Chapter 17
The silence within the hall gradually crept into people's hearts, contracted and sank, converging into that bleak crimson hue of that day.
A lifeless, deathly pale color.
Consort Ming sighed slightly and said calmly, "Consort An, I don't understand why you are avoiding the Emperor's favor, and I have no words to say to you. However, you now understand the situation in the palace clearly. From now on, you should take care of yourself."
Qi Nian'an looked up at her; a strand of her dark hair was coiled around her neck, damp with sweat, probably from taking care of her earlier.
She closed her dry eyes with intense resentment, her ears filled with Nan Zhi's dying words.
Nan Zhi wanted her to fight for it.
Even on his deathbed, he was making preparations for her. His death was tragic and pitiful, and his sorrowful eyes, filled with longing and reluctance to part, were carved into her heart by blood and flesh.
Mingfei gently stroked her cheek, and Qi Nian'an suddenly opened her eyes, only to realize that she was crying again.
"Nan Zhi's funeral arrangements have been made. Her body has been handed over to her family to rest in peace in her hometown. You can put your mind at ease."
“Zhiyang’s room just brought back a palace maid, she said… named Yixing. She wanted to see you, but I was afraid you had just woken up, so I sent her back.”
Consort Ming rolled up her sleeves, propped her chin on her hand, and looked at her with a smile. Seeing that she remained silent, she sighed softly and turned to leave.
The sea-blue skirt swayed and twirled, carrying a fragrant breeze that soothed the soul.
The palace was adorned with crimson jewels, yet it was also shrouded in a suffocating silence.
The feeling of suffocation continued to surround her, and the nausea she felt compelled to endure trapped her, imprisoning her in the dark room.
I want to be my own boss here, not to be a burden to Xiao Ran, and not to watch my loved ones pass away in vain.
Ultimately, it was her own underestimation of the enemy that led her to this situation. She had no idea when the situation in the palace had become so dire or how the infighting had progressed.
However, from now on, no one can take anyone away from her.
If she's going to fight for something, she'll fight for the highest position above all others, forget about gold, silver, jewels, power, and luxury—
Even if it is not what one's heart desires, one should still strive to be what everyone else desires.
"What is your explanation for the secret letter in the hands of the dead palace maid?"
Shao Sizhi entered the hall at some point, his hands behind his back, looking at her intently with a slightly furrowed brow, but he dared not look into her eyes.
"Rumors are swirling in the palace. I will not be a foolish ruler who cannot distinguish right from wrong. I will give you this opportunity to explain yourself in front of the palace. Do not let it go as hastily as last time."
The voice was deep and extremely solemn, and the yellowed paper in his hand was clenched so tightly that it was deeply wrinkled.
Qi Nian'an recalled the words she had uttered in her delirium before she was on the verge of death that day, and felt extremely awkward. She glanced heavily at the page.
“I am not a spy, I am illiterate and cannot write, and I do not wish to implicate others to write for me. Your Majesty can find out the truth for yourself, so why question me?”
"Since you didn't stand idly by until the end that day, are you now going to ask me some truth that would cost me my life? If that's the case, then—"
box--
Before she could finish speaking, the door was slammed shut. Shao Sizhi seemed furious. By the time Qi Nian'an realized what was happening, it was too late.
Another piece of blood-stained, painful memory was ripped from my chest.
The door was gently opened, and one figure pulled another figure inside. The other figure was clearly unwilling, and the latter chuckled and pushed hard.
Shao Sizhi silently looked at the person on the bed who had just abruptly turned his head away. He held his sleeve with one hand and put the other behind his back. As if feeling awkward, he gently leaned against his thin lips and exhaled.
His gaze shifted to the crumpled secret letter that had been burned to ashes on the incense burner.
That was clearly a frame-up.
Qi Nian'an finally couldn't bear the deathly silence any longer, and she sighed.
She felt awkward, wondering why she would say such a thing. It was definitely not something she would say; it was a shameless plea for survival.
It's always unsettling, a deep, persistent unease.
"Your Majesty... I will obey."
obedient--
How to be obedient.
She had read the script; it was all just a mirage, a game she thought she was playing, but as she played, she found herself trapped here.
She became a trapped beast, unable to go back, unable to get out, unable to escape.
Time, always stuck in the same place, seemed to be playing out again and again. She undoubtedly liked the man in front of her, but that liking was very shallow. What she liked was the grandeur of the drama depicted on black and white paper, like a fleeting dream, and the tiny starlight that made up these stars, like beautiful sticky notes pasted on the simplified Chinese characters of "Shao Sizhi".
Despite having truly experienced death three times, saving him, falling deeply in love with him, and even needing him to accompany her during night shift games.
But those are games.
It's just a play.
If this drama causes her grief and sorrow, makes her wish she were dead, and forces her to watch helplessly as her loved ones and closest friends are hurt—
She wasn't a coward, but escape seemed to pull her away from this nightmarish situation.
"If I continue to treat you like this, will you hate me? Will you want to kill me like Su Fei did?"
She opened her mouth, as if something inside her chest was pulling her from side to side.
“I am not an obedient person. I was once admired and was born in a civilized and prosperous era, but I have never faced life and death directly.”
"Whether you obey me or not, I will do my best to forgive you. You have saved my life, and although I cannot say it openly, I remember it."
Upon hearing this, Shao Sizhi's furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and he finally looked her in the eye, slowly approaching her step by step until he sat down on the edge of the bed.
