Chapter 15 The Death of the Imperial Concubine.
Jiang Chenyu stared intently at Xiao Che, a strange light in her eyes: "Che'er, my Che'er, good child, your mother was harmed by the Empress and her son today. You will definitely avenge your mother, won't you?"
Xiao Che gripped her hand tightly as it touched his face, his eyes red-rimmed, and said fiercely, "I will not let the Empress go. I will find evidence and report it to Father, making her pay the price!"
“Silly child, since Xiao Yan has already taken back that fake Liu Songnian’s painting, he must have already destroyed the evidence. You won’t find any proof… What crime can you convict based on just a bowl of non-poisonous ginseng soup… Without solid evidence, you can’t bring her down…”
"No, no, Mother, if anything happens to you, Father will make Cui pay with her life!"
"Even so, so what... Don't forget, it wasn't just Cui who killed me, but also her two sons. Che'er, if you want to avenge me, the best way is to seize Xiao Jue's position as crown prince. That would be a true act of destroying his spirit, more satisfying than killing Cui. Once you successfully ascend the throne, how you avenge me will be entirely up to you..."
"Che'er, promise me, for your mother's sake, you must replace Xiao Jue and become the Crown Prince, taking over the empire that rightfully belongs to our Jiang family from Xiao Yuangan!"
“Me?” Xiao Che was stunned. “That position, I never even considered it… My identity is that of the previous dynasty… how could I…”
"Why not!" Jiang Chenyu gasped for breath, her emotions suddenly becoming agitated: "You are the only bloodline of the former Qi Kingdom princess, with the blood of two dynasties flowing through your veins, possessing the most noble lineage. That position was born to belong to you, how can you belittle yourself!"
"I will make you succeed to the throne. I will ensure that every descendant of the Xiao family carries the blood of the Jiang family for generations to come. I will ensure that those Wei people who slaughtered our clansmen will never escape the curse of the Jiang family. This will be their greatest retribution! Hahahaha..."
"Only if you ascend to the throne can our Jiang clan, our Lanling people, reclaim everything that belongs to us..."
"Che'er, promise your mother... This is your mother's last wish. Do you want to watch your mother die with her eyes open in disgrace?"
Xiao Che looked at Jiang Chenyu, and for the first time in his life, it was as if he had never known her at all.
Unable to get a definite answer, Jiang Chenyu breathed heavily and pressed on, "Che'er, promise your mother, you may not care about anything else, but how can you not avenge your mother? The only way to get revenge is to seize the throne... Xiao Jue and Xiao Yan are Cui's henchmen; the three of them killed me... You don't need to worry about brotherly affection..."
"Have you forgotten how I took care of you tirelessly when you were sick as a child, kneeling before the gods and praying that I would give my life for your safety? When you woke up, what did you say to your mother? You said you would always obey her and never disobey her... Have you forgotten all of that...?"
Xiao Che glanced at her, hesitated, his eyes swirling with emotions, but finally he calmly asked, "Mother, if you don't love Father, then... do you love me?"
Jiang Chenyu was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting Xiao Che to suddenly ask her such a question.
After a brief moment of surprise, she lowered her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. When she looked up again, a smile quickly appeared on her lips: "You are my child, with the blood of the Jiang family flowing through your veins. Of course, I love you..."
Xiao Che gazed at her face for a long time before finally smiling slowly: "Thank you, Mother... I promise you. From today onward, I will fight for the throne at all costs."
Jiang Chenyu was stunned, her vision gradually blurring, tears welling up in her eyes. Looking at the boy who was no more than eighteen years old before her, she felt a touch of emotion: "...After Mother passes away, you must take good care of yourself. Ji Le will stay with you and will take good care of you and guide you in Mother's place..."
"Furthermore, Yan Xiao is a pawn that your mother has laid for you. Although the Yan family army has been incorporated, they have been led by the Yan family for generations and follow the lead of the Yan family descendants. Yan Xiao has now gained the trust of Emperor Wei Yuan. You must help him step by step to win opportunities to go out and fight, and establish military merits. He will become your bargaining chip in the future..."
"In addition, your mother has left you a group of assassins from the previous dynasty. Ji Le will give you the token to command and dispatch them at that time..."
"The last thing your mother can do for you is to pave the way for you with her life... I will tell Xiao Yuangan that it was Empress Cui who killed me. After my death, out of guilt towards me, he will do his best to make it up to you... Che'er, this is your best chance..."
