Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
In the days that followed, Chen Zhao seemed to have forgotten about Jiang Qionglin. She continued to attend court as usual and review memorials as before.
After the Luan Tai was burned down, only Zhao Xianzhi remained. He alone received special favor. Empress Chen treated him with great affection, so even if he walked arrogantly through the palace, no one dared to say a word against him. Even high-ranking officials bowed respectfully and greeted him with, “Your humble servant pays respects to the Luan Tai Imperial Historian.”
The title of Luan Tai Imperial Historian was a special honor bestowed upon Zhao Xianzhi by Chen Zhao to soothe his trauma from the fire. For a time, he became an even more sought-after figure than Jiang Qionglin.
Meanwhile, Jiang Qionglin stayed quietly in the Yinghui Pavilion, partly because of Chen Zhao’s confinement order and partly to recover from his injuries.
During these days, with Consort Shu’s constant companionship, his meals were never lacking.
However, he was plagued by nightmares every night, even crying out in his sleep: “If my lord commands me to die, I must obey...”
Upon hearing this, Consort Shu felt even more pity for him, treating him with tender care. Though over thirty years old, she behaved like a love-struck young maiden in his presence.
All of this was observed by An Suyun.
One day, Chen Zhao dismissed everyone except An Suyun and asked, “Is there any news from Consort Shu?”
An Suyun shook her head, “Reporting to Your Majesty, Consort Shu has not gone to the Imperial Medical Office for contraceptive medicine.”
Chen Zhao frowned suspiciously, “Did she send someone to bring herbs from outside the palace?”
“No,” An Suyun replied expressionlessly, though her eyes gleamed coldly.
“Hmph, how dare she be so bold,” Chen Zhao sneered, looking out at the streaks of setting sun like blood. Her face did not reflect the gravity of her tone; rather, she felt immensely pleased.
She was like a fisherman who had waited by the river for a long time, finally feeling the tug on a line he had cast long ago. Now, all she needed to do was wait for the fish to swallow the bait completely before making her move.
...
In the evening, at the end of South Street, Jian Su Medical Clinic.
After Di Jiang took Wen Yao to a neighboring town for half a month of medical consultations, they returned to find Wu Rui’an sitting at the doctor’s desk, idly flipping through Wen Yao’s Flower Deity Record.
“Your Highness! How can you casually look through other people’s things!” Wen Yao blushed and tried to snatch it back.
“What is this?” Wu Rui’an held up the Flower Deity Record, teasing her.
“The shopkeeper wrote one, so I just followed suit!” Wen Yao explained.
Wu Rui’an paused, then looked at Di Jiang.
Di Jiang shrugged, not denying it.
“So Shopkeeper Di also has one.” Wu Rui’an nodded slowly and returned the book to Wen Yao. Then, leaning closer to Di Jiang, he curiously asked, “What did Shopkeeper Di write in her Flower Deity Record?”
“Guess,” Di Jiang said, unloading her bag and throwing out two words before heading to the back to wash her hands.
When she returned, she saw Wu Rui’an flipping through her own Flower Deity Record.
No matter how much Wu Rui’an flipped through it, there wasn’t a single word written in the collection.
“Why haven’t you written anything?” Wu Rui’an frowned.
“What’s it to you?” Di Jiang glared at him, annoyed, “Is His Highness too idle? Sneaking into a woman’s private quarters?”
“Come on, we’re close friends, right?” Wu Rui’an forced a laugh, but when Wen Yao and Shuxiang ignored him, he appeared somewhat awkward.
He coughed twice and changed the subject, “Is there any significance to writing a Flower Deity Record?”
“No!” Di Jiang firmly denied, then glared at him, “Is His Highness determined to linger here? Is there nothing happening in the court?”
“There are matters, but they irritate me, so I don’t want to deal with them,” Wu Rui’an waved his hand dismissively, sitting down and suddenly appearing listless.
Seeing this, Di Jiang spoke seriously, “What happened in the court?”
