I'm afraid it will just be seen as childish ramblings, or my petty jealousy of my brother's status as the crown prince.
I might even get scolded for being immature, talking nonsense, and ruining the relationship between siblings.
That thing that occupied the body of the emperor dared to defy the world and lurk deep within the palace, coveting the position of crown prince.
How could they leave any loopholes, giving the real Ning Yuancheng a chance to return?
It had already laid out its plan, gradually distancing itself from me, consolidating its position step by step, and perhaps even plotting more things in secret.
For example, he could tamper with his father's medicine, win over treacherous officials in the court, weaken King Zhao's military power, and eliminate anyone who could hinder his ascent to the pinnacle of power.
Later, in a corner of the Imperial Study, I found a crumpled note with unfamiliar handwriting that read, "The eldest princess must be eliminated as soon as possible to prevent her from noticing."
There were still dark red marks on the edge of the paper, like dried blood.
At that moment, my blood seemed to freeze. It turned out that it had long regarded me as a thorn in its side. If I hadn't been avoiding it all along, I probably would have already been killed.
Some debts, some grudges, were destined to be settled by me from the moment he held that jade hairpin engraved with plum blossoms and spoke those words in an icy tone.
Now I sit on this dragon throne, my fingertips tracing the scales of the gilded dragon, the cool touch reminding me of the warmth my elder brother, the Crown Prince, used to give me when I warmed my hands.
The memorials on my desk were piled high, but I was no longer afraid, because I knew that my elder brother, the Crown Prince, was watching me, my father and mother were watching me, and the people of Ning Dynasty were watching me.
I will carry on the gentleness and wisdom of my elder brother, the Crown Prince; the clarity and resilience of my mother; and the courage and responsibility of Prince Zhao, to safeguard this land.
Days slip through our fingers like fine sand in an hourglass, even the sweet fragrance of morning dew under the peach trees of our childhood, and the honeyed taste of candied hawthorns melting on our fingertips in the snow.
Time has worn them all away, leaving only blurry images lingering in my memory—like looking through a layer of frosted glass covered in moisture.
Those scenes of picking flowers and building snowmen together are both clear and distant.
As I grew up, the roundness of my childhood faded from my eyes and brows, my jawline became sharp and defined, and the wispy hairs on my forehead were blown by the wind, revealing my smooth forehead.
My mother always says that I look just like her when I was young, with a stubborn streak, and she loves to pinch my cheeks and make me laugh.
"If Yuanhe had been born during wartime, she would definitely have been a female general who could wield a spear and make the enemy tremble with fear."
As she spoke, the calluses on her fingertips from embroidery still lingered, but her eyes shone with the heroic spirit she had displayed when she accompanied her grandfather on hunts. It was as if she saw her former self through me.
My father and mother's love remained unchanged: my mother remembered my favorite Jiangnan green plum candied fruit and had it sent to me by express courier every month.
The celadon jar bears a note she wrote herself, "To Yuanhe," the strokes of which reveal her unique tenderness.
The handwriting wasn't as delicate as that of the concubines in the palace; it had a masculine crispness, which her maternal grandfather had specially asked a tutor to teach her.
Even when my father was reviewing memorials late into the night, and my eyelids were so heavy they were almost stuck together, he would still send a eunuch to bring me a bowl of warm white fungus soup.
There were two lotus seeds with the cores removed lying in the soup, which he had specifically instructed the imperial kitchen to prepare.
"Lianzi, keep your mind clear. Don't let the girl ruin her brain from overworking. In the future, I'll need her to help me maintain my empire."
The sweetness of the soup, mixed with the lingering ink scent from the Emperor's fingertips, was so warm it could seep into your bones, and even the rim of the bowl carried the warmth of his palm.
Although her elder brother found it strange, he never deliberately made things difficult for her. Occasionally, when they met on the palace road, he would stop and call out, "Imperial sister."
But that call was like it was through a damp veil, lacking the warmth of before—before, when he called me, the end of his voice would have a slightly rising tone.
Like a kitten rubbing its paw against someone, now it's flat and rigid, more like a process that has to be followed.
His clothing became increasingly exquisite, changing from plain brocade robes to everyday clothes embroidered with dark dragon and python patterns, with gold thread, a new tribute from Jiangnan, used for the piping on the collar and cuffs.
The mutton-fat jade pendant hanging from her cuff jingled softly with her movements, but it no longer carried the novelties she had found outside the palace as it had before.
They excitedly shoved the wooden bird that could spin around and the ocarina that could play "The Willow Branch Song" into my hands, laughing and saying, "My royal sister will definitely like this."
The light that once shone in his eyes was like fireflies on a summer night in the Imperial Garden, but now it is like the moon covered by dark clouds, leaving only a deep darkness.
But as he grew older, the way he looked at me became increasingly intriguing.
The gaze was no longer as clear and bright as a stream when he was a child; instead, it was like a damp cotton wad, heavy and pressing down on him, carrying an indescribable scrutiny.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
