Chapter 57 The Choice: "Divorce from Him"
The windows of Chonghua Palace were wide open, but the underground heating system on the walls of the warm chamber was not lit. Only the golden lion in the corner was exhaling ambergris.
The floor was covered with a thick cashmere carpet, and next to a small nanmu table, a copper basin was warming wine, with steam rising from it.
When Ning Xian saw Fu Ling return from outside, she put down the memorial, rubbed her sore eyes, and looked up at him.
The boy stood in the center of the hall, his raven-feather-like eyelashes drooping, and his long hair, tied up with a jade crown, swayed slightly at the back of his head.
Ning Xian remembered that when she first found Fu Ling, she couldn't speak the Central Plains language, she was covered in dust and dirt, and didn't even have a decent piece of clothing.
Now that he's cleaned up and dressed up, he looks quite good. You can see from Fu Ling's eyebrows and eyes that he looks a lot like his deceased mother.
This half-brother was the one whose mother, on the night before she passed away, held his hand and made him kneel down and swear to God that if he were to ascend the throne one day, he would find Fu Ling and protect him for the rest of his life.
Ning Xian only listened to his mother. Even though he caught Ruan Yang and Fu Ling together that night, he only gave Fu Ling a few light beatings and then considered the matter over.
He swallowed the rest of his anger and resentment.
He can only do that because both sides are people he cares about.
Ning Xian looked at Fu Ling, who was usually so quiet, and snorted, "Where have you been? Why do you seem so familiar with me?"
Fu Ling: "...Cold."
Ning Xian frowned and said, "If you're cold, wear more clothes. Don't blame me for not giving you a coat if you freeze to death."
"Won't."
The wind in the north was much more biting than in the Central Plains, but Fu Ling was used to it and didn't feel cold. As for his ears, they weren't frozen red.
Ning Xian sighed, "Where did you go just now? Did you finish copying the lessons the teacher taught you?"
"No, go..."
Fu Ling cleared the image of the moon-like woman from her mind: "I went to catch wild rabbits, and I plan to roast them and share half with you."
After listening, Ning Xian didn't want to nag him about studying. Fifteen or sixteen years old is the age when one should be wild and playful. Besides, Fu Ling is used to a carefree life. It's not something that can be done in a day or two to cultivate him into a well-mannered young nobleman.
"You heartless wretch, you won't even give me the whole thing? Fine, I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let you go out and have some fun. Remember to come back tonight."
Fu Ling nodded: "Oh."
After speaking, he took a few steps, then turned back and said to Ning Xian, "I have picked the snow lotus for treating asthma and made it into pills."
Ning Xian stopped spinning the sandalwood prayer beads in his hand. After a long while, he replied, "Understood. I will send someone to retrieve them."
The Empress Dowager had always been in good health, but for some unknown reason, she fell ill mysteriously a month ago. As for the cause of her illness, even the famous doctors in the palace could not diagnose it. In the end, they only thought it was a cold and prescribed some useless medicine to relieve the symptoms.
Ning Xian beckoned to Eunuch Liang: "Is there any movement from the Funing Palace?"
Eunuch Liang said, "The Empress Dowager woke up once today, and Madam Lu has been serving her closely these past few days."
Ning Xian raised an eyebrow and sighed, "She's so filial. How can she be so good to everyone? But when she sees me, she either hits me or tries to kill me."
Grandpa Liang had watched them go from being a loving couple to being a resentful pair.
"This servant believes that Madam Lu has feelings for Your Majesty. Why doesn't Your Majesty try... to humble yourself? Perhaps she will change her mind."
Ning Xian remained silent after hearing this and continued to look at the memorial he had just read. But strangely enough, after reading it for a long time, he found that he could no longer recognize the words on it.
He was the one who poisoned her, and he has the only antidote. If Ruan Yang wants the old lady to live, she must come to him in person.
Ning Xian thought that since he couldn't win back her true feelings, he would imprison her body forever.
...
Funing Hall.
The sounds of exhaustion and coughing could be heard continuously from inside the bed curtains. The palace servants kept changing the blood-stained handkerchiefs and feeding the medicine spoonful by spoonful, only to have it all vomited up in the end.
