Sudden rise
The news that Princess Huixi was assassinated and poisoned in Jiangning was transmitted back to the capital at an express speed of 800 miles. It was like pouring a bucket of cold water into a boiling oil pan, which instantly exploded the pan.
During the morning court session, the emperor smashed the paperweight in public. Furious, he ordered a thorough investigation and the execution of anyone implicated. However, in his rage, his body, already drained by the elixir, could no longer sustain the situation. He vomited blood and fainted, sending the court into chaos.
The emperor was seriously ill and in a coma, and the crown prince was regent.
However, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince were already at loggerheads, and the order to "thoroughly investigate" inevitably devolved into another round of even more brutal factional strife and mutual oppression. Over the capital, dark clouds gathered, a storm was brewing.
In Jiangning, the situation was also extremely tense.
Although Princess Huixi was forcibly brought back from the brink of death by Xu Xianyue's tyrannical tactics, the Gelsemium elegans poison had damaged her health, and coupled with the shock, she remained bedridden and in a trance. Pan Yizhou's villa was surrounded by Xie Wuqi's personal guards, and all those involved, from the cooks and maids to the eunuchs responsible for purchasing and poison testing, were isolated and interrogated.
Jingzhe's methods were even more brutal and precise than those of the veteran officials in the Ministry of Justice. Within two days, clues led to a young eunuch in charge of the winery in the other courtyard. Unable to withstand the torture, the young eunuch confessed that he had been instructed by a prominent palace eunuch to mix poison into the grape wine from the Western Regions, intended for the eldest princess. Investigation revealed that the eunuch had close ties to the Third Prince's household.
The chain of evidence seems clear and points directly to the third prince Xie Wujiu!
"How dare he attack Huixi?!" Xie Wujiu's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he watched Jingzhe's confession. Huixi, a son of the same mother, was one of the Third Prince's most reliable supporters within the palace! Was Xie Wujiu's action a desperate attempt to save his own life, or... did he have other plans?
"Your Highness, I'm afraid this matter isn't that simple." Xu Xianyue's voice came from behind. She had rested for two days, and her face was still a little pale, but her eyes had regained their usual clarity and calm. She walked over to Xie Wuqi and picked up the confession, carefully reading it over.
"It's too obvious." She put down her confession and looked up at Xie Wuqi. "Even if the Third Prince wanted to take action, he wouldn't use such a crude method that would be so easy to trace back to me. Unless..."
"Unless he did it on purpose." Xie Wuqi took over her words, a storm gathering in his eyes. "He wants to use this to muddy the waters even further, or even... force the emperor to abdicate?"
The two exchanged glances, each seeing the solemnity in the other's eyes. If this were true, then the capital would probably be ablaze with swords and sabers!
Just then, a subtle, bird-like whistle rang out from outside the window. Jingzhe's expression froze, and he quickly slipped out. A moment later, he returned with a pitch-black carrier pigeon and untied the tiny copper tube from its leg.
Xie Wuqi took out the silk inside, took a look at it, and his face turned ashen in an instant!
"Urgent news from the capital," he said in a low voice, filled with suppressed anger. "Three days ago, on the night of Emperor Father's coma, the Empress Dowager, under the pretext of 'resting', moved him to the Changchun Xian Pavilion in the Western Inner Courtyard. The Cining Palace guards took over his defense, and the Crown Prince and other officials were forbidden from visiting. At the same time, the Deputy Commander of the Capital Garrison, the Commander-in-Chief of the Xishan Ruijian Battalion... and several other generals were transferred overnight, all replaced by the Third Prince or the Empress Dowager's men!"
Xu Xianyue was shocked! The Empress Dowager! She was actually involved in this?! Indeed, the Empress Dowager wasn't the Emperor's biological mother, and her relationship with him had always been delicate. If the Emperor died and the Crown Prince ascended the throne, her position as Empress Dowager would undoubtedly become even more awkward. Supporting the Third Prince, who was closer to her and seemed easier to control, to ascend the throne would be in her best interest!
"They are... going to rebel!" Jingzhe's voice was hoarse.
"It's not rebellion, it's 'purging the imperial court.'" Xie Wuqi sneered, lighting the silk cloth over the candle flame and watching it turn to ashes. "In the name of the Empress Dowager, they accused the Crown Prince of incompetence, which led to my father's serious illness and chaos in the government. Then, they were 'forced' to step forward and support the 'virtuous' Third Prince to succeed to the throne."
