Looking ahead (The End)
Not a single star could be seen in the night sky, and the pale crescent moon was veiled by a thin mist, plunging everything into silence.
"Bang bang bang!"
Ignoring the pain, Chen Zhuangmu pounded on the palace gates with all her might.
The gate was quickly opened, and Chen Zhuangmu pulled Zhao Yi behind her and walked inside. The eunuch outside the gate was stunned, watching Princess Rongshu rush in, wanting to stop her but not daring to.
In fact, his thoughts were insignificant to them. Chen Zhuangmu exuded an aura of determination to die, and his rapid steps were interrupted by Zhao Yi's tug.
"What do you plan to say?" Zhao Yi asked.
Chen Zhuangmu said, "The evidence is conclusive. I will make him pay with his life!"
"And what about the whole series of people involved?" Zhao Yi asked.
Chen Zhuangmu turned her face away, "Then I won't let him get away with it either."
Seeing that Zhao Yi had nothing to say, she suddenly turned around and ran quickly along the road to Funing Palace. But then Zhao Yi's voice came from behind her, "We're walking around the palace late at night, and the imperial guards aren't here. Have you ever thought about why?"
Chen Zhuangmu simply couldn't understand why Zhao Yi always said such nonsensical things.
Nothing is more important than clearing her mother's name now. What she holds in her hand is the evidence, and nothing is more important than that.
Seeing that Chen Zhuangmu wasn't listening, Zhao Yi stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly remembered telling her not to let revenge cloud her judgment. It seemed she hadn't taken it to heart at all.
Are we about to follow in his footsteps?
Chen Zhuangmu knew the road from the palace gate to Daqing Hall very well, but the road was long, and it was already late at night.
The little eunuch who was dozing at the door saw a person standing outside and thought it was a ghost. But seeing that she was beautiful, he thought she was a fairy.
She walked gracefully towards the dark-faced woman, only to be pulled from her dream by a single sentence from her.
"I want to see His Majesty!"
The young eunuch then realized that the person in front of him was Princess Rongshu. He hadn't expected that this ancestor would actually come! Really, what kind of bet did he make with Eunuch Fu, who knew the inside story?
He nodded in agreement, turned over, gently pushed open the palace door, and then rushed out without stopping.
"Princess, please wait a moment." After saying that, she glared at the person behind her and bowed, "Vice Envoy."
Zhao Yi stood behind Shen Zhuangmu.
"Why did you come?" Chen Zhuangmu asked, puzzled. "You can still go back now to handle this matter."
Shen Zhuangmu knew that this matter was more complicated than it was now, and once involved, there would be no turning back. Zhao Yi had no need to take the risk for her sake.
Zhao Yi looked puzzled. "What do you think?"
Chen Zhuangmu couldn't help but chuckle, "My uncle is inside, what grievance could I possibly suffer?"
Zhao Yi stared intently at her, unwilling to look away for even a moment. But soon, Eunuch Fu emerged from inside.
"Princess, please." After listening for a moment, she said to Zhao Yi, "Please, Vice Envoy, wait a moment."
Chen Zhuangmu then squeezed Zhao Yi's palm and inserted herself into it.
Seeing the little eunuch staring blankly at his hand, Zhao Yi thought, "..."
The oil lamps inside the Daqing Hall were already lit. After waiting in the hall for a while, a series of rhythmic footsteps could be heard.
"Uncle," Chen Zhuangmu bowed to the emperor.
The emperor waved his hand and sat down in the main seat, gesturing for Eunuch Fu to look after Chen Zhuangmu before asking, "What is it?"
Ignoring the stool offered to her, Chen Zhuangmu couldn't help but step forward and say, "Uncle! I've found evidence that Mother was framed."
As she spoke, she pulled out a pile of papers from her sleeve, held them up to the emperor, and showed them to him. "Uncle, look."
She sniffled as she spoke, feeling an overwhelming urge to cry, but she held it back fiercely. Her nose hadn't felt this sore at all when she was with Zhao Yi earlier.
The emperor disliked her unclear speech, so he took the pile of papers and examined them over and over. After looking at them, he could only come to one conclusion: someone was imitating her mother's handwriting.
The emperor was not nearly as excited as Chen Zhuangmu. He frowned and stared at the pile of papers for a long time before suddenly asking, "Where did you find these?"
"It came from Xiao Zhong's study!" Chen Zhuangmu's voice rose, filled with anger. "The evidence is irrefutable; no matter how he tries to deny it, he can't get out of this mess. Uncle, clear Mother's name!"
