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Four days later, at Jian Su Medical Hall.
For the past few days, Di Jiang had been waking up before dawn every morning and leaving through the back alley.
Wu Rui’an had heard her movements for three consecutive days. On the fourth day, he couldn’t resist following her.
The alley was paved with bluestone slabs, winding and filled with puddles left from recent rains. One misstep could splash mud all over.
“What is she doing here?” Wu Rui’an wondered, cautiously moving forward.
Every few steps in the alley, a tree stood tall, forcing him to sidestep to pass through.
After walking a few hundred meters, he saw Di Jiang crouching in front of a large tree, muttering into a hollow, “Don’t be in a hurry; I have plenty for you all to eat.”
Wu Rui’an quietly approached and realized there was a nest of kittens inside the hollow—four yellow ones and one black, similar in markings to the deceased mother cat.
“You’ve been getting up early these days just for them?” Wu Rui’an said.
Di Jiang looked up to see Wu Rui’an leaning against the tree, looking surprised.
“Why are you here?” Di Jiang asked.
“Curiosity brought me here.” Wu Rui’an shrugged, waving his hand dismissively.
Di Jiang nodded absently, praising, “Prince Wu has excellent skills. I didn’t notice anyone following me.”
“I spent three whole years training in the military camp! All genuine skills, not to be underestimated!” Wu Rui’an proudly proclaimed, like a peacock spreading its feathers to attract a mate.
“...” Di Jiang pursed her lips, ignoring him, and took out some tiny fish snacks from her pocket, carefully placing them in front of the kittens.
These kittens had just opened their eyes. Their mother had gone out to find food but never returned.
“You are so harsh on me, yet you are full of love for these small animals, tsk tsk…” Wu Rui’an feigned deep sorrow, pretending to be heartbroken. “Shopkeeper Di really hurts my feelings. They won’t help or care for you when you’re in trouble.”
“Hmm... They also won’t freeload on me for food, shelter, and lodging. The cost of raising them for a month doesn’t even match the cost of one meal for Your Highness!” Di Jiang retorted mercilessly.
“You...” Wu Rui’an’s face darkened, eventually letting out a “hmm,” and turned to leave.
“Are you angry already? Where are you going, Your Highness?” Di Jiang called after him.
“To get you some money! So you won’t always complain about me freeloading off you.” Wu Rui’an raised his arm, waving it around.
Wu Rui’an hadn’t returned to the mansion for quite some time. Many people were looking for him, but no one knew this place. It was as if they were blinded by ghosts, unable to locate it.
Wu Rui’an hadn’t thought much about it, enjoying his peace and quiet. Now, spurred by Di Jiang’s words, he began contemplating returning for a visit.
After returning to the mansion, Wu Rui’an didn’t linger long. He changed into his court attire and headed to the palace.
Upon entering the palace, he heard that Chen Zhao was taking a nap in her chamber, so he went directly there.
Over the past few days, his anger had largely subsided. Today, he genuinely wanted to talk to Chen Zhao and admit his impulsive mistake.
However, just as he reached the entrance, he heard laughter and playful noises coming from inside the chamber.
“How does this look?”
“This way looks better. Let me teach you.”
A pleasant male voice came from the chamber. Wu Rui’an found it familiar. Peering inside, he saw Jiang Qionglin standing beside Chen Zhao, bent over closely next to her.
Their hands intertwined, holding a brush together, writing something on silk.
“Slave greets Prince Wu. Wishing His Highness good fortune.” An Suyun stood at the door, promptly bowing to greet and alert those inside.
Chen Zhao and Jiang Qionglin looked up to see Wu Rui’an standing at the door, his expression complex and indescribable.
“My son, you finally decided to return?” Chen Zhao smiled warmly, seemingly not upset.
Of course, she wasn’t upset. The mess Wu Rui’an caused had been mended by numerous officials, and it was proven that it wasn’t his fault—he was also a victim. Fundamentally, it was she who had wronged him.
“Since Mother Empress is occupied, this humble son will take his leave.” Wu Rui’an said briefly, turning away without stepping into the chamber.
Chen Zhao watched his figure disappear outside the door. After a long while, she sighed deeply, shaking her head, “This prince of mine has always been unruly. I’ve exhausted myself trying to manage him...”
“Did Prince Wu misunderstand something?” Jiang Qionglin looked astonished, appearing worried.
Chen Zhao shook her head, “An has been estranged from me since childhood. It has nothing to do with you.”
“Why is His Highness like this?” Jiang Qionglin furrowed his brows.
Chen Zhao set down her imperial brush and blew on the still-damp ink on the rice paper before slowly speaking, “The reason An is estranged from me is that when he was young, I was busy with state affairs and neglected his upbringing. Usually, he spent more time with Consort Shu. Over time, both Rui’an and Jingyi became closer to Consort Shu. I’ve tried several times to mend our relationship, but all attempts ended in failure.”
