Chapter 81 Cold Moon Blade "Tomorrow, I'll be waiting for you here. It doesn't matter if you don't come..."
Jiang Ce was so nervous that he didn't dare to move.
However, reality did not unfold as he had hoped.
Xue Chan let go of him.
Jiang Ce slowly opened his eyes. She had already jumped onto the stone steps, tilted her head and bent over, smiling playfully: "This incense smells so good, could you send me some another day?"
His emotions calmed down immediately, though he wasn't sure whether to be happy or unhappy, and he simply replied with an "Mm."
The two walked around Tongxin Lake for a while longer before returning to the outside of Chengbi Palace.
Xue Chan, having been out for a while, returned to her original seat, gave a brief farewell, and turned to leave.
Xue Chan
Jiang Ce suddenly called out to her, and she turned around and stood on the stone steps.
He walked down the stone steps, looked up at her, and saw her dark, deep eyes.
"Will you come again tomorrow?"
Xue Chan paused, surprised that he would say this, and thought for a moment: "I don't know either. I have an appointment to paint with my cousin Cheng tomorrow. If the weather is good, and if I have time, perhaps..."
Jiang Ce spoke seriously.
"I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow, but it's okay if you don't come."
A cool breeze stirred, carrying a fragrance from who-knows-where. It didn't smell as sweet and lingering as it did under the warm sun, but the night dew made it seem exceptionally fresh and clean.
This sudden firmness left her momentarily at a loss, and she unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt tightly.
"good"
The next day, Xue Chan went to find Cheng Huaizhu and the others to play Chuiwan as usual.
However, she lost quickly and was eliminated early. By the time the game ended, she had already asked for leave and left.
Yu Lang stroked the mallet handle, lost in thought: "Could she have gone to find Jiang Bozhou?"
Cheng Huaizhu asked, "Even so, it's not a big deal, is it?"
Yu Lang twirled the cue stick: "But Jiang Bozhou was summoned away by the Emperor."
At that time, Xue Chan had already arrived at Tongxin Lake.
She sat on a large rock by the lake, watching the shimmering water and calculating the time. Afternoon passed, then evening, and half the lake was dyed crimson, but Jiang Ce still hadn't arrived.
"If he dares to lie to me, I'm finished..."
Xue Chan waited for a long time, so she got up and went for a walk.
It was already late, and still no one had come.
"Even if something happened, you didn't even send someone to let me know!"
She suddenly became angry, picked up a small stone and threw it hard into the lake. Ripples spread across the water, shattering the shadows of people walking on the bridge.
Xue Chan reached out and parted the weeping willows, only to find that the person walking across the bridge was not Jiang Ce.
It is jade.
"You've come here to..."
Yu bowed to her and said, "He has something to do today and can't come, so he specifically asked me to come and let you know."
After saying that, he handed something to Xue Chan.
"This is his apology to you."
Xue Chan answered the call first, then pressed for details: "He has something to do, do you know what it is?"
Yu Mo paused for a moment, then smiled faintly to comfort her: "His Majesty summoned me because the matter is rather urgent, but it's not a big deal."
When he said that, Xue Chan simply replied, "In that case, I'll go back."
And so, she took Jiang Ce back to apologize and sat under the lamp, lost in thought.
There were two boxes on the small table. One was Jiang Ce's apology. Xue Chan looked at it; inside was the bluebird hairpin that she had broken during their argument.
Jiang Ce has already repaired it and even made another one to make a pair.
The other one... was actually Xue Chan's birthday gift to Jiang Ce.
Originally, today was Jiang Ce's birthday. She had prepared this birthday gift after the Qixi Festival, but since the two of them were not yet married and Jiang Ce was by the emperor's side, they could not see each other often, so she prepared to give it to him today.
What a pity...
"What are you thinking about?" Cheng Huaizhu sat down opposite her as she was lost in thought.
Xue Chan said, "I'm thinking about him."
She smiled with her eyes crinkling, while Cheng Huaizhu rested her face on her hands and lowered her eyes.
Xue Chan asked directly, "Do you know something?"
She hesitated, unsure whether she should tell Xue Chan.
"Tell me any news you have."
Cheng Huaizhu leaned closer and whispered to her, "I heard from His Highness that His Majesty fell from his horse today while dodging a flying arrow, and Jiang Erlang was punished for failing to protect him properly."
Her news was indeed shocking, and Xue Chan immediately sat up straight.
"Do you know how His Majesty is? What is he like?"
"I don't know anything more." Cheng Huaizhu quickly pulled her to sit down and comforted her, "Don't worry too much. His Majesty's fall from his horse is a serious matter, and it's normal for the news to be suppressed for a while. After all, even if we're worried, there's nothing we can do..."
Xue Chan sat down: "That's true, we can only wait and see."
