Chapter 88: Empress Dowager

Turning a corner, the flower scent grew ever stronger; a piercing light suddenly came, I barely opened my eyes, stepped forward a few paces, and finally exited the passage, leaving me stunned.

The end of this passage turned out to be a valley so beautiful it seemed like a fairyland!

The valley isn't large, round, and you can see the end at a glance. All around the valley are cliffs; about ten meters above, eight huge stones form a roof, leaving gaps between them through which sunlight pours down.

At the valley's center is a lake the size of a swimming pool, its water clear blue and transparent; white small flowers line both banks, the fragrance I just smelled emanating from here.

I've seen this flower before. It's six‑pointed, a bit like a snowflake, but doesn't exist in our world; Qi Ran called it—Yunxue.

On the valley's north side is a small waterfall; beneath it stands a stone tablet inscribed with strange characters. The waterfall's water flows down, enters the lake via one stream, then exits the valley to the southeast through another stream, forming the circulating lake.

By the lake stands a simple stone house; before it are stone stools, a stone table, and everything else. Approaching, I saw a chessboard carved on the stone table, and looking around I indeed saw two stone boxes beside it, containing black and white chess pieces.

Suddenly I felt something; turning, I saw Wei Lingfeng and Wu Ye walking out of the passage we had just come through, also looking somewhat surprised at the valley.

When their gaze fell on us, both showed a flash of relief and joy, and they walked forward.

Wei Lingfeng glanced at us, then his gaze settled on me: 'All right?'

I nodded and forced a smile: 'How did you find this place?'

Wei Lingfeng didn't answer; instead Wu Ye slightly bowed and respectfully said: 'Reporting to my lord, I and the Emperor reached the Separate Heaven Cave stone cavern, found a mechanism on the stone tablet, but halfway discovered the path blocked by a stone gate, unable to proceed. After waiting a long time with no sign of the mechanism, we were about to return when several stone gates opened simultaneously, bringing us here.'

'Someone.' Bu Sha, without turning to look at Wei Lingfeng and the others, suddenly faced the stone house and said coldly.

Just then the wooden door slowly opened, and a gentle, pleasant female voice came from inside: 'Xuan'er, be good, Mother will take you out to sunbathe. What would you like to eat tonight? How about bone soup? Don't you like it?'

First thing that caught my eye was a head of dazzling silver hair. Huh? Silver hair?

I stared in astonishment at the silver‑haired woman, head lowered, walking out of the stone house while still holding a fluffy white puppy.

She seemed to notice our presence only after stepping outside; being the closest, she lifted her head, her eyes bright as night‑sky stars, glanced at me, flickered with surprise, and asked softly: 'Little lady, how did you get in here?'

'I… I…' I blurted out unconsciously, not even knowing what I was saying; my mind kept replaying one phrase: 'Good heavens! Is this… really a human woman?!'

Her brows and eyes, her skin like snow‑jade, her swan‑like graceful neck, her silver hair dancing in the wind… I stumbled back a step, barely swallowing my saliva—truly embarrassing! It was merely the first time I'd seen a face more shocking than Qi Ran's.

Huh? I blinked, took a clearer look at the woman before me, and couldn't help but be startled. This visage is so familiar, truly very familiar.

Empress Dowager! A stunning woman's face flashed in my mind—yes! Isn't she just like that old demoness in Wei Lingfeng's palace? Except this woman, though silver‑haired, has a face like a maiden's, and her whole being exudes an otherworldly, pure, immaculate aura unlike any mortal woman.

Thinking of this, my gaze unconsciously drifted to Wei Lingfeng; upon seeing him, I was suddenly stunned.

Wei Lingfeng's gaze was bewitched, fixed on the silver‑haired woman; his fair face now looked grim and lightless. His eyes, usually deep and unfathomable, now I could clearly see what surged within them—

Joy? Longing? Sorrow? Melancholy? …These are the emotions that ought to flicker in anyone's eyes, yet they would never be Wei Lingfeng's.

The silver‑haired woman seemed to notice the others besides me for the first time; her clear, dew‑like gaze swept over everyone, tinged with slight doubt and incomprehension, then settled on Wei Lingfeng.

Her whole body shuddered violently—not a slight, unconscious twitch, but as if she had waited a thousand years for this very moment.

