Chapter 92 The Empress Dowager's Death, Yuwen Che's Nightmare
Yuwen Che looked at the Empress Dowager, who was now lifeless on the bed. Her eyes, which had once been full of ambition and calculation, were now wide open and empty.
A scalding tear, without warning, slid down his cheek and landed on his dragon robe.
He reached out, his fingertips trembling slightly, and slowly, gently covered the Empress Dowager's eyelids, closing her eyes.
"Mother, you wish to be Empress Lü... but your son's surname is Yuwen, not Liu."
"I am Yuwen Che, not Liu Ying..."
Only his suppressed breathing could be heard inside the hall.
He remained bent over for a long time before finally speaking in a very low, choked voice to his mother, who would never respond to him again:
"Mother..."
"Do you know..."
"When my second brother was alive... he secretly taught me to ride a horse... and protected me from being bullied by my other brothers... He was so, so good to me..."
These words, buried deep in his heart for over a decade, carrying the purest reliance and longing of his youth, were finally uttered in a low, hoarse voice by his birth mother's deathbed, amidst tears and endless complex emotions.
The icy touch of the poisoned wine, the incredulous yet knowing look in his second brother's eyes as he collapsed, and the obsession his mother held before her death and the horror she felt when his ambition was exposed... all these images intertwined, almost tearing him apart.
He suddenly sat up straight, his back to the phoenix bed, and forcefully closed his eyes, forcing back the tears that were about to well up.
He was the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty and Luo Xue's support; he could not allow himself to wallow in the pain of the past.
When he opened his eyes again, the calmness of an emperor had returned to his eyes, but deep within them, there was an indelible heaviness and weariness.
He turned to face the empty palace gate and called out in a deep voice:
"Li Dehai".
Li Dehai, who was waiting outside, immediately pushed open the door and entered, bowing: "This old servant is here."
Yuwen Che's voice was completely calm, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority:
"The Empress Dowager has passed away."
"According to custom, a funeral shall be held."
As soon as Yuwen Che finished speaking, Qin Mama led the palace servants into the inner hall. The suppressed sobs and hurried footsteps instantly filled the entire Cining Palace.
Hearing the commotion inside, the concubines kneeling outside also raised their sobs, and for a moment, cries of sorrow filled the air.
Yuwen Che seemed not to hear these voices. He walked out of Cining Palace with a blank expression, going against the rush of palace people and the sobbing concubines.
Li Dehai followed cautiously beside him, not daring to say a word.
The cold night wind blew against his face, biting him to the bone. Yuwen Che walked step by step along the palace path, his figure in the black dragon robe appearing particularly lonely in the night. He pressed his lips tightly together, suppressing all the emotions that had surged within him in the palace—that tear, that question that had been suppressed for so many years, and his longing and guilt towards his second brother—all of them were firmly pushed back into the depths of his heart.
He stopped, looked up, and gazed towards a certain direction deep within the palace, where warm lights shone for him.
"Li Dehai".
"This old servant is here."
“Go to Guanju Palace.” His voice was slightly hoarse.
"yes."
The gates of Guanju Palace had already been locked, but the eunuchs guarding the gates saw the emperor's procession from afar and immediately opened the gates silently.
Yuwen Che waved to stop the palace servants from announcing his arrival and quietly walked into the inner hall alone.
Only a small lamp was left on in the bedroom. Su Luoxue was covered with a brocade quilt and was fast asleep, breathing evenly, with one hand unconsciously resting on her swollen belly.
Yuwen Che stood in front of the bed, gazing quietly at her sleeping face. He carefully took off his outer robe, lifted a corner of the quilt, and lay down beside her as little as possible without disturbing her.
As soon as he lay down, Su Luoxue unconsciously turned over in her sleep, as if seeking a source of warmth, and gently snuggled into his arms, letting out a satisfied murmur.
Yuwen Che reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her, avoiding her stomach, so that she could lean more comfortably against his chest.
Feeling her warm body temperature and steady breathing, and smelling her familiar, faint fragrance, Yuwen Che's tense heartstrings finally relaxed. He closed his eyes, buried his face in her soft hair, and took a deep breath.
Only here, by her side, could he temporarily shed his imperial armor and become the Yuwen Che who felt pain, tiredness, and needed warmth.
"Xue'er..." he called silently in his heart, tightening his arms around her.
Late at night, the sleeping quarters of Guanju Palace were quiet.
Yuwen Che was trapped in a nightmare, his forehead covered in cold sweat, his chest heaving violently. He instinctively tightened his arms.
"Second Brother! Second Brother!" In the dream, the young Yuwen Che excitedly ran into his second brother's palace, carefully holding a delicate jade cup in his hands. "Look, this fruit syrup is a fine tribute from the Western Regions. I specially brought it for you to try!"
The Second Prince, who was practicing his sword in the courtyard, stopped when he heard the sound, turned around with a smile, and a thin layer of sweat still clung to his forehead. He had always doted on his clever and quick-witted younger brother the most. He took the jade cup and patted Yuwen Che's head, saying, "It's still Che'er who thinks of his second brother."
Without the slightest doubt, he tilted his head back and drank the amber liquid in the glass in one gulp.
"Alright," the Second Prince handed the empty cup back to Yuwen Che, then picked up another wooden sword and chuckled, "Come on, your second brother will teach you a new sword technique today..."
Before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed, and the wooden sword in his hand clattered to the ground! He clutched his abdomen, his body swayed, and a trickle of dark red blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
Yuwen Che was stunned, and the jade cup in his hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
"Second Brother!" He rushed forward in a panic, trying to support him.
The second prince abruptly shoved his hand away, staggered back two steps, leaned against the stone table, and spat out another mouthful of blood. He stared at him in disbelief, his eyes filled with shock and pain: "Che'er... this wine... this wine... who gave it to you?"
Yuwen Che was terrified by the look in his eyes, and hurriedly replied in a tearful voice, "It was Mother... Mother gave it to me! Second Brother, what's wrong? Don't scare me! Quick! Quickly call the imperial physician!"
Upon hearing the words "Empress Dowager," the shock in the Second Prince's eyes gradually transformed into a profound sorrow and resignation. He gave Yuwen Che a deep look, his gaze incredibly complex, containing sympathy, understanding, and a trace of pity for his younger brother who had been used.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just collapsed helplessly and fell silent.
"Second Brother—!" The young Yuwen Che's shrill cries echoed through the courtyard.
"Second brother..." Yuwen Che murmured unconsciously, his voice hoarse and broken.
Startled awake by his movements, Su Luoxue, who was in his arms, opened her eyes groggily and felt his tense body and cold sweat on his forehead, instantly becoming more and more awake.
She immediately turned around, reached out and gently touched his cheek, feeling its cool, wet touch.
"A-Che?" she called softly with concern, her voice still soft and sweet from just waking up. "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
Yuwen Che snapped back to reality and met her eyes, which were full of concern and clarity. The heart-wrenching pain and the chilling sense of betrayal in his dream were gradually dispelled by the real warmth before him.
He pulled her tightly into his arms, buried his face in her shoulder, greedily inhaling her reassuring scent, and murmured, "Mmm... I dreamt about some... old things."
Su Luoxue didn't press him about where the old story was from. She simply hugged him gently back, patting his back lightly with her small hands, as if comforting a frightened child: "Don't be afraid, A-Che, I'm here. It was just a dream..."
Her voice and body temperature became the only solace he could find at that moment.
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