Chapter 71 71 Posthumous child.
Suddenly, a buzzing sound came from Shen Mi's ears. In that instant, she seemed to be unable to hear anyone's voice. She could only watch Chen Jun's smug and almost ferocious smile as she retreated step by step.
It took her a long time to regain her senses. She glared at Chen Jun angrily: "Impossible! Don't talk nonsense! His Highness is the eldest son of the Emperor and the Empress. If he hadn't done anything seriously wrong, how could he have been deposed as heir apparent?"
How could someone like Gu Zhan, who always prides himself on his strategic brilliance, have fallen into such a predicament? Chen Jun must be deceiving her!
Seeing Shen Mi's unwavering trust in Gu Zhan, Chen Jun was not annoyed at all. Instead, he curled his lips as if watching a good show and slowly walked towards her. "But it doesn't matter. The whole capital knows that the deposed crown prince and the crown princess, Shen, are at odds. The crown princess even returned to the Shen family in anger. This shows that your relationship with him is not so unbreakable. Since he is now just a ghost and no longer has the ability to protect you, why don't you submit to me? I will definitely protect you for the rest of your life." As he spoke, he reached out to touch Shen Mi.
Shen Mi shoved him away. "Don't even think about it! Even if I die, I will never submit to you. Between us, we had nothing to do with each other back when you broke off our engagement!"
"No connection whatsoever?" Chen Jun raised an eyebrow. "Zhi Niang, are you still as naive as ever? Why do you think I'm here at the Shen family today? Don't you know whose world this is? It belongs to His Highness Prince Wei. After the Emperor passes away, only His Highness Prince Wei can inherit the throne. At that time, I will be the new favorite of the court. If you follow me, you will enjoy endless wealth and glory, which is much better than being a deposed crown prince's wife. What Gu Zhan could give you before, I can give you as well. How can you be so blind to the situation?"
Looking at Chen Jun, Shen Mi felt that he was completely different from the gentle and refined man he had been ten years ago. "Chen Jun, your behavior is truly disgusting. What right do you have to be compared with him? You are nothing but a complete scoundrel, a genuine hypocrite. Don't wear this mask of false benevolence in front of me!"
Chen Jun snorted coldly, "A petty person, a hypocrite, a fake benevolent righteousness? His Highness Prince Wei values me the most now. You say I'm not worthy to be compared to a deposed crown prince who plots a rebellion?"
Shen Mi forced herself not to think about the devastating news of Gu Zhan's death, restrained her emotions and confronted Chen Jun, forcing herself not to shed a single tear of weakness or helplessness in front of Chen Jun.
She raised her face and looked directly at Chen Jun, "You are an accomplice to evil and abet wrongdoing, and you even feel smug about it. You are the real traitor, deserving to be torn to pieces and die a horrible death!"
Chen Jun looked at her red eyes. The thought that Shen Mi's current loss of composure was all because of the dead Gu Zhan filled him with jealousy. However, looking at Shen Mi's face, he could not truly regard her as the Crown Princess.
In his eyes, as long as Shen Mi is willing to compromise with him, they can still be childhood sweethearts with a marriage agreement. He couldn't give Shen Mi what he couldn't give her back then because he couldn't disobey his parents' wishes, but now he finally doesn't have to care about anyone else.
He let Shen Mi retreat, then approached her step by step, and then lifted up Shen Mi's slightly raised face. "Death is not a pity? That is truly regrettable. The one who is now dead without a complete corpse is Gu Zhan, and the one standing alive in front of you is me."
A chill ran down Shen Mi's spine. She raised her knee and pressed it against Chen Jun's crotch.
Chen Jun, in pain, was forced to release Shen Mi and go to protect the area where Shen Mi had injured him.
Seeing this, Shen Mi hurriedly went into her room. She was unarmed and needed to find a tool to defend herself.
Chen Jun quickly recovered. He strode forward and grabbed Shen Mi's wrist from behind. Shen Mi tried to break free, but he pulled her into the house.
He suppressed his anger, "You actually hurt me like this because of him?"
He quickly regained his composure. "Why? Back in Kaibao Temple, he was the high and mighty Crown Prince, and you spoke harshly to me because of him. Now, I am the one with even greater power and influence, yet you still act this way?"
Shen Mi was still struggling to break free from his grasp. "Do you think everyone is as vain and greedy for wealth as you are?"
