Chapter 36 A Single Insight from the Thirty-Sixth Principle
It was nearly noon. The dark clouds dispersed, and rays of sunlight streamed through the window. The glint of the golden needles dazzled the Empress Dowager's eyes and made her heart race. The thought of such long needles being pierced into her head, and that Wang Yuying, a woman known for her ruthlessness, was too much for her to bear. She leaned backward, feeling faint but struggling to stay upright.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
The palace maids rushed to help him up.
Xu Heng remained calm and tied his hands behind his back again: "Please take the Empress Dowager back to Tonghua Temple."
He ordered his men to lift the Empress Dowager onto a palanquin and escort her out of the palace, with several guards assigned to "escort" her. Xu Heng suppressed his emotions in front of everyone, but in reality, he was overjoyed. This scene reminded him of his past encounters with the Empress Dowager, when he and Wang Yuying fought against her.
Those happy days seemed to have returned.
But as he was secretly enjoying himself, Xu Heng suddenly froze.
It's still different from before; there are differences.
After the Empress Dowager's people and guards left, Wang Yuying busied herself opening the windows, burning incense, and dispersing the odor. In the morning, she had come and gone in a hurry, and had put some things from the stable into the double-ringed copper bowl. After a while, the stench couldn't be washed away, and it was no longer usable.
She, Juanxue, and Shuangtian were busy running around when they realized that Xu Heng hadn't left.
He stood in the middle of the room, and people had to go around him, which really delayed their work.
"Go stand outside!" Wang Yuying only glanced at him before ignoring him completely.
Xu Heng's gaze remained fixed on Wang Yuying. Not to mention that she had never given him a pleasant look and her words were harsh, but today... he stood there for a long time, feeling as if his body was about to freeze into a statue, before finally waving his hand to dismiss Juan Xueshuangtian.
The two maids retreated to the courtyard. Xu Heng opened his mouth, lowered his voice, and asked in a tone that only he and Wang Yuying could hear, "What kind of witchcraft did she frame you for?"
“A straw man with your birth date on it, and as ugly as you.”
Xu Heng didn't mind Wang Yuying's angry words at all, and only asked, "Since you found it, why didn't you tell me?"
She had told him all along. She told him in time so he could protect her.
Wang Yuying stopped what she was doing, turned around and looked coldly at Xu Heng, as if she had heard another huge joke.
Xu Heng read her eyes, speechless, yet the more he read, the more choked up he felt. Her eyes seemed to be asking, "What's the point of talking to me?" He recalled how he had repeatedly disbelieved her, dismissed her lightly, ignored her, and never even stood by her side.
So now she'd rather bear it all herself than say another word to him.
A knife was plunged into his heart again, stabbing deeper and deeper, stirring and grinding slowly.
The pain was unbearable. Xu Heng instinctively wanted to raise his hand to cover his chest, but fearing Wang Yuying would notice, he could only hide his left hand in his sleeve, trembling uncontrollably. Suddenly, the memory of leaving his child behind and abandoning his mother flashed through his mind. Only now did he realize—if he had truly left the child with Wang Yuying back then, the Empress Dowager today would be Wang Yuying in the future!
He almost... almost...
Xu Heng couldn't help but raise his wrist, but then he suddenly thought, "No, the reason why the Empress Dowager is in this predicament is because the late Emperor died earlier than her. As long as I take this as a warning and live a little longer, I will not let Wang Yuying repeat the same mistake."
He absolutely cannot die before Wang Yuying, otherwise she will surely bring him even more cuckolds...
Upon thinking this, Xu Heng felt a surge of anger. He not only lowered his hand heavily but also clenched it into a fist. He said to Wang Yuying, "Fine, fine, now you won't communicate with me anymore."
Hasn't she grasped the situation yet? Today, the Empress Dowager's faction is openly determined to kill her. He must intervene to stop them, or even strike first, in order to protect her and help her get revenge for the previous humiliation. All of this requires the two of them to work together!
Xu Heng walked towards the reclining chair: "But I have something to tell you—"
"Then you absolutely mustn't say it!" No sooner had he finished speaking than Wang Yuying's voice rang out, her disdain undisguised.
Xu Heng paused, choking on his words.
He raised his hand to rub his chest, then sat back in the chair, lifted his robe, spread his legs, and placed his hands on his knees: "Don't worry, you won't see her for long."
Wang Yuying remained silent for a moment, then chose the chair furthest from Xu Heng and sat down.
Xu Heng's sun flared up.
Wang Yuying, with her ears perked up, knew that only she and Xu Heng could hear the conversation, so she curled her lips and said, "Who can't you see? You've already said such strong words, so why are you still being so vague and hesitant?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Heng, who had kept a straight face for a long time, curled up the corners of his lips—it was a habit he hadn't changed in a while, and she was still the most straightforward.
