Chapter 82
Her words were undeniably sincere. Zhan Xian paused for a moment, then softened her otherwise blunt refusal: "My path is difficult... Anyone who gets involved with me won't have a good ending. Don't tell me you don't care. Unlike me, you have the Qiu and Xie families behind you, so don't get too close to me." She actually wanted to say that if Qiu Qing still held the same views when the Zhan family was exonerated, perhaps they could truly become friends. But even she herself didn't know if that day would ever come.
Lin Yi didn't know what Zhan Xian hadn't said, but she knew the female lead's nature of never implicating others. She wasn't angry or discouraged. After Zhan Xian had rested enough, she urged someone to go find Gu Shu'an.
There was no time to lose; the sooner the school's documents were approved, the sooner she could feel at ease.
Gu Shuan has been very busy lately.
Before the cinnabar poison in her body had been completely cleared, she heard news from Shou'an Palace that her father was seriously ill. Needless to say, it was probably because of her own anger.
He knew that his actions at the palace banquet had exceeded the scope of what a qualified crown prince should and could do, and had disappointed Emperor Zhaowen.
But everything requires trade-offs. If he wanted to be a Crown Prince who pleased the Emperor, prioritizing the greater good, the interests of the nation, and the stability of the court, he had to unconditionally support and uphold the Emperor's actions, and therefore could not dredge up old grievances or investigate the truth. Similarly, if he wanted to exonerate the Zhan family, he had to break down these barriers. He himself needed to destroy the old to establish the new, and he hoped to force Emperor Zhaowen to take this matter seriously.
His father's disappointment in him was something he had long anticipated. But Emperor Zhaowen's insistence on upholding the dignity of the royal family also chilled his heart. Emperors are not gods; they also make mistakes. Once they make a mistake, they must admit it and make amends.
He didn't think he had done anything wrong, but Emperor Zhaowen was seriously ill, and he did feel guilty.
According to Jingquan, the most senior and longest-serving eunuch by the Emperor's side, His Majesty fell ill after returning to his bedchamber following the palace banquet that day. It wasn't immediately noticed, as Emperor Zhaowen dismissed the palace servants after taking his place in bed. He had a habit of rising at dawn to wash and groom himself, then spending half an hour processing memorials. The palace servants prepared warm water and waited outside the palace, but there was no movement from inside. The servants dared not inquire, fearing punishment for delaying the Emperor's review of the memorials, so they begged Jingquan to go.
Jingquan had been by Emperor Zhaowen's side since childhood, and her status was extraordinary. She would not be scolded for making small mistakes. She went straight into the bedroom to ask His Majesty if he had any instructions. As soon as she entered, she sensed that something was wrong.
The aging emperor was a light sleeper, but when called a few times that day, he didn't even open his eyes, as if he had fainted.
Jingquan kept saying "I'm sorry," but when she went closer to take a look, she realized that Jingquan had indeed fainted!
The palace servants were in a flurry of activity, fetching the imperial physicians and even bringing the chief physician, Qiu Baiji, into the palace early in the morning. The entire Imperial Medical Academy devoted themselves to treating the emperor.
Emperor Zhaowen finally awoke, but Qiu Baekje was far from at peace. His health was failing, and the emperor's illness was incurable.
Emperor Zhaowen inevitably learned the truth about his health condition. He reprimanded Qiu Baekje, accusing him of poor medical skills and deliberate deception, but did not actually punish him, only fining him a year's salary. Then he issued an edict restoring Gu Shuan's power to assist in government affairs, and even gave him more power.
Emperor Zhaowen knew that his health was failing and that Gu Shuan was the most suitable candidate to succeed him. He wanted to pave the way for his son as much as possible in the time he had left.
When news of the emperor's illness reached the court and the public, even the crown prince was acting as regent for the morning court sessions. Undercurrents surged and people's hearts were unsettled.
Gu Shuan was busy learning the affairs he had just taken over, and he also had to be wary of those scheming old men in the court and his brothers and sisters. After a few days, he visibly became much more haggard.
But as soon as the message from the spy arrived, Gu Shuan immediately went.
Zhan Xian never used the hidden agent she had deliberately arranged for her; this was the first time she had done so, so something must have gone wrong.
The meeting place was an inconspicuous little tavern in the city, winding through alleys. Upon arriving, Gu Shu'an eagerly found the private room, pushed open the door, and saw the person waiting for him.
"It's you? Where's Zhan Xian? How did you get our contact information?"
Gu Shuan was always calm and composed; he had never asked three questions in a row before. It was true that concern made him lose his composure.
"It was indeed Zhan Xian who invited you, but she invited you on my behalf; she didn't come."
Lin Yi noticed that Gu Shuan's straight shoulders slumped slightly after hearing those words.
His tone towards Qiu Qingye was always cold and impatient: "What do you want from me?"
Lin Yi had said the same thing so many times that he was so familiar with it that he could give a presentation on public speaking and talk about it fluently on stage.
“I have been to the Ministry of Rites many times about this matter, but I have been met with obstacles at every turn by the Minister of Rites. He had clearly relented, but his attitude changed again when I went there the second time.”
"So you suspect this is Lu Yuanchou's doing." Ever since learning that Zhan Xian hadn't come, Gu Shuan's brows had furrowed without relaxing in the slightest.
"This is just speculation. The fact that the Minister of Rites refused to approve the petition must have been due to someone's suggestion. Although the girls' school was a precedent for Anguo, it did not harm the interests of any party. And recently, apart from Minister Lu, who thinks I harmed his precious daughter, I can't think of anyone else I've offended."