The harder she struggled, the tighter Chen Jun held her. He glanced at Shen Mi and said, "But tell me, if Gu Zhan knew in the afterlife, what would he do if the Shen family's reputation, which he bought with the position of crown prince, and the woman he bought with his life, ended up with the person he used to despise the most?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Mi stopped struggling. Her lips moved slightly, and it took her a while to recover. "Explain yourself clearly. What did he exchange for the position of crown prince and his life?"
Chen Jun saw the undisguised dejection in Shen Mi's eyes, and coupled with Shen Mi's near-fatal attack on him, he was so delirious that he spoke recklessly, "Why do you think Gu Zhan's position as crown prince was abolished? Anyway, you'll be with me sooner or later, and anyway, he's already a handful of dust now, so I might as well tell you the truth."
"Do you remember Wang Chengxian? He colluded with the Dangxiang many years ago and was a pawn planted by the Dangxiang in the Great Qi. He was even behind the deaths of your father and brothers. At the end of last year, he betrayed the country and was exposed. So he implicated your family. But so many years have passed and there is no way to verify the truth. In order to clear the Shen family's name, Gu Zhan secretly befriended the leader of the Imperial Guard, mobilized troops without authorization, and interfered with the Ministry of Justice's handling of the case. Although he ultimately protected the Shen family's reputation, it is a pity that the Crown Prince colluded with the leader of the Imperial Guard. Do you think the Emperor will be furious?"
"Furthermore, he used the child you drowned in Taiye Pond to force Prince Wei out of Bianjing. Now, he has been stripped of his position as crown prince and demoted to the southwest for the same crime. Just a few days ago, news came that he was robbed and killed by mountain bandits. His body was devoured by wild beasts in the mountains, leaving no trace of his remains."
Shen Mi was struck dumb, as if by a bolt from the blue.
If what Chen Jun said is true, then Gu Zhan's dismissal was actually due to his involvement in the Shen family's case?
Could it be that her previous guess was correct, and that Gu Zhan was indeed busy with matters related to the Shen family during that time, but had not revealed a single word to her about it?
Shen Mi didn't want to believe Chen Jun's words. She tried to calm down and think about the flaws in Chen Jun's words, but her legs were weak and her mind was in a mess.
Shen Mi staggered backward, her lower back resting against the desk in front of the bronze mirror and dressing table.
Chen Jun walked to a spot just a step away from her, bowed slightly, and said, "Look, he's dead. What's the use of you guarding him? Why don't you come back with me? We've been childhood sweethearts, and I will definitely not mistreat you."
Shen Mi felt as if she could no longer breathe. During her time back in the Shen family, she had considered many possible reasons, but she never imagined that Gu Zhan would be crippled or die.
Seeing Chen Jun about to approach her again, she casually took a hairpin from her dressing case and pressed it tightly against her neck: "If you dare to take another step closer to me, I will immediately commit suicide for him."
Chen Jun's hand, which was about to touch her, froze in mid-air.
Then, the voice of Chen Jun's subordinate came from outside the back door, "My lord, His Highness has something to discuss with you and wants you to go to the Prince's residence immediately."
Chen Jun stared at Shen Mi for a long time, and after weighing his options, he withdrew his hand. "It's alright. I'll come back another day. In any case, this world will soon belong to His Highness Prince Wei."
After saying this, he turned and left, taking his men with him, and the Shen residence returned to normal.
Only after confirming that Chen Jun had left did Shen Mi dare to relax.
She had only been holding on, but now that no one was around, she could no longer stand and slowly slid down the edge of the table to sit on the ground. The hairpin in her hand also slipped out and fell to the ground.
Shen Mi felt as if all her strength had been drained away. Her eyes were almost lifeless, and the grief she felt was unable to be expressed as tears. All her emotions were stuck in her chest, with nowhere to go.
Chen Jun left the door open, and the early spring wind blowing in was still chilly, but Shen Mi was completely unaware.
She didn't know how to face reality.
She thought she hated Gu Zhan to the core, wishing she could break free from his control, hating him for abandoning their first child for his so-called power. But now the truth was right in front of her: Gu Zhan had indeed received the punishment he deserved for that incident. He was not only stripped of his title as crown prince, but he was also killed without a complete corpse. It was like one life for another. But Shen Mi felt no joy at all.
Her heart was like a drum covered with thick frost, unable to be struck or beat.
"My wife!"
Cuiwei's worried voice came from outside the door.