Ruan Yang's palms were covered in medicine mixed with saliva. She didn't bother to wipe them dry. Seeing that the old lady was holding her breath and couldn't catch her breath, she immediately helped her up to help her catch her breath.
The Empress Dowager leaned against the soft pillows and looked at Ruan Yang's slightly protruding belly, sighing, "Since I fell ill, you have been by my side almost every step of the way. You must be very tired. It's good that Zhu Ruo and the others are here. Your body is getting heavier, so you should rest quietly."
Ruan Yang rubbed her aching side, shook her head and smiled, saying, "I'm not tired. You saved my husband, your kindness to me is immeasurable, yet I can't repay you in any way, on the contrary..."
Instead, it implicated innocent people.
The Empress Dowager, barely able to speak, said, "Don't blame yourself. I have never blamed you for being assassinated. Even when I was dying, you were not allowed to bow down to him!"
"How can an emperor commit such an act as taking another man's wife? After I pass away, how will I have the face to meet my ancestors? Don't worry, even if I have to risk my life, I will send you safely back to Sichuan."
Upon hearing this, Ruan Yang clenched the handkerchief in her hand. If it were someone insignificant, it wouldn't matter, but the Empress Dowager was her savior. She couldn't bear to watch her benefactor die because of her.
......
The next day, the golden sun broke through the thick clouds for the first time ever. For the past few days, it had been raining heavily, and the flowers and plants in the Imperial Garden had been blown about by the north wind.
Ruan Yang, wearing a fox fur coat to shield himself from the wind, admired the flowers in the Imperial Garden accompanied by Zhu Ruo.
Since entering the palace, Ruan Yang has rarely walked around in public. A few days ago, the imperial physician took her pulse and said that she was depressed and that she should go out for a walk to relax for the sake of the child in her womb.
The warm sun slanted across the pink wall, and a few bright red blossoms bloomed on the branches by the roadside. At the end of the small bridge, steam rose from a small table. Ruan Yang recognized them as palace servants from Chonghua Palace.
Ruan Yang couldn't help but touch the pearl earrings on her earlobe. After dismissing Zhu Ruo, she walked slowly up the steps to Liuguang Pavilion.
"Please stop here, esteemed guest."
The maid saw that the person in front of her was dressed in pure white, and under the fluffy hood was a face of pure and beautiful beauty. She was so beautiful that she didn't realize that His Majesty and Consort Shen were about to arrive until they were right in front of her.
On the table are winter specialties: steamed lamb with apricot milk, snow fungus soup, brown sugar ginger cake, plum blossom porridge...
She was well-fed and warmly dressed, but her husband had to eat dry rations and endure the biting cold in the dead of winter. He had his beloved by his side, yet he was being forced to separate from his wife.
Ruan Yang bit her lip, knowing full well what was going on, and asked, "What are we doing here?"
"This was prepared by Consort Shen for His Majesty. The Emperor and Consort will have breakfast here after they have finished their Buddhist rituals in Baohua Hall."
Ruan Yang responded lightly and continued walking towards Liuguang Pavilion. Then, under the astonished gazes of everyone, she poured the steaming hot tea onto the dishes.
The maidservant stepped forward and snatched the scalding hot teapot: "No! This is soup that Consort Shen made for His Majesty. If you are so rude, you will be beheaded if you anger the Emperor!"
After a struggle, Ruan Yang couldn't resist and smashed the jade pot on the ground, shattering it into pieces everywhere.
"What's all this noise about so early in the morning?"
Not far away, a calm and authoritative voice reached Liuguang Pavilion. The palace servants all turned around, and after seeing that it was Ning Xian, they all knelt down. Only Ruan Yang remained in the pavilion, still in the same position as before.
He didn't turn around, leaving Ning Xian with only his back view.
Ruan Yang was enveloped in the warm sun, her white fox fur coat cascading from her head to the ground. In the sunlight, a hazy yet dazzling light surrounded her.
She slowly turned her head, her soft hood slipping off her neck and shoulders, and in an instant, her smooth black hair also fell down. She turned to look at Ning Xian outside the pavilion, her eyebrows furrowing slightly, and her lips pursed.
The moment their eyes met, Ning Xian's heart clenched. He forgot to tell the palace servants that they were free from formalities and just stared into the woman's eyes.
