"Your Highness!"
Li Yuangui shouted, leaping to his feet and chasing after the Crown Prince out of the pavilion, likely still hoping to persuade him to change his mind... Futile. Chai Yingluo watched the retreating figures of the young uncle and nephew pair, then turned back with a surprisingly pitying smile, saying to Wei Shufen:
"Fourteenth Uncle's temperament will likely bring him more trouble in the future. A Fen, you'd better keep him in check... Ah, but you're no better than him. I thought Yang Da was at least a steady man, but as for him..."
The female Taoist sighed, moving forward to kneel before Empress Zhangsun's seat:
"Niece begs one last favor from her aunt... Two years ago at the Jiucheng Palace, when His Majesty was gravely ill, the Empress commanded me to prepare a certain elixir. Please grant it to me now."
Empress Zhangsun had been staring at her departing son with a complex expression—whether pride, pity, disappointment, or disdain was unclear—but all color had drained from her face. Hearing her niece's request, she fumbled with trembling hands at the pouch on her belt, needing Su Lingyu's help to finally open it. From within, the Empress retrieved a small brocade box containing three or four tiny black pellets.
Chai Yingluo pressed her lips together in a smile and reached directly for the box, but the Empress gently blocked her:
"Leave me two pellets... I still have need of them."
"Ah," the female Taoist glanced up at the Empress's pallor and smiled, "Forgive Yingluo's boldness, but Aunt likely... need not trouble herself with this anymore."
Was she implying the Empress wouldn't live long enough to need them? Truly, the dying observe no taboos. The Empress studied her for a long moment, then unexpectedly laughed instead of taking offense:
"Didn't you say this medicine brings a swift end without suffering? I don't wish to linger in agony... When we reunite in the underworld, you and your mother will be hale and hearty while I remain this wasted skeleton—it would make gatherings quite inconvenient."
"The nature of the underworld remains uncertain. Aunt never believed in such things anyway." Chai Yingluo chuckled, then added, "Keeping two pellets might be wise—if Second Uncle ever takes another concubine, Aunt can just give him—"
She couldn't finish before bursting into laughter herself. The Empress also laughed, scolding, "What nonsense—"
Before she could complete the word "nonsense," the medicine box clattered to the floor as she covered her face with both hands, finally overcome by sobs.
Su Lingyu cried "A Niang!" and embraced the Empress, patting and comforting her. Chai Yingluo sighed deeply, gathered the scattered pellets back into the box, took two for herself, then bowed twice respectfully to the Empress before rising and exiting the pavilion.
Wei Shufen had been weeping uncontrollably nearby. Struggling to her feet with great effort, she hoarsely called "Sister Ying" and stumbled after her. The moment she stepped outside, the blinding sunlight nearly made her faint again.
Clutching at pillars and railings, she slowly lowered herself to sit in the enveloping darkness, closing her eyes. She recognized this temporary blindness and weakness resulted from prolonged kneeling and emotional turmoil—rest would restore her. The surrounding noise swelled—below the tower, women's voices chattered about some matter. Strangely, their words floated up distinctly to her ears, gradually becoming clear:"...She's the cousin of the current Duke of Guoguan. Her father was the duke's own second uncle, named Yang Da, who was enfeoffed as the Duke of Suining... Actually, she's quite beautiful, but her reputation is poor. She stayed at home until her forties before reluctantly marrying the old Wu man as his second wife. Her fate wasn't good either—she bore three children, all daughters. The Wu family already had sons from the first wife. When the old man died, the household must have been thrown into chaos..."
"I heard that old Wu son-in-law grieved himself to sickness over the Supreme Emperor's death and never recovered? Could he be considered a loyal subject? No wonder—with such humble origins, a merchant from Bingzhou who climbed the social ladder, became a high official in the new dynasty, and even married a noblewoman from Guanzhong. All his fortune in life came from the Supreme Emperor's patronage..."
"Exactly. His death brought peace, leaving his second wife with three daughters in distant Jingzhou, bullied by the sons from the first marriage. How could the Yang family abandon their own? The duke was kind enough to write, inviting his cousin to return to the capital with her daughters to live with the family. The three Wu girls will also be married off by the family... I heard all three are quite beautiful—they might even be selected for the palace one day..."
A pair of hands reached out to steady Wei Shufen's shoulders. She opened her eyes to see Li Yuangui, his face also streaked with tears, eyes red and swollen. After a long struggle, she managed to ask hoarsely:
"The Crown Prince...?"
Li Yuangui shook his head, helping her up and letting her lean on his arm as they slowly descended the stairs.
Many noblewomen had already left the Temple of Myriad Virtuous Nuns, but dozens of carriages remained outside the gate, luggage piled on carts, with banners bearing inscriptions like "Duke Qiaoguo's Residence" slanting haphazardly. Maids and servants stood about dejectedly, at a loss. Once Wei Shufen reached the ground floor, she could no longer see beyond the temple walls. The serving girls and nuns in the courtyard made way for the young pair as Li Yuangui led her straight toward the main hall.
Wei Shufen felt as though Sima Lingji, Empress Xiao, Queen Guan Niang of Tuyuhun, and other noblewomen were still watching from the balcony above, their impassive faces growing increasingly indistinct in her mind. The only warmth in this world came from the young man's arm supporting her—the sole reason she could make it to the steps of the main hall.
But she could climb no further. She could only stand in the long shadow of the upturned eaves, gazing into the distance. In the profound, lightless darkness, she thought she saw a white-robed figure with long hair lying peacefully on the ground, having ended its own breath.
Suddenly, a foul wind swept past them. A plump, spotted hunting leopard darted between Wei Shufen and Li Yuangui, stopping at the hall's entrance to pace and whimper softly.
(End of Main Text)
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