Chapter 99 Piercing His Unsuspecting Heart
Stepping into the unassuming courtyard under the autumn sun, Xiao Shenjing slowly entered.
The courtyard was exceptionally tidy; the bluestone path had just been swept, and there was no fallen leaves or dust in sight; the flowerbed in the corner, though lacking blooms, was neatly arranged; the side rooms were bright and clean, clearly indicating that someone had taken great care of them.
The emperor's steps slowly came to a stop in the center of the courtyard. His tall and slender figure stood with his hands behind his back, his black robes like a sharp sword, dividing the bright light in two.
His gaze slowly swept over every inch of the room: the tightly closed door, as if it had once severed her connection with the world; the small stone table and bench, where she had once leaned against the railing to gaze at the moon, or resolutely severed ties with the world. Finally, his gaze settled on the central wing room, the place where she had risked her life to give birth to their child.
This place was once Yunxi's refuge, the birthplace of his bloodline, and also the place he missed.
At this moment, Fan Zishi stood a few steps away with his hands at his sides, dressed in court robes, his face calm, with a calmness that seemed to have known this day would come.
The slender figure beside me was the same.
Throughout the entire ordeal, neither of them showed much change in expression; they knew the consequences of this storm from the moment they made their decision.
However, unlike Lu Xiuran who was all alone, Fan Zishi had a large family behind him.
The consequences of being implicated are unimaginable.
However, while Yunxi was still there, the three of them had already come up with a way to deal with the situation.
It's just that the emperor might not believe it.
Xiao Shenjing did not look at them, nor did he mention the meticulously planned "fake death".
"Your Majesty, the midwife, Madam Wang, has been brought outside." Fu Shun stepped forward, lowered his eyes, and reported softly.
Xiao Shenjing nodded slightly and walked towards the room. Pushing open the door, he saw that the furnishings inside, though seemingly understated, were exceptionally thoughtful.
The smooth, mirror-like blue brick floor reflected the sparse shadows cast by the window lattices. A large, solid rosewood canopy bed stood firmly, its brocade curtains hanging low. Beside the bed was a small, carved boxwood table, upon which rested an elegant white porcelain tea set.
The midwife, Wang, with her gray hair and neat clothes, knelt down tremblingly and said in a trembling voice, "This old woman greets the young master."
"Rise." The Emperor's voice was deep and clear, standing out in the quiet room. He didn't sit down, but stood in the center of the room, his gaze fixed on the canopy bed, and asked, "Was this where you delivered your baby?"
“It’s right here.” Wang wiped the sweat from her forehead, propped herself up on her knees, and stood up without daring to raise her head, standing fearfully with her hands hanging down.
"How was she back then?" Xiao Shenjing asked softly.
It seems they wanted to "see" that moment.
Giving birth has always been a brush with death.
During such a difficult time, he was not by her side; he did not even wipe away a drop of sweat from her as she suffered.
Did she hate him back then?
A trace of memory flashed across the midwife Wang's eyes. Wang said, "Madam is an extremely patient person. The onset of labor was very sudden, and the pain was intense, but she would just grab the edge of the bed and bite her towel to groan. However, Madam has a good constitution and a strong body, so she suffered much less during childbirth than ordinary women."
"Anything else?" Xiao Shenjing pressed.
He seemed fixated on understanding the minutiae of the past, on seeing those times he hadn't been a part of, as if in doing so he could experience her suffering and pain at that time.
"When the young master was born, he cried loudly; he was a robust child. The madam was exhausted; she only glanced at him, then, too weak to even hold him, she fell into a deep sleep."
Xiao Shenjing's breath hitched slightly.
It felt like being pricked in the heart by fine needles.
He slowly walked to the bedside, reached out his hand, and gently brushed his long, slender fingertips, as delicate as jade bamboo, across the cool, hard wooden edge of the bed.
It was here that Yunxi used all her strength to bring their child into this world.
He remained silent for a long time, and finally, he turned to Fan Zishi and Lu Xiuran, who had been silent all along.
These two are the two people in question.
