Gratitude
The imperial guard who was bitten by her furrowed his face and protected his arm. Two rows of teeth marks appeared on his wrist, seeping faint blood, showing how much force Ci Ke had used.
“Miss Zhou, we are also acting under the Emperor’s orders to investigate the remaining rebels. Please, Miss Zhou, do not delay us!” That imperial guard gritted his teeth and insisted.
Ye Youqing was caught off guard and didn’t speak for a moment. Instinctively, she supported Ci Ke, listening to her speak with a voice as firm as iron: “Miss Chen is a weak woman. What connection could she possibly have with the rebels? How dare you show such disrespect to a distinguished guest personally invited back to the capital by His Majesty?”
When Ci Ke’s brows were furrowed and her eyes sharp, she had a somewhat imposing and cold demeanor. The few imperial guards exchanged glances, feeling somewhat troubled.
Ci Ke ignored their reactions, grasped Ye Youqing’s five fingers tightly with a backhand, pushed away the blocking imperial guards, and squeezed through the human wall with large strides, leaving the crowd. Someone reached out to stop them but was pulled back by a companion beside them, shaking their head to let them go.
“Miss Zhou speaks reasonably. Even if the rebels had inside and outside collusion, they wouldn’t choose a girl who can’t even truss a chicken.” Another imperial guard said, turning around to continue searching others.
Ci Ke, on the other hand, dragged Ye Youqing along swiftly until they had passed several streets and returned to the wide Imperial Street. Only then did she stop, bending over and panting.
Ye Youqing also stopped with her, looking around. Along the street, officials and soldiers were searching, and from time to time, fast horses galloped past, raising clouds of dust.
Ye Youqing pulled Ci Ke to the roadside, reaching out to wipe the bloodstains from the corner of her mouth. Ci Ke spat a few times on the ground, her dark eyebrows knitted tightly.
“What’s wrong?” Ye Youqing asked with concern.
“It’s salty.” Ci Ke looked disgusted, wiping her mouth with her sleeve, and Ye Youqing couldn’t help but hold back her laughter.
Another galloping horse brushed past them, and Ye Youqing quickly pulled Ci Ke over, pressing their backs against the wall, shielding themselves from the swirling dust.
“Did you hear what they said just now?” Ci Ke watched the horse disappear into the distance and asked seriously, “Why did this happen so suddenly?”
“I heard,” Ye Youqing replied. She hadn’t expected this turn of events either. Although the idea was hers, she never imagined that the Crown Prince would dare to rebel openly in front of his father, the Emperor.
It seemed that the Emperor had already been prepared and didn’t let him succeed.
The Crown Prince’s failure was actually a good thing for Ye Youqing. After all, when the snipe and the clam grapple (idiom: 鹬蚌相争, when two sides fight, a third party benefits), the fisherman gains. It was equivalent to eliminating a major threat without losing a single soldier.
The street was noisy and chaotic like a pot of porridge. Fearing further danger, Ye Youqing escorted Ci Ke all the way to the entrance of the Zhou residence. There, they encountered Zhou Hong, who was hurriedly exiting, still draped in his robe. The three nearly collided.
Seeing Ci Ke, Zhou Hong finally breathed a sigh of relief. His back and waist relaxed as he leaned against the doorframe, clutching his chest and heaving a long sigh, expressing his gratitude to Ye Youqing several times.
“Luckily, the young lady was by her side. Upon hearing the news, I was nearly scared out of my wits.” Zhou Hong wiped the sweat from his forehead. “The
Emperor urgently summoned all the ministers to the palace, so I must go.”
“Do you know the whole story?” Ye Youqing asked.
Zhou Hong scratched his head. “I don’t know much either. I only heard from the informer that the Crown Prince secretly removed the shadow guards around the area, planning to act while the Emperor was asleep. Little did he know, the Emperor was already prepared, with even more people hidden in the shadows to counterattack, killing the Crown Prince’s men without even a fragment of armor left.”
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“Now the Crown Prince has been imprisoned for interrogation. The crime of regicide, it’s unimaginable.” Zhou Hong displayed a peculiar expression.
