gazing tearfully at the young man by the medicine stove, too hesitant to approach.
Standing by the window, the refreshing spring breeze carrying the vibrant scent of flowers and grass gently brushed her face. The Empress Dowager smiled faintly. "Shao Shang has grown up. She's taken too many detours and brought much suffering upon herself... Well, some of that is my 'doing.' Some things, if you haven't figured them out, you just haven't. Given her impatient nature, it's good for her to take it slow. Zhai Nanny, bring me the Feather Cape. The spring sunlight is so lovely today, I'd like to take a walk... Ah—"
Before she could finish, she collapsed softly. Zhai Nanny turned pale with shock, letting out a terrified scream that echoed through the inner courtyard. Hearing the commotion, the young man and girl from the opposite side rushed over together.
...
The sensational case of "Yuan Pei Sheltering an Assassin" finally reached its conclusion.
Yuan Pei received the same punishment as Lou Yao's uncle: dismissal from office, forfeiture of salary, and repatriation to his hometown for self-reflection. The difference, however, was that before leaving, both father and son were summoned by the Emperor.
During the audience, the Emperor first berated Yuan Pei for his foolish actions, utterly unbefitting a high-ranking court official, and declared he deserved severe punishment. Then, shifting his tone, the Emperor expressed understanding for Yuan Pei's loyalty to his sworn brother, saying that if Huo Chong—though his wise and decisive, godlike sworn brother would never do such a thing—had been deceived into wrongdoing, he too would have faced a difficult choice.
Yuan Pei kowtowed repeatedly, showing remorse.
Yuan Shen: "...You've said it all, Your Majesty. What else is there for anyone to add?"
In truth, Yuan Pei was reluctant to take credit that belonged to Huo Bu Yi. But after his son Yuan Shen persuaded him—"If this comes to light, the Yuan family's punishment is minor, but it might implicate Huo Bu Yi in a charge of 'deceiving the Emperor'"—he held his tongue.
In the Emperor's presence, Yuan Pei tried several times to confess the truth, but each time the Emperor deftly changed the subject. This led Yuan Shen to suspect that the Emperor already knew everything.
Most of the remaining Yuan family members who had resigned were allowed to retain their positions. However, Yuan Shen insisted on leaving the Department of State Affairs, declaring his intention to return to the Scripture Discussion Platform to study anew, to clarify the principles of conduct and better serve the sovereign in the future.
The trickiest issue was the handling of Di Wu Cheng—he had indeed been deceived, but he had also attempted to assassinate Weng Junshu, and it was because of him that Weng Junshu was left vulnerable and shot. Letting him go would anger the Weng family, but executing him seemed a waste.
Di Wu Cheng remained defiant, declaring he would accept any punishment, even death by a thousand cuts or waist severance, without flinching. However, Old Man Ji, impressed by his straightforward bravery and lack of guile, took a liking to him and made a decision on his own.He had Di Wu Cheng bare his upper body and carry sharp, heavy thorny branches on his back to the Weng family to apologize on an unnoticed night. He declared that if Madam Weng and Young Master Weng gave their consent, he would immediately die without hesitation. But if they spared his life, he would either impart all his exceptional skills unreservedly or provide full support for the young masters' future official careers.
Madam Weng lacked strong opinions but considered that this man deliberately chose an unseen moment to visit, showing no intention to coerce or beg for mercy—a clear sign of his upright character.
Young Master Weng and the elderly Teacher had keen insight. They thought it better to keep a useful man alive than to kill a fool, as he could bring greater benefits to the family in the future. The next day, Young Master Weng submitted a memorial to the Emperor, advocating reconciliation over enmity. He argued that since Di Wu Cheng had been deceived, the fault did not lie with him, and there was no need for unnecessary bloodshed.
The memorial was exquisitely written—both discerning and compassionate—earning praise from the Emperor and the court for the young master, who was barely twenty. It was a win-win in both reputation and gain.
Thus, no one expected this fiercely contentious case to conclude with such a tender resolution.
Outside the palace, the atmosphere was gentle and mild, but inside, it was bleak and sorrowful.
Previously, to discourage Shao Shang from constantly urging her to rest and eat, Empress Dowager Xuan had jokingly claimed her time was near. But this time, it was truly the end. From that day onward, the Empress Dowager had been unconscious for days, barely able to sip broth in her dazed state. Without needing the grim-faced Imperial Physician's report, Shao Shang knew the inevitable had arrived.
During this period, princes and princesses came and went, but Huo Bu Yi came to the Palace of Eternal Peace whenever he could to help. Watching Shao Shang tirelessly feed and bathe the Empress Dowager until she grew thin from exhaustion pained him, yet he never stopped her.
