Chapter 178 The Carriage Xie Qingyu, I want to hear you call my name...
"Master, the Second Miss has arrived. She says she has urgent business to discuss with you."
When Yin Yi came to deliver the message, Xie Qingyu was in her study reviewing a mountain of official documents and dealing with the unfinished business from the bank scandal.
Xie Qingyu put down her pen and looked up. "Let her in."
The study door was gently pushed open. White mist swirled among the lush, damp bamboo grove, and a light drizzle blurred the view. Xie Yunying stood by the door, holding a book in her arms, and slowly walked in, her face pale.
Xie Qingyu looked at her, frowned slightly, and keenly sensed something was wrong: "What happened again?"
Xie Yunying opened her mouth, somewhat dejected: "Xie Qingyu..."
"My system is gone."
Yin Yi closed the two doors. Xie Yunying sat across the table and explained to Xie Qingyu in detail the contents of the two side stories, as well as her current situation of being unable to contact the system.
Xie Qingyu listened quietly, his long fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the sandalwood surface. When Xie Yunying finished speaking and looked up again, he found that the tapping had stopped; he had been sitting motionless for a long time.
Xie Yunying didn't dare to disturb him, so she could only whisper, "I was just as surprised as you when I finished reading it. It took me a long time to catch my breath before I came to find you."
Almost everyone who has read the original novel "Yining" believes that the biggest culprit behind Yue Yining's tragic end was the fourth prince, Wei Jing, who plotted to usurp the throne. Because the story ends after Yue Yining's death, what happened afterward remains unknown to the reader.
However, this side story, told from the perspective of the Fourth Prince Wei Jing, reveals the truth that gradually emerges after Yue Yining's death.
Yue Yining could have lived. Wei Jing was merely a puppet emperor; Xie Zhi and Wang Zhichang, who controlled the entire situation from behind the scenes, were the real murderers who poisoned Yue Yining. After Wei Jing ascended the throne, the Xie and Wang families effectively controlled the court. Under the encroachment of these powerful clans, the already declining Dongxi Dynasty collapsed faster, heading towards its demise.
"I see." Xie Qingyu murmured, her voice barely audible. "Back then... I accidentally did two right things."
He came from the book, familiar with the rise and fall of history, and also insightful about these power struggles and schemes, clearly knowing who the obstacles and who the malignant tumors are.
Sweeping away these deeply entrenched old forces was a goal he had set long ago, but he never expected that the very person he was eliminating would be the same culprit who had killed Yue Yining in his previous life.
Xie Yunying was stunned for a moment, then suddenly saw the coldness and pleasure spreading in Xie Qingyu's eyes.
In an instant, Xie Yunying realized something. She had almost forgotten that the Wang family's downfall last year was all thanks to Xie Qingyu's meticulous planning.
But why are there two items?
In a flash, something went through her mind. Xie Yunying gasped sharply, raising her hand and pointing a trembling finger at Xie Qingyu, her eyes filled with disbelief: "Could it be... that you also killed Xie Zhi?"
Xie Qingyu smiled gently at her: "Aren't you a little too slow?"
Xie Yunying clutched her head in despair: "I really thought it was an accident! I wouldn't suspect everything!" Besides, who knows what that scheming guy is plotting every day?!
“At the end of last year, my relationship with Yue Yining deteriorated, and I was in a low mood, as you know,” Xie Qingyu said. “You asked me why at the time, but I didn’t tell you. Actually, it was because Yue Yining found out about my murder of Xie Zhi and my destruction of the Wang family.”
“She thinks I killed innocent people indiscriminately and deceived her, and she wants to break off our relationship.”
Xie Yunying: "...That's definitely your fault. Who told you to pretend to be a good person in front of her? You're not a good person to begin with, and you kept pretending. You'd be exposed sooner or later."
Xie Qingyu smiled and looked at her, and Xie Yunying immediately backed down: "Never mind what I said."
The smile on her lips faded, and Xie Qingyu lowered her eyes to look at the documents. After a long while, she suddenly said, "I did have a moment of regret before. But now I think that killing them was absolutely the right thing to do."