Tears suddenly welled in her eyes; she stepped forward one by one to Wei Lingfeng, as if hands carved of ice and snow slowly rose to touch his cheeks, murmuring: 'Yitian, Yitian, have you finally come to find me?'

'Yitian, you won't abandon me again, will you?'

Although it was only an extremely slight tremor, I could feel Wei Lingfeng's body indeed quiver a little. His voice remained calm and gentle, unchanged from usual, yet something felt different.

He said: 'Empress Dowager, it's me, I am Xuan'er.'

I widened my eyes in shock; beside me, Qi Ran's faint tremor was as clear as a ripple in the air.

Wei Lingfeng called her Empress Dowager—Mother… Empress—she is actually his mother. And also Qi Ran's birth mother?

The silver‑haired woman stared, her expression shifting from ecstasy to loss, then a hint of bewilderment, until she finally digested Wei Lingfeng's words; her eyes slowly blazed with a flame‑like light. She fixed her gaze on Wei Lingfeng, her silver hair lifted by the wind obscuring her sight, yet she didn't care, only whispering: 'Xuan'er, are you really Xuan'er?'

Wei Lingfeng raised his hand to push aside her silver hair, speaking slowly, word by word: 'In winter's wander, like water, cloud‑snow falls upon the head—could it be that some carefree youth knows no sorrow, even without heart, falling into mist and mud, we gaze and laugh without end.'

Wei Lingfeng's tone was calm and unchanging, yet I felt each word and sentence came not from his mouth but from his heart. I seemed to see, in that distant world, goose‑feather‑like heavy snow falling, a loving young couple with their small child playing in the snow; the child slipped, face covered in muddy snow, and the young couple smiled at each other.

'Xuan'er… Xuan'er… you really are Xuan'er!' Tears fell one by one from the silver‑haired woman's eyes; she cupped Wei Lingfeng's face, as if unable to believe the person before her was real, touching him over and over, feeling every bit, after a long while she murmured: 'Didn't he tell me Xuan'er died then? Why did he lie to me… why… why…'

The silver‑haired woman seemed suddenly entangled by something, muttering incessantly, her expression growing ever more lost and confused; then she released Wei Lingfeng, clutching her head and shouting: 'Where is Yitian? Where is Yitian? Where is my child? …Ah… give me back my child?! I…'

I slightly furrowed my brows, feeling her mental state was very unstable.

The silver‑haired woman suddenly stopped shouting, her body went limp and sank into Wei Lingfeng's arms. Clearly, Wei Lingfeng had knocked her out.

'Her name is Leng Zhuoxi.' Wei Lingfeng crouched, placed the silver‑haired woman on the lawn, and then blurted out inexplicably.

Then he lifted his head, his deep eyes devoid of all emotion fixed on Qi Ran, and said solemnly: 'Qi Ran, I am telling you, I and your mother are called Leng Zhuoxi.'

Qi Ran frowned tightly, gazing at the strange woman lying on the ground; his expression shifted, eventually he shook his head, his eyes empty and vacant: 'I have no memory of her at all.'

The silver‑haired woman on the ground slowly woke; upon seeing Wei Lingfeng above her, tears fell, her composure returned, she glanced over us and asked: 'Xuan'er, how did you get into this Separate Heaven Cave?'

Wei Lingfeng helped her up, walked slowly to our side, and sat on the stone bench.

I felt odd; if she is both Wei Lingfeng's mother and Qi Ran's mother, why does seeing Wei Lingfeng provoke such a huge reaction, yet toward Qi Ran she acts like a stranger?

Wei Lingfeng pointed at the passage behind him, then turned back: 'Empress Dowager, would you like to live in my palace from now on?'

Leng Zhuoxi's eyes showed bewilderment: 'Isn't this passage sealed? Mother, every time I entered I saw only a stone wall; how can I come in now?'

My heart stirred; I realized we must have broken the mechanism, that stone chamber sank underground, opening the road. Of course, now is not the time to explain these things.

Wei Lingfeng didn't answer, merely repeating his previous words.

