Chapter 78. Father, please give him to me...
He rejected Wanwan before he died, so naturally he could not refuse her request now.
Emperor Gan Ning didn't hesitate much, "Yes, I understand."
The emperor was far away, and Wanwan's hometown was in the southern state. It was inevitable that the people under her would not be serious about their work and would cut corners. As the emperor, no one knew better than Emperor Gan Ning how greedy his people were.
He could not tolerate his subordinates' perfunctory work, which led to Wanwan suffering hardships later in life.
Therefore, he said in a deep voice, "Deyuan, grind the ink."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Since a shrine is to be built for Wanwan, the rank of Consort Shu will be too low. In previous years, he had to consider Mingyue's feelings, since Mingyue was adopted by the Empress. If he were to posthumously confer the rank of Consort Shu, it would inevitably displease the Empress and be bad for Mingyue. That's why he allowed Wanwan to be buried in the imperial mausoleum with the rank of Consort Shu.
Now that the Empress has been deposed and Mingyue has grown up, he has everything under his control and no longer needs to worry about anything.
Therefore, Emperor Gan Ning posthumously conferred the title of Empress Lingde upon Consort Shu and wrote an edict, which he instructed Eunuch Deyuan to keep safe and read aloud at the morning court the next day.
Then, he wrote another edict, which was given to his secret guards to take away, ordering him to go to Nanzhou to build a shrine for Empress Lingde.
After finishing writing, Emperor Gan Ning put down his pen and wrote, "Shadow."
In an instant, a black figure appeared, kneeling not far from Shen Panyan, "Your subordinate is here."
"Send a secret guard to deliver this imperial edict to Nanzhou at top speed."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Eunuch Deyuan handed the imperial edict to Shadow, who respectfully accepted it and said, "This subordinate takes his leave."
Having said that, he was about to leave when Shen Panyan suddenly called out, "Wait!"
The shadowy figure stopped and turned to look at her. Emperor Gan Ning's gaze also fell on her. "Mingyue, what's wrong?"
Under the puzzled gazes of the two, Shen Panyan swallowed hard, a growing sense of nervousness rising within her.
She had to get this task onto Lin Xiao; otherwise, everything she had said before would be useless.
The biggest challenge is figuring out how to prevent the Emperor from suspecting that he would entrust this task to Lin Xiao.
Her gaze fell on Shadow, "Commander Shadow, which guard do you wish to send to Nanzhou?"
Shadow didn't understand why the princess would suddenly ask him this question, but he still answered respectfully, "Your Highness, among the Dark Guards, Dark Twenty-Three is currently the most available. I will have Dark Twenty-Three deliver it."
Dark Twenty-Three?
Shen Panyan pursed her lips tightly, "Shadow Commander, is Dark Twenty-Three's strength any good?"
The shadowy figure looked bewildered: "...His strength is passable."
"No!" Shen Panyan refused. "I need the best guard to deliver it. There can be no mistakes regarding Mother's affairs. Nanzhou is so far away. What if he's not strong enough and something goes wrong?"
Shadow: "Your Highness, Dark Twenty-Three's strength is only slightly inferior to the others in the Dark Guard Camp, but that doesn't mean he's the weakest. He won't make any mistakes in this matter, so please rest assured."
Shen Panyan argued logically, "How do I know if what you're saying is true or false? I've never even met him. Unless you bring him here to compete with someone else, I won't trust him."
“This matter may be a small thing for you, and anyone can go, but I can’t. This is my mother, and I cannot tolerate even the slightest accident.”
“This…” Shadow was completely taken aback by the princess’s words. He was now caught between refusing and not refusing, so he could only look to Emperor Gan Ning for help, “Your Majesty.”
Emperor Gan Ning: "Mingyue, every one of my secret guards is a veteran of countless battles. It's impossible for them to fail at something as simple as this. Don't worry, there won't be any mistakes."
Chen Panyan wept, "But Father, even though Mingyue has never met Mother and doesn't even know what she looks like, she has truly felt Mother's love and care. Mingyue only wants Mother's affairs to go smoothly. If Mingyue weren't so far away in the capital, she would be going to Nanzhou herself to personally supervise the people below to do this well..."
