Chapter 80 [VIP]
Chapter Summary: Heavy Snow.
As soon as the year ended, news arrived from the previous court regarding the Xie family's fate. Xie Jin and Li Wei were exiled, and Xie Xuan was banished to the frontier, never to return to the capital. Qi Jin, however, made no mention of Xie Ying.
"I've heard that several officials from the previous dynasty also mentioned deposing the beauty. But His Majesty rejected them all, and no one has brought it up again since," Ayu said to Yu Jing.
Qi Jin likely had some feelings for Xie Ying. However, no matter what, things could never go back to the way they were before.
Xie Jin and Li Wei were exiled before him, and news of Xie Jin's death reached the capital on February 27th. The snow that day was heavier than usual. Even though the eunuchs had just swept it, a thick layer of snow accumulated again in a short while. He died on the way to exile, reportedly from the cold. As a disgraced official and an exile, he must have suffered considerable mistreatment along the way.
Like Xie Xuan, he had no warm clothes, was hungry and cold, and was also beaten and scolded by the soldiers and officials accompanying him. In officialdom, those who fawn on the powerful and bully the weak are everywhere. Before, when Xie Jin was a general, they dared not act recklessly, but now that he had become a criminal, they naturally bullied him without restraint. It's just a pity that such a loyal and capable minister was lost.
"Your Majesty, what about Consort Xie?" Ayu asked hesitantly, because Yu Jing had previously instructed her to keep the news a secret, so Ayu asked the extra question.
In the palace, taking someone's life is easy, but keeping a secret that everyone knows is harder than climbing to heaven. Yu Jing shook her head: "If it can't be hidden, then there's no need to hide it. Xie Ying will find out sooner or later."
Today is the day the Old Man of the Moon predicted, but Yu Jing opened the envelope early this morning, only to find it completely blank. Yu Jing felt anxious but helpless.
Wanying Pavilion.
Dan'er, upon receiving the news, dared not go in to tell Xie Ying. After all, Xie Jin was a disgraced official, and his corpse did not even deserve to be sent back to the capital. Xie Ying was already in poor health when he learned of Xie Jin and Xie Xuan's punishment, and it was uncertain whether he could withstand the news now.
Dan'er pushed open the door with a heavy heart and went in. She placed the bird's nest she was carrying on the low table and looked at Xie Ying, who had a blank expression. She said with heartache, "My beauty, this is freshly stewed blood bird's nest. Please have some. How can your body take it if you keep doing this?"
Xie Ying tilted her head slightly to look at Dan'er. Dan'er was young and couldn't keep secrets. Seeing her like this, Xie Ying calmly asked, "Has something happened?"
"Ah?" Dan'er's heart skipped a beat when she heard Xie Ying ask this. She replied in a flustered voice, "What...what could be wrong? My beauty, you're overthinking it."
Xie Ying saw through it at a glance and said wearily, "Speak up. If you don't tell me, I can go ask other people in the courtyard."
"My beauty." Dan'er frowned and called out to Xie Ying with heartache, her voice already choked with emotion, "It's better for my beauty not to know."
Xie Ying looked at Dan'er with some helplessness. She didn't speak, but her eyes had already shown her attitude. Dan'er knew Xie Ying's temperament. After hesitating for a long time, she finally spoke: "General Xie is dead."
The hall remained silent for a long time. Dan'er cautiously looked at Xie Ying, only to see Xie Ying staring blankly into space. After a long while, she finally spoke, "Dan'er, you should go out now."
"I'll stay here with you," Dan'er said, worried that something might happen to Xie Ying. Seeing Xie Ying's expression, Dan'er lowered her head and prepared to leave.
"Wait, is there any news from His Majesty?" Xie Ying asked, his voice choked with emotion.
Dan'er turned around and shook her head with some reluctance.
Xie Ying turned around, and Dan'er couldn't see her expression, but she heard her faint voice coming from the inner hall: "Go out."
Dan'er bowed slightly and quietly withdrew.
Still feeling uneasy, she waited at the door. Looking at the snow falling heavily under the eaves, she realized for the first time how long and cold the winter days in Beihuai could be. She let out a soft sigh, turned her head to glance inside the hall, and recalled the scene of delivering the letter to Qi Jin. Actually, Dan'er knew the contents of that letter; it was about Xie Ying wanting to see Xie Xuan in prison. After reading the letter, Qi Jin accepted it, only saying lightly, "Take good care of Xie Meiren." Although Dan'er was simple-minded, she wasn't oblivious; she immediately understood Qi Jin's words.
Yu Jing sat in the hall, holding the letter, lost in thought. Today was February 27th. She hadn't slept a wink last night because of worry, and was still somewhat dazed when she heard the news of Xie Jin's death this morning.
"Your Majesty, the clothes you asked me to prepare are ready." Ayu pushed open the door and came in, carrying a set of clothes in her hands.
The pure white dress, with its subtle silver peony pattern, reflected a delicate shimmer in the light. It looked elegant and refined, yet perhaps too plain. This dress was prepared by A-Yu long ago. She had heard that people in the mortal realm wore mourning clothes when they died, but as the Empress Dowager, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to wear mourning clothes openly. Therefore, she had A-Yu prepare this dress beforehand.
