Desire for Chaos (Part Two)
After having breakfast, Chen Zhuangmu came to the palace. Before coming, she had already checked and found out that if the poison was not suppressed within six hours, the poison would rush into her heart and she would die on the spot. However, her uncle told her that the imperial physician had been taking care of her for the first ten hours and had never left her side.
Is there any reason to hide the fact that she received timely medical treatment?
This statement is highly suspicious.
So whenever she had time, she would go to the palace and head straight to Ya Yun Palace to find Yu Hongning.
The Elegant Palace perfectly suited Yu Hongning's personality. The palace was usually decorated in wood tones, but she changed almost all of them to warm colors and added many pearl curtains. The four corners were also filled with exquisite trinkets.
The palace maid did not stop Chen Zhuangmu; she passed through the low room and went directly into Yu Hongning's bedroom.
Yu Hongning had already washed up and dressed, and had finished her meal. She was nestled in a chaise lounge, looking up and laughing. The sunlight shone on her, making her look even more gentle.
This aroused a wave of envy in Chen Zhuangmu, but it quickly dissipated. She took small steps to Yu Hongning's side, intending to startle her, but unexpectedly, Yu Hongning turned her head suddenly, startling herself instead.
"How did you hear that?" Chen Zhuangmu slapped her chest.
"There's a shadow, my silly sister!" Yu Hongning laughed so hard she leaned back.
Her every move exuded purity and innocence, which greatly influenced Chen Zhuangmu, and her faint sorrow was mostly wiped away. However, Yu Hongning turned around and solemnly asked her, "Sister, you seem to have something on your mind."
Seeing Chen Zhuangmu look up in surprise, she continued, "I just feel like something's off about you. It's like I thought I was hiding it well, but you still saw right through me."
She took Chen Zhuangmu's hand, moved her to sit on the chaise lounge, and asked solemnly, "Tell me about it."
The sunlight was gentle, giving one the illusion of being enveloped in warmth. The tension in Chen Zhuangmu's heart gradually eased. Worried that directly asking about the year of the poisoning would be too abrupt, she decided to choose a more subtle approach.
What would you do if your beloved deceived you?
Upon hearing this, Yu Hongning's gaze changed. She darted around, scrutinizing Chen Zhuangmu with a playful air, and said, "So, sister is worried about this?"
Chen Zhuangmu pursed her lips and remained silent, so Yu Hongning continued, "Hmm... it depends on what he lied to me about. If it was for my own good, I'll forgive him. If it was to protect himself or others, I'll kick him out."
If he does it for my own good, I will forgive him; if he is protecting himself or others, then I will not accept him.
Yes, the princess may seem silly on the surface, but she is actually very shrewd and has her own principles when it comes to such matters.
“Hmm.” Chen Zhuangmu nodded in agreement, looked up at the floating clouds outside the window, and said, “I remembered the scene when I was poisoned. At that time, I didn’t know anything.”
"And you still dare to say that!" Yu Hongning reacted strongly, dramatically pursing her lips, and said, "Sister, you have no idea, back then Father left you with the words 'You need medical treatment' and then had you taken away. I haven't seen you for three years."
"Did you miss me a lot during this time?"
"Yes, I worry when I think of you."
"How long did I stay in the palace after I was poisoned?"
"Huh? I haven't seen you at all since you were poisoned."
These words startled Shen Zhuangmu, who murmured in reverie, "You've never seen me before?"
Yu Hongning looked at her and shook her head.
"Sister, my brother has been studying hard in the East Palace lately. I heard that Father has important matters to entrust to him; Yuan Sheng also passed the exam..." She kept rambling on, and when she caught a glimpse of Chen Zhuangmu's dim eyes, her voice also became softer.
Chen Zhuangmu lost her last glimmer of hope. Her heart felt like an onion, peeled layer after layer, until even the hottest innermost layer turned cold because of those words.
She couldn't think of anything that could have made her uncle tell one lie after another to cover it up, and her aunt also lied to her, perhaps because she was afraid that she wouldn't believe it, so her aunt kept repeating herself to deepen her impression of the palace.
But that's just the kind of person Chen Zhuangmu is; she simply doesn't have that memory.
She let out a long sigh and simply lay down on the chaise lounge, her back pressed against the soft cushions. The comfortable sensation still filled her with a deep-seated aversion.
For no other reason than to find out why she had been lied to again and again.
She smiled at Yu Hongning, her voice slightly hoarse as she spoke, "Maybe I remembered it wrong."
Chen Zhuangmu sat up abruptly and pulled out the crystal-clear jade fish pouch hanging from her waist: "Hong Ning, keep it."
“Isn’t this a fish bag? No, no, sister, how can I…” Chen Zhuangmu stuffed her into Yu Hongning’s palm, then wrapped it around her and closed it, saying, “Hanfeng is our friend. It’s more convenient for you to take care of her in the palace than for me. Take this, and you’ll know that it’s the two of us protecting her.”
