41. Conspiracy
During the few months since she left, Yuanzi Luo had been thriving in the court and was considered a rising star surrounded by aristocratic families.
Although she was born into a common people, she became the guard dog of the Xuanyuan family. Xuanyuan Ming even wanted to marry a suitable boy of the Xuanyuan family to her.
Yun Zhihe didn't pay attention to this. She was carefully sorting out the relations between the court and China in the past few months.
The poor families declined, and several old women could no longer hold on. Some of the poor elders even retired early and returned to their hometowns to beg for their last bones.
The Xuanyuan family is a prominent family with many royal relatives and officials in the court.
Yun Zhihe frowned, carefully considering the relationships and interests involved.
At this moment, Ah Zhi suddenly knocked on the door and came in, saying, "Miss, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is here to visit."
Yun Zhihe paused, put down the documents in his hand, and stood up to greet him.
It had been a long time since I last saw him. I hadn't seen him when I returned to Beijing that day, but at this moment, he was still very familiar and walked into Yun Zhihe's study with ease.
"Brother, brother..."
Qin Duan was bathed in the clear moonlight, his eyes slightly drooping. When he heard her voice, he smiled and the corners of his lips curled up.
"It's only been a few months since we last met, why are you so unfamiliar with each other?"
She felt inexplicably at a loss, and didn't know how to face him. She could still vaguely see him standing on the city wall that day, with a mocking look on his face, his long hair and clothes blown by the wind.
Qin Duan seemed not to see the hesitation on her face. He hid beside the desk where Yun Zhihe had just sat, then raised his face to look at her.
"Why are you so reserved, Jinniang?"
He tilted his head back, his Adam's apple trembling.
Yun Zhihe shook her head and sat down as well, seeming to breathe a sigh of relief. She asked, "Brother, what brings you here this time?"
"Can't I look for you if there's nothing wrong?" He raised his eyes to look at her, and for a moment, ripples appeared in her heart. His slender knuckles touched her cheek, and his face was gentle and elegant.
"……No."
He chuckled again and glanced at the bookshelf next to him, pointing his finger.
"Brother still remembers when you were little and couldn't sleep at night, brother read to you."
His voice was clear and smooth, and as he spoke each word, it sounded like a casual reminiscence.
"Jin Su Ji"
Yun Zhihe answered this way, this was the book Qin Duan read for him.
When she first entered the palace, she had trouble sleeping at night because she was not used to it.
At that time, Qin Duan, who looked like a young boy, was the first to talk to her. He then took her hand and talked to her. He was very handsome at such a young age.
Strangely enough, he was exceptionally enthusiastic.
He would hold her in his arms and ask in a childish voice, "Will you be my sister?"
"...Brother will protect you."
"...You can't leave." A blank look appeared in his eyes again. He pursed his lips, then deliberately softened his voice, looking at her, whom he still didn't know well. "Yes, you can't leave."
“…and you must not die.”
Yun Zhihe's first impression of him was... fear.
It was only later, when we got to know each other, that I realized how virtuous, elegant, dignified, strong and gentle he was.
He would hold her in his arms, whisper her name, and fall asleep. He would tell her stories gently. He was Yun Zhihe's primary support in gaining a foothold in the palace.
Qin Duan smiled, his eyes curved with tiny glimmers of light in them, and his face was slightly flushed.
"Yes, Jin Su Ji."
"To blend in with the light and the dust, to hide one's scales and wings."
He looked at Yun Zhihe, still smiling.
"...This is what my brother always warned you about."
Yun Zhihe was stunned and opened her mouth to say something.
Then suddenly he looked at the cabinet next to him with a slight surprise.
"Is this cabinet still there?"
He sneered and lightly changed the subject.
"Speaking of which, when Jinniang was young, whenever she missed home, she would hide in that closet."
Yun Zhihe pursed his lips.
"Brother..."
Qin Duan ignored the hesitant expression on her face, stood up and spoke to himself.
"Jinniang is well-read and talented, and she particularly enjoys travelogues and biographies. She told my brother about this..." He paused, "Jinniang said she envied the carefree life of free-spirited people and the peace and tranquility of the world."
Qin Duan turned to look at her, his eyes narrowed, and asked softly.
“…Right?”
He walked up to Yun Zhihe, touched her face with his fingertips, and gently stroked the corners of her eyes, as if expressing disappointment and sighing.
His voice was hoarse and the ending tone was trembling.
"Jinniang, there are no idle clouds and wild cranes here."
He lowered his head, their breaths blending together, entangled, his brows slightly furrowed, embarrassed, yet pitiful.
“There’s no peace here either.”
"So..." Qin Duan lowered his eyes, hiding the gloom, and looked at her as if pleadingly.
"Jinniang left, or..." He closed his eyes, "or she kept a low profile, remained silent, and served as a subordinate."
Yun Zhihe suddenly took his hand away.
Be humble and modest, and adapt to the times; hide your scales and wings, and think of yourself as a member of the wind and clouds.
And he only said, "To blend in with the light and the dust, to hide one's scales and wings."
It means leaving officialdom and keeping a low profile.
Qin Duan looked at her, stopped talking, and pursed his lips slightly.
Yun Zhihe frowned slightly and turned his head away from him, "Jinniang's noble character is entrusted to me by my brother."
She was silent for a moment, "Why, why..."
"Why do you need Jinniang and give up your virtue?"
She stopped looking at him, closed her eyes, and said in a hoarse voice, "Brother, please leave. Jinniang will not see you off."
Qin Duan paused. Yun Zhihe in front of him had his back to him and obviously didn't want to look at him again.
He walked forward and suddenly hugged her from behind.
He was a little older than her and a little taller than her.
