A place where people eat people
In the study room of the eastern warm pavilion of Zichen Palace, the scent of ink was so strong that it overwhelmed the lingering smell of medicine.
When Ning Lingyi walked in, she saw a small figure. The Crown Prince Ning Chengji was sitting upright, facing the spread-out "Classic of Yao" with his brows furrowed. This position was once occupied by the Crown Prince Ning Yanqing.
"Chengji." Ning Lingyi called out as she walked lightly.
Ning Chengji looked up when he heard the voice, and when he saw it was her, a hint of relief flashed across his eyes, and then his face tensed up again.
He immediately put down his pen, stood up, and bowed meticulously: "Chengji asks about aunt's health."
Ning Lingyi quickly stepped forward, helped him up, and sat down beside him. Her eyes swept over the book: "Are you reading the Classic of Yao? Is this the homework assigned by the Emperor?"
"Yes, aunt." Ning Chengji sat down again, his hands still placed neatly on his knees, and said softly, "Grandpa Emperor said that Chengji must first understand the virtues of the ancient sages and wise men in governing the world."
"Well, that's a good point." Ning Lingyi looked at his slightly pale face, the lingering panic in his eyes, and softened her voice, "But Chengji, this isn't the East Palace study. Are you used to studying with Grandpa Huang? Are you tired?"
This concern, like a fine needle, gently pierced the child's forced composure. Ning Chengji's long eyelashes trembled violently. He quickly raised his eyes to glance at the palace attendant at the door, then quickly lowered his head, his voice almost inaudible, "It's a habit. Grandpa Emperor treats Chengji very well. It's just..."
He paused, and with a hint of tears in his voice, he said, "I'm just a little scared at night."
Ning Lingyi reached out her hand and gently placed it on her nephew's cold little hand: "What are you afraid of? We have Grandpa Emperor, Grandma, and Auntie here."
Ning Chengji's hands trembled slightly beneath her palms. He practically lunged forward, tightly grasping Ning Lingyi's sleeves. He buried his little head in her arms, and his sobbing voice quickly entered Ning Lingyi's ears: "Aunt, I miss Father! I miss Father so much. They said Father is sick in the West Garden, and they won't let me see him...Aunt, Father, will Father die?"
The child's tears were hot and soaked her sleeves. Ning Lingyi hugged his trembling little body and was silent for a moment.
She could have just sat back and watched, but when she thought of the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess, and then looked at the Crown Prince in front of her, she sighed in her heart.
She patted Ning Chengji's back gently, her voice unusually calm, carrying a soothing power: "Chengji, don't be afraid. Father is just sick and needs to rest. Auntie will take you to see him, okay?"
The gates of the West Garden Palace were closed, and the guards on duty saw the Crown Prince and Princess Mingzhu.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! Absolutely not! Your Majesty has issued a strict order..."
Ning Lingyi protected Ning Chengji behind her: "The Crown Prince wants to visit the Crown Prince. It's only natural for a son to visit his father. Get out of the way! I will bear all consequences!"
She said no more, took Ning Chengji's slightly cold little hand, ignored the guards blocking the door, and walked straight forward. The guards were frightened by her momentum and subconsciously took half a step back.
The courtyard was littered with fallen leaves, and the door of the main hall was half open, exuding a depressing smell.
"Father!" Ning Chengji broke free from Ning Lingyi's hand and rushed in crying.
In the dim light, Ning Yanqing huddled in an armchair, his cheeks sunken and his eyes hollow. Hearing the voice, he seemed unconvinced. Then, hearing footsteps, he slowly turned his head, his gaze settling on the small figure.
"Chengji?!" His voice was hoarse and dry. He jumped up from the chair, but staggered due to weakness.
He almost pounced on his son and hugged him tightly in his arms. The force was so great that Ning Chengji almost couldn't breathe.
"Father! Father!" Ning Chengji hugged his father's emaciated body tightly and burst into tears, "I miss you so much! I'm so scared! They said you were sick..."
Ning Yanqing greedily felt his son's soft body. A huge pain rushed to the tip of his nose. His throat choked, tears welled up, and he sobbed suppressedly: "Chengji, my son, father is fine... It's fine..."
He raised his head and saw Ning Lingyi at the door. A hint of humble hope ignited in his eyes, and his voice trembled: "Mingzhu? Did you bring Chengji here? Did the emperor send you here? Are you going to let me out?"
Ning Lingyi looked at the pleading in her brother's eyes, her heart heavy as she slowly shook her head, "Royal brother, Father only asked the Crown Prince to rest in the Western Garden. I saw that Chengji missed you so much, so I brought him to see you."