After saying this, they clearly heard a series of distinct footsteps coming from inside the hall, and a wide, bright yellow dragon robe came into their view first.
The emperor has arrived.
He remained as relaxed as ever, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes full of doting affection for his juniors, and his words, though sharp-tongued, were still kind at heart: "What are you two up to in secret?"
Yu Hongning carefully put it away. The two of them reluctantly got up and greeted each other. The emperor casually waved his hand and sat down in the main seat of the main hall. "What are you talking about?"
Yu Hongning smiled and leaned closer, saying, "Where's Sister Liao's sweetheart?"
"Huh?" The emperor peeked through the veil, "You really care that much about Zhao Yi?"
The emperor's impression of Chen Zhuangmu was that she was a blockhead. He had raised her by his side for so long and never seen her think about anyone else, except for the matter of her mother.
"Yes, I care about it very much." Chen Zhuangmu nodded solemnly.
The emperor was lost in thought when he saw Eunuch Fu rushing to the threshold and saying, "Your Majesty, someone requests an audience."
Upon hearing this, he immediately stood up and walked out, not forgetting to tell Shen Zhuangmu that he would have lunch in the palace.
After he left for a while, Chen Zhuangmu said to Yu Hongning, "I'm going to ask my uncle to bring back Li Chu. I'll come over later."
And so, she walked out of the palace gate, leaving only Yu Hongning watching her retreating figure outside the door before going back.
She left all the bare branches of the roadside tree behind her; no matter how alarming the environment was, it couldn't alleviate her anxiety at that moment.
She had a premonition that this was no ordinary subject.
Even if Chen Zhuang was fast, she couldn't outrun the Emperor. By the time she arrived at the Imperial Study, the door was already closed and the room was packed with people.
Isn't her uncle worried about causing misunderstandings by going to such lengths to guard this place?
The only solution now is to find a way to enter the Imperial Study.
After examining the layout of the Imperial Study, Chen Zhuangmu had an idea.
The Imperial Study consisted of three rooms: a large central room and two side rooms on either side. Although the sound from the west side wasn't as clear as from the east side, it was the only option.
She lifted her skirt and rushed towards the door, but the young eunuch beside her blocked her way.
“Princess Rongshu, His Majesty has important matters to discuss inside.” Gong Gong reached out to stop her.
“I’ll go inside and come right back,” Chen Zhuangmu explained.
"His Majesty is inside..." Before he could finish speaking, Chen Zhuangmu interrupted, "You mean His Majesty is in the east room?"
The young man nodded.
A smile immediately spread across Chen Zhuangmu's face. "Then I'll go to the west, okay?"
Seeing that Chen Zhuangmu was merely picking up something, and that the Emperor himself was even holding Princess Rongshu, it was quite a sight.
The young eunuch stepped back, bowed, and said, "Princess, please."
Chen Zhuangmu thanked him, lifted her skirt, and slipped into the room. Once inside the right wing, she closed the door tightly. She became increasingly suspicious.
She went from the right side room all the way to the secret room, where she could hear much more clearly than in the other two rooms.
Perhaps because the person was in the left side chamber, the sound was rather muffled, with only a few words audible.
"...The nation is of paramount importance...the ruler is less important, and I..."
She couldn't tell who was speaking, but the following sounds made Chen Zhuangmu completely focused, not daring to miss a single word.
She heard footsteps approaching, and the words becoming clearer; they were coming to the front.
Chen Zhuangmu pressed her ears close to the wall, as if she wanted to stick them out.
"Your Majesty, is this what you wish to do?" This was the person the emperor had invited. His voice was clear and bright like the moon, distant and ethereal, yet Chen Zhuangmu felt as if she had heard it somewhere before.
"Thump." That was the sound of the post hitting the table.
"Take this and accuse Zhao Yi of treason, for concealing his true identity and sneaking into our country."
There was silence inside. After a while, the emperor spoke again: "This is the document sent by the Su Dynasty. It is better to kill a thousand innocent people than to let one guilty person go free. If this termite has infiltrated the entire Da Qun, then we should seize the initiative. Do as I say."
Chen Zhuangmu covered her mouth in surprise. Zhao Yi had told her that the emperor had sent him to another place on business. So, it turned out that her uncle, the emperor, was going to get rid of him?
What method did he intend to use to ensure Zhao Yi's safe departure? Given the emperor's suspicious nature, could Zhao Yi really leave Huijing City unscathed?
The answer deep in her heart was no.
"Come out." The emperor's voice was darker, echoing in the dark chamber, sounding inexplicably terrifying.
Chen Zhuangmu knew this was referring to her, because the person inside had already left with the documents.
She was almost frozen, and after a moment of reaction, she carefully opened the hidden door and crawled into the center.
The emperor sat in the main seat, looking at her calmly, but his eyes held a sharp glint.
"Did you hear me clearly?" the emperor asked, glancing at her sideways.
“Zhao Yi is grotesque and I thought he was abnormal from the moment he took office.”
