Chapter 92 (None)

The moon gradually set in the west, its light hazy and particularly desolate in the cold night.

Consort Liu stood under the cherry blossom tree, tilting her head slightly to look around, remaining silent for a long time.

After the start of spring, in previous years when the weather was warm, the branches of trees would have quietly sprouted new buds, but this year they are still bare.

Yuan Changsheng stood in the shadows, gazing intently into the distance. Consort Liu seemed to blend into the deepening night.

Consort Liu was in poor health and did not sleep well at night. She often sat in her study, writing until dawn.

Consort Liu was different tonight. Yuan Changsheng inexplicably recalled the figure of her standing under the osmanthus tree when the late emperor issued the decree to bestow the marriage. Her expression was calm, revealing nothing unusual.

Yuan Changsheng was certain she was crying; the grief was heart-wrenching and unbearable. Years later, every time he thought of it, he couldn't suppress the sharp pain in his heart.

He vividly remembered that it was early autumn, and the osmanthus trees were covered with tiny golden osmanthus blossoms. In a few more days, the garden would be filled with their fragrance.

Consort Liu did not live to see the osmanthus bloom. Two days later, a sedan chair brought her to the Prince's residence.

Yuan Changsheng's throat tightened, and he said in a low voice, "It's late and the dew is heavy. Your Highness should go back and rest, and be careful not to catch a cold."

Consort Liu remained silent for a moment, then said, "Consort Zhao was sent to the Imperial Temple, and I went to the Chui Gong Hall."

Yuan Changsheng already knew about this matter. Song Gongzheng, who was on duty seeing off Consort Zhao, mentioned it to him briefly. He also knew that Consort Lin and Consort Liu had gone to the Chuigong Hall. Both Consort Liu and Consort Lin returned to the palace safely, without any apparent abnormalities.

Now that Consort Liu brought it up, Yuan Changsheng thought for a moment, then his whole body trembled and he said, "Your Majesty, the Song Palace is keeping it a secret and forbidding anyone from making a sound. She personally escorted Consort Zhao out of the palace. I reckon Consort Zhao probably won't live long."

"The name Consort Lin used to refer to the First Prince was the one I harmed. I didn't lay a hand on him at all, and the First Prince never woke up. Consort Zhao was a veteran of the harem and had raised the Second Princess, which angered the Emperor, who secretly sent her to the Imperial Temple. This matter is no small thing."

Consort Liu frowned slightly as she slowly paced back and forth under the cherry blossom tree. She was both answering Yuan Changsheng's question and carefully dissecting and pondering each matter.

"At the time, Consort Hui was in front of us, so logically, she should have been the most likely person to push the eldest prince. However, Consort Hui had injured her head after being bumped by Consort Zhao, and her reaction wasn't particularly quick. Asking her to push the eldest prince was really putting her in a difficult position. Consort Zhao rushed to the Chui Gong Hall to find the Emperor, and her purpose in doing so was to pin the blame on Consort Hui. I guess she wanted to shift the blame for the eldest prince falling onto Consort Hui, which is why the Emperor summoned Consort Lin."

Yuan Changsheng recalled the commotion at the Imperial Hospital and said, "Consort Lin is seriously injured and has been staying with the First Prince. The imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital have been staying in the First and Second Princes' palaces. The Second Prince is conscious, but he is in great pain. There has been no movement from the First Prince. I think that if the First Prince wakes up, the prescriptions given by the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital will be different, and they will send someone to the Imperial Hospital to get the medicine."

He looked up at Consort Liu, surprise in his eyes. "Your Majesty didn't make a move, and Consort Hui couldn't have either, so it must be Consort Zhao. Consort Lin is certain that Consort Zhao is the real culprit, and she's pinning this on Your Majesty, killing two birds with one stone. Consort Lin is an extremely clever person; she wouldn't act rashly without absolute certainty. Your Majesty, what is Consort Lin planning?"

"What does she intend to do?" Consort Liu chuckled softly, her voice as cold as ice.

"Lin Yubi is giving me a heads-up. Xiao Yunrui is probably in grave danger. She has officially broken ties with me and it's a fight to the death!"

If that's true, Consort Liu wouldn't need to deal with Consort Lin. A Consort with only the title is not even as good as a favored concubine.

Yuan Changsheng said urgently, "Your Majesty, please do not act rashly! Consort Lin has gone mad, Your Majesty must not join her in her madness."

Consort Liu remained silent for a long while before letting out a soft sigh and saying, "Spring has come late this year."

Yuan Changsheng paused, a wave of sorrow washing over him, almost making him choke up. "The Lantern Festival has just passed, there's no rush."