"Your Majesty, please forgive us, it was our negligence..."
Ning Xian snapped out of his daze, waved his hand with a bitter smile, and slowly stepped onto the stairs. Just as he had planned, the woman still lowered her head and came to find him.
"All of you, get out! Get out!"
"yes....."
Ning Xian's gaze lingered on Ruan Yang for a long time before she finally spoke: "Long time no see, Madam Lu, you look radiant, but why are you throwing things so early in the morning? Who made you angry?"
Ruan Yang: "It's you."
Ning Xian wasn't surprised. He gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Still holding a grudge against me? That's right, I was just asking a question I already knew the answer to."
"Because I was jealous."
".....Um?"
Ning Xian was completely bewildered; the word "jealousy" coming from Ruan Yang's mouth was practically bizarre.
Ruan Yang pointed to the table full of delicacies: "I don't want you to eat food cooked by other women, nor am I allowed to wear clothes made by other women."
Ning Xian saw that although she was saying sweet and clingy things, she couldn't pretend to seduce him at all. She even unconsciously backed away, as if she was about to say "I hate you, stay away from me" all the time.
Ning Xian also discovered that Ruan Yang had deliberately imitated the most glamorous makeup in the harem to create this chance encounter, and even the color of his inner clothes was his favorite lilac purple.
Her acting was terrible, but she was willing to put in a lot of effort to please the Empress Dowager and Lu Wenjin.
Ning Xian snorted coldly, but didn't intend to expose her. She raised an eyebrow and said, "So domineering, are you trying to be cute with me?"
Ruan Yang paused for a moment, then nodded, saying in an impatient tone, "You could say that. So, do you accept my apology or not?"
"......."
An apology? This isn't an apology!
Ning Xian curled his lip. If he were to soften his heart and take her back, he would be asking for trouble. He might be all love and tenderness in the first half of the night, but then this woman would go crazy and stab him to death in the second half.
Thinking of this, his left chest began to ache slightly.
He said coldly, "I accept."
After saying that, he walked past Ruan Yang and prepared to go back.
Seeing that the person had left decisively without saying anything more, Ruan Yang stepped aside to block Ning Xian's path and said anxiously, "Hey, you, wait a minute!"
"Is there anything else?" Ning Xian raised her chin slightly and looked down at Ruan Yang.
"I...I want the antidote."
Ning Xian didn't expect Ruan Yang to be so blunt. He said coldly, "I can give it to you, but your attitude is terrible."
After saying that, Ning Xian pointed to the dishes on the table: "I went to court before dawn and was busy for several hours. I wanted to come back and have a warm bowl of porridge to fill my stomach. Instead of asking if I was alright, you smashed my food?"
He put his hands behind his back and snorted softly, "Where did that gentleness you used to have for me go? Now you can't even pretend anymore?"
Ruan Yang looked up, her eyes still wet, and said, "I'm sorry, I'll go back and cook you another bowl of plum blossom porridge."
"I won't drink it."
"Then I'll do something else for you."
Ning Xian frowned: "No."
Ruan Yang didn't know what to do. She couldn't be like the women in Ning Xian's harem, dressing up and touching him inappropriately.
Seeing her head bowed, Ning Xian thought for a long time before blankly extending her hand and saying with unusual sincerity, "Then you can scold me, hit me, or... lock me in the dungeon for a few more days, as long as you are willing to let the Empress Dowager go."
Hitting her would hurt you ten times more?
Ning Xian glared at Ruan Yang; he wasn't going to do this losing business.
Seeing that he remained unmoved, Ruan Yang had no choice but to say, "Then tell me, how can I stop being angry?... Should I hug you, or kiss you?"
After saying that, without waiting for a reply, she opened her arms and hugged Ning Xian's waist. While Ning Xian struggled, she stood on tiptoe and gently kissed his lips.
"What else do you want from me?"
The girl released him, the fragrance of her hair still lingering on his clothes.
A gust of cold wind passed between the two, causing the red plum branches behind the Liuguang Pavilion to tremble slightly, and a few petals to fall onto Ruan Yangbu's spotless fox fur coat.
Ning Xian looked at her and said softly, "Divorce him."
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