Chapter 231: Clear Sky Chapter 208: What We Want, We Must Obtain

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Protagonists:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Empress Rui's face was pale; she remained motionless for a long time, watching her elder brother's bedraggled retreating figure. Through the rain curtain beneath the umbrella, what flashed before her eyes was the sight of the youth in a blood-stained Daoist robe.

She had already discerned what kind of trap her elder brother was setting today, and what face lay beneath that bamboo hat and Daoist robe...

Why did he still have to return?

Why did he still have to return to this cursed Chang'an City?

Even with the rain umbrella shielding her, the sky-full of rain threads was still wrapped by the wind and blown slantwise, wetting her layered sleeves. Empress Rui lowered her head to look at her wet layered sleeves and gold-threaded silk shoes, then slowly raised her head to gaze at the dim, dark sky beyond the umbrella. Hearing the wind like a god weeping, seeing evil clouds coiling in the air, an extremely pessimistic, ominous premonition rose unbidden in her heart — she only felt the curse was imminent, and no one could escape.

After receiving his reprimand and punishment, Rui Ze insisted on returning to Taodang Palace despite his injuries. He prostrated at the hall entrance, once more kowtowing and admitting fault to the Emperor seated high above in the hall.

He had not entered the hall; Shaowei, kneeling sideways inside, turned her head to regard him.

When he raised his skull, he also glanced briefly toward the hall interior. The palace hall was lofty; he could not make out the face and expression of the person inside, and he firmly believed the person inside could not see him clearly either. His gaze was unguarded, without much concealment.

Having endured a round of reprimand, he was soaked through, hair disheveled, eyes bloodshot. His broad face and fleshy features cast shadows like an overcast sky. In Shaowei's eyes, he faintly resembled a ferocious pig's head smoked by fire and soot, like a sacrificial offering.

After Rui Ze withdrew, Lord Lu politely declined the Emperor's desire to appease and compensate him for the disturbance to his birthday banquet, thus also declining the proposal to keep him for the evening meal.

With such a granddaughter by his side, Lord Lu did not believe he needed any appeasement or compensation at all. The one who truly needed appeasing was this Majesty. If comparing from the perspective of family affairs today, Lord Lu considered the imposing brilliance of his own heart had already reached the point of bullying the Emperor.

Unwilling to stay and bully the Son of Heaven, and unwilling to meddle in the other party's troublesome family affairs, Lord Lu's heart was full of recollections of his granddaughter's boundless splendor in killing. He hated that he could not immediately rush home, wield his blade, and practice, so that next time they sparred he would try not to dampen the child's enthusiasm too much.

Rising to perform a salute, Lord Lu guaranteed: "Your Majesty, rest assured. Since today's matter is Your Majesty's family affair, this old minister will certainly not speak more than necessary."

Shaowei: "Your Majesty, this subject is the same."

The grandfather and granddaughter took their leave. The Emperor looked at the only son remaining in the hall, and only then asked: "Si Tui, why did you go to the Xiwangmu Temple today? We remember you do not like worshipping gods or beseeching ghosts."

Liu Qi raised his head: "Yes. This child minister's original intention was to thank Lord Lu for the birthday congratulations."

"Oh?"

"That year outside the palace gate, Lord Lu injured one of this child minister's legs to stop him. When this child minister left the capital, he still brooded over this matter, even harboring a few parts of resentment in his heart."

The youth spoke to this point, his eyes lowering slightly: "After returning to the capital this time, seeing the slaughter of human hearts everywhere, only then did I understand that Lord Lu's action that year was out of compassion, unwilling to add another wronged soul outside the palace gate that night."

The Emperor's fingers tightened slightly. Wronged soul — facing him, he still insisted his elder brother and maternal uncle was wronged... This point had not changed from beginning to end.

This undisguised solitary courage and stubbornness instead made that youth appear exceptionally open and upright: "This child minister knows he carries many troubles; an open visit might bring inconvenience to Lord Lu, so he went alone to the Xiwangmu Temple, only to borrow this opportunity to say a word of thanks face to face."

"To avoid unnecessary attention, this child minister did not bring any guards." Liu Qi carried a touch of self-mockery: "Yet for some reason, Marquis Rui still learned of his whereabouts."

