Chapter 21: Mutiny, what do you know?
After Xiao Lingjun left, Shen Zhiwei coughed up blood again.
She knew that her health was already very poor, and it was fortunate that the poison she had been drinking for years had finally corroded her thinking.
He could only helplessly wash his bloody hands with running water and wait for Judge Xu, who was already quite old, to come and check with a small medicine box.
What can be found out?
It's nothing more than being careful with anger when your body is weak, and nourishing your energy and concentrating your mind.
In fact, the poison has already penetrated into the lungs and no medicine can cure it.
Shen Zhiwei didn't plan to care about it. She was already half buried in the ground and her mind was not very clear. She might even make mistakes. Moreover, she didn't believe that Xiao Lingjun didn't notice it at all.
Most of the memorials His Highness reviewed over the years had passed through her eyes. The eldest prince fell off a horse and became paralyzed, the fourth prince killed his brother and lost power, and the northern army rebelled. These were clearly the work of Xiao Wangqing.
She wanted to wait for Xiao Lingjun to come next time to remind him to be careful, but she found that the crown prince seemed to be deliberately avoiding her. This was the first time in more than ten years. Even when it came to the wedding, Shen Zhiwei didn't see Xiao Lingjun even once.
She still sent her confidant to deliver the secret letter.
The night before the wedding, several taciturn eunuchs carried boxes and crates into the warm room. At the signal from Xiao Lingjun's trusted eunuch, Jingshu held her breath and went forward to open them.
The room is full of light.
The bright red wedding gown with woven gold was spread out, and the phoenix crown with red gold and kingfisher feathers was even more gorgeous and heavy. The hairpins hung down, and each strand of gold thread was exquisite. The dazzling red made Shen Zhiwei's pupils slightly sore.
The eunuch stepped forward, bowed, and whispered, "Master Shen, His Highness has ordered that, in order to prevent any problems tomorrow, you must try it on in advance. If there is any misfit, we can make minor adjustments tonight."
"Okay." Shen Zhiwei nodded, and with the help of Jingshu and two maids, she changed into the extremely complicated wedding dress.
The wedding dress fit her incredibly well, the waistline, sleeve length, and shoulder width all fitting perfectly, as if it had been tailor-made for her. Even the weight of the phoenix crown seemed calculated to measure the limit her neck could bear.
However, her chest has become flat due to long-term medication, so she has to add two more cushions on her chest.
Shen Zhiwei was a little breathless under the weight of the gorgeous clothes and heavy crown, and could barely stand. The figure reflected in the bronze mirror was as white as paper, but was wrapped in rich red silk and sparkling with gold beads.
Jingshu was stunned and murmured, "Young Master..."
The trusted eunuch beside him bowed his head even more deeply. "Excellent! It fits perfectly. No alterations are needed. With that, we will take our leave. Master, please rest well. I will return tomorrow at 3:00 AM."
The group retreated quietly as they came, and Jingshu helped Shen Zhiwei take off the heavy clothes with great care.
“…Why are your eyes red again?” Shen Zhi smiled at her.
"You shouldn't be like this, sir."
Jing Shu's tears fell, dripping onto the back of Shen Zhiwei's hand. She hurriedly wiped them with her sleeve, her voice choked with sobs, "Sir...you shouldn't be like this...what is this...His Highness...how could he..."
Shen Zhiwei raised her hand helplessly, her fingertips gently brushing the little maid's wet cheek, her movements a little slow. She understood Jingshu's sadness, but she found it a little funny. She didn't need to cry like this.
"It's just a short ride," Shen Zhiwei coaxed softly, curling her eyes and hooking her finger, "Make sure everything is safe. Your Highness is at ease, and I am at ease too. Don't cry, you'll be out of breath and coughing soon."
"But...but this is a big wedding!" Jing Shu stamped her feet anxiously, but dared not speak loudly, so she could only suppress her voice, her eyes reddening. "That's the Crown Princess's wedding dress, the phoenix crown...it should have been Miss Lin's...you, you are doing this..."
Jingshu opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but seeing that Shen Zhiwei looked tired, she had to swallow back all her worries and grievances, sniffing her nose and helping her lie down.
The candlelight was dimmed, and the room was plunged into a hazy dimness.
Shen Zhiwei closed her eyes. Although she had taken off the heavy wedding dress, the cold touch seemed to still linger on her skin, as well as the weight of the phoenix crown that almost broke her neck.
She vaguely felt that something was wrong, that she had neglected something, but the thought was fleeting and was soon swallowed up by the deep tiredness brought on by the drugs.
When I woke up again, it was still pitch black outside the window. It was not yet Yin time, but there were already several figures standing in the room.
Last night, the trusted eunuch stood respectfully with his hands hanging down, followed by several maids and palace maids with lowered brows. Jingshu stood in the corner, her eyes still red and swollen, and her face looked not very good.
"Mr. Shen, the auspicious time is approaching, please change your clothes." The eunuch stepped forward respectfully.
Jing Shu's lips moved, but in the end she just silently helped those unfamiliar palace maids and nannies put the heavy and gorgeous wedding dress on Shen Zhiwei's shoulders again.