She was still a little worried, worried that she would have to dine with Consort Xue the next day.
Surprisingly, the emperor was injured but did not ask her to attend to him.
Consort Xue herself was also quite surprised. In the past, whenever the Emperor had a minor ailment like a headache or fever, he would summon her to listen to his complaints. She simply couldn't believe that it was because he couldn't bear to see her troubled by something so serious.
Moreover, although hunting, feasting, and recreation have been going on as usual in various places these past few days, it's just strange, very strange.
Despite her doubts, Consort Xue said nothing. Since the emperor didn't summon her to attend to his ailing wife, she contentedly read, wrote, and played with the children.
"Does Your Majesty really not intend to attend to His Majesty's illness? Or even just sending some soup as a token of your concern would be enough."
Xue Chan was still accompanying the Seventh Princess as she wrote and painted, while Yunyu whispered reminders to Consort Xue.
After all, given the Emperor's temperament, if Consort Xue is too carefree, who knows what kind of temper she might throw later.
Consort Xue played with the jujube millstone and said indifferently, "Alright, have someone prepare a soup, I'll deliver it later."
She decided to go see the emperor, and Xue Chan was also thinking about whether to go see Jiang Ce.
I am indeed quite worried about him.
That evening, Consort Xue, accompanied by Tang and others, went to find the Emperor, but they were stopped outside the palace.
"What? Does Your Majesty not wish to see me?"
"It's not that we servants intentionally stopped Your Highness, it's just that not only you, but His Majesty doesn't see any of the empresses."
Consort Xue asked, "Does His Majesty truly not wish to see me?"
The eunuch Xiao An was a bit of a headache. He couldn't compare to his master, who could handle Consort Xue, so he could only force a smile.
In the midst of the awkwardness, Wang Xu came out of the palace and said with a smile, "Your Highness, please don't be angry. His Majesty doesn't refuse to see you, but he can't bear to see you in tears."
Consort Xue lowered her eyes slightly, then raised them again and said, "I am worried about Your Majesty. Just one glance, or even just a few words through the curtain, would be enough."
"this......"
Seeing his predicament, Consort Xue smiled and said, "In that case, please have Eunuch Wang deliver this soup to His Majesty, saying that I have been here. If His Majesty wishes to see him, he must come and summon him."
Wang Xu respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, please rest assured."
Consort Xue returned with her entourage, but Xue Chan was not there.
"Where did Qiao Niang go?"
The palace maid said, "They said they went back first."
"Very well," Consort Xue said, lying on the couch with her eyes closed.
A young palace maid whispered to Yunyu, "Auntie, do you think His Majesty will be alright? If... what should Her Highness and we do?"
The person on the bed suddenly opened her eyes, and everyone immediately fell silent. Yunyu walked to her side and asked, "What's wrong, Your Highness?"
Consort Xue whispered in her ear, and Yunyu couldn't help but become serious: "Does Your Highness really intend to do this?"
She sat up and smiled, "I haven't had enough of this life of luxury yet."
The autumn sky darkened faster than usual, yet the emperor's palace remained eerily silent.
Palace servants led the physician and several eunuchs in, and Wang Xu stood at the palace gate, watching them enter the hall one by one.
"Wait," he called out, stopping them.
The imperial physician asked, "Does Eunuch Wang need to be examined?"
After saying that, she instructed the eunuch to open the medicine.
Wang Xu walked up to a eunuch carrying medicine and scrutinized him. He didn't speak, nor did his eyes move; he simply narrowed his eyes slightly, tapped the eunuch's hat with his whisk, and reprimanded him.
"Fool! You don't even know how to wear your hat properly. Such carelessness has offended the Emperor. You could have ten heads and still not be enough to chop them off!"
"Yes, yes, thank you for reminding me, Eunuch Wang." The young eunuch lowered his head after being scolded and hurriedly adjusted his hat.
Wang Xu snorted and closed the lid of the food container.
The physician asked, "Is there anything else that needs to be examined, Eunuch Wang?"
Wang Xu smiled and said, "These past few days, I've been grateful to Physician Wen for taking care of His Majesty day and night. I hope you will continue to be attentive in the coming days as well."
He offered a reminder, and the physician thanked him.
Wang Xu's gaze swept over everyone: "Go in, all of you."
The eunuchs bowed and entered the hall, where the smell of medicine and incense was so strong it was almost pungent. Several screens separated the room, and the curtains of the bed could be seen hanging down, but the person inside could not be seen clearly; only a reclining shadow could be made out.
Everyone in the hall was silent, seemingly worried about the seriously injured emperor, and even more worried about their own fate.
Only Wang Xu remained vigilant, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall.
He stood by the bed curtains, watching the physician taking the emperor's pulse: "Your Majesty, I wish to take your pulse. Please extend your hand."