Xie Yunying: "..."
The gloom and coldness on Xie Qingyu's face gradually dissipated, turning into a thoughtful expression: "If we think in this direction, many things can be explained. For example, why would Wei Ye, who is inherently loyal and kind, act without regard for Yue Yining's safety? Why would Wei Jing, who loved his younger sister in history, turn against her after ascending the throne and order Wei Yihua to leave the capital?"
"It's such a pity about Yue Yining..." Xie Yunying sighed, leaning on the table and whispering, "She almost survived."
She said this, but Xie Qingyu rejected her fantasy: "No, that was impossible a long time ago. Wei Jing and Wei Ye's conspiracy was just an unrealistic fantasy. From the moment the Fourth Prince decided to rebel, Yue Yining was already doomed to die."
"The Xie and Wang families will not allow Yue Yining to leave Yanjing alive. Her very existence is a hidden danger. A powerless and insignificant Taoist master, relying solely on mystical arts and scheming, can defeat a group of deeply rooted aristocratic families and assist a prince to ascend the throne."
"She has chosen Wei Ye today, but who knows if she will choose to assist another prince in the future?" Xie Qingyu said coldly. "A strategist who is already so powerful on her own either goes into seclusion or goes all out and does not give up halfway. As soon as she withdraws, everyone will want her dead."
"Moreover, I suspect that Yue Yining had already foreseen all of this." Xie Qingyu's aura suddenly dissipated, and his voice lowered. "...She fought alone, with no one to share the burden with her. She must have used tortoise shell divination many times."
"Perhaps she didn't have many years left to live when she went to prison. Maybe she even knew that the Xie and Wang families had switched the poisoned wine to kill her, but she still did nothing."
"She understood that she was powerless to change anything and did not want to live a life of dishonor, so she calmly faced death."
Xie Yunying also remembered the tortoise shell divination mentioned in the original book. It could predict all things in the world, even the fate of a nation, but the price it charged was equally heavy. How many decades does a person have in their lifetime?
Xie Yunying opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but suddenly remembered what happened a few days ago when she had just started working for Yue Yining.
Yue Yining's desk was rarely cluttered with miscellaneous items; it usually contained documents and divination tools, and nothing else. Yet, on this tidy desk, there was a white clay figurine, which stood out conspicuously and drew attention.
Xie Yunying found it strange, so she went closer to take a look.
It was a pair of ladies, sculpted into ordinary little figures, both with their hair tied in glossy black buns. One's dress was painted with a bright, even vermilion, while the other's dress was dyed a soft, azure blue.
They held hands, one of them with two rosy blushes on her cheeks, looking particularly bright and festive.
"Do you like this?" Yue Yining suddenly asked. Xie Yunying was startled and quickly stood up to apologize, but Yue Yining smiled and said, "It's okay, you can look at it as you like, I don't mind."
Xie Yunying said, "This clay figurine is so special. Was it a gift from someone to the Yue people?"
"Yes, it was given to me by Her Highness the Eldest Princess before she went to war," Yue Yining said with a smile. "She made it herself."
Xie Yunying exclaimed, "Wow! It was actually made by His Highness himself! How amazing!"
“Yes. There is a folk custom in Her Highness’s fiefdom that says if you make a pair of clay figurines by hand and apply blush to their cheeks, you will receive the blessing of the Two Immortals of Harmony and Union,” Yue Yining said. “Even if they are reincarnated, they will still meet again and become close friends.”
Thinking back to the present, Xie Yunying couldn't help but sigh, "Fortunately, Yue Yining chose the eldest princess this time."
"The Crown Prince is dead. If she chooses the Third Prince again, it's hard to guarantee that the same thing won't happen again."
Xie Qingyu put down her teacup, her face regaining its usual calm and gentle expression. "Thank you for telling me the inside story. After I finish dealing with today's affairs, I will go to see Yue Yining."
Xie Yunying suddenly remembered something and quickly asked, "By the way! How's the Yufeng Bank matter going? That 100,000 taels of silver deficit..."
