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“This is... Jiang Qionglin?” Wu Ruian looked astonished. He had not expected the person who had influenced Empress Chen so deeply to be a male consort she had seemingly disregarded in the past!
This painting... wasn’t it supposed to be sealed away?
An Suyun was no less surprised than Wu Ruian, but she didn’t show it.
An Suyun was the closest female official to Empress Chen and knew what kind of person Jiang Qionglin was to her. It was entirely possible that Empress Chen had taken the painting without anyone’s knowledge.
Zhong Xu and Shi Wenchang didn’t know Jiang Qionglin’s story. Shi Wenchang kept his head bowed, standing silently to the side, showing no reaction. Zhong Xu, maintaining his usual aloof demeanor, simply brought a candlestick, placed the painting in a copper basin, and lit it.
The flames spread quickly, and in just a moment, half of the scroll was burned away.
As the fire grew, Jiang Qionglin’s features in the flames gradually turned red. At that moment, Empress Chen, with a burst of strength from somewhere, leaped from the bed and flew to the fire basin. Before anyone could react, she used her robe to extinguish the fire.
Then, she tightly hugged the remaining part of the painting and pleaded with Zhong Xu, “That’s enough, that’s enough... the mei is dead now, isn’t it? Can I keep this part?”
Zhong Xu shook his head and said firmly, “No.”
“Why not! I say it is! This is an imperial edict! An order!” Empress Chen screamed like a madwoman. Shi Wenchang and Wu Ruian quickly came to her side and helped her up.
Empress Chen’s hair was disheveled, her eyes were bloodshot, and they shimmered with tears.
No one had ever seen Empress Chen lose her composure to this extent.
An Suyun said, “Your Majesty, please don’t be so emotional. It’s just a painting. We can find someone to paint a new one...”
Wu Ruian added, “Yes, Mother Empress, your son will gather painters from all over the land to...”
“Shut up!” Empress Chen glared angrily, scanning the room. “Qionglin is gone. Can’t I even keep a single painting? For all these years, I have governed the country, managed the court, and never asked for anything... Now, can’t this one small request be granted? Now, only I... only I can protect him...”
Empress Chen’s voice was tinged with a sob. Although she was still pleading, her tone was that of an order that could not be defied.
Zhong Xu sighed. “Your Majesty, your current lack of calm is due to this painting. Let’s discuss everything after I burn it, shall we?”
“No! I forbid it! This is my Qionglin. None of you are allowed to touch him!” Empress Chen’s eyes were crimson, and she was clearly at her breaking point.
Zhong Xu did not provoke her further. He placed his hand behind his back, as if he was about to draw his sword.
“Don’t you dare!” Empress Chen roared suddenly. At the same time, she shoved Wu Ruian and Shi Wenchang away, grabbed the candle from a nearby candlestick, and held the sharp end to her neck. She shouted, “If you burn Qionglin today, I don’t wish to live either!”
Upon seeing this, Shi Wenchang quickly stopped Zhong Xu. “Master, put down your sword!”
Wu Ruian also went over, pressed Zhong Xu’s hand, and shook his head at him.
“What a sentimental woman,” Zhong Xu sighed, reluctantly putting down his sword. He stared directly at Empress Chen and continued, “Your Majesty, this humble Taoist understands that the person in the painting is very important to you. But I want to tell you that no matter how important he was to you in the past, he is now just a mei trying to take your life. You must let him go.”
“No! I was the one who harmed Qionglin! It’s only right that he resents me! Don’t you know... he told me it’s so dark and cold underground... that his injuries hurt so much... and he wants me to join him! I’ve already failed him once. I can’t abandon him a second time!” Empress Chen’s words were accompanied by tears, and her mournful cries tugged at everyone’s heartstrings.
Just as the situation reached a stalemate, An Suyun suddenly fell to her knees with a thud. “Your Majesty, this maidservant has something to report.”
Empress Chen looked at her, confused.
“What is it?”
An Suyun continued, “Before Jiang Qionglin died, he said something to this maidservant, which I have never told you. Please punish me, Your Majesty.”
“Qionglin... what did Qionglin say to you?” Empress Chen was stunned and asked with hesitation, “Did he have something he wanted to say to me?”
“Your Majesty, he did,” An Suyun replied, still kneeling with her head bowed.
Empress Chen quickly walked to her, grabbed her arms, and said anxiously, “What did Qionglin say? What did he say?”
“He said... that you gave him a beautiful hope, a future that others envied. You gave him a bright future and let him try to spread his wings. Although you also broke his wings, he would always remember that without you, he would have never known what it was to soar. He has no regrets, no resentment.”
“Qionglin... he really said that?”
“Your Majesty, yes.”
“He... didn’t blame me?”
“Your Majesty, yes.”
“Plop,” “plop”... An Suyun felt two hot tears fall onto her hand. She looked up in a panic and saw Empress Chen with a dazed expression, her face streaked with tears.
Tears streamed down Empress Chen’s face.
In that moment of distraction, An Suyun quickly snatched the candlestick and the remaining scroll from her hands.
An Suyun hugged Empress Chen, kicked the candlestick to the side, and threw the scroll to Zhong Xu. Then, she held Empress Chen tightly, not allowing her to make any moves.
