Chapter 98 I Like Her: Liking the Most Difficult One
That night, someone opened the gates of the abandoned prince's mansion.
A somber mood hung over the abandoned royal palace where someone had just died.
In the stillness of the night, even the slightest sound could be heard far. Deep within the mansion, a woman in a gray dress was soothing a sleeping child in her arms. The sound of the door opening startled an old woman with gray hair, who grabbed the gray-dressed woman's arm.
The woman in the gray dress handed the child in her arms to the old woman and nodded heavily.
The two made a plan without saying a word. The woman in the gray dress went out, while the old woman, holding the child, hid in the darkness.
Now that things have come to this, she has long since disregarded life and death. If the emperor were to pursue her relentlessly, she would be as helpless as an ant.
The once grand mansion had become a ghost town. Heavy footsteps echoed from outside, and the firelight gradually brightened, illuminating the gray-skirted woman standing in the desolate courtyard. She was still alive, but like a ghost, the firelight from the human world illuminating her face.
People who have been walking in the dark for a long time will close their eyes as soon as they suddenly see the light, and the woman in the gray dress was no exception.
She raised her sleeve to cover her eyes, and from behind it came her deep, cold voice: "The commoner Zhong Yu has already been hastily buried. His Majesty has ordered that no one is allowed to mourn for him. There is no one in the mansion to mourn him. What brings the people from the palace here?"
The newcomer's voice was clear and melodious: "I have long heard that Princess Qin is calm and resolute. She has been in confinement for several years and still managed to keep the Qin Prince's mansion from falling into chaos. Before the confiscation of her property and the closure of the mansion, she released many servants and concubines. Those who escaped were grateful for the Princess's life-saving grace and secretly helped her out."
"Seeing it today, I can confirm it is indeed so."
The visitor explained the situation of the Prince's mansion over the past few years, clearly indicating that she had been observing the Prince's mansion for quite some time. She didn't think there was anything left for her to covet.
“There are no princes or princesses here anymore, only a few wretched ghosts clinging to life.” Princess Qin lowered her hand.
The person who arrived in the dead of night had their face illuminated by the firelight of the servants beside them, making it perfectly open and aboveboard. Princess Qin was taken aback: "You are...?"
The other person was in the prime of his life, exceptionally refined and noble, wearing a thin fur coat at night, with a white jade pendant at his waist, probably in the shape of a swimming fish.
At first glance, the princess felt that the face looked vaguely familiar, but after thinking for a moment, she couldn't remember where she had seen it before.
A lady-in-waiting from the palace shouldn't be dressed like this... For a moment, Princess Qin hesitated.
Xi Congshuang took in the person opposite her. The Princess of Qin was only twenty-five years old. She was still young, but her heart was old. A few strands of silver hair had appeared at her temples.
"My surname is Xi, and my given name is Yan. I am currently a retainer of Prince Xin, but my purpose in coming here is unrelated to him. Prince Xin is currently in the palace receiving an audience with the Emperor."
Looking at the surprised and uncertain person before her, Xi Congshuang revealed her purpose, "I've come to disturb you so late at night, just to ask one question: Does the Princess wish to become Empress Dowager?"
The purpose was so obvious that Princess Qin was caught off guard. Then she laughed and said, "Miss Xi, please don't joke with me. Since you are a retainer of Prince Xin, you should focus on assisting him. Why go to such lengths?"
Xi Congshuang looked at her for a while, then suddenly said, "Judging from the princess's reaction, she must know me. I will tell her the truth: a king who trusts others is not a wise ruler. Your Highness may be willing to spend the rest of your life here, but the people you protect may not be. They can protect you to some extent while you are here, but what if Your Highness passes away first?"
"..."
This was indeed something the Princess Consort had been worried about. It is said that even tigers do not eat their cubs, yet the Emperor had the heart to confine his own son in the palace for five years, forcing him to indulge in pleasure for five years without any medicine or doctor.
A few days ago, he finally couldn't take it anymore and hanged himself from the corner of the bed with a belt. The princess saw him at dawn. He was free, but the princess and the child continued to suffer in hell.
The Queen Consort of Qin knew that falling in love would mean death, but not falling in love would also certainly lead to death, and perhaps a more gruesome one. A desperate gamble might offer a sliver of hope, but…
She slumped her shoulders, looking troubled: "But Heng'er... after his high fever, he became delirious and I'm afraid he'll be unable to shoulder great responsibilities."
