The Sovereign – Chapter 86

Volume Five: Remembering a Lifetime in the Sound of a Breaking Heart

Departing with Tears

She actually shed tears

Nalan Qing’s gaze followed Yun Jin’s movements, and when their eyes met, her lips unconsciously curved upward. Yun Jin felt the intense gaze directed at her, and she looked up to meet Nalan Qing’s deep eyes that were like the blue ocean and sky.

“Greetings to the Head of the Nalan family,” she said with neither servility nor arrogance, maintaining grace and elegance in every gesture.

“Wise Princess Consort,” Nalan Qing’s eyes sparkled with a subtle gleam, her smile unwavering. Yun Jin merely nodded slightly before turning her attention to Guo’er, feeling that Guo’er’s sudden appearance in such a setting was somewhat improper.

Nalan Ling exchanged brief pleasantries with Guo’er before mounting her horse, both promising to meet again when they grew up. Only Nalan Ling knew that unless something urgent arose, her chances of visiting the Ji Kingdom were extremely rare, as her heart was set on the Yu Kingdom.

“Well then, elder sister, let’s depart,” Nalan Ling rode away on horseback. Nalan Qing’s white steed suddenly neighed loudly, raising its front hooves. Nalan Qing’s silhouette stretched in the sunlight, her purple robes dancing in the wind. She finally landed gracefully from the horse’s back, turning her head slightly to give Yun Jin one last deep look, raising a melodious smile that made her appear as beautiful as a celestial maiden, as radiant as flowers, like the brightest star in the universe with boundless brilliance. “Wise Princess Consort, we shall meet again.”

With that, she rode away with a crack of her whip, her purple figure gradually fading from Yun Jin’s sight, like a fairy departing from a celestial realm. This was the legendary woman Nalan Qing. Yun Jin hadn’t noticed her during the evening banquet due to her low profile, but in truth, she simply refused to follow the mundane crowd. Her unrestrained free spirit made Yun Jin envious.

The four-kingdom summit finally concluded, leaving mountains of unattended memorials piling up, as Qin Junlan hadn’t reviewed any for two heartbroken days. She burned the midnight oil (idiomatic expression – 挑燈夜審 – working late into the night), throwing herself into state affairs with complete devotion, hoping to numb her heart that ached to the extreme.

Qin Junlan sat formally, concentrating intensely while reviewing memorials as if no one else existed around her. Yet her heart would be unexpectedly pierced with pain. Whether psychological or not, she felt a connecting pain from her abdomen to her chest, worse than before. Her brows furrowed as the intense pain made her break out in cold sweat.

“Your Majesty, are you unwell again?” Li Yue noticed something was wrong with Qin Junlan, as she had experienced abdominal pain several times recently. “Let me summon the Imperial Physician.”

“Come back!” Qin Junlan exhaled deeply, raising her hand to call Li Yue back. “I’m fine. It’s probably from overwork and worry. Don’t make a fuss. Bringing a physician to Fengluan Palace – do you want to be punished by the Empress Dowager again?”

“This servant would rather face punishment than ignore Your Majesty’s ill health.”

“Enough, it’s not that serious. I’ll tell you if I’m truly unwell. Let’s keep the peace; there’s been enough trouble lately.” Qin Junlan grew serious, emanating an air of natural authority that made Li Yue unable to disobey despite her concerns.

“Your Majesty, the Qixia Palace has sent the Princess’s possession, saying it’s a gift for Your Majesty.” Yuan Xi bowed slightly, holding out an elegant pouch to Qin Junlan.

“Set it aside,” Qin Junlan responded indifferently.

Yuan Xi looked troubled, glancing at Li Yue, unsure whether to deliver the accompanying message. Qin Junlan sensed her hesitation, “Either speak or withdraw.”

“The Princess said she’s never given Your Majesty anything before. This is her lifelong protective charm that has never left her side. She hopes it will protect you.” Yuan Xi finished and secretly glanced at Qin Junlan, worried about inadvertently angering the emperor in these unpredictable times.

Qin Junlan’s previously calm heart stirred again. She wanted to ignore everything, wanted to throw this item away, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. She remained silent, opening the pouch to find a slender jade xun made from polished green bamboo, with the character “Yu” carved on its delicate stem.