I just love listening to her talk.
He opened and closed his lips: "Tonghua Temple."
Wang Yuying remained silent for a moment before speaking again: "Xu Qilang, even now you still haven't figured out the cause and effect?" She took a deep breath, "This has always been a standoff between the two palaces, a game of chess between mother and son, and a struggle between the Empress and the Emperor. If you hadn't brought me back from Yuqing Temple, I would have been fine!"
It was Xu Heng who forcibly kept her in the palace, which led her to once again be caught up in the conflict between the emperor and the empress dowager, and put her in danger. The culprit behind all of this is the emperor!
Xu Heng lowered his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing slowly, and he curled his lips into a smile: "If I don't call you back, do you expect me to let you continue to run rampant and cause chaos in Yuqing Temple?"
After a long pause, he narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "I'm leaving now. Think it over carefully. Can you really live without me?"
Xu Heng was about to walk towards the door, but couldn't help glancing at Wang Yuying again. She turned her head and glanced down at the coffee table beside the chair, showing no intention of seeing him off.
Xu Heng took a deep breath and strode out of the house. Juanxue and Shuangtian, who were waiting in the courtyard, immediately knelt down. Only after the emperor left the courtyard did they dare to stand up and close the courtyard gate.
The two maids re-entered the room and saw that the immortal master was still sitting in the chair, but he didn't seem to be lost in thought. His eyes were focused, as if he was quietly thinking about something.
Juanxue and Shuangtian didn't disturb them and quietly withdrew, only re-entering the house at noon. Because of what happened that morning, Juanxue and Shuangtian dared not let anyone in without permission, and first asked, "Immortal Master, will you still be having lunch prepared by the imperial chef?"
Wang Yuying was no longer sitting in the chair; she was pouring water from the kettle, and after drinking half a cup, she replied, "Eat up, I've been hungry all morning."
Juanxue went to open the door and let people in, while Shuangtian approached and took the kettle to refill Wang Yuying's water. Wang Yuying raised her hand: "I won't drink for now, please keep an eye on the water for me."
Having experienced the morning's commotion, Shuangtian realized the seriousness of the situation and nodded firmly: "Rest assured, Immortal Master, I will keep a close eye on things."
Wang Yuying remained silent, gazing at the courtyard gate, when she suddenly stopped—walking ahead of the group of palace servants carrying food boxes was none other than the chief eunuch, Qingfu.
All the palace servants were unfamiliar faces.
"Immortal Master." Qingfu bowed, but dared not get too close to Wang Yuying. "His Majesty sent me to deliver a message, saying that what happened before was his oversight and that he will definitely investigate it thoroughly."
As Qingfu spoke, the palace servants began to distribute the dishes: stewed pig's trotters, roasted lamb leg, braised goose... In the blink of an eye, the table was filled with food.
Wang Yuying originally planned to use the silver hairpin she brought back from Yuqing Temple, which she had inserted vertically into her lotus crown, to test for poison, but now it seems unnecessary.
Qingfu bowed and said again, "This servant dares to add one more thing, but His Majesty has specifically instructed that the food delivered to the Immortal Master every day be tasted." The food has been tested for poison, and the palace servants who serve the food are also on guard. Every day, they treat it with the same strictness as the Emperor, but... perhaps... maybe they are slightly more lenient. In any case, the Empress Dowager cannot find any loopholes in the Emperor's hands.
Qingfu wouldn't tell the truth; he would only say nice things about the emperor.
Wang Yuying remained silent for a while before speaking: "Then you should also pass on a message to your master."
"Alas—" Qingfu hurriedly responded, thinking that the immortal master should thank the emperor, so as not to have wasted the emperor's efforts.
Wang Yuying pointed to the table and said irritably, "Tell him to stop arranging these greasy, meaty dishes all the time. If he wants to eat them, he can eat them himself!"
Qingfu looked down at the ground, not daring to utter a word. His Majesty doesn't like to eat these things. The Immortal Master knows that His Majesty's favorite food is bitter melon, because bitter melon is also known as the gentleman's vegetable.
Furthermore, His Majesty advocates frugality and sets an example by his own actions; in the entire Forbidden City, only the Immortal Master's place serves fine fish and minced meat every day.
Qingfu sighed inwardly, pondering how to convey the Immortal Master's unpleasant words in a more pleasant way when reporting back later... Suddenly, he heard Wang Yuying ask, "The food has been delivered, why aren't you leaving yet?"
Qingfu was stunned for a moment before he realized that Wang Yuying was talking to him.