To her surprise, Xie Qingyu suddenly laughed: "Oh...right, I just remembered, I haven't told you about this yet."
Xie Yunying was taken aback: "What?"
Xie Qingyu looked at Xie Yunying, her tone becoming somewhat meaningful: "The bank has now overcome its difficulties. This is all thanks to the help extended by the Yuan family. The eldest son of the Yuan family, Yuan Nanjie, came to me the other day and allocated 80,000 taels of silver to the Xie family, which immediately relieved the urgent pressure of repayment."
"I have also investigated and found out who the mastermind is. It is several uncles in the clan who have been embezzling the deposited silver for many years and who like to embezzle and abuse their power. I have negotiated with them and they have promised to sell their land and shops to make up for the losses. So, this incident can be considered to be over."
Xie Yunying was stunned.
She didn't react for a moment, and subconsciously repeated, "You mean... Yuan Nanjie?"
“You heard me right,” Xie Qingyu said calmly. “Yuan Nanjie used his properties and some of his family’s reserves as collateral to inject 80,000 taels of silver into Yufeng Bank as working capital. I heard that he also pawned a batch of his collection in the treasury to raise such a large amount of cash in such a short time. The fact that he could do it shows that he made the decision without any hesitation.”
"Eighty thousand taels of silver is no small sum. It is almost equivalent to the annual rations of a 10,000-strong army on the border, and enough to buy half a street of shops in the most prosperous area of the capital."
Xie Qingyu looked at Xie Yunying, who was still in shock, and slowly said, "The Yuan family is a prominent family with a long history of officialdom and rich resources. Moreover, as the eldest son, it is not surprising that he can use some of the family's reserves. However, such a large-scale operation will inevitably require him to explain the reasons to the elders of the family, which will lead to a lot of trouble."
"If I'm not mistaken, he did this for you."
Xie Yunying opened her mouth, but found that she couldn't make a sound. Her heart was pounding violently in her chest, and her ears were ringing.
That day at the Yuan residence, she was filled with self-blame and cried uncontrollably in front of him, incoherently recounting the events that had transpired at the Xie family's bank. But at that moment, she was simply emotionally distraught and wanted to confide in someone she trusted. She never expected Yuan Nanjie to do anything for her; she thought that his offer of help would at most involve using his connections to suppress the rumors.
He gave almost everything he had. But they still had no relationship whatsoever.
Although she clung to him every day, they hadn't actually started discussing marriage because she was still in mourning.
Looking at Xie Yunying's expression, Xie Qingyu, who had only been testing her, was now somewhat surprised: "Could it be that you've fallen for him too?"
"He..." Xie Yunying's voice was hoarse, her cheeks began to burn uncontrollably, and for the first time she felt lost. "I...I don't know..."
"Then you'd better think it through," Xie Qingyu reminded her. "I remember you said that you would leave here and return to reality after you completed your mission. In that case, you'd better not develop real feelings for Yuan Nanjie, otherwise you'll be the one who suffers when you separate."
Xie Yunying deflated like a balloon punctured by a needle. She slumped onto the table and sighed silently, "Forget it, forget it. I can't even contact the system now. I really don't know what to do."
That's what they said, but Xie Qingyu's words were like a boulder thrown into Xie Yunying's already rippling heart, stirring up a monstrous wave.
Through the layer of sandalwood, she could hear her own heartbeat, closer and closer to her ear, each beat stronger than the last.
There was another knock at the door. Xie Qingyu recognized the voice as Yin Yi's and said, "Come in."
Yin Yi bowed and entered, saying solemnly, "Patriarch, something terrible has happened!"
"A guard from the Third Prince's residence has come to report that the Fourth Prince led a group of men to forcibly enter the Third Prince's residence, and now the two princes are fighting fiercely inside. Lord Yue happened to be visiting the Third Prince and has also been caught up in the fight!"
Xie Yunying sat up instantly, her eyes wide, but someone else reacted even more strongly.
