Chapter 157 Chapter 157 "Forget it, it's so easy...
Gu Huaijin got up in a panic and left.
Nan Qiongshuang never expected that a golden bell would force him to retreat step by step and become completely defeated. Her anger subsided for a moment, and she felt a little proud as she played with her hair.
He used to be so self-denying. In the Muxue Courtyard, they lay together, foreheads pressed together, and he refused to even kiss them.
Now, even the sound of the bell on her ankle can no longer be heard.
She snorted softly.
Li Xuanbai: "This is a small box of cinnabar paste. Do you want it?"
The audience in the stage had left and the play no longer needed to be performed. He held a walnut in his mouth, picked up the kernels and chewed them with a crunching sound.
There was a hint of teasing in her smile. "I don't want it. You're talking about immortality with people like us?"
Li Xuanbai was a little surprised. He glanced at her in surprise and laughed, "What's wrong with you guys?"
She closed the small round box and handed it over: "Life is short."
Li Xuanbai never expected her to say these words to him, and he didn't expect her to say it so casually. He was stunned.
The pliers in his hand paused for two moments. After a while, he lowered his eyes, remained silent, and picked up the walnuts one by one and handed them to her palm.
She put it between her teeth and bit it nonchalantly.
In the extraordinarily luxurious Daming Palace, ambergris wafts from the Golden Lion incense burner.
He actually had a lot of questions.
But these matters weren't about the insignificant monthly payments, nor were they about the entertainment of a troupe of actors. If he asked, it would be like draining the pond and digging its bottom, pulling up a tree trunk and looking at its roots. He wanted to completely remove all her veils, but she wouldn't allow it. If he asked, they would have to stop there.
This is a rule between two people that no one has mentioned and no need to mention, and no need to agree on it even if they have never made an agreement.
He couldn't tell whether he was sighing, feeling pity or admiration, maybe all of them, he just silently cracked a walnut.
Suddenly, he chuckled, "That's not bad. Who knows, by the time I go to the underworld, you might have made a name for yourself down there. By then, it will be you who will protect me, not me who will protect you."
Nan Qiongshuang couldn't help laughing immediately, and knocked on his shoulder with the fan in her hand: "You..."
Li Xuanbai is a person who takes everything in stride and laughs it off.
His absurd open-mindedness is really similar to hers.
She didn't like being pitied, so his response was completely confusing, which actually suited her needs.
She giggled as she picked at the walnuts on the table, and said in a pretentious manner, "It's difficult. People with short lives are all forgetful. We feel good today, but forget tomorrow. When you come looking for me down there, who knows if I'll still remember you?"
Li Xuanbai pointed at her with his index finger: "You have no conscience."
"That can't be helped." She rubbed her round jade earrings. "Life is short, and forgetfulness is a way to protect myself. I don't have much time left to live, so why would I still cling to the past? Not to mention you, even if that minister of Emperor Jun treated me like the Guanghan Fairy, I would still forget."
"Hey, hey, you dare to compare yourself to the Palace Master of Guanghan Palace?" Li Xuanbai laughed, patted the walnut crumbs in his palm, and clasped his hands behind his head. "So, you really have forgotten that man?"
Nan Qiong's long, crow-blue eyelashes paused for a moment, and then her watery eyes smiled, curved like a full moon:
"nature."
"Forget it just like that, so easy?"
Nan Qiong Shuang stood up and adjusted her skirt:
"It's easy to forget."
Li Xuanbai leaned lazily against the back of his chair, looking up at her leisurely.
She stood up to leave, and was standing before the carved window. Outside, the greenery was lush, and large clusters of crabapple blossoms danced on the branches, providing a vibrant backdrop for her.
But she didn't care at all, with a very cold and beautiful look between her eyebrows, neither pretentious nor complacent.
It was calm and peaceful, with nothing to worry about.
She threw the small round box back and said, "I don't want this. If you don't like it, give it to someone else."
He laughed: "How do you know I don't like it?"
