Ex-Girlfriend – Chapter 38

Volume 2: Power Over Court and Country

The Deposed Empress 13

Covering The Heaven With One Hand

Xin Lan climbed through the window and down the building, landing like a feather on the ground, then jumped up the wall, stepped onto tree branches nearby, and concealed her figure among the leaves and branches.

            

If one wants to remove the emperor from that position, then one must first pull out his claws and teeth [meaning: remove his supporters/power base], just like what he did to the Xin family.

The first one Xin Lan chose was the Imperial Guard Commander [also called Royal Forest Army], who was responsible for protecting the imperial city’s safety – this was Wu Yanqing’s first lock [barrier/defense] for himself.

Xin Lan investigated for several days, pretending to be a passerby near the Imperial Guard Commander, letting Ling Jiu scan his situation, then pieced everything together through the neighbors’ comments.

            

This person Dong Huaxi was indeed one of Wu Yanqing’s more loyal subordinates, with capability, clean family background, easy to control, and not easily swayed by other interest groups.

Xin Lan didn’t plan to use threats or bribes. For what she needed to do, the method of slowly cultivating power and infiltrating was too slow – she needed efficiency.

So she chose a very villainous way to achieve her protagonist’s path.

            

Dong Huaxi had a beauty in the brothel, and with a fierce wife at home, he couldn’t buy this person’s freedom.

When Xin Lan learned this and investigated, the funny thing was that Dong Huaxi’s so-called beauty was just perfunctory [insincere] toward him.

She only loved Dong Huaxi’s generous tips compared to other patrons, and his gentle care. To say she was putting on an act without feelings wasn’t entirely true, because her heart belonged to someone else – she liked a doctor from a medical clinic.

            

The doctor was charitable and practiced medicine to help the world, but was often short of money, so she would frequently patronize his business and bring him food.

The story always seemed to go this way: he loved her, but she loved another.

However, this wasn’t what Xin Lan cared about. She told that girl that if she could help her accomplish one thing, she would buy her freedom.

            

Who doesn’t want to live a clean and honest life? Xin Lan didn’t ask her to plot murder for money – just to light a type of incense and shake a bell, so she quickly agreed.

The timing of Dong Huaxi’s visit happened to be tonight. Xin Lan immediately went out, arriving first at the Red Sleeve House, set everything up, and gave the girl some silver as a deposit to put her mind at ease, then waited for her prey to arrive.

Dong Huaxi entered the room, and as soon as he entered, he smelled a strong fragrance.

            

Suddenly he felt dizzy, shook his head, but then found that the penetrating scent was quite pleasant.

“Why is there a different fragrance today?”

“Mama [媽媽, madam of the brothel] got some new incense, and this servant asked for some. This servant thinks it smells very nice, does my lord not like it?”

            

Qingqing softly leaned against him with a limp body. Dong Huaxi no longer cared about any fragrance, hugged the person in his arms, and shook his head carelessly.

“How could I not like it? Whatever my dear Qingqing likes, I like too. Come, sit down, keep your master company drinking and talking.”

Qingqing nodded, secretly sighing in relief.

            

If this person had rushed straight to bed upon arriving, she would still need to find a way to shake the bell. Since he wanted to drink first, it would be easy to delay time.

Dong Huaxi told some amusing stories, making Qingqing in his arms laugh continuously, but he didn’t know if it was tonight’s wine making him drunk or what, but he felt especially dizzy.

“This servant has learned a new dance, would my lord like to see?”

            

Qingqing asked in a soft voice, and Dong Huaxi nodded, releasing his hands from around her waist.

Qingqing took a string of bells from the dressing table, shaking them as she danced.

Dong Huaxi, sitting there, became increasingly dazed, until finally he seemed to lose his spirit [consciousness].

            

Qingqing shook the bells several dozen more times as that person had instructed, put down the bells, and anxiously watched the sitting person.