On the sixth day of her coma, Empress Dowager Xuan suddenly awoke, lucid and smiling softly.
"I wish to see His Majesty. Shao Shang, please inform Cen Anzhi for me," she said. Shao Shang's heart sank—was this the final rally before death?
Since the deposition of the Empress six years prior, the Emperor had seen Empress Dowager Xuan only from afar, never setting foot in the Palace of Eternal Peace. Hearing the summons, he knew the situation was dire and rushed over immediately, abandoning ongoing state affairs.
Entering the Inner Chamber and seeing the Empress Dowager's sunken cheeks and sickly pallor, the Emperor was overcome with grief. Sitting by her bedside, he whispered, "If there is anything you are uneasy about, tell me. I will see it done."
Empress Dowager Xuan smiled faintly. "I've lived my whole life for others—obeying my mother and uncle in my youth, caring for my younger siblings and children later. At this moment, if I were still speaking for others, it would be too dull... I want to speak of myself, and of Your Majesty."
The Emperor listened tearfully in silence.
Shao Shang quietly stepped away, retreating behind a screen, only to find Empress Yue standing there with reddened eyes, hesitating to come forward.
Empress Dowager Xuan continued, "When I was young, I read about the First Emperor on an imperial tour, his procession grand with chariots and mighty steeds. Emperor Gao and the King of Chu witnessed it with envy—one said, 'A true man should be like this,' the other, 'I could replace him.' Ah, these were men born to contend for the world. But I know Your Majesty is not like them. You never envied others' grandeur or power."The Emperor wiped away his tears and laughed, "Since childhood, my neighbors have said I lacked ambition, only caring about the small plot of land by my doorstep."
Empress Dowager Xuan shook her head with a gentle smile, "Your Majesty was not lacking ambition but content with simplicity. The world's great talents come in two kinds: those like Emperor Gao and the King of Chu, who were ambitious to reshape the heavens and earth, and those like Your Majesty, whose military strategy is unmatched, yet harbored no desire to compete for supremacy."
"I have been by Your Majesty's side for decades, and I know that in your heart, you remain that honest young man who loved farming and reading. Had the world not fallen into chaos, had your elder brother not raised the banner of rebellion, I know you would have been content to live a quiet life in the countryside, marrying Sister Yue, raising a few lovely children, working at sunrise and resting at sunset—living an ordinary life."
Tears welled up in the Emperor's eyes as he tightly grasped Empress Dowager Xuan's hand. "Shen An, you alone understand me."
Empress Dowager Xuan extended her frail hand, gently caressing the Emperor's cheek. "Your Majesty, you have never wronged me. You have treated me with deep affection and kindness, more than I could ever repay in this lifetime. I dared not defy my uncle, but fortunately, I met a noble and gentle hero like Your Majesty. Had it been some portly, cruel, and despicable man, I fear I would have married him all the same."
"Your Majesty, meeting you was the greatest fortune of my life."
"Shen An... I... I..." The Emperor collapsed weeping at Empress Dowager Xuan's knees.
With great effort, she lifted his head, their eyes meeting. "Your Majesty, in this life, you have been true to the realm, to your loyal subjects and the people—and most of all, to me. Only Sister Yue... you have failed her."
The Emperor smiled through his tears. "Didn't you say today we wouldn't speak of others? Yet you couldn't resist."
"Sister Yue and I have lived in clear opposition for decades. She hardly counts as 'others.'" Empress Dowager Xuan gave a helpless smile before looking at the Emperor earnestly. "Your Majesty, for me, whether it was you or not, if my uncle had ordered me to marry, I would have obeyed. But Sister Yue was different. Whether you were Emperor or a farmer, soaring to greatness or living a pastoral life, she wished to marry you—the person, not the title."
Behind the screen, Shao Shang turned her head to see Empress Yue pressing a silk handkerchief tightly to her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
"Your Majesty has sacrificed much for the peace of the realm, but so has Sister Yue," Empress Dowager Xuan continued, her breath growing labored. "Just because she is bold and straightforward, don't assume she doesn't take things to heart or hasn't suffered deeply. I know the tears she has shed in secret far surpass my own."
The Emperor choked with emotion, nodding vigorously.
Empress Dowager Xuan spoke weakly, "In the days to come, Your Majesty must treat Sister Yue well, as intimately as you did in the countryside—as if I had never come between you..."
Empress Yue could bear it no longer. She rushed out from behind the screen like a gust of wind, collapsing before Empress Dowager Xuan's bed in anguished sobs.
Empress Dowager Xuan stroked Empress Yue's hair, her voice tender. "I was going to send for you, but you've saved Shao Shang the trip... Your Majesty, allow me to speak with Sister Yue alone."
The Emperor nodded and stumbled out of the room.
