Chapter 135 Separation 2 He should have lived on, instead of giving those despicable people...
It was the fourth watch of the night.
The night breeze, carrying the dampness of grass and trees, rushed into the window, dispelling the remaining warmth in the room. The moonlight was obscured by thin clouds, the shadows of the trees swayed, and all was quiet.
Cui Ying stood inside the window, gazing at the boy outside. Her eyes were calm, and her voice was gentle: "Let's hurry up and go. If we delay any longer, it will be dawn."
Xiao Qiyu had changed into a night outfit, making him appear even taller. He stared intently at Cui Ying, reaching out as if to touch her face, but his fingertips paused slightly in mid-air before he withdrew his hand, though his gaze deepened.
"After today, at daybreak, you shall immediately set off back to the Duke of Wei's mansion," Xiao Qiyu said in a deep voice. "There is no need to conceal my whereabouts. If anyone asks about my movements, you shall pretend to know nothing."
Cui Ying didn't say anything more, just nodded and replied, "Okay."
Silence spread between the two, with only the night wind rustling through the crabapple branches.
Xiao Qiyu's gaze lingered on Cui Ying's face. For some reason, an unyielding stubbornness suddenly appeared in his eyes. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he asked the question again: "Cui Ying, do you... like me?"
Cui Ying's heart skipped a beat, as if she had been pricked by a fine needle.
Looking into his exceptionally bright eyes, reflecting the moonlight, she felt a surge of bitterness in her heart and could only say to herself: "If I tell you, will you still be able to leave?"
The evening breeze finally dispersed the clouds that had obscured the moon, revealing a bright, full moon hanging high in the dark sky.
Cui Ying looked up at the moon: "If we don't leave now, it will be dawn."
The faint light in Xiao Qiyu's eyes dimmed as she looked away.
He stopped asking questions, took a deep breath, glanced at her one last time, and then, without further hesitation, turned and strode away.
But he only took one step before stopping. The next moment, he suddenly turned around, staring at Cui Ying with sharp eyes: "I will come back alive, and you can forget about remarrying!"
These words were arrogant, but his expression was panicked, as if Cui Ying could remarry the very next day if he died in battle.
But he couldn't blame Cui Ying at all. She was too good. Even after getting married, she was still coveted by others. If she really became a widow, countless young talents would come to propose marriage.
He should have lived to the fullest and not given those despicable men a chance.
Seeing the anxiety in his eyes, Cui Ying didn't answer, but instead said, "Come here."
Xiao Qiyu obediently stepped forward and approached her.
Through the moonlight streaming through the window, Cui Ying raised her hand and pressed down on Xiao Qiyu's neck, tilting her head back to plant a kiss on his lips.
Xiao Qiyu's eyes instantly lit up, and even his oppressive night clothes seemed to lighten. He kissed Cui Ying back, pinched her cheek, and, as in every ordinary, brief moment of separation, said softly:
"Wait for me to come back."
As if forcing himself to make a decision, Xiao Qiyu suddenly turned around, took long strides without stopping, and disappeared into the night in a flash, leaving no trace.
Cui Ying stood there, gazing in the direction where the figure had disappeared, remaining motionless for a long time.
The moonlight seemed brighter, stretching her thin shadow long and lonely on the ground.
The smile she had been trying so hard to maintain froze and turned cold. It wasn't until a bird's chirp swept by that Cui Ying snapped out of her daze. She gripped the window frame, leaned out of the window, and carefully searched for that familiar figure.
But it was pitch black, and there was nothing there.
She stood there stunned for a long time, her eyes reddening and then clearing, before she called out, "Cuijin."
Cui Jin came in from outside and saw Cui Ying standing alone at the window, her back view looking indescribably desolate and pitiful. She subconsciously paused and asked, "What's wrong, Miss?"
Sensing that someone was missing from the room, Cuijin asked suspiciously, "Where did the young master go again?"
The wind rustled through the crabapple tree outside the window, its branches and leaves whispering softly, adding to the desolate atmosphere.
Cui Ying said, "Pass down my message: Xiao Qiyu, the seventh son of the Xiao family and commander of the Northern Garrison, was accidentally hit by falling objects while fighting a fire last night. In addition, he inhaled smoke and dust, which aggravated his injuries and damaged his internal organs. From today onwards, he needs to rest quietly and close his door to guests. No one is allowed to come and disturb him."
Cui Jin's face paled, as if she had realized something, but looking at Cui Ying's back, she still replied, "Yes, this servant understands."
The door was gently closed, and the room returned to silence, even more empty than before.
After nearly half an hour, Cui Ying finally turned around.
She looked at the bird's nest on the table, which had long since cooled down, and walked over step by step. She stretched out her hand wrapped in gauze and clumsily picked up the porcelain spoon inside. She could still feel the lingering scent of Xiao Qiyu on it, so she scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth.
