Chapter 54 Delusion Her last hope had also vanished.
The vermilion gates of the Han residence were sealed with heavy seals by the Imperial Guards. The once bustling mansion was now deserted, with only a few withered leaves being swept up by the chilling wind.
Inside the mansion, the once bustling scene of guests has vanished; deep within the courtyard, only the cold sound of clashing armor can be heard.
Minister Han sat alone in his study, the dim candlelight illuminating his hair, which had turned completely white overnight. On the desk before him lay a yellowed sheet of paper, bearing the handwriting of Han Liuyue in her childhood practice, the childish words "Father is well." His withered fingers gently traced the characters, and finally, a murky tear fell, spreading a damp stain on the paper. With trembling hands, he lit the candle beside him, the flames greedily licking the paper, turning it, along with his last tenderness, to ashes.
As night deepened, the hidden compartment in the study slid open silently, and Galorin arrived, her clothes damp with the chill of the night dew.
"Your Highness," Minister Han bowed deeply, his voice hoarse, "This old minister has little time left, and I have only one request." He slowly turned around and pushed a small copper tube sealed with sealing wax towards Jialuolin, "This is the last list of Northern Di spies lurking in Luoyang... This old minister is willing to use this to exchange for the lives of Lvliu and Liuyue. They are still young, and I cannot let them accompany me on my journey!" As he spoke, he actually tried to kneel down, but Jialuolin helped him up.
“Green Willow and I are like brothers, and I will definitely find a way to protect him. As for Han Liuyue, she is now trapped in the cage of the harem. Let me think about it.” Galuo Lin sighed.
The next day, Han Lüliu was ordered to come and interrogate the suspect. He sat across the table from Minister Han and his son, surrounded by Imperial Guards.
"Father, why did you betray your country?" Han Lüliu's eyes were red and his face was weathered. He reached out and grasped Minister Han's hand, his fingers trembling slightly.
Minister Han abruptly pulled his hand back, his eyes wide with anger: "Why? I did everything for the Han family!"
"Does the Han family have to be so disloyal and unjust?!" Han Luliu shouted almost hoarsely.
"What do you know! How much have you ever done for our Han family?!"
"Father, why are you still so stubborn?"
"You unfilial son!" Minister Han's hair and beard bristled as he slammed his fist on the table. "I don't have a son like you!" he roared, throwing a teacup at Han Luliu's feet.
In an instant, the Imperial Guards on both sides swiftly drew their swords and pressed them against Minister Han's throat. Minister Han smiled desolately, "From now on, you are no longer my son. I have nothing to say to you. You can't get anything from me. Get out of here!"
Upon returning to the Eastern Palace, Han Luliu knelt before Jialuolin for a long time, his head bowed low, revealing no expression: "Your Highness, it is my incompetence that I could not persuade my father... nor did I obtain any useful information."
"I don't understand why he's become like this!" Han Luliu suddenly raised her head and shouted excitedly, disregarding everything else. "But Your Highness, can you please save him!" Her tone was almost pleading.
Galo Lin walked step by step to him, squatted down, and placed a cool and translucent jade pendant with dragon and phoenix patterns into his palm. "What's done is done. This is your father's wish. I hope you understand. He hopes that you can represent the Han family and live well."
Han Luliu held the family jade pendant that had been passed down for generations; her fingertips were icy cold, and her heart was breaking.
The world within his heart shattered silently. He held the jade pendant in his hands, bowed his head, and wept silently…
-
Inside Zhaoyang Palace, the air was filled with the fragrance of incense, creating a world apart from the raging storm outside.
Han Liuyue, dressed in a simple palace gown, was bent over before the incense table, her expression focused. On the table were displayed a dazzling array of various incense materials, silver spoons, and jade pestles. She was carefully mixing a small amount of precious borneol into a celadon bowl.
Beside her, a prescription for "Jiuhe Anshen Xiang" (Nine Harmonies Tranquilizing Incense) was unfolded, with her meticulous annotations next to it, attempting to adjust the ingredients so that the fragrance could better "calm the mind and soothe the soul, pleasing the heavens."
When the palace maid announced that General Bai Lian was requesting an audience, she did not even raise her head, but simply said, "Please have General Bai wait a moment while I note down the exact temperature at which the incense ingredients are blended."
Bai Lian stepped into the hall and looked at the woman in front of her who was immersed in her own world. A complicated feeling swept through her heart.
She got straight to the point: "Consort Han, the Imperial Guards have already surrounded the Han residence today."
"So what? What does it have to do with me?" Han Liuyue raised her head, tilted her head, and pretended to be an innocent and fearless girl.
Bai Lian was speechless for a moment, then continued after a pause, "I'm afraid His Majesty will soon make you..."
"Don't try to scare me!" Han Liuyue's hand holding the silver spoon trembled suddenly, spilling some perfume powder onto the table. Her beautiful eyes were filled with disbelief, which then turned into a mocking sneer: "General Bai, did you come here on purpose to scare me? Then you're going to be disappointed."
Bai Lian sighed softly. Seeing that no one was around, she said softly, "The Crown Prince and I have been entrusted by Lord Han to help you leave this place of trouble. A mansion in Jiangnan and a new identity have been prepared. Living is more important than anything else."
