Chapter 86
As dusk fell, the autumn wind blew the fallen leaves in the courtyard across the green tiles, stripping away all the remaining warmth of the summer.
Ji Zeming had just returned home from outside the palace. When he passed by the pavilion by the water in the west corner, he saw a dark figure standing by the railing in the distance. The hem of his clothes was blown by the wind, but he showed no intention of avoiding the cold.
That's Li Yin.
The friendship they had shared in the old days of catching butterflies and fighting crickets in the Imperial Garden was still fresh in his mind, so Ji Zeming couldn't help but quicken his pace and stepped onto the creaking wooden steps.
"Your Highness, autumn has deepened and the wind is chilly. You have stood here for a long time. You may have caught a cold."
His voice was gentle, and his eyes fell on Li Yin's slightly tilted face. His eyebrows, which usually had a sharp look, were now a little dazed.
Li Yin slowly turned his eyes, his pupils reflecting the darkening sky in the distance. His voice was as light as the wind blowing across water. "Are you worried about me?" Without waiting for Ji Zeming to respond, he suddenly changed the subject. "Luo Er has been missing for three days. The whole capital is searching for her, and yet you haven't even expressed any curiosity."
Ji Zeming's fingertips paused slightly, then he curled the corners of his lips helplessly.
He has known Li Yin for more than ten years, how could he not know the temperament of this prince?
"Your Highness," he lowered his eyes and bowed, his tone respectful yet revealing a certain understanding, "If you wish to tell me something, I need not ask; if you do not wish to speak, even if I ask, it would be a waste of words. In that case, why should I bother?"
The pavilion was silent for a moment, with only the sound of the wind whimpering through the columns.
Ji Zeming originally thought that Li Yin would remain silent as usual, but he suddenly turned back, a subtle hint of anxiety flashed across his eyes, and even his voice was a little deeper than before: "No."
He paused, as if he had exhausted all his strength, before continuing, "Even though I know asking might not be helpful, even though I know you might not want to tell me, I still want to ask, do you have any news about her? Even if it's just a few words about where she stayed, even if it's just a few words about whether she's okay."
When Ji Zeming raised his eyes, he saw the panic that could not be concealed in Li Yin's eyes.
But his face remained calm, and he simply repeated what he had just said, his tone somewhat perfunctory: "I am deeply apprehensive. I have not heard any news about Miss Luo."
"Tsk..." Li Yin suddenly chuckled, his laughter full of self-mockery, "If you don't know, just say you don't know. If you know, just say you don't know."
He stared into Ji Zeming's eyes and said word by word, "Your expression has already told me what you're thinking."
The wind grew stronger, causing Ji Zeming's robe to sway slightly.
He met Li Yin's gaze without dodging it. He simply lowered his head again, hiding all his emotions under a layer of respect. His voice was as steady as ever: "I am terrified."
Looking at Ji Zeming's appearance, Li Yin no longer wanted to argue with him. He stood up and left the pavilion without going down the stairs.
The setting sun slanted across the vermilion walls of the East Palace, dyeing the blue brick road half bright and half dark.
Li Yin walked forward with his eyes downcast, the hem of his dark brocade robe brushing against the dense autumn grass in front of the steps, but he was completely unaware of it.
His brows were slightly furrowed, his eyes were dyed pale blue, and his mind was full of his father's cold words in the imperial study last night. Even the goose yellow figure standing under the ginkgo tree beside him did not catch his eye.
"Your Highness."
A clear voice sounded from behind him, with a barely perceptible tremor.
Li Yin paused, stunned for a moment before slowly turning around. He saw Zhao Yan'er standing not far away with her skirt lifted up. The silver butterfly hairpins on her temples swayed gently in the breeze, but there was a thin layer of frost in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said in a cold, absent-minded tone, "I didn't see you just now."
Zhao Yan'er looked at the dark circles under his eyes, and suddenly swallowed back the resentment that was on the tip of her tongue. She only sighed softly, "I really envy Your Highness."
