Chapter 47 The Bright Spots in the Broken Wutong Tree
The next moment, Zheng Yangzhi composed himself, quickly approached Wang Yuying, cupped his hands, and said earnestly, "I was just about to leave the palace on business when we happened to be on the same route. However, I saw that the Immortal Master's anger had not subsided, so I dared not show myself in front of the Immortal Master, let alone disturb him, for fear that the Immortal Master would be even more displeased if he saw me."
Wang Yuying raised her chin: "Then why don't you back away? Why are you getting closer and closer?"
He's hypocritical and has absolutely no self-awareness.
Zheng Yangzhi replied softly, "Because you have been angry the whole way, I am really worried. Even if I am scolded or beaten, I will risk offending you to advise you not to be angry. It would be bad if you got sick from being angry and stayed in bed for four or five days."
Wang Yuying's eyelids twitched, and she let out a cold laugh.
Surprisingly, my anger did subside a bit.
But fearing that mentioning Zheng Yangzhi's weight would make him gasp for breath, she quickly retreated, striding away, with Zheng Yangzhi following behind, a smile on his face.
Because the drill ground was also to the south, not far from Yongjia Lane, Wang Yuying usually didn't ride a horse when on duty. In the evening, Qingfu had invited her to the palace in a palace carriage, but now that things had gotten awkward, she had to walk again. Just as they exited Guanghua Gate, Zheng Yangzhi, who was following behind, spoke up: "I dare to offer you a ride, Immortal Master. I wonder if you would do me the honor?"
Wang Yuying glanced at the Zheng family carriage waiting not far away and teased him, "Weren't you going to take care of some business?"
In the dark, I had no idea what to do.
Zheng Yangzhi smiled and said, "It's not urgent, there's no rush."
“No need,” Wang Yuying shook her head. “I can walk back by myself.”
Zheng Yangzhi immediately raised his hand, and the attendant, understanding, placed the lantern's handle in Zheng Yangzhi's hand. He took two steps forward and personally handed it to Wang Yuying.
Zheng Yangzhi opened his large, bright eyes, slightly furrowed his brows, and parted his red lips: "Then please allow me to offer you, Immortal Master, a little bit of firefly light before I ride alone. Surely you won't refuse such a small gift?"
The lanterns cast a reflection that made Zheng Yangzhi's official robes and face appear half-lit and half-shadowed. A shadow slowly moved across his red robe to his cheeks, lingering between his nose and brow bone.
Wang Yuying glanced at it for a while, then looked away and took the pole: "Thanks."
She casually extended her right hand without much thought, and Zheng Yangzhi hurriedly reached for it. Wang Yuying's three fingertips covered the back of Zheng Yangzhi's hand, tracing a smooth line across his fingers and nails. Zheng Yangzhi was startled, then repeatedly recalled her brushing motion, feeling as if time had passed, both quickly and slowly.
His right hand remained suspended there, letting the pole slip away from his grasp bit by bit. The smooth bamboo rubbed against his fingertips, and it seemed to caress his heart as well.
The moment the lever was completely pulled away, Zheng Yangzhi's hand was empty. His thin, pale index and middle fingers twitched, and the veins that were visible on his fingers retracted inward along with the bones.
Wang Yuying carried the lantern and walked away.
The flickering candlelight and the bright moon both illuminate the returning traveler.
She had only taken about ten steps when she sensed something was amiss. Looking back, she saw that Zheng Yangzhi, who had originally said he would take a carriage, was now walking to catch up with her. He had put on a black cloak to cover his official robes and had taken off his official hat. If it weren't for the lantern he was carrying, he would have been nothing more than a shadow.
Meanwhile, his squad leader and his entourage followed far behind their young master.
You could say Zheng Yangzhi was far away, but when she looked back, he was always in her line of sight. You could also say he was close, but Wang Yuying stopped and waited for a long time, and he still hadn't come to her.
