Chapter 56: with translation of chapter title

When I woke up, all my consciousness was focused on my chest; the pain coming from inside made it hard for me to breathe. But all the wounds on my body had already scabbed over, Xiao Yin was peacefully asleep beside me—she must have healed me.

Just as I slightly lifted my head, I was genuinely startled—someone sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at me; that peerlessly handsome face, with a slight upturn of the lips, could only be Wei Lingfeng—who else could it be?

I suppressed my slight surprise, calmly glanced at him, and pushed myself up using the bed's edge.

"What medicine did you give Yan Jing?" Wei Lingfeng's voice sounded at my ear, "Given your personality, you wouldn't have just scared her, would you?"

I froze, reached into the hidden pouch at my waist and pulled out a pill; at the time the situation was rather chaotic and urgent, I casually grabbed a pill from my bosom and tossed it into her mouth, not really knowing what it was.

After counting carefully for a while, I couldn't help but let out a bitter smile—it turned out to be "Absolute Wind Splendor". I actually wished I had given her a bowel‑piercing poison; death would have been good for both of us, a clean end.

Absolute Wind Splendor, like many of the poisons I carry, is a fairly common medicine in this palace; no one knows who created it or who passed it down. As Qian Qian said, the palace holds too many dark truths, so keeping some on hand is never a mistake.

Absolute Wind Splendor is a chronic disfiguring drug. It does not erupt when one's mind is tranquil and desireless, but once emotions flare excessively, accelerating blood circulation, it thoroughly stimulates metabolism, often aging a person by ten or twenty years overnight.

I let out a faint sigh; unfortunately, in this palace, only someone abnormal could maintain a tranquil state of mind while living here.

"Wei Lingfeng." I lifted my head, calmly looking at him, my voice even, my expression unruffled, and said lightly, "We should end our contract early."

Wei Lingfeng stared at me with bright eyes, the hands braced at his sides slowly and unconsciously clenching into fists; after a long while he uttered, "What if I do not agree?"

"Then forget it." My expression showed not the slightest ripple; I calmly lowered my eyelids, gathered the pills on the bed, and said, "Your Majesty, I want to go back."

I supported my weak body and carefully lifted Xiao Yin off the bed. My wrist was suddenly gripped tightly; I lifted my head to meet Wei Lingfeng's somewhat resentful and uncontrolled gaze: "You really think the debt of Xin Hui should be charged to me?"

I completely ignored the pain in my wrist and the anger throughout my body, coldly staring at him and coldly saying, "You! Are! Not! Worthy!"

Wei Lingfeng's eyes flashed with intense killing intent and anguish; his gaze scorched me like a prairie fire, and at that moment I could almost hear the sound of my wrist bones breaking.

I clenched my teeth on my lip, which had turned white from pain, saying nothing, making no sound, not even struggling.

Finally, the killing intent and anger in his eyes gradually faded, turning entirely into pain and helplessness that could no longer be concealed, and he slowly released his grip.

I staggered out of his bedchamber's door, hearing his usual calm and elegant voice behind me say, "The ceremony to appoint the empress will be held in half a month, as scheduled."

My steps paused, a cold smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, and I continued to stagger forward.

"Xin Hui, do you want to learn something?" I earnestly looked at Xin Hui sitting in the simple wheelchair and asked.

This wheelchair was based on a sketch I drew, which Wu Ye helped me complete. Although it cannot be as agile as a modern one, it is at least safer and more comfortable than using a crutch.

Although Xin Hui's tendons in her hands and feet showed a tendency to heal under Xiao Yin's treatment, even with the most advanced modern technology it could not guarantee a quick recovery, and I am now considering arranging physical therapy for her rehabilitation.

Xin Hui's gaze dimmed, then she quickly masked it, saying, "Miss, what can I learn?"

I squeezed her more agile left hand, lowered my head in thought for a while, then said, "Before, you could do many things—sewing, tidying the room, etc. —better than I could, so I never thought to teach you anything."

"Your injury, I swear, no matter what, I will definitely find a way to cure it. But until you recover, would you like to learn something to pass the time? Perhaps it will be useful later."

On Xin Hui's face, where no trace of injury remained, a gentle smile appeared, and she said, "All right, Miss."