They dared to secretly send Yunxi out of the Forbidden City.
He missed her most vulnerable moment, and he missed hearing his child's first cry.
And the root of this irreparable regret lies right before our eyes!
His gaze was like a sharp blade tempered with ice, precisely piercing Fan Zishi and Lu Xiuran, who stood with their heads bowed, as if he wanted to drag the two of them off a precipice.
"you"
Before the emperor could finish speaking, a familiar voice suddenly interrupted him, "Xiao Shenjing, what are you doing?"
He looked up and saw Yunxi rushing towards him with a fierce expression.
Charge! It really is a charge!
It was as if they were afraid of being even a second late.
"Yunxi" Fan Zishi said unexpectedly when he saw her.
Lu Xiuran, standing beside her, moved his lips, but ultimately swallowed her name back down his throat.
Yunxi breathed a heavy sigh of relief and asked, "Big brother, Lu Xiuran, how are you? Are you alright?"
Her face, covered in a thin layer of sweat, showed undisguised worry.
Upon seeing this, Xiao Shenjing suddenly lowered his brows, and his hand clenched almost imperceptibly beneath his sleeve.
"Don't worry, we're fine. Why are you sweating so much?" Fan Zishi asked.
"I'm fine." Yunxi took a deep breath, finally suppressing her rapid breathing.
She blocked their way and looked at Xiao Shenjing, demanding, "What are you doing here?"
Her voice was as cold as a sharp arrow.
It's no wonder Yunxi was anxious and overthinking.
Xiao Shenjing came to this secluded courtyard for no reason and even brought back the mute servant who had long been sent back to his hometown. This was clearly to settle old scores.
Seeing her standing on the opposite side, Xiao Shenjing pursed his lips and restrained himself as he said to Fu Shun, "Take everyone away."
Before leaving, Fan Zishi and Lu Xiuran looked at Yun Xi with concern, but they also knew that staying would be detrimental to Yun Xi.
Xiao Shenjing snorted coldly, taking in both of their expressions.
Yunxi finally breathed a sigh of relief when the inner courtyard gate was slowly closed.
Looking at Xiao Shenjing, who stood with his hands behind his back, she felt even more puzzled.
Why were they not punished when they came here? Was it because there wasn't enough evidence?
Yunxi guessed, and asked as calmly as possible, "What exactly are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?" Xiao Shenjing asked in return.
This time, Yunxi didn't say anything.
When Xiao Shenjing appeared here, Yunxi deeply understood the principle that the more you say, the more mistakes you make.
An emperor is an emperor. If she has no power or influence, she should assess the situation and, when appropriate, humble herself in the dust.
Try to please him, cater to him, and become the person he likes.
She slowly lowered her eyelashes and looked at her hands.
She held on gently, but couldn't grasp anything, including herself.
Her thick eyelashes were half-closed, and her slightly slumped shoulders seemed to be unable to bear the weight.
Despite standing in the bright autumn sunshine, my whole body seemed to be shrouded in a thick layer of shadow.
It no longer has the vibrant and lively appearance it once did.
It was like a knife, stabbing Xiao Shenjing's unsuspecting heart.
Xiao Shenjing heard himself ask her, "What do you think I'm here for?"
Each word was like a pebble soaked in ice water, striking the suddenly quiet air.
"I don't know," Yunxi said calmly, composed herself.
“Lying.” Xiao Shenjing’s jawline tightened like a knife, and the coldness emanating from him seemed to freeze the entire side courtyard. “You’re afraid I’ll kill Fan Zishi and exterminate his entire family. You’re afraid I’ll kill Lu Xiuran, so you rushed here.”
Yunxi's eyes flickered for a moment.
Silent default.
That is the most damaging weapon.
At this moment, Xiao Shenjing had no doubt that even if he made a move against Lu Xiuran, an outsider, she would risk everything to fight back, and might even kill him to avenge him.
This clear realization made Xiao Shenjing feel a tightness in his throat.
He endured it again and again before finally suppressing the bitterness.
