Chapter 85 She was resurrected from the dead; his Gu Xi had returned. ...
The main hall of the Qianqing Palace.
Xiao Heng was sitting on the dragon throne, putting the last stroke on the imperial edict, then setting the pen aside, picking up the jade seal for the succession from the table, and pressing it down heavily.
The three regents standing beside him exchanged solemn glances.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" The Duke of Zhenguo looked at the words "abdication" on the edict, full of confusion, and was the first to advise, "Your Majesty is in the prime of your life, the time to govern diligently and stabilize the country. How can you suddenly abdicate and abandon the country and its people?!"
Although he was wary of this emperor who was rumored to have murdered his father and was ruthless and inhumane, he had to admit that since his accession to the throne, the Sheng Kingdom had become increasingly wealthy and prosperous under his rule, and its national strength was on the verge of surpassing that of the Qi Kingdom.
After his tour of Jiangnan last year, he issued a series of decrees to encourage agriculture and sericulture and promote water conservancy. The appointed censors and prefects were also very capable. Those refugees who once flocked to the country from small countries are now living and working in peace and contentment in this prosperous nation.
In recent months, he has become even more diligent in governing and caring for the people, and his various policies have begun to show results. When he lingers in the city, he hears the people praising him highly.
He just couldn't understand it!
"The Duke of Zhenguo is absolutely right! Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
"Even if His Majesty were to abdicate, he should appoint his own son as heir, not the Sixth Prince."
The Emperor is currently in his prime, and although he has no children, it is only a matter of time!
The three men offered their advice, but Xiao Heng seemed not to hear them. In the end, he only said, "My mind is made up. You will all assist Xiao Che in the future and protect this prosperous country."
Seeing the emperor's resolute attitude, the three shook their heads helplessly and finally had no choice but to sign and affix their fingerprints.
Zhao Fuquan stood to the side with a solemn expression. Over the past few months, he had seen the emperor diligently attending to state affairs every day. While worrying about his health, he also hoped that the emperor could find solace in his busy work.
Even though he knew he couldn't forget the Empress, time always heals all wounds, and he would eventually move on.
It wasn't until one day when he was given a task that he realized the emperor's love for the empress had seeped into his very bones, a love he would never forget and a love that would last until death.
After everything was settled, Xiao Heng personally picked up the imperial edict, slowly walked through the Qianqing Gate, and headed towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
He walked each step with great steadiness, yet with a hint of urgency.
He stood in the center of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, looking up at the plaque of "Upright and Bright" hanging above him, his face showing an unprecedented ease, and his eyes shining with anticipation.
He had just personally hidden the imperial edict behind this plaque.
Gu Xi, I'm coming to see you.
He turned and walked out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, returning to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
He stood before the imperial desk, carefully placing the wolf-hair brush she had given him into a brocade box, and eagerly headed towards Weiyang Palace, with Zhao Fuquan following closely behind.
In front of the Weiyang Palace gate, palace servants were carrying boxes of items one by one from inside the palace onto the carriage.
Xiao Heng was standing in front of the cabinet next to the dressing table, holding the wooden box in his hands, and walked to the front door.
He asked the palace servants, "Has everything been checked thoroughly?"
The head palace servant replied, "Your Majesty, we have checked everything against the list one by one."
Xiao Heng thought about it for a while, but was still a little worried, so he asked the palace servants to open the box and check it carefully again.
Watching the Emperor inventory the items, Hua Yue couldn't help but ask, "Chief Eunuch Zhao, where is Your Majesty planning to move the Empress's belongings?"
Zhao Fuquan shook his head and sighed, his face solemn and his eyes filled with worry.
Whether Hua Yue understood the worry in Zhao Fuquan's eyes or was infected by his emotions, she suddenly became worried as well.
For the past few months, the Emperor has come to Weiyang Palace every day. She often sees him talking to himself, calling out the Empress's name as if the Empress were really by his side.
But the Empress is clearly no longer here.
He would often gaze into the things in the Empress's room, lost in thought, his gaze distant, as if he could see the Empress through those objects. Now, he knew every single item in that room better than she did.
She could tell that the Emperor missed the Empress just as much as she did.
No, I should say I miss her even more than she does.