"Just leave it there," Yu Jing replied.
Seeing Yu Jing's preoccupied appearance, Ayu asked with concern, "Is Her Majesty the Empress Dowager worried about Lord Xie?"
Before Yu Jing could speak, A Yu continued, "I have already asked people to take good care of him, so things should be better than before. As for tomorrow's exile, I have also found the escorting officers and paid them some money. They have promised to take care of Lord Xie on the way. Your Majesty, please do not worry."
"Although His Majesty has issued an edict banishing Lord Xie to the capital for eternity, there is still a long time ahead, and there will always be opportunities to bring Lord Xie back in the future."
Yu Jing looked at A Yu with some surprise. She didn't know that A Yu had done so much for her in private. She choked up for a moment and said, "A Yu, it's so kind of you to go to all this trouble."
Ayu shook her head and smiled gently, saying, "For the Empress Dowager, anything is worth it."
Yu Jing hadn't expected that in such a short time since her arrival in the mortal realm, she would receive so much genuine affection. For a moment, she felt a pang of reluctance. She inadvertently glanced at the letter on the table, and the instant she saw the words, her heart skipped a beat. Forgetting everything else, she picked up the letter and began to read.
Seeing Yu Jing's strange behavior, A Yu looked up and saw Yu Jing carefully examining a blank letter. She had been holding that letter all day, behaving rather oddly. After finishing reading the letter, Yu Jing sat down in front of her dressing table, as if she had lost her soul.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager," Ayu called out somewhat uneasily.
"Ayu," Yu Jing turned around and said solemnly, "Help me with my makeup."
Ayu glanced at the darkening sky outside with some confusion: "Is the Empress Dowager going?"
"The Heavenly Prison." Yu Jing uttered the two words, but her heart was heavy.
Ayu understood; Xie Xuan would be departing for the border tomorrow, and Yu Jing probably wanted to see him one last time. Ayu took extra care in dressing Yu Jing. Yu Jing looked at herself in the bronze mirror, feeling both strange and familiar. After today, she would no longer be Empress Dowager Sheng Hua, but rather, Yu Jing, the little fairy of the Marriage Palace.
"Ayu, please summon the sedan chair." Yu Jing said from his seat. Ayu agreed and went out. A short while later, Ayu came back in.
The snow was heavy today, and it was almost night. There were few people on the passageway, only the creaking of the sedan chair could be heard. Yu Jing touched the bracelet on her wrist, feeling anxious and uneasy. After a while, A Yu's voice came from outside the sedan chair.
"Master, we've arrived." As soon as the words were spoken, the sedan curtain was lifted, and the cold air outside swept in. Yu Jing got goosebumps all over her body and slowly stood up and walked out.
The sky wasn't completely dark yet; it was a deep blue, a color that tinged with the snow on the ground. Yu Jing stepped into the snow and stood before the prison. The jailers had received word early and were waiting there.
"Please come with me, Master," the jailer said, bowing to Yu Jing.
This time, the path was different from the last. The jailer didn't lead Yu Jing into the dungeon. Yu Jing was curious but didn't ask. The path was open, and she walked slowly, step by step, on the snow. After a while, Yu Jing saw the cells on both sides, surrounded only by bars, letting in the wind from all sides.
"That's the one up ahead." The jailer bowed and pointed to the cell in front.
"Ayu, you all wait here," Yu Jingwei instructed, turning around.
"Yes," Ayu replied, handing the umbrella to Yu Jing. Yu Jing did not take it, but simply said, "No need."
Before Ayu could react, she saw Yu Jing walking in the vast expanse of swirling snow. She was dressed entirely in white, and at first glance, two words suddenly popped into Ayu's mind.
Mourning clothes.
Even after returning to Cining Palace, she still believed that Yu Jing was mourning Xie Jin.
The sound of footsteps on the snow was soft and cold, crunching underfoot. The swirling snowflakes fell slowly before her eyes as Yu Jing stood before the prison cell.
A nearly burnt-out candle burned in the cell. The moment Yu Jing saw Xie Xuan, she felt as if her heart had been ripped apart. She didn't want to cry, but her nose stung, and tears welled up in her eyes. Yu Jing took a deep breath of the cold air to calm herself.
"Xie Xuan." Yu Jing spoke, her voice not loud, but she clearly saw Xie Xuan's body tremble.
He lay on the messy hay inside, still wearing the same blood-stained shirt. The only difference was that the shirt looked as if it had been soaked in blood, with large patches of dark red that stung Yu Jing's eyes.
"Ahem!" Xie Xuan coughed lightly twice, as if trying to hold it in, but he couldn't help it. Yu Jing watched him slowly straighten up and lean against the wall behind him, his messy hair falling behind him. His movements were slow, but even so, Yu Jing still saw him frown several times. The moment he steadied himself, he gave Yu Jing a reassuring smile and softly called her name, "Que Que."
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