At the same time, she hoped that the person in front of her might have a way to cure her child.
Xi Congshuang skipped over his mention: "I remember, the year after the mansion was closed, the princess gave birth to a daughter."
Because this woman was born after the family was closed off, almost no one knew about her. Unlike Zhong Heng, she was not listed in the imperial genealogy.
The princess kept quiet, hoping that one day the child could escape and live a life of anonymity as an ordinary citizen, never to have any further entanglement with the imperial family.
However, the news that she had tried so hard to conceal was eventually discovered by the other side, which alarmed the Princess of Qin.
Princess Qin: "You said Shen... No, Shen is too young to shoulder such a great responsibility."
Back then, the Prince of Qin was imprisoned in the palace, deposed, and crippled, spending his days in despair.
Unfortunately, it rained heavily on the day the mansion was closed. The eldest son, Zhong Heng, got caught in the rain and developed a high fever. No matter how much the Prince of Qin and his wife pleaded, they could not get a doctor or a prescription. In the end, Zhong Heng became mentally impaired after his high fever, and he could only laugh or sit blankly all day.
Now at eight years old, he can't even call his mother a word, while his second daughter, Zhong Shen, is healthy and clever.
The Queen Consort of Qin said, "Shen'er is only three years old."
She couldn't push an ignorant child into the abyss.
Xi Congshuang didn't take it to heart: "Three years old is just the time to start learning. After becoming the crown prince, I'm afraid there will never be such peaceful days again."
Under the gaze of the Princess of Qin, she stepped forward and coaxed, "It depends on whether the Princess is willing or not."
The other party spoke with such certainty, as if freedom and power were right before their eyes, that even the Qin princess, who was heartbroken, was moved by it.
"..."
But she agreed to the same situation, where crisis and opportunity coexisted. This was a woman who intended to manipulate royal power, and what she wanted to do was not simply to bring a child out of prison.
Rather, it was a change of dynasty.
The group came and went without a trace, quickly leaving the Qin Prince's residence. Few people noticed them, and only the Qin Princess had seen Xi Congshuang.
She naturally wouldn't mention much to the old servant after she returned; if this matter were to be exposed tonight, she would also be in grave danger.
The fact that Xi Congshuang came to see him in person, instead of sending a few subordinates to persuade him, already showed her great sincerity.
Before leaving, Xi Congshuang asked someone to leave medicine and food, but the princess was even more upset. After thanking them, she put the things away.
You could tell what the princess was thinking. She thought how much better it would have been if these things had happened five years ago. Her husband wouldn't have had to hang himself with his broken leg, and her intelligent eldest son wouldn't have had to live a life of idiocy.
Is the prophecy "Kings will never meet" really that important?
As night deepened, Xi Congshuang boarded the carriage and quietly left the vicinity of the Prince's Mansion. Today, a concubine named Zhong had just been taken away from the mansion, and the palace was paying no attention to this area.
Occasionally logging in to check in, but unable to understand what the host is doing, a strangely complicated red apple quietly appears and asks, "Will the princess agree? She seems hesitant."
Xi Congshuang answered amidst the sound of horses' hooves, "She will agree."
He then leaned against the carriage wall and closed his eyes to rest.
The red apple couldn't understand, and after consuming enough energy, it quietly logged off. A girl in purple entered and sat in her usual spot.
Hongdou had a gut feeling that the sect leader was doing something big, but she didn't dare to ask too many questions.
At this moment, Red Bean and Apple share the same thought: Will the princess agree?
Regardless of whether the princess is willing or not, the outcome will be determined by her control.
Since meeting Xun Suihuang and learning that her mission was to change Xun Suihuang's fate of being killed after his rebellion, Xi Congshuang made several plans.
The most direct way is to turn the tables and rebel with Xun Suihuang. If successful, this will directly avoid the fate of being beheaded.
But it is also very possible that they will repeat the same mistakes, and somehow end up with the same fate and the same ending.
Besides these, there are other methods.
Replace those capable of making such decisions with those who are incapable of making them, such as a young emperor ascending to the throne.
There is nothing easier to control than a young, ignorant emperor who needs the help of his elders.
The first to be excluded were the children of Prince Xin and Prince Wu; the selection process then extended to all members of the royal family.
The late emperor was in poor health and had few children, only three sons and two daughters. The princesses lived peacefully in the inner palace and had no interest in politics. Emperor Jianxing's two brothers had already died young due to his suspicions.
