Song Yue's figure quickly disappeared into the misty rain.
Consort Zheng received no response and stared at him blankly, unconsciously clenching the handkerchief in her hand so tightly that her long red fingernails almost dug into her flesh.
She knew he wasn't looking for her to save his own life, and she knew he was approaching her for the sake of the Crown Prince, but she still couldn't help keeping him by her side, hoping that one day he would change his mind.
Today, he admitted to having someone he liked, and as a woman, she felt a bitter pang of jealousy. When she entered the palace at a young age, she was a lively and cheerful girl, but Zhu Rui was already a bloated middle-aged man. Her hopes for love were completely shattered, and she focused all her energy on protecting her position, gradually becoming shrewd, worldly-wise, and prone to scheming.
But her loving heart remained undying; the moment she saw Song Yue years ago, she had already fallen for him. The more he ignored her, the more hopelessly she loved him. A heart that cannot have someone is forever restless.
The former imperial concubine Li and the chief minister Zhang were kindred spirits and supported each other. They were such enviable confidantes and partners. If one could be like them, one would have no regrets in this life.
Fine, it's not like she just found out what he was thinking. She can wait.
She donned a cloak, pulled up her hood, and opened an umbrella, then chased after him, but Song Yue had already disappeared somewhere in the house. In the courtyard, mist and rain shrouded the scene, and the wind blew the duckweed.
After hesitating for a moment, she first summoned a servant and instructed him, "Go and boil a bowl of ginger soup, and then go and fetch a doctor."
The servant agreed and left, so she continued searching for him. When she found him, he was soaking wet. She pulled him back into the house and touched his forehead; it was slightly feverish.
She quickly used a handkerchief to wipe the rain off him, but he raised his hand to stop her, saying, "I can do it myself."
She pursed her lips with a slight bitterness, handed over the handkerchief, and said, "I won't pressure you anymore. Don't be like this. It hurts me to see you sick. I've asked the kitchen to make ginger soup and sent someone to fetch a doctor. The doctor will be here soon."
"Thank you," he said calmly.
She lowered her eyes and shook her head, then personally poured him a cup of hot water. "Drink some hot water first to warm yourself up."
"Put it down and go out." He didn't accept her kindness. "I need to change my clothes."
She sighed softly and said, "Okay."
Soon after, the doctor arrived.
He first took Song Yue's pulse, and then went to the front to write the prescription. Because there were outsiders present, Consort Zheng could not appear in the room, so she waited in the adjacent warm room.
While the doctor was writing the prescription, Song Yue handed him a letter and attached ten taels of silver, saying, "Please help me send this letter out, but don't let the people in this house know about it."
The doctor nodded. "You must be Grand Secretary Song? I saw you at the execution ground in the West Market that day. Everyone said you were a good man, always thinking of us common people, but we don't know how you offended the Emperor and were to be beheaded. Fortunately, Heaven had eyes, and someone saved you that day. Grand Secretary, you are wholeheartedly devoted to the people, and it is truly an honor for me, a commoner, to be able to do something for you. Rest assured, Grand Secretary, I will deliver this letter. The ten taels of silver are really unnecessary."
Song Yue smiled and said, "I didn't expect to meet you, Doctor. Please keep this ten taels of silver. I'm stuck here now and can't use the money. The world is in trouble, and it's our responsibility as officials. Money is hard to earn, and you're all living a hard life. Please keep it as a token of my appreciation."
The man hesitated for a moment, then said, "...In that case, I thank you, Your Excellency. Your Excellency has just caught a chill, so please be sure to take the medicine according to this prescription to avoid worsening your illness."
"I understand, thank you."
After the doctor left, the servants in the room quickly went to fetch and prepare the medicine. Once the medicine was ready, Consort Zheng personally served it to Song Yue.
When she entered the room, she saw him lying on the bed with his eyes closed, as if he were asleep. She watched him carefully by the bedside for a while, but did not wake him. Then she simply placed the medicine bowl on the table, closed the door, and left to return to the palace.
Before leaving, she whispered, "Get some rest."
A few days later, the White Lotus Sect's army of over 100,000 men had already advanced to Zhengding, catching the King of Shu off guard and leaving him with nowhere to retreat but to fight back.
The area around Zhengding was a battlefield between the two sides. Weapons, cannons, and warhorses were everywhere. The two armies shouted and fought all around, banners fluttered, and smoke filled the air. The nearby people fled their homes in panic, becoming displaced. The crops in the fields that were about to ripen were completely destroyed, and many houses were not spared, burned to ruins.
In short, rivers of blood flowed and corpses littered the ground.
After a heavy rain, the ground was covered in red water, staining the rivers and lakes red.
Both sides fought to the death, each thinking of conquering the other first, clearing away obstacles, and finally taking control of the Forbidden City.
After more than ten days of fierce fighting, the King of Shu gradually lost ground and retreated repeatedly, while Meng Gexing led his troops in a relentless pursuit.
...
The news that the White Lotus Sect had turned against the King of Shu quickly reached Xu Yan's ears.
Earlier, he had Xu Silin contact the King of Shu and establish a cooperative relationship, supporting the King of Shu with money and connections, intending to help the King of Shu seize power and protect the wealth and honor of the Xu family.
