The Glory

Shе sаid in а mufflеd voicе, "Fu Yunхi, lеt's think оf а way togеthеr."

Her оriginally соld аnd distаnt аttitudе had now сompletely meltеd аwaу, reрlасеd by а dеер sеnse оf reliancе аnd heаrtache. If shе couldn't сure Fu Yunxi's illnеss, shе соuld аt lеаst help him аvеnge thе Еmрress Dоwagеr. In а way, thе Еmprеss Dowager wаs their commоn еnеmy. Аlthough Han Yаn hаd nеver mеt thе Dоnghоu Рrinсe аnd his wifе, bloоd was thiсker than wаter—this dеер-seаtеd hаtrеd, ingrained in her bоnes, could never bе forgotten.

Fu Yunхi lowerеd his heаd tо loоk at Han Yan, who was tightly embracing him. The warmth emanating from her was clear and distinct, alleviating the coldness he had felt these past days. The cold poison raged within his body, like icy needles piercing through the gaps in his bones. Even the slightest movement was unbearably painful, and he could feel no warmth. Even when wrapped in blankets and sitting before a fire, the chill was bone-piercing. Yet this little girl, with her cold brows and eyes, had rushed in, sat quietly listening to him speak for a while, and then eagerly embraced him. Her body was still small, but she had already taken on the graceful figure of a young woman. He had almost forgotten—she had already come of age. Fu Yunxi's expression shifted slightly. The last time Han Yan came of age, he had ruined the ceremony. In truth, when he had returned, weary from his travels, and caught sight of her, his heart had stirred. The little girl from before had grown into a delicate young woman. He was delighted, but he couldn't show it. Yet after that incident, Han Yan stubbornly believed that since the coming-of-age ceremony had not been completed, she was not truly of age. She insisted on not styling her hair in a maiden's bun, instead tying it into two round buns.

He placed a hand on one of the buns and sighed softly in his heart. So be it. Since he hadn't pushed her away, and since this girl was so stubborn, why should he make decisions for her? Moreover, this way of protecting her was not as reliable as keeping her by his side. She had suffered much because of him, and once her identity as the orphan of the Donghou Prince was exposed, who knew how much trouble would follow? Since he still had a breath left in him, he might as well keep her safely by his side.

He said, "Alright."

As soon as he spoke, he suddenly felt his embrace empty. Han Yan slipped out of his arms and looked up at him. Fu Yunxi lowered his gaze and saw that there was no trace of a young girl's coquettishness left in Han Yan's expression. Her demeanor was resolute and calm as she quickly said, "The Empress Dowager is about to act, but she has also sensed something. We must dispel her suspicions."

Fu Yunxi was momentarily stunned, then chuckled to himself. He had forgotten that Han Yan, in moments like these, had no time for idle affection or playfulness. She would only analyze the situation and devise a strategy in the shortest time possible.

"What do you want to do?" Fu Yunxi asked.

Han Yan then tugged at the collar of his robe, pulling him closer, and whispered a few words into his ear. She released him and asked, "What do you think?"

Fu Yunxi replied, "It can be done."

Two days later.On this day, the common folk of the capital were all discussing one matter: Xuan Qing Prince Fu Yunxi, having fallen gravely ill beyond cure, had passed away the previous night. A man of boundless prospects, a dashing figure of immense power, and one as handsome as an immortal, he excelled in both literary and martial arts. For a time, the people all sighed in regret. Those unmarried young ladies who learned of this news wept even more bitterly, and throughout the capital, there were sighs of sorrow everywhere. Fu Yunxi had always held high prestige among the people, and his passing was a matter of regret for all under heaven.

The Zhuang residence was unusually quiet; even the servants who usually enjoyed gossiping in private had fallen silent. The Zhuang family's Fourth Miss had once been the one Fu Yunxi intended to marry. Though she later became a divorced woman, she never showed any hatred toward Xuan Qing Prince, leading everyone to speculate that Han Yan still harbored affection for Fu Yunxi in her heart. Now that Xuan Qing Prince had died of illness, was the Zhuang family's Fourth Miss silently grieving in her heart, or was she secretly rejoicing?

Naturally, no one could guess Han Yan's thoughts. Only Zhuang Hanming, worried about Han Yan, came specifically to comfort her, but she turned him away at the door. Everyone assumed that Han Yan was too heartbroken to let others see her current state, so she simply shut herself away—a behavior consistent with her usual style. After several unsuccessful attempts, Zhuang Hanming could only leave helplessly. Before departing, he instructed the servants to take good care of Han Yan. Zhuang Shiyang, on the other hand, never came even once. It seemed he was wary of Han Yan for some reason; ever since she returned to the Zhuang residence, it had been difficult to even catch a glimpse of him. However, out of sight, out of mind—Han Yan herself was quite content with this arrangement.

That afternoon, however, a group of uninvited guests arrived at Qingqiu Garden. The woman leading them brandished a steel whip and lashed it with a sharp crack against a maid sweeping near the entrance. The maid, seeing visitors, had been about to step forward to inquire when she was unexpectedly struck by the whip—a blow delivered with full force. The maid screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground. The next moment, another lash landed on her, accompanied by a fierce demand: "Where is Zhuang Hanyan!"

The maid was in too much pain to speak. Seeing this, the woman with the steel whip showed no mercy, striking the maid on the ground again and again. The beaten maid writhed in agony, her screams abruptly alerting those inside the house.

Just then, with a creak, the door to the inner chamber of Qingqiu Garden swung open, and Han Yan stepped out, saying coldly, "Who dares to act so recklessly here?"

The woman with the steel whip stopped her actions at the sight of Han Yan and exclaimed, "Zhuang Hanyan!"

"I wondered who could be so ill-mannered," Han Yan glanced at the injured maid on the ground and said coldly, "So it's Her Highness the Princess of Western Rong."

The mockery in her words naturally reached Irina's ears, but today she had not come to quarrel with Han Yan. She appeared utterly distraught and asked Han Yan, "Do you know the prince has passed away?"

"Everyone in the capital is talking about it; of course I know," Han Yan replied.

Irina's eyes were red and swollen, clearly from having cried bitterly. She shook her head and said, "I don't believe it. It must be false. Did you all conspire to deceive me? Zhuang Hanyan, you must know the truth."Han Yan looked at her coldly: "Your Highness seems to have asked the wrong person. I, too, learned of the prince's affairs from others. Moreover, if Your Highness believes this is a deception orchestrated by the prince and me, then may I ask why we would deceive you? What benefit could we possibly gain from it?"

"This... this..." Irina stared blankly at Han Yan. "I don't know, but how could he have died so suddenly... Even if..." At this point, she abruptly stopped speaking. After a pause, she raised her voice and shouted at Han Yan, "You must know he isn't dead, right?!"

She seemed to grow more certain. Spotting another maid standing far off in the courtyard, she raised an eyebrow and lashed out with her whip once more. "Where is the prince?!"

"Enough!" Han Yan said sharply, her voice stern and severe. Irina frowned, her hand instinctively stilling. Then she heard Han Yan continue, "Whether the Xuan Qing Prince is dead or not, you shouldn't come to me for answers. I haven't left the house these past few days. If Your Highness is bored and simply wants to find an excuse to amuse yourself, you might as well find a more plausible one. Be careful—words can bring disaster." Seeing that Irina still wore an expression of disbelief, Han Yan added, "Besides, isn't it simple enough to verify whether the prince's death is true or false? As the betrothed Xuan Qing Prince Consort, you naturally have the right to see the prince's remains. Once you see him with your own eyes, you can judge for yourself. Seeing is believing—wouldn't that be best?"