Chapter 51 Ji'an.
Qin Lie lowered his eyes and watched Ling Yi re-bandage his wounds and apply burn ointment to the back of his hand.
Her movements this time were gentle and careful, revealing a degree of sincerity.
But he still felt a tightness in his chest that he couldn't express.
—Before today, he had already stopped taking Xie Yu seriously.
He once thought that Lingyi went to Zhuozhou for Xie Yu, but she married Song Pingkou instead. Therefore, Xie Yu was just a clown in his heart. He never expected that she would react so strongly to his news today.
Yes, she submitted to Song Pingkou only to protect Emperor Chengtai's safety, and she must still cherish the feelings of her childhood sweetheart.
She once told him that her encounter with Xie Yu was "a single meeting in the golden autumn breeze and jade dew, surpassing countless encounters in the mortal world."
He didn't really understand the bitterness in the poem, but she and Xie Yu probably did, and understood the tender and lingering feelings within it.
In this light, Song Pingkou was indeed a useless fool!
The two were right under his nose, yet he couldn't see any affection between them!
Qin Lie was filled with hatred, wishing he could dig Song Pingkou out of the ground and grind his bones to dust, and even more so, capture Xie Yu and tear him apart by five horses.
And this culprit right in front of us!
He stared at her intently and said sarcastically, "What? The princess is so concerned about your sixteenth brother-in-law that she loses her composure upon hearing his name?"
Lingyi knew she had lost her composure, but since Lin'er had been taken away by Third Sister, if she could see Xie Yu, she might be able to get news of Lin'er. How could she not be excited?
She absolutely could not mention Lin'er in front of Qin Lie—Qin Lie had not mentioned him at all these days, or perhaps he had been too busy to remember. How could she let him think of him again?
She bent down to apply the medicine to him, and said casually, "I'm just happy thinking about Sixteenth Sister."
Her acting was so poor that Qin Lie's eyes ached from watching. He looked away, still seething with anger, and blurted out sarcastic remarks, "Xie Yu was a great contributor to the Southern Dynasty's surrender, and now he's even presented the imperial seal. The court has no choice but to use veteran officials from the previous dynasty. These people are either his protégés or have received favors from him. Although Xie Yu is pedantic, he has some talent in governing the country, and it's only a matter of time before the emperor values him. Now your sixteenth sister has returned to the capital in glory, and she'll soon see wealth and honor ahead, while you're no different from a prisoner. How about it? Do you regret not choosing him back then, and instead chose Song Pingkou?"
He stared intently at her as he spoke. No matter what he said before, she maintained her usual submissive demeanor. However, when he mentioned Song Pingkou, she blinked her eyelashes and pursed her lips.
Qin Lie felt a surge of anger in his chest, but his tone became even more flippant: "I've forgotten that Song Pingkou was killed by you. Though he was arrogant and conceited, he was also very cautious. We sent countless assassins to kill him, but none could get close. Yet, in the end, he died at your hands. It seems he truly doted on you and was completely unguarded with you. Otherwise, how could you, with your weak hands, have killed him and escaped unscathed? Did he know he was going to die by your hand before he died? Did he regret it? Did he feel pain and hatred? Did he curse you or still dote on you...?"
He didn't continue, because Lingyi stood up, her chest heaving as if she wanted to say something, but then calmed down, sat down again, and said softly, "Your Highness is at the height of your success, why be so harsh on a dead man?"
She spoke casually, as if it were none of her business, but Qin Lie kept his eyes fixed on her, how could he miss the fleeting glint of tears in her eyes just now?
As he watched, he suddenly burst into laughter, laughing so hard he couldn't straighten up and almost cried.
"I thought...I thought...But it turns out..."
What circumstances forced her to marry Song Pingkou for the sake of Emperor Chengtai?
He's just fooling himself.
Yes, she and Xie Yu were childhood sweethearts, and she developed feelings for Song Pingkou over time. He was the only one who was heartless and discarded her like trash. He should have known this long ago.