"Rest..." The light in Ning Yanqing's eyes dimmed instantly, his arms around his son loosened a little, and a bitter look appeared on his face.
He lowered his head, caressing his son's little face, his voice filled with concern: "Chengji, where is your mother? Is she okay? And you are in the Eastern Palace, have they given you any trouble? Eastern Palace, Eastern Palace is now..."
"Mother is fine. Grandmother is protecting Mother and Ji'er." Ning Chengji replied with sobs, his small hands tightly clutching his father's clothes. "Ji'er is with Grandpa Huang. Grandpa Huang has sent Ji'er to study in Zichen Palace..."
"Purple Palace? Studying?" Ning Yanqing's hand that was stroking his son's cheek suddenly stopped, and his eyes froze.
He looked at Ning Lingyi, his voice suddenly rising with sharp suspicion: "Father, he let Chengji study in the Purple Palace? Where is Grand Tutor Zhang? Where is Secretary Chen? They didn't say anything?"
Ning Chengji was frightened by his father's sudden change in tone. He trembled and said timidly, "Master Zhang, I haven't seen Ji'er. I heard from the palace people that Chen Zhanshi seems to have been suspended..."
"Suspended?" Ning Yanqing felt like he had been hit hard, and the last bit of hope he had was shattered.
He suddenly pushed his son away from his arms. Ning Chengji screamed and fell heavily to the ground.
Ning Yanqing stumbled back, staring intently at his son on the ground. He then suddenly looked at Ning Lingyi, his face twisted. "Good, what a good father! What a good rest! How can he let me go? He wants to completely destroy me! Chengji, he wants to help you get promoted. He doesn't even have the last bit of hope for me. He doesn't want me anymore. He wants to give you everything I have. My position is all yours!"
"No! Father, no!" Ning Chengji was frightened by his father's ferocious appearance. He finally found his voice and cried out, "Ji'er doesn't want it. Ji'er only wants father. Ji'er doesn't want anything! I just want father to come back!"
"Royal brother!" Ning Lingyi stepped forward and stood in front of Ning Chengji. "Open your eyes and look. Chengji is your son. He loves you with all his heart and came to see you despite the ban! But what about you? Do you still remember that you are a father? You vent your resentment on a child who only has you in his heart. Royal brother, how foolish and pathetic you are!"
The prince was silent for a moment, then raised his head and retorted, "Foolish? Pathetic? Mingzhu, that's easy for you to say! This royal family is a place where people are eaten. Since ancient times, if a prince can't ascend the throne, he will die! It chewed me up and didn't even spit out the bones. What did I do wrong?! I just don't want to die. I don't want to be abandoned like a dog."
He flailed his arms wildly like a drowning man, trying to grab onto something to justify his struggle.
Ning Lingyi looked at his frantic and painful expression, her heart heavy. "Brother, look at Chengji. What did he do wrong? He only cares about his father. He is not your enemy, he is your blood. Are you so blinded by fear that you want to destroy even the last bit of sincerity with your own hands?"
"Ruined? Hahaha..." Ning Yanqing laughed bitterly, tears mixed with the stains on his face and flowed down, "It's been ruined a long time ago! It was ruined from the day I set foot in this Xiyuan! Sincerity? In this damn place, how much is sincerity worth? Can it buy me out? Can it exchange me for the position of crown prince? No! None of them, it will only make me die faster and more ugly!"
His gaze fell on Ning Chengji again. The child was crying so hard that he almost died. His little face was full of fear, as if he was looking at a monster.
"No... no..." He shook his head frantically, as if trying to get rid of something terrible. His eyes were dull and he didn't dare to look at his son lying on the ground again.
He stumbled and turned, stumbling into the deeper darkness of the hall. His back was hurried and was instantly swallowed by the shadows.
Ning Lingyi bent down and picked up the frightened Ning Chengji. The child's hands were cold and stiff. He clutched her clothes tightly and buried his face deeply in the crook of her neck. His little body was still shaking violently, and his sobs were fragmented and terrified.
She hugged him, turned around, and strode out of the cage without looking back. The heavy palace door slowly closed behind them, isolating the two worlds.
Unexpectedly, that night, chaos broke out in the side hall of the Zichen Palace.
Crown Prince Ning Chengji had a high fever, his little face flushed red, and he curled up in a ball in the quilt, mumbling incoherently, sometimes "Father, don't be afraid", sometimes "Father, don't", and cold sweat soaked his pajamas.
The imperial physician came in and out. The queen hurried over after hearing the news and stood by the bed. Her face was as solemn as iron, holding her grandson's hot little hand.
When the news reached Xuehan Palace, Concubine Yu was pruning a pot of orchids. Upon hearing the details, the golden scissors in her hand fell to the blue brick floor with a clang.
