Chapter 292 Why

Emperor Jingping's recovery was slow, and his condition fluctuated.

The delightful songs and dances in the palace were gone, and the incense-making pavilion that Emperor Jingping often visited fell silent. Taoist priests began to appear frequently in the palace.

The imperial Taoist temples, including several famous ones, were frequently visited by Emperor Jingping, who would listen to the Taoist masters expound on scriptures, discuss Taoism, and talk about longevity.

The pleasant and varied incense used in the palace was gradually replaced by sandalwood.

Such changes were noticed by both the imperial court and the harem.

The concubines in the palaces, those with children, quietly reminded their children to be careful with their words and actions, while those without children became even more quiet and low-key.

They didn't know if Emperor Jingping would recover, or how long this peace would last. The dark clouds that had initially dispersed above the palace after Consort Yu's death were gathering again, and no one knew when a thunderbolt would strike.

Just like this rainy spring and summer.

Compared to the oppressive and stifling atmosphere in the harem, the officials were in a much better mood.

While His Majesty's health is indeed a cause for concern, fortunately, the Crown Prince is overseeing the country, and during this period, the Crown Prince has handled state affairs quite appropriately.

Indeed, His Highness the Crown Prince is twenty-six this year, several years older than the current Emperor was when he ascended the throne.

The minister who realized this immediately reminded himself not to think too deeply about it, as it was too rebellious. However, a glance or a look between him and his colleagues could inadvertently reveal a tacit understanding.

Somehow, rumors began to circulate that the Crown Prince was more virtuous than Emperor Jingping.

On the first day of the fourth lunar month, when officials were on holiday, Qiu Heng invited Xue Han to go boating.

We weren't swimming in Qinglian Lake, but in the Bibo River.

The weather is pleasant at this time of year, with boats coming and going on the river, vendors hawking their wares along the banks, boatmen selling their wares from their boats, and the occasional faint singing.

Qiu Heng tilted her head slightly, letting the breeze caress her face: "This Bibo River is much more lively than Qinglian Lake."

Xue Han coughed and said, "Qinglian Lake is quite lively too."

He had heard many ghost stories.

"Xue Han, let's play a little longer today."

Xue Han happily agreed, but then noticed that the person next to him seemed a little distracted.

He docked the boat and bought some candied hawthorns. Aheng took a bite and then held the candied hawthorns in her hand, forgetting to eat them. He bought a bouquet of flowers from the boatwoman. Aheng took the flowers and let go of them while they were chatting.

Xue Han caught the flowers that were about to fall into the river.

"Ah Heng, are you feeling unwell?"

Qiu Heng paused for a moment, then nodded slightly: "I am feeling a little unwell."

"Then I'll take you back; you've been out for quite a while."

Qiu Heng looked up at the magnificent sunset in the sky, then looked away and said, "Okay."

Xue Han escorted Qiu Heng to the gate of the Yongqing Marquis's residence and said goodbye to her.

Qiu Heng asked, "Are you going home or to the yamen?"

"Go to the government office. Although it's a day off today, the Imperial City Guard often has unexpected matters to handle."

"Then don't overwork yourself. If—"

"What do you mean?" Xue Han asked, looking into Qiu Heng's eyes.

"If you're not busy tomorrow, let's go eat noodles together after you finish your work. I found a new noodle shop in Fangzhou that's said to be excellent."

What you really want to ask, you can't ask out loud.

Xue Han unconsciously smiled and said, "I shouldn't be too busy. I'll send you a message when the time comes."

Qiu Heng walked into the Earl's mansion under Xue Han's watchful eye and sat down in the pavilion on her way back to Lengxiang Residence.

Bells hang from the eaves of the four-cornered pavilion; they chime melodiously in the breeze. Outside, flowers bloom in profusion, and the scenery is beautiful.

Qiu Heng rested her chin on her hand, her gaze drifting towards the outside of the pavilion, but not settling on anything in particular.

Something's not right.

According to the book, Emperor Jingping passed away at noon today.