Emperor Gan Ning was stunned, and guilt welled up in his heart. "Very well, Shadow, let An Jiu handle this matter."
Shadow hesitated, “But Your Majesty, An Jiu is currently preoccupied with other matters. A few days ago, An Shiba discovered that the deposed crown prince was making trouble and seemed to have connections with people in the martial arts world. The martial arts world is currently in turmoil, and I have already sent An Jiu to investigate who else in the martial arts world is a remnant of the crown prince’s faction. He is the most capable and the most suitable person to do this. If he leaves, it may not be appropriate.”
It's obvious which of these two things is more important.
In an instant, Shen Panyan's face turned ashen.
how so? !
"Mingyue." Emperor Gan Ning saw that her face was pale and she was about to collapse. After hesitating for a moment, he sighed and comforted her, "Don't worry, the secret guards are reliable. This matter will not go wrong."
"Father..." Shen Panyan looked up at him, her eyes blurry with tears, filled with anxiety and pleading, "Mingyue just wants him to go, Father..."
The deposed crown prince is like a centipede that dies but does not fall down; he is still a hidden danger. All his supporters must be completely eliminated; there is no room for discussion on this matter.
But regarding Wanwan's matter... Emperor Gan Ning pursed his lips, "Here's what we'll do, Shadow, send two people to Nanzhou. There can be absolutely no mistakes, or I'll take your head."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Shadow bowed and withdrew.
The situation is settled, and there is no turning back.
It failed.......
Shen Panyan used almost all her strength to restrain herself from collapsing to the ground and alerting Emperor Gan Ning.
She moved quickly, but Lin Xiao was clearly faster.
Now, unless the deposed crown prince's influence disappears completely, there is no turning back.
Shen Panyan bit her lip tightly, swallowing all the bitterness in her heart.
If this method doesn't work, what other methods can she use to get Lin Xiao back?
At this point, she had no other choice.
There might be a way, but she doesn't have time anymore.
Shen Panyan suddenly spoke up, "Father, can Mingyue ask you for someone?"
Emperor Gan Ning looked at her with suspicion, "Oh, who do you want?"
Shen Panyan pursed her lips, "Mingyue wants to ask you for a bodyguard."
She seemed to have made up her mind and spoke without hesitation, "Father, Mingyue has been around people again and again since I was born, and no one has ever been truly loyal to me. Mingyue knows that I am timid and cowardly, so I am not well-liked. Everyone around me treats me like a plague. When we were in the palace, they tried every means to leave me. Mingyue really can't trust them."
"Mingyue doesn't want to get married because she's afraid."
“Mingyue is very scared. She is afraid that after she gets married, she will meet someone like Xu Yongyan. She knows that she is weak-willed and that even if she encounters such a thing, there will be no one to help her. Mingyue is really scared. So, Father, Mingyue wants to ask you for a bodyguard. With a bodyguard to protect her, Mingyue will not be afraid. Father, is that alright?”
Shen Panyan knelt and took two steps forward, tears streaming down her face, pleading, "Father..."
Seeing her like this, Emperor Gan Ning was filled with turmoil. It was his fault. He had not only misplaced his trust in her, but also failed Wanwan's trust.
He and his daughter should have been the proudest, most carefree princesses in the world, but now, they've been reduced to this...
Emperor Gan Ning stepped forward and reached out to help her up. "It's just a small matter. Get up first, and I will grant your request."
Shen Panyan stubbornly dodged, "Father, first listen to who Mingyue wants. Only after you agree will Mingyue get up."
Emperor Gan Ning sighed helplessly, "Fine, tell me who you want."
Shen Panyan took a deep breath, her knuckles clenched, and she tried her best to control her pounding heart. Every word she spoke resounded throughout the imperial study.
"Father, Mingyue wants Anjiu!"
Emperor Gan Ning's expression changed drastically.
"Dark Nine won't do!"
"Why?" Shen Panyan looked up, her eyes blurred with tears, and asked, "Why can't he?"
Emperor Gan Ning explained: "Mingyue, An Jiu is the most powerful and most useful bodyguard by Father’s side. You can have anyone you want, but not him."
"But Father, Mingyue only wants him!" Shen Panyan choked up.
What use is anyone else to her? From beginning to end, all she wanted was him!