She had already taken a few steps, and after hearing this, she turned around and smiled:
"Stop pretending. You can forget everything and let go of everything. You don't fear life or death, or what people say, but you're only afraid of boredom. Would you find immortality interesting?"
Li Xuanbai burst out laughing, unable to utter a word. He just clapped his hands and laughed:
"Okay, okay, okay. Interesting."
She smiled and gathered the shawl around her arm, raised her hand and waved her silk fan at him, saying goodbye: "I have nothing to do today, I'm leaving first."
After leaving the Daming Palace, Nan Qiongshuang was dazzled by the sunlight outside the palace for a moment, and then she saw that Gu Huaijin had not left yet.
The two met face to face outside the hall.
When he saw her, there was no emotion on his snow-white face. A black silk ribbon stretched between his eyebrows, making him look melancholy and dejected, like a chessboard overturned in the snow, desolate and unattended.
He didn't say a word.
The two people passed each other.
At that moment, Nan Qiong Shuang suddenly had a strange feeling.
He is leaving.
His hair was blown by the draft in the hall and brushed against her arm, making her feel itchy.
Like the last bit of attachment.
Nan Qiong Shuang didn't know why she suddenly thought of this, she just turned around and looked at him.
Gu Huaijin said a word softly in the cold and sad wind, and the words were carried by the wind.
He said, "You really understand him."
At night.
All the lights in the Handan Palace were off, except for a single candle lit in front of the dressing table, covered by a silk cover, flickering in a hazy manner.
It was time to go to bed. Qinglian and Yuanxiang applied floral cream on her face as usual. She leaned bored on the rose chair in front of the dressing mirror with her eyelashes closed.
I'm afraid he heard everything that was said in the Daming Palace today.
Short life, forgetfulness and so on.
In fact, she was a little upset. If he heard these words, he would probably take them to heart, especially since she was forgetful.
After a while, she opened her eyes again and tapped her fingers on the armrest.
stop.
They have already parted ways, he suggested.
What right did he have to demand that she not forget? Shouldn't he be more satisfied that she forgot quickly? Even if he was unwilling, there was nothing he could do. After all, they had broken up—he was the one who suggested it.
She was a little sleepy, and the flickering candlelight made her drowsy, so she half-closed her eyes and yawned.
Suddenly, a hurried voice came from outside the palace: "Hurry up and tell the queen, tell the queen!"
She frowned and looked at the palace door in the mirror: "What's wrong?"
The palace door opened, and a figure hunched over, whisk in hand, entered. It was Wang Rang, who walked back and forth in small, quick steps. "Empress Zhenfei, Empress, please hurry to the Purple Palace! Oh, the Emperor has a fever and is calling you from inside. Please hurry!"
It was late at night. The entire Forbidden City was shrouded in a gloomy darkness. Silent palace servants, holding lanterns, lined up in front, illuminating a small circle with a faint glow.
This kind of dark night, this kind of dim light, feels like one is wading through the River Styx.
Nan Qiong Shuang was sitting in the sedan chair, the chirping of crickets and cicadas all around her made her feel uneasy. She pricked up her ears and listened carefully. She heard an extremely shrill wail coming from the direction of the Zichen Palace. It was intermittent, twisted and shrill. Even from such a distance, she could still hear it.
She leaned her elbows on the armrests, supported her temples, and sighed.
Good and bad are interdependent. Good is that after tonight, the divine favor will be more stable. Bad is that tonight, there will inevitably be exhaustion, chaos and no peace.
The group was hurriedly rushing towards the Purple Palace when suddenly a vague voice came from behind them, hurrying slowly from the deep palace road. In the silent night, the panting and shouting were particularly abrupt:
"Your Majesty, Empress Zhenfei, please stay! The Prince Regent said there's something urgent and needs you to go to the Daming Palace first!"
It was Wu Shun, who was running breathlessly and staggering.
"Urgent? What's urgent? The Emperor has a headache, what could be more urgent than the Purple Palace?"
