Chapter 149: Blood

The charcoal fire in the warm pavilion was blazing, black and white stones interwoven on the white jade chessboard.

Emperor Chu Yunzheng held a black stone in contemplation, while Su Yanci sat opposite in a green robe, a white stone between his fingertips poised but not yet placed.

The hall door was suddenly slammed open, the cold wind swirling snowflakes inside.

"Your Majesty!" Xu Yanchuan dragged in a blood-soaked Xiao Shunzi and casually threw him to the ground.

Xiao Shunzi let out a muffled groan, curling up in agony.

The white stone in Su Yanci's hand clattered onto the chessboard: "Isn't this... Xiao Shunzi, the attendant of Lady Wan?"

Chu Yunzheng's brows furrowed sharply: "What's going on?"

Xu Yanchuan sneered: "This dog of a servant, under the guise of making purchases, dared to trespass into your Subject's residence."

He ground the heel of his boot against Xiao Shunzi's neck, malice surging in his eyes, "Sneaking around like that, surely plotting something sinister—better to kill him cleanly!"

The joints emitted a teeth-grinding "crack-crack," and Xiao Shunzi's face turned purple.

Xu Yanchuan pressed harder, a hint of gleeful satisfaction curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Slow down." Su Yanci suddenly grabbed Xu Yanchuan's wrist, "Even if he must be killed, it should be done through proper justice."

Only then did Xu Yanchuan release his grip, and Xiao Shunzi slumped to the ground.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Xiao Shunzi gasped for air, then suddenly threw himself at Chu Yunzheng's feet: "I beg Your Majesty to save my Master!"

"My Master has been kneeling in the snow at Jingren Palace... for three hours now!"

"What?!" Chu Yunzheng shot to his feet, overturning the chessboard, black jade stones clattering all over the floor.

"This servant came to Yangxin Hall twice, but couldn't even get close, so I had to seek help outside."

"Your Majesty must not listen to slander." Xu Yanchuan snorted coldly: "In this Imperial harem, there is still Her Majesty the Empress."

It would have been better if he hadn't spoken.

The moment he did, the Emperor's face turned even darker.

"Get out of my way!" Chu Yunzheng shoved Xu Yanchuan aside and rushed out the door, stepping over the scattered chess pieces.

Xiao Shunzi scrambled after that bright yellow figure.

Su Yanci leisurely picked up a white jade stone: "Lord Xu, this move of yours is quite risky."

He lifted his eyes, the flickering candlelight reflected in them, "If His Majesty hadn't listened to the explanation, that little eunuch would already be a corpse."

"Serves him right if he died." Xu Yanchuan brushed non-existent dust off his sleeve, "Who told him to come provoke me."

"Is that so?" Su Yanci suddenly let out a soft laugh.

Xu Yanchuan's pupils contracted sharply; as he turned, his cloak billowed like a black cloud: "They all say Lord Su is the worm in His Majesty's belly."

He stopped at the threshold, his voice laced with ice, "With you here, what does Your Subject have to worry about?"

Outside the hall, the wind and snow howled, quickly swallowing that solitary, aloof figure.

Su Yanci rubbed the white stone in his hand and gently placed it on the tengen point of the chessboard.

Jingren Palace.

The cold wind howled, icicles under the eaves snapped off, crashing onto the bluestone slabs with crisp shattering sounds.

Wan Tang knelt in the snow, her thin clothes already soaked through by melted snow, clinging wetly to her body.

Her knees had long lost all sensation, and a tearing, searing pain tore through her lower abdomen, forcing her to hunch over, her hands pressed hard against the icy snow.

The scene before her began to blur, the Empress's laughter drifting out from the warm pavilion.

Wan Tang let out a muffled groan, swayed, and finally, unable to hold on, collapsed sideways into the snow.

Her fingers dug deep into the snow, unable to tell if the tips were stained with snowmelt or blood.

The cramping in her abdomen grew more intense, like a dull knife slowly churning inside.

Trembling, she touched her swollen belly, her voice so faint it was barely audible, "Child, look, the snow is melting."