During this time, a vendor tried to sell her candied scallions that looked like empty panpipes in his basket, but Wang Yuying waved her hand and said no.
After the vendor left, Zheng Yangzhi approached.
Wang Yuying raised an eyebrow: "Why isn't Lord Zheng taking a carriage?"
"I only realized the wheels were broken when I sat down," Zheng Yangzhi replied fluently.
Wang Yuying silently thought to herself: Good, good, good.
She couldn't help but tease him: "The person you need to take care of isn't also in the south of the city, is he?"
"That's right, otherwise why would they have left the palace through Guanghua Gate?"
Wang Yuying put her hands behind her back, turned around, and walked forward while curling her lips: "Let me guess, where Lord Zheng conducts his business is in Yongjia Lane?"
"The immortal master is a prophet, a reincarnation of Zhuge Liang."
Whether out of anger or not, Wang Yuying snorted and followed up on his words, saying, "What a coincidence! I was just heading home to Yongjia Lane!"
"No story is complete without a coincidence, and it just so happens that people on the same road meet each other."
"You really have no shame!"
Zheng Yangzhi smiled upon hearing this, then wondered why she had scolded him so lightly. Didn't she even call him shameless?
He stared at the bun at the back of her head and said with a smile, "My apologies."
Wang Yuying ignored it.
After the weather turned cold, the streets became deserted after dark. Only two people walked one after the other on the stone-paved road. Zheng Yangzhi glanced at the two elongated shadows on the ground and gradually pursed his lips.
He glanced quickly at Wang Yuying, and seeing that she didn't turn around, he moved half a step to the left without making a sound. He looked again, and thankfully, she didn't notice that their shadows had overlapped.
Zheng Yangzhi, like a thief, peeked and gloated, his heart pounding like a drum, until he reached the street corner. Only then did he reluctantly speak, his tone nonchalant: "Actually, I'll have to part ways with the Immortal Master here..."
Wang Yuying glanced at the fork in the road to the right and suddenly realized that the post station for receiving foreign envoys was on that road. Now that various foreign countries had come to pay tribute, Zheng Yangzhi, as the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, was going to the post station to receive the envoys!
Zheng Yangzhi smiled as he observed her reaction. See, she always understands before he even finishes speaking.
Wang Yuying turned to Zheng Yangzhi and said, "That's great! I don't have to have this little tail following me around anymore—lying down!"
Before he could finish speaking, his tone suddenly changed. He not only shouted at Zheng Yangzhi's face, but also opened his lips to their maximum, spitting a drop of saliva into his eye. His voice suddenly rose tenfold, like a lion's roar, deafening.
Even the servants of the Zheng family in the distance were startled by the shout, and Zheng Yangzhi immediately knelt down. He blinked, and the drop of foam that had been hanging under his lower eyelid slid down. Recalling her furious shout, he felt a tingling numbness in his spine and his bones go limp.
The arrows rained down in an instant, and the attendants, having recovered their senses, scattered the arrows and surrounded Zheng Yangzhi, shouting, "Protect the young master!"
Zheng Yangzhi lay prostrate on the ground, his head tilted back, his lips slightly parted, staring blankly at Wang Yuying, who had already drawn her sword and flown into the air. She first deflected the incoming rain of arrows, then touched one of the arrows with her toes, using the momentum to leap onto the highest rooftop. Her figure disappeared and then quickly reappeared, drawing out six men in black, each wielding a weapon and carrying bows and arrows, to fight her.
The full moon was enormous, as if it were right behind her.
"Go help her quickly!" Zheng Yangzhi suddenly realized.
Just as the servants were about to set off, another group of men in black suddenly appeared and attacked Zheng Yangzhi. Zheng's servants had no choice but to protect him again and were unable to help him.
Wang Yuying still fought against six men alone. Although the men in black were all masked and their origins were unknown, she recognized one of them by sight as the vendor who had sold candied scallions earlier. She couldn't help but blame herself for not being vigilant enough and worried that fighting near the post station would affect national affairs and diplomatic relations.