The thought of her mother's years of protection of Qunchao, all lost on the road to congratulate her on her birthday, made her heart ache terribly. Although revenge wouldn't change anything, only by meeting her mother in the afterlife could she feel less guilty.
"The dressing table. Xiao Zhong is still useful." The emperor folded up the papers and placed them discreetly under the folded document.
Chen Zhuangmu, of course, didn't care about his actions; she only kept urging him to take action and clear her mother's name as soon as possible. But the emperor's repeated refusals made Chen Zhuangmu tremble with fear.
"Uncle, why... why can't it be done now?" She was determined to get to the bottom of this today.
Under the fiery candlelight, the emperor's brows furrowed unconsciously, his lips were taut, and after several attempts to speak, he finally let out a sigh.
"Zhuangmu, Xiao Zhong is still useful. We need to use him to lure out the bigger fish. Besides, now that you know about this, how do you plan to kill him?"
How to die? One would be engulfed in flames, poisoned to the bone, unable to live, unable to die. Shen Zhuangmu opened her mouth to speak, but after uttering the first word, the rest stuck in her throat.
The pain was unbearable, and the symbolism behind the words stumped her. The emperor's brows relaxed. "See, revenge isn't just talk..."
"No matter how he dies, I will kill him with my own hands," the emperor interrupted, his face veiled.
Upon hearing this, the emperor suddenly choked, and was also surprised by the hatred bursting forth from Chen Zhuangmu's eyes. The suppressed resentment and unyielding spirit were locked in a battle of wits in her eyes. She fixed her gaze and opened her mouth to speak.
"No need," the emperor said, extending his hand. "I understand what you mean."
"No, Uncle," Chen Zhuangmu brushed the Emperor's hand away. "This gang has survived this long for a reason. Why don't we spread the news that Xiao Zhong is on the verge of death and reveals a shocking secret? Then we won't even need to lift a finger..."
Chen Zhuangmu spoke with deep emotion, her eyes gleaming with fervent hope, but the emperor seemed not to be listening at all. He didn't react after she finished speaking, only staring blankly with a strange expression for a while.
Finally, as if resigned to his fate, he covered his eyes and smiled.
He said, "We'll do it your way. You're worthy of my teaching."
"We must apprehend Xiao Zhong," Chen Zhuangmu said. "There are some suspicious points about this matter, and we must question him thoroughly."
The emperor nodded and rubbed his temples.
Before long, Xiao Zhong was brought in. The Left Minister, who once stood at the forefront of the court and held the reins of power, was now being forcibly forced to kneel by guards, who were holding his arms by both hands.
Although he did not struggle, his rudeness towards the prisoners seemed to be an unspoken understanding.
Zhao Yi followed at the same time. He had his hands behind his back, striking a relaxed pose, but Chen Zhuangmu always felt that he was nervously anticipating something.
The two men's eyes met and remained fixed on each other for a moment, only belatedly looking away after the emperor glared at them.
"Xiao Zhong," the emperor called him softly. He didn't get up, but his back swayed a few times before he raised his head.
"His Majesty."
The evidence had just been presented to him by Eunuch Fu, who stood beside him and reviewed it for him. The familiar handwriting flashed past him one by one, and he seemed very surprised. His eyes were practically glued to the paper. When he turned to the last page, he turned ashen-faced and became extremely dejected, even looking like he was waiting to die.
“Xiao Zhong. Princess Rongshu found these in your residence. Why did you deliberately practice your handwriting to match that of General Xingyun?”
Chen Zhuangmu leaned forward slightly, staring intently at Xiao Zhong. She was stubborn and insisted on waiting for Xiao Zhong to say that he had framed her mother.
"Why could it be?" Xiao Zhong bent over, as if he were a pile of dead ashes. "This sinful subject attempted... attempted to murder General Xingyun."
These words caused the three people on the field to change color, but each of them had completely different thoughts.
Upon hearing these words, Shen Zhuangmu felt numb. The murderer she had been investigating for so long was right in front of her, and she was about to bring him to justice, yet there was not a trace of joy in her eyes.
How much suffering she endured when her mother died!
"Xiao Zhong." Chen Zhuangmu's throat tightened, and she managed to speak, "Why did you kill my mother?"
The candlelight flickered, revealing the ashen and helpless look on Xiao Zhong's face. He stammered, "I... my country's name is Wen Ying. I am here, of course, to glorify my dynasty. A nation's heroes are its backbone, and now, both of those backbones have collapsed..."
The only ones who can be called heroes are Shen Zhuangmu's mother and Zhao Yi's father, who passed away three and ten years ago, respectively.
"What do you mean?" Zhao Yi asked, turning to the side. "My father's death has something to do with you?"