Xie Qingyu broke the calligraphy brush in his hand. The expression on his face instantly turned extremely terrifying, enough to make anyone tremble with fear.
"Prepare the carriage!" Xie Qingyu stood up, his voice cold. "Immediately dispatch my personal guards to accompany me to the Third Prince's residence!"
Clouds fill the sky over Beijing, and spring rain pours down on the city.
When Xie Qingyu arrived with his personal guards, the area in front of the Third Prince's residence was already in chaos.
He immediately dismounted and hurried inside. His face was ashen, and the servants around him were too frightened to utter a sound by his grim expression.
Upon arriving at the Third Prince's palace, the guards abruptly pushed open the palace door, revealing a scene of utter chaos inside.
Everywhere there were signs of vandalism, making it hard to imagine what kind of fierce battle had taken place here. Jade and porcelain fragments were scattered all over the ground, and in some places there was still sticky blood.
Yin Yi was terrified. He didn't dare to speak, but glanced at Xie Qingyu and saw that his jaw was clenched and his fists were so tight that the veins were bulging.
There was no one inside the hall. Xie Qingyu was on the verge of losing control. He quickly strode through the hall and kicked open the two half-closed doors at the back.
Through the fine curtain of rain, the scenery of the garden was clearly visible. In the distance, he saw a figure in green standing safely under the eaves, her profile graceful and elegant.
Before her stood the tall and imposing Third Prince, which made her appear even more slender and frail, like a lotus leaf swaying in the rain.
The unease and lingering fear in his heart surged forth instantly. He could no longer care about anyone else and cried out, "Yue Yining!"
Yue Yining was suddenly stunned, turned around, and saw Xie Qingyu rushing towards her.
She asked in surprise, "How could you...?"
Before Yue Yining could finish speaking, Xie Qingyu reached out and hugged her tightly, her waist tightening around her, causing her to hold her breath.
The maids from the Third Prince's residence all lowered their heads in unison, keeping their eyes down, while the guards from the Xie residence also tacitly looked away.
Only the Third Prince, Wei Ye, looked at the two embracing intimately with an expression as if he had been struck by lightning.
Seeing this, Yue Yining's ears also turned a little red. She coughed, patted Xie Qingyu's back, and whispered, "Xie Qingyu, I'm fine, please let go of me first."
The moment their palms touched, Yue Yining was startled again, and Xie Qingyu's body trembled slightly.
The person who had been burying their face in her shoulder finally looked up, their eyes completely red.
Even with Yue Yining's heart hardened like iron, she softened completely at the sight of him. Before she could speak, she heard Xie Qingyu say in a hoarse voice, "Thank goodness you're alright, I was so scared..."
The Third Prince Wei Ye's eyes were also swollen, clearly from crying. The lingering sadness on his face now made him look at him as if he had seen a ghost.
Yue Yining half-pulled, half-dragged his arm off her waist, and firmly grasped his hand as a gesture of reassurance. Then she turned to Wei Ye and said, "Your Highness, I shall take my leave now. Please remember what I said to you today."
"If there is anything else, please send someone to find me again. I, Yue Yining, will not abandon the Third Prince."
Wei Ye opened his mouth, lowered his eyelids, and said in a muffled voice, ".......Okay."
Yue Yining left the Third Prince's residence with Xie Qingyu.
Once seated in Yue Yining's carriage, Xie Qingyu could no longer restrain himself. He lifted her robes and pulled her tightly into his arms, his nose lightly brushing against her neck. Yue Yining let him do as he pleased, feeling ticklish from his touch, and wanted to laugh, "What are you doing now?"
"...There's no smell of blood." Xie Qingyu said softly, then looked up at her, seeking confirmation, "So the blood in the Third Prince's palace isn't yours, it's theirs, right?"
"Hmm, of course it's not mine." Yue Yining stretched out her arm and tilted her head. "Why don't you check it?"
Xie Qingyu was completely relieved and hugged her tightly again. Afraid that the carriage would be bumpy, she placed her on her lap and wrapped her arms around her waist from behind, refusing to let go for even a moment. "I heard that something happened at the Third Prince's residence, so I rushed over immediately."
