Chapter 239

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

"Anshiliu." Liu Qi answered: "It is a foreign thing, cultivated in Shanglin Park for several years; only this year did it begin to bear fruit. It was just picked yesterday, and only bestowed upon the Son of Heaven, the Empress, and the Crown Prince's lodging."

Shaowei: "Then how did you get it?"

"This afternoon I fulfilled filial piety, and the Son of Heaven bestowed one upon me." Liu Qi smiled: "Break it open and eat."

Shaowei exerted force to break it open, saw the universe within, and couldn't help but exclaim in praise: "Like glazed glass and agate."

Speaking, she stuffed half to Liu Qi, lowered her head and gnawed a bite of the half in her own hand.

There were no outsiders here; Liu Qi didn't correct her way of eating, and also imitated her, lowering his head to gnaw.

Shaowei left some, along with the fruit peel, placed them on the ground, to share with Zhan Zhan for pecking, while saying: "This fruit is very good; the only bad thing is that it can only be eaten if bestowed by someone."

She bent over staring at Zhan Zhan pecking fruit grains, didn't raise her head, casually said to Liu Qi: "Later when things succeed, you can eat whenever you want, no need for him to bestow it."

Liu Qi's heart gave a violent throb; in the very faint moonlight he turned his head, slowly blinked, examining her closely.

Her ability could steal the world's most rare and wondrous fruits; she also didn't regard the hierarchy of ruler and minister; what she cared about was merely that he disliked it yet still had to fulfill filial piety.

Her giving was direct and simple, always a flash of inspiration, yet always hitting the crucial point; in his view she was clearly even more like radiant glazed glass than the Anshiliu she praised.

"Good, later no need for him to bestow." Liu Qi's eyes held a smile: "Shaowei, when the time comes you will control Shanglin Park, tame a hundred beasts, govern a hundred fruits; whatever you bestow, I will eat."

Shaowei turned her head to look at him: "You already said you can eat whenever you want, why must you have someone else bestow it on you?"

But he laughed, and also quite seriously: "I don't want someone else to bestow it; but when did you ever become 'someone else'? Shaowei, as of today, only what you bestow do I receive with the most peace of mind."

These are pleasant words, yet not merely pleasant words; Shaowei knew in her heart, just like the matters here, he and his people even if they had original plans, still complied with her proposal.

He has many clever calculations, but his obedience is indeed irrefutable; Shaowei vaguely murmured "Mm", in the dimness silently curved one corner of her mouth, her waist also bending along with the mouth corner, picked up a tree branch to dig soil.

Liu Qi seriously watched her movements, while in his mind simultaneously thinking of a matter, concerning Liu Cheng.

Liu Qi knows himself he is not a pure white person; this time is no exception. After the Zhujin Great Sacrifice, Liang Guo's external chaos is no longer a worry; the timing has been created. He and his people internally made a swift and decisive judgment. His target is clear, he spares no means. Rui Ze and Guo Shi and others' desperate risk-taking is the inevitable result of his true-and-false step-by-step pressing. He wants to make everyone lose their retreat, opening the final desperate struggle of trapped beasts.

But she chose another road; she doesn't like following the human world's complex slaughter rules. While repaying private enmity, in the name of ghosts and gods, she exempted a bloodbath instigated by Rui Ze.

This is something only she could do. She never champions great righteousness nor has she ever been self-consciously righteous. She speaks very little, but does whatever she wants, follows her heart, yet also diminishes the evil curse he bears.

And in a certain sense, Liu Cheng also obtained her great righteousness's shelter; in this slaughter dead-end with originally no retreat, he gained an inch of room for self-chosen survival.

She preserves too much true nature. Perhaps in her eyes, Liu Cheng is the same as his mother Rui Huanghou — both have a beautiful, innocent, unable-to-be-independent drifting side. — Does she also have a bit of chivalrous pity for the weak toward Liu Cheng?

In Liu Qi's heart there seemed to be a stinging bee flying chaotically. He couldn't help but move down from the stone, then kneel before Shaowei's side, looking at her face-on, yet pressing down his own irrelevant emotions, and said: "Shaowei, let's go to a place, go see some people, alright?"