She gave Xiao Che one last deep look, a look in her eyes that he couldn't decipher: a mixture of indebtedness, resentment, triumph, affection, reluctance, and satisfaction...
These shifting emotions intertwine, leaving one feeling lost and confused, unable to discern the truth.
A tear rolled down her cheek. She simply turned her head away and whispered, "Ji Le, please summon His Majesty..."
——
When Xiao Che left Pixiang Palace in a daze, he ran right into Emperor Wei Yuan rushing inside like a madman.
He staggered, his face showing a fear he had never seen before.
That kind of despair and unease.
The king, who was high above all others, had always been able to turn the world upside down with a flick of his wrist, displaying the composure and calmness of a ruler. He had never seen him lose his composure like this before.
Xiao Che turned his face away in unbearable pain and stood at the door. After a short while, he heard a heart-wrenching scream coming from inside.
He trembled uncontrollably, leaned against the palace door, and slowly slid down, finally breaking down in tears.
He knew that his mother had passed away.
——
Jiang Chenyu's passing is like a pebble thrown into a lake; it may seem insignificant, but it will cause ripples across the entire lake, making it no longer calm.
Xiao Yuangan had no more weaknesses and his madness was fully revealed.
He wants to depose the Cui family.
The forgery of Liu Songnian mentioned by Jiang Chenyu was not found, but that did not stop Xiao Yuangan from convicting Cui. Jiang Chenyu died after drinking that ginseng soup. Even if the ginseng soup was not poisonous, it was because she was too weak to take the supplement and it triggered her old illness. As the empress, she did not even know the dietary taboos of the people in the harem and indirectly caused the death of the imperial concubine. How could she not be guilty?
Although the verdict did not mention the forgery, secrets don't stay hidden forever in the palace. Under the pouring rain, Consort Cui knelt before the Zichen Hall, desperately trying to defend herself: "Your Majesty, I am innocent… It was Consort Jiang herself who said at a small banquet that she liked Liu Songnian's landscape paintings…"
"Over the years, she has remained the most favored concubine. I know I can't compare to her, so rather than making enemies, I'd rather show goodwill..."
“My subordinates just happened to say they had recently acquired a landscape painting by Liu Songnian, so I did them a favor and gifted it to the Jiang family. But I didn’t even use any Bai Zhuo Xiang (a type of incense) to infuse it… I’ve never even seen this incense before, so how could I possibly use it to harm anyone…”
“My subordinates just happened to mention that they had recently acquired a landscape painting by Liu Songnian, so I did them a favor and gifted it to the Jiang family. However, I didn’t use any Bai Zhuo Xiang (a type of incense) at all… I’ve never even seen this incense before, so how could I possibly use it to harm anyone…”
"As for that bowl of ginseng soup, Jiang said that she had been feeling tired lately, probably due to a relapse of her old ailment. In previous years, a bowl of ginseng soup made from Korean ginseng would cure her, but this year Korea had not yet sent tribute... A month after she said this, Korea sent tribute of ginseng... His Majesty rewarded me with three ginseng roots according to the prescribed amount..."
"Since she mentioned it before, I naturally have to grant it to her... I'll have Jue'er deliver it personally. However, my subordinate Linglong told me that Jiang's son is unlikely to inherit the throne, and Jiang is well aware of this. Jue'er longs for His Majesty's approval, so perhaps Jue'er could get to know her better and perhaps she could put in a good word for him with His Majesty..."
"As for why I asked Yan'er to retrieve Liu Songnian's landscape painting, it was only because Linglong apologized to me that day, saying that the landscape painting I had bestowed upon the Jiang family was a fake. I was ashamed, and Yan'er happened to be with me at the time, so I asked him to retrieve it personally and apologize on the side... After receiving the painting, I was so angry that it was a fake that I naturally had it burned. It was absolutely not to destroy evidence, Your Majesty..."
"If you don't believe me, you can simply send Linglong over, and you'll know the answer..."
The palace door creaked open with a dull, rough sound as it was slowly opened from the inside.
Lady Cui looked up abruptly through the rain, a flicker of joy crossing her face. She quickly crawled forward on her knees, saying, "Your Majesty, you've finally come to see me. You still believe in me, don't you..."
