Chapter 23 New Year's Eve

Although it was still a grand trip, this time, Huo Lin was not with Liu Xi.

Huo Lin was, after all, the commander of the Imperial Guards, and his duty was to stay in the palace to ensure the emperor's safety.

Lingshan Temple sits atop a high mountain, its form covered by heavy snow. From a distance, only a few red tiles can be vaguely seen, like red plum blossoms in the snow.

The temple was poor, but fortunately the Empress Dowager had arranged for people to make arrangements in advance, so that Liu Xi's residence did not look too shabby.

With nothing else to do, Liu Xi actually spent her days chanting and walking incense with the other monks at Lingshan Temple. Although it was meaningless, it made her days more fulfilling and busy.

Xia delivered palace news to Liu Xi every three days, as agreed in advance.

As Liu Xi read the secret letter, she couldn't help but chatter on and on, sharing it with Zhi Xiang.

"The Imperial Concubine really went to great lengths to protect the prince in her womb. She even asked the imperial physician for a prescription that could bring her to give birth two months earlier, just to forcibly change the birth date and time of her child."

Zhi Xiang sat cross-legged to the side, peeling chestnuts while guarding the bamboo basket.

"Could it be that His Majesty has agreed?"

Although it wasn't mentioned in the letter, Liu Xi firmly believed that the matter would not come to fruition.

"The Imperial Concubine has been scheming and plotting, but she has trapped herself in a dead end. If she wants to protect her child, she can only push the Imperial Observatory's supervisor to take the blame for deceiving the Emperor, which is a serious crime that can lead to the extermination of nine generations of one's family. The supervisor will definitely risk everything to reveal the truth. In the end, how do you think His Majesty will deal with this matter?"

"This time, the Imperial Concubine can only swallow her pride and bear it."

Zhi Xiang was overjoyed for a moment, but worry immediately returned to her mind.

"The Imperial Concubine has suffered such a great setback, wouldn't she take even greater revenge on the Princess?"

"What's there to be afraid of? I have the Empress Dowager backing me up."

Everything went as Liu Xi had predicted. Three days later, a letter arrived stating that His Majesty had personally bestowed upon the Imperial Concubine a medicine to induce miscarriage and promised to formally confer the title of Prince upon Liu Yan and adopt him into the Imperial Concubine's household on an auspicious day after New Year's Eve, as compensation for her loss of her child.

"What a pity. If I could see the Consort's despair after taking the medicine, I would feel so happy."

Liu Xi placed the letter on the candle and lit it, her gaze slightly forlorn.

"It's already the 28th, and New Year's Eve is just a few days away."

For Liu Xi, Lunar New Year's Eve is both a heart-wrenching pain and a rebirth.

Therefore, Liu Xi's feelings were complicated, and for a moment she couldn't tell whether she was more happy or more heartbroken.

She stared at the young monk in the courtyard, who was as usual, and sighed softly.

"Princess, how about I find a way to go down the mountain and buy some festive red silk?"

"What good is the red silk? Deliberately decorating for celebration only makes us seem out of place with the rest of Lingshan Temple."

Liu Xi rested her chin on her hands and sighed as she looked at the overcast sky.

"It's probably going to snow again."

The heavy snow continued for two days, until New Year's Eve. The entire road leading up and down the mountain was covered by a thick layer of snow, so Zhixiang had no chance to go down the mountain to buy things.

On this special day of Lunar New Year's Eve, Liu Xi lit three incense sticks before the Buddha and prayed for peace, good fortune, and all things going well.

As soon as she lowered her clasped hands, Liu Xi felt a pang of regret.

She had finally managed to ask for something, but she had to choose the one that was hardest to fulfill immediately. If only she had just silently wished for a surprise to happen this New Year's Eve.

And so, Liu Xi gradually became depressed and listless, looking gloomy and wandering around the courtyard until it got dark.

Zhixiang lit a lamp in the room and called out softly.

"Princess, it's getting dark and cold outside. Why don't you come inside?"

Liu Xi sat under the eaves. The heavy snow had stopped, and the sky revealed its true appearance after a long time.

She was patiently counting the bright stars in the sky when suddenly, a huge firework exploded in the very center of the sky.

Immediately afterwards, fireworks shot into the night sky and exploded brilliantly, filling the dark sky with colorful hues.

Liu Xi stood up in surprise and slowly walked to the center of the courtyard, her eyes not daring to leave the fireworks for even a second, for fear that they would vanish like a dream.

Unbeknownst to Liu Xi, Zhi Xiang quietly slipped out of the room and then slipped out through the side gate of the courtyard, leaving Liu Xi and the uninvited guest plenty of space to be alone.

A long-lost smile finally appeared on Liu Xi's face. She twirled and danced in the courtyard under the light of the fireworks, and then spun into the warm embrace of that person.

Liu Xi was startled and turned around in a panic, only to find that Huo Lin was standing next to her.

She subconsciously rubbed her eyes. "Am I dreaming?"

Huo Lin was no longer dressed in all black as usual. Instead, he wore a dark red splendid robe with gold patterns embroidered on the cuffs and collar. Even the crown on his head was much more elaborate.

It was freezing cold, and Huo Lin had been walking for an unknown amount of time; his nose and ears were red from the cold.

He helped Liu Xi steady herself and they looked up at the sky together.

"Does the princess like it?"

Liu Xi paused for a moment, then chuckled.