Shen Mi heard the sound, but she didn't even have the strength to lift her eyelids. Her gaze shifted slightly, and she saw clearly that the hairpin she had grabbed in her hand in a panic to force Chen Jun was actually the magnolia hairpin that Gu Zhan had made her take from the East Palace.
Whether it was fate or coincidence, she didn't know which one to believe.
Cuiwei saw Shen Mi sitting on the ground like a porcelain doll that would shatter at the slightest touch, wondering what that beast Chen Jun had done to her.
She rushed forward and knelt beside Shen Mi, trying to help her up, but Shen Mi seemed to have no strength at all.
Shen Mi clutched Cuiwei's sleeve, murmuring, "Cuiwei, his position as crown prince was revoked, and he died on the way to Xichuan, and I knew nothing about it. I can't do anything, I can't even bring myself to hate him..."
Upon hearing this, Cuiwei was also greatly shocked. She had seen Shen Mi's feelings for the Crown Prince during this period of time, and she could not accept this news. How could she accept it if it was her own wife?
Shen Mi reached out her trembling hand to grab the magnolia hairpin.
She left the East Palace in a great hurry, and in the end, this magnolia hairpin became the only thing she could use to remember Gu Zhan for the rest of her life.
But as soon as she touched the magnolia hairpin, she found that the pearl flowers on it were about to fall off. The moment it left the ground, the magnolia pearl flowers on the hairpin fell to the ground with a "thud," and she was left with only the hairpin body in her hand.
Cuiwei hurriedly picked up the magnolia bead, while Chenmi, holding the hairpin, unexpectedly discovered a crack in it.
But how could silver develop cracks so easily?
Shen Mi held the hairpin, staring intently at the cracked ground, and then tentatively tried to pull the hairpin out from the crack. Sure enough, the clue was on the hairpin itself; one end of the pulled-out hairpin turned out to be something like a key.
Shen Mi suddenly remembered the box that Yang Qing handed her when she left the East Palace. It seemed to be locked with a mechanism. Could this hairpin be the key to open that box?
"Your Highness, this is what His Highness instructed you to take with you when you leave."
"His Highness instructed me to tell Her Majesty that this box should only be opened as a last resort."
Remembering Yang Qing's words, Shen Mi forced herself to stand up, turned to Cuiwei, and said, "Cuiwei, where did you put the box that Yang Qing gave us when I left the East Palace?"
Cuiwei was a little puzzled: "Isn't there a mechanism lock on that box? My lady hasn't been able to find the key yet, so why are you looking for that?"
"I think I've found the key, let's go find it quickly."
Cuiwei didn't dare to delay and quickly found the box.
Shen Mi aligned the strangely shaped end of the hairpin with the lock cylinder, took a deep breath, and inserted it perfectly. She tried to turn it, and the mechanism lock on the box was opened.
Her heart leaped into her throat, and she even forgot her grief as she opened the box.
Gu Zhan said that the box should only be opened as a last resort. Did he foresee that things would come to this and make arrangements in advance?
Shen Mi had never felt her heart beating so fast, even more nervous than when Gu Zhan recognized her at the teahouse outside Runzhou City.
After the box was opened, a tiger tally lay inside, with a letter pressed underneath it.
Shen Mi's eyes lit up. Could it be that Gu Zhanzhen had already made arrangements? Was this letter his instruction?
She didn't know the origin of the tiger tally, so she simply put it aside and took out the letter underneath it and opened it.
[Presented with utmost respect to you, my beloved:]
I recall our first meeting, a blessing beyond measure; years of marriage, my heart forever warm. You are like the bright moon illuminating my mortal world, like spring water nourishing this fleeting life. Alas, sudden rainstorms have battered the corridors, frost and wind have forced our way; trapped in this imprisoned place, I fear my brilliance will be tarnished. Now I untie the knot of our hearts, sever the branches of our intertwined lives. I return your radiant light to the sun and moon, so you may spread your wings and soar to the heavens. From now on, the willows in the courtyard will no longer be hindered by the swallows' flight; the flowers on the path will bloom freely, allowing your elegant attire to flow. I wish to choose a high branch to perch on, and not dwell on the regret of a withered fish.
I write this with overwhelming emotion, tears welling in my eyes, unable to speak. My only prayer is: may we both take care of ourselves from this day forward, and may we both find peace and safety. Gu Zhan, written this.