This is the third matter he came for tonight.

Shaowei finished digging the pit, threw down the wooden stick, asking while doing so: "Where to? Far or not?"

"Also in Shanglin Park."

Liu Qi knows very well what Shaowei digs pits for. While answering, he actively picked up the two's leftover Anshiliu peels; two pieces were quite intact, and finally he seriously placed them together into the pit. He looked for a moment, suddenly laughed once.

Shaowei: "Laughing at what?"

Liu Qi blurted answer: "Like a joint burial."

"What's funny about a joint burial—" Shaowei's words unfinished, her person already widened eyes, faintly realizing he was using objects as metaphor for people. Right now also being in the mountain forest, she couldn't help instantly associating with the previous life experience of the two dying on the same mountain, top and bottom. At once feeling very unhappy, she raised her hand to bury those similar-to-being-stripped-of-flesh-and-bone-by-fate remnant peels and broken bones. Zhan Zhan also used claws to help.

Afterwards Shaowei stood up and heavily stomped several feet, tamping that soil firm, like some kind of seal.

Liu Qi saw it in his eyes, yet felt this joint burial was unbreakably firm, clearly a very good omen. His heart couldn't help but surge. As he followed her departure, he lowered his eyes to look before himself, recalling that sudden embrace just now.

Wanting to catch her was his irrational, desperate move. And thinking now, if it happened again, even if reason were present, could it truly guarantee it wouldn't flee at the critical moment?

This is not an upright act, yet he cannot control himself. Thinking back and forth, he very much deserves a beating. However, a turn of thought: if she moves to hit him, it instead falls into his ulterior motive. Called punishment, it's actually a reward encouraging evil deeds.

Such self-dissection, such a person, simply cannot be called not corrupting morals. Even he himself has to secretly feel ashamed, secretly let out a breath, only feeling this life in all aspects indeed cannot become a blank sheet. Even if future days make up however many snow-white good deeds, they cannot offset these astonishing mixed colors.

Heart certainly reflecting, actions yet opposite. Liu Qi caught up to Shaowei, from behind raised hand lightly and quickly brushed past her head top. Shaowei subconsciously covered her head. Liu Qi laughed saying helping her pick leaves. Shaowei ordered him to extend his palm to look. He extended hand spread open yet clean and spotless. Shaowei raised hand to hit. Liu Qi dodged and ran. The two chased and beat off.

Young people's chasing and beating never need much formidable reason. During the chasing process they also often early early forget the reason. Like animals chasing, only sprinkling innate nature and mood.

Outside the forest the human world heaven-shaking earth-moving. Shaowei and Liu Qi also hurrying to handle important proper business. When a person walks alone it's mostly tense solemn and deep hatred. Two people together, yet doesn't hinder passing this road while chasing and beating.

Two people's figures disappeared, throwing the joint-buried Anshiliu remnant peels and broken bones far behind.

At the same moment, several intact Anshiliu placed on the case table tray, yet no one has the mood to enjoy them.

The Empress lies unconscious on the bed, not yet awake. Liu Cheng sits on the bed edge footrest, upper body prone on the bed edge, also fallen into sleep dream.

Mother Empress fainted dead past under the altar. Liu Cheng has been panic-stricken accompanying, yet also seems not knowing besides this where else to go, what to do.

Maternal uncle's sudden tragic death and the crimes carried brought Liu Cheng too great a shock. He originally shouldn't sleep at such a time. This brief deep sleep seems like escape, also seems a kind of confirmation verification of dream and reality.

Unexpectedly fell into another even more terrifying dream. Dreaming time very short, dream experience yet very long. Upon abruptly waking, Liu Cheng breathed heavily, face had sweat, eyes full of struggle and pain.

That dream was too real, letting him for a long time unable to calm his mood.

After slightly recovering, looking again at everything beside him, don't know why it actually seems more than a hundred times clearer than usual. Is it because of that long and real dream, or because his maternal uncle died?