Sigh, I'm used to being a servant and taking it all. The emperor comes to see the immortal master every day, how can I stand it? No wonder he summoned the imperial physician several times... Qingfu shrank his neck and took half a step forward, smiling obsequiously, "Immortal Master, it's like this, His Majesty has another message to pass on to you, instructing that it be delivered after you finish eating."
"That's so Xu Heng," Wang Yuying said, squinting and taking a breath. "Let's talk about it now."
Qingfu hesitated, then hesitated again, but remained silent. Wang Yuying shot him a glare, and Qingfu immediately confessed: "It's like this, His Majesty said that there are no spies, and that he will openly and honestly send someone to protect the Immortal Master."
Just as Wang Yuying was about to refuse, she heard Qingfu order to come in: "Come in."
Wang Yuying left the rest of her words unsaid, gazing intently outside. She saw a palace maid enter, who was two heads taller than her, perhaps even taller than a man. The maid was also robust, but her appearance was that of an ordinary woman.
What Wang Yuying was concerned about was that she couldn't detect the slightest sound when the palace servant walked, whether it was breathing or footsteps—unlike when Xu Heng hid in the dark room, Wang Yuying couldn't hear him either, but that was because he deliberately held his breath and remained motionless.
This palace servant is an unfathomable master, whose skills must be superior to her own. Wang Yuying felt both wary and admiring of him.
She had no intention of taking on any more people, and raised her hand to say, "Send them away—"
Before he could finish speaking, he saw the palace servant lower his eyes and stare at him with hurt eyes.
Wang Yuying choked for a moment, then thought it was rare to encounter a woman with such excellent martial arts skills. A sense of mutual appreciation compelled her to lower her hand and ask the palace maid, "What's your name?"
The palace maid, her eyes still bearing the marks of her previous injury, spoke with a mixture of caution and timidity: "My name is..."
"How dare you!" Qingfu shouted.
The palace maid opened her eyes wide, as if she had just remembered the rules, and knelt down: "Reporting to the Immortal Master, my name is..." She was startled by Qingfu and hesitated for a long time, then unconsciously scratched her head before saying, "My name is Achu."
Wang Yuying remained silent; who wouldn't remember their own name?
She first told the palace maid to stand up and stop kneeling, then turned to Qingfu and said, "You can go back now. I'll take the person."
"Yes, yes, good." Qingfu nodded and bowed, but in his heart he thought that the emperor still hadn't received a thank you from the immortal master.
The courtyard gate closed again, and Juanxue and Shuangtian led Achu to a side room to arrange her accommodation. After Achu came out, Wang Yuying stood in the courtyard and called out, "Achu, come here."
Achu didn't react at all.
Wang Yuying pouted even more: "Achu."
Achu paused for a moment, then took a few steps closer: "Immortal Master, are you looking for me? Or for your servant?"
Wang Yuying said softly, "If you're not used to calling me that, then just call me that."
Achu smiled and said, "You're so kind."
Instead, Wang Yuying was stunned, and her ears quickly turned red.
She felt embarrassed to be praised for such a small thing and wanted to avoid A-Chu's gaze, but she also wanted to respect her, so she looked at her and asked, "How long have you been in the palace?"
After thinking for a long time, Achu asked, "Would you believe me if I said it was the first day?"
Wang Yuying pursed her lips, just as she had guessed. She pressed on, "What's your real name?"
Ah Chu was clearly flustered; it seems this person is even worse at acting than Jing Ye.
Wang Yuying took half a step closer to her: "What's wrong? Is someone telling you not to talk?"
“My grandfather, parents, and brother all objected because His Majesty said that this name cannot be used.”
Wang Yuying leaned close to Achu's ear and said, "Tell me quietly, and I promise I won't tell anyone else."
She raised her right hand and swore an oath with two fingers.
Achu believed it and whispered the truth: "My surname is Chu, and my name is Chu Ying."
Her nickname is Yingying.
But for some reason, the emperor, her grandfather, her parents, and her brother all forbade her to use that name anymore.
Wang Yuying thought for a moment: "Chief Chu's family?"
"Yes, he's my grandfather!"
Wang Yuying scrutinized Chu Ying, thinking to herself that she truly answered every question.
She invited Chu Ying into the house and, with a sip of tea and a few words, subtly revealed that Chu Ying was the granddaughter of the Imperial Guard instructor, twenty-six years old this year, a year younger than Wang Yuying. She had been raised at home since childhood, never married, and rarely even left the house.
Wang Yuying found it strange. After thinking for a moment, she pressed, "You said you have an older brother?"
"Yes, my brother is the number one martial arts master in the world, and also the number one martial arts master among the imperial guards, Chu Xiong."