He described it so strangely, and his laughter grew increasingly eerie. Lingyi stopped crying, her heart filled with only shock and doubt.
After a long while, Qin Lie finally stopped laughing, straightened up, and looked at her again with icy eyes.
"Liu Lingyi, if I had known this would happen, I should have let you die on your way back to Jizhou back then!"
Lingyi didn't understand why he said such a thing, and she didn't know why, after saying such a thing, he did nothing and returned to his previous state.
That night, he fell into a nightmare again. She went over and took his hand, gently patted his chest, and coaxed him with "husband" a few times. Instead of calming down, he opened his bloodshot eyes, grabbed her by the throat, and pulled her to his chest.
He stared at her, his gaze both chaotic and frantic, and demanded fiercely, "How dare you?! How dare you?!"
Lingyi gradually lost her breath. Her survival instinct made her struggle, but she couldn't pry his hands off. She tried to kick him, but he rolled over and pinned her down, holding her tightly.
"It hurts..." she cried out instinctively.
He tightened his grip even more, "Not even a fraction of what I can achieve!"
Lingyi always believed that she was living a life of seemingly painstaking scheming, but in reality, she was waiting for a chance to die so that she could be freed.
But at this moment, she realized she still had so many attachments in this world: her fifteenth sister, Aunt Liu Cui, Lin'er, Huan'er, and... and...
Her consciousness began to fade, but he abruptly released her, instead cupping her face in his hands, gently stroking her eyes with his thumb, sighing with self-reproach and heartache, "...Don't cry, you know I hate your tears the most..."
Lingyi then realized that tears had fallen unnoticed and were streaming down her face. The person in front of her was having a hysterical episode, acting erratically and seemingly insane, and could not be reasoned with at all. As soon as he calmed down, she just wanted to get away as quickly as possible.
She quietly retreated, but he pulled her back, and dark clouds began to gather in her eyes again.
"What are you running away from now on! Where are you trying to run to?!"
Lingyi dared not move again, looking at him in fear, afraid that he would strike again.
He stared at her intently for a long while, then suddenly sighed and called out, "Huiniang..."
The moment that name was uttered, he seemed like a different person, his eyes filled with only infatuation and longing. "Don't look at me like that, you know perfectly well I could never bear to hurt you..."
Her eyes remained wary, and he didn't want to look anymore, so he simply covered her eyes and lowered his head to kiss her slightly parted lips.
Although it was inappropriate, Lingyi couldn't help but think that this was how Qin Lie and his wife were when they were intimate.
—He was so careful, almost ingratiating, that even the arms around her were trembling, as if the person in his arms might melt away and disappear at any moment.
She felt no emotion when Qin Lie treated her intimately as if she were another woman.
The concepts of chastity and purity were of no importance to her.
As for dignity, it is utterly insignificant in the face of life and death.
But his kisses became more and more passionate and urgent, and his physical reactions became more and more obvious, clearly indicating that a single kiss would not be enough to stop him.
The thought of Qin Lie waking up tomorrow and discovering that he had mistaken her for someone else and had sex with her would enrage him to the point of killing Ji An in his anger.
All her previous efforts were thus wasted, which was unbearable for her.
She turned her head away, avoiding his lips, "Your Highness, wake up..."
He paused for a moment, then quickly caught up and sealed her mouth with his lips. Unlike the previous tenderness and lingering, his tongue forcefully entered, filling her mouth and vigorously stirring her saliva. When she tried to dodge, he caught up again, capturing her lips and tongue with unparalleled accuracy, giving her no chance to speak.
Left with no other choice, she bit his tongue, and he finally pulled away in pain.
Seizing the opportunity, she placed her hand on his chest to create distance between them and coldly reminded him, "Your Highness, please look carefully, I am not Hui Niang."
Upon hearing this, Qin Lie felt as if someone had struck a nerve, his movements instantly stopping, frozen in place, and it took him a long time to look at her.