Although she had previously disliked him because he had mistreated the Empress, seeing him like this still made her feel uneasy.
If the Empress could know this in the afterlife, she would surely not want to see the Emperor like this.
After a long time, the loading was finally completed.
The ten carts were filled with Gu Xi's belongings, including two large boxes of medical books. Xiao Heng himself only had a few clothes and a few books.
Zhao Fuquan mentioned it, and that's when he instructed him to prepare it.
The car slowly headed towards the imperial mausoleum. Xiao Heng, dressed in black, leaned against the car wall with his eyes closed, a faint smile playing on his lips as he seemed to be lost in thought.
To see her, he had dyed his sideburns black a few days ago. He was already a few years older than her, and if she saw his full head of white hair, she would definitely dislike him.
Not long after the carriage left the palace, Zhao Fuquan, who was on the secondary throne, suddenly turned his head and reported: "Your Majesty, this old servant suddenly remembered that I seem to have left one of Your Majesty's scrolls behind."
Xiao Heng, still with his eyes closed, said calmly, "It's alright, one more scroll won't make a difference."
The carriage continued driving for a while, when Zhao Fuquan suddenly slapped his forehead and reported again, "Your Majesty, this old servant just remembered that Miss Huayue once said that Her Majesty the Empress has a very favorite dress that she left in the Qianqing Palace. This servant forgot about it!"
Xiao Heng suddenly opened his eyes, his face displeased, and said in a deep voice, "Go and return quickly! I will go first."
This old man is becoming increasingly incompetent, but he has followed him for so many years, so assisting Xiao Che should not be a problem.
Zhao Fuquan quickly changed to another carriage and headed towards the palace. After driving for a while, he glanced back at Xiao Heng's carriage disappearing around the corner and immediately turned around.
The car stopped in front of the Sixth Prince's Mansion.
Xiao Che, dressed in magnificent robes with his hair perfectly styled and a warm smile on his face, was about to leave when he encountered Zhao Fuquan coming towards him. "Why is Steward Zhao leaving the palace? What business do you have with me?" The other man looked anxious, but then glanced around and hesitated without saying a word.
Xiao Che understood and dismissed the servants. Zhao Fuquan then told him what had happened.
Xiao Che was shocked upon hearing this, his face filled with disbelief. His voice suddenly rose, yet he tried to suppress it: "To be buried alive with someone?!"
Zhao Fuquan nodded solemnly to show that the other party had not misheard him, "Sixth Prince, you must go and persuade the Emperor!" He knew the chances were slim, but he couldn't do nothing!
Xiao Che frowned, "Where is my brother now?" He quickly walked towards the door.
Zhao Fuquan quickly followed, saying, "At the imperial mausoleum."
"He intends to..."
"Exactly."
Xiao Che whispered a few words to the steward of the manor, and then set off towards the imperial mausoleum without stopping. The car soon stopped in front of the mausoleum.
Deep within the imperial mausoleum, Xiao Heng sat calmly with his eyes closed, holding a wooden box in his hands, a cup of wine placed not far from him.
All ten cartloads of items have been moved in and placed properly. Now all that's left is for Zhao Fuquan to retrieve her belongings, close the stone door, and then she can drink the poisoned wine.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from not far away. Xiao Heng opened his eyes. "Did you get the things?" He turned his head and saw Xiao Che who had come with Zhao Fuquan. He frowned and asked, "Why are you here?"
"Brother, what are you doing?!" Xiao Che's pupils dilated, and his voice trembled slightly.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he really wouldn't have believed that what Zhao Fuquan said was actually true!
Xiao Heng gave Zhao Fuquan a cold look, and the man was so frightened that he quickly lowered his head.
There were no clothes at all. This old man is getting bolder and bolder, daring to lie to him.
I won't hold it against him today.
He said calmly, "This is none of your business. Get out." With that, he stood in front of the coffin, ready to press the switch on the stone door.
"Brother! Xiao Xi doesn't want to see you like this either!" Xiao Che pleaded earnestly.
"Get out!" Xiao Heng commanded in a deep voice.
Both of them stood still, Zhao Fuquan with his head down, while Xiao Che's eyes met his.
"Are you trying to defy the imperial decree?!" Xiao Heng's voice was slightly angry.