Leng Zhuoxi's face grew more perplexed; she murmured: 'Xuan'er's palace? Does it have cloud‑snow? Xuan'er… I… Mother doesn't want to live with them…' Her expression suddenly turned panicked; she gripped Wei Lingfeng's sleeve, trembling: 'Mother absolutely will not live with them; they… they made Yitian shed so much blood, so much… so much…'

'Empress Dowager, don't be afraid!' Wei Lingfeng embraced Leng Zhuoxi, soothing her gently, his expression calm and unperturbed: 'I will plant cloud‑snow all around your residence; you may have as much as you wish. I guarantee no one will disturb you, Empress Dowager…' Wei Lingfeng then knelt slowly before Leng Zhuoxi, speaking softly: 'From now on, let Xuan'er take care of you, all right?' I stared, shocked, at this Wei Lingfeng, unable to fathom what lay beneath his gentle, smiling visage.

Leng Zhuoxi then nodded, breaking into a cheerful smile, clapping her hands like a child: 'Good! Mother knows Xuan'er loves bone soup best; I'll make you broth every day.'

'Ha… cough…' I hurriedly covered my mouth, but glancing at the little dog shaking its head and wagging its tail at Leng Zhuoxi's feet, I recalled she had just called… Xuan'er!

Wei Lingfeng resentfully glanced at me, full of warning; yet seeing my smile, a soft, utterly helpless flicker of a smile crossed his face.

I hastily turned away, hiding my face behind Qi Ran, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably as I struggled to stifle my laughter.

Qi Ran reached out to ruffle my hair, his lips curved in a smile, yet he could not hide the deep gloom in his eyes.

'Empress Dowager, do you still remember this person?' Wei Lingfeng regained his composure, speaking gently to Leng Zhuoxi while pointing at Qi Ran.

Leng Zhuoxi gave a doubtful glance, sweeping over everyone, then settling on the youth Wei Lingfeng indicated; after a careful look, her eyes flashed with an unusual hue, and she sighed: 'What a handsome child!'

Qi Ran frowned slightly, his face otherwise blank; I don't know if he feels a hint of loss inside—after all, that person is his mother, yet she feels nothing special toward him.

Then Wei Lingfeng spoke, calm and solemn, ringing with authority: 'His name is… Xiao Qiran.'

"Xiao... Qiran?" Leng Zhuoxi furrowed her lovely brows, narrowed her eyes staring at him, and murmured over and over, "Your surname is Xiao... the same as Yitian's... Qiran... Qi... ran..."

Suddenly, she clapped a hand over her mouth, her pupils contracting and dilating repeatedly, over and over, as if no matter what, she could not convince herself that what lay before her was real.

She lowered her hand, opened and closed her lips, then opened them again; her captivating eyes, as high as the heavens and as deep as the sea, were utterly unfathomable. She finally spoke, her voice soft yet trembling, "Are you... Ran'er?"

Leng Zhuoxi slowly rose to her feet, one hand pressed to her chest, the other pointing at Qiran, and she repeated in a trembling voice, "Is it really you, Ran'er?"

Qiran's body swayed; I saw the indifference on his face finally fade slowly, turning into an undisguisable bewilderment, together with an innate longing.

Leng Zhuoxi's eyes brimmed with tears; the hand she pointed at Qiran with slightly opened, crystal-clear like a transparent snowflake, lay still in the scattered sunlight, and she softly called again, "Ran'er..."

Qiran, as if possessed, walked step by step toward those hands, toward the person who was his mother, until he stood before her.

"Are you truly Ran'er...?" Leng Zhuoxi stepped forward, drew near Qiran, and gently placed her hand on his cheek; her voice remained soft and trembling, the light in her eyes still deep and unfathomable.

Qiran's expression softened slightly; looking at the person before him, he slowly and solemnly nodded.

"You are truly Ran'er." Leng Zhuoxi's hand, resting on Qiran's face, slid down bit by bit; her lowered silver hair veiled her features, hiding her expression, as she kept murmuring, "You are truly Ran'er. Then..."

"Qi—" Bu Sha suddenly shouted in panic, "Watch out!"

I didn't have time to wonder what Bu Sha was shouting about, but I already saw, after the wind-scattered silver strands, that ferociously gorgeous face.

"Go die!!" A sharp, desperate roar pierced my eardrums.

In that hand, ice-carved and jade-polished, lay a slender dagger flashing with cold light, which, without a hint of hesitation, stabbed into—Qiran's chest.

(End of chapter)