Ye Youqing nodded and reached out to push Ci Ke over the threshold. Ci Ke, on the other hand, grabbed Ye Youqing’s clothes. Having finally seen Ye Youqing, she was quite reluctant to part.
Ye Youqing looked at her and spoke gently, “Just wait for me a few more days. It will be soon.”
“It’s dangerous outside. During such extraordinary times, the Emperor is most suspicious. I can’t disappear for too long either,” Ye Youqing explained patiently.
Ci Ke let go of her hand. “I understand. I’ve waited for two years, what’s a few more days?”
Ye Youqing smiled warmly. “I saw your paintings. Did you read my letters?”
“Dozens of letters, like little bombs.” Ci Ke spoke with disdain, but her eyes curved into a smile. “I read one letter a day; it will last me a long time.”
Ye Youqing couldn’t help but laugh. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was around, she suddenly lowered her head and gave Ci Ke a quick kiss on the cheek, like a dragonfly touching the water lightly. Zhou Hong, standing nearby, exclaimed “Aiyo” and turned around, blushing, “Mind your manners.”
Ci Ke reached out and gave him a push, causing Zhou Hong to stagger.
From behind, more soldiers ran in formation along the long street. Ye Youqing stepped back and left, giving Ci Ke one last glance before turning and disappearing into the labyrinth of alleys.
That night, Bianjing was never quiet. People constantly ran along Imperial Street or the sound of horse hooves clattered. Soldiers searched house by house, dragging any suspicious persons to the Ministry of Justice for questioning. The whole city was in a state of panic.
The rebellion implicated many court officials. Those too close to the Crown Prince were thrown into prison and tortured. The lighter penalties included exile, while the heavier ones were direct imprisonment in the Imperial Prison.
The Crown Prince’s accomplices were executed by waist severing at noon the next day and their heads were hung at the city gate as a warning to the public. For several days, the capital was filled with the stench of blood, and the streets were almost deserted. It wasn’t until a spring rain half a month later that the smell dissipated.
As for the main culprit, the Crown Prince, due to his royal status and the Emperor’s past fondness for him, he was secretly given death in the Eastern Palace (東宮, Donggong, the residence of the Crown Prince) and buried with royal honors. Only after the Crown Prince’s death did the matter gradually calm down.
However, everyone knew that although the surface seemed calm, a storm was brewing in the shadows.
The only good news was the battlefront situation. The Qi army launched a vigorous counterattack, reclaiming most of the lost cities. The Western Xia faced continuous defeats. When this news reached the capital, many people were overjoyed.
But there were also new dangers. Due to years of warfare, northern refugees were already suffering immensely, with no land to cultivate and no food to eat. Famine and plague alone had claimed many lives. The government’s inadequate relief efforts led to uprisings among the common people, who formed significant rebel forces.
Initially, the court did not take it seriously, as peasant uprisings were generally not a concern. However, this time the rebel army seemed to be strategically controlled from behind, able to advance and retreat with great flexibility, capturing several cities in a row and gradually approaching the capital.
It wasn’t until the rebel army moved south towards the capital that the court realized the danger. They dispatched the Imperial Guards to suppress the uprising. Unfortunately, the capital’s forces were insufficient, so they had to urgently mobilize regional troops to the north to delay the rebels, awaiting the return of the main army from the frontlines to quell the rebellion.
On this side, the clashing of weapons continued, while on that side, there was also unrest. Every time the court convened, although the Emperor remained dignified, his body visibly grew thinner. However, the Emperor’s illness was kept a secret from the public, and no one knew the true state of his health or how much longer he could hold on.
But as spring became more intense and the vegetation flourished, news spread within the palace that the Emperor had found a renowned doctor and his condition had improved.
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At the same time, the Empress Dowager’s birthday was approaching once again. The palace was gradually filled with festive spirits, which diluted the long-standing gloom that had shrouded the capital. As the palace sent out invitations, just as in previous years, inviting various officials to the palace, people began to believe more firmly that the Emperor’s health was improving, and the public’s confidence was gradually restored.
The sky was clear in all directions. Petals, drifting from unknown places, were blown over the palace walls, fluttering past the lush branches and into the open lattice windows. A woman standing by the window extended her palm, and a petal landed in her hand.