"What are you envious of?" Li Yin raised his eyebrows slightly, his tone full of doubt.
"If I could be like Your Highness, ignoring the person in front of me and passing by without a ripple of emotion," Zhao Yan'er clenched her sleeves with her fingertips, her voice as light as a breeze, "I probably wouldn't be in such a dilemma."
Li Yin fell silent after hearing this, and his confused look gradually became tinged with sympathy.
He knew that Zhao Yan'er entered the palace for the safety of her family, and her engagement to him was just a deal where both parties got what they wanted, but the unconcealable affection in her eyes made him feel a little bit reluctant.
"What's with that look, Your Highness?" Zhao Yan'er suddenly raised her voice, her tone carrying a hint of exaggerated grievance, her eyes slightly red. "You look so sympathetic, as if I'm so pitiful. It makes my heart ache."
Li Yin looked at her red eyes and suddenly asked, "Why do you look at me like that?" His tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable seriousness. "We agreed that this was just a deal, wasn't it?"
Zhao Yan'er's eyes flashed with panic upon hearing this, and her fingertips subconsciously stroked the embroidery on her skirt, but she regained her composure in an instant and said with all her might, "Is there nothing else between men and women except admiration? Even if this is a deal, and we may be together for the rest of our lives, is it wrong for me to want to be closer to His Highness?"
Li Yin didn't say anything, but just looked at her steadily, his eyes so deep that it seemed as if he could see through all her disguises.
Zhao Yan'er felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by him. She avoided his gaze and explained softly, "I just feel that Your Highness doesn't need to always carry such a painful expression on his face, and there's no need to act like he's lost the whole world and has no desire to live."
She paused, her voice softening. "I think the girl your Highness loves wouldn't want to see you like this either."
After she finished speaking, she secretly looked up at Li Yin and saw that his expression changed slightly. The pain hidden deep in his eyes could no longer be hidden, and a sharp pain suddenly surged in her heart.
But she knew she couldn't show even a hint of affection. If her feelings broke the deal, Li Yin would definitely cancel the engagement without hesitation, and by then, the Zhao family would be doomed.
She took a deep breath, suppressed the bitterness in her heart, bowed to Li Yin, and regained her usual calm tone: "It's getting late. I'll take my leave first. I'll greet Your Highness next time."
After saying this, without waiting for Li Yin's response, she turned around and left quickly, picking up her skirt. Her light yellow figure quickly disappeared around the corner of the palace wall, leaving Li Yin standing there alone, looking in the direction she left, without moving for a long time.
——
The night was as dark as ink, splashing on the towering palace walls. Only the lights in the direction of Changle Palace were as bright as day. The bright light shone through the carved window lattices, making the palace lanterns hanging under the eaves look even more red, but it also revealed an indescribable anxiety.
The voice of "Empress, push harder--" coming from inside the hall had become hoarse and out of tune, mixed with the midwife's rapid breathing, and struck the hearts of everyone outside the hall.
Ji Zelan was lying on the delivery couch covered with soft satin. The strands of hair on her forehead were soaked with cold sweat and stuck to her face, which was as pale as paper.
Her due date was still a month away, but the sudden severe pain in her abdomen dragged her into this unexpected delivery.
Her fingers gripping the quilt turned white, and her knuckles trembled slightly from the force. Every time a contraction came, it felt like countless sharp knives were stirring in her belly, but there was no anticipation of becoming a new mother in her eyes, only a bottomless coldness.
"The baby is out! It's a princess." The voice of Yun Yue, the personal maid, was filled with ecstasy after surviving a disaster. She held the swaddling clothes carefully and was about to hand the delicate baby to Ji Zelan, but was interrupted by a weak but resolute command.
"Take the baby away!" Ji Zelan turned her head away from the swaddling clothes. Her voice was as light as a breeze, but it was filled with unquestionable fierceness.
Yun Yue's hands froze in mid-air, the smile on her face instantly fading. She hesitantly advised, "My Lady, this is your own flesh and blood. Are you really not going to take one last look?"
