New Life
Ye Youqing let out a sound that was half crying and half laughing, mixed with sighs, as she smelled the scent on Ci Ke that was mostly covered by the smell of smoke.
This feeling was like surviving a disaster, a mix of lingering fear and relief.
“I was afraid you would be…” Ye Youqing let out another long sigh. The moment she saw the flames, past dreams suddenly appeared before her eyes. She was afraid that even though she had done so much, she still couldn’t change the predetermined ending.
Thankfully, thankfully, Ye Youqing looked up and wiped the ash off Ci Ke’s cheek with her hand, then suddenly asserted, “From now on, you are not allowed to wear red anymore.”
Ci Ke looked down at herself, somewhat confused, but still nodded in agreement.
“Don’t worry about me, I’m fine,” Ci Ke saw that her tears still wouldn’t stop, so she softened her voice to comfort her, using her injured hand to wipe away the wetness.
Ye Youqing waited for the tremor in her heart to calm down, then stood up with the help of the rockery, reaching out to pull Ci Ke up. Ci Ke now looked as if she had been soaked in muddy water, with not a dry spot on her. Ye Youqing took off her outer garment and draped it over Ci Ke’s shoulders.
“I’m not cold…” Ci Ke said, wanting to refuse, but Ye Youqing was unusually stubborn, forcefully wrapping her in the outer garment.
Ci Ke’s eyes sparkled, and she lowered her head, letting out a soft laugh, allowing Ye Youqing to fuss over her.
“Did you start the fire?” Ye Youqing asked angrily.
Ci Ke’s eyes shifted around, then she nodded.
“I almost fainted from fear, and yet you can still laugh!” Ye Youqing couldn’t help but scold, “Aren’t you afraid?”
Ci Ke followed Ye Youqing around the back hall, saying in a low voice as they walked, “Not afraid.”
“I thought you would definitely come, so I wasn’t afraid at all.”
The woman’s soft hand quietly nestled in her palm, following her obediently. With those words, any remaining trace of anger in Ye Youqing was instantly extinguished like the spring water dousing a flame.
Ye Youqing sniffed and hummed with a nasal tone.
Ci Ke stopped smiling, suddenly remembered something, quickly caught up to her, and asked, “Where is Aunt?”
Ye Youqing’s heart tightened.
There was no one in front of the hall. Zhou Ziqiu had already been taken away by the imperial physician. Shi Li had placed a knife at the physician’s head, demanding treatment. The imperial physician was so frightened that he was trembling throughout, anxiously performing induced vomiting and checking the pulse.
When Ye Youqing and Ci Ke arrived, they encountered the imperial physician walking out, drenched in sweat, while Zhou Ziqiu lay quietly on the bed. Nearby, Shi Li, as if exhausted, leaned against the bedside, sitting on the floor.
“Aunt…” Ci Ke released Ye Youqing’s hand and took a few steps forward, tearfully touching Zhou Ziqiu’s nose. After feeling the faint but even breathing, she finally let out a long sigh of relief and half-kneeled, placing her forehead in Zhou Ziqiu’s palm.
Ye Youqing watched the imperial physician’s back as he jogged away to prepare the medicine, then turned back to Shi Li and asked, “How is it?”
Shi Li’s tone was very tired and low. She used her fingertips to wipe away the tear stains on her chin and said, “Fortunately, she only swallowed a small amount of the medicine, so there is no danger. But she has been inhaling green calyx pollen for a long time, which has damaged her lungs. I don’t know if she can fully recover.”
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“And since she fell into a coma just now, she hasn’t woken up even once.” Shi Li turned her head to look at Zhou Ziqiu’s face, her gaze filled with pity. “I don’t know if she…”
The rest of Shi Li’s words were swallowed back into her throat. Her light-colored lashes closed, and a clear tear fell from the corner of her eye.
Ye Youqing looked at Shi Li’s disheveled clothes and scattered wounds, and her eyes reddened as well. She then half-squatted down and patted Shi Li on the shoulder: “It’s good that she’s alive. She must be really tired and wants to sleep a little longer.”
Ye Youqing wiped her tears with her hand and said, “Do you want to rest in the next room for a while, or stay here and watch over her?”
“I want to stay and watch over her,” Shi Li raised her eyes and met Ye Youqing’s gaze.
Ci Ke, who was beside them, was crying sadly. Ye Youqing rubbed her head and then ordered someone to stand guard at the door. She herself left the place, knowing that although everything seemed to have come to an end, there were still many things to resolve since they had led a rebellion.