The White Lotus Sect's attack on the Ming Dynasty was exactly what they wanted. With the two sides fighting, they, the fishermen, could reap the benefits. The Ming Dynasty, with its numerous wounded and disabled generals, would naturally be unable to withstand their 100,000-strong army, and the gilded dragon throne in the Forbidden City would be theirs for the taking.
But who would have thought that Meng Gexing would act unpredictably and turn around to attack them? The King of Shu was caught off guard, and naturally, chaos ensued.
He has already offended Zhu Rui, and is now in the same boat as the King of Shu. If the King of Shu is defeated, the Xu family will surely suffer annihilation.
The White Lotus Sect's army now numbers around 130,000 to 140,000, while the Shu King's 100,000 troops are mostly new recruits, making them no match for the Shu King. He must find a way to help the Shu King.
Looking across the entire court, the only one who could possibly help him now was the Duke of Ying. The Duke of Ying had 30,000 troops in the northwest, a strong and well-equipped force originally intended to defend against the Tatars. If he were willing to withdraw and help the King of Shu, their chances of defeating Meng Gexing would greatly increase.
Years ago, he used a supposed celestial omen to murder Gu Shaoheng's entire family, all to sever the engagement between Gu Shaoheng and Su Miaoyi, the daughter of the Duke of Yingguo. Unfortunately, his son consistently disagreed, and the marriage was shelved. Now, with the situation pressing, that move is imperative.
However, he has now been stripped of his position as Grand Secretary, and the Duke of England may not necessarily be willing to accept it.
Xu Yan thought for a moment, then called over a trusted confidant and gave him a few instructions, saying, "Don't let the young master know yet, and do it as quickly as possible."
...
A few days later, Qingchen felt bored staying at home and, having received no news of Song Yue, went out. After wandering aimlessly for a while, she remembered that she hadn't seen Gu Shaoheng for quite some time, so she went to the Lu family's clan school.
Not far from the Lu family academy, Qingchen had just reached the alley entrance when he saw a woman talking to Gu Shaoheng.
The girl looked to be fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in a light green dress, with wide, almond-shaped eyes that made her appear lively and energetic.
Qingchen remembered her. She had seen her at the Gu residence on the day of Gu Shaoheng's coming-of-age ceremony. She seemed to be the daughter of the Duke of Yingguo, Su family, and Gu Shaoheng's cousin to whom he was betrothed since childhood.
The last time I met her, this girl was pestering her cousin to play with her, acting like she didn't care about anything else but her cousin, which was quite adorable.
Just as Qingchen was about to avoid them, the two people's conversation reached her ears.
"Don't come looking for me anymore. There's no longer any engagement between us. Don't get entangled with the son of a disgraced official and waste your time. Go, we're destined to be apart in this life." Gu Shaoheng's voice.
The woman said urgently, "The marriage agreement we made back then is valid for life. No matter what you encounter, you are still my fiancé. My husband, Su Miaoyi, will only ever be you; I will not acknowledge anyone else!"
"...How can you and I possibly decide what happens in this world?" He said in a desolate voice, which made Qingchen feel sorry for him.
Later, Qingchen stopped listening and went to wait aside. Not long after, the girl also left, wiping her eyes with her sleeve as she went, as if she had been crying.
Gu Shaoheng walked over and saw Qingchen. He was somewhat surprised and said, "You're here."
Qingchen nodded, "I just happened to overhear you talking."
He smiled faintly, "She's my cousin, Su Miaoyi, still quite young. Our families arranged our marriage years ago, but as you know, things have changed..."
"It's obvious she likes you."
He gave a bitter smile, his face pale. "What good is it if I like him? I'm just a schoolteacher now, I can't possibly be worthy of him. Let's not talk about this... I heard from Lord Lu that you saved Teacher Song, is he alright?"
Qingchen's eyes dimmed. "I broke up with him, and I don't know where he is now. He said he would contact me, but many days have passed and I haven't heard from him."
"Our teacher has done so much for the country and the people. If God has eyes, He should be rewarded."
Qingchen hummed in agreement. "I haven't had much to do these days, but I'm feeling a bit down. Let's just chat for a bit."
"Okay." Gu Shaoheng smiled. "If you're unhappy about anything, just tell me. I'll always be your best friend."
As Qingchen and Gu Shaoheng walked and talked, Su Miaoyi's carriage was stopped on a side road.
She was sitting in the carriage crying, heartbroken because she knew that a relationship with Gu Shaoheng was unlikely. Unexpectedly, the carriage was stopped, and several masked men dragged her out of the carriage without saying a word, put a black hood over her head, tied her hands and feet, and kidnapped her.
...
That night, Xu Yan summoned his son, Xu Silin, to his study.
Upon hearing that Su Miaoyi had been brought back to the manor by her father, Xu Silin felt a strong sense of resistance. His handsome face revealed a look of hesitation and indifference, and he was even a little angry. "Why didn't you consult me before doing this, Father?"