"No need!" Ji Zelan suddenly raised his voice, a barely perceptible flash of pain in his eyes, and then it was covered by coldness, "Go! Now!"
Yunyue wanted to say something, but the personal nanny in the corner of the hall winked at her. A swaddling cloth appeared in the nanny's arms. She quickly walked to the delivery bed, gently placed the baby in her arms next to Ji Zelan, tucked in the corner of the quilt, and then turned and walked out of the hall.
Outside the palace, the waiting eunuchs saw the nanny come out and hurried forward to ask. The nanny lowered her voice, but her tone was deliberately solemn: "The queen has given birth to a prince. She is now weak and does not need the imperial physician's care."
The eunuch didn't dare to ask any more questions and turned around and ran to the imperial study.
The candlelight flickered in the imperial study, and memorials were spread out on the bright yellow desk with dragon pattern, but no one read them.
His Majesty sat on the dragon throne, his brows knitted into a deep "川" shape, one hand pressed on his throbbing temples, his face looking extremely haggard.
Recently, his splitting headaches have become more severe, and his health has been getting worse day by day. When he heard the eunuch's report, his tense shoulders suddenly relaxed, and a trace of genuine joy flashed in his eyes. That was his own flesh and blood, and the concern for the blood-related child finally outweighed some of his worries.
But this joy was only for a moment, and was replaced by deeper worries. His fingertips unconsciously stroked the handle of the chair, and his eyes looked solemnly towards the direction of Changle Palace outside the window. He knew clearly in his heart: the birth of this child would probably make the prime minister and his group more active.
Prime Minister Ji Ke was sitting on a rosewood chair opposite, his dark blue official robe making his expression look even more serene.
Although the eunuch's report was low, every word of it reached his ears.
Sun Xing, the Minister of Revenue, sat beside him, his face full of excitement. He leaned close to his ear and said in a voice filled with joy, "It's a prince! Congratulations, sir! Now we can get ready!"
Xiao He picked up the teacup, tapped the rim of the cup with his fingertips, glanced around, and whispered a reminder: "Be careful, there are ears on the other side of the wall."
Sun Xing realized that he had lost his composure and quickly lowered his voice, but his tone was still anxious: "With the birth of a new prince, the Eastern Palace should also welcome a new owner! I was worried about Zhao Wanyong before. If their daughter becomes the Crown Princess, our plan will be in trouble.
Now, all we need to do is change the master of the East Palace, and everything will be under control!"
"Don't rush things." Ji Ke took a sip of tea, his voice calm, but a glint of light flashed in his eyes. "Anyway, no matter who sits in that seat..."
Before he finished speaking, Xu Jiang on the side responded flatteringly: "That's right! Your Excellency is wise! No matter who sits in the East Palace, they will all listen to you, Your Excellency!" Ji Ke did not comment, but looked at the night outside the imperial study with an increasingly profound gaze.
Soon, His Majesty summoned Crown Prince Li Yin into the palace.
Li Yin was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, with an upright posture. His expression was calm as he walked into the hall.
His Majesty looked at him, thinking for a long time, and then slowly spoke: "News came from Changle Palace that Ji Zelan gave birth to a boy."
"Congratulations, father." Li Yin bowed, his tone still steady, without any trace of emotion.
His Majesty, seeing him like this, felt both comforted and somewhat worried. He sighed, "I know that for you, the birth of this child may not necessarily be something to be happy about."
"Your Majesty, you worry too much." Li Yin raised his head, his eyes clear and firm. "I know you're worried that the Prime Minister and his faction will use this child to endanger the Crown Prince's position, but he's still just a babe and poses no threat yet. Your Majesty, don't worry too much. The most urgent priority is to stabilize the court and maintain the emperor's health."
His Majesty looked at Li Yin's calm appearance, and the worries in his heart dissipated a little. However, looking at the bright lights of Changle Palace outside the window, he still felt uneasy.
This sudden birth and the newborn prince will probably cause quite a stir in this deep palace.
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