The crimson-gold phoenix crown pressed down, the cool gemstones pressed against her forehead and temples. Her vision was slightly obscured by the pearl tassels, and everything she saw seemed unreal.
Shen Zhiwei was still asleep, yawning like a puppet being manipulated. No one spoke, only the rustle of fabric and the tinkle of jewelry.
When everything was ready, the eunuch looked at her carefully for a moment, confirmed that everything was correct, and then bowed and said, "The sedan chair is ready, please move, sir."
Shen Zhiwei was helped to stand up, each step difficult due to the weight of the Phoenix Coronet. Jing Shu wanted to go forward to help her, but was blocked by a maid.
The little palace maid could only watch with red eyes as she waved to her and was surrounded by people and walked towards the phoenix-patterned sedan chair that had been waiting outside the warm room door.
The interior of the sedan chair was more spacious than expected, and the velvet cushions blocked out most of the outside sounds. The curtains fell, blocking out the last ray of sunlight.
The sedan chair was lifted steadily, and the slight shaking forced her to hold on to the handrail beside the window frame. In front of her was a dark red veil hanging down.
The ceremonial procession sets off.
At first, everything went as expected.
Outside, the rhythmic clatter of footsteps and horse hooves, along with the faint sound of ritual music, could be heard. The cheers of the people, coming from far away and approaching, were muffled and blurred by the confinement of the sedan chair.
She subconsciously groped her side, and her fingertips touched a short dagger hidden under the cushion, which was cold and hard; further inside, there was actually a light soft sword.
She was slightly startled, thinking that His Highness was indeed fully prepared, even preparing the knife for her to commit suicide.
Before he could do anything else, he felt the sedan suddenly shake.
The music abruptly stopped, replaced by the distant clashing of metal and shouting. The sound of horses' hooves stamped in a chaotic frenzy, and the cheers of the crowd instantly turned to terrified screams and jostling, surging and dispersing like a tide.
The sedan shook violently, nearly tipping over. Shen Zhiwei grasped the window frame with one hand, her other hand pressing the dagger beneath her cushion, her brows furrowed slightly beneath her veil.
Was this the expected accident? But the commotion was too loud, not like some minor incident, but more like...
mutiny.
She tried to listen carefully, but the sounds were mixed together through the walls of the sedan chair, and she could only make out the sound of fighting approaching rapidly.
Outside the sedan, the guards escorting the procession seemed to be engaged in a fierce battle with someone. Shouts and screams could be heard everywhere. Weapons struck the sedan with a dull, tooth-grinding sound, and the entire cabin trembled.
The cold light of swords and weapons flashed through the gaps in the sedan chair curtains, and blood splashed up, flowing down warmly and stickily, some of it splashing onto her embroidered shoes.
A stray arrow pierced the wall of the sedan chair, the tip of the arrow piercing the wooden board, and was only half a foot away from her, the tail feathers still trembling.
Shen Zhiwei didn't move.
She listened to the bloody fight outside, heard the footsteps retreating in panic and then being cut off, and heard the strange general's sharp shouts gradually taking control of the situation.
The whole process was amazingly fast.
But within a cup of tea, the noise gradually subsided, leaving only sporadic resistance and the dull sounds of clearing the battlefield. A silent order quickly replaced the previous chaos.
The strong smell of blood filled in through the gaps in the sedan chair curtain, choking her and making her cover her lips and cough.
The curtain of the sedan chair was suddenly opened by someone from the outside.
The light poured in, causing her to squint slightly. Through the gaps between the tassels, she saw a pair of combat boots stained with mud and dark red blood stepping in front of the sedan chair.
The man was breathing heavily, his breath heavy with the weight of a fierce fight. He said nothing, but stretched out his hand towards her, his knuckles also stained with dark stains.
Shen Zhiwei didn't move. She looked at the hand, then slowly raised her eyes, trying to see the face of the person who came, but she was blocked by Liusu and the other person's backlit figure.
The man seemed to sigh softly, and without waiting, he leaned forward into the sedan. His movements were filled with irresistible force, but he carefully avoided the bridal gown and jewels on her body. His arms passed through her knees and back, and he lifted her out of the sedan sideways.
Suddenly leaving the cramped cabin, the light from outside made her turn her head uncomfortably. As far as she could see, the long street was in shambles. The once festive colored silks lay trampled on the ground, mingling with tattered banners and discarded weapons.
Corpses wearing different types of armor lay everywhere, blood and flesh were flowing everywhere, and the surviving soldiers were quickly clearing the streets, their movements swift and their expressions grim.
A thorough and efficient cleaning.
She was held steady by the man as they walked towards a dark, unmarked carriage. The phoenix crown was heavy, and as she leaned against his cold shoulder armor, the tassels inevitably brushed against his neck.
It was not until she was put into the carriage cushions and the man gathered her skirt and prepared to leave that Shen Zhiwei finally raised her hand and used her fingertips to lift the swaying bead curtain in front of her eyes.
She saw who was coming.
Xiao Wangqing.