The death of an emperor is like the collapse of a mountain, and it is almost evening now, so why is there no movement at all?

Could I have remembered it wrong?

Impossible. Those key people and events are deeply etched in my mind; I would never forget them.

Was it because Emperor Jingping's death was too sudden that the timing of the bell-ringing announcement was disputed?

No, the Crown Prince has been overseeing the country for some time and is highly regarded. It's not a chaotic situation where there's no successor after the emperor's death.

Why is that?

After ruling out various speculations, only one answer remains: the only reason everything is calm is that Emperor Jingping is not dead.

Emperor Jingping didn't die?

After speculating to this point, even more doubts arose in my mind.

Why didn't he die?

Is his physical condition better than it was originally expected? Has the elixir he took changed? Or did Xue Quan not offer the elixir at all?

In any case, the expectation that the incompetent emperor would die as recorded in the books and that the crown prince would succeed him was dashed.

Dark clouds drifted across the sky, thunder rumbled, and soon a torrential downpour began.

Qiu Heng seemed oblivious to the thunder and rain, remaining seated in the pavilion.

She intervened and changed the Crown Prince's untimely death. She did nothing, and Emperor Jingping did not die.

A sense of absurdity enveloped the girl in the pavilion. Even though the torrential rain didn't fall on her, she seemed like a traveler walking through an endless curtain of rain.

"Sixth Sister, what are you doing here?" Qiu Ying closed her umbrella, shook off the water droplets, and walked into the pavilion.

"Why did Fifth Sister come out in the rain?"

"Tangyuan ran away, and I was worried, so I brought people out to look for her. I saw Sixth Sister sitting in the pavilion, so I came to check on her."

Tangyuan is Qiuying's tabby cat.

Qiu Heng casually explained, "I was sitting here enjoying the scenery when I got stuck in the rain."

"Then I'll take you back to Lengxiang Residence first."

"Fifth Sister, did you have that nightmare you had before, or did you have it again?"

Qiu Heng's question came suddenly, and Qiu Ying was taken aback before shaking her head: "I've never had such a scary dream again."

Seeing Qiu Heng's puzzled expression, Qiu Ying moved closer: "Sixth Sister, is something on your mind?"

Qiu Heng remained silent for a long time before saying, "If something was supposed to happen but ultimately didn't, why do you think it would happen, Fifth Sister?"

"Why?" Qiu Ying found the question strange, but thinking about the vivid nightmare that Qiu Heng had just mentioned, she casually said, "There must be something different. For example, the biggest difference between my nightmare and reality is that my sixth sister is not in the nightmare."

"Different," Qiu Heng murmured in her heart.

The biggest difference is that the crown prince is still alive!

If the Crown Prince is alive, he will smoothly ascend the throne once Emperor Jingping dies. But if the Crown Prince is not here—Qiu Heng clenched her fist tightly.

Without a crown prince, the young fifth prince succeeded to the throne upon the death of Emperor Jingping.

Who didn't want Emperor Jingping to die at this time? Was it the forces behind the Fifth Prince? Enemy states hoping for turmoil in the Great Xia regime? Or someone else?

"Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Fifth Sister."

Qiu Ying was completely confused: "I didn't say anything. Sixth Sister, this rain isn't going to stop anytime soon, let me take you home."

"good."

Qiu Ying opened her umbrella, tilted it mostly towards Qiu Heng, and they stepped into the rain together.

"Fifth Sister, move the umbrella over to your side."

“I’m fine with getting a little rain, but my sixth sister has been sick for a long time and needs to take good care of herself.”

The two walked further and further away under the bamboo umbrella until it was completely dark.

After a night of wind and rain, the next day the rain stopped and the sun came out. Qiu Heng had no patience to wait for Xue Han to send a message, so she went directly to wait outside the Imperial City Guard.

The Imperial City Guard is located in the Imperial City, outside the Palace City. The familiar vermilion palace walls are right in front of you. After Consort Yu died, she should rarely step into the palace anymore.

Thinking this, Qiu Heng waited for Xue Han to come out.

(End of this chapter)