The Sovereign – Chapter 118

Volume Six: A Cold Rainy Night Buries the Famous Flower

Cold and Desolate

From Now On, Each Serves Their Own Master

Twenty years had passed, and Yi Qinghuan never thought she would see this woman from her nightmares again. Whether it was guilt or unease, that face always filled her with panic, which explained her discomfort when she first met Liu Qianxun. It was because Liu Qianxun resembled Liu Zhu, with every gesture reminiscent of a younger Liu Zhu, and now she watched these three people return to the palace together.

It felt like a dream, as if everything that happened over these twenty years was just a dream. Qingyu remained as she was before, holding Liu Zhu’s hand, her eyes brimming with happiness and tenderness.

“Greetings, Empress Dowager,” Liu Zhu gracefully bowed. Though the past remained vivid in her memory, upon seeing Yi Qinghuan again, she had expected to feel timid, but when actually facing her, she discovered she felt no fear. After enduring twenty years of hardship, what was there left to fear?

“You…” Yi Qinghuan choked on her words, not knowing what to say.

“Surely the Empress Dowager must be disappointed to see me, how can the dead come back to life?” Liu Zhu said with a smile playing on her lips. Her once hoarse voice had gradually brightened, and her appearance, after recovering from serious illness, began to radiate a different kind of brilliance.

“You truly are hard to kill,” Yi Qinghuan said unsteadily, while Qiushui supported her, not daring to leave her side even for a moment.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you. After all the hardships Zhu’er has endured, we’ve managed to reunite. Now our fates are intertwined, and if anyone dares to harm her even slightly, I won’t show mercy, even if that person is my own elder sister,” Yi Qingyu’s cold words pierced Yi Qinghuan’s heart like sharp swords, implying that if she were to harm Liu Zhu again, Yi Qingyu would kill her with her own hands.

“It’s good that you could reunite. Yu’er has lived too miserably these years, guarding the loquat forest alone, rather facing the empty sky and earth than facing me, her sister.” Yi Qinghuan laughed bitterly, her heart having never known peace, spending each day living with Yi Qingyu’s hatred, suffering more than anyone else.

“You brought this upon yourself!” All of Yi Qingyu’s tenderness was reserved for Liu Zhu, leaving only hatred for Yi Qinghuan.

Yi Qinghuan had grown accustomed to it. Over these years, she had left only hatred in Yi Qingyu’s heart, but she felt that was better than nothing at all. Sometimes when she thought about this, she even felt a strange comfort.

“Yes, this humble one brought this upon herself.” When facing her younger sister, Yi Qinghuan always felt powerless, her usual commanding presence over the Six Palaces nowhere to be seen. She wearily raised her eyes to look at Liu Qianxun, then glanced at Liu Zhu, asking, “Are you… Liu Zhu’s daughter?”

“Yes, I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager.” Liu Qianxun bowed with dignified composure. As she was Qin Junlan’s birth mother, she would show proper respect regardless of circumstances. She didn’t wish to become involved in the older generation’s grievances, only wanting to avoid causing difficulty for Qin Junlan.

“No wonder I felt such unease when I first saw you,” Yi Qinghuan sighed deeply, her sharp edge gone. “Jin’er told me how you tested poisons on yourself to find an antidote for the emperor, suffering greatly. When I lost Ziquan and Xi’er, I vented all my anger on you, believing all misfortunes stemmed from you. People often make wrong choices and actions when grief or emotions reach their peak.” As she spoke, she looked at Liu Zhu again, “Just as I did back then, making many mistakes.”

Liu Qianxun remained silent, unexpectedly seeing sorrow in Yi Qinghuan’s eyes. What caused this sorrow? Had she truly torn them apart simply because she couldn’t accept two women in love?

Yi Qingyu didn’t want to say another word, pulling Liu Zhu to leave, while Yi Qinghuan stepped forward, wanting to say something but finding herself at a loss. After hesitating for a moment, she watched Yi Qingyu’s retreating figure and carefully asked, “Since… since Liu Zhu is alright, Yu’er, could you forgive your sister?”

This was hardly the bearing of an empire’s Empress Dowager. Liu Qianxun had never seen Yi Qinghuan so humble, capable of lowering herself so much before her own sister. Such a lofty, stern, and dignified Empress Dowager actually had this side to her.