“Yu… the Yu Kingdom? Is this meant to be honest with me?” Qin Junlan laughed coldly, completely misinterpreting the meaning of the bamboo xun. The “Yu” carved on it actually represented Qingyu’s name – it was a token of love she had given to Liu Zhu, who had then kept it as a protective charm for Liu Qianxun.

“Cough, cough!” Qin Junlan suddenly began coughing, and as her emotions stirred, her physical discomfort increased. She found it laughable that mere emotional distress could cause such physical weakness.

“Your Majesty, let me call for the Imperial Physician.” Li Yue worried, but Qin Junlan firmly shook her head.

Li Yue dared not speak further, noticing Yuan Xi still seemed to have something to say, and gestured for her to speak quickly.

“Your Majesty… the Princess… wishes to see you…” Yuan Xi tentatively spoke, fearing Qin Junlan’s anger.

To everyone’s surprise, she simply passed the reviewed memorials aside, her expression unchanged, as if Liu Qianxun’s name no longer stirred any waves in her heart.

“Prepare the carriage to Qixia Palace. I’ll go see her.” Qin Junlan glanced at the bamboo xun, hesitating briefly before carefully holding it in her hand.

For her, everything related to Liu Qianxun was precious, regardless of her deception and hurt. Despite being so wounded and in such pain, her longing and feelings never diminished. Where love runs deep, hatred runs deeper; what she truly hated was only herself.

When the imperial procession arrived at Qixia Palace, Liu Qianxun was playing the guqin in the hall. When she heard “The Emperor arrives,” she wasn’t surprised. She had calmed down these past few days, and today’s bamboo xun was a gift she had long wanted to give but never had the chance. Finally waiting for this meeting, she wondered if without this item, would Qin Junlan have banished her to the Cold Palace?

“Greetings to Your Majesty,” Liu Qianxun bowed lightly. Qin Junlan habitually moved to help her up but stopped herself mid-step, remaining in place. “Rise.”

She spoke flatly, walking past her into the hall. This cold brush-by made Liu Qianxun’s already aching heart sink into despair. The words she had prepared vanished upon seeing Qin Junlan’s poor complexion and thinner frame, her pride crumbling once again.

“Why did you summon me?” Qin Junlan sat formally, expressionless, though waves of emotion churned in her deep eyes. Liu Qianxun didn’t know how much effort it took Qin Junlan to maintain this coldness, and while she had come at her invitation, wasn’t it also giving herself a chance to see her?

Longing is strange – when apart, the heart yearns and can’t focus; when together, anger surges, remembering all the deception and hurt. Yet when it came to punishment, Qin Junlan could never bring herself to discipline her. Sometimes she would make excuses for her – why should kingdom politics involve her? Why did she fall in love with someone who saw her as merely a chess piece?

How laughable – the woman she treasured had been sent to her by others; what kind of love was that? How could Liu Qianxun find happiness with such a person? Yet despite this, she was still so willing to sacrifice everything for Ling Yu, even offering her body… These thoughts made Qin Junlan’s blood boil.

“Yan’er, you look pale. Are you unwell?” Since her entrance, Liu Qianxun had noticed Qin Junlan’s poor condition and wanted to check on her, but Qin Junlan suddenly stood up, maintaining distance. “I’m fine, just tired. I’ll be better after some rest.”

Liu Qianxun bit her lower lip, repeatedly being met with such cold treatment made her feel both wronged and angry. She turned away saying, “If Your Majesty so dislikes seeing Xun’er, then please let me leave the palace, rather than staying here to offend your eyes.”

Hearing this, Qin Junlan’s eyes flashed with surprise, then sorrow, finally turning to anger. She laughed coldly, “Is staying by my side so unbearable for you?”

“It’s Xun’er who has made Your Majesty uncomfortable, who has earned your disgust. Xun’er doesn’t know what meaning there is in staying in the palace anymore.” Liu Qianxun’s eyes misted over, an icy demeanor spreading, as if returning to her former self, wrapped in a cold exterior.

“You want to leave me that badly? Let me tell you, don’t even think about it!” Qin Junlan’s anger made the pain in her lower abdomen surge upward, each breath accompanied by intense pain. She shivered involuntarily, fortunately unnoticed by Liu Qianxun.