He even forcefully raised his chin slightly, his disdainful posture carrying a natural aloofness. "Do you know that if I truly wanted to settle scores, why would I need to come to this remote place in person? Why would I need to wait for you to rush in and question me? A verbal order and a troop of imperial guards would suffice."
He took a slow step forward, and the invisible pressure drew closer.
"You're protecting me so fiercely. Have you ever considered that my arrival might not be as insignificant as you think?"
He felt a tightness and anger in his chest, and stared intently at Yunxi.
He was still the supreme emperor, but the chill emanating from him was more terrifying than any harsh words or stern expressions.
"Then what is Your Majesty doing here?" Yunxi asked with utmost patience, without backing down an inch.
"Your Majesty?" Xiao Shenjing sneered. "You only lower yourself like this when others are in danger."
Yunxi pursed her lips.
"Yunxi, I promised you that day that I would change! How could I know you care?" He emphasized those two words heavily. "They, they even want to chop off their heads to make you suffer?"
Yunxi didn't believe it.
He repeatedly used people she cared about as leverage to pressure her.
Will he really change this time?
Deep down, she didn't believe Xiao Shenjing's words, nor did she dare to, because she couldn't afford to gamble.
If she loses, it will be the fate of Fan Zishi and Lu Xiuran.
All these people are because of her.
But what could she do at that moment?
It's too late to kill Xiao Shenjing now. If he really dies here, everything will be settled.
What should she do?
What could she do?
Xiao Shenjing keenly caught the emotion that flashed in her dark almond-shaped eyes. He slightly raised his lips, as if smiling, and asked, "You don't believe me?"
Although it was a question, it was clearly a statement of certainty.
After a long pause, or perhaps only a few breaths, Yunxi finally spoke, asking him, "Should I trust you?"
Her tone was soft, unlike her usual sharp and impatient one.
But Xiao Shenjing knew that this was only because she didn't want to provoke him.
For Fan Zishi, for Fan Zishi's entire family, for Lu Xiuran.
He can now use this to threaten her into doing anything, and she will definitely agree.
She was willing to personally bury herself in the mud for the sake of those she cared about.
Xiao Shenjing flicked his sleeve and turned away abruptly, not wanting to see her appearance any longer.
"Back when you were still in the palace, I kept you in the Qianqing Palace every day and heavily relied on Fan Zishi. Do you know why?"
The autumn sun shone through the sparse branches, casting shimmering spots of light on Yunxi's face. She slowly shook her head. "I don't know."
“You’re not unaware, you’re just unwilling to think about it.” He turned abruptly, the hem of his dark robe billowing in the wind, and said in a low voice, “Because back then, I wanted to make you my woman! Other concubines all had illustrious maternal families. But what about you? You had nothing. Like a rootless duckweed, you couldn’t withstand the slightest wind or rain. The harem is closely connected to the court; you need to have enough support behind you.”
"How is that possible? Who are you trying to fool, Xiao Shenjing?" A look of disbelief flashed in Yunxi's eyes.
"What you're saying is completely contrary to the principles of imperial strategy. Your heavy reliance on Fan Zishi is clearly because you value his talent, or it's a means of maintaining balance in the court!"
"Otherwise what?" Xiao Shenjing retorted, his gaze fixed on her, not missing any subtle change in her face.
All I see is disbelief.
Yunxi blinked and quickly recalled what had happened back then. "Because I used to be a member of the Fan family, they summoned me to the Qianqing Palace for days on end, just to pave the way for Fan Zishi to cut down mulberry trees and restore rice."
Anger flashed in Xiao Shenjing's deep, unfathomable phoenix eyes. "If that's really the case, why didn't I summon his unmarried sister to the palace as you suggested?"
Yunxi frowned, unable to find a rebuttal for a moment.
Because she never connected the two things together.
That's absolutely unbelievable.
The more she disbelieved him, the deeper the gloom in Xiao Shenjing's eyes grew. "Have you ever thought about why I spared the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion when I led my troops into the capital and trampled the bones of all the nobles?"
He paused. "Fan Zishi is indeed talented, and I certainly admire him, but there are countless ambitious people in the world. Why must I choose him?"
