raging fire
"Chao Xia, come and take a look. Do I look good today?"
Rong Ying was wearing a pink and white dress today. The dark pattern of peony branches shone with her movements, and she only wore a pearl hairpin in her hair.
"It looks good. Concubine Chen has been dressing up for so long, and now this outfit is beautiful and not exaggerated. It suits you very well."
Rong Ying straightened her clothes and took the stewed soup from Chao Xia. "In two days it will be the anniversary of General Huo's death. His Highness always shuts himself up in his sanctuary and recites scriptures all day long. Let's take this opportunity to bring him some nourishing soup."
"The concubine is really thoughtful."
As Chao Xia walked forward, he suddenly saw a figure in the distance heading in their direction. "Isn't that Lord Zhang? What a coincidence! He's also looking for His Highness to discuss something."
Rong Ying's face turned uneasy upon hearing this, and she quickened her pace. "Hurry, get ahead of him. The sun is so strong today, and it will take him a long time to get in. I don't want to wait for him outside."
But Zhang Yannian was walking too fast today, tripping over a stone and dropping something without even noticing. Rong Ying hurried after him. Chao Xia picked up the cloth bag and handed it to Rong Ying. "This is what Master Zhang wants to give to His Highness. It's perfect. If you take it in later, Eunuch Liang won't say anything."
Rong Ying opened the cloth bag, revealing a bamboo slip and a sachet. She glanced at them and was shocked when she saw the contents.
"Chao Xia, take the things."
She handed the soup to Chao Xia and looked around. "Wait here. I'll go find a side hall to change clothes. I'll be back in a while."
Chaoxia nodded, confused. She noticed Zhang Yannian suddenly stop, as if realizing he'd left something behind, and turned back. Thinking of the cloth bag Rongying had taken, she felt a bit guilty and tried to move aside. However, Zhang Yannian, with his sharp eyes, recognized her at a glance.
"Miss Chaoxia, did you see it just now..."
As Zhang Yannian was speaking, a stream of hot soup suddenly splashed onto his chest, forcing him to step back. Taking advantage of his flustered state, Rong Ying handed the cloth bag to Chao Xia, winked at her, and then used a handkerchief to wipe his hands.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Mr. Zhang, are you okay? I was in a hurry to bring soup to His Highness and didn't notice you."
Zhang Yannian frowned. "Nothing. I left in a hurry just now and left something important behind. I wonder if Concubine has seen the cloth bag?"
"I just went to change clothes, Chao Xia?"
"I did find a cloth bag, and it feels hard. I wonder if it's what Lord Zhang lost?"
Chao Xia put down the soup and took out a long gray cloth bag from his sleeve and handed it to Zhang Yannian.
"That's exactly what it is. Thank you, Miss Chaoxia, and thank you, Concubine."
Zhang Yannian held the object tightly in his hand, looked at the oil stain on his chest, and said, "Since Concubine wants to bring soup to His Highness, you may as well go ahead. I will go change my clothes and come back later."
Chao Xia's face lit up with joy, but Rong Ying said, "Sir, you have something important to do, so please go first. I'll ask Eunuch Liang to bring it to His Highness."
Zhang Yannian leaned forward slightly to watch them leave, then immediately opened the cloth bag. The bamboo slips were still there, as was the porcelain bottle. He gently stroked the porcelain bottle with his fingertips, placed it back in the cloth bag, and walked towards the prince's residence.
"Concubine, why did we let Master Zhang go first? Aren't we supposed to deliver soup to His Highness?"
Rong Ying took out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve, poured out the pills inside, and threw them into the flowers.
Chao Xia was a little surprised. She recognized the porcelain vase. "Concubine, isn't this it?"
"Chao Xia, do you know where Huangshan Palace is?"
"Huangshan Palace is in the suburbs of Beijing."
"There's something important I need you to do for me."
Ah Jiao waited all night and half the morning, having no appetite. She wondered if Lü Xian's letter had reached Zhang Yannian, or if something had happened along the way. It wasn't until evening that news finally arrived from Lü Xian. He stood at the doorway, carrying a food box. "I heard that Shanxin hasn't eaten all day. I thought he was taking care of his health, so I've made some porridge and some side dishes in the kitchen. Shanxin, please have some."
"You know I'm waiting..."
"Hush." Lu Xian shook his head at her and looked outside. "The millet porridge I just cooked is on the top layer. The second layer is pickles and vegetable dumplings. They're fresh out of the pot. Believers, please be careful not to get burned."
