life and death
When Lin Xu was brought to the main hall of Changchun Palace, his body had not fully recovered, and his legs were still trembling slightly when he walked.
The palace was resplendent with gold and jade. She had been here once before, but at that time, she was filled with the joy and ambition of getting close to her enemy and marrying him. Now, seeing such dazzling furnishings again, she was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions, which made her breathing quicken.
"Your Majesty, Madam Dou wishes to personally express her gratitude to you."
On the high steps of the main hall ahead, the Empress, dressed in a bright yellow robe, leaned against the jade couch. Her hair was tied up high like clouds, with gold hairpins hanging halfway down her temples. A vermilion dot between her eyebrows resembled a cold star. She was truly elegant and noble, as radiant as a peony.
"oh?"
Upon hearing this, the Empress pursed her lips slightly but smiled gently, "The snow is cold, and Madam Dou is pregnant. You've already woken up? Please, have a seat."
Lin Xu stepped forward slowly with the palace maid beside him, and was about to bow in greeting when the Empress lightly raised her jade finger:
"Oh, now that you're pregnant, there's no need for such formalities."
Before she finished speaking, a palace servant quietly brought her a chair and a pot of tea.
Lin Xu lowered her head and remained silent. The Empress, thinking she was feeling uneasy, smiled softly and said:
"Madam Dou, there's no need for such formality before me. You risked your life to plead for Princess Kunrou, and even while pregnant, you knelt to express your sincere devotion. Such loyalty and courage have spread throughout the entire Dayu. Who would have thought that such righteousness came from such a frail woman? I truly admire you."
Suddenly, a series of rapid coughs rang out from the corner.
Lin Xu then realized that he had been so preoccupied with the Empress that he hadn't noticed a beautiful woman in plain clothes reclining against the back of a chair on the side seat, her face pale.
With such a weary face, who could recognize that this was the once all-powerful Princess Chang, who was known for her beauty that "every smile and frown was more beautiful than the most beautiful woman in the city, making all the crabapple blossoms pale in comparison"?
Lin Xu hurriedly tried to get up to pay her respects, but the princess covered her mouth with a handkerchief, signaling her to stop. Her phoenix eyes were filled with melancholy.
Now that Liao Yan has disappeared without a trace, the most anxious person is none other than her mother. The princess was without any makeup, wearing only a light silver dress, her skin as white as snow, and she coughed lightly a few times, looking sickly.
Since Princess Kunrou disappeared during the southern expedition, she has removed her gold jewelry and abandoned her elaborate makeup, and she seems to have aged five years overnight.
She gazed silently at Lin Xu's slender yet stubborn figure, momentarily lost in thought. Was this the woman Kunrou cherished most, the one she cared about most?
The princess paused for a moment as she looked at Lin Xu, her gaze slowly settling on the gemstone on Lin Xu's right hand that reflected the golden light of the hall.
Ye'er actually gave her the whole ring...
I used to worry that Ye'er would follow in my footsteps, which is why I always used my authority to suppress her and force her to stay away from politics and military affairs. But what has happened? Things have never gone according to her wishes... and now we've reached a point where we both suffer losses.
Her heart was filled with endless regret! If only she had been gentler with Ye'er back then, and had explained to her more carefully the difficulties ahead, perhaps Ye'er wouldn't have been so eager to make a name for herself and prove her worth...
The princess suppressed the bitterness in her heart, pressed her handkerchief against her throat as she coughed again, and murmured absently with unfocused eyes:
"Good child, come forward. Let me take a good look at you."
Looking at the princess before her, so different from before, Lin Xu felt a pang of sadness. She silently rose and slowly walked towards the front of the hall. The hall was covered with an incredibly thick velvet carpet, so quiet that not a single footstep could be heard.
She finally stood before the eldest princess. Lin Xu bowed deeply, her voice clear yet tinged with grief.
"Your Highness, I understand your grief... The Princess will return safely."
The haggard-looking woman in front of him sighed, but then reached out and gently stroked her shoulder, her fingers icy cold.
"You're willing to do this for her, your sincerity is undeniable. No wonder Ye'er likes you so much..."
The princess's voice was filled with sorrow and exhaustion, her eyes already dry. She spoke, word by word:
"If Ye'er doesn't come back, you can come to live under my care and become my adopted daughter, okay?"
The hall fell silent; even a few specks of incense ash gently fell onto the jade plate at that moment. The Empress pursed her lips and soothed the situation:
"Your Highness is overwhelmed with grief. Ye'er will be alright..."
Lin Xu was filled with fear and didn't know how to refuse. Just as she was about to speak, she saw the princess's cold hand brush against her cheek, then move upwards to stop at her brow bone. Before she could think of words to refuse, the princess said:
"Good child, are you willing?"
Lin Xu hurriedly lowered her eyes. She had no other selfish motives in doing all this for Liao Yan, nor did she intend to climb the social ladder by attaching herself to the Princess during such a grief-stricken time. Finding Kunrou was the most important thing right now.
She opened her mouth, but felt a chill between her brows, which made her heart tremble slightly.