The Emperor did not speak for a moment.

Rui Ze claimed it was to pursue Ling Congnan, yet he stammered and could not produce a single shred of evidence. Even with his eyes closed, the Emperor could not bring himself to believe this empty claim.

"Since someone poisoned your medicine last time, you should be more vigilant. Investigate the people around you properly; those who should be replaced, replace them." The Emperor said: "If manpower is insufficient, We will give you some."

Giving some manpower as appeasement, yet not mentioning resolving the true source — Liu Qi had anticipated this long ago, and replied with a "Many thanks, Imperial Father."

"Very well, you were startled by today's events." The Emperor said: "Physicians are still waiting in the side hall. Go apply medicine and treat your injuries, and change your clothes."

Liu Qi: "Many thanks, Imperial Father. This child minister feels his injuries are not serious; they have been roughly bandaged on the road. Returning to the residence to handle it myself will suffice."

The Emperor: "What, are you still afraid the people here will poison you? Guarding against We as well?"

Liu Qi revealed a smile: "How would this child minister dare. Imperial Father is still recuperating from illness; this child minister's blood qi is overflowing, inevitably there would be collision. So as not to add trouble for Imperial Father."

The Emperor also sneered: "You collide with Us less? Since returning to the capital, how many times has it been that you come to see Us covered in blood qi..."

Speaking to the end, the Emperor's smile gradually faded. Liu Qi's smile did not diminish but increased. Supporting himself on one hand, he stood up, saying: "Imperial Father's teaching is extremely correct. This child minister will certainly pay more attention in the future."

The Emperor looked at his son, whose whole body was covered in blood except for the smile on his face which was the cleanest part, and said: "If you want to go back, then go back. Recuperate well. Do not miss the autumn hunt; We are still waiting for you to accompany Us."

Liu Qi smiled and saluted: "Yes, this child minister will certainly not disgrace the mission."

Watching his son leave limping, draped in blood-stained clothes, the Emperor's heart was filled with myriad emotions. He sighed lowly: "This child... still resents Us..."

Resenting Us for shielding Rui Ze, punishing too lightly.

Only with expectation does resentment arise... Even though he is clever enough to understand and cooperate with this father's actions, in his heart it is impossible not to feel wronged.

And recalling the year the incident happened, this child was still a young boy. He had just returned to the capital after seeking medicine for Us, and immediately witnessed the miserable deaths of his mother, elder brother, and maternal uncle. And not long ago, the Imperial Father with whom he had crossed moves using a peach wood sword refused to even see him for a moment, and threw him far away to Wuling.

After many years returning to the capital, Chang'an Li is full of probes and killing intent everywhere. Clearly also the Emperor's son, yet at every turn a body full of blood qi...

The Emperor slowly closed his eyes. The events of today flashed before him. In his heart there was already a clear answer: if this Emperor dies, the Rui family will absolutely not tolerate Liu Qi.

And if he exterminates the Rui family, will Liu Cheng be able to stand on his own? Or must he make another consideration? But that would equally provoke controversy and turmoil...

The Emperor leaned against the armrest, his fingers slowly tapping on the case table, emitting a light "tap tap" sound.

Guo Shi returned to the hall, performed a silent salute, not daring to disturb the Emperor resting with eyes closed. However, that tapping sound, seemingly full of consideration, drilled into Guo Shi's brain, infinitely amplified, dense and deafening, as if it were horse hooves and carriage wheels about to dismember him at any moment.

"Tap tap" — the sound of horse hooves and carriage wheels drove out of the palace city range, rushing into the heavy rain.

Two carriages, not far apart. In the rear carriage sat Shaowei and her grandfather. Mo Li drove with one hand, the other hand holding a golden-yellow autumn pear, biting into it, juice flowing into her finger gaps.

The pears were picked by Shaowei from Jianzhang Palace for Mo Li. Jianzhang Palace has many fruit groves; the fruits are often used to bestow on officials. Quan Wa, who led the way, believed the Lingxu Marquis could pick freely, and so quietly reminded her which patch of fruit had the most sun and was sweetest.

Shaowei colluded with her grandfather to pick fruit and feed the civet. They walked a few steps slower, so Liu Qi, who rode out in a palanquin, walked ahead. At this moment the carriage was also ahead.

