Chapter 91 (The End)

As another battle raged outside, the sound still ringing in her ears, Qingli shuddered, realizing that the gates of Qichun Palace had been breached.

Suddenly, a burst of firelight illuminated the doors and windows as bright as day. Swords flashed and blood splattered three feet high. Qingli listened to the commotion outside, her palms aching from the hairpin. She had nothing on her to defend herself, only this.

Qingli listened as the intruders took the Empress away. Footsteps approached and then left. Only then did Qingli relax and breathe. She knew she couldn't stay here any longer. If things came to a head, neither Emperor Mingkang nor she would have any chance of survival.

Qingli tiptoed closer to the bedside and said, "Your Majesty, we need to leave here."

The implication was that Emperor Mingkang wanted to get up, but having been lying down for so long, his limbs were weak and he could only lift them slightly before falling back down, his eyes filled with a mixture of resentment, helplessness, and sorrow.

Qingli got out of bed and called for Granny Huaying. They pried open the window and saw swords flashing and people fleeing outside. The three of them rushed into the night, their hair disheveled.

Granny Hua Ying panicked immediately, "Miss, where are we going?"

The three hid in a narrow passage. Qingli hesitated, then looked at Emperor Mingkang, who knew the secret passage.

It all depends on whether he's willing to talk about it or not.

Emperor Kang of Ming pondered for a moment, then said, "Go to Fengqi Palace."

The secret passage was actually in the Empress's bedroom!

Outside, chaos had already broken out. Faced with life and death, the servants who were usually obsequious did not even glance at Emperor Mingkang. Being ignored like this, Qingli felt the atmosphere around her change suddenly, but she had no mind to pay attention. An emperor who had reached this level was not a good one. She remembered what her grandfather had said about Emperor Mingkang being suspicious, sensitive and selfish by nature, and she had even less intention of giving him any pity.

The Phoenix Perch Palace was already in a mess, with tables, chairs and benches overturned and scattered, like a whirlwind of soldiers passing through, desolate and ruined. Qing Li pretended not to know, her eyes observing Emperor Ming Kang's expression.

As expected, he had a cold expression, pushed aside Granny Hua Ying, and strode towards a certain place.

Granny Hua Ying looked at her questioningly, and Qing Li gestured for her to linger for a moment before entering the back hall, where a passageway appeared before her.

The footprints at the crossroads were messy, indicating that the place had been compromised. Emperor Mingkang, however, seemed oblivious, turning around to look at her coldly, "What?"

Qingli shook her head and followed, watching Emperor Mingkang stride into the secret passage, wondering what he intended to do.

The dripping wax from the candlesticks on the walls was winding and the floor was gleaming, indicating that this was not just the scene of someone breaking in.

Emperor Mingkang seemed oblivious, found a stool in the corner, and sat down. A sudden, cold laugh echoed in the empty, dark passage. He looked at Qingli standing at the entrance of the passage. The dim light polished her profile. Perhaps it was because he was old and his eyesight was failing, but he actually overlapped the person in front of him with the person from twenty years ago.

However, it really does resemble him; he is dashing and upright, with very clear eyes that seem to be able to see into people's hearts.

"What are you thinking about?"

Qingli paused. She looked at Emperor Mingkang from behind, making it easier to see his face. He seemed to be trying to get something out of her. Her mind was in turmoil, and she could only say, "There's another fight outside."

"Heh..." Another laugh, trembling, came from his chest. "To ascend to the throne of the supreme ruler, one must step on human blood step by step."

It turned out that countless lives were merely stepping stones for the princes in the emperor's mouth. Qingli took a deep breath, understanding but still feeling a deep sadness in her heart.

She couldn't help but ask, "Isn't there any other way?"

The question was simply funny, but Emperor Mingkang stopped laughing and stared at her intently. He replied after a moment's thought, "Everything depends on the timing."

Qingli pretended to be confused and lowered her head, but her heart was filled with an uncontrollable chill. The position of Crown Prince had been vacant for a long time. The court favored the eldest prince and distrusted the fourth prince. The harem favored Consort Liu. He sat here, like a person behind the scenes, manipulating their desires and emotions, and coldly watching these people fight for power.