A tear fell, scalding hot, and landed on the table like a tiny lake.
With tears in her eyes, she swallowed the cooled bird's nest, mouthful by mouthful.
Outside the window, the night was long and silent.
...
A month later, the truth came out.
The marching force was in full swing and had already reached the halfway point. In another month, they would arrive in the northern desert.
It would take two months for the news to reach the northern desert, and another two months to bring Xiao Qiyu back to the capital. The round trip would take nearly half a year. By the time they could bring him back and deal with him, it would be too late to undo the damage.
On this day, the sky was overcast, and rumbling thunder could be heard in the clouds. The majestic roof beasts on the roof of the Imperial Study looked down from above.
Cui Ying, dressed in simple clothes and without any extra hairpins or jewelry, knelt outside the Imperial Study with a calm expression, showing little fear.
Hurried footsteps approached. Ma Dequan wiped the sweat from his brow, quickly walked to her side, bent down, and lowered his voice, both anxious and distressed: "Oh, my dear Third Miss! You've really made a mistake! How could you help cover up such a big thing! Aren't you putting yourself in a dangerous position? His Majesty is furious right now and won't listen to anyone... You've been kneeling for so long, can your knees take it?"
Cui Ying raised her face, her bright almond-shaped eyes curving slightly, still as cheerful as ever. She covered her lips with her hand, her expression mischievous: "Don't worry, Father-in-law, I put cushions under my knees beforehand, so it won't hurt much."
Ma Dequan nearly jumped up: "You can't say that! You can't say that!"
Cui Ying smiled but didn't say anything.
Ma Dequan said some more words of disappointment and frustration to her, then returned to the imperial study to serve her.
In the evening, the Empress Dowager arrived at the Imperial Study and personally served the Emperor his evening meal.
Cui Ying had been kneeling for too long, and even with cushions on her knees, her muscles and bones ached and her face gradually turned pale. She forced herself to bow to the Empress Dowager: "This humble woman greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. Long live Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager passed by her, paused briefly, let out a sigh, and then moved inside.
In the imperial study, palace maids laid out the food one by one, filling the room with a fragrant aroma.
The Empress Dowager sat on the round-backed chair to the left of the imperial desk and said softly, "I remember that the Emperor loves this dish of braised pork with taro from Lipu. It just so happens that there were some newly arrived Lipu taro from Guangxi recently, so I made it myself for the Emperor to try."
Emperor Jingming said, "Mother, just give the orders to the Imperial Kitchen. There's no need for you to go through all that trouble yourself."
The Empress Dowager smiled kindly: "Why say all this? The important thing is to taste it quickly."
Emperor Jingming followed his instructions, picked up a piece of taro that had been stewed until soft and tender in the broth, and put it in his mouth. His face, which had been frosty because of Xiao Qiyu's unauthorized trip to the northern desert, softened considerably.
"The Empress Dowager's culinary skills are as good as ever; even the head chef of the Imperial Kitchen cannot compare."
"Eat more if you like it."
This mother and son, who had married later in life, had been pretending to be a loving and filial mother for many years. After pretending for so long, there was actually some genuine warmth between them in private.
As they were talking, Emperor Jingming noticed that the Empress Dowager's eyes were bluish, and said, "Your mother looks tired. Is it because the palace servants have not been attending to her properly?"
The Empress Dowager said, "It has nothing to do with the people below. It was a dream I had last night. I dreamt of what Emperor Taizong said when I was still the Crown Princess."
"Oh?" Emperor Jingming couldn't help but become curious and asked, "What did my grandfather say?"
Empress Dowager: "Emperor Taizong said that the northern expedition is difficult now. When generals are in the field, they may not obey the emperor's orders. In extraordinary times, extraordinary people may be needed to do extraordinary things. Even if they break the law, they can be dealt with expediently."
Seeing that Emperor Jingming did not respond, the Empress Dowager remained silent for a moment before continuing, "That child Xiao Qi may be wild by nature, but his heart is righteous. It is true that the Wang family is his maternal family, but the Xiao family is his rightful heir. He went to the northern desert not to escape, but to welcome, to welcome the hatred of the nation and his family. Such loyalty and courage are evident to heaven and earth."
The Empress Dowager paused slightly and sighed, "As for Ying'er, they are a young couple with deep affection. If she is indifferent to her husband's life, death, and future, that would be heartbreaking and she should be punished. However, they are both young, and the Emperor is the Son of Heaven and also an elder. It's not worth getting so angry with two children."
After he finished speaking, the Imperial Study remained silent for a long time.
Emperor Jingming swallowed a mouthful of food, summoned Ma Dequan, and instructed him: "It's getting dark. Let Cui San go home and reflect on his actions. Don't let him get in my way."
Ma Dequan was overjoyed, but he had to pretend to be indifferent and nodded, saying, "Yes, this servant will take care of it right away."