Wang Yuying recalled the guards she had encountered and felt that the one with the highest internal strength was the one who slid down to kneel and hold the box in front of Xu Heng in the palace. He was also the only one who did not physically bind her and Jing Ye.
"The number one master in the world? No one can beat him?" Wang Yuying asked deliberately.
Chu Ying explained in detail: "I can beat him at home, but my parents say it doesn't count as a win."
"What about outside?"
"I haven't been outside. My grandfather and parents won't let me go out," Chu Ying immediately told Wang Yuying. Her family always said that besides her strength, she was useless, and that despite her tall stature, she was bad at needlework, had been rejected twice, and would never be able to marry again, destined to stay at home eating plain rice. During this trip to the palace, the elders repeatedly instructed Chu Ying to serve her mistress well. When Wang Yuying spoke just now, Chu Ying thought she was going to be sent back, feeling both sad and afraid—afraid of being punished by her grandfather and scolded mercilessly by her mother.
“But my brother is so good to me!” Chu Ying doesn’t feel gloomy; there is still sunshine in her world. “Every time he finishes a job, he brings me delicious food and fun things, and he tells me about things happening outside. Most importantly, my brother has never scolded me since I was little.”
Wang Yuying remained silent. Had Chu Ying ever considered why her family belittled her and forbade her from leaving the house? It was because the world was unwilling to admit that the world's number one martial arts master would lose to a woman.
The reason Chu Ying came to her now was because Xu Heng would not allow any other man to protect Wang Yuying. He asked the Chu family for a woman with high martial arts skills, and the Chu family offered Chu Ying in return.
A sneer rose in Wang Yuying's heart, followed by a sudden tightening of her heart—why would Xu Heng send the world's number one expert to her side?
She was too lazy to think about it for the moment, and smiled at Chu Ying: "Chu Ying, shall we go out and have a match?"
"Okay!" Chu Ying replied, then remembered everyone's instructions and hurriedly added, "Fists and feet have no eyes, so stop when you've hit someone!"
Wang Yuying nodded: "Yes, let's stop here, but don't let me win."
"good!"
Wang Yuying and Chu Ying arrived at the courtyard. After the first move, Wang Yuying was shocked. Chu Ying was born with superhuman strength! She was no match for Chu Ying in a direct confrontation and could only use tricks. The two fought in a dazzling display, while Juanxue and Shuangtian stood at the door watching and cheering.
After fifty or sixty moves, Wang Yuying leaped back, saying, "I've lost! I can't beat you!"
She cupped her hands to Chu Ying and bowed deeply.
Chu Ying also bowed to her, saying, "You're amazing too!"
The intense sparring had taken its toll, leaving Wang Yuying catching her breath, while Chu Ying lay down on the ground. Seeing this, Wang Yuying also lay down. This was the happiest hour she'd had in a while, a moment of temporary relief from her worries. Looking up at the sky, she could ignore the four corners of the courtyard wall; the sky appeared a vast, boundless blue, infinitely magnified, as if she had just finished riding a horse and was lying on the grasslands of northern Xinjiang, or as if she had just finished shooting an eagle and was resting her head on her hand on the sunny sand.
She turned her head to look at Chu Ying, finding Chu Ying's profile particularly beautiful. Chu Ying also looked at Wang Yuying: "Immortal Master, have you been to the desert?"
Wang Yuying had a thought, and after a moment, she responded, "Mm."
"As expected!" Chu Ying smiled. Brother Damo had mentioned it, and it was a place she longed to visit but had never been. "When I heard Sister Juanxue and Sister Shuangtian say that the name was given by a celestial master, I guessed it, because both of them are from the desert."
Wang Yuying felt a pang of sadness; finally, someone had told her the origin of those two names.
"Why did you come to the palace from such a vast place?" Chu Ying asked, puzzled. "The desert is so much more comfortable."
Unlike myself, who had no choice from birth and was thus confined to a small corner of the sky.
Wang Yuying could no longer hold back her tears.
Oh no, I stopped forcing friendship a long time ago, so why have I started to develop feelings for Chu Ying after only a few hours...?
*
The Imperial Study.
Upon returning from the Western Palace, Qingfu immediately reported to the Emperor that the Immortal Master had taken in A Chu and that the Immortal Master was tired of meat and wanted to switch to something lighter.
From the moment Qingfu began his presentation, Xu Heng put down his pen, placed both hands on the memorial, and listened attentively. After Qingfu finished speaking, Xu Heng remained silent for a moment, then slowly asked, "What else did she say?"
Qingfu dared not deceive the emperor, gently shook his head, and said, "That's all."
Xu Heng's hand remained on the memorial. He wondered what light and delicious dishes he could prepare. She certainly wouldn't like bitter melon...
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