Phoenix Palace is close to the council hall, and one can clearly hear the excited shouts of soldiers or the agonizing cries of the seriously wounded soldiers lying on the ground, the sounds gradually becoming sparse and eventually silent.

Not knowing which side had won, Qingli breathed a sigh of relief, but the next moment, a sound came from outside.

"You think you've won? Since I'm going to die, you won't survive either!"

Consort Liu's eyes were bloodshot; she had lost her mind.

The empress was led to the palace with a knife. She glanced at the secret passage and saw that the markings there had not been removed. She calmed herself down and decided that all she had to do now was stall this crazy woman.

Consort Liu's eyes were bloodshot, her hair disheveled. Her son had been defeated. What had all her years of compromise and subservience earned her? Her body trembled, the knife in her hand moving against the Empress's neck. This woman, she could get everything without doing anything. "Why should I!"

The Empress looked at the people still surrounding Consort Liu—a nanny and a soldier—who were terrified of her fate. She adjusted her hair, raised her head high, and looked arrogant. Before she died, she wanted to make sure she understood why she died. "My Cai family is full of heroes. My father and brothers all died for the Great Jin. I am the Empress of the Great Jin. This is the will of Heaven, and it is rightfully my own."

"Ha, legitimate? Legitimate..." Consort Liu was arrogant, but she had always managed to keep the Empress in check over the years. Now that she was being ridiculed, her mind was buzzing. She blurted out, "You poisonous woman! You are the most cunning and treacherous. The Emperor has been deceived by you. If the Emperor knows your true colors, I want to see how you will fare compared to me!"

The Empress pondered the meaning of her words, then suddenly burst into laughter. "You fool, you idiot, have you been deceived by me? You've been misled? You fool, you moron!"

The Empress unleashed the words she had kept hidden in her heart for years. Years of caution finally broke free, and she could no longer stop herself from speaking out: "You useless piece of trash who has been manipulated. Even now, you still don't know why you deserve to die. You and your damned son are nothing but a knife used by the Emperor."

"You're all somewhat clever, you've fallen into the trap and know to follow His Majesty's wishes to get to where you are now, otherwise you would be like Consort Mu, disliked and unloved. Sigh, tell me, are you really clever or just pretending to be? There are so many concubines in the harem, how come you were the only one who fell for the trick?"

Consort Liu's eyes were bloodshot, and she made a move to take the Empress down with her. The Empress stopped trying to deal with her and directly forced Consort Liu to take two steps back. Everyone forgot that the Empress came from a family of military generals, while Consort Liu was from a family of civil officials.

The Empress clapped her hands. "Do you think the reason His Majesty summoned you to the palace back then was simply because he valued the need for civil officials to govern the court, and your father was busy scheming and trying to gain control."

"you..."

"And your entry into the palace was something I advised the Emperor against."

"Ah..." Consort Liu went completely mad, looking at the mockery in the Empress's eyes, she screamed frantically, "Why, why! I didn't want to enter the palace, it's all your fault..."

"Of course, it's to restrain Consort Mu. How could His Majesty allow the Huang family to become too powerful? He has to find a suitable scapegoat."

After laughing loudly, Consort Liu burst into tears. A moment later, exhausted, she leaned on the old nanny and asked, "So, back then, what happened to Huang Ding and his wife, was it you, or His Majesty, who did it!"

Even if Consort Liu was foolish, after having her thoughts examined countless times day and night, she should have noticed something unusual. How could she be so discreet upon entering the palace?

A muffled thud came from behind them. The Empress and Consort Liu looked over in surprise. The Emperor, who had been missing, was just looking at them indifferently. For the first time, the Empress panicked and hurriedly looked at Song Shuo standing behind her. He shook his head slightly. The Empress gritted her teeth and stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, the Second Prince, along with the Chu Yang Army, intends to rebel. To prevent any chaos, I used this place."

Qingli stood at the back, watching the confrontation between the group. She gave Song Shuo a deep look, and he seemed to sense her gaze. His gaze locked onto her instantly, deep, warning, and chilling.

Another wave of panic erupted outside. In an instant, Meng Qingshan led the Imperial Guards to the emperor's rescue. "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I am late."

Emperor Mingkang looked around for a long time before finally asking, "How is it outside?"

Upon hearing this, even the Empress did not believe it.

