Chapter 274: You Love Yun Chu
The entire city's commoners lined the streets in celebration.
Having heard of Yun Silin's return to the capital, they waited outside the palace gates.
When Yun Silin emerged from the palace, the commoners rushed forward to present him with various gifts - rare green branches in winter, blooming plum blossoms, resilient chrysanthemums, or a bag of grain, a basket of eggs, a handful of fresh vegetables... These represented the people's most sincere blessings.
"I knew the Pillar of the Nation Great General wouldn't die!"
"The Great General feigned death to infiltrate Feng Pin's ranks, beheaded Feng Pin, then used Feng Pin's banner to launch an attack on Southern Yue. The King of Southern Yue never dreamed he'd lose his head like this!"
"The Great General took only three hundred personal guards and conquered Southern Yue. His military strategy is divine, truly remarkable!"
"I heard when the Great General first entered the palace, the Empress Dowager was forcing the eldest Yun daughter to take her own life. If not for the Great General's timely return, she would have died."
"Really? Why would the Empress Dowager do such a thing?"
"They say she was forcing the Yun girl to marry that sickly Prince Zhuang - oh, he's not a prince anymore anyway. Just a worthless man still dreaming of marrying a Yun daughter."
"Ah, don't speak like that. He's a pitiful soul, completely the Empress Dowager's puppet."
"Indeed pitiful. Without the Empress Dowager, he'd probably die soon."
"..."
Amidst these discussions, Yun Silin returned to the Yun residence.
Meanwhile, Chu Yi had just returned from outside the city. He had expended great effort to finally capture the flower thief alive. It wasn't that the thief was highly skilled in martial arts, but rather that he was extremely adept at disguise and hiding, which had consumed much time.
He truly hadn't expected so much to happen during his few days away from the capital.
Had General Yun not returned in time, what might have occurred was something he dared not imagine.
The Grand Astrologer claimed he and Yun Chu had astrological incompatibility. Was this fabricated by the Empress Dowager to force the marriage, or was it true?
Chu Yi whipped his horse to greater speed, arriving at Yun Chu's residence.
Yun Chu had just returned from the palace. Fresh from her bath and drying her hair, preparing to tidy up before returning to the Yun family, she saw Chu Yi approaching through the gateway, arriving at the Warm Pavilion's entrance.
"Chu Yi, you're back. Are you injured?"
She stepped forward quickly, grasping the man's arm and pulling him into the Warm Pavilion.
Chu Yi was covered in winter's chill, which slowly dissipated within the Warm Pavilion, the severity on his face gradually softening.
He reached out and ruffled her slightly damp long hair: "Chu'er, I'm sorry. I failed to protect you."
Seeing he wasn't injured, Yun Chu sighed in relief: "None of us could have anticipated this would happen. There's no need for apologies."
She continued with a smile, "My father has returned. The Yun residence is bustling with activity. Would you like to go see?"
"Paying respects to General Yun can wait." A trace of coldness appeared in Chu Yi's eyes. "The Grand Astrologer speaks nonsense without virtue for his position. Let me deal with that scoundrel first."
Yun Chu's eyes shifted thoughtfully.
She had been wondering how to help Ding Yiyuan ascend to the position.
And now, the opportunity had arrived.
She spoke: "First listen to what I have to say..."
Although everyone inside and outside were trusted allies, when it came to such matters, Yun Chu's voice still lowered considerably.
Chu Yi leaned slightly forward, coming within inches of the woman before him.
Having just emerged from her bath, her subtle fragrance drifted around them, causing Chu Yi's thoughts to momentarily wander.But when he heard Yun Chu's words, he could no longer pay attention to the faint fragrance, disbelievingly saying, "Is this true?"
Yun Chu nodded. "Trust me."
Chu Yi believed her unconditionally.
He bent down and kissed her forehead, then turned and left.
He first sent the flower thief to the Court of Judicial Review, then entered the palace to report to the Emperor.