Her pale lips struggled to form a faint smile, "Winter is about to pass..."

A sharp pain struck, and Wan Tang arched her body violently, cold sweat mingling with snowmelt sliding down her forehead.

The laughter from the warm pavilion continued.

Through the carved window lattice, Lady of Grace Qi saw Wan Tang's figure collapsed in the snow and trembled all over.

She fell to her knees with a "thud" before the Empress: "Your Highness, Lady Wan truly cannot bear it any longer."

"Slap!"

Bai Wei stepped forward and delivered a vicious slap across Lady of Grace Qi's face.

The Empress leisurely turned the clay figurine in her hand, sneering coldly: "You think you're worthy to speak?"

She walked to the window, coldly watching the curled-up figure in the snow, "Her skill at putting on a show is top-notch. She fooled that fool Xu Luoyan, she fooled the Emperor, and now she thinks she can fool me?"

The clay figurine turned in her hand, and Xiao Mingshu found it amusing: "What's more, I still have this..."

【Does Xiao Mingshu really think that without Xu Luoyan, she has no rivals left, to treat Tangtang like this?】

【My Tangtang is so pitiful. She was already at risk of premature birth, and if not for Xie Taiyi's careful treatment, her life would even be in danger. Kneeling like this will lead to disaster.】

【No, no, the Emperor is coming. That Dog Emperor is annoying, but with him here, Tangtang will surely be safe.】

The Emperor... is coming?

Wan Tang's body swayed precariously.

She looked toward the Zhudian, and her back, which had always been stubbornly straight, suddenly bent.

The Empress was the Emperor's lawful wife, the lofty Mother of the Realm, and also the legitimate daughter of the Xiao Family.

With Xu Luoyan dead.

To Xiao Mingshu, Wan Tang was nothing but an eyesore, the next person who had to die.

Since these games all needed blood to nourish them, Wan Tang was happy to play along.

Looking at the scattered specks of red on the ground, Wan Tang knew—how could such a little color possibly make the Emperor angry?

She slowly pulled out the hairpin, then applied a fierce force.

She curled up almost in the snow, yet dared not cry out; her forehead pressed against the cold blue bricks, knocking repeatedly, one knock after another.

Each knock seemed to exhaust all her strength, yet was so light it was almost silent.

"Empress... spare me."

Her voice was hoarse and broken, mingling with the Fēng xuě as it drifted into the warm chamber.

The beaded hairpin among her hair had long since scattered, her black strands soaked with snow water, messily clinging to her pallid cheek.

"I, your servant, know my fault, I beg you, consider it for the sake of the child…"

Another heavy bow, the blood on her forehead mixing with the snow water, spreading a dark red stain across the brick.

Wan Tang's body swayed, nearly collapsing, yet she forced herself to keep bowing.

Inside the Zhudian.

Bai Wei stood beside the gilt charcoal basin, covering her mouth with a light laugh: "Your Majesty, listen, Concubine Wan is pleading for mercy."

Xiao Mingshu narrowed her phoenix eyes, her fingertips whitening from the strain: "Now you know how to beg for mercy? Just a moment ago, when you mentioned the First Prince, wasn't that mouth so fierce?"

The charcoal fire crackled, casting a shadow that hid half of the Empress's face.

"These days, the Emperor has truly spoiled some people beyond measure."

She rose slowly, "Kneeling or not, let some people wake up."

The beaded curtain was flung up abruptly: "In this Imperial harem, who truly decides!"

Bai Wei hurried forward to help.

Xiao Mingshu stepped in her inch‑thick brocade silk shoes, advancing step by step toward the hall gate.

At the threshold, she suddenly halted, lowering her gaze to the figure kneeling in the snow.

Wan Tang strained to lift her head, her pallid lips trembling: "Your Majesty…"

A tear of blood slid down the corner of her eye.

Chu Yunzheng burst into Jingren Palace in that instant, just catching this scene.

Xiao Mingshu stood before the hall gate, her brocade Phoenix Robe rustling as the wind blew.

