Chapter 39 No Good Feast
Entering the Southern Qi palace again was just as tedious. They were blindfolded and led to the place that Ji Gongyun wanted them to go.
However, this time Su Ningpei first settled them in a separate courtyard, which was more spacious than the one in the Divine Pivot Heavenly Mystery Sect, but it was also deserted, and it was obvious that no one had lived there for a long time.
Bian Yi's fingers brushed across the stone table in the courtyard, which was covered with a thick layer of dust. Lin Chengye's expression remained unfriendly, and he merely glanced at the place indifferently.
"His Majesty has decreed that the two heroes stay here temporarily, and may enter the Empress Dowager's palace on the thirtieth day. Before that, you must not set foot here."
Su Ningpei smiled and bowed to the two of them, but his words were not very pleasant.
"you……"
Bian Yi frowned, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, and the stone table beneath his hand cracked with a snap. Su Ningpei's heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat suddenly broke out on his forehead.
"You don't really think you can do whatever you want just because you have Chu Wuding, do you?"
Bian Yi's expression was rarely so unpleasant. She paced back and forth impatiently, her hands behind her back. Taking a deep breath, she barely suppressed her anger and snapped.
“Go back and tell Ji Gongyun not to act recklessly just because of Chu Wuding. Others may be afraid of him, but I don’t think so.”
Su Ningpei's expression changed upon hearing this remark, which was enough to warrant execution for the crime of disrespect. Her gloomy gaze swept between Bian Yi and Lin Chengye. She snorted coldly, threw down a sentence, and stormed off.
"How dare you! This is the Southern Qi Dynasty. Don't think too highly of yourself, you mere street vendor! I've delivered my message. If you wander around as you please, don't blame us for being ruthless!"
"...Ji Gongyun was even more nervous than us."
Watching Su Ningpei's figure disappear into the distance, Lin Chengye spoke coldly. She patted Bian Yi's back, comforting her.
"How long will it take for Mi Fan to wake up?"
“...five days from now, at midnight, 9 PM.” Bian Yi put down the dying stone table under his command and said with certainty.
...
On the fifth night, around 7 PM, a flurry of footsteps sounded outside the courtyard where the two lived.
Lin Chengye, who had been resting with his eyes closed in bed, suddenly opened them. What came into view was Bian Yi standing under the moonlight, waiting for the eunuchs dressed in black, with the cold, gleaming Liaochen sword clasped behind his back.
"His Majesty requests that you two come over immediately."
"Let's go." Lin Chengye put on a thin shirt, got out of bed, and stood solemnly by Bian Yi's side.
The two were blindfolded again. Lin Chengye was almost used to this feeling. Soon, the two of them entered the cold and desolate palace once more.
Inside the vast hall, only the four of them remained. Almost exactly as they had been that day, they stood there, their eyes fixed on the person on the bed.
Mi Fan looked much better than she had thirty days ago. Her skin, which had been almost ashen, had regained its rosy hue, and her breathing was steady, like a tree that had survived the winter and was finally sprouting new buds in spring. She no longer looked like she was on the verge of death.
"Just now... General Mi's finger twitched. I was afraid I would miss it, so I summoned you in advance."
Ji Gongyun hesitated, his face grim.
"Bian Yi, are you sure she'll wake up today?"
"Yeah, just a little bit more..."
Bian Yi whispered. Suddenly, she raised her index finger to her lips and bit down. Blood flowed out instantly. She used her inner strength to squeeze the blood from the corner of Mi Fan's mouth into his lips and teeth. She placed her other hand on his chest and forcefully poured her inner strength into his limbs. The overflowing inner strength brought with it a strong wind.
Lin Chengye subconsciously raised his hand, almost unable to open his eyes due to the wind, but apart from that, the sharp internal force became gentle and mild when it touched her.
The other two, however, didn't look so good. It seemed as if Bian Yi was deliberately retaliating. Ji Gongyun stumbled and bumped into the corner of the table, her hair ornament askew and falling to the ground, looking quite disheveled, her face instantly turning as black as a dark cloud. Chu Wuding let out a muffled groan, and had no choice but to use his internal energy to withstand the attack.
"Ah...ah..."
Suddenly, Mi Fan, whose eyes were tightly closed, let out a few hoarse cries. Ji Gongyun didn't have time to scold him; she rushed to the bedside and stared intently at the man's face. Lin Chengye also took a few steps forward, but didn't approach; he just frowned and watched.
For the first time, a look of pain appeared on Mi Fan's lifeless face, but her expression twisted in an extremely strange way. It didn't seem like she was struggling to wake up, but rather like several threads were pulling on the flabby flesh on her cheeks, forcibly allowing her to gather some more vitality.
This was the very last bit of "life" within Mi Fan's body. Lin Chengye's feelings were extremely complicated; she was about to obtain the most crucial clue in this step, and she was also about to watch the person who killed her die.
But the scene was too ugly and unbearable. Everyone present had their own thoughts, and none of them wanted Mi Fan to die with dignity and peace. Ji Gongyun and Chu Wuding wanted to pry open the dead man's mouth, and Lin Chengye wanted to leave Mi Fan with a sentence before dying completely.
Lin Chengye felt that if there really were gods watching over them, then apart from Bian Yi, who could redeem herself by practicing medicine and saving lives, the rest of them were all evil spirits on earth.
Even now, Lin Chengye cannot completely reconcile the image of the person on the bed with that imposing general, nor can he feel any sense of satisfaction.
