Chapter 531 Let’s Say Goodbye
In the two days that followed, the Soul Devouring Pill had several more attacks.
What Yun Chen found coincidental was that no matter when Huo Gannian was meeting with ministers or discussing political affairs, as long as her poison began to take effect, the sound of his pipa would soon be heard.
The plaintive sound of the piano eased much of her pain, accompanying her as she fell into coma, fell into darkness, and struggled to wake up from the brink of death again and again.
She could feel that her life was slipping away bit by bit and time was running out.
It’s better to leave without any regrets, so say goodbye to everyone properly.
So, two days before the enthronement hall, she met Song Qiaoqiao and Cao Shuyu.
When the three of them get together, there are endless jokes and happy stories to tell.
Song Qiaoqiao chattered like a little sparrow, talking about the good news that Huo Gannian had once again ordered the restoration of equal rights for women, and she kept calling Yun Chen "Empress".
She forced Yun Chen to promise something like "If someone succeeds in the future and the whole family benefits, I, the queen, will ensure that Song Qiaoqiao will live a life of wealth and glory."
Yun Chen was so embarrassed that he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Who told you I'm going to be the queen?"
Song Qiaoqiao put her hands on her hips and said, "If not you? Who else could it be? Your love story with the Emperor has been written into eighteen different novels and topped the Nan Kingdom's bestseller list, okay? Even the dogs on the street know you two are a couple, don't you?"
Someone who was "worse than a dog" touched his nose and smiled helplessly.
Cao Shuyu next to him thought Yun Chen was upset about Zhuang Ji.
The news that Zhuang Ji was in love with Huo Gan Nian had spread somewhat. Cao Shuyu had heard about it and said with a smile:
"I'm not trying to comfort you. It's true that Zhuang Ji and the Emperor have known each other since childhood, but it's just 'acquaintance', not 'childhood sweethearts'. If the Emperor had feelings for her, it would have happened long ago. Why wait until now? It's just that the Zhuang family covets power in the harem."
"That's right!" Song Qiaoqiao echoed repeatedly, "The Emperor's temper is like a stubborn bull. He must be the type to stick to his own ways. How could he possibly fall in love with someone else?"
"Stubborn bull?"
These words startled Yun Chen and Cao Shuyu. The three of them stared at each other for a while, and at the same time, they all imagined Huo Gannian imitating the mooing of a cow with an icy face.
The three of them burst out laughing at the same time, and fell into a ball laughing...
After Song Qiaoqiao and Cao Shuyu left, Yun Chen saw the Wolf-Slaying Colt and the Cloud-Swallowing Beast.
The two horses have been through hundreds of battles, and like many soldiers of the Tianwei Army, they have finally ushered in a day of success and fame. They have been designated as the imperial horses pulling the carriage at the coronation ceremony, and they will be dressed in red and decorated with ribbons, and will be very majestic.
Yun Chen forced himself to bathe and trim the hooves of the two horses for the last time despite his fatigue.
When everything was done, the Cloud Swallowing Beast did something that surprised Yun Chen -
It walked up to Yun Chen, who was exhausted and panting, and rested its head against Yun Chen's forehead, letting out a long, low whine, as if it had a very spiritual premonition that Yun Chen's life was coming to an end, and tears flowed from its eyes.
Yun Chen hugged the Cloud-Swallowing Beast back, and pressed their foreheads against each other for a long time, feeling so sad that he couldn't speak.
The wolf-killing colt beside him didn't react at all. He chewed the grass heartlessly and even raised his front hoof to kick the Cloud-Swallowing Beast, as if laughing at it.
"Don't be so pretentious."
Then Yun Chen summoned Rong Yi and finally had the opportunity to sit down and listen carefully to the story of Luo Dongdong's death.
After hearing that Rong Yi had specially brought Luo Dongdong's father from the countryside to Kyoto, made him his adoptive father, and vowed to take care of him until his old age, Yun Chen wiped the tears from his eyes and patted Rong Yi's shoulder with relief:
"Good boy, now Dongdong has no regrets."