"But what should I teach you?" I agonizedly scratched my head, "Poetry, lyrics, songs, and rhapsodies are definitely out—I can only plagiarize, and I don't even grasp the basic tonal patterns… As for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, never mind whether you can do them; I know them, but they don't know me!"

"Pfft—" Xin Hui raised her still‑movable left hand to cover her mouth and laughed, "Miss, you always seemed capable of everything, but it turns out you can't do anything at all?"

"Speaking of what I'm best at, aside from spear technique and assassination arts, it's the medical art I learned from Qi Ran. But given your condition you can't treat others; passing on some medical theory and pharmacology is possible… Is there anything that doesn't require using your hands?" I tilted my head, thought for a while, then suddenly shouted in surprise, "Goodness! Xin Hui, how did I not think of this? A psychotherapist—you can study psychotherapy; I will definitely train you to become the first psychotherapist of the Heaven and Harmony Continent!"

"A psychotherapist?" Xin Hui looked at me, bewildered, but her big eyes slowly showed a surge of vitality.

When Bu Sha returned, there were only seven days left until the ceremony to appoint the empress, but I thought these seven days were more than enough to prepare everything.

But what shocked and dismayed us was that Bu Sha actually didn't bring back Xin Luo and Qian Qian.

At the instant the door opened, a freezing chill swept over me; I immediately had everyone except Xin Hui and Wu Ye go rest, and I shut the door and windows tightly. At that very moment, Bu Sha landed silently.

I turned back, first carefully feeling his pulse and examining his whole body, confirming there were no internal or external injuries, then asked with a solemn expression, "Bu Sha, when you entered the palace, did you let Wei Lingfeng's people notice you?"

Bu Sha blinked slightly, then firmly shook his head and said, "No."

"That's good." I exhaled, furrowed my brows, feeling a bit uneasy, and after a while asked, "How are Xin Luo and Qian Qian?"

Xin Hui, standing beside me, gripped my hand tightly; her palm, like hers, was slick with cold sweat.

"When I caught up, only Xin Luo remained." Bu Sha paused, his thick black brows slowly knitting together.

I hurriedly asked, "Even you can't bring him back?"

Bu Sha's dark eyes fixed on me, remaining cold and unmoving for a long while, then he spoke in an indifferent tone: "I didn't intend to bring him back. Because he is in Qi Ran's hands."

My originally rough, tense breath hitched abruptly, and I dumbfoundedly repeated Bu Sha's words: "Xin Luo, in Qi Ran's hands?"

My mind went blank for a long while, then I asked again, "Is there no danger now?"

Bu Sha shook his head indifferently.

I lowered my gaze to Xin Hui and the left hand we were holding; her eyes, which had held worry and anxiety, gradually eased, shifting to a more complex light, and she whispered, "Miss, if you believe Luo'er is safe, then he certainly is—I won't worry."

I smiled gratefully at her. Inside, however, I could not be as calm as my appearance suggested; Bu Sha said Xin Luo was in Qi Ran's hands—not someone else, but Qi Ran himself. I lifted my left hand to my slightly aching chest, wanting to cry, not for anything else, just because I had finally heard news of him. That person was no one else—he was Qi Ran, after all, he was Qi Ran!

Now is not the time for longing and sorrow. I lowered my slightly trembling hand, looked at Wu Ye, examined him earnestly, and then said word by word, "Wu Ye, I want to leave this imperial palace."

Wu Ye's body visibly trembled; beneath his iron mask a sound seemed to emerge, but I couldn't make it out.

I drew a deep breath, fixed my unwavering gaze on him, and said, "Wu Ye, I know you still owe Wei Lingfeng a favor, and perhaps you have reasons not to leave him. All I need from you now is a single decision."

The brazier in the room crackled as it burned; Wu Ye likewise looked at me, his expression complex and inscrutable, but I merely observed him without probing into what exactly made it so complex, because I only needed a decision.

After a long while, Wu Ye seemed to suddenly sigh in relief, his clenched fists loosening, a faint smile flickering in his eyes: "I will leave together with my master."

I let out a long breath, revealing a weak smile. In this imperial palace, I am truly exhausted beyond measure. If I had known earlier that things would develop to this point, I would never, under any circumstances, have been foolish enough to accept the "Purple Phoenix".

"Well," I clenched my right hand into a fist and struck my left palm, a light sound echoing in the room; my weak smile turned into confident composure, and I said lightly, "Let us go all out in a battle. I will escape, leave, the imperial palace on the final day of the ceremony to appoint the empress!"