"I saw signs of a struggle inside the hall, and then you disappeared again." His voice was low and husky, his lips still pressed against the back of her neck as he spoke, his warm breath dampening her skin. "...I was almost going crazy with worry."
His way of getting close to her today was much more affectionate than usual, and Yue Yining felt her heart burning from his kisses.
Once he calmed down, Yue Yining suddenly grabbed his arm, turned to look at him, and touched the corner of his slightly red eyes with her palm, chuckling softly, "I can tell, you really were out of your mind."
"They've forgotten all about honorifics and are so anxious they're calling me by my given name."
Xie Qingyu froze, recalling his actions in front of everyone and his urgent cry. He panicked, at a loss for words, stammering, "I..."
Yue Yining was amused by his reaction: "What?"
The dark, gloomy light in his eyes dimmed, and he looked at her with teary eyes, an expression that showed he knew he had made a grave mistake. He pressed himself close to her, as if afraid she would abandon him, and pleaded, "I'm sorry, please forgive my rudeness, Miss..."
"I didn't say I was blaming you."
A glimmer of laughter flickered in Yue Yining's eyes, shining brightly. "I just suddenly realized that this seems to be the first time you've called me by my name."
She spoke with a light laugh, as if coaxing, but her eyes betrayed her mischievous intentions. "Say it to me again?"
With Yue Yining pressing against her chest, Xie Qingyu's heart pounded like a drum beneath her thin spring robe.
Her earlobes had turned a bright red without her noticing, and her breathing became rapid. Xie Qingyu looked up at her, pursed her lips, and whispered, "How can this be?"
"It's one thing to act rashly in a moment of panic, but how can you be so reckless in normal times? My relationship with you is worlds apart..."
Yue Yining truly hated hearing those four words from his mouth.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, lifted his robe, and reached down.
Xie Qingyu realized she should dodge, but it was too late; Yue Yining had already grasped it through the thin fabric.
The object in her hand reacted honestly and intensely, quickly becoming incredibly hot. Yue Yining could barely hold it, loosened her grip, and looked at Xie Qingyu with a half-smile, "A world of difference?"
"When you were doing this kind of thing, why didn't you remember the vast difference between us?"
Her fingers moved slowly and deliberately, teasing him. Xie Qingyu's muscles tensed, and all his attention was focused on the spot she was holding.
Seeing his tense demeanor, Yue Yining couldn't help but laugh: "Say something?"
"Has he become mute?"
With another flick of her wrist, the young nobleman, whose clothes were loose, trembled violently. His long neck was forced back, and he gasped for breath, a flush spreading from his chin down.
Xie Qingyu suddenly grabbed her hand.
Looking into her eyes, a turbulent sea surged within them, as if reflecting an endless struggle, but softened at the tip of her lips: "No, no... Miss, the journey is short, we're almost at the manor, please stop..."
Yue Yining stopped, but didn't leave. She pressed herself against him and whispered in his ear, "Call my name."
"Since you screamed, I'll give you a quick death."
The long ordeal began. Yue Yining forced him to look directly at her, and Xie Qingyu had nowhere to hide, leaving her to witness his lustful state.
"Miss, Miss..."
“No, that’s not right. Call me by my name.” Yue Yining coaxed him patiently, like a hunter. “Call me by my name, or I won’t move.”
Springtime was in full bloom on the bumpy carriage.
The rushing hooves and wheels of horses drowned out the ambiguous sounds from behind the curtain. Suddenly, a voice, out of control, drifted out: "No...!"
The driver loosened the rope, hesitated for a moment, and then listened carefully, but heard no more strange noises.
"Lord Yue, has something happened inside?"
Yue Yining covered Xie Qingyu's lips, staring at him, but said, "It's nothing, I just dropped a teacup."
"You should continue on your way."
As she spoke, her hand was still moving slowly. Xie Qingyu's Adam's apple trembled violently, sliding up and down. Her palm tightly gripped the hand that was causing the trouble, but she did not exert any force to stop her, letting her do as she pleased.
