Sо during Соnsоrt Jing's childbirth, she bribеd thе реrsоnal maid by Соnsort Jing's side tо light a pаrtiсulаr inсеnsе in Consоrt Jing's room. This incense соntainеd musk, which соuld саuse misсаrriаgе аnd infertilitу. Consort Jing lоvеd fragrаnces, and with vаrious scеnts mixed tоgеthеr, it wаs imроssiblе to detесt. As fоr hоw thе Emрress mаnаged to bribе Сonsоrt Jing's maid, it was simplу through a cоmbinаtiоn of thrеats and inducеmеnts. Тhe реорlе аround Соnsort Jing, muсh like hеrself, werе not раrtiсularlу сunning, mаking it еasy for thе Empress to maniрulate them. Тwo months bеforе Сonsоrt Jing gave birth, the Empress went to Mount Wutai, ostensibly to pray for the child in Consort Jing's womb. Since the Empress was not present on the night Consort Jing met her misfortune, there was no evidence against her.
Every year, countless women died in the palace, so even though Consort Jing was the woman The Emperor loved most, he only grieved for a while before falling silent. Even if he knew in his heart that the Empress was somehow involved, there was nothing he could do. The Empress was not just a woman; she represented a faction whose support The Emperor needed. It was precisely because the Empress understood this that she dared to carry out such a bold act.
Consort Jing and the unborn prince died, but Fu Yunxi and the eldest prince survived. The Empress then took them under her care. As the Empress, she indeed lived up to her reputation of virtue and tolerance in the eyes of outsiders. Even Consort Jing had been very close to her, and Fu Yunxi and the eldest prince were also very affectionate toward her at the time.
The Emperor had no reason to refuse. Raising Fu Yunxi and the eldest prince under the Empress's name would legitimize their succession to the throne in the future. However, fearing that the Empress might have ulterior motives, The Emperor subtly and overtly warned the brothers to be wary of her. But children are naturally innocent, unaware of the dangers of the world and the ambitions hidden behind smiling masks. After the previous emperor passed away, the Empress became the Empress Dowager, and the eldest prince ascended the throne. Soon, the Empress Dowager completely gained the trust and respect of the two brothers.
The Empress Dowager would instruct the imperial kitchen daily to prepare medicinal meals for the brothers. The Tianshan snow lotus was too precious, and The Emperor, concerned for his frail and sickly younger brother, gave his own medicinal meal to Fu Yunxi. Little did he know that this act caused his closest kin to ingest a double dose of poison, allowing the cold toxin to take root in his body.
It was when Fu Yunxi was in his teens, one afternoon when he wanted to speak with the Empress Dowager, that he accidentally overheard a conversation between her and her attendant. Only then did he learn the truth about Consort Jing's death. At that moment, he was both furious and shocked. For so many years, he had mistaken his enemy for a parent, treating the person who had harmed his birth mother as his closest kin. He wanted nothing more than to rush in and kill that hypocritical woman. But he knew he couldn't. His elder brother had only recently ascended the throne, and his power was not yet firmly established. Many in the court were aligned with the Empress Dowager. If he were to expose the truth, it would only bring trouble to his brother.
He had to endure all the pain and could not tell his brother. His brother was more impulsive by nature and might directly confront the Empress Dowager. He wanted revenge and to help his brother secure the throne. He could only bide his time, cultivate his own influence, and wait for the day when he no longer had to fear the Empress Dowager's power. Then, he would expose her crimes to the world and avenge his mother.The fastest way to cultivate power is to obtain military authority. However, having military authority alone is not enough; one must also establish their own prestige within the army. As a youth, he disregarded his elder brother the Emperor's opposition and went to battle against Western Rong. On one hand, it was to gain some time away from the palace to contemplate strategies, and on the other, it was to accumulate strength, so that one day he could stand against the Empress Dowager.
Moreover, the fact that the Crown Prince had firmly secured the throne for so many years was originally an accident. Initially, the Empress Dowager had intended to use the cold poison to control the two brothers, waiting for their deaths before installing a puppet. Who would have thought that all the medicinal meals were consumed by Fu Yunxi, leaving the Emperor unscathed? The Empress Dowager's clever plan fell through. As she watched the Emperor's political achievements grow increasingly outstanding and his supporters gradually multiply in the imperial court, she grew anxious. Even more unexpected was that the young Fu Yunxi, returning victorious a year later with illustrious military achievements, instantly established prestige among the military officials, making him a force no longer to be underestimated.
These two individuals had already slipped from her control, making her feel that matters were becoming difficult to handle. The weakening of the Empress Dowager's power and the strengthening of his own presented an excellent opportunity.
Yet, at this critical juncture, Fu Yunxi's cold poison flared up.
It was hard to say whether this was fortunate or unfortunate for him. The double dose of cold poison caused it to erupt prematurely, and he happened to be discovered by Imperial Physician Wu. Although it could not be cured, Imperial Physician Wu's exceptional medical skills managed to suppress some of the toxicity.
He finally possessed sufficient capability to maneuver freely in the imperial court, and no one dared to look down on him anymore. His elder brother had also become a wise ruler of his generation, with the nation stable and prosperous. Yet, his enemies remained unpunished, while his own life was nearly lost.
His tone was very calm, as if he were not speaking of his own affairs. However, Han Yan could discern from his placid voice the young man with hatred hidden in his heart, who had meticulously planned step by step, protecting himself and his brother in the bloodless yet deadly palace, eventually growing into a detached and handsome youth.
"At that time... did you ever feel despair?" Han Yan asked. In truth, Fu Yunxi's life was almost identical to Han Yan's previous existence. With a mother who passed away early, he faced those around him with ulterior motives alone, even acknowledging a thief as a father. The only difference was that Fu Yunxi discovered the Empress Dowager's true nature earlier, while Han Yan only realized her entire life had been a lie at the moment of her death. In such an environment, with no one to rely on, it was truly agonizing. So, had Fu Yunxi, like Han Yan once did, ever felt helpless and despairing?
"No," Fu Yunxi lowered his gaze. "Despair cannot bring revenge," he said.
Despair is a meaningless thing. Fu Yunxi is a person with a strong sense of purpose in everything he does. One reason the Empress Dowager failed to anticipate matters developing to this extent was underestimating the endurance of that young man at the time. He could endure more than anyone else and showed no mercy toward himself. He possessed a heart inherently suited for survival in the palace—too hard and too sharp. He did not despair because despair would bring him no help whatsoever in seeking revenge. What he had to do was live ambitiously.
He succeeded. At this moment, he possessed power and status that could not be underestimated, and no one could shake him. Even confined to his sickbed, he could still calmly arrange everything, such as his counterattack against the Empress Dowager.Han Yan said, "So you haven't given up hope now, have you?"
As long as one does not despair, there is hope for everything. Fu Yunxi had never despaired even in such dire circumstances, so he probably wouldn't abandon hope now. What she feared most was that he would do nothing and resign himself to fate—that would be the most terrifying thing.
Hearing this, Fu Yunxi smiled faintly. "Yes."
That smile brought a touch of warmth to his cold eyes. Han Yan stretched out her arms, wrapped them around his waist, and buried her head deeply in his embrace. Fu Yunxi's body was icy cold, and even Han Yan, upon touching him, felt as if she had entered a freezing ice cellar, shivering uncontrollably from the chill. If even she felt this way, what kind of torment must Fu Yunxi endure day and night, bearing the cold poison?
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