"Alive?" Han Liuyue shrieked as if she'd heard the biggest joke in the world. "You want me to live like a rat in a gutter? So you can laugh at me?! No! I, Han Liuyue, will never! Let me tell you, I don't need your pity!!"
Seeing her almost insane behavior, Bai Lian sighed inwardly and wanted to offer some advice, but she didn't know what to say.
Both remained silent, with only wisps of smoke rising from the room.
After a moment, Bai Lian heard Han Liuyue speak slowly in a calm voice, "General Bai, I have always envied you." She looked at Bai Lian and said, "I also wanted to have a carefree life like yours, so I tried many methods, even going against my own nature... But no matter how much I struggled or how unwilling I was, I could only depend on others, and in the end, I still couldn't control myself."
Bai Lian looked at her and felt that the woman in front of her was slowly unloading her burdens and pretenses. She lowered her head, and when she raised it again, her clear eyes were just like when they first met.
"So I want to be willful and reckless just this once. If this is my destiny, then let me walk to the end by myself."
After hearing this, Bai Lian shook her head helplessly and left in silence.
-
A few days later, Han Liuyue carefully dressed herself up, held the newly made "Nine Harmony Tranquilizing Incense", and knelt outside Jinyang Palace, claiming that she had made this incense to pray for His Majesty's well-being and tranquility because she had been having trouble sleeping at night.
The palace doors opened, and Jia Fengtian emerged, surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids. His gaze swept coldly over the exquisite gilded incense burner in her hand.
"Your Majesty," Han Liuyue said, raising the incense burner, her voice filled with final hope and desperation, "this incense can calm the nerves and soothe the mind, and help..."
Before she could finish speaking, Jia Fengtian abruptly flicked his sleeve, knocking the incense burner out of her hand. The incense burner crashed to the ground, scattering incense ash and unburnt incense cakes everywhere. The rich fragrance instantly filled the air, and Han Liuyue's last vestige of delusion dissipated along with the final scent.
"You vixen!" Jia Fengtian's voice was icy cold, devoid of any emotion. "You dared to use incense to bewitch the emperor and commit witchcraft! Your heart is utterly deserving of death! Immediately strip her of her title and imprison her in the Cold Palace, where she may not leave without an imperial edict!"
The guards stepped forward without hesitation and lifted Han Liuyue up. Her beautiful skirt trailed across the cold stone steps, stained with the filthy incense ash, but she raised her head and looked at Jia Fengtian's departing figure, a slow smile blooming on her face, as if she had been freed.
The Cold Palace was dark and damp, filled with the musty smell of years past. Han Liuyue sat quietly on the bare wooden bed, her eyes vacant.
A young, unfamiliar eunuch bowed and brought over some coarse food. As he left, a small incense box slipped from his sleeve, containing a single poison pill, which Han Liuyue had obtained herself.
Looking back on her life, the person she secretly placed in her heart, the favor she thought she could hold onto, all turned out to be nothing... Where did she go wrong? Why could she only be a pawn? Why was her only value to control others?
If she hadn't harbored any desires from the beginning, would she have lived a better life? Han Liuyue toyed with the incense box, laughing self-deprecatingly.
However, if one encounters someone so stunningly amazing when one is still young, how can one live a peaceful and calm life?
"So, this is the end you wanted?" The wooden door creaked open, accompanied by a deep and familiar male voice.
Han Liuyue suddenly looked up and saw that the person who came was Jialuolin, followed by her brother Han Luliu.
"Yue'er, come with your brother, we've already made arrangements outside, hurry!" Han Luliu rushed over and took Han Liuyue's hand.
"But brother, where can I go? Someone like me only deserves to..."
"Slap!" A loud slap echoed through the room. Han Liuyue covered her face and looked at Han Luliu in disbelief.
"Father gave his life for us! What are you doing here belittling yourself!" Han Luliu roared at Han Liuyue, unable to contain her anger. "First, you have to live! Then go and pursue the freedom you want!"
As if startled awake, tears welled up in Han Liuyue's eyes and rolled down her cheeks in large drops.
"Hurry up and leave, don't let your father and brother's efforts go to waste!" Galo Lin grabbed Han Liuyue's arm and walked straight out the door.
Han Liuyue stumbled and staggered, completely disoriented. All she could see was a dragon and python slightly raised on a black robe, with mountains and rivers undulating, representing the power and territory of this young crown prince.
It's time for her to wake up from this self-pitying, delusional dream.
Han Luliu and Han Liuyue followed Jialuolin to the outside of the palace. After settling Han Liuyue into the carriage, he bowed and kowtowed before Jialuolin, saying, "Your Highness, I do not know when I will be able to return. I thank Your Majesty for saving me and Yue'er from dire straits. I will never forget your great kindness."
"Alright, that's enough. Be careful on your way to Jiangnan. If you want to come back, send me a message. I'll be waiting for you," Galo Lin said sullenly, turning her back to him.
All good things must come to an end. Galo Rin was filled with mixed feelings. As clever as he was, even with all his scheming, he still couldn't have everything go his way.
He waved his hand and watched Han Luliu drive the carriage away.
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