Chapter 62 Past Events, Bearing an Old Soul
Chapter Sixty-Two: Past Events, Bearing an Old Soul
A few days later, as night deepened, the candlelight flickered in the imperial study, illuminating Li Qianche's slightly tired yet unusually solemn face.
The shadowy figure appeared silently like a wisp of smoke, followed by an old man in a blue Taoist robe, holding a whisk, with white hair and beard, but clear and wise eyes—it was none other than Master Lingyun of Xuanzhen Temple.
"Your Majesty, Daoist Lingyun has arrived." Ye Ying bowed and reported, then quietly disappeared into the shadows as he had come.
Li Qian dismissed all the servants, leaving only himself and the Taoist priest in the hall. He didn't beat around the bush, directly recounting to the Taoist priest the recurring nightmares that had plagued him for months—the nightmares of Su Su being imprisoned in the Cold Palace and tragically poisoned to death by Consort Zhuang. His voice was low, carrying a tension and fear that even he himself was unaware of.
"Daoist Master, I am completely baffled," Li Qianche said, his brows furrowed. "Su Su... she has never been banished to the Cold Palace, so why do I keep having such vivid, such... terrifying scenes in my dreams? What kind of omen is this? Is it some kind of inner demon?"
Master Lingyun listened quietly, his fingers calculating, a hint of understanding and compassion flashing in his eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice steady, yet carrying a penetrating power that seemed to see through everything: "Your Majesty, what you see is neither a premonition nor a demon in your heart... This is... a past event, something that has already happened... a shadow of a previous life."
"A past life?" Li Qianche suddenly stood up, his face filled with disbelief and shock. "A past life? That's impossible! Even if it was a past life, how could I have issued an edict to kill Su Su? Absolutely impossible!" He could not accept that he had done such a cruel thing to her.
"Your Majesty, the cause and effect of this world is an endless cycle. Love and hate, resentment and separation, all have their origins." Daoist Lingyun's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable power. "The things of the past life are like yesterday's death. What Your Majesty saw in your dream was a trace left by the past cause and effect."
Li Qianche was deeply shaken, a strong sense of unease gripping him. He pressed on urgently, his voice trembling slightly, "Then... what about this life? Will the same thing happen again? Will that tragedy... happen to her again?" This was his deepest fear.
Master Lingyun gently shook his head, his gaze profound: "Your Majesty, rest assured. The stars have shifted and the course of fate has changed. The circumstances of this life have changed, and that tragedy will not be repeated."
Upon hearing this, Li Qianche's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and his whole body seemed to lose all strength. He stepped back and sat heavily back on the dragon throne.
As long as Susu is safe and sound in this life, that's all that matters... But then another question came to mind, and his voice became hoarse: "Then... what about the Imperial Concubine? Does she... also dream of what happened in her past life, just like I do?"
He couldn't imagine how much suffering Su Su would endure if she also carried such painful memories.
Master Lingyun lightly swept his whisk and replied, "Those who have been reincarnated carry the old soul, and are clear-headed in the realm of dreams, so they are usually not troubled by this afterimage. Your Majesty is deeply entangled with this cause and effect, and possesses the aura of a true dragon, so your spiritual platform is special, which is why you can glimpse a corner of it."
"A person who has been reincarnated?" Li Qianche keenly caught the word, his heart skipped a beat, and an even more startling conjecture emerged, "Does the Taoist priest mean... Su Su, she is a person who has been reborn with memories of her past life?" Is that why her personality changed drastically after she woke up, becoming distant from him and only wanting to leave the palace?
Master Lingyun did not delve any deeper, but lowered his eyes and said, "The mysteries within are beyond my comprehension. But Your Majesty should know that the origin of this cause and effect lies with Your Majesty. Whether it is a calamity or a blessing, it is all created by the mind."
Li Qianche wanted to ask more clearly what the "origin" was, and what he had done in his past life that led to Su Su's tragic death.
Master Lingyun raised his hand to stop him, and solemnly said, "Your Majesty, the secrets of heaven must not be revealed again. You only need to remember that the tragedy of the past has been rewritten, and the price that should have been paid will be paid in due time. I hope Your Majesty will cherish the people in front of you and not be attached to the past, so as not to waste this opportunity to reverse the world."
Having said that, he took out an exquisitely crafted black sachet from his sleeve and handed it over, saying, "This sachet contains a calming and tranquilizing talisman blessed by me. Please give it to the Imperial Concubine and instruct her to carry it with her at all times. It can soothe the soul and protect the body. After that, Your Majesty can also have peace of mind."
