the truth
As the cries of the Imperial Guards dragging Shen Ruoqing faded into the distance, Su Jing slowly returned to the bedside. The hem of his black dragon robe swept across the dust on the floor, creating a soft, rustling sound.
He leaned down, his fingertips gently touching Chu Yiran's cold cheek, his movements so gentle it was almost unbelievable, as if he were touching not a lifeless body, but a rare treasure.
"Ah Ran..." he called softly, his voice hoarse and almost broken, his fingertips stroking Chu Yiran's tightly closed eyelids.
Chu Yiran's "soul" hovered to the side, like an observer trapped in an invisible cage. He could clearly see the surging longing and sorrow in Su Jing's eyes. That gaze was too sincere, too intense, causing his dormant heart to ache inexplicably.
Su Jing remained silent for a moment until a low report came from outside the hall from the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, at which point he slowly straightened up. He gave Chu Yiran one last deep look, a gaze that seemed to etch his face into his very bones, before turning and resolutely walking out of the hall.
Chu Yiran's "soul" seemed to be drawn by invisible threads, involuntarily following along. Chu Yiran followed him through palace gates, finally stopping in front of Jingren Palace. This was the Empress's palace, now filled with a deathly oppressive silence. The palace doors were wide open, and the palace servants huddled in the corridor, their faces pale and trembling like frightened birds and beasts.
Su Jing stepped into the hall, his gaze sweeping over the terrified palace servants, his eyes devoid of any warmth.
"Imprison everyone in the palace and take them to the Imperial Prison for rigorous interrogation." Su Jing's voice was as cold as ice. "The rest of you, search every corner of Jingren Palace thoroughly!"
The Imperial Guards received the order and immediately sprang into action. The cries and pleas for mercy from the palace servants, along with the clattering of overturned objects, instantly shattered the tranquility of Jingren Palace. Not long after, an Imperial Guard rushed in to report: "Your Majesty, we've found a secret room, and it seems there are people inside!"
Su Jing strode towards the bookshelf on the west side of the hall. The Imperial Guards had already moved the bookshelf, revealing a hidden stone door. The stone door was pushed open, and a faint smell of medicine wafted out. Su Jing went in and saw Huo Yan lying motionless on the floor in the center of the secret chamber, his eyes closed. His armor was somewhat disheveled, indicating that he had been forcibly dragged there.
Su Jing bent down and checked Huo Yan's breath with his fingertips, his brows furrowing even more. "Summon the imperial physician."
The imperial physician arrived quickly and, after examining the patient, bowed and reported: "Your Majesty, General Huo has been drugged with a potent sleeping potion. The effects have not yet worn off, and his life is not in danger for the time being. He only needs to rest well, and he will wake up once the effects of the drug wear off."
Su Jing waved his hand, dismissing the imperial physician, and ordered someone to carry Huo Yan to the soft couch in the outer room.
After an unknown amount of time, Huo Yan's fingers twitched slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes. He looked around blankly, but when he saw Su Jing in front of him, his eyes suddenly cleared. He struggled to get up and pay his respects, but he fell back onto the bed because he was too weak to move.
"Your Majesty!" Huo Yan's voice was urgent, tinged with the panic of someone who had just escaped a disaster, "General Chu... how is he?"
Su Jing closed her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a shadow beneath them, her voice filled with unspeakable sorrow: "A-Ran is gone."
"What?!" Huo Yan was struck dumb, his eyes instantly turning red. He pounded his thigh, his voice choked with sobs, "It's all my fault! It's all my fault! His Majesty clearly ordered me to go to the imperial prison to tell General Chu about the plan to fake his death, but on my way, I encountered the Empress's men. I wasn't careful and they drugged me! Your Majesty, please punish me..."
Huo Yan struggled to climb off the bed and knelt down in front of Su Jing, then broke down in tears.
I see.
It turned out that Su Jing had sent Huo Yan to the prison ahead of time to tell him about the plan to fake his death, but Shen Ruoqing intercepted him halfway and used a sleeping potion to control Huo Yan, disrupting all the plans. A complex emotion welled up in Chu Yiran's heart.
Su Jing looked at Huo Yan, who was blaming himself, and remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "This matter is not your fault. I don't know what Shen Ruoqing and A Ran said, which led him to commit suicide in despair in the Golden Palace..." His voice paused, and a hint of ruthlessness appeared in his eyes, "But I will personally settle this score."
Huo Yan's face tightened instantly, his fingers clenching into fists unconsciously. He knew Su Jing's temperament all too well; once blinded by rage, he would recklessly overturn everything. He quickly stepped forward, his voice steady and calm: "Your Majesty, please calm down!"
"The chaos in Jiangnan is far from over. Shen Ji is leading an uprising with his troops, the rebels are gaining momentum, and the people are displaced..." Huo Yan spoke rapidly, each word hitting the nail on the head. "Shen Ruoqing is Shen Ji's only weakness, and the last bargaining chip to restrain him! If we kill her now, Shen Ji will surely go all out, and then the war will spread, and I'm afraid..."