“The situation is urgent, and I don’t have time to explain in detail,” Xu Yan said. “I’ve urged you several times about the marriage with the Duke of Ying’s family, but you never seem to care. Now that the Prince of Shu is being besieged by the White Lotus army, his newly recruited 100,000 troops are no match for him. The Duke of Ying has 30,000 troops in the northwest, all of them elite soldiers. The Oirat Mongols have been driven back to a hundred miles away by Lan Tan. If those 30,000 troops can join the Prince of Shu, we can launch a surprise attack and turn the tide of battle.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent. The candle flame on the lamp flickered and burned out.
Xu Silin frowned, looking at his father's full head of gray hair without saying a word.
Xu Yan continued, “Son, you should know very well that our Xu family and the Prince of Shu are now in the same boat. If he is defeated, the emperor will not let us off the hook. The crime of rebellion will inevitably lead to the execution of the entire family and the extermination of nine generations of relatives. The life and death of the Xu family now rests on your decision.”
Without his father needing to say more, Xu Silin was well aware of the Xu family's current predicament.
But he couldn't let go of that person in his heart.
In recent years, he has worked hard to climb the ranks and seize power, all so that he could be more confident in standing in front of her, more confident in competing with Song Yue for her, and then marry her and grow old together.
He had no desire to marry anyone else, but now that the Xu family was in trouble, his father was right. If they did not form a marriage alliance with the Duke of Ying's family, the Xu family would face dire consequences.
He was torn. He couldn't marry the woman he loved, and he didn't love the woman he married. Despite being the son of the most powerful nobleman in the Ming Dynasty, he couldn't escape the helplessness of his fate. Perhaps most people in the world are like this, with no real difference.
All those moments spent with Qingchen, those feelings of excitement and trepidation for her, those longings, that restless youth, will eventually be buried in the coffin of growing up.
Xu Silin didn't say anything, stood up, and went straight out the door.
Xu Yan watched his son's lonely figure and didn't press the matter further. The father and son had a tacit understanding; the son's silence was tacit agreement.
He then wrote a letter to the Duke of England, saying that Su Miaoyi had lost her virginity to his son.
Then he wrote a letter to the King of Shu, informing him of this good news and reassuring him that the Duke of Ying's 30,000 troops would soon be of great help to him.
...
Xu Silin returned to the room, ordered someone to bring him wine, but instead of pouring it into a cup, he picked up the pot and drank directly from the spout.
The candlelight flickered and burned, reflected in his eyes, while outside the window, a few sparse branches swayed slowly in the autumn breeze.
The wine slid down his lips, wetting the lapel of his shirt, as if rain was falling in his heart as well.
He gulped down the drinks, drinking very quickly, the veins on his forehead throbbing, but his heart sank deeper and deeper, as if sinking into the boundless night, into the endless deep sea.
When one is drunk and in a daze, one feels most lonely and isolated.
He left the house feeling dizzy and disoriented, heading to find Mingxiang. His feet felt as if they were walking on cotton, light and airy.
Mingxiang had already gone to bed, but he woke her up in the middle of the night. She hurriedly put on her clothes and went to open the door. As soon as the door opened, half of his body uncontrollably fell in.
She felt sorry for him and rushed over to help him, struggling to get him onto the bed.
"Why did you drink so much tonight?" she asked softly.
He was breathing heavily with his eyes closed, and it was unclear whether he heard or not; he did not answer.
Mingxiang poured him a glass of water and lifted his head to feed him, but he didn't react at all. She sighed and was about to put the glass back when he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her towards the bed.
Caught off guard, the cup slipped from her hand, fell to the ground, and shattered.
He pinned her down, mumbling something under his breath, and stripped her clothes off...
Mingxiang's heart pounded. She hadn't been this intimate with him since they almost had sex two years ago. Over the years, he had been very good to her, and her feelings for him had grown stronger every day.
When Xu Silin was about to break through the last layer of restraint, Ming Xiang did not struggle and obediently closed her eyes.
They spent the rest of the night together.
...
The next morning, she woke up to find that the man she had just slept with was gone, and she felt a pang of sadness.
She got out of bed and saw a letter on the table. When she opened it, it was in his handwriting.
That was a letter of divorce:
If the Xu family fails to survive this calamity, then you may take this letter of divorce and leave.
As Mingxiang read the letter, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably...
A few days later, the Xu family held a grand wedding.
A lively banquet filled the mansion, and the soft, affectionate voices of actors echoed everywhere. At first glance, it didn't seem like a chaotic world at all; it was a scene of wealth and elegance. Xu Silin was dressed in a bright red wedding robe and had drunk a lot of wine. He first drank with the people who came to congratulate him, and later hid in a corner to drink alone.
When the time came for their wedding night, he was completely drunk, but his mind was filled with nothing but Qingchen's image, not his bride.
Debating with her in the classroom at the Hanlin Academy, riding horses through the city gates with her, having a snowball fight with her, rescuing a kitten for her on New Year's Eve... all these memories are too painful to recall.
Later, Xu Yan finally had someone help him to the new house.
The door opened, and the wine jug he was carrying fell to the ground and shattered with a crash.
The reason was that Su Miaoyi, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, hanged herself in the bridal chamber.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