“Forgive you?” Yi Qingyu turned around, her eyes filled with hatred as she stepped forward, angrily demanding, “Twenty years of separation between Zhu’er and me, twenty years of her suffering, twenty years of my loneliness and pain – what should I use to forgive you?!”

Yi Qingyu advanced step by step, her voice rising, and thinking of all these things, her eyes reddened, those cold pupils devoid of emotion. All light in them reflected only hatred and resentment. Yi Qinghuan stepped back slightly, speechless before Yi Qingyu’s accusations, her heart aching as if being torn apart.

“Don’t be like this, Ah Yu. No matter what, she’s still your elder sister. If not for her, you wouldn’t have had the chance to enter Tiancang Pavilion to learn such advanced martial arts, nor would you have the ability to roam the jianghu alone as you do now,” Liu Zhu gently pulled at Yi Qingyu’s sleeve, not wanting her to treat Yi Qinghuan like a mortal enemy.

“Yes! My dear sister! If not for the fact that she protected me by sending me away from the family to avoid its burdens, if not for the childhood affection between us, do you think I would spare her? I would have had her executed by a thousand cuts!” Yi Qingyu’s emotions surged violently, suddenly causing chest discomfort, and she began coughing severely, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

“Ah Yu, what’s wrong?”

“Yu’er, are you injured? How did you get hurt?” Yi Qinghuan rushed forward anxiously, but Yi Qingyu pushed her away, “Don’t touch me!”

Yi Qinghuan stumbled and nearly fell, but Liu Qianxun was quicker than Qiushui and caught her. Yi Qinghuan paid no attention to Yi Qingyu’s attitude, still wanting to check on her – how could someone with such high martial arts skills be injured?

“Ah Yu, stop talking, please stop. Your internal injuries haven’t healed, don’t get angry,” Liu Zhu gently rubbed Yi Qingyu’s back. Yi Qingyu’s eyes immediately softened, and she held Liu Zhu’s hand, reassuring her: “My internal injuries are fine now, just a few more days of meditation and I’ll be fully recovered.”

“How did Yu’er get internal injuries? Who hurt her? Should we call the Imperial Physician?” Yi Qinghuan was anxiously flustered, while Qiushui hurriedly consoled her, “Empress Dowager, you’ve forgotten that the Cheng Wangfei herself has learned from divine physicians.”

“Oh yes, but who could have injured Yu’er?” Yi Qinghuan muttered to herself, her heart in chaos at seeing Yi Qingyu injured for the first time.

“Empress Dowager, you should return to the palace, or I will leave.” Yi Qingyu didn’t want to say more, the years of accumulated resentment and hatred in her heart were beyond words, and she couldn’t convince herself to face Yi Qinghuan calmly.

“Don’t go, I’ll leave instead…” Yi Qinghuan gazed at Yi Qingyu dejectedly. From beginning to end, except for looks of hatred, Yi Qingyu had never properly looked at her. She forced a weak smile, stepped back, turned around, her nose stinging and heart filled with bitterness.

“I want to see you, but you won’t even look at me, Yu’er…” At this moment, Yi Qinghuan had shed her high position’s aura, just a lost and anxious sister.

One wrong step led to endless mistakes, with no way to turn back. Though time couldn’t be reversed, at least they had reunited, so Yi Qingyu wouldn’t be alone for life. How ironic – she suddenly realized that only Liu Zhu’s presence could bring back the real Yi Qingyu; only she could rescue Yi Qingyu from suffering. Well, compared to Yi Qingyu’s happiness, nothing else seemed to matter anymore.

“Ah Yu, although the Empress Dowager once hurt me, she is still your elder sister, your only blood relative…” Liu Zhu didn’t want Yi Qingyu to completely sever ties with the Empress Dowager, after all, blood is thicker than water.

“She hurt you like that, yet you still speak for her.”

“Whether we can let go or not, it’s all in the past. We’ve waited until the clouds parted to see the bright moon [meaning: to persist until success], why not give her a chance?” Liu Zhu had always been kind-hearted, she simply didn’t want Yi Qingyu to hate her own sister so much.

“Enough, we’re going to live in seclusion anyway, avoiding all these troublesome matters in the future.”