"I will not reveal what happened that day. It was just a petty, flattering remark. That night, you were also covered in mud and imprisoned in a pit. Did I mention anything about it?"
He became increasingly confident and assertive, as if he had gained a strong sense of self-assurance.
Qi Nian'an remained silent, a spear still lodged between them, its edge aggravating her wound with the slightest touch, preventing her from uttering the truth.
She opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. She slowly rested her chin on her knees and hugged herself.
I miss Nanzhi.
“Nan Zhi is the kindest person here besides Consort Ling. She trusted me, but I failed her…”
"Consort An."
Shao Sizhi decisively interrupted her, his eyes softening. He gently placed his well-defined hand on Qi Nian'an's arm and patted it, a gesture that exuded an indescribable sense of security.
“I will warn you about what Consort Su has done. The foundation of the nation is not yet secure. I need allies, even if they are wolves and tigers. We must make sacrifices for the greater cause.”
A coldness gradually surfaced in his eyes. He made a resolute gesture, wrapped his arms around Qi Nian'an, and his breathing became increasingly heavy.
Qi Nian'an remained silent.
“The time for jackals and tigers to be dealt with will come eventually. I only hope that when all is lost, Your Majesty will spare me a sharp cleaver so that I can avenge Nan Zhi.”
Qi Nian'an felt that her voice was filled with hatred, unlike words she could not say herself. However, the hatred gradually emerged and rose, mixed with some determination.
The hall fell silent.
Shao Sizhi remained seated, and upon hearing this, he turned to look at him as if his eyes had lit up.
A faint smile gradually appeared on the corners of his downturned mouth, which Qi Nian'an keenly noticed.
He leaned down, his hair brushing against her cheek, and pressed his hand firmly against her shoulder.
"I agree."
"When the nation is at peace, that will be the day of your revenge. At that time, I will personally present you with the executioner's blade."
His voice carried a hint of seduction as he gazed intently at her, drawing closer and looking at her tenderly.
"My stance is aligned with yours; what is there to worry about in not getting what I want?"
A mocking smile crept into Qi Nian'an's mind. She wrapped her arms around his waist and abdomen, gradually increasing the pressure. The silk was smooth and soft. She moved downwards, hooking his jade-like, translucent breasts, and leaned down to kiss them lightly.
Shao Sizhi stared intently, his breathing becoming heavy, the jade thumb ring on his hand digging deep into his neck, feeling tight and uncomfortable.
She clung to the back of his neck, using a bit of force, and desire gradually welled up in her breath as she gently caressed his nose and eyes.
"stop."
Shao Sizhi suddenly grabbed her wrist, and the two were locked in a stalemate.
"I have other important matters to attend to..."
Qi Nian'an chuckled softly, stepped forward and kissed him, lingering on the touch and warmth like a dragonfly skimming the water, before withdrawing her hand and suddenly noticing a few streaks of pain on her back.
Shao Sizhi stood up, about to leave, when his clothes were suddenly pulled straight by a force. He looked back in surprise.
She finally let go, her eyes slightly blurred and her eyebrows raised slightly.
Will His Majesty come tonight?
Shao Sizhi pursed his lips, his brow throbbing. He pressed his temples hard and picked up the tea from the table.
"meeting."
His figure darted out of the house as if fleeing, leaving behind a chaotic, turbulent atmosphere, permeated with the stench of blood.
She glanced out the window, then took a deep breath and said loudly, "What are you still standing there for?"
Li Xiaoran pushed open the door with a sullen face, her eyes still red. She didn't say a word as soon as she entered the room. She lifted the quilt and looked at herself from head to toe. As she looked, tears fell and landed on the bedding.
A sense of melancholy instantly enveloped the room.
“In broad daylight, who would dare to harm you, you mysterious fellow?”
Qi Nian'an couldn't bear it, so she forced a smile and joked. Li Xiaoran turned away, and the atmosphere became heavy and unbearable.
"Once I'm healed, I'll..."
"Protect yourself, don't die, understand? If you die, I die too. I can't survive a single day in this hellhole. Those people are all lunatics, their eyes are bloodshot as they fight each other for their maggot-infested profits. Human life isn't valued here; they'll just kill people on a whim..."
Li Xiaoran grew increasingly resentful as she spoke, her brows furrowing with anger, and she gripped Qi Nian'an's wrist tightly with heartache.
“I previously made my will clear to Shao Sizhi, and it is not the same as what the Li family is plotting. Once the Li family and other traitors are all wiped out, we will be released from the palace and freed.”
"Who knows how this news leaked out... I had only been out of the palace for a moment when an assassin's arrow was aimed straight at my throat—it's absolutely insane!"
Fortunately, she wasn't injured; given the situation, her choice was correct.
She would not use her last chance to reload the game for herself; she would save it for Li Xiaoran. If one of these chaotic, hidden arrows were to strike her right in the brow, she would reload the game and burn down this man-eating palace to avenge her.
For now, however, we should focus on striving for wealth and prosperity.
The two talked for a while before Li Xiaoran reluctantly left.
Consort Ming came in a few times during the process, and her mood improved considerably. She always smiled calmly and joined in without any pressure.
During the days that Qi Nian'an was recuperating in her palace, the two gradually became acquainted.
As soon as she recovered from her injuries, she was allowed to move back to Consort Ling's residence. Li Xiaoran held a grand palace banquet for this, and Shao Sizhi did not stop her.
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