The driver responded in a low voice, and the wheels rolled forward again.
"Aren't you going to tell me?" Yue Yining bit his earlobe, rubbing it with her canine teeth, her soft voice low and gentle, "Hurry up and tell me, my hand is getting sore."
Xie Qingyu stared at her with her eyes wide open, her black hair at her temples damp with fine sweat, and her fair face flushed red.
He was forced to surrender by her, and suddenly grabbed her shoulders and pressed her against the car wall.
He lowered his head and kissed her lips, nose, and cheeks haphazardly, his voice hoarse and barely audible, "Miss...Miss..."
"...Yue Yining."
Once he got started, the rest was much easier. He called her name again and again: "Yue Yining... Yue Yining..."
Yue Yining smiled happily, cupped his face, and let him rub against her. "Mmm, call me a couple more times."
The person buried his face in her shoulder whimpered, his voice trembling slightly, finally no longer concealing his transgressive desire, "Yining..."
Yue Yining hugged his neck and pressed herself tightly against him.
"Yes, Xie Qingyu," Yue Yining said with a light laugh. "I'm here."
"Remember this from now on, and don't ever say that we're worlds apart again."
......
After returning to his residence, Xie Qingyu took a bath and changed his clothes. When he came out, he told Yue Yining about his conversation with Xie Yunying.
Yue Yining was stunned. She realized that Xie Yunying, like Xie Qingyu, was a soul from another world. For a moment, she was at a loss for words: "You Xie family members are really..."
Xie Qingyu looked at her and said, "I killed Xie Zhi and Wang Zhichang, so I can say that I have avenged you."
Yue Yining's upturned eyes slowly flattened, and the slight smile settled in her eyes. Her gaze remained gentle as she looked at him.
“I know,” she said. “Whether the truth comes out or not, you did all this for me, and I’ve known that for a long time.”
“However, I am still grateful that you told me the truth.” Yue Yining pulled him to sit down at the table. “I was summoned to the Third Prince’s residence today and witnessed the entire argument between His Highness the Third Prince and His Highness the Fourth Prince.”
She told Xie Qingyu everything that had happened that day, including the fact that the Third Prince had discovered the truth about the Crown Prince's death and that the Fourth Prince had broken into the palace and fought with the Third Prince.
Xie Qingyu almost immediately gripped her hand tightly, "Thank goodness you're alright."
"What's Wei Ye's current situation? Is he still planning to commit suicide?"
Yue Yining's answer was somewhat unexpected: "I comforted him, and he has recovered."
Xie Qingyu paused, and Yue Yining said frankly, "He doesn't know yet that Princess Wei Yihua is actually the daughter of the deceased Empress and the younger sister of Wei Changqiong. I told him about this and told him not to give up his life now, but to at least wait until Wei Yihua returns to the capital."
She said that the Crown Prince had passed away, but his younger sister was still alive. If Yihua could ascend the throne, wouldn't that be the best consolation for the Crown Prince?
Furthermore, there are many suspicious points in this matter. It would be better to wait until Yihua returns to Beijing so that everyone can investigate the truth together and then make a plan.
“His Highness the Third Prince promised me that he would not try to kill himself again until Yihua returns.” Yue Yining smiled at him. “The turmoil caused by the bank has been successfully resolved, and we can finally breathe a sigh of relief.”
"Mm," Xie Qingyu said gently, "You've been working hard for many days, so you should rest early tonight."
......
Deep within the palace, where golden dragons coil around pillars, halls and pavilions stand like a forest.
Luo Hong hurried through the corridor, and as he approached the eaves, he heard the emperor's faint voice calling from inside the palace: "...Where is Luo Hong? Where has Luo Hong gone? Go and call him here!"
Luo Hong hurriedly agreed and quickly entered the hall, her tone respectful, "Your Majesty, this servant is here."
"...Go and summon the Imperial Advisor. Tell him that I wish to see her."
Luo Hong didn't dare utter a sound. "Yes."