"Ten years ago, you spent half an hour in Prince Ding's tent. What were you doing then?"
Xiao Zhong's body stiffened, and he said in disbelief, "You, you..."
After stammering for a while, he suddenly shut his mouth, unwilling to say another word.
The hall fell into a stalemate. Now that he had laid out General Xingyun's affairs, why didn't he just be frank?
Is he worried that the criminal law is too harsh? Was he involved in this matter, or was he the mastermind?
The emperor narrowed his eyes, a barely perceptible smile appearing on his face, and said, "In that case, let's deal with another matter tonight."
"Send a secret envoy," the emperor said.
The room was brightly lit by candlelight, and the cushions in the hall were thick and snug. The crescent moon outside the door gradually peeked out, but was still partially obscured by light clouds. This was the only scenery in the starless sky.
The sparse and dense manner made it clear that Jian arrived in a hurry, obviously having been dragged out of bed and forcing himself to stay awake. He must have shaken his head countless times along the way, but all his confusion vanished the moment he saw the emperor.
After all, imperial power reigns supreme.
As Jian bowed in greeting, he looked around at the people in the room, and glanced at Xiao Zhong a couple more times.
He was completely oblivious to the feeling of serving a ruler as if walking on thin ice. Come to think of it, it makes sense. The Privy Council is now in Zhao Yi's hands. His own son is useless, and he is restricted to the court and cannot go out to fight, so he has become despondent. Moreover, he really has no ability to govern, so he can only entrust the matter to Zhao Yi and pray that Zhao Yi will take care of his family in his old age.
His glances took on a different meaning in the eyes of the others on the field, especially Xiao Zhong, whose face turned ashen and whose lips trembled slightly.
"My dear minister," the emperor said with a smile, "what do you think is the matter that I summoned you here so late at night?"
Chen Zhuangmu glanced at the emperor. He smiled, as if he were in a good mood. But after her uncle repeatedly cried to her about his incompetence, she knew very well that the emperor in front of her was definitely capable. Before, she had been looking at the situation from the perspective of her uncle, who was controlled by the court officials, and nothing seemed to go right. But now that things were laid bare, she realized that the emperor was the one who controlled everything.
She breathed a sigh of relief; what was her uncle hiding from her?
Upon hearing this, Zhuo Jian lowered his head even further, saying, "Your humble servant is foolish."
The emperor nodded and continued, "I remember several capable people who entered the Privy Council. Six of them were sent out. What about one of them?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuo Jian glanced at Xiao Zhong again, but Xiao Zhong pretended not to know, closed his eyes, and lowered his head to one side.
“He was assigned by Wei Chen, was injured, and is now gone without a trace,” Zhuo Jian said.
"Hmm," the emperor replied.
"Xiao Zhong, is there anything else you want to say?" the emperor asked gently.
Time seemed to stand still. After a while, Xiao Zhong asked, "May I ask, Princess Rongshu, where is my daughter?"
Chen Zhuangmu glanced at the emperor before speaking firmly, "Children should not be punished for their ignorance. Xiao Hanfeng is currently staying in the women's quarters. Once things are settled, we will find her a place to stay."
"Ah," Xiao Zhong responded, the candlelight casting a flickering glow on his face. He hesitated for a moment, then suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh.
Chen Zhuangmu's breath hitched, as if she could glimpse the vicissitudes of life, the changing of the seasons, and the fickleness of human nature within him. He probably had some unfinished wish; but he brought this upon himself.
"This sinful subject...this sinful subject poisoned him on that day..." He seemed to have something stuck in his throat, and his words were not very clear.
Logically, Zhao Yi should have been the most excited at this moment, but he remained calm, as if he neither cared nor believed it.
"Poison it!" the emperor said.
"How did you do it?" Zhao Yi asked.
"Your Majesty, I ordered someone to take a shortcut and poison the princess in the dead of night. As for... as for His Highness Prince Heng, I... poisoned him..."
The emperor stood up angrily, pacing back and forth in front of Xiao Zhong, pointing at him furiously but ultimately unable to utter a word. What could he say? Right under his nose, a man from the previous dynasty had become an official, and even risen to the highest position.
This is such a shameful thing, I can't even talk about it.
The emperor waved his hand to send Zhe Jian away, and then had his guards take Xiao Zhong away. He was so upset that he couldn't sleep.
The eyes of Chen Zhuangmu and Zhao Yi both fell on him, their expressions complex and complicated.
"Yi'er, you must be tired after suddenly learning the truth about your father today. Go and rest early," the Emperor said.
Zhao Yi bowed and left.