The moment their eyes met, Ling Yi felt a chill run down her spine.
He looked at her like that, as if she had committed some heinous crime.
But she was clearly trying to stop him from making the same mistake again, lest he fall into an irreparable situation.
Lingyi didn't know if he was awake. She struggled to push him away and got out of bed before daring to look back. She saw him lying slumped on the bed. Although he covered his face with the back of his hand and she couldn't see his expression, he gave people a sense of despondency and hopelessness.
Seemingly noticing her gaze, he spoke.
"Get out, get far away from me, and never let me see you again."
Whether he was dreaming or awake, Lingyi felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She hurriedly went back to the small couch, put on her outer robe, and turned to open the door.
Qin Xiaoshan had already fallen asleep outside the room. He was startled awake by the sound of the door opening. Looking up, he saw Lingyi coming out. He quickly got up, carefully observing her expression, and asked, "Princess..."
Lingyi said, "Your prince... does not wish to see me again. Steward Qin, please arrange for me to leave immediately."
Qin Xiaoshan glanced into the house. The courtyard was quiet, and the people inside could certainly hear them talking, but they remained silent.
He couldn't help but sigh. The prince had only been well for a few days and was thinking that he wouldn't have to take medicine anymore. How did the two of them end up like this?
He remained respectful, saying only, "It is late at night, Your Highness, please rest somewhere else. We can discuss this further at dawn."
Lingyi feared that things might change if she waited too long, so she said, "Your prince is such a decisive person. If he sees me still here tomorrow, he will surely be furious. It would be better if I left now, which would also be convenient for the steward."
Even with her silver tongue, Qin Xiaoshan was determined not to let her go.
He followed Qin Lie for ten years, experiencing ups and downs along the way, and gradually came to understand one principle.
One cannot presume to fathom one's master's thoughts, but one also cannot remain completely oblivious to them; otherwise, why would Qin Xiaochuan be able to return after being demoted?
Qin Xiaoshan took Lingyi to the courtyard where Ji'an was. It was already late at night, and Ji'an was asleep. Lingyi had been very careful not to make a sound, but he was still startled awake. His eyes were filled with fear, but when he saw her, his expression turned to surprise and joy. He threw himself into her arms and cried, "Auntie! Auntie! You're back!"
Lingyi patted his head. "I'm back. You've lost so much weight while I was gone."
Jian cried, "Auntie, I'm so scared! I'm afraid they'll kill me, and I'm afraid they'll poison my food! I... I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"
Because of his previous words, he abandoned her at a crucial moment.
Although she did not do anything for Jian in the hope of getting anything in return, it does not mean that she is not heartbroken.
Lingyi even had some thoughts of avoiding him, otherwise she wouldn't have stayed with Qin Lie so comfortably.
Seeing him like this now, I felt heartbroken. He was still just a child. He had fled to Jinzhou with the former crown prince before he could remember anything, and then fled to Zhuozhou with Xie Yu. He became a puppet emperor and a carefree marquis, living in constant fear. He never had a day of peace.
Chaotic times can turn people into ghosts. Even she herself could never have imagined years ago that she would become like this.
Can we really blame a child?
Thinking this, she put aside all past grievances and said softly, "Now that Auntie is here, Jian can sleep peacefully. Eat more tomorrow so you can grow taller."
Jian nodded obediently, and when she got out of her arms, her eyes were full of smiles. "Auntie, Auntie, does that mean I won't have to die anymore? That person won't come to hurt me anymore, right? I can be with you from now on, right?"
Lingyi wanted to deceive him, but Qin Lie would be setting off with his deputy tomorrow, so how many days could she keep up the lie?
She thought for a moment and said, "We still have to separate, but don't be afraid, Jian. If he wanted to kill us, he would have done it long ago. There must be a reason why he hasn't killed us yet. Don't be afraid to eat or sleep anymore. It won't help and it will be bad for your health. No matter where you are, no matter if we're separated, you have to promise me that you will live well. Only if you live will we be able to meet again in the future."