"The eldest prince led his camp in the outskirts of the capital to fight against the Chu Yang army led by the second prince. The Chu Yang army surrendered, the second prince was detained, and the eldest prince was surrounded in the council hall."

After Meng Qingshan finished his report, he looked up and his eyes met Qingli's. Blood dripped from his body and his hands were covered in wounds. He had fought for an unknown amount of time to get here, but he could only say a few words.

Qingli's toes twitched slightly, and her eyes stung. Was he in pain?

Emperor Kang of Ming pondered for a long time, then asked, "Where are the Imperial Guards?"

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards are waiting outside the gate for Your Majesty's decree."

"Go to the council chamber."

Song Shuo stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to follow you."

Upon hearing this, Consort Liu could not remain calm. She knelt before Emperor Mingkang and pleaded tearfully, “Your Majesty! The Second Prince has been obedient and sensible since childhood. When he was three years old, he had a high fever that wouldn’t go down, but he would only nestle in my arms and sob softly. When you came to see him, he would only put his head in your palm and whisper that he was not in pain. There is a reason for this. Please see the truth.”

The Empress interrupted, "This matter involves the principles of the world and the law, so Consort Liu should not argue here."

"The Empress was secretly manufacturing weapons in Chuzhou. This time, all the evidence is in order. The Second Prince had no choice but to rebel in advance. He had absolutely no intention of treason."

"I see Consort Liu has gone mad and is talking nonsense. Guards..."

No one stepped forward. The Empress was furious and looked at Emperor Mingkang. She saw Emperor Mingkang looking at her coldly, his lips moving. She realized that what she had just said had touched a nerve with him.

Consort Liu thought she had a chance and loudly recounted the events in Chuzhou. At Emperor Mingkang's signal, the imperial guards stepped forward to pull her away, but none of them covered Consort Liu's mouth.

Emperor Mingkang strode out and announced, "The Fengqi Palace and Qichun Palace are hereby sealed."

Qingli stood outside Phoenix Palace. The morning chill made her lungs ache. She took a deep breath, pondering the conclusion that was almost finalized in her mind. Grayish white enveloped her, but the light in the distant sky had already broken through the clouds.

It was getting light.

"Miss, where are we going?" asked Granny Hua Ying.

There's no way out of the palace gates, so "go wait at your aunt's place."

The palace maids and eunuchs were sweeping, but Qingli didn't want to see this scene, so she chose another path. After walking around the corner, she was suddenly pulled behind a tree. Qingli didn't struggle. The scent of the person opposite her was all too familiar. She wanted to rush into their arms, but was stopped.

"dirty."

Does it hurt?

Seeing the tears in her eyes, Meng Qingshan felt as if his heart had been stabbed countless times. Knowing the seriousness of the situation, he still found an excuse to come out and take a look at her. He didn't have much time, and seeing that she was alright, he was about to leave.

"I'm sorry, just stay put, things will definitely turn out as you wish."

Qingli shook her head. He hadn't wronged her. He was free-spirited and more suited to the open sky than to the scheming and intrigue within the palace. He did all this for her, for what she wanted.

"I'm leaving now."

Qingli reluctantly let go of him, tied the handkerchief to his wound, and said, "The matter of my parents must have been done by the Emperor and the Empress, through Consort Liu. Song Shuo came out through the secret passage, and must be acting on the Empress's orders. Be careful."

Emperor Mingkang and the Empress had an unusual connection, which must have been a secret. Song Shuo had buried it so well that there must have been a loophole, and he might be able to break this connection.

"Okay, wait for me!"

As Qingli entered Yingcui Palace, Consort Mu rushed forward and pulled her into her arms, saying, "You must have been frightened."

Qingli shook her head. The tragic scene outside did not affect her. She was pulled into the room, and the palace gate behind her was closed again. She recounted the events of the past two days in detail.

A mocking glint appeared in Consort Mu's eyes. "Just as I thought."

"Did your aunt have long suspected something?"

"Over the years, no matter how well they have hidden themselves, there will always be some unusual things going on. No matter how much Consort Liu is favored and how much she controls the harem, things will always change as soon as the Empress appears. Consort Liu has been a bedmate for all these years, yet the eldest prince still enjoys special favor."