Only Bu Sha and I remained in the room; he walked to the bedside and said indifferently, "Come up."

I blinked and asked, "Are you going to treat my injury?" No wonder Xin Hui and Wu Ye asked us two to stay behind—it turned out they already knew my internal injury hadn't healed.

After clearing all the blocked meridians, which took a full half hour, I was utterly drained and collapsed onto Bu Sha again. His complexion was even grayer than before, his forehead sweatier, suggesting he had expended even more internal energy this time.

My eyes gradually grew moist; I quickly lowered my lashes, still damp with sweat, and steadied my voice: "Bu Sha, before this escape, do you want to snatch the Azure Dragon Stone back from Yin Ziheng?" Those above gave no answer, and I let out a faint sigh, continuing, "Actually, he could frame you, and you could do the same—return his method against him. After all, rumors are man‑made; the key lies in who can make them more vague and unverifiable, more capable of turning falsehood into truth." A wave of cold swept over my body, yet it could not dispel the chill in my heart; I leaned slightly into Bu Sha's embrace and went on, "The Vermilion Bird Stone in your hand was brought out of the cave by Xiao Yin and has not yet seen the light of day. All we need is to spread this rumor in the markets and jianghu: that the Fourth Prince once used the Azure Dragon Stone as a wager to have you attack Qi State's new empress—me—to seize the Vermilion Bird Stone; but after success, he not only wanted to break his promise and take back the Azure Dragon Stone, he also sent assassins to ambush you. In your anger you turned back and assassinated him again, only to mistakenly wound Su Wanrou. Thus people would suspect that whether it is the Azure Dragon Stone or the Vermilion Bird Stone, both are now in Yin Ziheng's hands…"

"Bing Yi," Bu Sha suddenly interrupted my words, sat up, looked at me in his arms, furrowed his brow slightly, and said, "During the time I was away, what happened?"

My expression was stiff and awkward; I turned my head away and said lightly, "What could have happened?"

I could feel Bu Sha's icy gaze upon me; he remained silent, his body stiff as stone. For some reason tears slowly welled at the corners of my eyes, my chest felt sore and painful, and no matter what I could not stop them.

Bu Sha reached out from behind, wrapped his arms around me, slowly tightened his grip, and his low, hoarse voice brushed against the hairs on my head, whispering, "It's all right now."

I tightly gripped Bu Sha's arm, scorching tears dropping one by one onto his bronze-colored wrist. 'Bu Sha, are you really listening to me? Right? This is the last time I'll say sorry. I swear, from now on...' I buried my head tightly into his arm, sobbing aloud, 'From now on, I will never again, by coldly standing by, cause you harm, never again.'

Bu Sha didn't answer me for a long while, but his arm kept tightening, tightening until I could barely breathe. In his embrace, a warm feeling seeped out from his icy body, again and again warming my trembling body and heart.

This minute, this second...

I know I can cry, because you are by my side; I know I can be weak, because you will surely protect me.

Like a friend, like a confidant, like the most important kin in the world...

Seven days later, envoys from all countries arrived at the capital of Qi, Che Tan; the coronation of Qi's 'Qin Ning' empress—my investiture ceremony—officially began.

The grandeur of the empress's coronation was completely different from the modest wedding before; the ceremony actually lasted a full seven days.

The first two days were respectively the boring Heaven-worship and ancestor-worship rituals; frankly, I and Wei Lingfeng were both put through hell. We didn't need to, of course we never said a word.

On the third day, amid thunderous drum music, officials of the Ministry of Rites presented the empress's golden scroll and treasure, and I received the formal investiture, being entered into the imperial clan register. Of course, the name recorded was Lan Yingruo, and certainly not—Shui Bingyi.

Not until the fourth day was the true imperial wedding ceremony completed before the officials of Qi, both high and low, and the foreign envoys.

At the same time, during these fourteen days, I, Bu Sha, Xin Hui, and Wu Ye also made all preparations for escape.

Xin Hui had been persistently doing the rehabilitation therapy I requested; after over a month, although she couldn't fully recover, she could move about like a normal person for short periods without problem.

Of course, in front of outsiders, she still sat quietly and sorrowfully in her wheelchair, voraciously reading the psychological therapy knowledge I wrote for her and some medical and pharmacological principles.