The children who remained were all like frightened birds, utterly useless.
After much deliberation, Xi Congshuang felt that all the Zhong women were of the same ilk and did not meet the requirements. If it took too long to live to see the emperor's death, she would have to reluctantly choose someone she found agreeable to be put on the throne.
She had considered coming in person, but it would be too troublesome. An outsider taking over would only bring endless trouble, which was completely contrary to Xun Suihuang's original intention of bringing peace to the world.
Xi Congshuang didn't want to do anything that would upset her. Rather than falling out of love with her partner, she preferred to put more effort into planning.
This afternoon, Vice General Gu's words led her to discover an unexpected candidate.
Even if the Princess Consort of Qin became Empress Dowager and her ambitions grew, and she ruled from behind the curtain, and the Emperor was still young, she would still be happy to do things that would upset the Zhong royal family.
The scheming man returned to his residence. Instead of washing up and going to bed, Xi Congshuang went to her study.
She decided what flowers to plant in front of the room reserved for her in the Pingding Marquis's mansion, and wrote a letter to tell her first.
The servant lit a lamp for her, finished grinding the millstone, and quietly withdrew.
Xi Congshuang sat upright at the desk, rolled up her sleeves, picked up a pen, wrote a few lines on the paper, blew the ink to dry it, put it away, got up and released the pigeons from the birdcage into the night.
I wonder how things are going in the palace.
*
Inside the Imperial Palace, in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
The Hall of Mental Cultivation was the residence of the emperors of this dynasty. It should have been the time for them to settle down, and the palace gates were locked, but the hall was still brightly lit.
Inside the heavy palace gates, all was quiet. Only two old eunuchs stood guard at the entrance, saying no matter what they said, "His Majesty has summoned you. Please rest assured, Your Highnesses."
The two princesses waiting outside the door exchanged a glance. The two, who were usually at odds and determined to outdo each other, were no longer in the mood for witty banter.
After pacing around for a moment, Princess Wu, unwilling to wait any longer, said, "We've been inside for a full hour. Guan'er is sensitive and might offend the Emperor. Perhaps I should go in..."
I was unhappy after returning from my last audience with the emperor, so why was I called in again today?
The emperor just issued an edict today forbidding mourning for Zhong Shuren. Recalling what happened five years ago, it's hard not to make the two princesses suspicious.
The old eunuch raised an eyebrow: "Princess Wu, are you defying the imperial decree?"
Princess Wu: "...Your Majesty, I dare not."
She stepped back and continued to stand with the worried Princess Xin.
Not only did the two princesses wait from dusk till night without seeing the emperor, but the others in the Hall of Mental Cultivation were no exception.
The emperor suddenly issued an edict ordering someone to enter the palace. After being summoned, the person was made to stand in the outer hall and not enter the inner chamber.
They didn't give a reason, just told people to wait.
Incense burners were burning inside the hall, and whenever palace servants came and went, they could smell the strong medicinal aroma emanating from the inner hall.
But judging from the sounds, the emperor in the inner chamber was clearly awake; he coughed occasionally, as if he were ill.
Every cough sent shivers down the spines of the people outside, making them feel as if they were facing a formidable enemy.
The early death of the late emperor was always a thorn in Emperor Jianxing's side. He was not a filial son, but he was afraid that he would also die so young.
Xun Suihuang thought to herself that it was normal to get sick at this time of year. The weather was neither too hot nor too cold. Wearing an extra layer made her feel hot, while wearing an extra layer made her feel cold. It was also easy to feel cold at night.
Moreover, Emperor Jianxing was old, and after taking the medicine offered by Daoist Minzhen, he thought he was still young and that it wouldn't matter if he wore one less piece of clothing.
Don't you think about it properly? When Master Minzhen offered the medicine, he said it could extend one's lifespan by sixty years. That was an extension from the original age, not a return to twenty years old.
If you're not careful, it's only natural to catch a cold and get sick.
He felt uneasy when he was sick and started to become paranoid. Now he's gone even further, summoning people to stand guard at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
"Father, I'm so sleepy..." After waiting for a long time, the Crown Prince of Wu rubbed his eyes and said softly.
The King of Wu whispered a few words of comfort, supporting his back as he continued to stand.
One person started, and then the other prince, Prince Xin, couldn't stand up any longer and whispered that he was sleepy.
Not to mention those outside couldn't hold on any longer, those inside were also getting tired. Just before the emperor's patience ran out, the Taoist priest, who had been missing for quite some time, scrambled back.