Wu Shun propped himself up on his knees, gasping for breath, and walked over to her. "The Regent King said you must go to the Daming Palace first! What's going on? The Regent King won't tell us servants. You have to go to the Daming Palace and ask in person!"
Nan Qiong Shuang sat up straight, feeling that Li Xuanbai was acting strangely tonight.
At this time, if she didn't go straight to the Purple Palace, if something went wrong, she would definitely not end up well. Even if nothing went wrong, when Emperor Jiaqing regained consciousness, he would definitely turn against her - how could she go to the Daming Palace when the emperor was ill?
She waved her hand away and said without further explanation: "Go to Zichen Palace."
Wu Shun quickly stood in front of her sedan chair and knelt down with sweat on his forehead. "Your Majesty, the Regent has issued a strict order. You must go to the Daming Palace before going to the Purple Palace. There is no time to waste, Your Majesty!"
She tapped her fingers on the armrest anxiously. "Go tell the Regent that I'll be there as soon as the Emperor's condition stabilizes."
"Your Majesty, the Regent wants you to go immediately! There's no time to lose!" Wu Shun's sweat dripped down from under his black hat, wetting his brows. "The Regent also said that even if the Emperor is unhappy in the future, he'll take care of anything that happens to you! He insists you go now!"
"What's going on..."
She sighed irritably.
Li Xuanbai had a terrible temper, and no one could control him. Though the Jiaqing Emperor was a lunatic, he was still a mere quail before him. If she ever lost the emperor's favor, with the Prince Regent's support, the Jiaqing Emperor wouldn't neglect her. But if she offended the Prince Regent, things would become very difficult.
She had just broken off all ties with Gu Huaijin, effectively discarding the Imperial Preceptor. Now, aside from her looks and skills, the only remaining card in her hand was the Regent.
She closed her eyes in annoyance and sighed, "Let's go to Daming Palace."
Inside the Daming Palace, bright lights are on.
Li Xuanbai particularly favored brightness, hence his chamber, named Daming, and it was illuminated every night. Inside the chamber stood a massive candlestick, reaching from floor to ceiling and extending all the way to the walls. A breeze flickered the candlelight on the walls, creating a shimmering dance of light and shadow within the chamber, making it seem as if one were being cast through a thousand shadows.
Li Xuanbai changed into a casual nightgown, held a candle, turned around with a casual look, and placed it on the long table under the window.
As Ben was about to fall asleep, his long hair, usually tied in a high ponytail, fell down his back, and his eyes were lowered. His sharp features were softened by the candlelight, and his gorgeous features cast some deep shadows, which became unclear and ambiguous with the candlelight.
She has lips like peach blossoms, a teardrop mole under her eye, and is leisurely and luxurious, but she doesn't care about her face at all.
Nan Qiong Shuang had never seen him like this before and was a little stunned for a moment.
Li Xuanbai was also surprised to see her. Tonight, she was not wearing any makeup at all, and her eyebrows and eyes were cold and plain, making her look more like an ice sculpture than usual.
She just frowned and urged: "What's the matter?"
Li Xuanbai extended his hand towards her across the candlelight: "Exit token."
She was stunned: "What?"
A faint orange candlelight flickered beneath his eyes, and the emotions in his eyes were difficult to discern, captivating:
"Something happened outside. So, here's the token to leave the palace."
"I was supposed to go to the Purple Palace, but you sent an urgent order to summon me without any regard, just to tell me not to leave the palace?" She couldn't believe it. "Who said I had to leave the palace?"
Li Xuanbai didn't answer, but just smiled and opened his palm towards her.
She suddenly felt something was wrong.
She sat up straighter: "What happened outside? Tell me first."
"Chu Jiaojiao." Li Xuanbai suddenly smiled, his hands resting on the table, leisurely playing with his pigeon-blood red earrings. "I gave you that token because I indulged you. If I don't want to give it to you, I'll take it back. Do you want to bargain with me?"