Bu Sha said, Wei Lingfeng now wouldn't care about the Four Sacred Stones. So I openly had Wu Ye take the Purple Phoenix envoy's 'Flying Eagle' to help spread rumors outside.

This tactic might not retrieve the Azure Dragon Stone, but at least it could shift the crowd's focus and blame, more or less, onto Yin Ziheng.

After all, rumors themselves are the most lethal weapon; moreover, when such information reaches the ears of those with intent, they might think of far more than just right and wrong.

Silver, replacement carriages, spare clothing, and a bit of dry rations—everything is ready, lacking only—the east wind.

From the third watch of the sixth night of the empress's coronation through the whole seventh day, to celebrate the emperor's wedding and universal joy, fireworks will be set off all night, the city gates opened wide, so the common folk can also feel the festive atmosphere.

That night was the best opportunity for me to escape the palace.

Speaking of the fifth day's ceremony, it really was rather odd, resembling a modern celebrity party. In the Chengqian Hall, various foods were laid out in an assembly-line fashion: fine wine, pastries, fruit, and also main dishes.

Most of those present were envoys from various countries and relatively high-ranking officials of Qi; each chose a preferred seat in turn to sit, chat, and sample, of course many also walked around with wine glasses, toasting people.

My duty was very simple: follow behind Wei Lingfeng, toast the envoys of all nations, and accept blessings. Almost making a full round, I from beginning to end didn't need to speak, didn't touch a drop of wine, just needed to put on a false smile—unexpectedly effortless.

However, this sense of relief came to an abrupt end when I suddenly saw the familiar face and gloomy expression of the person before me.

That person was none other than the crown prince of Yao State—Fu Kemò.

I kept the false smile on my face as usual, staying beside Wei Lingfeng, pursing my lips and staying silent.

I lifted my head to look at him; the cold smile in my eyes contrasted sharply with the gentleness at the corner of my mouth, causing him, who had been gazing at me, to furrow his brows tightly.

Wei Lingfeng stepped forward leisurely, unnoticeably blocking my gaze toward Fu Kemò, curled his lip in a faint smile, and said: 'I really didn't expect the crown prince of Yao State, the famed Black Horse Divine General, to come in person to attend my wedding.'

The corner of my mouth twitched imperceptibly without a sound, my gaze flicking to Yin Ziheng, who stood not far away, smiling serenely and gazing our way.

I don't have a deep impression of this person, but observing his every move, which unintentionally reveals tranquility, elegance, and unworldliness, I must say his acting has reached the pinnacle—he could compete for an Oscar.

Suddenly, I felt a probing gaze fall upon me; my eyes shifted slightly and met a pair of deep, lustrous eyes, like a deep pool that could swallow one whole, and I was startled.

He was a man about twenty-five or twenty-six, dressed in white that outshone snow, even the ribbon binding his scholar's topknot was white as drifting snow, setting off his bright eyes, vermilion lips, and jet-black hair, making him unusually—alluring. Though his looks weren't exceptionally handsome, his whole being seemed to radiate a magnetic field, almost like a spell that could draw one's eyes, even heart, irresistibly, regardless of gender.

His crimson lips slightly pursed, he gave me a light, traceless smile. Although the place was noisy and bustling, I felt as if I had instantly plunged into the cold pool of his eyes, feeling bone‑deep chill and a creepy shudder.

I hurriedly turned my head away, gazing at the marble‑paved floor, only feeling my heart pound nonstop, and my back broke out in a cold sweat.

Wei Lingfeng suddenly drew near, put his arm around my waist. I frowned slightly, about to push his hand away, but he had already leaned close to my ear and whispered softly: 'Bingyi, do you want to know who that person is?'

'Who is it?' I blurted out instinctively, lifting my head—only to see a handsome face inches away, his eyes flashing with slight surprise and delight before vanishing. I hurriedly lowered my head, secretly clenching my fists.

Wei Lingfeng didn't press further; he just tossed three words into my ear, neither light nor heavy: 'Bai Shengyi.' Then he cheerfully released his hold on me.

But I shuddered all over, those three words echoing nonstop in my mind. This person is actually Bai Shengyi?

One of the Four Grand Ministers of Bing Ling, the only person in the world who knows the Heart‑Devouring Technique, whom Qi Ran said must never be approached—Bai Shengyi!

(End of chapter)