"They trusted each other too much, but this trust was too unusual in the treacherous palace. It was too ridiculous because of their feelings; it must have been because of some unspeakable secret."

"But what secret is it? His Majesty is neither capable nor talented. He benefited from our Huang family in the early stages, so he certainly doesn't want to be controlled by us. Liu Guifei's handy knife is definitely the first choice."

“Your parents are kind, but Consort Liu’s love turned to hatred, and they are the ones who are waiting in the wings.”

Qingli was unaware of these hidden complexities and remained silent for a moment. Their secrets were so deeply concealed that they sent chills down one's spine.

Can we succeed?

Qingli was very uneasy.

Consort Mu patted her head. "The Empress's true colors have been revealed. The rift between them will only grow wider. It was you who brought about a turning point."

"If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have the three-way balance of power we have today. We wouldn't have been able to get the evidence, and we might never have been able to bring the truth to light."

"It's Meng Qingshan..."

Consort Mu patted the back of her hand and looked at her with a smile, making her cheeks feel inexplicably hot. "He's done so much for you, you must treat him well."

Qingli lowered her eyelashes shyly, and after a long while, said, "I will."

The howling wind gradually calmed down, the sun hung overhead, and the thin layer of snow on the eaves melted, dripping water.

For three days, all was calm and peaceful. Only when a maid went to fetch food and brought back a few words did everyone in the palace seem to fall silent. They all kept quiet and were filled with anxiety.

On the fourth day, at Yingcui Palace, Meng Qingshan requested an audience outside the gate.

The door opened, and Qingli stood inside. Her fair face was framed by bright red fox fur, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. All the gloom and fatigue of the past few days had vanished. He teased her, saying, "You have a silly air about you."

Her eyes widened instantly, just like when they first met at the Prince of Dingxi's mansion. At first, she was surprised, but now she was coquettish. How fortunate he was to have found her, and how delighted he was that he still had a chance.

Her thoughts, concerns, worries, and anxieties were all his guiding principles.

Qingli stepped out the door and stood before him, where he blocked out the light and the wind and snow. "Let's go home."

Meng Qingshan smiled and replied, "Okay."

As Consort Mu watched their retreating figures, one charming and the other handsome, they smiled at each other, feeling a sense of peace and tenderness. Her brother and sister-in-law had been just like that back then, and if they were alive, they would surely be comforted.

On the 20th of the eleventh month, an auspicious day for marriage, the commander of the Imperial Guards received a marriage decree from the Emperor to marry the granddaughter of a cabinet minister. The gongs and drums resounded, the dowry stretched along the entire street, and the banquet lasted for three days and three nights. This was a great joyous occasion, unseen in a hundred years in the Great Jin Dynasty. The sun and moon were the witnesses, and the whole world knew about it.

On a moonlit night, snow fell heavily, blanketing the ground. Inside the bedroom, laughter continued, but moments later, sobs began to echo, all of which were swept away by the wind and snow.

In the twenty-fifth year of the Yuanming reign, the first thing Emperor Kang of Ming did upon the founding of the dynasty was to issue an edict appointing his fourth son, Ling Zizhan, as the crown prince to oversee the administration of the court.

The first thing the Crown Prince did upon assuming the regency was to rectify the wrongs and clean up the corrupt practices of the court. His drastic measures led many court officials to submit overly sharp memorials, which needed to be tempered.

The seemingly insignificant Crown Prince remained silent, and even ordered the Court of Judicial Review to investigate the murder of officials who had been relocated to the capital years ago. Everyone suddenly understood and fell silent, because they all had relatives in the family involved.

In the warm spring of March, as spring returned to the earth, Meng Qingshan took a vacation and went for a spring outing with Qingli. As soon as they got off the carriage, Lu Yunye and his family of three rushed over in a hurry. Lu Yunye held onto the carriage door and shouted, "Don't even think about leaving us behind."

Meng Qingshan's face darkened. Qingli found it amusing. Lu Yunye never seemed to grow up and still relied on Meng Qingshan for everything. Three out of five days, he would bring his whole family to visit, disturbing his time alone with her. She secretly squeezed his fingers and coaxed, "It's more fun with more people."

"But all I want is to be with you."

"I know."

She knew how deeply he loved her, and she knew just as deeply he loved him.

(End of article)