Emperor Gan Ning: "Mingyue, your father can grant you other requests. You can choose any of the secret guards below the 20th rank. But I really can't have any of the 9th rank."
Training bodyguards is difficult, and training highly skilled bodyguards is even more challenging. Moreover, An Jiu is a candidate for the next Shadow.
No matter what, he would not give up An Jiu.
"Father..." Shen Panyan's voice was filled with sorrow as she reached out and grabbed his robe. "Mingyue begs you!!"
"no!"
As an emperor, he needs highly skilled bodyguards to handle many matters around him. Now that the crown prince of Zhaoyan has been deposed and the foundation of the country is shaken, enemy countries are trying to take advantage of this opportunity to invade, and border conflicts are frequently occurring. It is a time of internal and external troubles, and he is unlikely to give in when he needs people.
However, seeing her like this, guilt ultimately prevailed. "Mingyue, how about this, Father will give you two bodyguards."
She wants An Jiu, probably because she just heard him say that An Jiu is the strongest.
"In a moment, I will have Shadow take you to the Dark Guard Camp. You can choose whichever one you want; just tell Shadow."
Shen Panyan shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "Father, Mingyue doesn't want two bodyguards, she only wants An Jiu..."
"Father, Mingyue begs you, please give An Jiu to Mingyue..."
"Bright Moon!" Emperor Gan Ning said coldly.
“It’s absolutely impossible for An Jiu. Why do you only want him? You have to give me a reason. An Jiu is the strongest. I can’t possibly give him up.”
"Bright moon, bright moon..."
Emperor Gan Ning's gaze was sharp and stern. Under his watchful eye, it felt as if all her thoughts were laid bare. Shen Panyan's mind went blank for a moment, before she finally recovered. She slightly turned her gaze away from his, her lips trembling, "Because...because his strength is the best...that's why Mingyue only wants him..."
Emperor Gan Ning calmly withdrew his gaze. "Just because you're the strongest? Then I'll give you two; it'll be the same."
How could they be the same?
If she can't get Lin Xiao, what use are there to her having more people?
Shen Panyan gritted her teeth, turned her face away, and said in a muffled voice, "If Father Emperor is unwilling, then let's pretend that Mingyue said nothing."
In order to avoid arousing further suspicion from Emperor Gan Ning, she began to find reasons for her earlier actions.
"Father, you never cared about Mingyue since she was little, so you naturally don't know what kind of life Mingyue lived. In order to use Mingyue to please you, the Empress wouldn't stop her from practicing the zither even when it was freezing cold and she had a high fever. Even when she was delirious, she had to continue practicing. She demanded that Mingyue excel in everything, but Mingyue was timid by nature and was destined not to become the most outstanding princess..."
Because she herself couldn't become the most outstanding princess, she wanted everyone around her to be the most capable. Only in this way could she feel at ease... Shen Panyan tried her best to steer Emperor Gan Ning's thoughts in this direction.
"...Since you won't give Mingyue the most powerful one, then Mingyue doesn't need the others."
After saying this, she bowed and kowtowed, "It was Mingyue who was willful. I hope Father Emperor will forgive me."
"Mingyue takes her leave."
Having said that, she didn't wait for Emperor Gan Ning to speak, but got up, turned around and left.
She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she would give herself away.
Even though she had guessed that she would likely fail if she spoke up rashly, she still felt waves of despair when she was actually rejected. It was as if the world was spinning, and tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Emperor Gan Ning watched her receding figure until it disappeared into the distance. After a long while, he finally looked away and sighed.
"Deyuan, Mingyue wants Anjiu, but I really can't give up Anjiu... What do you think I should do...?"
“Your Majesty, Princess Mingyue is still young and does not understand Your Majesty’s difficulties. She will understand when she is older.”
Emperor Gan Ning sighed, "I just hope she can come to her senses. Recently, Tongzhou has presented several bolts of Yun brocade. Pick out the ones with nicer colors and send them to the princess's residence. Also, the Dali Temple found a box of excellent quality South China Sea white jade pearls during a recent raid. She loves pearls the most, so send those over as well."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
*
After leaving the Imperial Study, Shen Panyan did not return to the Princess's residence, but instead went to the Cold Palace.
