Injuried
Xichun knew what he meant by taking her away. She hadn't misjudged him; he really was keeping his promise to take her out of the palace.
But considering that she was on imperial orders to pray at Chuyun Temple, she feared that if she left, someone would come after her and trace it back to Wei Qiao. If it would implicate him, she would rather stay in the palace.
"Will this affect you?" she asked worriedly.
Wei Qiao knew how much she wanted to leave the palace and Yan Zhongyou, and now that she had the chance to leave, she was still worried about him. He squeezed her hand and said earnestly, "No, I will handle things. There's not much time now, change your clothes, and we'll leave immediately." As he spoke, he handed the bundle behind him to Xichun.
Xi Chun quickly changed her clothes, and Wei Qiao then removed the two jade hairpins from her hair.
Xi Chun didn't know what he was going to do and looked at him in confusion.
“It’s useful,” Wei Qiao said. After saying that, he put the jade hairpin and Xi Chun’s outer garment together and placed them next to the melon pillar.
Wei Qiao led Xi Chun out through the back door, and after walking along a narrow path, they saw A Gui and Zhao Yu waiting on the road with lanterns.
"A-Gui, take Xi-Chun back to the manor now," Wei Qiao instructed A-Gui.
"Yes, sir," A-Gui said. "Miss Xi-Chun, let's go."
Xi Chun held onto Wei Qiao's hand tightly, looking at him anxiously, "Aren't you coming with me?" She was worried that Wei Qiao would be hurt if she left.
Wei Qiao saw the worry on her face and reassured her, "I'll go back later. You go with A-Gui first." He then pulled his hand away from hers.
Xi Chun was afraid that her procrastination would delay Wei Qiao's affairs, so she nodded and said, "Then you should be careful."
After Xichun left, Wei Qiao and Zhao Yu retrieved a female corpse, similar in build to Xichun, from the nearby bushes. Suppressing their nausea, they dressed the corpse and placed two jade hairpins in her hair. Finally, Wei Qiao took a jade fan pendant, a replica he had had carved, from his sleeve and hung it around the corpse's neck. After doing all this, Wei Qiao tore down a curtain from the nunnery and covered the corpse. Then, he and Zhao Yu lit candles throughout the room.
The prayer hall was a separate building in the backyard, far from the Taoist priests' residences. By the time someone discovered the fire, it had already spread out of control. Master Miaohui knew this fire was inevitable, and she stopped the others who were trying to fetch water to put it out.
"Taoist Master, please save my mistress! My mistress is still inside!" the tailor pleaded, tugging at Miao Hui's sleeve.
Miao Hui remained silent, only silently reciting the "Supreme Relief from Suffering" scripture used to deliver the souls of the dead. She could not save her, but she wished that she could escape the sea of suffering.
Seeing that Caiyi was holding onto Miaohui tightly, Pingting called to Qinshui to help her pull her back. "Caiyi, who can put out such a big fire? Anyone who goes in will just be throwing their life away."
The fire burned all night, and the next day the temple was reduced to ruins.
Wei Qiao went to the palace to report the news to Yan Zhongyou: "Your Majesty, Consort An has gone."
Yan Zhongyou's teacup slipped from his hand and shattered into pieces with a crack. He knew this was the outcome, but hearing the news still saddened him. If Xueyi knew he had killed her daughter, she would probably hate him even more.
"Mitchell, come with me to Chuyun Temple to see Consort An off on her final journey."
Pang Lian had already instructed the Dragon Feather Guards to carry the corpse out of the temple and place it in an empty room in the temple. The corpse was burned beyond recognition, and to avoid frightening people, it was covered with a white cloth.
Yan Zhongyou sighed upon seeing the corpse. Mi Qide asked Pang Lian, who was standing nearby, "Did the Empress leave any personal belongings?"
"Reporting to Eunuch Mi, Consort An was found with two jade hairpins and a jade fan-shaped pendant. The body was examined by Consort An's personal maid, and it was confirmed to be Consort An."