Lu Xian only stayed at the door for a while before leaving. As soon as he left, Gillian couldn't wait to open the lunch box, but it was empty. There was nothing strange about it, and there was no layer at the bottom of the lunch box.
Strange... She scooped a spoonful of pickles into the porridge, looked at the big white steamed bun, and suddenly thought of something. Baozi... Lu Xian just said it was a baozi!
She immediately opened the bun and saw a tiny, clearly broken bamboo slip hidden inside. One, two, three, four, five… five buns in total. She broke them open one by one, piecing the broken pieces together to form a single bamboo slip. The familiar handwriting came into view.
After reading, Ah Jiao opened the last steamed bun. Inside was a small porcelain vase with a chrysanthemum pattern. She gently stroked it, feeling her frayed nerves ease slightly. Only Zhang Yannian would have believed her without hesitation, given such a shocking story, and even made such careful arrangements for her. Fleeing was a capital offense, and if Emperor Wu of Han knew, he would be the first person to be executed. Yet, he still chose to help her. She didn't know how to repay this kindness...
According to Zhang Yannian's plan, Liu Che would arrive tonight. While they were talking, the guards would relax, and a bowl of ice slurry mixed with a drug would be delivered from the kitchen. Liu Che would then fall unconscious after taking it. She would then call the guards, and while everyone was in disarray, Zhang Yannian's men would set a fire in the backyard to attract everyone's attention. They would then escape to the bamboo forest and exit through the corner gate. The bodies of the executed prisoners, already prepared, would also be placed in a side room in the backyard. By the time Liu Che woke up, everything would be over, and the fire would be beyond investigation. Whether she wanted to start a new life or continue to stay in the capital, Zhang Yannian would be able to arrange it for her.
After reviewing a day's worth of memorials, Liu Che rode in a sedan chair across the winding mountain road. It was already dark when he disembarked. A light rain sprinkled the inky night sky. Puddles of water formed in the courtyard, reflecting the moonlight in a shimmering silver light. His gaze gleamed as he fixed on a small, bamboo-enclosed hut within the Huangshan Palace. He strode towards it.
"Your Majesty, please slow down. The rain is falling on you."
Jiang Chong, holding an umbrella, often couldn't reach the briskly walking Liu Che, feeling helpless and anxious. The first thing the emperor did when he returned that day was to order water for a bath. He looked at the white marks left on his black robe, completely confused as to what was going on. His heart was pounding. When his apprentice asked him what was going on, how could he know? He wanted to know, too.
Was it He Liangdi's cunning tactics that had successfully captivated the Emperor, turning her into a second Madam Zhao, or had the Emperor trusted the copper coin seal in her hand, mistaking her for Empress Chen? Resurrection from the dead, at least he didn't believe it. He even felt that from the very beginning, Madam Huo had been a demonic force. Not only had she deceived the Emperor and killed many, but now the Emperor's temper was also volatile, suspicious, and fickle. Even someone like him, who had served him for so many years, couldn't fathom his true intentions. However, offering advice wasn't easy. He wasn't a censor or an imperial censor, relying on the Emperor's power to enjoy respect and honor. How could he dare interfere in the Emperor's affairs?
For example, tonight, the emperor suddenly decided to come to Huangshan Palace on a whim. Was it a posthumous execution? He didn't think so. His steps were brisk, and although his face was tired, there was a certain excitement in his eyes that he couldn't understand. He thought, this He Liangdi wouldn't be able to stay in Huangshan Palace for much longer.
When Liu Che pushed the door open, A Jiao was leaning against the window, gazing at the thin bamboos at the gate. Fine raindrops fell on the bamboo leaves, forming a layer of crystal water film, dense and elegant.
"Why do you like admiring bamboo?"
The emperor suddenly walked in, carrying with him the damp smell of rain and dust that filled her nose. A Jiao immediately bowed to him and tried to take off his cloak, but Liu Che dodged her touch and said, "It's very damp from the rain. Please sit down. Let Jiang Chong come."
He handed the cloak to Jiang Chong, and warmed his sleeves in front of the candlelight before walking into the inner room.
Gillian looked at him warily, feeling something was amiss. Shouldn't he have come to confront him? Why had he suddenly changed his mind today?
Liu Che saw her expression change and smiled, "Why are you standing? Sit down, I have something to ask you."
Gillian's heart was filled with alarm, but she still sat down opposite him, "The storm is raging, Your Majesty, please have a cup of tea. If you have anything to say, please feel free to ask me."
"Have you been to Wuzhou?"