Chu Yiran's heart jolted. The chaos in Jiangnan? Shen Ji's rebellion with his troops? When did all this happen? He had no recollection of it at all. The past events intertwined with the current changes, making him increasingly confused. He could only stare intently at Su Jing's back, waiting for his decision.
Su Jing's back stiffened for a long while, his knuckles turning white from the force, before he finally slowly released his grip. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, most of the fierceness in his eyes had faded, leaving only a somber expression: "I understand."
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and walked out, the hem of his dragon robe sweeping across the dust on the ground, stirring up a gust of cold wind. Chu Yiran's "soul" seemed to be drawn by invisible threads, involuntarily following him through the deep palace corridors, finally stopping in front of the dungeon of the Censorate.
The damp, musty smell and the stench of blood filled the air. Shen Ruoqing was chained to the stone wall, her magnificent palace dress already stained with mud, her hair disheveled and plastered to her pale cheeks, yet she still managed a wry smile.
"My cousin is quite generous to come see me." She spoke first, her voice hoarse yet very gentle, carrying a hint of tenderness.
"What exactly did you say to A-Ran?" His voice was as cold as ice. "Why did he commit suicide in the main hall?"
"Why bother with such trivial matters, cousin?" Shen Ruoqing's smile deepened, her tone carrying a hint of seduction. "Now that the Chu clan has been destroyed and the powerful families are silent in fear, cousin, you have great power in your hands. Let Chu Yiran, that 'traitorous sorcerer,' die bearing all the infamy. Isn't that exactly what you wanted?"
"Shut up—!" Su Jing strode forward and grabbed her neck, the force so strong that Shen Ruoqing instantly suffocated. "I won't allow you to talk about A-Ran like that!"
"Haha..." Shen Ruoqing gasped for breath, her laughter growing increasingly shrill. "Cousin, you're really something! You're a prostitute trying to maintain a virtuous image! You have the blood of the Shen family and the Su family flowing in your veins. The Emperor Emeritus and my father are such cold-hearted people, so why are you putting on an act here, cousin?"
She leaned closer and whispered with her last bit of strength, "Only if Chu Yiran dies can the public outcry and anger be quelled; only if you marry me will the court officials led by my father truly submit. Isn't all of this the result of your meticulous planning?"
"No!" Su Jing's roar shook the dungeon walls, and the hand gripping her neck almost crushed her bones. "Without A-Ran, none of this means anything to me!"
Shen Ruoqing's vision began to blur, but a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, her voice laced with a dying sarcasm: "You men... are as hypocritical as ever..." She coughed up blood, her eyes like poisoned needles, "Su Jing... you, you used my father's power to... ascend the throne... and then you wanted... to discard me, to throw me away like trash; you said you loved Chu Yiran... and then... you caused his family to be destroyed, what kind of logic is that?"
These words were like a lit fuse, completely igniting Su Jing's rationality. His eyes turned bloodshot, surging with a destructive madness. His other hand swiftly drew the sword from his waist, the blade pointing directly at Shen Ruoqing's heart: "Bitch! I'll kill you!"
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Huo Yan, who had rushed over, reacted swiftly, grabbing Su Jing's sword-wielding arm tightly and kneeling heavily on the ground. "Shen Ruoqing cannot die! If we kill her, the war situation in Jiangnan will be beyond repair!"
The sword's edge was only an inch from Shen Ruoqing's chest, the chill causing her to flinch, yet she still managed a forced smile: "Su Jing! Do you know... Chu Yiran already knew... that cup wasn't poisoned!"
Su Jing froze abruptly, his hand gripping the sword hilt trembled violently, and his pupils contracted sharply: "What did you say?"
"He knew about your faked death all along..." Shen Ruoqing laughed even more maniacally, tears streaming down her face. "I told him! Hahahaha..."
"But he still died, taking your mother's old belongings—the hairpin he'd worn all these years—and committing suicide. Do you know why, Su Jing?" Shen Ruoqing's voice was sharp and piercing, her eyes fixed on Su Jing as if poisoned. "Because he was utterly disappointed in you! He'd rather die than be manipulated by you any longer! Su Jing, tell me, isn't your so-called love ridiculous?"
"You're talking nonsense!!" Su Jing struggled frantically, trying to break free from Huo Yan's grasp. "A-Ran wouldn't do that! He believes me! He said he would stay with me forever..."
"Your Majesty! Calm down!" Huo Yan used all his strength to press him down, veins bulging on his forehead.
Su Jing's struggles grew weaker, and his sword clattered to the ground with a jarring sound. He seemed to have all his strength drained away, staggering back a few steps, his eyes frighteningly empty, repeatedly muttering, "He'd rather die... than trust me again..."
Finally, he turned abruptly and stumbled out of the dungeon, his dragon robe tracing chaotic arcs in the dimly lit passage, leaving only a chilling silence in the room.
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