Upon hearing the name of the jade fan pendant, Yan Zhongyou knew it couldn't be someone else impersonating him. He took the handkerchief handed to him by Michide and wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye, then instructed Michide, "Pass on my decree: Consort An is posthumously granted the title of Consort De."
He then whispered in his ear, "Transport Consort An's body to the imperial estate in Yongding. You will handle this personally, and don't let the news leak out."
Upon hearing this, Miched replied earnestly, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this old servant will certainly handle this matter properly."
After leaving Chuyun Temple, the group headed towards the palace. Yan Zhongyou sat in the carriage, closing his eyes to rest. He had stayed at Consort Xuan's palace the previous night, where Consort Xuan had been unusually hospitable, so he had been extra attentive, calling for water three times before finally stopping. After dozing for a while and regaining some energy, Yan Zhongyou recalled the exceptionally beautiful young nun he had seen at Chuyun Temple. He was just thinking about how to get her into his possession when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the carriage.
"You dog emperor, prepare to die!" Qian Peng, sword in hand, leaped from a tree by the roadside and swooped down into the emperor's carriage. Yan Zhongyou froze on the spot when he saw the sword that had pierced the carriage.
Wei Qiao, caught off guard by the ambush, shouted, "Protect the Emperor!" He then rode around to the carriage and pulled Yan Zhongyou from the other side. As Yan Zhongyou escaped from the carriage, Qian Peng, seeing him fall, pulled out poisoned darts and threw them at him. Wei Qiao deflected several darts with his sword, but the last one, thrown by Yan Zhongyou who pushed his arm in fear, missed its mark and pierced his left arm, instantly soaking his black robes with blood.
Wei Qiao, enduring the pain, leaped off his horse and subdued Qian Peng with his sword in two quick movements. "Who are you? How dare you attempt to assassinate the Emperor?"
Qian Peng looked up at Wei Qiao, who was pointing his sword at him, and sneered, "You lackey are not worthy to know my name." Then he looked at Yan Zhongyou, who was dismounting and walking towards him, and said angrily, "You dog emperor, I curse you to die a horrible death!"
"I deserve a terrible death, and I'll make sure you suffer the same fate right now!" Yan Zhongyou said, glancing at Pang Lian, who was guarding him. He snatched the embroidered spring knife from Pang Lian's hand and slashed at Qian Peng with all his might, hacking at him more than a dozen times until Qian Peng was riddled with bloody holes. Only then did he throw the embroidered spring knife to the ground. He coldly swept his gaze over the dead Qian Peng and ordered, "Throw his corpse into the mass grave to feed the wild dogs."
Miched handed Yan Zhongyou a handkerchief to wipe his hands. Looking at the bloodthirsty killing intent in Yan Zhongyou's eyes, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity for a moment.
After Qian Peng's body was carried away by the Dragon Feather Guards, Michide helped him change his blood-stained clothes in the spare carriage. Only after putting on new clothes did Yan Zhongyou's mood improve slightly.
The poison from the dart spread rapidly through Wei Qiao's body. Just as he was about to mount his horse, Wei Qiao felt dizzy and fainted the next moment, falling to the ground.
"Lord Wei!" Guang Jinfu, who was walking beside the carriage, exclaimed in alarm when he saw Wei Qiao fall down.
Hearing the shouts, Yan Zhongyou lifted the carriage curtain and asked Michide, "What's wrong?"
"Your Majesty, Lord Wei was just hit by the assassin's hidden weapon and is now unconscious," Miched said to Yan Zhongyou as he walked to the carriage window.
Yan Zhongyou got out of the carriage to check on Wei Qiao's injuries. He recalled that Wei Qiao had used his sword to block the assassin's darts to protect him, and he suspected that it was the assassin's hidden weapon.
"Pang Lian, send someone to escort Wei Qiao back to his residence. Michide, once you return to the palace, immediately send the head of the Imperial Medical Academy to Wei Qiao's residence. Use whatever means necessary to bring Wei Qiao back to life."
“Yes,” Pang Lian and Michide replied in unison.