Li Qianche took the sachet, still carrying a faint scent of sandalwood, and held it in his palm. Although countless doubts still lingered in his mind, the Taoist priest had said that heavenly secrets could not be revealed. He feared ruining the opportunity and putting Su Su in danger, so he dared not press the matter further. As long as he was certain that Su Su would be safe in this life and that they would not head towards that hopeless end, that would be enough.
After seeing off Daoist Lingyun, Li Qianche held the sachet in his hand and, without pausing for a moment, went straight to Yongshou Palace.
Upon entering the hall, one sees Su Su sitting at her desk by the window, her head slightly lowered, intently copying a calligraphy model. The dim yellow palace lantern cast a soft glow on her profile, creating a serene and beautiful scene that seems otherworldly.
Li Qianche's heart stirred, and he walked over quietly, gently embracing her from behind and resting his chin on her neck.
Su Su was startled by him, her pen trembled, and a blot of ink immediately appeared on the paper. She turned around reproachfully: "Your Majesty! Look, you've ruined my perfectly good calligraphy."
Li Qianche chuckled softly, kissed her fragrant hair, and said in a deep, gentle voice, "In my eyes, Susu's handwriting is beautiful no matter what."
He gently turned her body so they were facing each other, then placed the black sachet in her hand, saying earnestly, "This is a talisman I specially obtained for you. You must wear it close to your body and never take it off, understand?"
Su Su picked up the sachet and examined it closely. The stitches were fine and dense, embroidered with simple auspicious cloud patterns, and it felt warm to the touch. She raised her clear eyes, somewhat puzzled: "Why did Your Majesty suddenly think of asking for this for me?"
Li Qianche had already prepared his explanation. His gaze fell on her flat stomach, carrying a hint of deep meaning and worry: "I am always uneasy. In the harem, insidious schemes are hard to guard against. Recalling how Consort Zhuang was able to obtain such a bizarre item as the 'Dream Talisman'... I fear you may fall for it again. This talisman is said to ward off evil and protect the body, especially... if you have our child in the future, it can ensure the safety of you and your child." This reason, concerning offspring and her safety, was perfectly reasonable, and she shouldn't suspect anything.
Upon hearing this, Su Su, as expected, had no suspicions and felt a warmth rise in her heart. She nodded obediently and, in front of him, carefully tucked the sachet into her undergarments, saying, "Your Majesty, I understand. I will always wear it."
Seeing how obedient she was, Li Qianche finally felt a huge weight lifted from his heart, and a surge of boundless affection welled up within him. He leaned down and placed a gentle and precious kiss on her smooth forehead.
Su Su blushed at his sudden tenderness and gently pushed him away, saying, "Your Majesty these days... is always being indecent at all times."
Li Qianche took her hand and laughed loudly, "How am I being improper? I clearly adore my Consort and can't put her down." His gaze swept over the brush and ink on the desk, and he suddenly had an idea, "Come, how about I paint a portrait of the Consort?"
Upon hearing this, Su Su became quite interested and immediately tried to find a graceful way to sit down.
“No need.” Li Qian stopped her, picked up his paintbrush, dipped it in ink, and gazed tenderly at her face, a smile on his lips. “The Consort’s every smile and frown is already engraved in my heart. I can paint it with my eyes closed.”
Su Su raised an eyebrow, thinking to herself that this person had quite the big mouth, so she sat quietly to the side, waiting to see the results.
Before long, Li Qianche put down his brush and said with a smile, "It's finished. Susu, come and take a look."
Su Su stood up and curiously leaned closer. Sure enough, a lifelike beauty was depicted on the Xuan paper. The woman in the painting had her hair loosely styled, wore a bright red bodice covered by a nearly transparent veil, and reclined on a chaise longue. Her curves were exquisite, her eyes were alluring, and her posture was languid and seductive. Who else could it be but her? The painting was indeed superb, depicting her as extremely beautiful, but... the content was far too erotic and explicit!
"Your Majesty!" Su Su's face instantly turned bright red, both ashamed and angry. She raised her small fist and pounded on Li Qianche's chest. "How...how could you paint such a picture! It's vulgar!"
Li Qianche laughed as she hit him, then quickly rolled up the painting and hid it behind his back, saying righteously, "How is this vulgar? This is clearly the most beautiful image of Susu in my eyes. I'm going to keep it to myself and not let anyone see it."
Su Su couldn't snatch it away, nor could she win an argument with him. Looking at the emperor in front of her, who was completely different from the one in the court and was smiling like a cat that had stolen cream, she was truly angry and helpless. In the end, she could only stomp her feet with a red face, completely unable to do anything about him.
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