"I grew up in the capital and have never been anywhere else."
Liu Che smiled, dipped his fingertips in the tea, and sketched something on the table. "Do you recognize what this is?"
He was painting a painting of a white lotus in the sky. Before they were married, they were at Tsukuba Tower. It was Liu Che who told her about the water-resistant properties of Wuzhou ink. Later, they even went to Wuzhou to bathe in hot springs. Ah Jiao felt a little flustered. Was he testing her? What had he discovered?
"Your Majesty, have you ever been to Wuzhou?"
"I went there with my wife when we were newly married. She said the landscape of Wuzhou was very beautiful, the ink like smoke and the brushstrokes like clouds."
Ah Jiao smiled and moved closer to Liu Che when she heard this, "I really envy you, Madam."
"What are you envious of?"
"I envy your majesty for treating her so well. Ever since I married the Crown Prince, I've never had a single day of his favor. He always looked at me coldly and I dared not step out of the house, fearing I would displease him. I also envy your majesty for having a husband who loves her so much."
Liu Che's eyes were a little complicated, and his smile was not visible in his eyes. "Really?"
"Of course it's true. If I could have a husband as considerate and brave as Your Majesty, and be by his side every day, I would be satisfied."
She leaned slightly towards Liu Che, observing his expression, but Liu Che suddenly avoided her touch with a hint of coldness on his face.
"High houses with grey tiles, golden railings and jade cages, what's there to admire? Sometimes I wonder if I wasn't an emperor, if I wasn't born into the royal family, shouldering the heavy responsibility of ruling the country. I would rather be with just one person, bathing together in the cold, listening to the rain and watching the snow, and living a simple life in the mountains."
Liu Che's eyes were dark, his hands hidden in his sleeves were tightly curled up, and he was secretly observing the reactions of the people beside him.
"It's a pity that Your Majesty was born as the Son of Heaven and was born to have such wealth and honor."
Liu Che heard a harsh undertone in her words. "Are you saying that I deserve to be trapped in this palace, while you can freely choose where you want to go and live the life you want?"
The look he cast at that moment made Gillian feel uneasy, as if he saw through everything. What did he know? Or was it just a casual remark? Her heart suddenly began to beat, and she could only comfort herself, don't panic, don't panic.
If he really knew about her plan to escape, he would definitely not speak to her in such a nice tone as he did now. If he had noticed the abnormality of her identity, he would not have rejected her when she said she wanted to follow him into the palace.
"What are you thinking about? Answer me."
Liu Che cast a deep gaze at her. "He Qingping, instead of fighting and scheming in the palace, don't you think it would be better to be a free and unrestrained person, enjoying the world? Since entering the palace, have you ever regretted getting involved in this cold palace for those ridiculous ideas and those unworthy people?"
"Your Majesty..." She was a little stunned by his question, her mind full of worries about him seeing through her plan and how to deal with it afterwards. Just as she was about to force a smile to get by, she was interrupted by Liu Che's cold voice.
"to be honest."
"I...at first, the Queen asked me if I was willing to marry the Crown Prince. I thought the Crown Prince was kind and gentle, and treated me well. He would personally feed my rabbits grass and brush their fur. He would bring me my favorite cakes and give me pearl hairpins and jewelry. I felt that marrying such a husband would definitely bring a peaceful life. But I thought life would be too simple. This is not just a matter for two people. The Crown Prince has concubines in the East and West Palaces, and the Queen Mother is constantly questioning him. I am too crude, with neither extraordinary beauty nor the ability to take care of the affairs of the palace. Over time, we grew tired of each other. Things in the world are like this: one wrong step leads to another. But there is no medicine for regret. I am not exempt from the responsibility for having come to this point today."
A mocking smile crossed Liu Che's face, indicating she regretted it. Yes, if it weren't for a childhood joke, if it weren't for his ridiculous promise, she could have married another member of the royal family, found a man of exceptional appearance and talent, and with his and the Empress Dowager's protection, she could have lived a peaceful and happy life. She was precious, raised in the palm of her hand, and she wouldn't have had to endure all these hardships. It was all because of him!
He thought he could protect her like before, but intentionally or unintentionally, he ended up hurting her, and he felt guilty and resentful.
But since God had given her another chance to start over, he had also given him another chance. He would give her everything she wanted, and he would make up for everything he owed her, bit by bit. She wanted to leave him, but that was impossible. He remembered her thin face when he first saw her, her hands covered with calluses, and her rough skin...