“Yunxi”
This sudden question, completely different from the previous interrogation, pierced her heart like a fine needle.
Xiao Shenjing continued speaking.
As if he no longer wanted to hide it, he was determined to expose himself to her today.
Let her see clearly what he really looks like.
"Because looking at the entire court, he is the only one who is connected to you in every way, I don't want to kill him! Later, when you returned to the palace, I needed him even more to become your 'elder brother' and the cornerstone for your position in the harem."
"Yunxi." He took a step closer, his tall figure almost completely enveloping her in his shadow. His voice was lower, but every word was like a hammer, striking her heart. "Do you think I don't know how Fan Zishi and Lu Xiuran 'helped' you escape from the palace? Do you think I was fooled by them and really wanted to take their heads off right now?"
Yunxi immediately looked up at him.
"Of course I'm furious." A cold rage instantly ignited in the emperor's eyes, his chest heaving slightly. Clearly, he was recalling those days of being out of control and deceived. His imperial majesty was challenged, and his thunderous rage erupted instantly. "I wish I could grind them to dust! How dare they scheme against me, take you away from my side, and make me miss the birth of our child."
But the next moment, he forcibly suppressed his anger.
“But Fan Zishi is your only ‘foundation’ that can be polished into a chess piece.” He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was only clarity in his eyes. “Killing them may feel good, but then what? You will turn against me, you will be my sworn enemy, you will fight me to the death, and I don’t want to see that.”
"Therefore, I can bear this humiliation."
He spoke those last few words softly, yet they struck like a heavy hammer. There was no roar, no loss of composure; instead, the cold, regal demeanor he exuded made them all the more weighty and suffocating.
"Hehe," Xiao Shenjing suddenly chuckled softly amidst Yun Xi's extremely complicated expression. His laughter was filled with heavy self-mockery and sarcasm, making it particularly jarring. "Sometimes I feel like a tyrant! For your sake, I actually had to personally support and strengthen those relatives who dared to fool me! Knowing that it might be like raising a tiger to cause trouble, I still did it."
He looked at her, his eyes burning with a hint of desperate madness. "But I want you to be able to sit firmly on the throne, I want you to be someone no one dares to bully, and when you stand by my side, you need not only my favor, but also the power to shut everyone up and make everyone fear you, even if that power was raised by my own hands."
"Yunxi, do you understand now? I am not as cold-blooded and ruthless as you think, nor am I entirely the kind of person you hate."
He leaned in, supporting her shoulders, his phoenix eyes completely filled with the slender figure before him.
In the shimmering waves, there was an incredibly deep and intense affection.
"This is the place where you could stay safely after you escaped the palace, and it's also where you gave birth to Yuanxiao." He paused. "I can't understand how painful childbirth is, but I know it must be very painful. I wasn't by your side when you were in the most pain. I've regretted it ever since. If I had been there then, I would have preferred you to beat or scold me rather than suffer alone. So I just came to visit this place."
He reached out his hand, as if wanting to hold hers, but in the end he restrained himself and withdrew it.
"Don't misunderstand me anymore. I said I'm willing to change, and I will become the person you like."
Yunxi didn't speak. After a while, she pushed him away, turned to the side, and sat down on the stone bench.
“It’s alright if you don’t want to talk now,” Xiao Shenjing followed her and sat down on the stone bench next to her. “For the rest of my life, I have plenty of time to wait.”
Yunxi didn't argue or provoke him, but still pressed him with concern: "Are you really going to let them go?"
"I still hate them to this day." He clenched his fists behind his back. "I hate them for betraying me, for their audacity in daring to deceive me and fool me right under my nose, within the ninefold palace!"
Yun Xi listened quietly, her face calm and composed, with only a barely perceptible twitch at the end of her slender eyebrow. This twitch, like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, instantly stirred the undercurrents churning in Xiao Shenjing's eyes.
He almost immediately caught her subtle reaction, and his tone suddenly changed: "But I know how to resolve this matter."