Liu Qianxun watched Yi Qinghuan’s stumbling figure as she left, suddenly feeling that the Empress Dowager wasn’t truly evil. Perhaps she had once chosen extremely wrong methods, but her genuine emotions when facing Yi Qingyu couldn’t possibly be fake. After all, those in high positions always disregard their status when facing the person who touches their heart most deeply.

“Sister!”

As she was pondering, Liu Qianxun suddenly heard a familiar call. She turned slightly to see He Xi approaching with a smile.

“He Xi?”

“Sister!” He Xi quickened his pace, and Liu Qianxun stepped forward with joy, grasping his arm, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, the Empress didn’t harm me. Is sister well?”

“I am fine.” Liu Qianxun had wanted to ask about He Xi’s safety but feared angering Qin Junlan, since members of the Shura Sect faced death sentences in the Ji Kingdom.

Amid his excitement, He Xi caught sight of Liu Zhu and hurriedly went forward, kneeling in respect, “Greetings, Aunt Liu.”

“Please rise quickly. He Xi, I’m so glad you’re safe.” Liu Zhu smiled. He Xi had always been close to Liu Zhu and her daughter, being the only person in the He family who cared for the mother and daughter, and he shared an especially deep sibling bond with Liu Qianxun.

“Is Xun’er satisfied with the surprise I prepared?” Qin Junlan’s voice drifted over as she entered with a warm smile, her eyes full of tenderness.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.” Liu Qianxun didn’t know how else to express herself, finding no words beyond gratitude, as palace etiquette should never be neglected.

He Xi’s crimes should have warranted execution, but because he was Liu Qianxun’s brother, not only was his life spared, but he was treated well. Liu Qianxun was grateful for Qin Junlan’s benevolence, understanding that although her Yan’er was an emperor, she showed boundless tolerance, willing to go against her own principles to treat him generously.

However, He Xi neither bowed to Qin Junlan nor offered any words of gratitude. Liu Qianxun knew He Xi was loyal to Ling Yu, so she said nothing, but suddenly He Xi knelt before Qin Junlan.

“In all this time of imprisonment, you’ve never knelt to me before.” Qin Junlan was quite surprised. She knew He Xi was stubborn, with a temperament very similar to Liu Qianxun’s, which made her admire him even more.

“Today I kneel not to the Empress of Ji, but in gratitude for your benevolence and your sincere feelings toward my sister. I hope you will treat her well in the future.” He Xi spoke with dignity, his straight posture emanating an air of nobility, showing the bearing of a potential general.

“And so?”

“I am a person of the Yu Kingdom, and in death I will remain loyal to Yu. Though Your Majesty spares me today, if I meet Ji soldiers on the battlefield in the future, I will show no mercy.”

“He Xi!” Liu Qianxun frowned, knowing He Xi too well. This persistence came from his unwillingness to live idly in the Ji palace, as his heart yearned to return to Ling Yu’s side.

Qin Junlan waved her hand, indicating to Liu Qianxun that she didn’t mind He Xi’s current discourtesy, and instead watched him with interest. “You Shura Sect people are truly stubborn, one after another. Whether I kill you or not won’t change Yu Kingdom’s fate, so what difference does it make if I let you return?”

He Xi remained silent, unwilling to even say thank you to this empress who had invaded his homeland.

“Can you really let him go?” This was exactly what Liu Qianxun hoped for. He Xi was patriotic by nature, and living in the Ji palace was worse than death for him. Though the siblings had chosen opposite paths, it was their own choice.

“Of course. Once I give my word, even four horses cannot catch it back [meaning: a promise cannot be retracted]. He Xi may leave the palace at any time, and I guarantee no one will dare stop you.” Qin Junlan showed her gracious manner and magnanimity, never believing that letting one enemy subject go would affect her grand ambitions for empire.

“Xun’er thanks Your Majesty on He Xi’s behalf.”

“No need for such formality.” Qin Junlan gently helped her up, maintaining a smile throughout.

“Today I wish to stay in the palace with my sister. Once I leave, we may never meet again… I’ll return to Yu Kingdom tomorrow.” He Xi looked at Liu Qianxun, a thousand emotions welling up in his heart.

From now on, brother and sister would serve different masters, and Liu Qianxun would likely never be able to return to Yu Kingdom again.

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