Sensing the Young Master behind her lift the carriage curtain and clamber out, Mo Li did not turn her head, twisting her body to make way, letting the Young Master out of the cage.

Shaowei had calculated distance and speed. She stepped on the carriage shaft, leaped up, and swept toward the front carriage, pouncing into the carriage interior through the rear door.

Her speed was swift and fierce, extremely like an uninvited guest. Deng Hu inside was greatly startled; in a split second he drew his blade. The next instant, the newcomer pressed down his wrist, a powerful force forcing his blade back into its scabbard.

In this instant, Deng Hu had already recognized the person. Though still shocked, he ultimately breathed a sigh of relief, crossed his hands in salute: "Jiang Jun."

After saluting, seeing Jiang Jun stare with wide eyes in astonishment, Deng Hu suddenly reacted, turned his head, and saw the Sixth Prince, his upper body completely exposed, slightly flustered, hugging his arms to cover his chest.

Deng Hu could not help but blame himself. As a subordinate, he had failed to guarantee the Sixth Prince's safety, and failed to protect his purity.

With no face to linger, Deng Hu escaped by climbing out, sitting with the carriage driver — since he had already neglected his duty, he might as well carry it through to the end, and could barely explain it as having the sense to read the room.

Shaowei's eyes widened in shock, and paradoxically she saw more clearly — only to see beneath his crossed arms the fair arms' muscle texture rising and falling in undulating lines, like warm jade sculpted, and she couldn't help wondering what it would feel like to pinch those hands, whether they were soft or hard compared to her own.

But seeing Liu Qi flustered, his neck turning red along with his ears, utterly lacking the atmosphere that would invite pinching, Shaowei turned her back: "I'm not looking, you hurry and put your clothes on!"

She had calculated the time, originally thinking he should have finished changing by now — who knew it was as if she had suddenly barged into his sleeping quarters, which could not be called anything but rude.

Having spoken, she then feared he might be too hasty and strain his wound, so Shaowei hastily added: "There's no need to be that fast, I'm not in that much of a rush."

"Alright." Liu Qi answered, slowly dressing on one side while regretting his overreaction on the other — the situation had been sudden, his first thought was only not to startle her eyes, yet he didn't know if it would make her feel he was being overly vigilant and distant.

But just seeing her turn her back and wait like this, he also found this back view thoroughly imposing and cute — truly like a fierce tiger barging in, yet still observing human etiquette.

Shaowei waited a good long while, but didn't hear the person behind her speak; unable to hold back, she secretly turned her head — only to see Liu Qi had already changed into a crow-blue loose robe, at his leisure, smiling as he watched her, the pile of blood-stained clothes beside him like shed wounded feathers, once again a clean fierce bird.

"You finished changing and didn't say a word." Shaowei turned back around, sitting cross-legged facing him, and asked the real business: "You went to the Xiwangmu Temple and didn't say a word either?"

"Today was a last-minute substitution for Cong Cong from the south; before coming there was no time to inform you. Once inside the temple, all around were Rui Ze's eyes and ears; to avoid revealing any flaw, it was even more inconvenient to send word." Liu Qi finished answering, then asked: "But I deliberately passed through the Front Hall — Shaowei, you saw me, right?"

Shaowei didn't deny it: "But if I hadn't seen you, wouldn't you have been in danger?"

"I knew you would definitely see." Liu Qi's eyes held laughter: "Even if you couldn't see, you would surely smell it — wind and rain are coming, the Mountain Lord must have sensed it."

Shaowei sat very properly: "Although what you say is fact, doing it this way is truly risky."

"Mm, since the trap was seen through, avoiding it is the wise choice." Liu Qi said: "But since they've already set their sights on Cong Cong, today's matter counts as completely cutting off the future trouble of them using this to make an issue —"

Saying this, he smiled at Shaowei: "Besides, letting Rui Ze take a beating — isn't that worth it?"

He further explained: "Rest assured, although I went alone and Deng Hu and the others couldn't conveniently follow close, it's not that there were no preparations — at most they'd arrive a bit late; I simply won't die easily."

Shaowei herself had an extraordinarily high tolerance for risk; she was competitive and combative, never liked swallowing her anger and passively evading; in her bones she also appreciated Liu Qi's insidious and brave counterattack — seeing him explain like this, of course she had nothing more to say.