He used his tone to pressure her without giving any reason to argue, and used his status to put pressure on her.
How could Li Xuanbai ever be like this? He had always been the type who would let her do whatever she wanted as long as she didn't pull his tail.
Nan Qiongshuang sat opposite, and the more she listened, the more suspicious she became, and the further she leaned back.
Li Xuanbai leaned over the table, with an inexplicable smile on his face, and stretched out his hand.
A candle flickered, making his handsome face appear bright and dim.
Her heart was as uneasy as a candle flame.
"What's going on?" She was a little wary of him tonight. "You won't tell me?"
Li Xuanbai nodded with a smile.
If someone doesn't want to say it, then you can't ask. This is an unspoken understanding between the two of them.
Nan Qiong Shuang looked into his dark, deep eyes, opened her mouth, but in the end, she said no words.
He won't say anything, so there's no point asking.
He had given her the token, so she couldn't keep it even if she forced it. Just hand it over, and maybe she could get it back after the incident outside the palace died down.
It would be a waste of time to confront this big Buddha head-on.
She hesitated for only a moment before making up her mind and raising her long eyelashes, "I didn't bring it with me when I left. Send Wu Shun to get it, and have him return with my maid. I'll go to the Purple Palace first."
After saying this, he picked up his clothes and was about to stand up.
Li Xuanbai on the opposite side half-closed his eyes lazily: "You are not allowed to go."
Nan Qiongshuang's hand holding the hem of her clothes suddenly stopped, and she looked up in surprise.
"What?"
"You're not allowed to go." His small earrings shone brightly in the candlelight like drops of water. He looked lazy. "Go back to your Handan Palace and have a good rest."
Nan Qiong Shuang stood there in a daze, full of disbelief.
The Purple Palace was in chaos, and he knew that she had to accompany Emperor Jiaqing when he had a tantrum, but he actually wanted her to go back to the Handan Palace?
Li Xuanbai stretched, covered his mouth and yawned, then waved his hand towards Wu Shun: "Go get the token."
Wu Shun bowed and came to her side, extending his hand to lead her out: "Madam, please come in."
After he gave the order, he hugged his shoulders and lowered his head, not bothering to look at her.
Nan Qiong Shuang looked at him for a long while in confusion.
Finally, he left without saying a word.
When dealing with someone like him with such a domineering temper, the important thing is to never confront him head-on.
She pulled the outer cape on her shoulders and said, "If I don't go, who will take care of me in Zichen Palace?"
He looked up at the ceiling: "Mao Linyan is gone."
She hated people who sided with her the most, especially those who had anything to do with Mao Linyan.
Li Xuanbai looked at her like a mirror, instantly understanding her thoughts. He tapped her arm with his fingers intermittently, "Don't worry, if you fall out of favor, I'll support you. Don't worry about what happened tonight, go back and get some sleep."
She stood there, still sullen, and said nothing.
After a long pause, she said, "I just want to ask one question. If there's a fire outside the palace, will it spread inside?"
He replied, “No.”
"Are you sure I won't be in danger?"
He said, "Sure."
Nan Qiongshuang was half-believing and half-doubting. His answer was so certain that it made her feel uneasy.
But he suddenly said: "Be obedient."
The candlelight flickered, illuminating his sharp features with a patient yet gentle light. He looked at her with gentle eyes and a soft voice, and she immediately understood that those two words were...begging.
This is the extent of his surrender.
If you stop before you see the good results, you will end up with nothing.
She lowered her eyes: "Okay."
Li Xuanbai finally felt relieved.
"Wu Shun, follow the queen back."
The group left the palace again. The magnificent Daming Palace was left behind. In the purple night, the lights in the palace were just a faint and ethereal light.
Wu Shun followed her sedan chair, wiping his feet and sweating profusely.
In the silent Forbidden City deep at night, there is no sound at all, as if a giant beast has clenched its teeth. People walking on the palace road feel like they are walking in the belly of the giant beast.