“Not a big deal, just a little troublemaker trying to disrupt the court. I don’t believe a mere male favorite can cause much trouble,” Wu Rui’an said lightly, though his face showed anger.
Di Jiang didn’t ask further, but Wu Rui’an opened up and recounted all the events that had occurred in the palace during the past half month.
Listening nearby, Wen Yao became furious and rolled up her sleeves, ready to fight.
“Where are you going?” Di Jiang quickly grabbed her collar.
“Of course, to confront that male favorite Zhao Xianzhi!” Wen Yao angrily replied, “He dares to overshadow the Peony Lord, I want to see what kind of face he has!”
“Calm down!” Di Jiang shouted, and Wen Yao suddenly came to her senses.
Seemingly unaware of her previous impulsiveness, she blankly asked, “Shopkeeper, what happened to me just now?”
“You’re acting like you’ve swallowed gunpowder!” Di Jiang rolled her eyes.
“I... I don’t know why I got so impulsive, maybe because I like Lord Jiang so much?” Wen Yao pondered, “Shopkeeper, aren’t you worried?”
“Why should I worry?” Di Jiang snorted, “Even a peerless man like the Peony Lord can fall out of favor one day. I don’t believe Zhao Xianzhi can remain arrogant for long.”
“That’s right! Why didn’t I think of that!” Wen Yao nodded, “His Majesty will surely forgive Lord Jiang and reconcile with him! I’ll go pray to the Bodhisattva for Lord Jiang.” With that, she skipped away.
“... “ Di Jiang sighed, massaging her temples, feeling that ever since Wu Rui’an arrived, her life had become restless with his banter with Wen Yao.
And Wen Yao seemed to become increasingly irritable.
Di Jiang, troubled by headaches, decided to close the shop the next day and, before Wu Rui’an could disturb her, took Wen Yao and Shuxiang to the Nine-Tier Demon Suppressing Pagoda to listen to the Buddhist chants and purify their souls.
Once the three entered a meditative state within the pagoda, they were oblivious to worldly affairs.
Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, a month had gone by in the mortal world.
A month later.
After finishing dinner, An Suyun entered the hall and whispered in Chen Zhao’s ear, “Your Majesty, according to the servants’ reports, Consort Shu’s menstruation has been delayed by ten days.”
“Really?” Chen Zhao raised an eyebrow, turned around, and watched the birds flying lightly outside the window, smiling faintly, “Then hurry up and summon the imperial physician to check her pulse discreetly. Remember, choose the one she’s most familiar with, and don’t alarm her.”
“This servant understands.” An Suyun bowed and retreated.
...
Another half month passed, and all the servants in Consort Shu’s palace were sent to other palaces, leaving her with significantly fewer attendants. She also began claiming illness to the outside world.
From her behavior, it seemed she truly intended to give birth to the child.
Feeling that the timing was ripe, Chen Zhao led a group of palace maids to the Yinghui Pavilion on a cold moonlit night.
At that moment, in the Yinghui Pavilion, Consort Shu lay naked in Jiang Qionglin’s arms, whispering sweet nothings.
“For this child, let’s name him Qing Yi, ‘Qing’ for celebration, ‘Yi’ for affection. What do you think?” Consort Shu softly suggested.
“If you like it, then it’s fine,” Jiang Qionglin replied gently, though his eyes showed little joy.
Just then, a loud noise echoed, followed by the sound of footsteps. Soon, Chen Zhao led a group of palace maids into the bedroom.
“M-Majesty!” Consort Shu tightened her grip on Jiang Qionglin and knelt on the ground, trembling.
“How dare you… show such audacity!” Chen Zhao pretended to be enraged upon seeing them.
“Mercy, Your Majesty, we…”
“Drag them away! No one is allowed to plead for them!” Chen Zhao interrupted Consort Shu. The guards waiting outside the hall immediately filed in.
Consort Shu and Jiang Qionglin were terrified, unable to dress properly before being dragged out of the Yinghui Pavilion by the guards.
Due to the late emperor’s edict, Consort Shu was merely confined to the Ban Yue Palace.