The color drained from her face, and her eyes were filled with undisguised horror: "You took Chengji to the Western Garden? Trespassing into the forbidden area?"
Without any hesitation, she grabbed Ning Lingyi's wrist with such force that Ning Lingyi frowned slightly: "Come, follow me to apologize to the Queen!"
The atmosphere in Fengyi Palace was depressing.
The queen sat in the main seat, her face as gloomy as water and her eyes filled with deep fatigue.
Imperial Concubine Yu knelt and said, "I, your concubine, have failed to teach my daughter well. I was so audacious that I dared to encourage the Crown Prince to trespass into the forbidden area, disturbing his rest and causing him to become frightened and ill! I have brought Mingzhu here to apologize to Your Majesty! I accept your punishment!"
She lowered her posture very low, and her tone was full of fear.
Ning Lingyi also knelt down with her mother, bowing her head. "This all happened because of Lingyi's momentary weakness and lack of consideration. She took Chengji with her without authorization, disturbing the emperor and causing Chengji to suffer a shock. Lingyi acknowledges her mistake and is willing to accept any punishment. Please, my sister-in-law, please forgive me."
The queen was silent, her eyes fixed on the mother and daughter kneeling on the ground. The palace was so quiet that one could hear their heartbeats.
After a long while, the queen slowly spoke: "Get up."
Concubine Yu and Ning Lingyi were both stunned and looked up in disbelief.
"Chengji is young, but he still harbors an inseparable admiration for his father. This is human nature." The Queen's gaze turned toward the side hall, as if she could see through the wall to her grandson lying on the sickbed. "This time, let him see it with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears, and feel it for himself."
She withdrew her gaze and fixed it on Ning Lingyi. The look in her eyes was complex and incomprehensible, with scrutiny and consideration, and finally, a barely perceptible recognition was revealed.
"Untapped, the abscess will remain a false illusion, forever. He must understand the coldness and unbearableness behind the veil of tenderness in this deep palace. This unwavering admiration today will be a sharp sword hanging over his head tomorrow, a weapon for others to criticize him. You have helped him, allowing him to experience this pain and see the reality clearly."
Ning Lingyi understood. When she took the Crown Prince to the Western Garden, no one stopped them along the way. Given the Queen's regard for the Crown Prince, if the Queen was unwilling, she would have been stopped long ago. This was tacitly approved by the Queen and even the Emperor.
What the Queen wants is not a fig leaf of tenderness, what she wants is for the Crown Prince to completely sever his emotional dependence on the deposed Crown Prince, and for him to temper his cold heart as an emperor through the severe pain.
Even though he is only 7 years old.
"As for the prince..." The queen's voice seemed to float in the sky.
"What difference does it make whether I see him or not, for he is a useless man who only knows how to complain about everything? He is no longer fit to be a father, let alone an heir. Chengji does not need a father like him."
Concubine Yu was horrified when she heard this and quickly pulled Ning Lingyi to kowtow again: "Your Majesty is far-sighted and prudent, while I and your humble servants are dull. Mingzhu was reckless, but fortunately no disaster occurred..."
"That's enough." The queen waved her hand tiredly, "Everyone, please leave. Chengji needs to rest."
It was not until she walked out of Fengyi Palace and was blown by the cool night breeze that Ning Lingyi felt her back soaked with cold sweat.
This is the imperial palace.
Tenderness is a sacrifice, growth is tempering, blood ties are bargaining chips, and even a child's most instinctive longing for his father will be exploited. She shuddered involuntarily.
A few days later, Ning Chengji's high fever subsided.
When Ning Lingyi walked into the side hall, he was sitting upright reading a book, his small body stretched very straight, and the childishness on his face seemed to have evaporated overnight. The palace maid handed him the bowl of medicine, and he took it without blinking, and drank it quietly, as if the bitter taste no longer mattered.
The queen sat aside, her eyes fixed on Chengji's calm profile. After a moment, the corners of her tense mouth relaxed a little.
Ning Lingyi's heart choked, "This Tian family is a place where people are eaten!" At this moment, there was an echo. What was being gnawed was not flesh and blood, but the warm human feelings were uprooted and replaced with a body that conformed to the rules.
Ning Lingyi wanted to say something, her eyes swept across the Queen's spinning Buddhist beads, and then fell on Chengji's eyes that were staring at the pages of the book.
In the end, she just quietly retreated. The wind was warm in the corridor, but she felt a biting cold. The palace wall in the distance gradually blurred in the twilight.
After returning to Xuehan Palace, she hugged Concubine Yu tightly, buried her face in the familiar warmth, and could not utter a word.
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