Zhao Fuquan knelt on the spot, prostrating himself: "This servant dares not."
Xiao Che looked at Xiao Heng with a complicated expression, then took two steps forward, glanced at the cenotaph and the woman's belongings scattered throughout the mausoleum, pursed his lips into a thin line, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Brother, it seems that you still don't understand her enough." He paused, "Among all the belongings in this mausoleum, there is none of her favorite sugar figurine."
Xiao Heng, who was about to step forward and chase the two away, paused, frowned, and asked in confusion, "Sugar figurines?"
“That’s right, she’s loved the sugar figurine shops on Chang’an Street since she was a child, but she hasn’t eaten them since entering the palace. She must miss them terribly,” Xiao Che said with an air of seriousness.
After a moment's thought, Xiao Heng said coldly, "There's no need to waste time here! Get out of here!"
Zhao Fuquan quickly chimed in, "This servant remembers! The Sixth Prince also loved these sugar figurines when he was young, because His Majesty the Empress liked them!" He didn't know what the Sixth Prince meant, so he just wanted to stall for time.
Xiao Heng pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered that Xiao Che had indeed fought with his ninth brother over a candy figurine when they were young. He was not a combative person, so it would make sense if it was for her. Could it be that what he said was true?
She has always loved sweet and cloying things. Since he wanted to apologize to her, he naturally needed to prepare more. It only took an hour to travel to and from Chang'an Street, so he could go and return quickly.
No matter how much he delays, it's useless.
Thinking of this, he strode towards the outside of the imperial mausoleum. As he passed by Xiao Che, Xiao Che lowered his eyes and reminded him in a low voice, "Brother, remember, it must be the one on Chang'an Street, that's the one she likes."
Xiao Heng paused, hummed in response, and then disappeared into the imperial mausoleum.
Xiao Che stood outside the imperial mausoleum watching the departing carriage, his heart filled with mixed emotions, yet he could not hide his bitterness.
Brother, this is all I can do for you. If you two are destined to meet, you will meet again.
*
Inside a restaurant on Chang'an Avenue, every seat was taken, and the place was bustling with activity.
The storyteller closed his folding fan, slammed his hand on the table, and began to speak in a loud voice, "Gentlemen, please listen to me! Today I will not talk about the joys of the martial world, but only about the current emperor's great achievements and the deep affection between the emperor and empress!"
"Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has worked diligently to govern the country, quelled border conflicts, brought peace to the people, reduced taxes and levies, and promoted water conservancy projects. These are all great achievements!"
"But if you ask what our Emperor is most remarkable about," he said, feigning profundity, "it is his deep affection for the Empress!"
"That was truly earth-shattering and awe-inspiring... As you all know, after the Empress died, the Emperor knelt in the snow for seven days and seven nights. Tell me, how many men in this world could do that, let alone the ruler of a country!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a sneer suddenly rang out in the hall, the sound not loud but unusually clear.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, which came from a woman in red. The woman was extremely beautiful, yet she also had a touch of heroism.
She was sitting sideways by the window, opposite a handsome man in white. Beside them sat a woman in a light blue dress, her back to the others, so her features were not visible.
The woman in red scoffed, "Storyteller only loves to spout pretty words! If the emperor were truly so devoted, how could the empress have died so easily? Perhaps she didn't cherish him enough in life, and now she's just putting on an act to ease her conscience!"
The storyteller and the diners were both shocked! Who was this girl? How dare she speak so boldly about the emperor!
The woman in red ignored the gazes of the crowd and turned to the woman in the light blue dress, saying, "Little girl, don't you think I'm right?"
The woman simply lowered her head and remained silent.
The man in white next to her glanced at her, then ladled a bowl of soup for her and placed it in front of her.
The storyteller retorted, "Young lady, you are mistaken! How can mortals control life and death!"
The woman in red snorted coldly, her face full of disapproval.
The storyteller ignored the woman in red and continued, "This isn't the only beautiful tale of the emperor and empress..."
"Speaking of our Empress, she was truly a woman of extraordinary talent... It is said that she was highly accomplished in both music and medicine during her lifetime. Her medical skills were learned from the renowned Medicine King Valley, and the current system of female physicians was established with her encouragement..."