"Who wouldn't love such beautiful fireworks?"

"I should have realized it was you. Only the general would prepare these things for me."

Suddenly, Liu Xi turned around and looked at Huo Lin in surprise.

"The heavy snow buried the mountain path, how did the general get up here?"

Huo Lin did not answer until the fireworks stopped blooming in the sky, then he whispered something.

"Princess, I have brought some delicious food for Your Highness."

Liu Xi stepped into the room, but Zhi Xiang was nowhere to be seen. A delicate food box had been placed on the table.

After several days at Lingshan Temple, Liu Xi's stomach was completely empty from the bland vegetarian food. Now, when she suddenly smelled the enticing aroma of meat, she almost drooled.

"Such a lavish feast, General, you didn't rob His Majesty's kitchen before you came, did you?"

Before her lay a feast of delicacies, a perfect blend of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty flavors. Liu Xi picked up a small piece of pork rib and put it in her mouth. Before she could even chew it properly, it was gone in a few bites.

Huo Lin pulled out a chair so that the princess could sit down and eat, while he sat opposite Liu Xi and occasionally served her food.

Before heading up the mountain, Huo Lin had put a lot of thought into anticipating many topics to discuss.

But when he actually faced Liu Xi, he couldn't utter a single word.

Huo Lin quietly watched Liu Xi's every move, as if he could be satisfied just by doing so.

Liu Xi ate half her fill in one go before noticing that Huo Lin was staring intently at her.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed and uncomfortable, she hesitated for a moment before choosing an extremely conservative way to begin.

"What brings you here today, General?"

“Lingshan Temple is a remote and desolate place. I wish the princess to have a good New Year.”

Liu Xi's chopsticks trembled as she picked up food, and a piece of crab meat fell onto the table.

Huo Lin immediately started peeling new ones, completely unaware that his earlier words had made Liu Xi look like a fully cooked shrimp.

"What about His Majesty..."

When does Your Highness plan to return to the palace?

Huo Lin and Liu Xi spoke at the same time, but Huo Lin's tone was clearly more urgent.

"We just have to wait for the right time, the right place, and the right people."

"I boasted to His Majesty that I would not return to the capital until the blizzard in Ningbei stopped. Even if the weather is not cooperating, the snow will melt in the spring."

"Spring is here..."

After a moment of silence, Huo Lin spoke again.

"Although the Consort lost her child, His Majesty still did not let go of his suspicions about the demonic calamity."

“The Imperial Observatory worked even harder every day to petition His Majesty, earnestly requesting that His Majesty treat all people equally in order to prevent future troubles.”

"Treat everyone equally, that's what the Imperial Concubine taught him, isn't it?"

Liu Xi put down her chopsticks, having lost her appetite.

"The Empress Dowager will take action. Before I left, the Empress Dowager already knew that the Consort had plotted against her and would not let her kill me again."

"Can……"

Huo Lin hesitated for a moment, but Liu Xi quickly said, "General, please speak freely."

“This matter cannot be delayed. Before His Majesty’s doubts are resolved, he may remain silent on the surface, but he will secretly condone everyone’s actions to harm you, Princess.”

"His Majesty is your father. To personally order the death of his own child is an act of utter disrespect to the world. You can only wait for someone else to do it for him."

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Liu Xi understood, of course.

"Actually, this is also the reason why the general came here today. It is New Year's Eve, the day I died in my dream."

Huo Lin remained noncommittal and silently lowered his head.

Don't worry.

Liu Xi's sudden, lighthearted remark made Huo Lin look up at her curiously, only to see Liu Xi wink at him mysteriously.

"This princess was prepared."

The two sat facing each other by the lamp until midnight, when Zhixiang gently knocked on the door from outside.

"Princess, the time is almost here."

Before leaving the palace, the Empress Dowager secretly entrusted her with a squad of personal guards.

The Empress Dowager's original intention was to enable Liu Xi to protect herself even when she was alone, but Liu Xi did not want to waste this good opportunity.

The concubine lost her child and, in her fury, would inevitably harbor murderous intent towards herself. The emperor, who suspected himself of being possessed by a demon, would also tacitly approve of the concubine's actions.

Since this assassination is inevitable, it's better to make it happen faster and more suddenly.

It also has more flaws.

If it fails once, trying a second time would be an open challenge to the dignity of the royal family. At that point, even if the emperor wanted Liu Xi dead, he would be unable to do so.

Since Liu Xi was assassinated and returned to the palace, she has sent people to investigate Zhang Feng's connection with the bandits in the mountains. Using the intelligence left by Wang Shi, she successfully contacted one of the bandits in secret under the name of the prefect of the capital.

Under Liu Xi's arrangement, a grand "assassination" will be staged at Lingshan Temple tonight.

Liu Xi drank the last sip of tea in her bowl, stood up, and straightened her skirt.

"General Huo, if you appear before me again tonight, it will be a clear message to His Majesty that you stand on my side."

Huo Lin almost without hesitation knelt down in front of Liu Xi, his piety as if he were worshipping the god he believed in.

"Your Highness, I will not only stand on your side, but I will also follow you openly and honestly."

A sudden burst of firelight outside signaled an attack by the bandits.

Liu Xi helped Huo Lin up from the ground with both hands, a beautiful smile curving her lips.

"Then I thank the general in advance. I am deeply grateful for your kindness."