"This humble Taoist greets Your Majesty. I am late, please forgive me."
The already thin man also suffered during his time in the palace. At first, he thought he was about to rise to prominence, but serving the emperor was like walking on thin ice. No matter how eloquent he was, the emperor was often dissatisfied.
He had only caught a cold today, but the emperor almost questioned his abilities, and he could sense that the emperor had murderous intent towards him.
But Daoist Minzhen would never admit that the elixir he presented was problematic, so he had no choice but to shift the blame and try to appease the emperor in another way.
There is no better reason than that the next pill is delayed because one ingredient is missing.
And so, tonight's events came about.
It was too late for Master Minzhen to regret it. He had entered the palace voluntarily, and now it was difficult for him to escape.
"You've brought everyone here, but can you figure out who's suitable?"
The emperor lay on the bed, his body reeking of a mixture of strong medicinal and incense smells. Despite not being old, he gave the Taoist priest Minzhen the feeling that he was on his deathbed.
Under the emperor's sharp gaze, Minzhen Daoist suppressed his trembling impulse and swallowed back the candidate he was about to offer.
It should have been Xun Suihuang, but the emperor disliked her, and she could please the emperor. Using her as a medicinal ingredient was making the best use of her.
But the two pairs of eyes behind him were equally clear. Those two usually harmless boys had fed him something, and if he dared to speak, he would immediately die in front of the emperor.
Facing certain death, he still clung to life, taking a deep breath: "Your Majesty, none of the people you summoned are qualified."
"Bang!" Emperor Jianxing threw down the teacup beside him, angrily saying, "You said that the Hall of Mental Cultivation is a place where dragon energy gathers, but the rebellious son's spirit is still lingering, and that using someone with a metal destiny from the northeast of the Hall of Mental Cultivation as medicine can cure it. I've already found the person for you, and you're telling me that none of them fit the bill?"
Terrified to the extreme, Daoist Minzhen stopped trembling and asked in a firm voice, "May I ask Your Majesty, have you truly gathered all the people destined for the Golden Fate in the Northeast?"
"To the northeast of the Hall of Mental Cultivation are the residences of Prince Xin, Prince Wu, and Marquis Pingding. Who else could it be?" Emperor Jianxing asked.
That area is in front of the palace, where all the powerful and wealthy live. Are we going to look for them among the officials?
If that's the case, we'll have to find another excuse.
It's a bit of a hassle, but not too much.
The eunuch standing to one side stirred, glancing at the emperor as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
Emperor Jianxing: "What are you thinking of? Tell me."
The chief eunuch whispered, "We haven't checked the residence of Consort Zhong yet."
*
Outside the palace, Xi Congshuang closed the birdcage, but she wasn't ready to sleep yet.
"Sect Master, the tea is here. The kitchen has made some late-night snacks. Would you like some?" Hongdou's voice rang out from outside the door.
"I'll use it later, I'm not hungry yet." Xi Congshuang sat back down at the desk, opened an ancient book and read it under the lamp. If Hongdou, who was busy at the desk, were to peek at it, she would find that there were twice as many annotations in this ancient book as before she went to Fuzhou.
The effort put into this was not in vain; it actually revealed some clues about the poison in Xi Congshuang's body, and the approach to deciphering it was somewhat familiar.
It seems to be from... the lineage of mentors.
"Does it really mean we have to kowtow in front of Medicine Valley as Chengzhi suggested?" Xi Congshuang had a headache. If they really had to kowtow, they would only have time to do so after things were settled.
Given the current situation in Yongdu, she simply cannot leave.
"What kowtowing?"
Xi Congshuang took the tea from Hongdou and casually replied, "There is one ingredient in the antidote that is not available elsewhere; it can only be found in the Medicine Valley."
Red Bean: "Sect Master, are you speaking to me?"
Xi Congshuang paused in her tea-drinking: "Yes, I told you to open the window, use a broomstick to pry it open, don't use your hands."
red beans:"?"
Although she didn't understand, Hongdou still did as she was told, using a broom to pry open the window, behind which was an upside-down face.
Her long hair hung down, her face was as white as snow, her lips were as red as blood, and she was dressed in black. She smiled at the person inside the window.
"red--"
"Aaaaaah! A ghost!" Hongdou gripped the broom tightly and swung it wildly. After several swings with her eyes closed and no cries of pain were heard, she cautiously opened her eyes, only to find the broom being held by the upside-down female ghost.