Having just drawn his blood, Xu Heng ignored all advice and forcibly chased after her out of the Funing Palace. Upon hearing that she had left the palace with Zheng Yangzhi, his anxiety only intensified. Mounting a fine steed, and galloping swiftly, only Chu Xiong among the guards could keep up.
As soon as he turned onto the street, he saw the fighting in the distance. He was filled with rage and asked Chu Xiong, "Where is your sister?"
My sister is home today—
Before he could finish speaking, Xu Heng had already loosened the reins, intending to leap off his horse to help Wang Yuying. However, as he tried to use his inner strength to jump, he felt a tightness in his chest and shortness of breath. He gripped the reins tightly, pretending to be fine, and ordered Chu Xiong, "Go and protect her quickly!"
Chu Xiong hesitated, knowing that if he left, there would be no one to protect the emperor.
Xu Heng said angrily, "This is my order."
Chu Xiong then abandoned his horse and leaped several steps to assist Wang Yuying. The group of men in black who had been attacking Zheng Yangzhi caught sight of Xu Heng and most of them abandoned Zheng Yangzhi to attack Xu Heng.
Xu Heng drew his sword on horseback. Although he was ill and unable to use his lightness skill, he could still handle a few petty thieves.
A man in black thrust his sword at Xu Heng, who ducked to dodge. Then, with a backhand flick, he struck one of the men in black. The other two men in black attacked from the left and right, but Xu Heng blocked with his sword. With a loud clang, he leaned back and thrust his sword forward, piercing the man in black's shoulder. Without hesitation, he twisted his wrist, sending the man in black tumbling through the air before crashing to the ground.
The men in black adapted to the situation, attacking not Xu Heng but his horse instead. Xu Heng split his legs and leaped off the horse, landing with a sharp pain in his heart, as if countless invisible hands were tearing at his body.
To avoid being detected by the assassins, he endured the pain without even rubbing his chest. While parrying with his sword, he glanced at the battle on the rooftop. Seeing that Wang Yuying and Chu Xiong had gained a decisive advantage, he relaxed and focused on dealing with the surrounding assassins. He targeted the weakest among them as his breakthrough point. His body moved like a dragon, his sword tip touching the opponent's sword spine three inches from the weakest point. Sure enough, the man was jolted and dropped his sword. Xu Heng then seized the opportunity to gather all his inner strength and drew a full circle in the air. The assassins were all forced back several steps by the sword energy, and some even fell down.
But Xu Heng himself frowned.
This was his most familiar move, one he had used countless times before with ease. But this time, it was unexpected; he was exhausted after just one strike, his chest aching so much he couldn't breathe. He instinctively lowered his head, inhaling and exhaling, but two assassins rose from the ground. One grabbed his sword, the other picked up his whip, both desperately attacking again, determined to kill Xu Heng.
Xu Heng thrust his sword furiously, piercing the heart of one of the assassins. The other assassin, his eyes red with rage, lashed out with his whip. Xu Heng hastily drew his sword to parry, the two colliding in mid-air. A spark ignited in the darkness, blooming like a fleeting moment before quickly extinguishing. Logically, Xu Heng should have been able to withstand it easily, but a numbing sensation shot from his chest to his right rib, then instantly passed through his left arm. His wrist twitched, and his hand involuntarily loosened its grip.
"Clang—" The sword fell to the ground.
The assassin in black seized the opportunity and lashed Xu Heng with his whip again. Xu Heng's mind reacted quickly, but his body became sluggish due to the severe pain in his heart. The whip struck his right hand, and several clear sounds of his palm bones cracking were heard.
On the roof, Chu Xiong and Wang Yuying had already killed four thieves and each captured one alive. Chu Xiong was the first to hear this and looked down, exclaiming in surprise, "Your Majesty!"
Wang Yuying's hands were tightly bound to the man in black. Her gaze then swept downwards, and she saw him with slightly parted lips.