He looked at Xu Xianyue, his eyes as deep as the abyss: "We must return to Beijing immediately."
Xu Xianyue said without hesitation: "Okay."
She knew that at this moment, they had no way to retreat. Whether for their own protection or for the sake of their precarious country, they had to go back and face the impending bloodbath.
"Jingzhe, gather all your personal guards immediately, travel light, and set off overnight!" Xie Wuqi ordered, then said to Xu Xianyue, "You will come with me. The journey... I'm afraid it won't be peaceful."
His tone was filled with unmistakable concern and solemnity.
Xu Xianyue nodded, said nothing more, turned around and went back to Tingxuexuan to pack up the necessary items, mainly the tools that she regarded as her life and some precious medicinal materials and semi-finished medicinal rhymes.
The night was deep, and the back door of the Inspector General's Office opened quietly. Dozens of riders, like black ghosts, blended silently into the night and galloped towards the north.
Inside the carriage, the space was cramped and the atmosphere oppressive. The wound on Xie Wuqi's back, from days of exertion and the recent emotional agitation, was showing signs of cracking. He leaned against the wall, eyes closed, brows slightly furrowed. Xu Xianyue sat across from him and could clearly hear his slightly rapid breathing.
She was silent for a moment, then took out the golden wound medicine and a clean towel from the medicine bag she carried with her.
"The wound has broken open and needs to be rebandaged." Her voice was calm, as if she was talking about something very ordinary.
Xie Wuqi opened his eyes, his deep gaze falling on her face, with a hint of inquiry and complexity. He did not refuse, but turned around silently, with his back to her.
Xu Xianyue expertly cut open his blood-soaked shirt, revealing the hideous wound. Her fingertips were still icy cold, yet her movements were exceptionally gentle. She cleaned, applied medicine, and bandaged the wound, all in one go.
The moment she was tying the knot of the cloth for him, Xie Wuqi suddenly reached out and covered her hand which she had not yet withdrawn.
His palms were hot and covered with thin calluses, tightly wrapping around the coolness.
Xu Xianyue froze, but did not pull back immediately.
"Xianyue," he whispered her name, his voice hoarse, filled with an unprecedented sense of fatigue and... dependence? "If this time... I lose..."
"You won't lose," Xu Xianyue interrupted him, her voice clear and firm, unwavering. She raised her eyes, gazing at his close, weary yet sharp profile. "If you lose, there will be no peace in this world. I believe you can win."
Her words, without any fancy words, were like a warm current that instantly poured into Xie Wuqi's cold and tense heart. He suddenly tightened his palm, completely enveloping her hand, with such force that it almost crushed her bones, yet with a cautious and cherishing touch.
He turned his head and looked at her deeply. Her figure was now clearly reflected in his eyes, which were always filled with storms, and were filled with heavy emotions that were almost overflowing.
"When this matter is settled..." His Adam's apple rolled, his voice low and solemn, "I will grant you a true 'Xianyue Pavilion', whether you want to open it in Jiangnan, the capital, or anywhere else you want. No one will dare to disturb your peace and quiet again."
This wasn't a promise, but more like... a delivery. He was handing over the maximum freedom and protection he could give her.
Xu Xianyue's heart felt like it had been gently bumped by something, causing a slight ripple. She looked at the unmistakable seriousness and anticipation in his eyes, and her icy defenses seemed to crack again.
She didn't nod, nor did she refuse. She just turned her head slightly to avoid his overly scorching gaze and said softly, "Let's deal with the matter at hand first."
However, the hand that did not withdraw and the quietly reddening ears revealed that her heart was not without ripples.
Xie Wuqi looked at her profile, a faint, yet genuine smile slowly curling up at the corner of his lips. He stopped pressing her, but continued to hold her hand tightly, as if drawing strength from it.
The carriage sped along the official road, its wheels rolling, heading towards the center of the storm without hesitation.
Inside the carriage, the two sat leaning against each other. Outside the window was the dark night, and the road ahead was filled with unknown dangers.
But at this moment, in this small space, a silent understanding and trust quietly grew, bringing the two originally alienated hearts closer.
However, they all knew that the real test was still ahead.
The capital city, that huge arena of power, is opening its huge dark mouth, waiting for their return.
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