The warmth suddenly filled his arms, Qin Duan lowered his head,
He sniffed the fragrance of her hair with his nose, then chuckled softly, his voice hoarse.
"...I haven't hugged Jinniang for a long time."
Familiar temperature.
Then it took a long time before he continued with the next sentence, speaking hoarsely and word by word.
"Brother will not be lenient."
“…Goodbye.”
He let go of her all of a sudden, as if he was greedy for the warmth, then curled up his fingertips and turned away.
Yun Zhihe looked at the birds outside the window standing on the tree, pecking at the dead leaves that were falling down. She reached out to hold the window and then slowly closed it.
Only a long sigh was left.
…
The atmosphere in the morning court today was very tense.
Yuanzi Luo stepped forward, his voice clear and echoing in the hall.
"Your Majesty, Madam Yun, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Public Administration, although she was meritorious in defending Longcheng, was extremely violent and burned nearly a hundred people alive. Although she was a mob, her crime does not warrant the death penalty."
Others also came out and knelt down in unison.
"Your Majesty, although Madam Yun has merits, she killed civilians wantonly, which is truly shameful!"
"Yes, Your Majesty! From the reports, it seems the fire burned all day and all night, and the howling wind was like the wailing of evil spirits!"
…
Yun Zhihe paused, stood quietly and watched them kneel down in unison. He was stunned for a moment and did not open his mouth to defend himself.
After she set herself on fire by the mob in that cell, she wrote a letter to report what had happened.
Xuanyuan Ying paused, frowned, and stared at Yuanzi Luo in the front.
Since he came to power, he has been conscientious in his duties and impartial, which has won him praise from many people. Although history books mock him for being a man, they have to respect his ability.
But now they were talking about Yun Zhihe's crimes just to force him to punish Yun Zhihe.
If he doesn't punish him, he will also be criticized.
There was a moment of silence in the court, and everyone looked at him, waiting for his reply.
Xuanyuan Ying paused, his fingertips turning white as they pressed against the dragon throne.
At this moment someone suddenly stood up.
"Your Majesty." Xuanyuan He slowly stepped out of the group, bowing his head respectfully and humbly. "There's another hidden reason behind the burning of the people."
Xuanyuan Ming frowned and glanced at him.
He was not afraid, and the young man also had a sense of momentum. He wore black clothes embroidered with gold, which was particularly luxurious, and his face was as white as jade.
"Madam Yun reported the riot in Longcheng. She said that the Jining witch had deceived the people and killed the young master of the Liu family."
"Madam Yun did not report the details..." He pursed his lips and ignored the gaze from Mother Cheng.
"The Jining witch deceived people into believing that eating the flesh and blood of people imbued with dragon energy and those of the most virtuous and beautiful people could cure illnesses, but the mob wanted to harm their son, a minister."
The whole court was shocked.
Mother Cheng stepped forward and said righteously, "Your Highness, this statement requires careful consideration..."
Before she could finish, Xuanyuan He interrupted her, "Cheng Guomu, please go and look through the written report on the Longcheng incident. The Jining witch did say that."
But, Yun Zhihe reported that the Jining witch wanted to eat Madam Yun, didn't she? The young master of the Liu family warded off the disaster for her.
Everyone looked at each other.
Xuanyuan He knelt and kowtowed, his back bent. "Your Majesty, I am the son of the royal family and the crown prince of the current dynasty. Although I am a man, I have a scorching dragon aura."
"The Jining witch initially pointed her finger at me. I suspect she is plotting treason and harming the country. I suspect she is a spy from the barbarians."
"And the reason why Madam Yun reported to the Jining witch that the person she wanted to harm was because of me, your son."
He looked up at the crowd, his voice trembling slightly, "Do you ladies know the miserable state of Master Liu? He was eaten and his internal organs scattered. His miserable state kept me awake at night. He protected me from the disaster and appeared in my dreams."
Xuanyuan He lowered his eyes, and the corners of his eyes turned red.
"This son was extremely frightened and on the verge of collapse. Madam Yun had to protect this son and prevent him from recalling what happened that day, so she resorted to this desperate measure, subtly replacing the original with the fake..."
His voice was choked with sobs. "Those who plot to murder a country's crown prince should have their entire clan exterminated. Burning the people is only because Madam Yun is kindhearted and is afraid that they will bring disaster to the entire clan."
"Your Majesty, please do not punish Madam Yun for her kindness... This is all your fault."
Xuanyuan He's voice was tinged with sobs, and after a few sobs he fainted.
"Oh my god—someone come here..."
"Imperial Physician, Imperial Physician..."
The court officials suddenly became flustered and all went to see the prince who had fainted on the ground.
The court suddenly became noisy, and Yun Zhihe stared at Xuanyuan He's unconscious figure in shock.
Xuanyuan Ying was obviously stunned as well. He pursed his lips and took advantage of the chaos to speak.
"Madam Yun has done a great service in protecting the Crown Prince. How can she be punished? This matter will not be discussed further."
He breathed a sigh of relief.
The imperial physician rushed over in a panic, and the male servant also came over to pick up the person and leave.
This matter is over.
When Yuanzi Luo was leaving, he passed by Yun Zhihe. Their shoulders touched slightly and their eyes met.
Yuanzi Luo's eyes were gloomy, but suddenly a smile appeared on their faces.
"Madam Yun, see you next time."
"……nature."
Yun Zhihe chuckled, and then suddenly stopped smiling the moment they passed each other.
There was a darkness in his eyes.
The author has something to say:
Be humble and modest, and adapt to the times; hide your scales and wings, and think of yourself as a member of the wind and clouds.
From "Book of Jin" but this article is fictional, so I made up a book at random
I can't code anymore. It's so painful.
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