She directly asked her father, but he refused, so this was the only way she could do it.
The Cold Palace was remote, and as you walked along, fewer and fewer people came. Green moss gradually covered the bricks and stones, and a chill swept over you, as if it would freeze you to the bone.
Qingdai sneezed and couldn't help but shrink closer to where Chen Panyan was. "Princess, are we really going to go in there? I heard when I was in the palace that many concubines had died in the Cold Palace, and at night, people would sob and cry. It's so creepy..."
Zhu Zhi couldn't help but shudder. "Qingdai, please stop talking! It's terrifying! I've been in the palace for so many years, and I've never heard of anyone dying there."
Qingdai lowered her voice: "That's because you haven't been in the palace long enough to know about the past. Take the most recent incident for example. You know the late emperor, right? He once had a concubine who was wicked and killed several other concubines. As punishment from heaven, she gave birth to a child without a nose, which the late emperor strangled to death on the spot. After that, that concubine went mad."
"After that concubine went mad, for some reason, she started going to the Cold Palace every day, doing all sorts of supernatural things there. Later, she even hanged herself there. Her death wasn't discovered until three days later. The room where she died was filled with curses, it was terrifying. From then on, the sound of a woman crying could often be heard from the Cold Palace. The palace maids would rather take a detour than walk that road, because there were many injustices there..."
"Qingdai, Confucius said, 'Do not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, or supernatural beings.' Stop talking about it." Shen Panyan suddenly spoke up, interrupting her.
The closer she got to the Cold Palace, the quieter it became. A cool breeze swept over her, as if someone were gently climbing up her arm, densely covering her skin. Shen Panyan shivered, goosebumps rising on her skin, and she slowly lowered her pace.
"Princess, shall we go back?" Qingdai noticed her fear and hurriedly tried to persuade her.
"No." Shen Panyan swallowed hard. "There are still living people inside. If they're not afraid, why should we be?"
"Walk!!"
Anyway, she was not going to go back today no matter what. Shen Panyan mustered her courage, clenched her fists, and strode forward. Qingdai and Zhuzhi hurriedly followed.
Before long, the dilapidated gates of the Cold Palace slowly came into view. The vermilion paint had long since faded and cracked, patchy and uneven. Because no one had taken care of it, the gates were covered with dense cobwebs, indicating that no one had opened them for a long time.
As Shen Panyan stepped forward, the thought of seeing the Empress brought back vivid images of her cold and reprimanding face, and fear began to creep into her heart.
"Princess, shall we open the door?" Zhuzhi whispered.
"Yes!" Shen Panyan exhaled slowly and said firmly.
Having come this far, she couldn't possibly back down now.
She had to get Lin Xiao.
"Qingdai, Zhuzhi, you two go open the door together."
"Yes, Princess."
Before they arrived, they had already obtained the key to the Cold Palace from the head steward. After all, she was the daughter raised by the Empress, and the things the Empress had done had already spread throughout the palace. Whether she went to visit the Empress or to question her, no one would have any doubts.
With a click, the rusty lock was opened, and the heavy, sluggish palace gate was slowly pushed open. Dust fell in a flurry. Shen Panyan pursed her lips, lifted her foot, and stepped inside, followed closely by Zhuzhi Qingdai.
As soon as she stepped into the palace gate, Shen Panyan saw the woman who was no longer as elegant and noble as before. She was wearing a washed-out white dress, and her once thick black hair had turned white and was neatly combed into a simple bun.
She no longer looks like an empress, but rather like an ordinary peasant woman; however, the air of an empress remains unchanged.
Shen Panyan said in a calm voice, "Mother, it's been a long time."
The Empress raised her head and, seeing it was her, slowly smiled. "I wondered who it was. It's you."
"I thought you would never come to see me again in this lifetime."
“You are Mingyue’s mother, how could Mingyue not come to see you?” Shen Panyan took a step back, not wanting to get close to her.
Seeing her actions, the Empress laughed: "Afraid of me?"
"I'm currently imprisoned in this cold palace, without any help at all. What are you afraid of?" The Empress scoffed coldly, "Cowardly as a mouse!"
Despite being mocked, Shen Panyan wasn't angry. "Isn't this what you wanted to see?"