He leaned forward, trying to shorten the invisible distance between them, his gaze fixed intently on her.
"Go ahead," Yunxi said calmly, her voice as still as an autumn pool, its depths unfathomable. She raised her eyes slightly to meet his burning gaze, but deep within them lay a cool scrutiny.
Xiao Shenjing said, word by word, "You will be my Empress." He stared intently into her eyes, not missing a single change. "Once you become my rightful Empress, the mistress of this palace, and the mother of the future Crown Prince, then wouldn't Lu Xiuran and Fan Zishi naturally become 'one of us'?"
Yunxi raised an eyebrow.
“I know you won’t agree right now.” Xiao Shenjing suddenly smiled again, not pressuring her like before, and said in a softer tone, “It’s alright, I will wait.”
But soon, he changed the subject, saying, "But they must completely sever those inappropriate thoughts. Otherwise, I will absolutely not tolerate it."
“Yunxi”
Xiao Shenjing immediately assured him, "As long as they behave themselves and serve as your right-hand men," he paused, as if savoring the bitterness of the words "endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens," "I will naturally grant them high-ranking positions and generous salaries, ensuring their lifelong prosperity."
“Tell me, Xiao Shenjing, what else do you plan to do?” Yunxi’s voice rose slightly.
"You always care too much about them." The emperor was very dissatisfied with her attitude, but when he thought that he was still less important to Yunxi than the two of them, he felt annoyed, angry and jealous.
However, when his gaze met her cold and stubborn eyes, Xiao Shenjing gritted his teeth and forcibly suppressed the surging jealousy and imperial pride deep in his heart.
He calmed down, straightened his back, and resumed the authoritative tone of an emperor, clearly stating the arrangement he had long planned and that was enough to shake the court: "I intend to appoint Lu Xiuran as the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, responsible for teaching Yuanxiao virtue, etiquette, and the way of being a ruler."
The words "morality and etiquette" were deliberately emphasized.
Lu Xiuran was a scholar of exceptional learning and impeccable character, and this honorary title and high position was the first step in thoroughly incorporating him into the "Crown Prince's maternal family."
He turned his gaze to Yunxi, and continued with a calm and composed air, "I hereby appoint Fan Zishi as the Crown Prince's tutor, responsible for instructing Yuanxiao in academics, politics, and the art of governing the country."
This position offers more real power and is more suitable for Fan Zishi's ambitious and exceptionally capable nature. It serves as both bait and a rein to tether this beast.
“However,” Xiao Shenjing stood up, hands behind his back, deliberately drawing out his words, “the positions of Grand Tutor and Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince, though prestigious, are ultimately honorary titles of the third rank. Educating the Crown Prince is a matter of national importance, a matter of great significance. With just two empty titles, I fear it will be difficult to convince the public and make them truly devote themselves to serving the Crown Prince and sharing your burdens.”
"Next, I will naturally make them worthy of their titles and positions of power. Only in this way can we deter the villains and help you establish your authority." He turned to look at her. "I will grant them promotions, allowing Lu Xiuran to establish his authority in the court with his upright character, and Fan Zishi to establish himself in the field with his outstanding achievements! One is a scholar, the other a warrior; one is upright, the other corrupt. They will be enough to protect your future position as Empress and become the right-hand men of the Crown Prince, so that no one in the world will dare to underestimate you in the slightest."
The autumn sunlight outlined Xiao Shenjing's tall and straight figure, and the deep eyes that were once filled with jealousy and anger now held the domineering air of an emperor.
It was an absolute confidence that looked down upon all living beings and held the reins of the universe.
"Rest assured, I will arrange everything perfectly. You are not allowed to worry about their lives any longer," Xiao Shenjing said almost domineeringly. He paused, then lowered his voice slightly, adding, "So, don't think of me as so cold-hearted anymore, and don't let outsiders misunderstand me, otherwise..."
He lifted his thick eyelashes, revealing a pair of unfathomable phoenix eyes that seemed to hold deep affection when they fell on Yunxi's face.
"I, the Emperor, am capable of feeling jealousy."
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