Rong Yi seemed to have been touched in a sore spot, and asked Yun Chen with tears in his eyes:
"What about you, Boss? I can see that you're unhappy every day and want to leave the palace every day... But you and the Emperor have finally come this far. If you let go, won't you regret it..."
Yun Chen forced a smile, looked up at the sky, and did not answer the question.
After Rong Yi left, Fu Lin and Duan Jie came together.
The two grown men stood in front of Yun Chen, like two children who had done something wrong, feeling guilty and reserved.
Duan Jie could not say anything except sighing one after another.
Fu Lin thought for a long time, hesitating whether to explain the long speech he gave to "Demon Slayer" that day and tell it to Yun Chen again.
But facing Yun Chen's pale face like a dying candle and his dim and sad eyes, he didn't want to say anything anymore. In the end, he only said:
"As long as you're alive, you have nothing to fear and can start over again."
Yun Chen knew that Fu Lin hoped that she and Huo Gannian could let go of everything and not talk about the past grudges anymore.
As long as you are alive, you can start over.
Unfortunately, Yun Chen knew clearly that Fu Lin’s wish would never come true.
She nodded and smiled, and bumped shoulders with Duan Jie and Fu Lin like brothers, just like they used to.
Duan Jie, a kid who was just a bystander, felt so uncomfortable that he kept wiping away tears.
After Duan Jie and Fu Lin left, Yun Chen talked to Lu Liang and Run He the next day, and then got busy shuffling through a dozen boxes.
For everyone she didn't have time to meet, she left a box of carefully prepared gifts and a handwritten letter.
There were letters for Yun Wang, who was about to be summoned back to the palace to become Prime Minister; for his stepmother, Lady Bai; for Yun Lan and Yun Tian; for Lan Qian, who had barely survived by the Green Water Pond but couldn't enter the palace due to a leg injury; and for Huo Luyu and Xiao Yue'er...
This token of gratitude was placed in a heavy box and neatly stacked under the bed in her bedroom.
She also wanted to meet Su Zhengyang's wife, but unfortunately, because she and Madam Su had saved Nan Lijun by substituting a cat for the prince, the entire Su family was now locked up. It seemed that Huo Gannian had not yet decided how to deal with Madam Su, who knew the truth about Nan Lijun's escape.
In addition, news came from the southwest that Su Zhengyang was seriously injured but not dead, was rescued by the villagers, and was about to return to Kyoto. I'm afraid Mrs. Su couldn't focus on Yun Chen.
Yun Chen said goodbye to everyone one by one, and finally only Huo Gannian was left.
The eve of the coronation ceremony was the same as the previous few days.
Yun Chen was enduring the severe pain from the Soul-Devouring Pill in his bedroom.
Huo Gannian silently plucked the strings of the pipa behind the closed door.
At dawn, Yun Chen woke up from his coma caused by the poison, and everything around him was quiet.
She dragged her shaky body, almost falling, into the bathroom, and struggled to comb her hair and bathe herself.
She put her hand into the tub, and the water was still warm, just like the past few days. She couldn't help but wonder for a moment:
Lately, no matter when she enters the bathroom, the water in the tub is always hot.
She probably thought that the palace servants were diligent. She didn't suspect anything and carefully dressed herself.
After she was completely clean, she took a deep breath and gently opened the door of the bedroom.
Sure enough, Huo Gannian had not slept yet. His eyes were slightly red as if from staying up late. He suddenly sat up from the couch and looked straight at her.
Yun Chen laughed at her silly look.
"It's almost time. Let me help you put on your court dress."
He was obviously surprised, and quickly stood up from the couch and obediently followed Yun Chen to the dressing room.
Runhe had already hung the dragon robe and crown that he would wear when he ascended the throne today.
Yun Chen skillfully straightened Huo Gannian's inner shirt and put on the dragon robe, smoothing it out from shoulders to arms without a single wrinkle.