The Sixth Prince was walking over from a distance, holding a ceremonial sword, followed by several guards. The sky was already darkening, and the lanterns originally prepared for the birthday banquet finally emitted their light, illuminating the green leaves and red walls. Tonight would not be quiet, with noises of commotion everywhere.
“How are the Noble Consort and Ci Ke?” the Sixth Prince asked.
Ye Youqing briefly explained the situation and then advised, “As a prince, you should first announce that the emperor has passed away to quell the chaos in the palace and prevent further complications.”
The Sixth Prince nodded upon hearing this, and the two of them walked out together. She seemed a bit worried: “Sister, won’t you come with me?”
“I have other matters to attend to,” Ye Youqing slowed her pace, concealing the murderous intent in her eyes.
The Sixth Prince said nothing. When they reached the gate of the inner palace and had to part ways, she finally grabbed Ye Youqing’s sleeve, her eyes as dark as night looking at her, then lowered her gaze.
“Sister, are you really willing to…”
Seeing her hesitation, Ye Youqing understood her intention and turned to face her. Though the young girl before her was still of tender age, her posture was upright and androgynous, shedding the brash immaturity of the past for a more restrained sharpness.
“Why did you seek to fight for the throne back then?” Ye Youqing asked.
The flame of the lantern reflected in her eyes, dazzling and brilliant. The Sixth Prince answered softly, “To resist and save my mother.”
Ye Youqing nodded, “And what else?”
The Sixth Prince was stunned for a moment and then said, “To make the world a little less unjust, with fewer people displaced, fewer families torn apart.”
“See, your awareness is much higher than mine,” Ye Youqing said teasingly, raising her eyebrows and patting her on the back. “Go on.”
The Sixth Prince, half-turned by her pat, wanted to say something more but stopped, finally lowering her eyes under Ye Youqing’s smile. She turned and strode away, her clothes soon disappearing into the night.
Ye Youqing went in another direction, entering a small chamber. The chamber was lit by candlelight, the air heavy with the smell of blood mixed with the scent of rotting wood, making it very unpleasant.
“Miss Ye, he has fainted again,” said the Iron Cavalry member, cupping his fists in salute.
The person lying on the ground was the Emperor. At this moment, there was no trace of the majesty of a ruler. His luxurious robe had been stripped off, his hair was disheveled around him, making him look like a beggar. The wound on his chest had been torn open and was still bleeding profusely.
Ye Youqing waved her hand, and someone came forward with a bucket of water, pouring it over him with a splash. The Emperor instantly woke from what seemed like a nightmare, suddenly opening his eyes and gasping hoarsely.
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When he saw Ye Youqing’s figure, his body trembled. He then struggled to crawl, but his legs were pinned down, rendering him immobile.
There was fear in his eyes.
“What do you want to do?” The Emperor looked at her in terror.
“You always ask such boring questions.” Ye Youqing twisted her neck. Originally a beautiful woman, looking down from above, she made people’s backs feel cold, as if several mountains were pressing on their hearts and lungs.
The Emperor still wanted to struggle, but then there was a cracking sound, accompanied by a painful groan, and the Emperor collapsed to the ground, only trembling was left.
“You can’t, I am the Son of Heaven…” he squeezed out the words through his teeth.
Ye Youqing sneered, crouching down halfway to pull his ugly head up: “That kick just now was to pay you back for me.”
There was another cracking sound, and this time the Emperor didn’t even have the strength to groan, blood spilled from his mouth.
“This is for those subjects you persecuted.” After Ye Youqing said this, she let go of his head, stepped back, and the Iron Cavalry member came forward, grabbed his hair, and lifted his face. A black pill was roughly shoved into his mouth, and water was forced down to make him swallow.
“This is the same one you fed to Zhou Ziqiu.” Ye Youqing’s face showed no expression. “See how it tastes.”
As soon as the pill entered his mouth, the Emperor’s body began to contort. He tried hard to claw the pill out, but it was futile. Soon, his breathing became rapid, and eventually, like a bellows being violently pumped, the air he inhaled never reached his lungs, making his face turn red and swollen.
The Emperor’s eyes were bloodshot, staring at Ye Youqing, frantically rubbing his neck. At last, his eyes rolled back, creating a suffocating scene.
Ye Youqing looked at him coldly, as if looking at a piece of trash. Only when he made no more sound did she turn around and leave the room.