Jiang Qionglin, however, was not so fortunate.
Enraged, Chen Zhao consulted with her favored minister Zhao Xianzhi, deciding that this trend must not continue and severe punishment was necessary. Thus, Jiang Qionglin was thrown into the torture chamber to endure the harshest punishments as a warning to others.
That night, when Jiang Qionglin was taken to the torture chamber, all the civil and military officials eagerly awaited the spectacle, except for Wu Rui’an, who had always been at odds with Jiang Qionglin and arrived upon hearing the news.
After entering the palace, Wu Rui’an directly confronted the guards and faced Chen Zhao, saying, “Mother Empress, Jiang Qionglin must have been framed!”
“Framed?” Chen Zhao sneered, “Both were found stark naked, and I witnessed it clearly. Their actions are indeed grievously immoral!”
“This is impossible! Jiang Qionglin towards you...” Wu Rui’an started but couldn’t finish.
“Why stop?” Chen Zhao raised an eyebrow, “You’ve always enjoyed defying me. Are you now confronting me fiercely for a male favorite? You lack all sense of propriety and decorum, unworthy of being a prince!”
“Is Mother Empress’s heart made of stone?” Wu Rui’an, scolded by Chen Zhao, lost his temper and disregarded all decorum, openly questioning the Empress in front of everyone, “Don’t you understand Jiang Qionglin’s character and conduct?”
“I don’t need to understand,” Chen Zhao replied expressionlessly, showing no sign of wavering.
Seeing this, Wu Rui’an threw caution to the wind, bluntly stating, “You accuse Consort Shu of immorality, but what about yourself? When you spent day and night with Jiang Qionglin, why didn’t you accuse him of immorality then!”
“You—! How dare you!” Chen Zhao exploded in anger, “My husband has always been the late emperor. Jiang Qionglin was originally a lowly official slave, how could he share a bed with me!”
“Is that so... Fine, fine. Since Mother Empress says so, this son has nothing more to say. But when we reach the underworld, you mustn’t lie, otherwise, once you enter the tongue-pulling hell, you’ll never come out!”
“Silence! Get out of my sight!” After Chen Zhao finished speaking, seeing that Wu Rui’an had no intention of leaving, she immediately called out, “Guards! Throw Prince Wu out! Confine him for a month!”
“Understood,” the guards quickly surrounded him. Wu Rui’an decided not to struggle uselessly.
He might be able to take down the entire room of royal guards, but he could never convince his mother Empress. If he couldn’t make her change her mind, everything would be in vain.
“It’s easy for me to leave, but can your conscience rest easy?! You betrayed Father Emperor, and you betrayed Jiang Qionglin. You’ve only ever loved yourself—” Wu Rui’an shouted furiously. Before he could finish, four men lifted him onto their shoulders and carried him out.
After Wu Rui’an left, Chen Zhao didn’t even glance at Jiang Qionglin on the ground.
Jiang Qionglin lay there like a lump of soft mud, devoid of vitality. Even after hearing Chen Zhao’s words, he showed no reaction.
His half-open eyes stared straight ahead, revealing nothing of his thoughts, only an endless deep despair.
Zhao Xianzhi supported Chen Zhao, gently saying, “Your Majesty, don’t be too angry, take care not to harm your health.”
“I am fine.”
“And him... how should he be dealt with?” Zhao Xianzhi looked at Jiang Qionglin on the ground.
“Throw him into the torture chamber, leave him to your disposal,” Chen Zhao waved impatiently, still not looking at Jiang Qionglin.
The guards, having received their orders, dragged him away like a piece of cloth.
That night, Jiang Qionglin endured a taste of the torture chamber’s punishments.
Even a brief taste was enough to leave him half-dead.
...
The next day, Chen Zhao stood outside the small cell at the farthest end of the torture chamber, satisfied to see Jiang Qionglin covered in blood, barely alive.
“Consort Shu wishes to see Jiang Qionglin, let her come,” Chen Zhao calmly instructed An Suyun.