“Remember once, An stormed into my chamber with a sword.”
“I remember the moon was very round that night. Unfortunately, though the moon was full, people weren’t. He held the heavy sword, pointing it at my neck, asking, ‘Is what Consort Shu said true? Did you poison Father Emperor’s third son to gain favor?’ I wanted to explain, but I didn’t know where to start.”
“I couldn’t tell him, ‘Your father believed Consort Shu’s incitement and poisoned me?’ That would break his heart...”
At this moment, several loud slaps echoed from outside, “slap slap slap,” delivered with significant force.
“Suyun, what happened?” Chen Zhao sharply inquired.
After a moment, An Suyun dragged in a maid.
“Empress, for several days, I noticed this maid sneaking around the windows, spying. She must have ulterior motives. Under questioning, she admitted being bribed by Consort Shu to report...” An Suyun paused here.
“Report what?” Chen Zhao urged.
An Suyun took a deep breath and calmly continued, “Report your every move with Lord Jiang.”
Jiang Qionglin stood aside, feeling a chill.
“Is this true?” Chen Zhao frowned, looking at the maid. “Raise your head.”
The palace maid trembled all over, slowly lifting her head. Her cheeks were swollen, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Clearly, she had been severely punished and probably had no intact flesh left in her mouth.
“Mercy, Your Majesty! Mercy! I only occasionally took some reward money from Consort Shu. She just asked about when Lord Jiang enters and leaves the palace and where he stays daily. I didn’t say anything else!” As the maid spoke, blood spattered from her mouth, further infuriating Chen Zhao.
“Drag her out and flay her in front of Banyue Palace,” Chen Zhao waved her hand nonchalantly. “Let all the palace maids and eunuchs witness the punishment. Let them see the consequences of passing messages for Consort Shu.”
“From now on, let’s see who dares to spread rumors.”
Chen Zhao’s tone was calm, killing someone as casually as squashing an ant.
This offense didn’t warrant death, but because she was angered by Wu Rui’an and in a foul mood, it seemed the maid’s bad luck to have crossed the line.
Hearing this, the maid fainted instantly. However, she was soon lifted from the ground by An Suyun, like a piece of mud.
Her body was dragged across the ground, reopening old wounds and causing fresh blood to flow.
In agony, she had to open her eyes, filled with regret and fear as she looked at Chen Zhao.
“Mercy, Your Majesty—” the maid begged incessantly, tears, snot, and blood mixing on her face.
“Drag her out.” Chen Zhao remained expressionless.
“Wait!”
After Jiang Qionglin spoke, An Suyun stopped. She glanced back at Chen Zhao, who gave a “stop” signal with her eyes. Then, An Suyun threw the maid back onto the ground.
“Please, Your Majesty, spare her life!” Jiang Qionglin grasped Chen Zhao’s wrist, pleading.
“Do you pity her?” Chen Zhao’s face turned ashen.
Jiang Qionglin shook his head, “I pity you, Your Majesty.”
“Oh?” Chen Zhao raised an eyebrow, her voice stern. “She disrespected me. If I don’t punish her severely, how can I govern the six palaces?”
“Governing the nation, managing the household, and pacifying the world all depend on virtue. Qionglin doesn’t want Your Majesty’s hands stained with the innocent’s blood. Besides... Your Majesty isn’t such a ruthless person, is she?” Jiang Qionglin gazed into her eyes, full of entreaty.
Chen Zhao’s face remained stony, silent for a long time.
After a while, she addressed the trembling figure on the ground, “Raise your head.”
The maid slowly lifted her head, two clear tear streaks visible, portraying a pitiful image.
“Not bad-looking. No wonder she comes from Consort Shu’s palace; each one is more seductive than the other.” Chen Zhao flicked her sleeve, signaling An Suyun to drag her away.
Jiang Qionglin knew her fate was grim, and anything he said would be redundant. He stood aside, remaining silent.
Seeing Jiang Qionglin’s dejected expression, Chen Zhao pondered and then relaxed her brows, saying, “Wait.”
Upon hearing this, An Suyun stopped.
“Send her to Consort Shu’s palace to serve. Say that Lord Jiang pleaded for her life, sparing her from death.”
“Yes.” An Suyun nodded, quickly carrying out the decree.
Jiang Qionglin was overjoyed, repeatedly gripping Chen Zhao’s wrist, joyfully exclaiming, “Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty.”
Chen Zhao turned her head, gazing deeply at him, then shook off his hand, staring blankly without a word.
Jiang Qionglin didn’t know what taboo he had violated again and dared not speak.