"How can I not be anxious?" Consort Liu gently stroked her face, feeling sorry for herself, and said, "Spring goes and winter comes, year after year, day after day, endlessly. I hate winter nights the most, as if I will never see the light."

Yuan Changsheng stood with his back to the light, so his expression was not visible. Consort Liu did not need to look closely; seeing his injured left hand unconsciously hanging by his side, as if he had forgotten the pain, she knew he was blaming himself at that moment.

“I’m not complaining,” Consort Liu explained softly, as if to comfort him, or perhaps to mock herself: “It’s my own incompetence that made me think I was omnipotent and could plan everything perfectly. Unfortunately, even though I tried my best to proceed step by step, it was still extremely difficult.”

Yuan Changsheng slowly raised his head and said, "Your Majesty, it is my fault. I am not afraid of death, but I am afraid that something will happen to Your Majesty. I am clumsy and cannot compare with Your Majesty. I dare not offer any advice to Your Majesty. I only hope that Your Majesty will be careful."

"What's the use of being so careful all these years?" Consort Liu smiled sadly. Her eyes, which were usually very bright, were now covered with a layer of gray, and her bitterness was heartbreaking.

"I'm not reconciled, I'm not reconciled!" Consort Liu clutched her chest, feeling as if a stone was pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe.

She disliked the cold winter, disliked the darkness that prevented light from reaching her, and disliked being sickly every winter.

I still remember when we were at my parents' home, none of my brothers could match her in the six arts of a gentleman. Not to mention music, chess, calligraphy, painting, horseback riding, and archery, none of my brothers could match her.

What Consort Liu hated most was that her soul was trapped in this dark and twisted palace, trapped in her increasingly withered and aging body.

"Ah Tang is intelligent and quick-witted, ten or even a hundred times better than those good-for-nothings. It's a pity those idiots are men."

Consort Liu's expression gradually hardened, her eyes flashing with intense disgust and hatred. She flicked her sleeve and said, "Lin Yubi schemed and plotted, yet raised a vicious but incompetent creature. Zhao Qingying is exceptionally strong in both ambition and skill; like Lin Yubi, she treats that fat, mediocre fellow like a treasure. Jiang Ling is indeed compassionate, but utterly laughable. She acts like a bodhisattva in this harem; she's clever, but a bit slow-witted, far inferior to Lin Yubi and Zhao Qingying. The 'heaven' she relies on is utterly ridiculous."

Her eyes widened in confusion and bewilderment: "How could an emperor be so stupid and so arrogant? Every time I hear him speak, it's like being covered in filth and sticky insects. Even after washing myself over and over again, I still feel extremely uncomfortable."

Yuan Changsheng stood there frozen, while Consort Liu grew increasingly old and haggard, enduring her suffering deep within the palace. She could no longer endure it; like Consort Lin, she had long since gone mad.

“No matter what Lin Yubi’s intentions are, I am not afraid. We can’t wait any longer. Jiang Ling has moved into the Chuigong Hall, and we can’t wait until she’s truly independent. A-Tang is about to get married, and she can’t wait either.”

Consort Liu's eyes gradually regained their composure, and she said firmly and boldly, "The victor is king, the loser is villain; what is there to fear in life and death!"

*

Two days later, Jiang Ling was certain that her head was not seriously injured. However, she remained dizzy and listless all day.

The reason was simple: after the acupuncture, Emperor Yuanming was able to remain calm for a short while. Not long after, he began groaning in pain. Even during his quiet moments, he still had to review memorials, and high-ranking officials like Huang Xiang came to pay their respects and report on state affairs.

Jiang Ling also had to worry about Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunrui, and couldn't have a moment's peace. She wanted to move to a side room, but Emperor Yuanming was furious when he heard this and refused to let her leave no matter what.

Helpless, Jiang Ling could only try to make himself as comfortable as possible. Emperor Yuanming's clothes and bedding were changed frequently, all the incense burners in the room were moved away, and the windows were opened for ventilation.

That afternoon, after Wu Shishan finished administering acupuncture to Emperor Yuanming, the pain subsided somewhat, and he fell into a deep sleep. Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunrui also fell asleep, and Jiang Ling was finally able to rest for a while, going outside to get some fresh air under the eaves.

The sky was gloomy, with clouds seemingly hanging overhead. Jiang Ling stretched out his hand and felt a dampness, saying, "I'm afraid it's going to rain."

After explaining Huang Liang's prescription and the procedures for obtaining and preparing the medicine, Wu Shishan came to greet Jiang Ling and bid him farewell. Jiang Ling nodded in return and asked, "Your Highness, Second Prince, are the Imperial Concubine and Consort De any better?"