Xu Heng crouched and slid forward, picking up his sword with his left hand to parry the assassin's third whip strike. The whip and sword entangled, and with a sudden jerk of his left arm, the blade sliced through the iron whip, sealing the assassin's throat in a single blow.
Zheng Yangzhi also dealt with the remaining assassins and rushed to protect the emperor.
Xu Heng straightened his back, swallowed the blood and gore that had welled up in his mouth from the force of his arm movements, then glanced at the roof and ordered, "Leave them alive."
Chu Xiong understood and immediately pried open the mouths of the two remaining surviving men in black, checking under their tongues to make sure there were no drugs. Only then did he and Wang Yuying each capture one of the thieves and jump down from the roof.
Xu Heng slowly looked at Wang Yuying, then glanced at Zheng Yangzhi, and coldly ordered: "Return to the palace!"
He still had some blackness in his eyes, so he stood still for a moment to steady himself before mounting his horse. His movements were slower than usual, but he did not appear sluggish.
Xu Heng held the reins in his left hand and rode back to the palace with one hand.
All of them had to go through the interrogation process; none of them could leave and they all had to follow behind.
Xu Heng stood tall and straight, his right hand clasped behind his back, seemingly elegant and composed, but he knew in reality that he was covered in cold sweat, his teeth chattering behind his tightly pursed lips, and every rise and fall of the horse aggravated the double pain in his heart and right hand.
Halfway there, they were met by a group of guards who had come looking for them. When they arrived at the Guanghua Gate, Qingfu was leading a group of eunuchs who were anxiously waiting. The emperor remained silent, so Qingfu could only exchange glances with Chuxiong to get the gist of the situation. Worried and anxious, he secretly sent a junior eunuch to fetch the imperial physician.
The emperor had been staying in his bedchamber lately, so everyone naturally headed towards the Funing Palace. On the way, Xu Heng glanced at Wang Yuying out of the corner of his eye and ordered, "Go to the Imperial Study."
The case was transferred to the Imperial Study for interrogation. Under torture, the two assassins confessed one after another—the men in black tonight were all remnants of the Jiang family, who had been on the run for over a month. Because the emperor had been relentlessly searching for them, they had been driven to desperation and decided to fight to the death. Unable to enter the Forbidden City, they attempted to assassinate Zheng Yangzhi and Wang Yuying outside the palace, but unexpectedly encountered the emperor instead.
The assassin smiled and said, "Heaven has already sided with the Jiang family. It is our weakness that prevents us from wiping out all of you heartless bastards and avenging the Empress Dowager!"
Xu Heng immediately ordered the two men to be executed and issued an imperial edict to intensify the crackdown on the rebels, wipe out the remaining forces, and ensure that they were completely eradicated.
He then ordered the Court of Judicial Review to strictly keep the matter of quelling the rebellion that night a secret, and ordered the Court of State Ceremonial to keep the envoy in charge of maintaining stability from being informed by the various foreign tribes.
He finished explaining everything in an orderly manner before closing his lips.
The imperial physician knelt beside the chair, setting the emperor's bones one by one. He couldn't help but admire the emperor in his heart: such immense pain would surely make an ordinary person scream and cry, but the emperor remained calm and composed. The situation was tense, and he couldn't afford to do this. Otherwise, a game of chess would be like Guan Yu scraping his bone to treat his wound, or like chatting and laughing on the battlefield of life and death, or strolling leisurely in a storm.
A true dragon is a true dragon!
Zheng Yangzhi, kneeling and listening to the proclamation, kept his head down and blinked several times. Wang Yuying, on the other hand, stared directly at Xu Heng's right arm, which he had rolled up his sleeve to reveal half of, which was exposed as he was treating his injury—"Hmph, his hairs are standing on end from the pain, what are you pretending for!"