"Do as you say, spread the word about him, and wait for someone to come and trap him." The emperor looked at the dark-faced woman behind the curtain.
Her eyes were downcast, her lips were pursed, and she looked angry. In the past, even if the emperor went to ask someone for something, he would still try to make her happy.
"Why are you angry?" the emperor asked.
"Uncle, you're hiding something from me, aren't you?" After thinking it over and over, Shen Zhuangmu finally spoke up. He would always be her uncle.
"Makeup curtain." The emperor called out to her, "I am the monarch of this country, and it is only right that I bear more responsibility. I hope you are happy and carefree, and forever innocent."
Chen Zhuangmu suddenly smiled and stopped asking questions.
Even though she was conflicted, she forced herself to believe that her uncle had been hiding his true strength from her, perhaps to encourage her. Now that her mother's matter was almost settled, she could finally feel at ease.
Concealing her disappointment, she raised her eyes, smiled slightly at the emperor, and bowed respectfully to him as she had when she was a child before leaving.
Just as she was about to step out the door, the emperor called her back.
"Make up your face. Let's stay in the palace for the night."
"No, Uncle, I'm going to pay respects to my mother tonight."
Her skirt swept lightly across the threshold, and the last figure disappeared from sight. The candlelight reflected in the emperor's eyes, making them appear dim and yellowish.
The palace remained as quiet as ever, just like when she first arrived in Huijing, when her uncle and aunt came to celebrate with her.
The joy of that time traveled back in time and entered her heart at this moment, and the sadness in her heart dissipated a little. The calm river and the gray-green trees were just like before, yet everything was so different.
Chen Zhuangmu lifted her skirt and stepped across the vermilion threshold, only to suddenly see a dark blue shadow.
He wore a black jade pendant, and a belt wrapped around his lean waist. Above his sharp nose were a pair of worried eyes.
Just as spring waters meet the south of the Yangtze River, and new bamboo shoots welcome the new rain, he was like a timely gift to her.
"Why... haven't you left yet?" Zhao Yi's appearance was too sudden for her; she didn't even realize the surprise in her tone.
Instead, Zhao Yi lowered his eyes and looked somewhat aggrieved. "Why do you always think I won't stand on your side?"
These words startled her slightly, and a part of her heart softened. She took a more cheerful step towards him.
She stood beside him, smiling as she met his eyes, "It was my fault."
As she spoke, she took his hand.
"let's go."
Zhao Yi suppressed his inner excitement, pursed his lips but still managed to raise the corners of his mouth. Chen Zhuangmu glanced at his ingratiating expression and her face involuntarily turned red.
The two did not ride in a carriage again; the quiet night was filled with the rhythmic "clattering" of horses.
"How do you know I won't live in the palace?" Chen Zhuangmu asked.
Zhao Yi said, "Hmm... I sense that you're not very happy. It's about your uncle."
Chen Zhuangmu was surprised by Zhao Yi's sensitivity. After thinking for a while, she said, "Actually, I wanted to tell my uncle whether he already knew the truth and that it had to be delayed because of national affairs, but for some reason, I didn't ask."
Before Zhao Yi could answer, she continued, "Now that things are settled, I feel relieved. My uncle is the ruler of a country, and he has a heavy responsibility on his shoulders. I can't keep causing him trouble."
Zhao Yi smiled for no reason. "It's only natural. Zhuangmu, I..." His words caught in his throat. He tried twice but still couldn't say them. His face darkened, and he didn't dare to meet Zhuangmu's expectant gaze.
"What's wrong?"
I wanted to tell you about my past.
A wave of emotion welled up inside her, a bittersweet feeling washing over her. She felt a little anxious and reached out to touch the hair on his head. "I'm not in a hurry, don't think about it."
Zhao Yi took her hand and held it in his palm, and the two strolled back.
After finishing her work, Chen Zhuangmu tried to calm herself down and went to sleep.
The next day, she went to work as usual. Unlike before, everyone could see that she was much more relaxed. Before, she always looked worried despite her young age, but now she finally showed her youthful side completely.
On the third day, Xiao Zhong's confession was released, which detailed how he committed the crime, harmed the eldest princess and the Prince of Ding, and caused the political winds in the court to shift. Countless people fawned over Zhao Yi, but everyone only had their doubts in their hearts. Under the emperor's watchful eye, they all had the desire to do the deed but not the courage to do it.
As the capital city of Hui began its New Year preparations, everyone lamented the absence of snow this year. However, just before the year's end, a thorough and heavy snowfall occurred.
Along with the heavy snow came Zhao Yi's turn around.
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