"Uncle." Chen Zhuangmu's voice was a little soft. She paused for a moment, then continued, "May I see that document?"
"It's already been taken." The emperor left no room for negotiation.
"The Secret and Distant Department was originally a chaotic mess, a den of wolves. Uncle did everything he could to send Zhao Yi in, and now Zhao Yi has brought the Secret and Distant Department to order. The leaders of each department are also doing their best to get things done. Uncle, no matter what, you're still..."
"Then, Uncle, could I take another look at Su Chao's letter?" Chen Zhuangmu continued to plead.
The temperature around the emperor suddenly turned icy. "How dare you concern yourself with matters of state? Besides, weren't those things you mentioned the merits of the envoy?"
"But my uncle taught me about national affairs when I was a child!" Shen Zhuangmu was completely baffled as to how her uncle could have become like this.
"Do you still want to compete with your elder brother, the Crown Prince, for the throne?!" the emperor roared.
The words left Chen Zhuangmu stunned. In her eyes, there was no reason behind them. She just wanted to see the letter, or rather, to unravel the mystery. How could it be that she was competing with her brother, the Crown Prince, for the throne? These words left her feeling numb for a moment, and her body burned with pain.
The emperor, realizing his mistake, coughed twice and continued, "Zhuangmu, your uncle was too harsh. But do you really remember what you've learned? Where did all your previous reading go?"
"You are the general's daughter! You should be like your mother, prioritizing the country, the nation, and the people above all else, and acting accordingly..."
She listened to the emperor's ramblings with a blank expression behind her heavy makeup; she knew all of these words by heart.
“But the teacher also said,” Chen Zhuangmu’s voice sounded somewhat cold, “that the country belongs to the people. When I joined the Dali Temple, I also upheld the principle of not wronging an innocent person and not letting a bad person go unpunished.”
"Uncle, I don't think I've gone down the wrong path," she said, tears welling in her eyes. But these words sounded somewhat harsh to the emperor.
"There are no completely good or bad people; a good person cannot be an emperor." His words seemed to leave no room for argument.
Gazing at the solid door, the carved window lattice reflected light not to a person's height, but rather onto the high tip of the dragon throne. Chen Zhuangmu's thoughts had already drifted to that distant place.
“Uncle, my mother sent me to the palace and never wrote me a single letter. She was my role model. She was praised by everyone as a minister, a general, and a commoner. But she was my mother. She was not enough to be my mother.”
Chen Zhuangmu stubbornly shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped them away.
She was heartbroken, but the emperor said, word by word, "She came to attend your birthday banquet."
"This isn't my fault!" Chen Zhuangmu shouted, her neck stiff. "If I could, I'd trade my life for hers!"
The resentment and determination in her eyes seemed to move the emperor, who kept his head down and remained silent.
At this moment, Chen Zhuangmu couldn't care less about anything else, and she poured everything out in one go.
"Uncle, I don't understand how hard you've worked, but I don't want to ask you. I came to Huijing and found out the truth in just over six months. Do you really know nothing? What are you still hiding from me at this point?!"
"In the end, you still blame me for this." The emperor's eyes were filled with reproach.
Chen Zhuangmu felt her brows twitching, unwilling to accept the fact that the emperor was stubbornly refusing to budge.
The air seemed to freeze for a long time before sounds finally came from inside the hall.
Chen Zhuangmu changed the subject: "Uncle, you never intended for Zhao Yi to come back after he left, did you?"
The emperor avoided answering, turned around and slowly said, "I have placed too many expectations on you in the past. From now on, go ahead and have fun if you want."
"Heh." Chen Zhuangmu chuckled lightly, forcing herself to steady herself, and walked upright into the hall to give the emperor a deep bow, "Your niece thanks your uncle."
With a creak, the door opened.
Thousands of rays of sunlight rushed into the imperial study, shining down on the two men with all their might. Every corner of the study was filled with dazzling light, not just the dragon throne.
Chen Zhuangmu walked back to the Princess's Mansion from here, a distance that is much farther for a person to walk.
Her legs were sore and her feet were chafed, but she breathed a sigh of relief. Saying these words made her feel much better.
The belief in her heart kept telling her: she was not wrong, and her persistence was right.
But the emperor's attitude chilled her to the bone: how could she possibly steal her brother, the crown prince, from the throne? How could she possibly save Zhao Yi?
Big and small matters, countless thoughts swirled in Shen Zhuangmu's mind. She dragged her numb steps into the mansion, poured out the bowl of medicine she had brewed, and spent the night curled up on a reclining chair.
She thought she would be negative for a while, but what happened the next day forced her to keep her head down and keep moving forward.
She was fast asleep, the glaring sunlight making her uncomfortable, when a sharp "thump" woke her up completely.
He sat up abruptly, opened the door, and saw a scholar who had once treated Zhao Yi's injuries standing there, looking anxious.
"Miss Chen, Zhao Yi is having trouble getting things done at court. We need your help!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