"After the Empress passed away, her medical records and musical scores, written during her lifetime, were compiled, printed, and distributed throughout the land, where they circulated widely..."
The storyteller continued recounting the tale of the Emperor and Empress of the Sheng Kingdom, while the group at the table finished their lunch and headed downstairs from the restaurant.
In front of the restaurant.
"Little girl, I have some things to attend to later, so I won't be going to the Gu family. I'll have Brother Mu take you home!"
It's all Xiao Che's fault. He's so disloyal. He promised to go to Medicine King Valley to pick up the little girl today, but he disappeared halfway there. Zhu Yin is sick again. Fortunately, Mu Yunqi accompanied her back to the capital.
"Yao Yao..." Before Gu Xi could call out to her, she had already slipped away. She had wanted her to accompany her to stroll along Chang'an Street and buy some things.
She sighed helplessly. How long was Yao Yao going to hide from her brother?
She turned to Mu Yunqi, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "Brother Mu, could you come with me for a stroll?"
Mu Yunqi smiled gently: "Of course."
On the other side, Xiao Heng and Zhao Fuquan walked back and forth on Chang'an Street several times, but still couldn't find the sugar figurine shop.
Xiao Heng suddenly realized that he had been deceived by Xiao Che, and his face immediately darkened.
Just as he was about to head back, he suddenly passed by a small shop selling dried fruit and candied fruit. He went in and bought a few pieces with a wave of his hand. When he came out, both of Zhao Fuquan's hands were full.
As Xiao Heng stepped out of the shop, a man absentmindedly nearly bumped into him. He quickly dodged backward, but the man ended up colliding with a man in blue.
The man in blue cursed, "Who's blind?! ...It's you, Brother Qian!"
The two seemed to know each other and exchanged pleasantries.
"I'm so sorry, Brother Sun, I just ran into a fairy on the street. She was so beautiful, she completely captivated me!"
Upon hearing this, the man in blue's eyes lit up. "Is it really that beautiful? Take me to see it!"
"Brother Qian, don't even think about it! That woman looks like she's married!" She has a handsome man by her side and is pregnant.
Xiao Heng bypassed the two and walked quickly out of Chang'an Street, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed. He had lingered here for too long.
All along the way, there was a constant stream of discussion about the woman, and I overheard a couple of snippets of it unintentionally.
"Did you see that? How can anyone in this world look like that?!"
A woman exclaimed, "Absolutely! Even I was mesmerized. No wonder those men were all so captivated..."
The woman everyone was talking about was standing in front of a jewelry shop. She had just put down a bracelet and picked up a pair of earrings. She asked the man beside her, "Brother Mu, do you think these two are pretty?"
She wanted to buy it as a gift for Yun Ke. She had recently been released from her palace status and was about to marry her senior brother. She was afraid that Yun Ke would not like the one she chose, so she wanted Mu Yunqi to check it out.
Mu Yunqi tried his best to hide the excitement in his heart and said gently, "It's beautiful."
Gu Xi lowered her head and continued to select items. She found each item to be quite unique and picked out a few more. When she looked up to pay, she noticed the stall owner's staring gaze.
She glanced to her left and right and suddenly felt eyes coming from all directions. Just as she raised her hand to put down her veil, she turned around and suddenly met a pair of deep eyes.
Her hands unconsciously stopped moving, and she was momentarily stunned.
Unexpectedly, he encountered Xiao Heng on his first day back in the capital.
She thought she would never see him again in this lifetime.
Across the sea of people, she saw him looking at her with shock, disbelief, and tears in his eyes.
She had never seen him shed a tear.
At that moment, she suddenly felt a pang of tenderness and wanted to hug him, to hug her Ah Heng.
But her Ah Heng was already dead, buried forever with her and her love in that winter of the fourth year of Yongjing.
The only person standing before her now was the king of the Sheng Kingdom.
She lowered her eyes, suppressing the bitterness in her heart, pretending not to see him, and turned to leave.
She already knew from the people that he had managed the country well and that he was doing well now, and that was enough.
Let bygones be bygones.
Xiao Heng remained rooted to the spot, watching the woman he had longed for gradually walk away.