A pebble flew in from outside the window, hitting her neck with perfect accuracy.

Xin Lan came in through the window, looked at the mentally dazed Dong Huaxi, and waved her hand in front of him.

            

Dong Huaxi’s gaze was unfocused, as if he couldn’t see this person at all.

Xin Lan was very satisfied – it wasn’t in vain that she had Ah Rou collect medicinal herbs and spices for several days to make this soul-losing incense.

A golden needle appeared in Xin Lan’s hand. Using skillful force, she avoided the lethal points and buried the golden needle in Dong Huaxi’s brain.

            

Dong Huaxi’s expression became even more blank, but he could now look at Xin Lan.

“From now on, I am your master, understand?”

“Yes.”

            

Dong Huaxi nodded, his movements very stiff.

“What did the emperor tell you today?”

Dong Huaxi repeated word for word, and it was indeed similar to what Xin Lan had heard from Ling Jiu’s summary earlier today.

            

Xin Lan gently shook Qingqing who was on the ground. Qingqing stood up from the ground, confused [literally: not understanding the reason], not knowing why she had suddenly fainted just now. Then, thinking of the strange girl in front of her, she immediately understood the reason.

“Just continue everything as normal after this, let this incense burn out completely, and tomorrow I’ll send someone to buy your freedom.”

Qingqing nodded; she was just doing a job for money, not thinking too much about it anymore.

            

Xin Lan took the bells from the table and leaped out the window.

A faint bell sound came from outside the window, and Dong Huaxi was seen shaking his head and pressing his temples.

What had just happened? He seemed to have blanked out, but the woman in front of him was still dancing seductively, as if nothing had happened.

            

“My lord, what’s wrong? Is this servant’s dance not pleasing to watch?”

Qingqing’s heart was beating like a drum, but she still asked with forced calmness.

“How could that be? It’s beautiful, extremely beautiful.”

            

After hearing this conversation, Xin Lan’s figure swayed and disappeared from the spot, appearing on the main street, walking toward the inner palace.

This method of controlling people was like a villain’s approach – what protagonist would do this? It was neither impressive nor won people’s willing submission.

Xin Lan felt it didn’t matter, as long as she could achieve her goal.

            

Though in the past she would have just killed them directly, now she had learned to keep people alive to use them – she didn’t know if this was a change for better or worse.

Xin Lan entered the Biyue Palace and removed the veil from her face. Although the veil was thin and couldn’t hide much of her face, it was better than nothing – at least it could blur people’s memories.

After wandering around for a day like this, Xin Lan lay on the bed and quickly fell asleep.

            

The next day, Xin Rong came to find her and told her what she needed to say yesterday.

“Aunt, Great-grandfather is failing [about to die].”

Xin Lan was shocked at these words and fell silent for a moment.

            

Xin Rong’s great-grandfather was her grandfather, that is, her mother’s father, the Zhenyuan General [a military title meaning ‘Pacifying-the-Distance General’].

Speaking of which, the old man had reached that age.

The Xin family’s current position was due to the Zhenyuan General’s considerable effort for his son-in-law. Xin Sheng had also proved capable, riding his father-in-law’s east wind [support] to climb to increasingly higher positions, so the Xin family’s relationship with that side was quite close.

            

Once the Zhenyuan General fell, the Xin family would inevitably weaken with him. They were already struggling to maintain their position, and now the situation would become even less optimistic.

Obviously, the Xin family all knew the severity of this situation. Even Xin Rong couldn’t help but worry.

Xin Lan comforted her niece for a while, then began to plan about meeting with the Left Minister.

            

On the other side, Wu Yanqing’s health had improved somewhat, and he finally remembered that day’s visit to Biyue Palace. He summoned people to inquire, and the guard, trembling with fear, said that for some unknown reason the deposed empress hadn’t been drugged unconscious, but instead had knocked him out with something, dragged him outside the palace, and closed the door.