She thought she had made herself clear, but Jian blinked and asked, "Why? Aunt, didn't you already sleep with that person? Shouldn't he be completely obedient to you? Why did he still want to kill me?!"
A chill ran through Lingyi, and she sat up stiffly. "W-what did you say?"
Jian sat up, a childish yet cruel smile on his face: "It was the Empress Dowager... Mother told me that I should follow my aunt and listen to her, because only my aunt can protect me in this world. If I encounter danger, my aunt can sleep with a man and she can protect me!" He even began to question her: "You haven't been with me these past few nights, haven't you been sleeping with them? Since you've slept with them, why are you separating from me? Are you not getting enough sleep? Then go ahead and do it! If you've slept enough, they won't separate us!"
Lingyi felt as if she had been struck by a heavy hammer, her mind went blank, and she stood there, frozen, staring at him in disbelief.
He misunderstood that she refused to go. Having lived in fear and anxiety for the past few days, he couldn't bear any more changes. His expression immediately changed, and he pointed at her angrily and arrogantly, sharply accusing her: "I understand now! It's actually you who don't want me anymore, isn't it?! Just because I'm no longer the emperor?! So you don't want me anymore either?!"
Lingyi stared at him intently. His youthful face, which resembled her elder brother the Crown Prince by six or seven parts, now looked like a devil.
She had never felt so desperate in her life, and in that despair, a strange sense of amusement arose.
At this moment, I had no time for resentment or regret; all I wanted was to leave as soon as possible, to leave Ji'an, to leave this place.
She never wanted to see him again, not even for a single moment!
She quickly got up, put on her outer garment, and only when she was tying the belt did she realize that her hands were trembling. She simply covered them with her hands and left.
Jian already knew he had made a mistake, and he hugged her tightly, refusing to let her go.
Lingyi pushed his hand away, but he quickly clung to her again. Lingyi shouted sternly, "Let go!"
Jian cried and begged like a child, "Auntie, Auntie, do you really not want me anymore? Have you forgotten my father? Wasn't he the best to you? He saved your life! I'm his only bloodline, how can you abandon me?!"
Receiving no response, his expression twisted again. "Are you like Huiying, only saying you'd stay with me, but secretly having an affair with a guard behind my back? Are you going to abandon me too? You all deserve to die! You all deserve to die!"
Huiying? Lingyi remembered who she was. She was a little palace maid who took care of Ji'an. She was only twelve or thirteen years old and the daughter of a local fisherman in Zhuozhou. She had slightly dark skin and when she smiled, two rows of white teeth were revealed on her round face. She looked simple and cheerful.
When Ji'an was in the palace, the Empress Dowager was strict with him, and the Song family was eyeing him covetously. When he was extremely depressed, only Huiying stayed with him, teaching him to weave grass dragonflies and grasshoppers, and secretly playing with the folk toys that Lingyi brought over. For this, he was even whipped by the Empress Dowager.
Nevertheless, she never complained and continued to try her best to make Gian happy.
She later died in the lake at the Xiaoyao Marquis's residence.
When Lingyi learned the news, she had just given birth to a son. Upon hearing the news, she only felt regret and did not investigate further.
Now it seems that her death is probably related to Gian.
It's even quite possible that he was the one who did it.
The person before me, who clearly had the gentle eyes of the former crown prince, was now filled with resentment and malice.
The former crown prince was weak-willed, yet kind and benevolent. Countless wronged souls in the imperial city could not escape from the Eastern Palace.
Lingyi was not the only one who received his favor.
Yet his only bloodline has become so twisted in character.
Perhaps she was wrong from the beginning. What good can come of a king who has lost his country and a puppet emperor?
It was her insistence that ultimately led to the creation of this monster.
She tried to say something, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground amidst Jian's screams, unconscious.
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