Chapter 301: Side Story 2: Grand Array Inside the Palace

Side Story 2: Grand Array Inside the Palace

"What did you say?" The Emperor's heart stirred, and he said urgently, "Say it again."

"I can arrange for the Emperor to meet the Bai family, provided the Emperor agrees to one condition of mine."

"What is it?"

"Restore my position as Empress, adopt the Crown Prince under my name, and I will let the Emperor meet the Bai family in his dreams every night."

"You dare not." The Emperor thrust out his hand and clasped her throat: "Do you think I would believe your nonsense? Now your own life is already in danger, yet you still fantasize about becoming Empress Dowager. Bai Wanrou is dead; even if you meet her every night in dreams, I can never forget the way she died in my arms. Do you know why I locked you here without ordering an immediate execution?"

At this moment, the Empress began to roll her eyes as he choked her.

"I don't want you to die; I want you to live, to suffer day and night. All those who died because of you and the Qin family will come seeking your life. I want you to end your life in terror and pain." As he finished, just before the Empress was about to be strangled to death, he suddenly released his grip and, in a voice only they could hear clearly, said slowly, "Moreover, how do you know I don't meet her every night?"

The Empress's eardrums buzzed, yet she still heard the Emperor's final words.

She croaked, her face pallid, and asked, "What... what does it mean? Emperor, what do you mean?"

The Emperor said nothing and turned away.

As his front foot left the Cold Palace, the palace guards behind him began nailing boards to the outside of the Empress's quarters.

Allowing the Empress to scream and struggle in the room, the guards did not cease their work.

The Empress sat on the ground with a hollow stare, a ring of bruising still encircling her neck.

In her mind she kept replaying the Emperor's whispered words, and a chill ran through her body as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

The Emperor... he... he...

He has already met the Bai family?

How could that be?

That was the only chip I held.

If that were true, the chip had been worthless from the start.

At that moment, she recalled the extremely thin black line on the Emperor's wrist that had gripped her own wrist earlier, as if a giant hand were squeezing her heart.

"Hahaha..." Sitting on the cold floor, watching the light gradually fade, the Empress couldn't help but laugh.

Having plotted every scheme, annihilated the Bai family, forced Bai Wanrou to kill herself, I thought that as time passed the Emperor would gradually forget that wretch, but in the end the Emperor had already kept Bai Wanrou by his side forever.

He would rather plant a love toxin in his body than forget her!

"No... impossible..." She staggered to her feet, frantically slamming the door panel, crying out, "Emperor! You deceived me! You are deceiving me!! Emperor!"

The only response was the muffled sound of guards continuing to nail the door, nothing else.

From then on, the Cold Palace was sealed shut, leaving only a small food‑delivery hatch.

She would, in endless darkness and terror, watch herself being devoured by obsession, never finding peace day or night.

As the Emperor said, "I don't want you to die; I want you to live, day and night, in a lifetime of suffering."

Leaving the Cold Palace, the Emperor walked slowly along the road, aimlessly yet as if with purpose.

Li Gonggong followed behind him, watching his direction, knowing he was heading to Consort Bai's palace, and sighed silently.

At that moment, two figures appeared at the rear of the procession.

Li Gonggong's eyes lit up, and he hurried to the Emperor's side, whispering, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess have come to pay their respects."

The Emperor's steps faltered slightly; he looked up and happened to see the still‑brand‑new plaque.

He did not turn back, stepping into the Palace.

Li Gonggong, seeing this, hurried to Mo Junyan's side and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor—he..."

Mo Junyan raised his hand to stop him from speaking further, took Chi Nan Yi's hand, and walked slowly into his mother‑consort's palace.

It had been over a decade; the palace gates had never opened, and he had never set foot inside.

Seeing a scene identical to his childhood memories, Mo Junyan felt a jolt in his heart.

Chi Nan Yi looked around, suddenly recalling that during her first night‑time exploration of the palace she had passed this spot.

The courtyard was brightly lit.

At first she thought it was the residence of a favored consort.

It turned out to be Mo Junyan's mother‑consort's residence.

But... why has a lamp been burning here continuously?

At that moment, Chi Nan Yi saw pink lanterns hanging at the four corners of the palace gate; a gentle breeze passed, and the lanterns emitted a faint fragrance. As soon as she smelled it, her steps suddenly halted.

Mo Junyan was a little puzzled: "What's wrong? Does something feel uncomfortable?"

"Formation."

"What?"

"There is a formation here."

"Formation?"

After her hint, Mo Junyan also sensed something amiss.

"Bagua Array," Chi Nan Yi smiled, "Bagua Array combined with Illusion Array." Pointing at the four lanterns, she whispered, "The array eyes are those four lanterns; the fragrance guides the spirit, the formation traps the heart, allowing those who enter to see the illusion of the person they miss most every day." As she finished, the Silver Needle in her hand shot out, piercing the strings hanging the lanterns at the four corners.

The lanterns fell and landed precisely into the celadon pedestals pre‑placed at the four corners of the palace gate.

Clear water in the pedestals washed over the lantern silk, and the faint soul‑capturing fragrance was completely extinguished.

Everything before her remained unchanged, but that faint breath of life had vanished entirely.

At that moment, an angry voice rang out from the room.

"Mo Junyan!"

He stormed out of the room, his gentle eyes shattering piece by piece, leaving only boundless loneliness and pain.

"Your Majesty, Father Emperor."

The Emperor's gaze swept over Chi Nan Yi, then fell on the Silver Needle nailed into the wall, and he said softly, "You broke the Great Array."

Yes.

Heh, you answer so bluntly—aren't you afraid that if I get angry, I'll kill you?

Chi Nan Yi smiled faintly, without saying a word.

What's this, leaning on that stinky brat for backing, you no longer heed my words?

"Father Emperor." Mo Junyan stepped in front of her, brow furrowed: "She's timid; please don't frighten her."

"Timid…" The Emperor's face turned ashen, and he shouted angrily: "Timid? Have your legs recovered, your eyes gone blind? She's practically swallowed a bear's heart and a leopard's gall! Where is she timid?" He turned back toward the familiar Great Hall, where only her portraits hung.

"Father Emperor, the Empress has passed away; you cannot remain forever in an illusion."

"What is reality? What is illusion?" Upon hearing this, the Emperor chuckled softly, his laugh tinged with desolation: "Your Empress's death is real, my anguish is real, her knowing that the Bai family has escaped danger is real, her suicide in my arms is real, all the suffering is real; only this lingering warmth and longing is an illusion. I merely wish to find a bit of solace within that illusion—what's wrong with that?"

The Emperor closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"Today the Empress told me that I could meet Wanrou night after night in dreams. Heh, I almost took her life. I don't want to meet only in dreams; I want to face Wanrou from dawn to dusk, see her every day. The dream may end, but the formation will not."

Seeing him in such agony, Mo Junyan felt a pang of worry for him for the first time.

"Today, you broke this formation; it matters not, I will set it again." The Emperor gave a faint smile and walked toward the hall; after a few steps he halted, turned toward Chi Nan Yi, and said with a smile: "Do you know why I wish to have you marry that stinky brat?"

"I don't know."

"I see Wanrou's shadow in you. The words you spoke at your first audience, Wanrou once said exactly the same to me. She also encouraged women to enter officialdom; in her view, women can likewise achieve great deeds."

When the words ended, the palace gate slowly closed, and Chi Nan Yi stood there, stunned.

Could it be… could it mean…