Those were eyes filled with unbearable grief. How could she possibly refuse this mother who had just lost her child at this moment?
She sighed softly in her heart, slowly bowed, and said respectfully, "Your subject... dares not disobey."
The hall was silent for a long time. Perhaps she was momentarily dazed, but Lin Xu clearly felt the Empress's body tremble slightly. After a long while, she returned to her usual gentle demeanor and sighed softly, "In that case, I must congratulate my elder sister on the birth of her goddaughter."
As soon as the words were spoken, all the palace servants in Changchun Palace bowed their heads and said in unison, "Congratulations to Her Highness the Princess on the birth of her goddaughter!"
.
Under the eaves of Changchun Palace, the snow continued to fall, a thin layer of frost covered the eaves tiles, and several incredibly sharp icicles formed under the corridor.
Dou Yanxun stood in front of the hall, pacing anxiously. His usually tall figure was almost crushed by the wind and snow, and the pain and anxiety in his eyes were almost overflowing.
"Lord Dou, please calm down..."
The palace servants waiting outside the hall simply repeated the same sentence expressionlessly, causing the veins on his forehead to bulge.
He thought that everything would be over when the emperor issued that imperial edict, but who could have imagined that he would lose his focus for a moment and Xuxu would disappear in front of everyone!
When he found out, he was filled with panic and didn't know what to do. Dou Huaisheng came over and whispered in his ear, "He was taken away by His Majesty's men."
Hearing this, he became even more frightened, feeling as if his legs had instantly lost all strength. But then he saw Dou Huaisheng's face darken, and he said coldly, "Remember, don't act impulsively! This is the path she chose herself!"
Dou Yanxun didn't know how he had survived the morning court session, and he deduced that Lin Xu was probably still alright, but was in imminent danger. He was filled with remorse and almost couldn't breathe from the pain. It was Duan Jinru, who was wearing armor, who noticed his panic and took advantage of the chaos to come over and calmly utter a few words.
"Lord Dou, she has been rescued by the Empress."
He waited quietly outside Changchun Palace, his fists clenched. He dared not think that if anything happened to Lin Xu... he would rush in immediately to pay for her life!
Just when Dou Yanxun could no longer bear it, he suddenly saw a woman in white slowly walk out of the palace gate amidst the falling snow, and he was naturally very familiar with that figure.
"Lifelike".
Lin Xu lowered her eyes as she stepped onto the jade steps in front of the door. When she looked up and saw Dou Yanxun, her previously calm face was instantly filled with a look that was half sorrow and half joy.
"My husband..."
She walked quickly toward him, but before she got close, he pulled her into his arms.
His satisfied sigh echoed in her ears, yet it was filled with regret. "Never again, I will never let you do that again..."
Lin Xu was exhausted. Nothing could compare to his embrace and the light yet incredibly comforting scent that entered his nose.
"It's my fault."
She had acted impulsively today and learned her lesson well enough. She knew better than anyone that if things had gone even slightly off course, she would already be meeting the King of Hell by now...
She really took a risk before realizing how fortunate she was to be alive, to have a lover, and to have family by her side.
Lin Xu closed his eyes, and two streams of hot tears soaked Dou Yanxun's collar, making him feel a lump in his throat as well.
"Let's go home."
She gave a soft "Mmm," and he reached out to adjust her collar, took off his cloak, draped it over her shoulders, and tied her bow. It was a simple gesture, yet his long, slender fingers trembled slightly, his movements restrained yet gentle.
The two embraced and were about to take a step when they suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats coming from the wide palace road not far in front of them.
That was the sound of horses' hooves, only heard when urgent reports came from the palace.
Their clasped hands trembled slightly.
Within this palace with its red walls and green tiles, and its four-sided sky, life and death are separated by only a moment. The two had only enjoyed a brief moment of tenderness and peace. Now, if anything were to happen again, Lin Xu would have no strength left to bear it.
But the sound of galloping hooves did not stop, but came rushing through the air, the sound of their footsteps on the snow like pebbles hitting jade, galloping along the imperial road, stirring up a trail of unmelted snow dust.
Under the blazing sun, a courier in a palace robe rode up, while in the distance, the palace gates were wide open, and several eunuchs rushed out to greet him.
The rider shouted loudly, his voice echoing throughout the crowd:
"Report! Urgent news from the border! Her Highness the Princess has returned in triumph!"
"General He and his entourage are all safe and sound. The princess has just entered the capital. The other generals are all safe and sound and are entering the palace with the ceremonial procession!"
Lin Xu stopped in her tracks, raising her head in disbelief. It was as if a thunderclap in the light had struck her heart. She felt a jolt in her chest, as if even the howling wind beside her had stopped.
That's great...that's great...
It's amazing that Kunrou and Liang Zhengyuan are safe and sound. How can this not be a miracle? They've finally returned!
Dou Yanxun also let out a long breath, and he couldn't help but turn around to look at Lin Xu beside him.
The sunlight made the watery eyes sparkle, with a brilliance that rivaled any pearl or jade.
She shines brighter than anything else in the world.
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