Seeing Liu Qi's face pale, his injuries seemed not light, and the cold he'd caught not slight either; Shaowei grabbed the wool woven blanket to the side, leaned over and draped it over him.

This act seemed like approval and praise for his risky counterattack this trip, and also like protection and care for an injured fellow creature.

The blanket's surface was fuzzy warm, her breath was warm, she had no incense scent on her — only the everyday incense-fire qi steeped into her, like a sky-swallowing fierce beast accepting the worship of ten thousand people, but at this moment only earnestly sheltering him.

The tiny contact, the surging warmth, made Liu Qi's heart feel grateful and elated, almost dizzy and confused; he wrapped himself in the blanket, long lashes slightly lowered, like someone who'd had a high fever for several nights that wouldn't break, smiling faintly as he spoke strange chaotic words: "Shaowei, you're truly beautiful when you cut people down."

Especially when that person was cutting them down to protect him.

He added: "Shaowei, I don't want to die anymore — you keep saving me, alright?"

Having done who knows how many bold, life-gambling things, now in front of her he'd turned into the world's number one coward.

Shaowei's face heated a little; she sat even more properly, nodding as composedly as she could: "Mm, sure."

Liu Qi still wrapped in the blanket gazed at Shaowei smiling; Shaowei only felt this person's smile was dazzling, that hallucinatory sensation of unbreaking high fever seeming as if it would infect her too.

Fortunately she was an expert at static sitting to calm the mind, plus the puzzlement and curiosity in her heart still hadn't ended — she recited a few lines of the Qingxin Mantra in her heart, then continued questioning: "What bait did Rui Ze throw out, that he nearly hooked your family's real big fish?"

"Rui Huanghou." Liu Qi answered: "Back then in the Imperial streamer, it was Rui Huanghou who took advantage of the chaos to save Cong Cong — this matter I also only learned today, haven't yet had time to question in detail."

Shaowei found it very unexpected, but also felt it was indeed something Rui Huanghou could do.

Having learned the true answer, Shaowei didn't go evaluate another's actions, quickly returning the focus to herself: "Rui Ze setting the trap at the Xiwangmu Temple was absolutely not coincidental — he wants to kill three birds with one stone."

Today's matter she was not an outsider; Rui Ze was also calculating her in this — this person didn't dare come at her head-on anymore, so he wanted to take the opportunity to drag Lu Hou Fu into the water, remind her of her soft spot, control her weakness.

Shaowei's face gradually grew serious; she looked at Liu Qi: "Your risky attendance at the appointment wasn't just to cut off future trouble — you also want to force the Emperor to have no choice but to turn on Rui Ze, and you even revealed the secret that your leg illness is fake to Rui Ze, using this to threaten and pressure them."

Liu Qi nodded, whereupon Shaowei asked with a straight face: "Liu Situi, what do you want? — Besides clearing your Mother and Brother's names."

Liu Qi answered slowly and seriously: "Shaowei, I want everyone who has hurt us to absolutely pay the price; I want that one day no one will be able to bully or coerce us and the people around us."

"I want that in the days to come, whatever you want to do, you can do it to your heart's content, at ease, freely — no matter which path you want to walk, you can choose from your heart."

A beautiful vision, destined to be stained with blood — but the youth's pupil light at this moment was bright and clear; in this cramped, jolting carriage, he spoke an earth-shaking declaration.

"But you never thought about these long-term after-paths before." Four eyes meeting, Shaowei sensed something, and asked: "When did you change your mind? Was it that day?"

Liu Qi: "It was that day."

Shaowei verified: "Which day?"

Liu Qi: "The day you left the City to treat the epidemic, yet told me you had drunk the poison Rui Ze prepared."

He answered right, she guessed right.

He revealed a hint of a smile, the corners of his eyes drooping with the smile. She had a touch of pride, the corners of her brows rising slightly.

"What you want is also what I want now." Flashing through her mind was what she saw in the dream at Taoxi Mountain Villa; Shaowei declared: "Liu Situi, what we want, we will get."

The dome's wind and clouds surged ever more fiercely; the carriage flew splashing rain mist, as if riding wind and clouds forward.