After Ma Dequan withdrew, Emperor Jingming said, "Cui Ying is just a woman, I won't stoop to her level, but that Xiao Qiyu—"
The jade chopsticks were slammed heavily on the table, and Emperor Jingming's anger flared even more: "Young and arrogant, he has never learned his lesson! Once he arrives in the northern desert, I will immediately order him to be escorted to the capital. I will punish him for all his crimes and imprison him in the imperial jail for a few months first!"
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager knew that Xiao Qiyu's life was probably spared, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She said, "Young people are full of vigor and their actions are punishable, but their reasons are somewhat forgivable. The Emperor is wise and discerning, and his rewards and punishments are always fair. He will make his own judgment, but..."
The Empress Dowager frowned slightly: "He went there to seek revenge, and I'm afraid he won't easily return by imperial decree."
Emperor Jingming scoffed: "If he doesn't return, I will execute him on the spot as a warning to others."
When the Empress Dowager saw the fierce look in Emperor Jingming's eyes, she knew that he was still angry and that saying more would be of no use, so she said no more.
The mother and son talked for a while longer before the Empress Dowager returned to Cining Palace, and Emperor Jingming continued to review memorials.
At this moment, Ma Dequan came in again to report: "Your Majesty, Consort Lan is worried about your health and has specially cooked mung bean and lily porridge to bring to you personally. She is waiting outside the palace right now."
Emperor Jingming frowned: "She is due to give birth soon and is not feeling well. I told her long ago that she didn't need to come to the Imperial Study. I would go to see her myself when I was done with my work. What is she doing now?"
He put down his imperial brush, closed his eyes, and pinched the space between his eyebrows, revealing a hint of fatigue between his handsome and refined features.
"Let her in."
Ma Dequan bowed in response and immediately went out to summon them.
With graceful steps, a fragrant breeze drifted into the imperial study, adding a touch of elegance to this solemn and austere imperial residence.
But a moment later, a loud banging on the table suddenly rang out, startling all the palace servants, both inside and outside the palace, into kneeling down.
Emperor Jingming roared in fury, "It's one thing for the Empress Dowager to come and inquire about their marriage since she once presided over it, but how dare you, a mere concubine of the harem, interfere in the affairs of the court!"
Beneath the imperial desk, Qin Wan, dressed in a snow-blue dress with auspicious patterns, accentuated her black hair and fair skin, making her stunningly beautiful. Since becoming pregnant, her body had become much fuller, radiant and luminous. At this moment, with tears welling in her eyes, she appeared even more frail than before, a sight that evoked pity in me.
She sobbed, "If it were anyone else, I would not dare to say this even if you gave me ten thousand lives. But Cui Ying has been very kind to me in the past, and Xiao Qiyu is her husband. I cannot bear to see her widowed at such a young age. I can only beg Your Majesty to forgive Xiao Qiyu's sins."
Even though more than half a year has passed, Qin Wan still can't forget the scene when she was almost forced by Qian Peng. She often wakes up in the middle of the night in a fright, and is grateful that Cui Ying saved her. Otherwise, her fate would have been completely different from today.
Seeing the woman crying her eyes out, Emperor Jingming's eyelids twitched with anger. If it were any other concubine, he would probably have wanted to send her to the cold palace.
He suppressed his anger: "I know you are a person of deep affection, and I am very pleased that you have gone to such lengths for Cui Ying. But I want you to return to your palace immediately and never mention this matter again."
Qin Wan steeled her heart, her body went limp, almost collapsing to the ground, tears streaming down her face, her voice soft and tearful: "If Your Majesty does not agree, I will not leave!"
Having served the emperor for more than half a year, Qin Wan had already figured out the emperor's nature and knew how to achieve her goals without offending him. After all, the emperor was still a man, and his heart was ultimately soft when faced with the woman he loved and who was pregnant.
At this moment, Qin Wan could only feel fortunate that she had entered the palace; otherwise, all her seductive tricks would have been useless.
"Nonsense!"
Emperor Jingming sternly rebuked her, his anger still tinged with concern for the cold ground and the unbearable chill she and her child felt. Yet, unwilling to help her up, he abruptly rose in a fit of rage, declaring, "If you won't leave, I will!"
Qin Wan sobbed, watching as the bright yellow figure was about to leave the Imperial Study. She touched her swollen belly and thought: My son, hold on, Mother is about to begin.
As she finished speaking, Qin Wan swayed twice, then closed her eyes tightly, fainting as if boneless, her posture perfectly balanced, fragile yet charming.
"Something terrible has happened! Consort Lan has fainted!"
Sure enough, as soon as the palace servant called out, Qin Wan felt the steady footsteps turn back hastily, and the familiar scent of ambergris approached her.
Things are stable now.
Qin Wan felt relieved.
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Author's Note: I won't be giving supporting characters any more screen time. This is the final scene; the next chapter will continue the time-manipulation strategy.
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