Inside the Wei residence on Fangcao Street, Xichun anxiously awaited news from Wei Qiao. He had said he would be back soon when they parted last night, but he hadn't returned even after a whole night.
"Don't worry, Miss. There's a reason why Master hasn't returned. Please eat something first," Fu Qing advised. Since moving out of the original Wei residence, the servants had automatically severed ties with the old Wei family, no longer addressing Wei Qiao as Second Young Master, but instead calling him Master. As for Xi Chun, Fu Qing couldn't very well call her Eldest Young Mistress anymore, since the nominal Eldest Young Mistress of the Wei family had already passed away from a sudden illness. Master had brought Xi Chun back from the palace, naturally intending to take her as his concubine, but since it hadn't been officially confirmed, she could only call her Miss.
"Sister, Master is back, and the Dragon Feather Guards are with him," Zhao Yu said to Fu Qing as he entered.
Fu Qing looked at Xi Chun, who was standing up anxiously, and advised, "Miss, please wait in the courtyard first. I'll go to the front yard to take a look."
Xi Chun knew that Fu Qing was afraid that her exposure would cause trouble for Wei Qiao, so she nodded and said, "Fu Qing, after you've seen it, come and tell me as soon as possible."
"Okay." Fu Qing nodded to her and went to the front yard with Zhao Yu.
"Meow~" Ink jumped down from the pomegranate tree in the yard and sat down in Xichun's arms.
Zhang Yunyao originally intended to take Mozhi with her to Jiangnan, but she couldn't find it before leaving, so she gave up. Mozhi, seeing someone trying to capture it, hid in Xuesong Hall, and then naturally followed Wei Qiao to the new Wei residence. Xichun stroked Mozhi's fur, her heart filled with worry for Wei Qiao. He had only just returned; could something have happened to him?
When Fu Qing saw Wei Qiao being carried back unconscious, he hurriedly asked Pang Lian, who had come with him, "Commander Pang, what happened to my master?"
"Lord Wei was struck by an assassin's hidden weapon on the way to escort the Emperor back to the palace."
Not long after Wei Qiao was settled in bed, Hu Xi, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, and Min Xiu, the chief physician, came to the residence. After examining Wei Qiao, they fed him a Xueqing Pill, a secret imperial detoxifying pill.
Hu Xi wrote down a prescription and handed it to Min Xiu. After reading it, Min Xiu instructed the physician beside him to go back to the Imperial Hospital to get the medicine.
Seeing the solemn expressions on their faces, Fu Qing asked Hu Xi, "Sir, my master's illness..."
Hu Xi sighed and said slowly, "Lord Wei was afflicted with the Seven Falling Injuries. Fortunately, it hasn't been long and the poison hasn't entered his heart meridian. I just gave Lord Wei some antidote pills, and with my prescription, the toxins in his body should be completely cleared in less than a month."
After seeing Hu Xi and the others off, Fu Qing returned to Shiliu Courtyard to explain the matter to Xi Chun.
"What? Wei Qiao is injured?" Upon hearing Fu Qing's words, Xi Chun felt filled with self-blame. If it weren't for her, Wei Qiao definitely wouldn't have been injured.
Seeing her crying with tears streaming down her face, Fu Qing comforted her, "Miss, the master wasn't injured because of you. He was injured by the assassin while protecting the Emperor. Don't blame yourself."
"Fuqing, can I go see him?" Xichun asked, holding Fuqing's hand.
Fu Qing nodded. "There are no other outsiders in the front yard now, please come with me, young lady."
Following Fu Qing through the winding corridors, they arrived at the front courtyard where Wei Qiao lived. When A Gui saw Xi Chun coming over, he hurried over to greet her, "Miss, the master is inside."
Xi Chun hurried into the inner room and saw Wei Qiao lying on the bed, his face pale. The tears she had been holding back rolled down her cheeks again. Seeing this, Fu Qing called A Gui and Zhao Yu out of the room, leaving Xi Chun alone with Wei Qiao.
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