He sent someone to check the room where He Qingping lived. There was a broken jar, a leaky roof, and moss in the corners. She was so delicate, and she was actually doing the work of chopping wood and washing. How could she do that? She couldn't bear such hardship. She should be under his protection and return to his side. How could she leave him?
She keenly sensed that Liu Che seemed to be suppressing his anger, and she hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I haven't eaten yet. Why don't you have some with me before leaving?"
At this time, she smelled the aroma of food from the kitchen, and sure enough, after a while, she saw a little Taoist priest walking in with food in his hands.
Zhang Yannian said he had a mole on his tiger's lip, and that it would clink three times on the rim of the poisoned bowl. She stared at the Taoist priest. Steamed mung bean sprouts, stewed radish with meat, flatbread... her eyes fell on the last bowl of milk, and she thought to herself, "Oh no! This bad luck?"
She watched helplessly as the Taoist priest tapped the milk, her heart sinking. She had forgotten to tell Zhang Yannian that Liu Che couldn't eat milk, as it would break out in a rash. Now the soft tendons were scattered here, what was she supposed to do now?
She looked at the dishes in front of her with a headache, and suddenly thought of something. She borrowed some of the medicine from old man Lu Xian's alchemy room and made some into aphrodisiac powder. She also made some into tranquilizing pills. They were both calming and relaxing, so they should be effective.
Ah Jiao suddenly stood up, and Liu Che looked at her, "What are you going to do?"
"I didn't know His Majesty was coming. How can we have food but no wine? I brewed a pot of good wine myself. It's in the inner kitchen. I'll go get it."
Liu Che looked at her suspiciously, "Jiang Chong, light the way for her."
Jiang Chong followed her closely, and she didn't have a chance to do anything from the moment she entered the kitchen until she came back.
"The wine jar is heavy, leave it to me."
He vaguely sensed the other person's unhappy gaze and inexplicably shrank his neck, then straightened up again. What was this vulgar girl doing so arrogantly?
When she sat down in front of Liu Che, she scooped a spoonful of liquor into two wooden bowls with a wine spoon. She secretly rubbed some powder with her left hand and pushed the bowl to Liu Che.
"Your Majesty, please try my cooking skills."
"You can even brew wine?" Liu Che sneered. He could tell from the smell that this wine was at least two or three years old, considering how little time she had spent there. He wondered what this little bully was thinking. Jiang Chong had been following her the whole time, and he must be furious, yet he was putting on a smile.
She heard the sarcasm in Liu Che's words and laughed, what were she laughing at? She wasn't afraid of laughing so hard on her old face.
She took the first sip, holding it in her mouth, then suddenly stood up and leaned towards the person sitting opposite her. The warm wine flowed down her dry lips, sending a warm current from her throat to her stomach. She suddenly pulled away, lowering her head and looking up at him. "I know much more. If Your Majesty brings me to the palace, I will show you all my skills..."
Liu Che swallowed a mouthful of wine, but found it surprisingly sluggish. He looked at her deeply. Seeing this, Jiang Chong quickly winked at everyone and they retreated.
The moon was cool and the rain was heavy. A palace maid sneezed. Jiang Chong looked at the dim candlelight inside the house and thought for a moment that he probably wouldn't be able to leave for a while. He said to the palace maid, "This spring chill hasn't passed yet. Let's all go inside to warm up. One person can stay here to watch."
"Go and have a rest, father-in-law. I'll take care of it."
A palace maid spoke. Jiang Chong found her unfamiliar, but he didn't think much of it and followed everyone in.
Inside the room, Liu Che's blazing gaze was fixed on Ah Jiao, but he didn't come over like he usually did. He just stared at her. Seeing that made her scalp tingle. She slowly took off her coat and softly raised the wine bowl, "Your Majesty, why don't you drink? Do you think my wine is..."
"A-choo!" The window was suddenly blown open by a strong wind, and she shivered with cold. Liu Che walked over with a sullen face and pulled her clothes up, "Jiang Chong, get her a hand warmer."
The person who came in was a short palace maid. She lowered her head and handed over the hand warmer. At Liu Che's command, she took a handkerchief and wiped the raindrops that had just blown onto Ah Jiao's body. Ah Jiao said, "Your Majesty, I'm not cold."
Liu Che forcefully had another cloak he brought with him put on her. He closed the window to block the row of unsightly bamboos.
Seeing Gillian coming back, he was about to clear the wine and food from the table, but when Gillian stopped him, he said, "The rain outside just now has spilled in. Let's ask them to change the table."
How could this be possible? After finally adding the ingredients, he had to drink the bowl of wine.