Empress Yue lifted her tear-streaked face. "Elder Sister, rest assured. As long as I live, the Xuan Family will remain unharmed.""Who's counting on you." Empress Dowager Xuan gasped with laughter. "With Ziduan here—steady and capable—I'm completely at ease. Now I want to speak of other things." She took a deep breath and said word by word: "A Heng, when the Prince of the East Sea was assassinated at nineteen, I never once suspected you."
Empress Yue looked steadily at her: "I know. When Prince Daowang of Xining died young, I never suspected you either."
The two women gazed at each other for a long moment before breaking into simultaneous, unguarded smiles.
Wiping her tears, Empress Yue smiled: "I knew your character, which is why I ignored those who tried to stir trouble and entrusted all the children to your care."
Empress Dowager Xuan said: "And I knew you never doubted me, which gave me the courage to thoroughly investigate the palace despite the rumors, rooting out those sinister remnants from the previous dynasty."
"Shen An, elder sister..." Empress Yue pressed her face against Empress Dowager Xuan's withered palm.
The Dowager patted her gently with her other hand: "I know, I know. If you weren't you, and I weren't me—if we were just ordinary sisters who'd met by chance—how wonderful that would be..."
Though their temperaments differed and their positions opposed, they had secretly admired each other for decades without ever harboring suspicion.
After speaking so much, Empress Dowager Xuan was visibly exhausted. She slumped weakly against the hidden cushion and said with effort: "Shao Shang, where are you? Come here quickly!"
Noticing her unfocused gaze—as if she could barely see—Empress Yue felt her heart ache.
Shao Shang hurried out from behind the screen and knelt by the bed: "Your Highness, I'm here. What do you wish?"
"Shao Shang, play a tune. I want to hear your flute. Let Empress Yue listen too. Ah, and have His Majesty and the children come in..." The Dowager's breath came in labored gasps.
Too anxious to wait for Shao Shang to summon them, Empress Yue rushed out herself to bring the Emperor in, followed by the silent procession of princes and princesses—Huo Bu Yi among them.
After adjusting her short flute, Shao Shang began to play—the melody was still the bamboo branch tune Madam Sang had taught her years ago, though she had recomposed the latter half. The light, cheerful opening gave way to melancholy reflections on life's vicissitudes, stirring profound emotions in all who heard.
Empress Dowager Xuan stared vacantly into space, whispering faintly: "...Actually, Father loved playing the flute too, though he was never skilled. Your Majesty, though my body must be interred in the imperial mausoleum, might I have a lock of hair cut off? Let Shao Shang burn it to ashes and take it back to the hillside where I lived in seclusion with my father as a child, scattering it to the wind. I always envied Father's carefree life, yet my own was never free—always dictated by others."
"May my next life find peace in a prosperous age, spared from hardship and wandering. May my parents in that life be healthy and long-lived, that I might know no sorrow. May I compose poetry in youth's bloom and sing of mountain wilds... Yue, my little sister, are these wishes of mine too greedy?"
"Zi Kun, you mustn't live in constant caution and fear. Glory or disgrace—what does it matter? Only by living openly can one endure. Let Prince of Huai'an care for Zhai Nanny in her old age—he's grown now, and this comforts me... Zisheng, I bear you no grudge. You're a good child who's suffered much. You've always been filial to me and treated the Prince of the East Sea well."
"Shao Shang, I've burdened you all these years. Let me trouble you one last time..."The woman on the bed passed away amidst the lingering, melancholic notes of a flute. The Imperial Physician withdrew the feather he'd held near Empress Dowager Xuan's nostrils and knelt before the Emperor to announce the result. The Emperor collapsed onto the floor, tears streaming down his aged face, while Empress Yue wept silently beside him.
The surrounding princes, princesses, palace maids, and eunuchs all burst into loud wailing simultaneously, creating a thunderous sound.
Shao Shang stumbled out from the Inner Chamber, wandering aimlessly like a lost child.
To many, Empress Dowager Xuan hadn't been a good elder—she wallowed in self-pity, indulged in memories while neglecting her children's upbringing. But for Shao Shang, what she needed was precisely this irrational protection and unconditional trust.
This was the doting love she had yearned for all her life but could never obtain.
From now on, there would be no more gentle voice to mend her barren, rough childhood, no more forgiving shelter that would envelop her flawed self within its sleeves. No one would shield her from storms so unconditionally anymore.
From now on, she would have to stand strong on her own.
In the end, Huo Bu Yi found the girl crouched beneath a corner of the wall, silently sobbing. His heart ached with tenderness—she had always hated crying in front of others, and this habit remained unchanged to this day.
Author's note: I actually finished early! Tomorrow's update will be in the evening, remember ahhhh!!!
OpenNovel