As the imperial physician took his leave, Xu Heng raised his left hand and waved, signaling everyone else to leave as well. So, except for Chu Xiong and Qing Fu, everyone else walked out. Xu Heng noticed Wang Yuying's two boots moving, narrowed his eyes, and took a breath: "Immortal Master, please wait."
Wang Yuying stopped, turned around, and bowed respectfully on the spot: "Your Majesty summoned me. What instructions do you have?"
Xu Heng gazed at her wistfully. He was alright, but he was in excruciating pain. With her by his side, even just standing there, as long as she was within his sight, he felt the pain ease slightly.
Xu Heng didn't reply to her, and his gaze shifted to the memorials on the table—there were only two or three scattered ones.
Xu Heng opened his mouth: "What about tonight's memorial?"
Because the emperor had been reviewing documents on his bed for the past few days, the memorials tonight were also sent to his bedchamber. Qingfu glanced at the emperor's bandaged right hand, filled with worry, but dared not disobey the imperial decree. He still ordered people to bring all the memorials over and pile them on the desk like half a wall.
Xu Heng picked up a memorial with his left hand, opened it to read, and finally tried to hold the pen with his right hand, but he couldn't muster the strength. He failed repeatedly and couldn't help but grit his teeth. However, because he had been secretly clenching his teeth behind his lips after each sentence during the bone setting, he was now sore when his teeth touched.
He switched to his left hand, which allowed him to dip the inkstone in vermilion ink, but the characters he wrote... Xu Heng tried writing one on a piece of Xuan paper next to him, and it looked like an earthworm. If he were to write a memorial to the throne, it would be a laughing stock.
Xu Heng crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it away.
Qingfu and Chuxiong kept their eyes down, not daring to lift their heads at all. Wang Yuying looked the same way, but she was actually stealing glances. She quickly realized what was going on, and her heart started racing.
After a long pause, Xu Heng looked at Wang Yuying and sighed, "You come here."
Wang Yuying lifted her eyelids to look at Xu Heng, slowly walked closer, and stopped with a desk between them.
Xu Heng lowered his eyes: "You've come in here."
Wang Yuying's heart pounded harder and harder. She tried her best to control herself and quietly walked around to the back of the table, separating herself from Xu Heng by an armrest. Xu Heng hadn't had any ulterior motives in calling her over, but as he suddenly got closer, her breath and the warmth of her body became intense, real, and intimate, and his breathing couldn't help but become a little erratic.
Xu Heng also took a deep breath to calm himself down, and then glanced at the imperial brush placed next to the vermilion inkstone.
Wang Yuying held her arms straight, suppressing the urge to write, until Xu Heng brought her another sheet of unwritten Xuan paper and pushed it in front of her. His calligraphy was modeled after hers many years ago; both of them used the Wei stele style, with the vertical hook of the character "兑" (duì) extending boldly outwards.
Three years have passed, and the handwriting of the poem she wrote in response remains unchanged, but it is still necessary to confirm whether the handwriting has also changed.
Thinking of her reply, Xu Heng couldn't help but feel depressed, but he still said, "Here, I'll try to write the word 'read'."
The room fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop. Chu Xiong, with his exceptional hearing, even wished he could shut off his hearing.
Only Wang Yuying picked up her pen and wrote a vermilion character for "read".
Just like before.
The words were exactly the same as his own imperial edict. Xu Heng thought to himself, “The words are similar year after year, but the people are different year after year…” His heart suddenly ached again, and he couldn’t help but purse his lips.
But it seems that as the pain subsided, he gradually got used to it. Xu Heng lowered his eyes and said, "Bring a stool and sit down."
Wang Yuying thought it was directed at her, and turned to move it, but Qingfu quickly brought over a round-backed chair, also made of rosewood, but much smaller than the emperor's.
Wang Yuying sat down.
Xu Heng pushed an open memorial in front of her, pointing his index finger at a blank line: "Write one here."
He glanced at Qingfu, who immediately pulled Chuxiong out of the study in silence.
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