There were only the chirping of birds, the buzzing of cicadas and the distant wails from the Purple Palace.
The moonlight was so pale that it made Nan Qiong Shuang's knuckles on the armrest look almost transparent.
She didn't know why, but she felt very panicked.
I always feel like something is wrong.
Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, hitting her lungs high in the air before falling back weightlessly. She put her hand on her chest and suddenly felt empty, everything was empty.
It was all inexplicably empty, and she couldn't hold onto anything.
What on earth happened?
She asked, "Wu Shun. Why hasn't the Regent gone to bed at this hour tonight?"
Wu Shun raised his eyebrows and smiled apologetically, "Your Majesty, the Prince Regent was a little late in reviewing the memorials tonight."
"Reviewing memorials?" She raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "My cousin has been reviewing memorials all night. I'm worried he's getting anxious and angry, so I've been asking the Imperial Kitchen to send him a bowl of Tremella, Lotus Seed, and Lily Bulb Porridge. Over time, I don't even have to ask, and the Imperial Kitchen knows to send it. Why didn't I see that porridge on the table just now?"
Wu Shun had nothing to say and could only smile apologetically.
She continued, "Besides, he looked lazy and bored, yawning constantly, and his eyes were still red. It was obvious that he had fallen asleep and was woken up again."
Wu Shun responded with a smile.
Nan Qiong Shuang waved her hand in disgust: "You little dog slave, you don't tell the truth at all!"
Wu Shun grinned falsely, showing off his straight teeth. "Your Majesty, please be considerate of our Regent and scold us servants as you please."
Nan Qiongshuang looked at Wu Shun's flattering face in the moonlight, which was full of smile lines but not a smile at all, and was speechless.
After a while.
She raised her hand and pointed at the eunuchs from the Handan Palace who were beside her, finally pointing at Wu Shun:
"Catch him and cover his mouth."
"Hey, Madam..." Wu Shun was horrified. Before he could finish the second half of his sentence, he was choked by a palm and fell backwards.
Nan Qiong Shuang: "Watch carefully, we can't let him get away." She raised her hand and looked towards the source of the wailing sound from afar: "Go to Zichen Palace."
The Purple Palace was also brightly lit.
There was chaos and disorder outside the hall.
The palace servants held palace lanterns and stood guard in front of the hall. Through the wide-open hall door, palace maids filed in and out. Bowls of brown and black medicine were hurriedly brought in. The best tranquilizing incense imported from the Western Regions was tied into a bundle as thick as a forearm and tied with a yellow ribbon and presented into the hall.
Inside the hall, screams and cries of pain could be heard everywhere, with Mao Linyan crying uncontrollably in between.
Nan Qiongshuang stood outside the hall for a moment and felt that the situation inside was probably not good. Emperor Jiaqing was making too much trouble and his illness might be serious this time.
The howling was so terrifying that I was afraid Gu Huaijin and Wang Maoxing would have to go to the palace overnight.
I looked around, but felt something was not right.
The only people busying around were the palace maids. The emperor was howling so miserably, let alone Gu Huaijin, where were all the imperial doctors?
She had no time to think about it, and was about to walk inside with her skirt lifted.
Suddenly he stopped and turned around to look.
Wu Shunzheng had her hands twisted and handcuffed by the eunuchs in her palace, unable to move. Seven or eight handkerchiefs were stuffed in her mouth, and she was moaning and unable to speak.
She glanced at the eunuch restraining Wu Shun and whispered, "Let Eunuch Wu go."
The eunuch didn't understand what was going on and didn't dare to disobey, so he hesitated and let go.
Wu Shun finally caught his breath, panting profusely with sweat, sweat streaming down his temples in streaks. "My Lady..."
"Go back and tell my cousin I didn't listen to him." She half turned around, only giving him a sidelong glance. "If he wants to blame someone, blame Deyin. If he doesn't allow Deyin to attend to him, and insists that he come to the Purple Palace in person, Deyin will not leave. Otherwise, Deyin will not leave the emperor alone."