Ah Jiao said, "These are all made by me personally. Your Majesty, please try a bite of each..."
She acted like a good kid, looking at Liu Che with her watery eyes. He lowered his eyes, picked up a radish with chopsticks, and sneered in his heart, haha, it was still the work of the fat Taoist priest in Huangshan Palace.
Ah Jiao watched him take a few bites of food, then picked up the wine bowl attentively, "Your Majesty, I toast you."
Liu Che picked up the wine glass, watched her drink it all, took a sip, but suddenly saw that she frowned and covered her stomach.
"What’s wrong with you?"
"Nothing, just a little nauseous..." "I... vomit..."
She retched twice, then suddenly foamed at the mouth and collapsed headfirst onto the table. Liu Che was horrified. She must have been poisoned! But she had brought the wine herself, so if anyone was going to poison her, they should have put the poison in his bowl… Yes, his bowl. Rainwater mixed with fallen leaves had just drifted into her bowl, so he poured out that bowl of wine, placed his own in front of her, and poured a fresh bowl.
He suddenly pinched her philtrum and asked, "What did you put in that bowl?"
The bottle of medicine rolled out from her sleeve. Liu Che smelled it and frowned. This familiar smell, familiar formula, she was refining her broken pill again... When she was a child, she liked to run into that alchemy room and feed him those colorful pills. He always ate them until he saw stars and had diarrhea. How dare he use his little skill to harm others.
He glanced at the things on the table. Milk! Yes, milk is mild in nature and can be used to detoxify. It can temporarily suppress her abdominal pain.
Ah Jiao was dazed and vomiting profusely. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Liu Che holding the bowl of milk and feeding it to her mouth. Her eyes immediately widened. No, no, no, no, don't come over here... No! There's a drug in that bowl! How can she escape with this drug added to it?
Ah Jiao stared, whimpering, and Liu Che felt a little more at ease, feeling much better. It seemed to be working. He pinched her mouth and fed her the milk spoonful by spoonful. In a moment, the bowl of milk was empty. He hugged her, laid her on the couch, and wiped her carefully with a wet handkerchief. A faint smell of cigarette smoke wafted into his nose. At first, he ignored it, but then he noticed a slightly strange smell.
He stopped what he was doing. This smell... was kerosene!
He ran outside and opened the door, and saw that a raging fire had suddenly broken out in the yard, and the entire bamboo forest was on fire.
"Jiang Chong! Jiang Chong?"
Jiang Chong and the others were nowhere to be found, save for a shadow that suddenly darted past, heading eastward toward the bamboo forest. He returned to his room, carried Ah Jiao on his back, and was about to leave. As he reached the door, he felt a warm current slowly flow down his neck into his chest, and the smell of blood filled his nose. He shuddered and slowly lowered his head. It was blood.
It's Gillian's blood...
The girl frowned, black blood oozing from her mouth. As he slowly laid her down, she spat out another mouthful of blood the moment she hit the ground. She clutched her stomach, her eyes red and her face pale.
"How could this happen?" His hands, which were supporting her back, were shaking violently. He didn't understand what had happened. Why was the person who was just fine suddenly dying and about to leave him? He shouted loudly, "Help, help! Help!"
Unconsciously, warm tears flowed from his sunken eyes and fell on her dress.
She endured the severe pain and raised her hand slightly, pointing to the bamboo forest in the east, "Let's go... let's go quickly."
In fact, the very moment Ah Jiao vomited blood, she'd been asking the same question: How could this happen? How could someone be so unlucky! First, she'd accidentally ingested her homemade tranquilizing powder, then swallowed the poison in the milk! Damn it, including this time, she'd already died three times before reaching thirty! Which bastard was trying to bring retribution upon Liu Che? In her past life, and the life before that, what had she done to Liu Che that she had to take so much trouble for him in this life?
Her thin hand grabbed Liu Che's big palm, "Liu Che... in the next life..."
She spat out another mouthful of blood. The figure in front of her began to blur, but her body felt increasingly hot, as if her flesh was about to be singed. It was the fire that Zhang Yannian had arranged. According to the plan, she should have followed his men eastward down the mountain. The fire would reach the house and burn the entire bamboo forest. He had to leave.
Never mind. I bullied him a lot when we were little. Now I'll just take it as my repayment. She turned her head, looked towards the east, and opened her mouth.
"Walk……"
Before she could finish her words, her hand around his loosened. Liu Che felt his hand suddenly sink and he stood there in a daze.
The breath... is gone.
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