Dragon moves, clouds must follow; tiger roars, wind must arrive; clouds follow dragon, wind follows tiger — once Heaven and Earth's phenomena open, they will inevitably be difficult to restrain.

"I know what you're going to do next." Inside the carriage, Shaowei said: "But there's one thing I absolutely must do."

Liu Qi: "Good, if there's conflict, your matter takes priority."

This was a principle she had set as early as Wuling Commandery; he had always followed it.

Prioritizing her matter was never wrong — this Shi Jie has thousands upon thousands of diverging paths; he didn't think of retreat before, and after meeting her he even more need not think of retreat — no matter how many layers of diverging paths, he only needs to follow her closely; no matter what the end is, even if body is crushed and bones shattered, his Soul Spirit absolutely will not fall into becoming a vengeful ghost — however it turns out is the best destination.

In his heart he considered himself the benefited party; merely today seeing Liu Cheng again approach her with concern, he couldn't help but take the opportunity to say: "Shaowei, since we've known each other, have I truly been very disobedient? You might as well carefully recall."

Shaowei was somewhat embarrassed, avoided his gaze, and said: "I know — before was just angry words..."

Liu Qi tilted his upper body slightly, following her: "Then have you decided yet?"

"Soon!" Shaowei sat steadily, answering immediately: "Almost decided."

She was solemn as if in meditation, her attitude meticulous, as if she had absolute control over her own life — insights related to her own will not permitting the slightest error, orderly and not the least bit careless.

Liu Qi could only continue quietly waiting for this oracle; what he could do right now was only pour a bowl of hot tea and offer it to the meditating person.

When Shaowei returned home, dusk was falling; Jiang Fu was with the household slaves boiling tea under the Imperial City corridor, the teapot lid on the small stove rattling ding-dang from the bubbling tea water pushing it up.

Jiang Fu tilted his head to glance at that flowered civet cat striding back, and lightly hissed: "Didn't you go for a birthday celebration? How come your body looks like it's carrying a few more rat lives on its back again."

The household slave also glanced, then continued staring at the teapot: "Probably just a convenient matter."

Xiao Yu brought Que'er running out to pay respects; Shaowei casually instructed: "Que'er, come with me for a trip later."

Que'er stood with hands properly clasped: "Yes!"

Xiao Yu eager to try: "Young Master, then what about me?"

"Guarding the house." Shaowei stepped over the door threshold, entered the house, and changed clothes.

At the same moment, Liu Qi also stepped over the door threshold and walked into the house.

Ling Congnan, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately rose from the straw mat and hurried forward: "Si Tui... I heard you were injured!"

"Just a light injury."

The dim house interior hadn't gotten around to lighting lamps in advance; Deng Hu entered, lit a candle lamp on the table, withdrew, and closed the door.

Liu Qi and Ling Congnan sat facing the lamp on the straw mat; Ling Congnan asked Liu Qi about his injuries again and again, his face full of shame: "It actually truly was a trap... Si Tui, if not for you stopping me in time, my own life and death is a small matter, but I would have implicated you as well..."

This morning he wanted to keep the appointment and then make a decision; he hadn't gone far out the door when he was intercepted by Si Tui's people.

It turned out Si Tui had already noticed his concealment, and also taken note of his secretly passing messages with someone; Si Tui had been waiting for him to confess frankly, but today, noticing his movements were abnormal, he ultimately confronted him face-to-face about this matter.

Si Tui first apologized to him, then told him that monitoring him was not out of distrust, but their existence concerned the life and death of too many people, especially in this Jingji region, where every move could possibly bring unforeseeable consequences; this was protection for everyone, including him.

He naturally could not blame Si Tui's actions; matters having reached this point, he could only truthfully inform him of today's destination; Si Tui listened to the place he was going to keep the appointment, but immediately determined it must be a trap — Lord Lu was celebrating his birthday today and would go there to worship the gods.

Facts proved Si Tui's speculation was without error; a calamity with extensive connections nearly occurred.

Besides shame, Ling Congnan now felt utterly humiliated, while Liu Qi said: "Congnan, between you and me there is nothing that cannot be spoken; whatever ultimately happened, whatever you ultimately want, tell me all of it together."

?? Very big chapter! Good night everyone~