Fearing her condition would be discovered, she turned to leave.

“Does Your Majesty truly despise Xun’er so much? Why torture me like this?” Liu Qianxun’s eyes reddened, her sorrowful murmur nearly out of control. She was going mad, not knowing how to bring back her once gentle and caring Chaoyan.

“Hmph! Yes, I want to torture you. Want to leave the palace? I won’t allow it!” Qin Junlan threw down these harsh words and hurriedly left.

Is she that desperate to leave, to return to Ling Yu’s side? Hah, dream on!

Just outside the palace gates, Qin Junlan began coughing violently. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, her chest feeling as if gnawed by ten thousand ants.

“Your Majesty, please don’t get agitated!” Li Yue gently rubbed her back, but she pushed Li Yue away, walking forward alone. On her handkerchief remained an alarming streak of fresh red, which she quickly hid from Li Yue.

Walking with heavy steps despite her physical discomfort, her eyes reddened, a trace of desolation in their emptiness.

In the now lonely and cold Qixia Palace, only Liu Qianxun remained, watching Qin Junlan’s departing figure with an aching heart. Suddenly, two warm streams flowed from her eyes down her cheeks. She reached up in surprise, touching her face – they were tears.

She was crying, crying for the first time. So when the heart aches extremely, there really are tears? The gloomy air in her heart slowly released with the tears. Liu Qianxun covered her mouth as crystal tears fell to her clothes, her eyes no longer cold but filled with endless grief and pain, so bone-deep, so icy.

She never knew that when people are vulnerable, only tears can slightly ease the pain. She collapsed in her chambers, pitying herself in the moonlight. That she, Liu Qianxun, would come to this… No matter whom she loved, there would be no happy ending. Now that Qin Junlan didn’t want her anymore, Ling Yu must have also discovered her change of heart – what would she do? Liu Qianxun couldn’t imagine.

As her tears dried in the wind, she stared blankly out the window, her former strategic brilliance and wisdom completely gone, now always overwhelmed by emotions, powerless to think of anything else.

“Tower Master!” Ye Ming appeared at the window sometime without her notice. Liu Qianxun wearily raised her eyes to see Ye Ming’s eyes filled with tears and fear. She slowly came to her senses, waving for Ye Ming to enter.

As soon as she entered the hall, Ye Ming suddenly knelt, holding out what appeared to be a red command token. Liu Qianxun’s pupils dilated as she numbly accepted the Shura Sect’s highest execution order token. “Who is to be killed?”

“Bai Yifei…” Ye Ming’s face showed pain and difficulty, as what she had feared had finally happened.

“So Ling Yu truly can’t tolerate him anymore… but assassinating him won’t be easy.” Liu Qianxun grew worried. There had been assassination attempts before, but Bai Yifei was skilled at using people, always managing to prevail through military strategy, protecting himself and preventing close approach. Now, attempting assassination in Jidu would be even more difficult. “I’ll go with you.”

“No!” Ye Ming shook her head repeatedly. “The Sect Leader’s orders are for you to rendezvous with us after the assassination, and the entire Suyuan Tower is to withdraw.”

“What?” Liu Qianxun hadn’t expected things to develop this far, immediately pacing back and forth. “What do you mean by ‘us’?”

“Ghost Eye will also assist, though I don’t know when she’ll appear. Once the Sect Leader issues an execution order, everything must be planned. Whether successful or not, you must withdraw!”

Too sudden! Liu Qianxun knew trouble was coming but hadn’t expected it so quickly. They want her to withdraw just like that? No, she doesn’t want to leave. Although she had spoken angry words to Qin Junlan, that wasn’t what she truly felt in her heart. She couldn’t bear to leave!

“Tower Master, I’m just worried…”

“At this point, even if you worry about the young princess, it’s useless. If you don’t carry out this mission, the young princess will be in real danger. The Sect Leader might suspect you of disloyalty and won’t spare even her.” Liu Qianxun analyzed coldly. Ye Ming was extremely troubled – if she really killed Bai Yifei, Bai Ruoxi would surely be heartbroken. How could she bear to see her so sad? “Is there really no other way, Tower Master?”

“There is no other way! We can only follow orders!”

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