"The Second Prince is seriously injured. The wound on his right cheek may leave a scar. His right leg is also in trouble. We will know if he can walk normally once the bone injury heals. The Imperial Concubine's shoulder injury is even more serious than the Emperor's. She is in great pain. Even if she recovers, she will still feel uncomfortable when it is windy or rainy. The Consort De's condition is roughly the same as the Imperial Concubine's. She is in great pain every day."

Wu Shishan first described the condition of the three men. As for Xiao Yunrui, his expression became grave. He said, "He's been unconscious for so long without a drop of water. If he can wake up, he'll probably pull through. If he stays unconscious any longer, it'll be within the next couple of days."

Jiang Ling had anticipated Xiao Yunrui's injuries; if his brain was truly severely damaged, even Hua Tuo couldn't save him.

Xiao Yunrui is cruel and ruthless at a young age. He currently enjoys killing and torturing cats and dogs, but once he holds real power, he will kill for pleasure. In the Great Yin Dynasty, he is merely a prince or nobleman, a nobody, not worth mentioning.

"Sigh!" Jiang Ling sighed insincerely, wondering how Consort Lin would react.

Ever since the incident involving Consort Lin and Consort Liu, Jiang Ling's heart had been constantly uneasy. Whenever Prime Minister Zheng and other court officials came to see Emperor Yuanming, she would secretly hide behind a screen to eavesdrop. Unfortunately, Grand Secretary Wei and his group couldn't find any clues, while Xiao Yunjue was pushed down the steps by Xiao Yunrui.

Xiao Yunrui is still unconscious, and he insists on pursuing this relentlessly, firstly because he disregards brotherly affection, and secondly because he wants to hear Xiao Yunrui's explanation after he wakes up.

Consort Zhao was an extremely intelligent person. After Xiao Yunjue called out to her once, she never mentioned it again, lest she end up with a reputation for being mean and ungrateful.

Jiang Ling asked, "Is there any movement in the imperial court or the capital?"

Wu Shishan quickly looked around and lowered his voice, saying, "Zhao Shun got into trouble last time and was ordered to stay in his residence and not leave until the New Year. Zhao Shun and the Second Prince love to go to the entertainment districts, and every time they go, they are surrounded by a large entourage of guests. Smart families in the capital don't talk about it much and stay at home, so Zhao Shun has also stayed home. It's the people in the entertainment districts who can't make money, and those guests who are waiting to eat and drink, who are trying to find ways to go to Zhao Shun. Zhao Shun was bored in his residence, and after drinking a few cups of horse urine, he spilled everything. The entertainment districts are spreading all sorts of rumors, absurd and bizarre. They all basically revolve around brothers fighting for the throne and turning against each other."

Although the common people gossip and talk nonsense, their guesses are usually pretty accurate. Jiang Ling couldn't help but scoff; the Zhao family really was a hopeless case. No matter how capable Consort Zhao was, she couldn't withstand the Zhao family dragging them down.

After all, the Great Yin Dynasty valued etiquette and filial piety. They would not kill each other in a bloody struggle for the throne to make it known to the world, in order to show that the throne was obtained legitimately.

"What about the Lin family?" Jiang Ling asked.

Wu Shishan shook his head and said, "The Lin family has not made any moves and has kept silent about this matter, but is secretly searching for miracle doctors among the people."

The Lin family was highly skilled; their silence and search for renowned doctors were enough to give Consort Zhao a headache.

Just as Jiang Ling was about to ask about Consort Liu's situation, Imperial Physician Sun from the Imperial Hospital rushed over. Despite the cold weather, Imperial Physician Sun disregarded etiquette and was covered in sweat. Wu Shishan's expression turned slightly stern, and Jiang Ling was also taken aback. Seeing the palace servants about to step forward to stop them, he quickly waved his hand, "Let him come over."

The palace servants withdrew, and Imperial Physician Sun rushed forward, quickly bowed to Jiang Ling, and anxiously pulled Wu Shishan, saying, "Imperial Physician Wu, the First Prince requests your presence; you must hurry!"

Wu Shishan had no time to say more and hurriedly left with Physician Sun.

Jiang Ling pondered deeply, realizing that Xiao Yunrui's life was hanging by a thread. She quickly turned and went back to her room for a midday rest. If she delayed any longer, she wouldn't be able to rest peacefully.

Sure enough, after Jiang Ling had slept for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Huang Liang entered the room and woke Emperor Yuanming from his sleep: "Your Majesty, the eldest prince has passed away!"