"..." Hongdou gasped, threw down the broom, and hurriedly tugged at Xi Congshuang's sleeve: "The feng shui here has indeed been ruined by the neighbor, it's haunted! Let's run!"
Xi Congshuang: "..."
The female ghost hanging under the eaves laughed heartily, flipped herself to the ground, and tidied her disheveled hair: "Little Red Bean, why are you still so afraid of ghosts?"
The voice sounded familiar, and Hongdou regained some of her composure after being scared out of her wits. She turned her head to take a closer look at the female ghost who had entered the room.
She finally recognized him at a glance, and Hongdou breathed a sigh of relief: "Second Master, why are you talking under the eaves?"
The second master poured himself a glass of water and drank it: "It's too obvious that we're using the main entrance."
Hongdou: "But we can't hang it under the eaves. What if it frightens the sect leader?"
The second master, who had drunk most of a pot of tea, pointed a finger at the red bean: "You can't assume that others are afraid just because you are afraid yourself. The sect leader already knew it was me."
Red Bean: "So you didn't just arrive? When did you get here?"
"This afternoon." After finishing his tea, the Second Master became serious. "Sect Master, the matter you asked me to handle has been completed. The Emperor has probably sent someone to the Prince of Qin's residence. Min Shao and Min Yao will keep a close eye on that child."
“Those two girls bought a cage of hens from the Imperial Kitchen. One hen a day is enough. Also, when I came out, Emperor Jianxing had released the people, and Marquis Pingding left the palace safely.”
Xi Congshuang hummed in agreement and looked out the door. She wondered when the pigeon would be able to go home.
After finishing his tea, the second master set his sights on the pastries. He ate half of them with gusto, saying between bites, "Why did the sect leader ask me to look after Marquis Pingding? And why is she helping her so much?"
However, she still strongly supports the sect leader's decision to seek a wiser ruler, believing that Prince Xin is clearly a fool.
Xi Congshuang said slowly, "Because I like her, I naturally want to protect her."
"..."
The study suddenly fell silent. The Second Master, his mouth stuffed full, looked at Hongdou with the same shock in their eyes.
Xi Congshuang remained calm as she read the ancient books.
The second master chewed frantically, swallowed what was in his mouth, grabbed Hongdou's shoulders and shook her: "I'm shocked, fine, but what are you so shocked about?!"
Hongdou's eyes were practically darting around: "Because I just found out too!"
"You're always by the sect leader's side, how come you only just found out?!"
"If the sect leader doesn't tell me, I definitely won't know!"
"You silly child, it's all over if the sect leader says it himself. You have to see it, see it with your own eyes!"
Hongdou was on the verge of tears: "I really did see it. Every day, the moment I open my eyes, I'm right next to the sect leader. I really couldn't tell."
"..."
The second leader scratched his head: "There are so many people in the world..."
Why did I have to like the most troublesome one?
The only person who should explain this is calmly reading ancient books and looking up to wait for the birds to return home.
When they returned to the Marquis of Pingding's residence, the moon was already high in the sky. Xun Suihuang had been standing guard for half a day for no reason and had no idea what the emperor was going to do.
Since none of them got to see Emperor Jianxing, they were all dismissed by the chief eunuch.
Her filial son and virtuous grandson were not in a hurry to pay their respects to Emperor Jianxing or ask a few more questions about his health; they just wanted to leave as soon as possible.
Tonight, for some reason, the Hall of Mental Cultivation is unusually eerie. The only people who can get close to the emperor are the eunuchs and that skinny Taoist priest.
As soon as he returned home, the servants in the manor said, "The general has returned with a letter for you."
Xun Suihuang was puzzled. At this critical juncture, who would send her a letter? "Where is the letter?"
A servant brought her a birdcage, inside which a pigeon cooed at her. Xun Suihuang tilted her head to look at it, and the bird also tilted its head and cooed.
Then she took the birdcage and left.
She didn't rush back to her room to wash up; instead, she went straight to the study, opened the birdcage, took the letter from the bird's leg, and saw the elegant handwriting.
She smiled as she looked at it.
"Enjoying plum blossoms in the dead of winter... I'm not afraid of catching a cold in winter." Xun Suihuang picked up his pen and wrote a letter in front of the pigeons.
"If it could be winter... that wouldn't be a bad idea either."
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Time to eat! [Food emojis]
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