He wanted to take a step to chase after it, but he couldn't take a step. He didn't know if what he had just experienced was a dream or real.
If it was a dream, he was afraid that she would disappear as soon as he approached her.
If it's true, she said she hoped she would never see him again.
She was pregnant with their child.
No, their child is dead.
Seeing that the person was about to walk away, Zhao Fuquan quickly reminded him, "Master, that woman seems to be..." His tone was filled with shock and uncertainty.
How could this person have come back to life?!
But the person standing next to her is Mu Yunqi! So there's no doubt about it!
What about that child? Could it be that the Emperor's child is still alive?
Xiao Heng snapped out of his shock, pushed through the crowd, and chased after the beautiful figure. He didn't care if he bumped into pedestrians or heard the curses directed at him; his eyes were only on the woman.
He finally stopped two steps in front of her, his eyes fixed on her, a complex mix of emotions churning within them, his pupils trembling slightly, and his fingertips quivering slightly as well.
His lips moved, but no sound came out.
He cautiously took a step forward, but she took a step back, so he quickly took two steps back, not daring to go any further.
Gu Xi pursed her lips and looked at him, then turned to the man beside her and said, "Brother Mu, let's go."
He followed closely behind.
Wherever she went, he followed.
He followed her from a distance, watching her enter one shop after another, and watching her buy all sorts of things—silk and satin, hairpins and jewelry, and so on.
His eyes never left her, not even for a moment.
But she wouldn't look at him, as if she didn't know him. Only when Zhao Fuquan paid the bill would she purse her lips and glance at him with a slight frown.
One glance is enough.
It was her, it was his tenderness.
His Gu Xi has returned.
He followed them from day to night, from Chang'an Avenue to the front of the Gu family's house.
He dared not approach from a distance, but as she was about to step into the Gu family's gate and leave his sight, he finally could not restrain himself and quickly stepped towards her, his legs trembling slightly.
He opened his arms and hugged her tightly, holding her close in his embrace, just like before.
He buried his face in her neck and called her in a low, hoarse voice, "Gu Xi..." His voice trembled uncontrollably, filled with an unspeakable sadness and longing, as if he had called her that a thousand times before, but no one had answered him.
It was her, his Gu Xi, who had returned.
Heaven finally took pity on him and sent her back to his side.
The sudden embrace made Gu Xi stiffen. She instinctively wanted to push it away, but as she raised her hand, she felt a dampness slide down her neck and shoulders, seeping into her skin and into her heart.
She suppressed the bitterness in her heart and gently pushed him away.
She looked up at the man she had once loved with her life, her eyes slightly red, and whispered, "Aheng, we can't go back. Forget me..." She raised her hand and gently wiped the tears from his eyes with her fingertips, her voice soft, "You must take care of yourself..."
Xiao Heng suddenly grabbed her wrist, pressing her palm against his, his eyes bloodshot.
Gu Xi lowered her eyes and gently broke free from him.
Xiao Heng kept his eyes fixed on her, watching her turn and step into the Gu family home, watching her close the door with both hands.
He suddenly reached out and blocked the crack in the door. Gu Xi was startled and quickly stopped, frowning as she looked at him.
Xiao Heng winked at Zhao Fuquan in the distance, took two boxes of candied fruit from him, and handed them to Gu Xi. "Gu Xi, this is for you..." His eyes were somewhat ingratiating, as if he was afraid that she would not accept it.
Gu Xi lowered her head and hummed in agreement, then closed the door.
She leaned against the door, watching her tears fall drop by drop onto her bulging belly.
She has lived three lives in her life. The first time was before she was eight years old. When she was seven, she learned that she had this disease. At that time, she did not understand the fragility of life and played around recklessly. She died once in the snow, but luckily she came back to life.
From then on, she dared not be willful and learned to be a calm person so that her body, which had finally come back to life, could live a little longer.
But later, she fell in love with a man, loved him so much that she was heartbroken and lost her life.
Now, this is her third time living, and she tells herself that she must not repeat the same mistake and make those who love her suffer the pain of losing her again.
A moment later, he wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve, sniffed, tidied his hair and makeup to make himself look normal, and then walked towards the main courtyard.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Updated! Updated again!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com