For a long time, maternal uncle was like a mountain blocking before him. At this moment this mountain suddenly collapsed. He suddenly directly faces all things, and along with bright open scenery there also appear piercing wind-rain and blade edges. He comes not in time to feel relaxed, first being enveloped by bewilderment and confusion.

Liu Cheng deeply knows, from this moment on he can no longer stand behind the mountain struggling complaining about maternal uncle's domineering control. His everything will be decided by himself.

This thought arising, heartbeat thump by thump increasingly solemn, as if the whole palace chamber is jumping along. All objects all connected to his blood vessels, making his breathing involuntarily become heavy.

This palace chamber very quiet. Places he cannot see are certainly very chaotic. Imperial Father certainly has not rested, but is ordering thorough investigation of maternal uncle's evidence and accomplices. This is an extremely big matter. Maternal uncle and them did it secretly. Deduction and thorough investigation both need time...

Liu Cheng dazedly thought, don't know when a palace maid entered inside, brought a bowl of tonic soup.

Palace maid softly said a sentence, placed down soup bowl and tray together then saluted and withdrew.

Rui Huanghou, already having been needled, blankly turned awake.

"Mother Empress..." Liu Cheng's voice low and hoarse: "Child Minister will serve you to drink some ginseng soup."

Seeing her son, the Rui Huanghou's eyelids trembled, and large tears slid from the corners of her eyes into her hair as she asked in a low voice: "Cheng Er, your maternal uncle... he's dead, dead, is that so?"

Liu Cheng's eyes also reddened in an instant, and he said softly: "Yes..."

The Rui Huanghou's tears rolled continuously; she closed her eyes, and her chest heaved and trembled beneath the silk quilt.

On the quilt, five-colored silk threads embroidered a Longevity Diagram of stars, constellations, and cloud vapors, signifying the meaning of ascending to immortality. The Rui Huanghou slowly sat up, the Longevity Quilt sliding from her front, and in her tearful eyes a spark of vitality instead ignited: "Cheng Er, this may not all be a bad thing..."

There were no extra palace attendants in the room, nor were there more palace attendants willing to approach this inner chamber.

Liu Cheng stared blankly at his mother.

"Your maternal uncle harbored treacherous intent; this is the evil consequence he ought to bear..." The Rui Huanghou grasped one of her son's arms, saying through tears: "Originally you and I should have been under this curse... once he put it into action, there would be no turning back for us, but right now there is still time!"

"This is the favor bestowed upon us mother and son by ghosts and spirits." The Rui Huanghou looked at her son through tears, speaking words she had once forbidden him to utter: "Cheng Er, didn't you also say so? You never wanted to be this Crown Prince... perhaps this is the opportunity, is the Mandate of Heaven."

Liu Cheng's expression seemed startled, seemed bewildered, listening to his mother say many words she had never spoken before.

"Cheng Er, I know... ever since the matter of the Ling Empress and the Ling Taizi, your Imperial Father has also harbored a knot in his heart; he will not lightly kill his own flesh and blood again, he also fears the curse..."

"The matter your maternal uncle plotted, you and I both knew nothing of it! Your Imperial Father will investigate and clarify..."

"But your maternal uncle would not be so rash without cause; behind this there must be someone calculating and pushing, or he is already certain the Emperor intends to replace the Crown Prince..."

"Your Sixth Brother was persecuted by your maternal uncle first; we cannot say anything..." The Rui Huanghou's expression held a trace of complex guilt: "He is of the Ling Family bloodline; in his heart there is enmity, there is hatred, he had to go to that step... caught in this game, who has ever been master of themselves... only now that your maternal uncle is dead, let us not be opponents with him any longer."

Liu Cheng asked steadily: "But will he let me and the Huanghou go?"

"He will." The Rui Huanghou shed tears silently: "He will; the Ling Family's children have always known grace and favor, have courage, have breadth of mind..."

Liu Cheng silently took in these two words "grace and favor," and then heard his mother say: "But our existence is itself a crime; we cannot leave any room for others to exploit, and we must give your Imperial Father a proper pretext to depose you legitimately, to exchange for your Imperial Father's pity, and also sever long-term future troubles..."