The woman was somewhat excessively frail. This sickly appearance could no longer be concealed by makeup; even if her lips were painted bright red, one could still see the pallor beneath the rouge.
The woman wore a deep purple luxurious robe, which added a sense of solemnity and dignity. The two silk sashes on her shoulders shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Even the clothes that had been hurriedly made recently were already too large, making her appear empty beneath the garments.
Beside her, Chunhong held a tray with hot tea, looking at her with concern. “Your Majesty’s health is poor. It would be best to plead illness and avoid attending the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet in a few days.”
Zhou Ziqiu did not speak. She only looked at the fallen flower in her palm, then tilted her hand slightly, letting the petal disappear.
“Is the Emperor’s health truly improving?” Zhou Ziqiu asked.
Chunhong lowered her head and replied, “This servant overheard outside the Imperial Medical Bureau. It should be true.”
“Your Majesty, why not give up? Your body can no longer hold on.” Chunhong’s eyes were brimming with tears.
Zhou Ziqiu pursed her lips, her fiery red lips were extremely dazzling. Her phoenix eyes slightly closed, and she smiled mockingly, “To give up now would be a bit too late.”
She withdrew her gaze and walked towards the dimly lit room, each step taken calmly. The door was knocked, and someone outside said, “Your Majesty, Miss Chen requests an audience.”
“Enter,” Zhou Ziqiu said.
A few petals fell on Ye Youqing’s shoulder as she walked slowly into the room, stopping in her tracks and looking at Zhou Ziqiu.
“It’s been a long time, why are you standing there dazed?” Zhou Ziqiu smiled and said, “Chunhong, serve tea to the young lady.”
“No need to trouble yourself,” Ye Youqing spoke as she walked to Zhou Ziqiu’s side. The door closed behind her, and the room darkened once more, with only a vertical beam of light from the window illuminating the floating dust in mid-air.
Zhou Ziqiu seated herself on a nearby round chair, chuckling softly, “Why has the young lady entered the palace?”
“It’s because the Noble Concubine avoids seeing Ci Ke and also does not see the Sixth Prince. The two of them are very worried and sent the message to me. I had no choice but to use the pretext of seeking an audience with the Emperor to come here secretly,” Ye Youqing said, her figure unmoving but her gaze intense.
Zhou Ziqiu merely laughed, “What is there about me worth seeing?”
She cast her gaze out the door, and Ye Youqing said, “She just happens to be out of the capital.”
Zhou Ziqiu raised an eyebrow, seemingly indifferent as she retracted her gaze.
“The Noble Concubine does not see Ci Ke because of her health, right? She doesn’t want them to see, doesn’t want them to worry?” Ye Youqing immediately went to open the door and see the mountain (开门见山, to get straight to the point). Anyone with a brain who saw Zhou Ziqiu’s current state would know what she was enduring.
“A broken body, seeing it won’t change anything,” Zhou Ziqiu said, her phoenix eyes hooked as she looked up at Ye Youqing, “Miss Ye, you promised, you would protect Ci Ke.”
Ye Youqing acknowledged with a hum.
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“When did you plan it?” Ye Youqing asked, “Using yourself to poison him.”
Zhou Ziqiu earnestly recalled and then said, “I can’t remember, but it’s the only method I have left.”
As she spoke, a light red tint appeared on the tip of her nose, showing a bit of joy and relief amidst her illness: “Miss Ye, you don’t need to persuade me.”
“I didn’t intend to persuade you, this is your own choice, there’s no right or wrong,” Ye Youqing looked at her and said, “But you can stop now.”
“I already stopped, he hasn’t come to Qiushui Palace for a long time,” Zhou Ziqiu said.
“Actually, I’m very grateful to you, Miss Ye.” She suddenly said, slowly getting up and walking in front of Ye Youqing, examining her appearance, “Knowing that you are here, I don’t have to worry about Ci Ke, nor do I have to worry about her.”
“After I die, I hope she can live more freely, just like in the old days.”
Just like in the old days, laughing aloud under the falling flowers in the city, riding horses and whipping the reins.