The young eunuch added incense to the golden censer, but the aroma seemed a bit too strong, causing a slight choking sensation.
Wang Xu coughed twice, and the person inside the curtain turned over slightly, stretching out a hand to rest on the edge of the bed.
The physician was taking the pulse with that hand, and under Wang Xu's gaze, he gently lifted the curtain and leaned half his body in to check the patient's complexion.
Before long, she came out again and put the curtains back together.
Wang Xu asked, "How is it?"
The physician replied, "You're alright, there shouldn't be any major problems. Your wounds need dressing changed, I'll go and prepare the medicine."
"good"
She packed up her medical kit and got up to leave the hall. The young eunuch who had been beside her stood to one side, head bowed, deep in thought.
Wen Yizheng said softly, "Let's go."
Wang Xu tapped the brim of the incense burner's hat lightly with his whisk, and said calmly, "You can stay inside and keep watch; you don't need to go with Physician Wen."
The eunuch responded softly, "Yes."
Seeing that the person was standing obediently outside the screen, Wang Xu, who was sitting on the footstool under the bed, breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the person sleeping with their back to him inside the bed.
The emperor's condition is getting worse and worse.
Each time the imperial physician came out after taking the pulse, his expression became more solemn, and the people guarding outside the palace became even more solemn.
Although the news that came out was only that the emperor was still recuperating from his injuries and would soon recover, he asked his old uncle, the Prince of Shouchun, to help him preside over various banquets and hunting trips.
However, Consort Xue fell ill due to her worry for the emperor and her constant prayers.
Even amidst the joyous celebrations, anxieties inevitably arise.
But then he thought, the emperor is in his prime, and he hasn't even appointed a crown prince yet, so there shouldn't be any problem.
On the evening of the day, the moon, nearing the Mid-Autumn Festival, was neither fully full nor fully round, and a large swath of clear, cold moonlight streamed into the palace through the window.
The next instant, the window was covered in blood, which flowed down the cracks in the window frame, a truly horrifying sight.
Flames soared into the sky outside the palace, weapons clashed, and cries of agony rose and fell.
The palace doors were flung open, and Xiao An collapsed to the ground, sobbing, her voice trembling: "It's terrible! The traitors have broken in!"
Wang Xu quickly pulled him up, his whole body trembling slightly, but he remained calm: "Protect His Majesty!"
They quickly closed the palace doors and stood guard by the bed, listening to the terrifying noises outside.
Xiao An grabbed Wang Xu's sleeve: "Master, what should we do? Should we take His Majesty with us?"
Wang Xu said, "Nothing will happen."
A few arrows were shot in through the window, frightening the people inside the hall into huddling together.
Before long, it suddenly became quiet outside.
A trembling whisper rang out inside the hall: "Is...is the traitor captured?"
No sooner had the question been asked than the palace door was kicked open.
A group of people ushered in the leader, laughing, "You're all going to die."
Wang Xu stood up abruptly, his eyes wide with anger: "Prince Ning, how dare you plot to seize power!"
He approached and said with a smile, "I helped him all the way to the throne. If he can sit on the throne, so can I."
The person on the bed struggled to turn over, coughing incessantly: "Traitor!"
Wang Xu rushed over: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
Prince Ning kicked him aside, sending him flying to the incense burner. He then drew his sword and slashed through the curtains, aiming it directly at the person inside.
Someone drew a knife from the side of the bed curtains, blocked a sword first, and then cut his own arm.
Clang
The longsword fell to the ground, and the man also fell to the ground.
Prince Ning's sword was pointed straight at him, but he stopped after seeing who it was and smiled: "So it's Consort Xue. You really are sincere towards him."
He pinched her cheek and said, "The Imperial Concubine is truly beautiful; no wonder he has favored her for so many years. If you comply, your position as Imperial Concubine will remain secure; otherwise, we'll die together."
"You die first!"
Consort Xue suddenly thrust her gold hairpin at him, but he dodged it, though it still managed to slash his face.
"You bitch!"
He slapped her hard and dragged her away, but Wang Xu quickly rushed over to cushion his fall.
"Traitor, prepare to die!"
The bed curtains fell down, and a young man wielding a long spear jumped out and plunged it hard into Prince Ning's shoulder.
Jiang Ce brandished his spear, killing or wounding half of the people in the hall.
Consort Xue scrambled to her feet and reached for the emperor's frequently used sword, which had fallen to the ground, desperately trying to protect herself.
Jiang Ce sent one of them flying, leaving him at her feet. Her eyes were cold as she forcefully plunged the needle into his neck, causing blood to gush out.
She involuntarily took two steps back, panting as she was about to fall.
Someone put their arm around her waist from behind, and teasing voices reached her ears.
"Your Highness, where has your courage to throw tantrums at me gone?"
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