He was much more robust than when he left Beijing, and the last trace of youthful innocence had faded from his features, leaving only the coldness and sternness honed by the wind and sand of the border. His eyes held a darker tone than she had ever seen before, and his lips were tightly pursed, a fierce expression still lingering.
When their eyes met, he paused and his momentum weakened by three points.
Shen Zhiwei looked at the drenched blood on his armor, then looked out the window at the dead silent street. He spoke a beat later, his voice dry, "What do you mean, Third Prince?"
"In this important place of the capital, at the feet of the emperor, you robbed the crown prince's wedding ceremony... Are you truly crazy?"
The person he was facing was him, and Shen Zhiwei couldn't deceive him by using Lin Chuyu's identity.
Xiao Wangqing looked at her deeply, the emotions surging in his eyes threatening to burst forth. He remained silent for a long moment, but ultimately offered no explanation. He simply raised his hand and, with his bloodless fingertips, carefully adjusted the beaded curtain she had opened, obscuring her view.
"..." His voice was so hoarse that he could only squeeze out a few words, "...Don't look at it."
The curtains fell, isolating the inside from the outside. The carriage slowly started, moving with remarkable stability, as if the sea of blood and corpses outside the window had never existed.
Shen Zhiwei sat alone in the car, listening to the wheels rolling over the stone road that might not have been cleaned yet, and her fingertips unconsciously brushed across the intricate gold embroidery on the wedding dress.
The carriage traveled for an unknown amount of time before finally stopping. The curtain was lifted again, revealing Xiao Wangqing, now dressed in dark casual clothes and shed his bloodstained armor, standing outside. He reached out to her again.
This time, Shen Zhiwei helped him get out of the car with his hand.
What was before him was not the Eastern Palace, nor the Orchid and Hui Garden, but an unfamiliar mansion with strict security.
She was led along the way, through the courtyard and into the inner room.
The room was brightly lit with candles.
Xiao Wangqing stopped in front of her, turned around, and his gaze fell heavily on her, on the overly heavy phoenix crown. He stretched out his hand, moving extremely slowly and with an almost pious caution, and placed it on the bright red veil embroidered with auspicious dragons and phoenixes.
Shen Zhiwei didn’t move.
Then the veil was slowly lifted.
Her vision suddenly opened up, and candlelight poured in. Xiao Wangqing was standing just a few feet away, holding his breath, staring at her intently, his eyes filled with a dark emotion she couldn't understand at all.
She was about to speak when he raised his hand, gently reaching for the phoenix crown inlaid with red gold and jade. His cool fingertips brushed against her hair and the reddened skin on her forehead, undoing the intricate clasp.
The weight suddenly disappeared, and Shen Zhiwei sighed softly, and the pain in his neck was relieved.
Xiao Wangqing turned sideways and placed the phoenix coronet heavily on the table beside him, making a dull sound. He took a neatly folded moon-white casual suit from the side. The material was soft and it was a men's style. He handed it to her.
"Change it," he said in a low voice, "this one is too heavy."
Shen Zhiwei didn't answer, but just looked at him and asked again: "What do you want to do?"
Xiao Wangqing stared at her in silence, and only spoke with great difficulty when he could no longer bear her gaze.
“From now on, Mr. Shen doesn’t have to drink those medicines anymore.”
Shen Zhiwei suddenly raised his eyes.
On a rainy night in Huai'an, his expression suddenly changed after drinking the bowl of ginger soup at the post station, his avoidance along the way, all the fragmented fragments suddenly connected together.
It turned out that he smelled poison at that time.
So this sudden mutiny, those bloody suppressions...
Just for this?
She stood there in a daze, looking at the person in front of her, and felt an absurd chill running up her spine.
She shook her head slowly: "Xiao Wangqing, you are really very ill."
For the sake of a dying person, they gambled their lives and property, and set off a bloody storm.
If that’s not crazy, what is?
Xiao Wangqing heard this, but just looked at her and repeated, "Change your clothes."
He paused, his voice extremely suppressed.
"My royal brother... won't force you anymore."
Shen Zhiwei felt a fishy and sweet taste suddenly rising up her throat. She tried to suppress it, but ultimately couldn't hold it back.
The severe pain tore at her internal organs, and bright red blood splattered on the front of her bright red wedding dress, quickly spreading into a shocking dark color.
She stumbled a step, and her vision began to waver and blur.
"I've been drinking that medicine... for more than ten years..." She laughed as she watched the blood dripping from her fingers. "I volunteered. What do you know... Why do you..."
Why do you think this is rescue?
Why do you think she needs this kind of relief?
Why should she bear this heinous sin?
Shen Zhiwei's mind was already in a mess. She wondered what she should do, but she couldn't even hear Xiao Wangqing's response.
Her shoulders were so heavy, and her internal organs ached so much that they seemed to be ripping her apart, as if all the blood in her chest had drained out, leaving only dull pain.
Shen Zhiwei finally closed his eyes.
The author has something to say:
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Xiao Shen got angry
The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. Shen Bandu can admit defeat calmly, but if Xiao Wangqing did all this just to save her,
That's another story.
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