“You...” Chen Zhao hesitated, ultimately waving her hand, “Never mind.” With that, she walked out of the chamber, leaving Jiang Qionglin behind, uneasy.
...
In the following days, a rift seemed to grow between them.
Jiang Qionglin stayed nightly in Yinghui Pavilion, located in the western corner of Daming Palace. Chen Zhao neither allowed him to leave the palace nor summoned him to serve her personally.
Although Jiang Qionglin felt uneasy, he assumed it was because she was upset about the incident involving Consort Shu’s maid and thought things would clear up once her anger subsided.
However, he never expected that he would never see her anger dissipate.
“Your Majesty, is this an opportune moment...” In Qinzheng Hall, An Suyun hesitated.
Chen Zhao snapped out of her reverie, lifting her head, stunned, “Yes, I almost forgot why I brought Qionglin into the palace...”
After An Suyun’s reminder, Chen Zhao thought about it all night, sleepless.
As dawn approached, she finally made a decision.
This was an incredible thing for her.
Recalling her past in Dongdu, sacrificing herself for Xian Wang’s escape was a mere thought. Nowadays, any national matter was just a stroke of her pen.
She had never tossed and turned, sleepless, over a single event or person like she did last night.
After dismissing court, Chen Zhao still didn’t summon Jiang Qionglin to Qinzheng Hall. At midnight, she alone went to Yinghui Pavilion where he resided.
Inside Yinghui Pavilion, Jiang Qionglin was copying ancient masterpieces.
Chen Zhao entered the room without announcing herself, watching him silently from the doorway for a long time.
Jiang Qionglin’s profile remained as beautiful as when she first met him, endlessly captivating.
After a long while, when her legs began to go numb, Chen Zhao approached him and said, “You’re no longer needed here. From today onward, go serve in Banyue Palace.”
“Your Majesty wants me to serve Consort Shu in Banyue Palace?” Jiang Qionglin looked up, astonished.
His hand trembled, and the black ink dripped from the tip of the brush, ruining the “Spring Frost Moon Painting” he had been working on for several days.
He put down the purple-gold white jade wolf-hair brush and walked around the table to stand in front of her, staring into her eyes, enunciating each word, “Do you truly wish me to do that?”
“Yes,” Chen Zhao fixed her gaze on him, nodding. “These past few days, seeing your estrangement from me, that person in Banyue Palace has become restless, buying off most of your palace maids just to learn a bit about you. Since she likes you so much, go serve her.”
“...”
“Tonight, don’t come back.” Chen Zhao’s face remained expressionless, her eyes calm and unrippled.
Jiang Qionglin stood frozen for a long time. Seeing her determined expression and composed gaze, devoid of any jest, his heart sank heavily.
He suddenly realized she might genuinely want him to serve Consort Shu.
He had thought Chen Zhao had forgiven him and wanted to reconcile, but instead, he received such an order.
However, if this was the case, everything made sense.
He no longer had to guess day by day why Chen Zhao, who shunned male companionship, went to great lengths to be close to him. Her elaborate efforts to elevate him to a high position and act intimate with him were all for the benefit of the person in Banyue Palace.
Her purpose in approaching him was simply to send him at the right time to seduce Consort Shu.
From start to finish, he was merely a pawn she would dispatch.
A pawn to control Consort Shu.
He had once thought he was free, able to stay by the side of the person he liked and serve her until the end of her days. Only now did he realize his fate had long been sealed.
He had always been at others’ disposal, perpetually unable to escape being handed over.
Jiang Qionglin’s blood boiled. Ignoring court etiquette, he pulled Chen Zhao into his arms and fiercely kissed her lips.
The next moment, Jiang Qionglin winced in pain as Chen Zhao bit her tongue without mercy.
The scent of blood filled their nostrils, but he still didn’t let go, domineeringly wanting to claim her as his own.
Gradually, Chen Zhao stopped struggling, but unlike before, she didn’t respond.
Her eyes were cold, unmoved by his provocations, failing to ignite any passion.
It was like kissing a corpse.
How was his behavior different from those who had bullied her in the Dongdu dungeon?
He shouldn’t treat her this way.
Jiang Qionglin felt despair and gradually released her.
“Finished kissing?” Chen Zhao coldly remarked, “Go to Banyue Palace. Consort Shu adores you.”
“Kissing you will never be enough. Even if I can’t be with Your Majesty anymore, this lowly official won’t serve anyone else.”
Jiang Qionglin firmly stated, “This lowly official can’t bear to watch you be blinded by past hatred. If Your Majesty desires my life because of this, I will comply. Please take it.”
After speaking, Jiang Qionglin took a deep breath and knelt before her.
Chen Zhao, however, didn’t make any further moves. After a while, she turned and left.
She didn’t want to force him.
She knew forcing him would be futile.
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