The moon had somehow crossed over the palace walls, sprinkling down a milky white light. In the palace, cries could still be heard from time to time, especially from the three palaces and six courtyards, crying in unison and making a grand commotion.
Ye Youqing breathed in the air brought by the wind, replacing the stale air within her body, and raised her eyes to look at the bright full moon.
It was finally over.
After the Sixth Prince stepped forward, the commander of the imperial guards issued an order that made the guards stop resisting and obediently put away their weapons, returning to their posts. The nobles and ministers who had attended the birthday banquet were still trapped in the Daqing Palace to prevent further disturbances. The palace was covered with traces of battle, and occasionally, corpses could be seen. Some palace servants were trembling as they cleaned up.
When the daylight completely disappeared, the rebel army arrived at the city gates, surrounding the city. The people inside the city were terrified, wailing and lamenting, but throughout the entire night, the rebel army only camped outside the city and did not enter.
The next morning, facing the radiant sunrise, the entire court of civil and military officials, who had not slept all night, was forced to attend court. They watched as the Sixth Prince solemnly announced the passing of the former Emperor. Everything was kept simple, with the ceremony to worship Heaven and receive the imperial edict, establishing him as the new Emperor and changing the era name to Hongxing.
However, the rebel army was still guarding outside the city, and no one dared to speak a word of dissent. Thus, the news of the new Emperor’s ascension spread to ordinary households and then throughout the entire Qi Kingdom.
Fortunately, although the new Emperor was young, he acted decisively and efficiently. He quickly allocated the national treasury to the north for disaster relief and to rebuild cities destroyed by the war. Refugees and vulnerable groups willing to return to their hometowns were given land, while homeless refugees were incorporated into the Qi Kingdom’s army, stationed together with the returning troops in Luoyang.
At the same time, he vigorously reformed the existing agricultural and commercial systems, reduced taxes for ordinary people, lightened the burdens of the populace, curtailed the extravagance of the palace and officials, and cleaned up the disorderly local gentry and wealthy families. With this series of measures, the whole country was bustling with activity.
Soon, no one dared to discuss these matters recklessly. In just one month, both inside and outside the palace had returned to tranquility, as if nothing had ever happened.
The rebel army never entered the city, and the palace struggles were not exposed to the common people. Therefore, the panic of the rebellion day was quickly forgotten by the populace. However, the name Ye Youqing spread throughout the streets and alleys, shocking people greatly. It was astonishing that the person who dared to lead a hundred men into the imperial palace and prompted the Qi Kingdom to change dynasties overnight was none other than the legitimate daughter of the Ye family from years past.
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In the eyes of the public, the once frail girl who was often ridiculed had accomplished such a monumental feat, making her the talk of the town.
The key point was that after the rebellion, the legitimate daughter of the Ye family did not take any further action. Instead, she handed over the throne to the Sixth Prince, Song Yi. Some speculated that Ye Youqing, being a woman, found it difficult to become an emperor, so she supported the Sixth Prince as a puppet. Others, with more imaginative minds, crafted a touching and intricate story about Ye Youqing and the Sixth Prince, which secretly spread widely among the people.
On this particular day, the weather was exceptionally pleasant, neither cold nor hot, with the brightness of early summer. Ye Youqing walked from one end of the street to the other and bought a white peony flower sprinkled with dew from a roadside vendor.
As she was taking out some copper coins, her vision was suddenly obscured by two hands covering her eyes, and a voice deliberately lowered said, “Guess who I am?”
Ye Youqing couldn’t help but smile. She placed the flower in her mouth and used both hands to grasp the person’s wrist, as if trying to identify them. Finally, she suddenly moved downwards and lightly patted the soft area below the woman’s waist, causing her to clench her fist and push Ye Youqing’s shoulder.
Ye Youqing turned around with a chuckle and looked at Ci Ke’s angry face. She spat out the flower from her mouth and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“In front of everyone, you have no sense of propriety at all.” Ci Ke’s cheeks reddened at Ye Youqing’s inappropriate actions, and she glared at her seductively.
“It’s not a big deal. Shall I let you hit me back?” Ye Youqing pursed her lips and smiled, only to be pushed away by Ci Ke.
Ci Ke felt helpless towards her and snatched the flower from her hand. She turned and walked down the long street, frowning and complaining, “In the past, you would never act like this. Why are you becoming more shameless now?”