Instead, she felt an overwhelming sense of absurdity and powerlessness. A chill crept up her neck, and Lin Chengye took a few more steps forward until he could clearly see the face contorted in agony. Who on earth could wound such a powerful person like this after the deaths of her mother and brother? What had happened in Litao Prefecture after her death six months ago?
And... who is the truth she has to face, and who is her enemy? Lin Chengye took a deep breath.
"The reason I had you mend her body before was so that she could withstand this intense influx of internal energy. But this was too violent; her body couldn't even withstand a gentle spring breeze and rain."
Bian Yi didn't continue, but Ji Gongyun's face immediately turned extremely ugly. The mask of that still young monarch finally cracked, revealing a look of reluctance. She bent down and grabbed Mi Fan's stiff, bent fingers.
“Is it really... impossible to keep her alive? General Mi grew up with me and is completely loyal to me. My birth mother passed away when I was young, and the number of times my father and I have seen each other can be counted on one hand. My sisters and brothers are like fire and water. I only regard her as my own sister.”
"...There really isn't any left. I hope Your Majesty won't blame Bian Yi."
Lin Chengye took over the conversation, but for the first time, she deliberately avoided Ji Gongyun's gaze and bowed her head.
"...Yes, it's because I'm not blessed enough."
Ji Gongyun murmured.
"Can you please stop causing trouble here?" Bian Yi suddenly reached out and flicked Ji Gongyun's forehead.
"What good fortune or bad fortune? Having few relatives is the greatest blessing. Just be a good emperor and don't send out troops recklessly. Not only have you been tricked by others outside, but also many people in Southern Qi are restless after hearing the news of the defeat."
"Do you think I'm such a childish person?"
Ji Gongyun was so angry that she was practically fuming. Bian Yi had even used force in that blow, leaving a bright red mark between her eyebrows.
"Besides, I didn't act on impulse. The Lai Kingdom only has 60,000 troops guarding Litao Prefecture. Moreover, Lin Daiqiao has long been at odds with the Lai Kingdom's emperor, and even the court refuses to allocate funds to him. Litao Prefecture is also barren and desolate, and the people have long been complaining... My alliance with Northern Yan should have made taking Litao Prefecture a sure thing. I never intended to conquer the Lai Kingdom in one fell swoop!"
"...Your Majesty, where did you get this information from?"
Lin Chengye frowned and suddenly interrupted Ji Gongyun.
"To be honest, I am originally from Lai. The fact that Lin Daiqiao was at odds with the Emperor of Lai... may indeed be true, but it only came to light after this war."
Before this, Lin Daiqiao supported the emperor of Lai until his ascension to the throne, and to outsiders he appeared to be the emperor's confidant.
The claim that the people of Litao Prefecture suffer in silence is utter nonsense. General Lin loved the people and was diligent in his duties, resulting in many years of bountiful harvests in Litao Prefecture, and the people living in peace and prosperity.
“What…impossible…why would Mi Cheng…”
A bead of cold sweat slid down Ji Gongyun's forehead. Her hands gripped the silk on the bedside table tightly, and her voice was hoarse.
"His Majesty!"
Chu Wuding's expression was also not good. He went over to support Ji Gongyun, took a deep breath, and whispered.
"Your Majesty, we can discuss this matter later. The most urgent matter is..."
"...Whose side are you, my subject? And for whom do you serve?"
Lin Chengye spoke coldly.
"You cannot assume that Mi Fan's family is the same just because he is on good terms with you. You have just inherited the throne, and the internal strife has just been quelled. There are many people who are eyeing you covetously and want you dead."
"...Human hearts are unpredictable."
"Shhh."
Bian Yi suddenly put a finger to her lips, her expression serious.
Then, a faint cry suddenly came from under the covers.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."
Unbeknownst to them, the person in the bedding had opened their eyes. Mi Fan's eyes were cloudy, and the whites of their eyes were gray.
“Mi Fan! I have a question for you…” Ji Gongyun tried his best to remain calm, but before he could finish speaking, the other person had already spoken.
“A person, a person… with a sword.”
"What?" Ji Gongyun asked in confusion, pressing his ear close to Mi Fan's mouth. The man seemed to be out of his mind, only repeating the same sentence over and over again.
Mi Fan suddenly spoke, and she tremblingly extended a finger.
"There was only one person, only one person."
Before she could say anything, she spat out a mouthful of black blood, instantly filling the air with a heavy, fishy smell. The blood rushed into her throat, leaving her only able to groan incoherently. Then, the same black blood flowed from Mi Fan's eyes, ears, and nose. It was visibly clear that her last burst of life had completely faded away; her skin turned ashen, her eyes bulged, and her lips cracked.
She kept staring at Lin Chengye until her body stopped struggling and only blood was flowing from her nostrils. Even after she died completely, she was still staring intently in Lin Chengye's direction.
"General Mi, no...no...I still..."
Ji Gongyun looked bewildered, shaking the broken body desperately, tears welling up in her eyes. It was unclear whether she was regretting the unfinished words or weeping for Mi Fan himself.
A sobbing sound fell into the deathly silent room.
Chu Wuding and Bian Yi looked at each other across the blood-smelling air, both seeing disbelief in each other's eyes. Chu Wuding was still able to barely keep his balance, though a few drops of sweat dripped from his forehead, while Bian Yi's lips were pale, his face almost bloodless, and he stumbled backward, knocking over a porcelain bottle.
Do these two know what it means? Lin Chengye tapped his fingers under his sleeve on his side, pondered for a moment, and suddenly a guess flashed through his mind.
Could it be... related to a fortune teller?
Author's Note: [Thumbs up] I'm giving myself a round of applause! I've finally revealed the last crucial detail... (tears)
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