“What are you doing! Get away! Let me go!” Empress Chen became frantic again.
Zhong Xu, with quick hands and eyes, caught the scroll and lit it again. The scroll turned to ash in his hands, leaving nothing behind.
Empress Chen watched the scroll burn away, her expression shifting from fury to surprise, then to bewilderment and confusion, and finally settling into a dead calm. It was as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with her.
“What’s wrong with me?”
Empress Chen calmed down and looked at An Suyun, who was holding her tightly. She asked, “What are you doing?”
“Your Majesty, are you all right?” An Suyun asked, surprised and disbelieving.
Empress Chen frowned, confused. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Your Majesty is finally all right! This is wonderful!” An Suyun quickly let go of Empress Chen, knelt on the ground, and bowed to her repeatedly. Shi Wenchang followed suit, kneeling on the ground and cheering, “Long live the Empress!”
Empress Chen felt as if she had just woken from a long dream.
Empress Chen held her head, went back to the bed and sat down. At that moment, the first bell of the drum tower rang.
“Dong, dong, dong—” The heavy bell rang out, each toll shaking the soul and inspiring deep reflection. It brought a sense of peace to people’s hearts.
“Someone,” Empress Chen said calmly, “help me get dressed.”
“Mother Empress, what’s...” Wu Ruian was confused.
“It’s time for the morning court,” Empress Chen said with a calm expression, returning to her usual composed and serious demeanor.
Empress Chen turned to Zhong Xu and said, “Master Zhong is a man of true talent and learning. I admire you and hope you will stay and help me.” Then, she looked at Wu Ruian and said, “An’er, please take good care of Master Zhong. We can discuss the specifics after I finish court.”
“Your son obeys the decree.”
“This humble Taoist obeys the command.”
An Suyun and Shi Wenchang quickly opened the palace doors and called in a group of maids to serve Empress Chen as she washed and dressed.
While Empress Chen was getting ready, Wu Ruian and Zhong Xu left. They were led by Shi Wenchang to a side hall, where they had breakfast with Wu Yu and Wulong.
In the side hall, Wulong was sitting at the head of the table, having finished his breakfast and was now drinking tea. Wuxiuwen sat beside him, eating slowly and deliberately.
Wu Yu’s chair was padded with thick blankets, and he was wrapped in a large cloak. He looked frail, as if he might faint at any moment. The bowl of congee in front of him had only been eaten a few spoonfuls.
“This subject pays his respects to the Second and Third Royal Brothers.”
“This humble Taoist pays his respects to the Second and Third Princes.”
Wu Ruian and Zhong Xu bowed one after the other. Wulong glanced at them, nodded, and motioned for them to sit down.
Wu Yu looked up, a faint smile on his lips, and gave Wu Ruian a nod. But he quickly lowered his head again, his expression a little evasive.
Wuxiuwen stood up, bowed to Wu Ruian, and said, “This nephew pays his respects to Sixth Uncle.”
“Dispense with the formalities, please sit down,” Wu Ruian said, looking at the boy who was acting like a little adult. His mood brightened, and he exclaimed, “Wuxiuwen, you’ve grown so tall.”
Wulong puffed out his chest with a hint of pride. “Yes, the last time you saw him, he was just a little boy. Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.”
Although Wulong himself had been a failed emperor, Wuxiuwen was very intelligent and handsome. It was only after meeting Wuxiuwen that Empress Chen began to show Wulong more respect.
Now, Wuxiuwen was the most valuable card in Wulong’s hand. He was his pride.
Although Wu Ruian had never thought about the throne and only wanted to be a carefree prince under Empress Chen’s protection, his intentions were clearly not believed by outsiders.
Wu Ruian’s existence was undoubtedly the strongest competition for the throne. Wulong had a natural aversion to him. Although he didn’t show it on his face, a rift had long been planted, taken root, and sprouted between them.
Soon, a eunuch came to report, “It’s time for the morning court. We respectfully ask Prince Gong to attend.”
Wulong was stunned and frowned. “Morning court? Who is presiding over the court?”
“Your Highness, it is Her Majesty.”
“Mother Empress? Her illness is cured?” Wulong was shocked.
The eunuch nodded and confirmed it.
Wulong quickly stood up, wiped his mouth, and said, “I’ll be going first. You all take your time.” With that, he left in a hurry with Wuxiuwen.
Wu Yu was gravely ill and did not have to attend court. Wu Ruian had been demoted and had even less reason to attend. Only Wu Ruian, Wu Yu, and Zhong Xu were left at the table, each lost in their own thoughts. For a moment, no one spoke.
Wu Yu’s face was pale, and he looked weak. He soon stood up and said, “Royal Brother, this elder brother will be returning to his mansion now. Farewell.”
Wu Ruian stood up and nodded. “Royal Brother, please take care. This subject will not see you out.”
“Okay, no need to,” Wu Yu said. He walked out of the hall, supported by two attendants.
As soon as he left, Zhong Xu looked at his retreating back and said in a low voice, “He is also not clean.”
“What?” Wu Ruian stared at Zhong Xu, dumbfounded. The spoon he had just picked up clattered into his bowl...
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