"You deliberately raised me to be this way just to vent your anger, didn't you?"
The Empress sneered, "It's your own fault for being so useless. What does it have to do with me?"
"I truly regret not having you killed when you returned to the capital. Instead, I let you get in my way now. What, are you happy to see me suffering now? If I had known you would cause so much trouble, I should have had you strangled the moment you were born to save my son's life." She finished speaking with a fierce look in her eyes, but Shen Panyan looked away, refusing to meet her gaze.
"But there's no going back in this world. You've killed so many people, and you've ended up in this state. You deserve what you got. What does it have to do with me?"
"You deserve it, you deserve it!!" The Empress suddenly burst into laughter. "Even if I do deserve it, you won't get away with it!"
Almost instantly after she finished speaking, the Empress rushed towards her. Shen Panyan took several steps back to avoid her, while Zhuzhi and Qingdai blocked her way.
"Damn you, you lowly servant, let me go!!"
Shen Panyan looked at her and said, "Mother, you have gone mad."
The Empress's face was contorted with rage. "Yes, I've gone mad! My maternal family is dead, my son has been deposed, and I've been stripped of my title. I'm confined to this desolate, cold palace all day long. All of this is because of you!!!"
"You jinx, you bring bad luck! You caused your mother's death at birth, and now you're going to kill me too! You're a plague!!"
"Shen Panyan, I curse you, I curse you to die a horrible death!!"
Seeing her contorted features and hysterical hatred towards her, Shen Panyan calmed down and was no longer afraid of her.
"So you've always hated me this much? You've been pretending all these years, it must have been hard for you, Mother."
She had longed for her warmth and affirmation countless times, but each time she was met with scolding and indifference. She tried her best, but could not win even a sliver of her sincerity.
How could she possibly find warmth from someone who hates her?
That's impossible.
At this moment, Shen Panyan finally felt relieved.
Her father didn't love her; his many attempts to compensate her were merely out of guilt. The empress hated her intensely, and everyone around her treated her like a plague, rushing to escape. No one gave her genuine affection. How long could the people who were still by her side remain there... Shen Panyan wept helplessly.
"Qingdai, Zhuzhi, let's go!"
If you've already seen it, there's no need to see it again.
If it weren't for Lin Xiao, she would never have stepped into this palace.
"Yes, Princess."
Zhuzhi and Qingdai released the Empress and hurriedly chased after her. Just then, the Empress suddenly lunged at Chen Panyan and threw a packet of medicine powder at her.
"Hahahaha, Shen Panyan, your wretched mother died young, so you should atone for her sins, hahahaha!!"
"You owe me all of this! Your wretched mother stole my husband, you ruined my life's work, and dragged me from heaven to hell! You deserve to die!!"
"Princess!!"
Shen Panyan retreated repeatedly, but still couldn't dodge the powder. It hit her in the face, and she coughed repeatedly. Zhuzhi and Qingdai quickly supported her, asking worriedly, "Princess, are you alright?"
“I’m fine.” Shen Panyan shook her head. “She’s in the Cold Palace, what could she possibly have? Just some pepper powder.”
Qingdai Zhuzhi hurriedly picked up the medicine paper from the ground and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that there was still some pepper powder left on it.
"The deposed empress has gone mad, princess, let's go!"
"good."
The thought of her frantic state just now sent chills down their spines, and they quickly helped her out of the Cold Palace.
As the three figures departed, the Empress's eyes gradually darkened. After a moment, she suddenly burst into laughter, her smile twisting into a grimace. "Hahahaha, I am the Empress! Even if I am deposed, you will never dare to humiliate me!"
She turned around, muttering to herself, "I am the Empress, Yuejian, do my makeup."
However, Yuejian, who was usually loyal to her, did not appear. The Empress snorted coldly, "Damn girl, slacking off again. If there is a next time, I will skin you alive."
"Your Majesty, I truly did not do these things! I really didn't know, I really didn't know! Your Majesty, I beg you, please spare the Crown Prince! He is your own son, Your Majesty!!"
Hearing the sounds of crying and laughing coming from behind them, Zhuzhi and Qingdai got goosebumps all over their bodies and quickened their pace.
"Princess, let's get out of this awful place quickly!!"
"Um."
She will never come to this place again.
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