Shen Mi read through the letter Gu Zhan left her word by word, and with each sentence she read, she felt a pain that seemed to tear her heart out.
She thought the letter Gu Zhan left behind was an explanation of the origin and purpose of the tiger tally, but she never expected it to be a divorce agreement.
He said he was imprisoned and powerless to protect himself, so he wrote this letter of divorce.
No wonder Gu Zhan never showed up once after she was sent to the Shen family for so long. Even when Su Xingjian came, his answers were vague. In reality, everyone knew that Gu Zhan was in trouble, but they were keeping it from her.
At that time, everything was still peaceful in the Eastern Palace, but he anticipated that something might happen to him, so he sent someone to send her out of the Eastern Palace in advance, and left her this letter of divorce, saying that it should only be opened as a last resort. In fact, he left her a way out - she had already moved out of the Eastern Palace, and he had spread rumors of marital discord. She had this letter of divorce in her hands, the Shen family was still a respectable family, her father and brothers had died for the country, and she was the Princess of Jianing, personally appointed by the emperor. No one would make things difficult for her anymore.
This seemed to be the best way out he could think of for her in a short period of time.
But why? It's clearly a matter concerning the Shen family, yet she knows nothing about it and can only be arranged for.
Does protecting her mean letting her live with guilt for the rest of her life?
Shen Mi clutched her chest; she didn't want to accept this fact, but she had no choice but to.
If she could still deceive herself into thinking that Chen Jun was lying to her, when she saw the divorce agreement, all the facts were presented to her with perfect clarity.
Overwhelmed with grief, she felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and lost consciousness.
Cuiwei was terrified. She ordered the servants to fetch a doctor while she carefully put away the letter and the tiger tally for Shen Mi, as these things should not be seen by outsiders for the time being.
Tongguan.
Gu Zhan was sitting in the main seat, with Yang Qing standing beside him. Standing below the steps were Fan Nayan, the deputy military commissioner of Shaanxi, and some of his lower-ranking military officers.
These are all forces that Gu Zhan has built up over the years. The Shaanxi Military Commissioner is indeed a man of the Prince of Wei, but he went to the capital at the end of the year and has not yet returned. Therefore, all affairs of Shaanxi are handled by the Deputy Commissioner Fan Nayan.
Fan Nayan was a pawn he had planted in his early years. He did not want the pattern of using war to stop war on the border between Daqi and Dangxiang to continue. So he started making arrangements a few years ago, thinking that when he ascended the throne one day, the border would be filled with his trusted confidants, which would not only completely quell the border troubles, but also avoid the problem of the previous dynasty's regional warlords controlling the central government. He never expected that it would come in handy at this time.
Shortly after he was sent back to the Eastern Palace by the Emperor that day, the Eastern Palace was locked from the outside. At that time, he was still unsure of the Emperor's intentions, so he did not make any rash moves. Although there were the Thousand Bull Guards responsible for protecting the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace, if he forcibly broke out from inside, he would be guilty of being a "rebellious son and traitor." However, he had been in the Eastern Palace for nearly two months without any news coming from the palace.
It was true that he had spies in the palace, but the guards outside the East Palace couldn't get the messages in, so he could only observe from the East Palace.
Not long ago, a eunuch he didn't recognize came to deliver an imperial edict. The edict was to strip him of his title as crown prince and demote him to Chengdu in western Sichuan. He took the edict and immediately recognized the handwriting as that of the Prince of Wei. From this one edict alone, he gained a clear understanding of the situation outside. In the meantime, the commander of the Imperial Guards, whom he had befriended, came to ask for his opinion, inquiring whether he should directly force the emperor to abdicate. After learning that the emperor's fate was uncertain, he did not choose to act rashly in Bianjing.
As long as the decree to depose the crown prince was not issued by the emperor, he would still be the crown prince. Forcing the emperor to abdicate would have been falling into the trap set by the King of Wei. Therefore, he planned to turn the tables and travel through Shaanxi, passing through Tongguan and entering Xichuan.
When passing through Tongguan, he faked being murdered by mountain bandits, leaving no trace of his body. Then, Fan Nayan, the deputy military commissioner of Shaanxi, submitted a memorial to Bianjing, thus escaping unscathed. Once the time was right, he could use the pretext of "purging the court of corrupt officials" and his status as the crown prince to return to Bianjing with his troops in a dignified manner. At that time, the Prince of Wei would be the real traitor.