Emperor Wei Yuan, dressed in an ochre-colored casual robe with a jade belt at his waist, looked down at her with undisguised disgust in his eyes as he was held up by an umbrella by a eunuch. He sneered, "Linglong has already committed suicide out of fear of punishment, so how can she come here?"
Cui was completely stunned, as if all her strength had been drained away, and she collapsed to the ground: "Wh...what..."
She seemed to finally realize something, her eyes widening suddenly: "It's Linglong! She framed me! Yes, it was her who said there was a landscape painting by Liu Songnian... She also said she accidentally made a mistake and presented me with a fake. She's involved in everything. How could it be such a coincidence... Someone must have instructed her... It's Jiang Shi, she's Consort Jiang's person!"
She knelt at Xiao Yuangan's feet, clutching the corner of his robe, her expression dazed, repeatedly saying, "Yes, it was Jiang... Jiang framed me... She didn't want to live herself, but she wanted to drag me down with her. She was afraid that committing suicide would cause Xiao Che to fall out of favor, so she framed me to gain Your Majesty's pity. Yes, that must be it..."
She looked up sadly at Xiao Yuangan, the man she had fallen in love with at first sight and tried every means to marry.
The man's appearance was as handsome and dashing as ever, but his gaze toward her was as cold and indifferent as it had been back then.
She pleaded, "I am innocent! It was Jiang who framed me! Your Majesty, please investigate!"
But she was met with Xiao Yuangan's sinister eyes. He kicked her hard in the chest: "You wretch! What do you think you are, daring to mention the Imperial Concubine? I forbid you to slander her, do you understand?"
The kick landed squarely on Cui's chest, sending her sprawling to the ground. She fell forward into the puddle, a rush of blood filling her throat.
The rain grew heavier and heavier, and it seemed that only the sound of the rain could be heard in the world.
Her face was covered in water stains, making it impossible to tell whether it was rain or tears.
After more than twenty years of marriage, all that remained was this kick to the heart, all because she spoke disrespectfully to his beloved concubine.
A sharp, throbbing pain shot through my chest.
It hurts, it really hurts...
She suddenly burst into laughter, seemingly maniacal, staring intently at him as she said, "Xiao Yuangan, how dare you treat me like this! How dare you! You want to cripple me? Don't even dream about it. The powerful families of the Xuanlong Sect will not agree to it. Don't forget, my surname is Cui, and I come from the Cui clan of Boling!"
"Is that so?" Xiao Yuangan smiled faintly: "You are indeed from the Cui family of Boling, but unfortunately, you are just an unimportant concubine's daughter from a collateral branch. At that time, the legitimate daughter of the Cui family suddenly fell ill and could not enter the palace, and the Cui family could not find a suitable candidate for the time being. So the title of Empress fell to you. You just picked up a ready-made advantage. Do you really think you are so noble and unique?"
"The powerful clans don't value you as much as you think. All they want is an empress from the Cui family. Whether it's you or another Cui woman, it doesn't make much difference to them."
A cold glint appeared on his lips as he sneered, "If you were truly as important as you think, why would they have you kneeling in this downpour, begging for mercy before me like a dog?"
“Cui Wanqing, let me tell you the truth, you have become a useless piece of trash in the Xuanlong family.”
He closed his eyes tightly, his eyelids twitching as if he were enduring immense pain: "The Imperial Concubine is dead, and someone must pay the price for her death."
"Tell me, was that you, or was it the Crown Prince who personally handed that bowl of ginseng soup to the Imperial Concubine?"
Cui's face turned deathly pale instantly. Her lips trembled as she stared at Xiao Yuangan in disbelief: "Xiao Yuangan, are you insane! Jue'er is your own son!"
Xiao Yuangan bent down and slowly laughed, his eyebrows and eyes full of madness, saying only, "So what? The Imperial Concubine is dead, and I wish the whole world would be buried with her!" Madman... truly a complete madman... Cui Shi had always thought that Xiao Yuangan's various unconventional actions were all caused by Jiang Chenyu.
She had fantasized countless times that if Jiang Chenyu could disappear from this world, Xiao Yuangan would no longer be so irrational.
Now that Jiang Chenyu is finally dead, what awaits her is a Xiao Yuangan who has gone even crazier.
It turns out that Xiao Yuangan was born a mad dog. If Jiang Chenyu were still alive, this mad dog would still have some restraint and would make concessions and compromises with the outside world for Jiang Chenyu's sake. Now that Jiang Chenyu is dead, it is like a mad dog without a leash. Wouldn't it become even more mad and lawless, without any restraint?