Gu Shuan sneered: "So, you really did what happened to Lu Yanran?"
Lin Yi took a breath. At a time like this, why was he being as blunt as Xie Chengnan? "To show my sincerity, I'll be frank with Your Highness: the dance costume she wore at the palace banquet was indeed related to me."
“She has repeatedly wronged me first. By enduring her bullying and swallowing my anger, she will only become more aggressive. I must fight back.”
Gu Shuan snorted coldly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
"You are His Highness the Crown Prince. With just a word from you, the petition will be sealed immediately. The lease, the teachers, the students—everything is ready. As soon as the document is issued, those girls will be sitting in the school tomorrow. You can go and see for yourself—"
Her eyes shone brightly, and for the first time, Gu Shuan found them so captivating. He glanced away indifferently, "Why should I go see? What does this have to do with me?"
"How could this be none of your business? You are the Crown Prince of Anguo, and these are all your subjects!"
“They are indeed citizens of Anguo, but there are millions of people in Anguo, and it is impossible to take care of everyone. They have never suffered from war, have not had to bear heavy taxes, and have never encountered famine. This is already a great benefit that Anguo has brought to them. I have many things to deal with, and it is impossible to fulfill everyone’s wishes.”
Lin Yi wanted to argue further: "It only takes one word from you, and this whole thing is entirely beneficial. If you don't want to come forward, just write me a note—"
"All benefits and no harm—that's only true for you."
Lin Yi was stunned: "What do you mean?"
"I might as well be frank with you. To secure my position as Crown Prince, I need the support of the Minister's Mansion. If you want me to antagonize Lu Yuanchou at this critical juncture and offer you my full support—" Gu Shu'an's gaze was icy, like a snake slithering its tongue, tightly coiling around Lin Yi, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. "Do you have enough bargaining chips to offer?"
Lin Yi had no leverage. Apart from an Imperial Noble Consort, she had no support in the palace. Moreover, the harem was not allowed to interfere in politics, and Gu Shu'an needed the support of the court officials, which Lin Yi could not help.
And Gu Shu'an was indeed as shrewd and calculating as Zhan Xian had said, which was something she hadn't expected. He wasn't like that in the book, after all.
“Before I came, Zhan Xian told me that you wouldn’t agree to help me—we even made a bet. Now it seems I lost. Qiu Qing has been pursuing you for over a decade, but she still can’t see through you. She really does understand you better.”
Gu Shuan didn't speak, and it was unclear whether she had listened.
Lin Yi had given up on Gu Shu'an, or rather, she had given up on humanity in this world. She had faced setbacks everywhere these past few days, experiencing the full spectrum of human nature's harshness. Ultimately, she had to admit that she had been too naive.
“I don’t need your help. An exchange is fine. Let me enter the palace to treat His Majesty, or anything else I can do that will satisfy you. I must set up this school. Come find me at the Marquis’s residence when you’ve thought of something.” Lin paused, then added with a cold smile, “Until I’ve sorted things out myself.”
These were just Lin Yi's angry words. If she were capable of handling things herself, she wouldn't have lowered herself to come to Gu Shu'an.
She had been traveling for days without making any progress. Every time she saw hope within reach, she rushed over only to find it was just a mirage. Lin Yi lost her appetite and went straight back to her bedroom, burying her head in the blankets.
She was thinking of going back.
The door creaked open, but Lin Yi didn't move.
The footsteps were steady and powerful; it wasn't Xueya, and Cangxie never entered her room. Thinking of this, Lin Yi's exposed back gradually tensed.
The voice stopped right next to her ear, and the person was extremely close. Even without looking up, Lin Yi could feel his shadow projected onto her.
"You went to see Gu Shu'an?"
Xie Chengnan's voice was somewhat hoarse, carrying a hint of weariness that he hadn't quite managed to hide.
Is this a accusation?
For a moment, Lin Yi wanted to jump up and yell at him, demanding to know why he wasn't coming home, and also to unleash all the grievances she had suffered these past few days.
However, while the will was willing, the ability was insufficient.
She felt tired.
Moreover, these days have been enough for her to calm down; this stalemate is agonizing for both of them.
"Yes." Lin Yi raised his head from the pile of blankets.
When Xie Chengnan saw the redness at the corners of her eyes, the anger that had just begun to rise in his heart instantly died down, replaced by a dense, tingling pain.
He wasn't used to this feeling of not being able to control his emotions, and when he spoke again, he sounded a little irritated, "Didn't I just say that I wouldn't have any more contact with him?"
They were of different heights and stood at a distance that was neither too far nor too close, so Lin Yi had to raise her head slightly to make eye contact with him.
"Xie Chengnan, I have no choice." She was too tired, and her voice was thick with emotion. "I don't want to look for him either, but that damned approval is something that can only be obtained by him. I can't think of any other way."
"Why would you rather go to him than come to me? I will help you." Xie Chengnan noticed that something was wrong with her and spoke in a very gentle voice.
"Looking for you..." Lin Yi smiled at him, a bitter and self-deprecating smile, "Where are you, Xie Chengnan? I haven't seen a trace of you these past few days."
“I…” This time, he was speechless.
Lin Yi didn't urge him, maintaining a slight upward tilt of her head, waiting quietly. She knew she wouldn't get an explanation from him, just as Xie Chengnan wouldn't get a reasonable explanation from her for her actions at the palace banquet.
At this moment, their positions were switched.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com