Wu Yanqing didn’t consider Xin Lan lucky, but rather thought the guard useless, actually getting knocked out by a woman. When dismissing him, he gave Mei An a look.

Mei An understood, saying he would invite the guard for a drink, and watched as the guard drank a cup of poisoned wine, then kicked his collapsed corpse.

            

Thus passed several dozen days, seemingly peaceful on the surface, but with undercurrents surging beneath.

The situation at court has been with swords drawn and bows bent [increasingly tense], and Wu Yanqing was too busy to deal with Xin Lan, so he stopped causing trouble.

Xin Rong was left hanging [ignored], while in the palace he often visited Noble Consort Xi and Noble Consort Gui, though usually just embracing them while sleeping. Wu Yanqing wanted to do that kind of thing [s*x], but for some reason, whenever he tried, he felt a chill below, as if a knife tip was passing through, and then remembered that tearing pain, causing his face to turn pale and losing all interest.

            

After the emperor left, Noble Consort Gui bit her handkerchief and cried. Not only might His Majesty be unable to get anyone pregnant, but he wasn’t as vigorous as before. She sent people to inquire, and lately there weren’t any loose women catching the emperor’s eye in the palace, which made her depressed.

Noble Consort Xi also noticed this point, but her reaction wasn’t like Noble Consort Gui’s. She quietly had people find some stimulating incense and made some tonics for the emperor, so the emperor regained his former vigor at Noble Consort Xi’s place, while showing little interest elsewhere.

Noble Consort Gui watched red-eyed [with jealousy] and was nearly angry to death in the palace.

            

Xin Lan didn’t care about these women’s actions. She now focused her attention on the court. With the front support gone, what could those in the back do? Conversely, even if these people in the back were brought down, new people would enter the palace.

The Xin family kept using the banner of the emperor’s best interests, requesting the emperor to select new concubines to fill the palace. The emperor had no reason to refuse, and after agreeing, he vented his anger in front of Qu Zhi’an in the imperial study.

“Look, Zhi’an, how pathetic I am as emperor, even these palace matters are controlled by that group of people. Do you know how unwilling I am?”

            

Wu Yanqing stared fixedly at the jade-faced official below, his words carrying some urgency.

He didn’t want Qu Zhi’an to think of him as an emperor obsessed with beauty and surrounded by many beauties, fearing she wouldn’t like it.

Moreover, he knew that this time’s selection would certainly include people planted by the Xin family.

            

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Small impatience ruins great plans. What harm is there in going along with their wishes on this matter? You are the Son of Heaven, as long as Your Majesty is unwilling, no one in the world can force you.”

Qu Zhi’an bowed slightly and spoke unhurriedly to the angry Wu Yanqing, like a cool breeze blowing into one’s heart, extinguishing all anger.

These words made Wu Yanqing feel comfortable, and moreover, coming from Qu Zhi’an’s mouth, meeting those eyes, he felt that Qu Zhi’an was feeling sorry for him.

            

The ruler and minister talked more, discussed various matters, until there was nothing left to say, then reluctantly let Qu Zhi’an leave.

When Qu Zhi’an pushed open the door to leave, the eunuchs, palace maids, and guards at the door hurriedly bowed – this was currently the favored one before His Majesty, too hot to touch [a powerful figure] in court.

Only after sitting in the carriage did Qu Zhi’an’s expression change, letting out a cold laugh carrying faint mockery.

            

These days she had become much more steady, not showing her emotions as openly as when she first started.

The emperor had used her hand to eliminate two people, and she had also used the emperor to achieve her temporary goals.

She finally understood the benefits of power – it could make people rush to flatter and fawn, make people feel fear.

            

It could also let her do what she wanted to do.

When Xin Lan’s net closed that day, the emperor would know what it felt like to be forced at every turn and end up with nothing, even as the Son of Heaven.

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LP: Re-translated on December 27, 2024

            

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