Xiao Yuangan looked at her, a smile still on his lips, but his words were utterly scathing: "Which is more important, your future or the Crown Prince's? Those aristocratic families can tell the difference."
"I have only deposed you, not killed you. I have already given the Cui family of Boling enough face. Besides, the Cui family of Boling is not short of women of marriageable age. I have already promised that after deposing you, I will make another Cui woman empress. They will naturally have no further objections. In any case, as long as the position of empress is not held by Jiang Chenyu, it makes no difference to me who it is."
"As for you, Wanqing," he whispered in her ear, his voice so gentle it was almost eerie, "you might as well go to hell."
Cui Wanqing felt a chill run down her spine.
It was like a venomous snake coiling around the neck, slowly flicking its tongue behind the ear.
She knew that being deposed was just the beginning.
Once she becomes a deposed empress, no one cares about her life or death, or whether she is worse off than dead.
Someone has to pay the price for Jiang Chenyu's death, and the price Xiao Yuangan wants is far more than just crippling her.
Once you realize this, you stop caring about anything.
Because she knew that no matter what she did, the outcome was predetermined.
What's the use of wagging your tail and begging in front of him like a dog? He won't pity you at all.
Because you are not Jiang Chenyu, everything you do is in vain.
Cui Wanqing suddenly burst into laughter, seemingly insane, and laughed for a good while before gradually stopping.
She looked at Xiao Yuangan and said softly, word by word, "Xiao Yuangan, you are so pitiful..."
Xiao Yuangan frowned: "I pity you? You should pity yourself, Cui Wanqing. I think you've really gone mad."
"Aren't you pitiful? I think you're terribly pitiful!"
She curved her lips into a strange smile: "You know everything, don't you? You actually know everything. I was just used by Jiang Chenyu! She didn't want to live anymore! Why? You know everything in your heart! All these years, by your side, has she ever had a moment of genuine peace? No! Every day has been filled with agonizing suffering..."
"Perhaps she couldn't hold on any longer, or perhaps for some other reason, who knows? But one thing is certain: she is finally free..."
As she watched Xiao Yuangan's face grow increasingly gloomy, she felt a surge of pleasure: "You actually know everything, but you just dare not admit it, don't you? You dare not admit that the Consort's death was nothing short of a complete suicide!"
"Because that would mean she stopped loving you all these years ago. Every day she spent by your side was worse than death for her, and death would be a relief... uh..."
"Shut up!" Xiao Yuangan suddenly reached out and grabbed her throat, as if he was trying his best to suppress some violent emotion that was about to erupt. Veins bulged on his forehead, and he gritted his teeth and said, "I told you to shut up!"
Cui Wanqing struggled painfully, trying to push his arm away, but he was extremely strong, his iron arm holding her firmly in place, and her struggles were completely futile.
Breathing became extremely difficult, and her vision began to blur. She had no strength left, but she still struggled to speak: "I...I hit a nerve, didn't I..."
"Hahaha, how pathetic... Xiao Yuangan... thought that as long as he went to great lengths to win her back, he could... could make her change her mind... In fact, she died eighteen years ago... How laughable... You destroyed her country, slaughtered her people, and yet... you still dared to hope that she would love you... This is truly... the most ridiculous thing in the world..."
"You...you've only held onto an empty shell for eighteen years...I'm pitiful? Aren't you...pitiful too...The high and mighty emperor is nothing more than a pathetic worm manipulated by her...Hahaha..."
"Jiang Chenyu is dead... Actually... you're the one who killed her! You're the one who started it all... But you don't dare admit it, you can't accept her death, and you can't accept the real cause of her death either... So you can only try to shift the blame for her death onto me... Only in this way can you feel a little better, right..."
"Yes, someone has to pay the price for her death. Naturally, that person can't be the deceased Jiang family member, so... it can only be me, the one she used... Hahaha, Xiao Yuangan, that's all you can do, you can only... vent your anger on me... You don't even... dare to blame her... She killed herself... yet... you can only vent your anger on me..."
"You wretch, have you said enough? What nonsense are you spouting!" Xiao Yuangan breathed heavily and slammed the woman to the ground, her forehead hitting the floor tiles hard. Cui Wanqing finally lost consciousness.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