After saying that, she lifted her skirt and went straight to the Purple Palace without looking back. "Go ahead and tell your cousin."
Her voice was scattered among the painful cries in the Zichen Palace and the gentle night breeze.
Wu Shun didn't dare to delay. He ran as fast as he could, twisting his hips, and rushed towards the Daming Palace in a hurry.
Yuanxiang and Qinglian followed behind Nan Qiongshuang, not understanding what she meant. They looked at each other worriedly.
Nan Qiong Shuang's expression remained unchanged as she calmly crossed the threshold.
She let Wu Shun go back because she was afraid of Li Xuanbai's temper.
Small matters could be discussed with the Regent, but he had issued orders time and again, and confronting them head-on would only lead to death.
She couldn't go against Li Xuanbai.
Nor could he be obedient and return to Handan Palace.
Pretending to obey but actually disobeying, executing first and reporting later, is a last resort.
Anyway, if she beheaded him, someone would report it to him sooner or later, so it would be better for her to report it to show her repentance and submission.
But I hope that when he punishes her in the future, he will remember her willingness to surrender.
She walked silently past the agate bead curtain of the Zichen Palace. The bitter smell of medicine filled her nose, making her feel stuffy.
She walked slowly towards the dragon bed covered with golden gauze curtains.
Amidst the layers of bed curtains decorated with gold flakes, a figure lay forlornly in the middle. The brocade pillows and dragon-shaped quilts around him were as soft as clouds. He was sunken in the middle, almost lifting the thick quilt up.
He was too haggard, and the pillows and quilts were too elaborate, making him look like a shriveled date pit stuck in between.
Mao Linyan sat on the edge of the dragon bed, knelt down beside Emperor Jiaqing's pillow, and cried bitterly.
The person in the golden curtain was so weak that he could only murmur: "Deyin... Deyin..."
Her heart trembled, and she ran over hastily. When she opened the bed curtain, she was already crying, "Your Majesty..."
When Emperor Jiaqing heard her voice, he opened his eyes a little, dark circles under his eyes, and stretched out a hand to her: "Deyin, save me..."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I'm here..." She laughed in her heart. Men just love to make a fuss. It's just a headache. Tears fell like beads. "I'm late... Why is your attack so serious today..."
"I... I... I feel so depressed!" Emperor Jiaqing tilted his head on the pillow, and when his eyes opened, tears flowed out like a stream. "Do you know what happened outside? Today..."
Before he could finish his words, he suddenly had a violent coughing fit, which almost made him fall down on the bed.
She was about to ask when Mao Linyan pushed her aside with a loud cry, wailing loudly, as if she vowed to cry even more miserably than Emperor Jiaqing to prove her loyalty.
"Your Majesty! Your voice is already so hoarse, don't think about other things for now! It's more important to take care of your own health..."
"What happened outside, Your Majesty?" She twisted her handkerchief with tears in her eyes. "Please don't scare me. Tonight..."
Tonight was already quite unusual. Even with Emperor Jiaqing so ill, there was only one pitiful Imperial Physician, Zhao, in the Purple Palace. In the past, whenever the Emperor fell ill, the Imperial Physicians and Ministers would kneel on the ground. But where were all these people today?
Wang Maoxing wasn't there either. Gu Huaijin didn't come either.
Gu Huaijin's infinite mind method can just relieve Emperor Jiaqing's headache. This madman has always relied on him. Why doesn't he summon him into the palace at this time?
She had a vague idea of the worst.
She didn't dare to think too much about it, and swallowed the thought into her stomach with her neck choking, her heart pounding.
On the dragon bed, Emperor Jiaqing's eyelids were black and the area under his eyes was dark. He raised his eyelids a little in a daze, sweating profusely.
As he spoke, a tear streamed down his eyelids.
He wailed, "Deyin, Mr. Gu committed suicide!"
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