Three steps away, Wan Tang knelt in the snow, her forehead pressed against the blood‑stained blue brick, her frail body trembling like a wilted leaf.

"Emperor?" Xiao Mingshu gasped, stepping back half a step: "Why are you here?"

She followed Chu Yunzheng's line of sight and only then realized the snow beneath Wan Tang was already soaked with blood, panic flashing: "Bai Wei! Quickly lift Concubine Wan up."

Bai Wei lifted her hem and rushed to the imperial presence just as Chu Yunzheng suddenly raised his foot.

"Bang!"

The kick struck straight into her core; Bai Wei was flung backward, crashing heavily into the snow.

"Get out of the way." Chu Yunzheng's voice was as cold as quenched ice.

He strode forward, carefully lifting Wan Tang.

The person in his arms was eerily light; her normally radiant face was now as pale as paper, ice crystals clinging to her lashes.

"Is… is it the Emperor?" Wan Tang's fingers suddenly clenched his collar, the force astonishing.

Her dilated pupils struggled to focus, her voice as thin as a thread: "I cannot see clearly, but I recognize… your voice…"

"Do not fear, it is I." Chu Yunzheng's throat tightened, his sleeve cuff stained red by the blood on her forehead, "I have arrived."

The body in his arms suddenly shuddered violently.

Wan Tang first let out a soft whimper, suppressing sobs like an injured beast, then suddenly burst into loud crying: "Wuwu, Emperor, I knew… you would come."

Scalding tears mixed with blood soaked the Dragon Robe.

Chu Yunzheng could distinctly feel every shiver of hers; that near‑death terror transmitted through her frail body made his heart feel as if clenched by iron tongs.

"I… am so scared…"

Those words fully ignited the emperor's fury.

When Chu Yunzheng lifted his gaze, the ferocity in his eyes almost materialized.

He had said, as long as I'm here!

But it seemed no one regarded this Emperor as anything.

Xiao Mingshu staggered forward, seizing his arm: "Emperor! Listen to my explanation."

"Explanation?" Chu Yunzheng let out a low laugh, his Dragon Might pressing the surrounding Guanren into a wave of kneeling, "Tangtang never even frowns for anyone to see."

He tightened his arm, and the one in his embrace immediately curled tighter, "Now that you're crying like this, I still need to hear any explanation?"

"No! She was first…"

"Empress." Chu Yunzheng cut her off, each word like an ice spear, "Truly opens my eyes."

Any reason, any explanation, cannot compare to the blood and tears shed by the one at his heart.

Having said that, he turned and left, leaving a trail of blood‑stained footprints in the snow.

Xiao Mingshu froze in place, watching Chu Yunzheng carry Wan Tang step by step into the distance.

"Emperor…"

The mournful call was torn apart by the cold wind; the bright‑yellow figure vanished without looking back at the end of the palace corridor.

Xiao Mingshu's foot gave way, and she fell heavily onto the snow, her luxurious Phoenix Robe instantly soaked by the snow water.

Bai Wei scrambled over, rolling and crawling: "Your Majesty! The ground is cold…"

Xiao Mingshu seemed not to hear.

She gripped Bai Wei's wrist tightly, her nails digging deep into flesh.

Bai Wei trembled in pain, yet dared not pull away; two streams of clear tears traced down the Empress's delicate makeup.

She only clutched Bai Wei's hand tightly, her voice lighter than falling snow: "Back then, it was clearly the Emperor who couldn't protect my Yun'er."

"My Yun'er was only one year old when her chest was pierced!"

"He was still that young."

"He couldn't even cry out in pain."

Xiao Mingshu cried so hard she nearly fainted: "Why has my son's death become a disgrace the Emperor refuses to mention?"

"Yet he wouldn't even leave the First Prince's position to him?"

Bai Wei, upon hearing that, also wept until she could no longer make a sound.

When Xiao Mingshu lifted her eyes, her tears froze like ice: "So hateful!"

"I am so resentful!"

Xiao Mingshu's gaze grew sharper as she squeezed the clay doll: "I want her dead!"

"Wan Tang, if anyone's to blame, blame you—you resemble her too much!"