The warmth of her palm brushed across the glittering gold and silver threads on the dragon robe, and also gently brushed across his shoulders and body.
When she put her hands under his arms and began to tie his belt carefully, he couldn't help asking:
"How come Chen'er is so skilled at dressing so well?"
She concentrated on tying the mugwort sachet and jade pendant on his belt, and answered without looking up:
"Grandma Meng taught me this when I was asleep."
She would never tell him that in order to be able to personally dress him in the imperial robes for the coronation today, she had privately asked Runhe to bring him the clothes and had practiced it more than a dozen times.
Seeing that she could finally joke with him, Huo Gannian was surprised and delighted. For a moment, he looked particularly happy, his eyes curved, and he smiled softly:
"So, does Granny Meng have anything else to teach you? After the banquet tonight, I'll come find you and tell you everything, okay?"
These words made her movements pause, and her heart ached, but she still raised her face and smiled slightly:
"good."
After hearing her promise, he suddenly became extremely cheerful. All the cautiousness and sadness he had felt in the past few days disappeared. He really felt the joy that Yun Chen was going to reconcile with him.
He, who was always calm and aloof, began to babble uncontrollably:
"Chen'er, I really wish you could walk with me up the jade steps of Yong'an Palace to the throne, but you said you were not feeling well. I will definitely not force you."
"Have a good rest, Chen'er. I'll come to see you after the banquet is over, which might be a little late."
"By the way, at tonight's banquet, Duke Zhuang's family will be offering a century-old wine. I'll bring you a pot when the time comes. As long as Zhuang Ji and Duke Zhuang's family behave, I can let them live longer, but they can forget about the position of empress."
"Chen'er, you are my only wife forever."
When Yun Chen brought the crown, Huo Gannian looked deeply into her eyes and said as firmly as a vow.
He leaned forward and lowered his head to Yun Chen.
She stood on tiptoe with some difficulty and put the crown on his head properly, but she couldn't reach the pearl tassel and couldn't help joking:
"How thick are your boots today? It's so hard for me to reach them..."
He immediately knelt on one knee without thinking, "How about this? Is it still difficult to reach it?"
She was startled and quickly pulled him away.
It's not that she felt that it was against etiquette for him to kneel on one knee before her since he was the emperor now. She just felt sorry for the court robes that the embroiderers had worked day and night to weave. What if they got dirty or got snagged?
She reached out to pull his arm, and he took the opportunity to hold her hand tightly, almost hugging her uncontrollably, but he sensitively noticed that her body stiffened for a moment.
In the end, he endured and endured, and did not take another step forward.
"Chen'er, I'm leaving." He squeezed her hand hard and looked into her eyes with affection and longing.
She smiled gently, like a wife sending her husband off to war:
"Go ahead."
Huo Gannian then turned around and left, facing the golden light of the morning sun in the sky, striding towards the direction of Yong'an Palace.
In the palace garden outside the palace gate, Runhe and Lu Liang had already been waiting quietly with the imperial carriage, a group of guards and countless imperial guards.
Following Huo Gannian's steps, everyone followed in silence, like a giant dragon swinging its tail, with a majestic and solemn momentum.
Yun Chen stared at Huo Gannian and Gao Kuo's receding backs without blinking.
She knew that this was the last time they would see each other, and they would never meet again.
A huge sorrow suddenly hit her heart, which was far more painful than the soul-devouring pill. She finally couldn't help but chase after him, but she suddenly stopped at the door of the hall.
When Huo Gannian was about to leave the palace gate, she used all her strength to call out bitterly:
"A Nian!"
Huo Gannian immediately stopped and looked back, his brows full of surprise, as if he couldn't believe his ears, and repeatedly asked Lu Liang and Runhe beside him.
After getting confirmation that Yun Chen really called him Ah Nian after a long time, Huo Gannian's eyes curved and he responded with a smile:
"Chen'er, wait for me!"
He then turned around and continued to walk towards Yong'an Palace, not knowing that in the palace behind him, Yun Chen finally lost all his strength and fell on the cold palace floor.
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