Meeting his mother's tearful eyes, Liu Cheng asked: "What does the Huanghou want this child to do?"

"Things having come to this, in order to extricate ourselves..." The Rui Huanghou's voice trembled, the hand clutching her son's arm shaking even more violently.

She bit her lower lip, biting until it bled, her voice like weeping blood, painful: "Good child, these years, with your maternal uncle here, we have also created too many sins; let it be the due price... or just let it be for the sake of Mother, just let it be given up to Mother... all right?"

"From now on, we mother and son will leave this place, go live truly quiet days... all right?"

Liu Cheng lowered his eyes, looking at his mother's trembling hand, and could not help but shed tears silently.

After a long while, the youth closed his tearful eyes and said in a hoarse voice: "All right."

A moon like raw iron, forged all night in the mortal world's great furnace, at dawn turned into a sun like molten iron.

Autumn governs killing; conforming to the season, the hunt representing the state's majesty must still continue.

The Emperor personally presided over the opening hunt ceremony, and as in previous years set different rewards for each day's best hunter.

The Emperor claimed the Dragon Body was unwell and could not hunt personally; Crown Prince Cheng stepped forward voluntarily, claiming he would enter the mountain to hunt on behalf of the Imperial Father — Rui Ze had met with mishap, and in the mountain a fierce tiger lay hibernating in an unknown location; many saw this and all understood the Crown Prince's move was to bolster the state's prestige, and also to demonstrate loyalty and filial piety toward the Sovereign Father, revealing inner unease and hesitation.

The Emperor nodded with inscrutable joy and anger, and further ordered that those entering the mountain must not rashly wound that fleeing tiger; this tiger already bore the auspicious name of Mountain God's Messenger; the Emperor additionally established a reward of a hundred taels of gold and the title of Marquis of Guanzhong to reward the brave one who assisted the Imperial Guard in recapturing this "Mountain God's Messenger."

Under the clear sky, all who entered the mountain had guards following, and within the mountain the Imperial Guard also patrolled; the various rewards moved hearts, and it was also a fine opportunity to display personal ability; therefore those entering the mountain did not decrease too much compared to previous years, only they could not avoid redoubled vigilance.

Prince Gaomi sat on horseback, seeing that Liu Qi that lame-legged brat did not enter the mountain, but rather received the Imperial Father's command to go inspect the various palace gardens; he felt a moment's regret, having originally wanted to take the opportunity to teach a lesson to this arrogant little child; as it seemed now he could only wait until tomorrow's hunt to seek another good opportunity.

The Emperor dispatched Liu Qi to inspect the palace gardens; at dawn he then sent Du Shulin to lead the Imperial Guard to search and seal the Rui Fu, with He Pingchun leading the Embroidered Uniform Guard to accompany.

Rui Ze's death and crime had only been established for a single night; his co-conspirators could not yet be determined; the Emperor sending Du Shulin away at the first moment was both for the sake of stability and to have He Pingchun monitor during the process whether this person had any suspicious points.

At the same time, secret investigations, interrogations, and deployments in various places were also proceeding tightly.

The Emperor had no heart to pay attention to the hunt, and moreover due to physical decline and illness could not sit for long; he left the responsible officials and returned to the palace gardens to handle and inquire into the progress of various affairs.

However, just after the Shen hour in the afternoon, before today's hunt deadline had ended, suddenly an Imperial Guard Commander covered in blood came in panic to report, saying the Crown Prince had met with a mishap mid-hunt.

?? Thank you everyone for the monthly tickets, thank you Book Friends Haian Ge Shi, Heaven and Earth Shaoshi, Yan Zhi Hu 1, Wu Island sss, Guyun LW, Nalan Wei Yu, Su Yu Jie Tian, Nangong Yi Qiu, Gu Jiu Wu, Stars and Moon Ten Thousand Miles, Cats and Dogs Family, Xiang Chi Shao Kao Pei Dian Jiu, Gudu De Da Ti Qin, Han Shan Hui, Jingshen De Kao La Zai Choose Fan, Book Friends Deng Deng Deng Book Friends for your generous rewards.