Fan Nayan relayed the latest news from Bianjing to Gu Zhan: "According to the news from Vice Minister Su, the Emperor's fate is still unknown. He controls the Funing Palace, but for the time being, he is still acting as regent with the title of Prince of Wei. There shouldn't be any major changes in the palace. However, things have changed in Bianjing. You see—"
Gu Zhan raised his hand, "No rush. I am the crown prince recognized by the ancestral temple and the state. If Gu Shen dares to ascend the throne after the Emperor's death, bypassing my coffin, it will be a treason. At that time, I will lead the army directly from Tongguan all the way back to Bianjing. I will not let any of the Wei King's faction go."
Fan Nayan nodded, looking at Gu Zhan with concern at the wounds he had made to complete the act, and asked, "Your Highness is still injured, why don't you rest soon?"
Gu Zhan lowered his eyes and looked at his chest, but what he thought of was not the wound from the arrow that pierced his flesh, but the wound from half a year ago, in a similar spot, where Shen Mi had stabbed him with a hairpin.
He left Shen Mi a way out: if he managed to return to Bianjing successfully by the time he had completely eliminated the threat, and Shen Mi had not yet opened the box, his promise could still be fulfilled.
Now that the situation at Tongguan has stabilized, those who know he is still alive are his confidants, and he is not worried about the news leaking out. He waved his hand, signaling Fan Nayan and the others to leave.
Once only he and Yang Qing remained in the tent, Gu Zhan turned to Yang Qing and asked, "How is the situation on her side?"
Having followed Gu Zhan for so many years, Yang Qing naturally knew that His Highness's biggest worry right now was the Crown Princess. He simply said, "Your Highness, rest assured, Prince Wei has no intention of harming Her Highness."
Gu Zhan hummed in agreement, then asked, "What about the imperial mausoleum?"
Yang Qing replied, "The King of Wei probably doesn't know about the relationship between Consort Yang and you, and he hasn't had time to deal with the imperial mausoleum yet." He paused, then asked Gu Zhan with concern, "But can the things in that box that His Highness left for Consort Yang really protect her forever?"
Gu Zhan unconsciously turned the jade ring on his thumb and said, "If she is safe and sound, she will not have the opportunity to open that box. And once that box is opened, the contents will give her two choices."
If she is truly disappointed in him and determined to divorce him, then the divorce agreement would be enough to solve all the problems she might face. If she still has a sliver of affection for him, then the tiger tally would be her second choice.
The tiger tally was enough to mobilize three thousand Imperial Guards of the Eastern Palace. If Shen Mi had the intention to come and find him, those three thousand Imperial Guards would risk their lives to escort her from Bianjing to Tongguan to reunite with him.
Now that things have come to this, he has given all the options to Shen Mi.
Bianjing, a secluded residence.
When Shen Mi awoke from her coma, it was already dusk. Cuiwei was guarding her bedside, never leaving her side.
She felt extremely heavy, as if she had gone through her life in a dream. When she opened her eyes again and saw the curtains above her head, she was stunned and dazed. After a long while, she regained her senses and called out, "Cuiwei."
Cuiwei immediately snapped out of her daze. Seeing Chenmi trying to sit up, she hurriedly found a pillow for her and poured her some warm water. When she brought the water to Chenmi's lips, she said with great concern, "Please be careful, my lady."
Shen Mi shook her head, trying to clear her mind. After swallowing two mouthfuls of warm water, she asked Cuiwei in a slightly hoarse voice, "Why did I suddenly faint?"
Cuiwei pursed her lips, her face showing hesitation: "My lady, you should be prepared."
Shen Mi lowered her brows. "Please speak freely."
"You are more than two months pregnant."
Shen Mi opened her lips, but couldn't utter a single word.
Two months? Could it be the time when Gu Zhan chained her up, and he was unrestrained at times?
She had longed for a child of her own, but now that she actually has one, she doesn't know how to face it.
Shen Mi raised her hand and touched her lower abdomen, her fingertips trembling slightly.
So, this child must be Gu Zhan's posthumous child?
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Author's Note: This book is in its final stages, and I'm a bit stuck. I need to sort out the logic, so updates will often be late. Please forgive me. [pity][pity]
I've outlined the story; it will be finished next Sunday. Hope you guys won't leave it unfinished! [pat on the head][pat on the head]
A giveaway will be held on the day the series concludes.
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