“Yes.”
An Suyun nodded, accepted the order, and quickly went to the Ban Yue Palace to escort the confined Consort Shu to the torture chamber.
Several days passed, and she still appeared as disheveled as when she first saw him, her face devoid of its former radiance.
After emerging from the torture chamber, she was in a daze.
She couldn’t believe that this was her beloved Jiang Qionglin!
Previously, no matter what dire situation he fell into, he remained a dazzlingly beautiful man.
But now, sitting on the prisoner’s bench in the torture chamber, he could hardly be called human.
His entire body was soaked in blood, his fingernails peeled off, and whip marks crisscrossed his back. Under extreme torture, he had completely lost consciousness, yet he kept muttering, “Spare Consort Shu... and spare... yourself...”
Consort Shu was struck as if by lightning.
Jiang Qionglin’s voice was soft but each word pierced her heart.
Even on the verge of death, he was still pleading for her!
Consort Shu was overwhelmed with grief, feeling as if she were being torn apart piece by piece.
Her abdomen ached, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, soaking her entire face.
Her makeup smeared, her beauty faded, she knelt at Chen Zhao’s feet, desperately pleading, “Your Majesty... I beg you, spare Jiang Qionglin. He was forced by me!”
“Hmph, regardless of whether he was forced by you, his immoral acts in the palace are facts.”
Chen Zhao glanced at her, faintly smiling, “Since I cannot punish you, let him bear your punishment instead.”
“Your Majesty!”
Chen Zhao flicked her sleeve and walked away, ignoring Consort Shu’s pleas behind her.
Chen Zhao did not order her removal but instead confined Consort Shu and Jiang Qionglin together, guarded by two soldiers. They were well-fed and cared for, but she was forbidden from approaching or intervening.
She wanted her to witness firsthand Jiang Qionglin’s torment and suffering worse than death.
...
After another torturous night, Jiang Qionglin’s legs were crippled, forever unable to walk normally. His feet bent impossibly, while Consort Shu, covering her ears, cowered in the corner, trembling.
When Chen Zhao entered the torture chamber, she saw this tragic pair—one mentally broken, the other physically disabled.
Even so, Jiang Qionglin still muttered, “Spare Consort Shu... and spare... yourself...”
Ignoring the blood, Chen Zhao pinched Jiang Qionglin’s cheeks and sneered, “Your loyalty to Consort Shu is commendable.”
Jiang Qionglin opened his eyes, looked at her weakly, and said, “Spare Consort Shu... is to spare... yourself...”
His gaze was unfocused, his expression vacant. No matter how much pain he endured, he kept repeating the same phrase.
“Do you still speak for her!” Tired of hearing it, Chen Zhao slapped him hard across the face, angrily shouting, “I tell you, Consort Shu is fine! It’s you who can’t save yourself, so better pray for your own fortune!”
This commotion woke Consort Shu. Seeing Chen Zhao, she immediately came to her senses and crawled to her feet, crying, “Your Majesty—please, I beg you, spare him! If you release him, I will do anything!”
Consort Shu’s voice was hoarse and raspy, evidently from a night of desperate pleading. However, the jailers in the torture chamber had already been instructed by An Suyun and would show no mercy.
She helplessly watched as Jiang Qionglin was reduced to a cripple.
Ignoring her, Chen Zhao nodded to the jailers.
Receiving the command, they brought another instrument of torture.
It was a bucket of boiling oil, bubbling vigorously.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please don’t—!”
Consort Shu’s words were drowned out by the rising sizzling sounds. She watched in shock as the bucket of oil was poured onto Jiang Qionglin’s neck.
White smoke rose, and Jiang Qionglin gasped sharply.
His eyes shot open, and he fainted from the pain.
Simultaneously, Consort Shu beside him collapsed unconscious at Chen Zhao’s feet.
Her hands tightly gripped Chen Zhao’s shoes, and like Jiang Qionglin, tears of blood streamed from her eyes...
Google Sites
Report abuse