After completing his report, the Emperor casually remarked, "The Grand Astrologer has examined your and Yun Yiren's birth characters. There's astrological incompatibility. Your marriage will be temporarily postponed."
Compared to being cursed to death, never marrying didn't seem so bad.
Chu Yi bowed. "Yes, Father."
Leaving the Imperial Study, he went directly to Kunning Palace.
This was the Empress Dowager's residence, now sealed off with many Imperial Guards searching inside.
He walked to a side hall and saw Chu Rui standing in the courtyard.
"I knew you would come."
Chu Rui looked up at Chu Yi, his voice hoarse and weak.
Chu Yi slowly approached, leisurely asking, "Oh?"
"Your marriage with Miss Yun was nearly settled, but postponed due to the Grand Astrologer's words about astrological incompatibility. The Grand Astrologer's statement was indeed related to the Empress Dowager." Chu Rui spoke slowly. "And the reason the Empress Dowager did this was because I told her that I want to marry Yun Chu as my principal wife."
Chu Yi's eyes instantly turned cold.
He was somewhat surprised that Chu Rui would directly admit his feelings for Yun Chu.
It saved the trouble of interrogation.
"But I'm different from you. You adore Yun Chu, but I don't." Chu Rui coughed several times before continuing. "Not long ago, the Grand Astrologer said that military families who have killed countless people carry baleful energy in their blood. Women belong to yin, making the baleful energy in their blood even stronger, capable of neutralizing toxins. Yun Chu, being the legitimate daughter of a military family, was seen by the Empress Dowager as the best antidote for my congenital poison. The Empress Dowager has been watching Yun Chu closely. I proposed marrying her to protect her, not wanting another person to die for me."
Hearing this, Chu Yi laughed. "So you think you can protect her better than I can?"
Chu Rui pressed his lips together, finally saying after a long pause, "If this succeeded, you would undoubtedly use any means against the Empress Dowager. If the Empress Dowager dies, Yun Chu lives. If it failed, that would mean the Empress Dowager is no match for you, and I would believe you could protect Yun Chu well."
Chu Yi fell silent.
Silent at the other's frankness.
Also silent at Chu Rui's scheming against the Empress Dowager.
It just happened that General Yun's return to the capital had prematurely ended Chu Yi's plans.
"I have no romantic feelings for Yun Chu." Chu Rui showed a weak smile. "I hope I haven't offended you."
Chu Yi said calmly, "With the Empress Dowager deceased, you probably can't stay in the palace much longer. I'll find you a residence in the capital where you can recuperate properly."
Chu Rui lowered his gaze.
It seemed Chu Yi still didn't completely believe him - this was to control his movements and prevent him from causing trouble.
What could his exhausted, sickly body still accomplish anyway?
He smiled bitterly. "Just find me a simple farmhouse with mountains and water in the suburbs. Could I trouble you to also prepare some flower seeds? I want to plant many, many flowers, and die in the spring when they bloom most brilliantly."
Chu Yi agreed.
After the Empress Dowager's death, the Feng family was purged, and those who had close dealings with them were investigated one by one. For a time, the entire court was filled with anxiety.
The next day during court session, discussions about the Feng family lasted from early morning until nearly noon.As the Feng family matter was drawing to a close, Chu Yi stepped forward from the crowd and said, "Reporting to Imperial Father, while pursuing the libertine this time, I discovered a large inscribed stone in a mountain forest. I beg Your Majesty to examine it!"
Two guards at the entrance pushed in a cart carrying a stone taller than a person.
On the front of the stone were carved these words: "The Great Jin shall fall, all due to the Qi clan. The words of the Qi clan bring endless calamity."
The entire court was stunned.
Qi was the surname of the Grand Astrologer. The meaning of these words was that the Great Jin was about to fall, all because of the reckless words of the Qi clan that had caused endless disaster.
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