He had just stepped outside, wiping the sweat from his hurried run, when he saw Qiu Wuzhu slowly approaching from not far away, and he paused again. This seemingly young national advisor had a slender figure, fair skin, and often wore simple colors, making him appear like a wandering spirit in the palace.
Luo Hong was stunned for a moment, and felt a strange sensation: Qiu Wuzhu always appeared suddenly, arriving at the palace before he could send someone to summon her, as if she had known all along that the emperor would summon her at this time.
Even the thoughts of the emperor are laid bare in her eyes.
Luo Hong shook off the thought in his mind and stepped forward, saying, "Grand Preceptor, His Majesty is about to summon you."
"Please go in quickly."
Qiu Wuzhu nodded slightly and stepped into the main hall.
Inside the hall, incense smoke filled the air. Emperor Wei Tianxuan sat on the dragon throne, gazing up at the caisson ceiling above him. Countless magnificent dragons, crafted from precious jewels, lay in the sky, their eyes meeting those of the aged emperor.
The man on the throne, clad in a yellow robe, had a beard several inches longer than a few days ago, sticking out in a messy, upright manner. His desk was piled high with memorials and documents.
When Qiu Wuzhu stopped in the center of the hall, Wei Tianxuan seemed to realize that she had arrived, and slowly turned his head to look at her: "Grand Preceptor... Grand Preceptor has arrived."
"That came so quickly." Wei Tianxuan pursed his lips. "Has your second prophecy come true yet?"
"The second prophecy has come true. The circulation of gold and silver has been obstructed, and the people are in a state of panic. However, with the joint efforts of the Xie and Yuan families to save the market, we have managed to get through this crisis relatively smoothly without causing too much of a stir." Qiu Wuzhu answered smoothly and remained as still as a mountain, his brows slightly furrowed. "Your Majesty, I have come here today to report another important matter, which is urgent."
This was the first time in many days that Wei Tianxuan had seen Qiu Wuzhu with an expression other than cold indifference.
He sat up shakily, gripping the armrest of the dragon throne, and said, "Speak."
Qiu Wuzhu frowned, cupped his hands, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the third prophecy of Heaven has been delivered."
“This morning I consulted the oracle and saw that the divination lines were broken, which is an omen of great misfortune. I also used yarrow stalks to cast a hexagram and obtained the image of thunder crashing into a mountain and collapsing. Zhen represents the commander’s flag, and Gen represents obstruction. The flag is broken and the loyal bones are buried in the sand. This is an omen of the collapse of the pillar, the death of the general, and the return of the phoenix to the west.”
"You...you mean...?"
"Your Majesty," Qiu Wuzhu said urgently, "There has been a traitor in the army. General Gu was ambushed and died for his country. The Princess was intercepted while rushing to the aid and also met with misfortune. At this time, she is probably already dead on the battlefield! If the commander-in-chief suffers a crushing defeat, the morale of the army will surely collapse, the enemy's power will be greatly enhanced, and the border will be on the verge of collapse. We are already at a critical moment!"
"This is no time for grief. Your Majesty, I implore you to make a swift decision, dispatch troops to reinforce the defenses, thoroughly investigate the army, and eliminate any traitors to comfort the loyal souls and secure the nation!"
Qiu Wuzhu waited for a long time without receiving a response. When she looked up, she found that Wei Tianxuan's neck was leaning against the dragon throne, his eyes were closed, and he had fainted.
She moved her wrist, and Luo Hong's shrill voice rang out first, sharp as if it were about to slit a throat: "Your Majesty! His Majesty has fainted!! Someone come quickly!!"
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!"
"Quickly! Go and summon the imperial physician!"
The palace was in complete chaos, with the palace maids and eunuchs in a state of panic.
No one noticed that Qiu Wuzhu had already concealed the seriousness and anxiety on his face, and regained his usual indifferent expression.
She slowly withdrew from the palace, leaving the chaos behind, and stepped into the night.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Not finished... I originally planned to write about Yi Hua's side all at once, but I'll combine it into the next chapter tomorrow. (Meaning I'll update tomorrow too [shy])
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