Chapter 378: Nothing Left

Upon hearing this, Imperial Consort Chen's body stiffened, and a silk pouch filled with pearls in her hand fell to the ground with a "plop," the round pearls rolling all over the floor.

She turned around slowly, her lips trembling, barely managing to squeeze out a smile that was uglier than crying: "Your... Your Majesty... why are you here? Your concubine... your concubine was just tidying up some old things..."

Wei Xi Yuan stood at the entrance of the sleeping quarters without moving, just watching her quietly, watching the scattered jewelry all over the floor, watching the bulging bundle on the bed, watching this woman who had once smiled sweetly in his arms, saying "I wish to accompany Your Majesty until our hair turns white."

"Tidying up old things?"

Wei Xi Yuan's voice remained calm, even carrying a hint of gentleness.

He walked in slowly, his feet stepping on the scattered pearls, "Is my beloved consort trying to take away everything Zhen has rewarded you with over these years? That's fine, it will serve as travel expenses on the road."

Imperial Consort Chen's legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground, tears instantly gushing out, not knowing if it was from fear or genuine remorse.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your concubine... your concubine just heard that it is very chaotic outside, and wanted to...

Wanted to return to my maiden home to take refuge, and once Your Majesty has pacified the rebels, your concubine will immediately return to serve Your Majesty! Your concubine's heart for Your Majesty is witnessed by Heaven and Earth!"

"Return to your maiden home? To take refuge?"

Wei Xi Yuan stopped in front of her, leaned down slightly, reached out to lift Imperial Consort Chen's chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"Isn't my beloved consort's maiden home in Jiangnan? Now, Jiangnan is surnamed Western Liang."

Wei Xi Yuan continued to speak softly, as if whispering sweet nothings, "Is my beloved consort trying to... go find your new master? Or do you feel... that there is no more oil to be squeezed out here with Zhen, and you are impatient to climb a higher branch? Hmm?"

"No! It's not like that! Your Majesty! Your concubine did not!" Imperial Consort Chen shook her head desperately, her hairpins in disarray.

"Did not?"

Wei Xi Yuan suddenly shoved her face away, stood up straight, his chest heaving violently!

He thought he was showing his final mercy, that he was letting her live!

But what was the result? He wasn't dead yet! His most "favored" concubine was already packing her bags, preparing to abandon him, and perhaps had long been in collusion with the outside!

"Bitch!"

Wei Xi Yuan roared, and kicked the purple sandalwood dressing table beside him with a fierce blow!

The heavy dressing table collapsed with a crash, and the precious rouge, powder, glazed glass mirror, and jade comb on it were smashed to pieces!

Imperial Consort Chen was so frightened that she slumped to the ground, forgetting even to cry.

"Zhen is not dead yet! This Huang Gong is still Zhen's Huang Gong! This world is, in name, still Zhen's world!"

Wei Xi Yuan's eyes turned red, and he drew the sword from his waist in one motion.

"You want to leave? Good! Zhen will fulfill your wish! Zhen will send you on your way! Lest you go out and disgrace Zhen, disgrace the Da Qian royal family!"

"Your Majesty! Spare my life! For the sake of our past affection... Ah!!!"

Fresh blood splattered, and Imperial Consort Chen's shrill scream came to an abrupt end. She clutched her spurting neck, staring in disbelief at the man before her, her body twitching as she slowly collapsed.

Wei Xi Yuan held the dripping sword, standing beside the pool of blood, the anger in his eyes undiminished.

If it weren't for the fact that there were many things to do and little time, he would definitely have tortured the other party severely; how could he let her leave this world so easily!!

"Affection? Heh... Zhen now has nothing left!"

He murmured in a low voice, took one last look at this once gentle and enchanting sleeping quarters, and turned around without hesitation, striding away.

After killing Imperial Consort Chen, the tyranny in Wei Xi Yuan's heart did not subside; instead, there was a sense of relief and emptiness that came with breaking the pot.

He carried his sword, passed through one silent palace corridor after another, and walked toward the former site of the Dong Gong, which was the remote palace garden where the Crown Princess was currently imprisoned.

The guards there had long since become a mere formality, and most of the eunuchs and palace maids had run away.

He had expected to see another scene of emptiness, or a messy scene of hurried packing.

After all, the Crown Princess and he had no affection, only imprisonment and hatred.

Letting her go was perhaps more out of a complex, indescribable feeling for his eldest brother Wei Xikang, and some vague "compensation" for his own actions back then?

However, when he stepped into that courtyard, the scene he saw made him freeze.

The former Crown Princess was sitting quietly on a stone stool, wearing a half-old, pale green palace dress, without any makeup, her hair simply tied into a bun, inserted with a plain wooden hairpin.

On the stone table in front of her, there was a pot of clear tea and two cups.

She was looking down, focused on... embroidering a handkerchief.

There was no bundle as he had imagined, nor any panic, and she didn't even raise her head to look at him.

Wei Xi Yuan stood at the courtyard gate, not knowing how to speak for a moment.

The anticipated questioning, sarcasm, or the "pardon" feigned with magnanimity seemed useless at this moment!

Perhaps hearing the footsteps, the Crown Princess finally stopped the needle and thread in her hand, slowly raised her head, and looked at Wei Xi Yuan.

Her gaze was calm and without ripples, as if it lacked vitality.

"You've come."

After a long while, Wei Xi Yuan squeezed out a sentence: "You... didn't leave?"

"Leave?"

The Crown Princess chuckled, "Where to? Although the world is vast, where is there a place for me to stay?"

"Zhen... can let you go. Give you silver, give you a new identity."

At this moment, Wei Xi Yuan didn't even understand why he had suddenly said such things; perhaps... he had long since planned to let her go?

The Crown Princess shook her head, "No need! I am the Crown Princess who was married through a formal match and entered the jade records. The Crown Prince... no, the deposed Crown Prince, or a commoner, it doesn't matter; I married him, I married into the Wei family's lineage."

"If he were still here, no matter where he was, whether he was alive or dead, I might go find him."

"Now that he is gone, this Huang Gong is my final destination."

"Marrying into the royal family, naturally means living and dying together. Whether I leave or not, what difference does it make? This is fate."

Living and dying together! This is fate!

These few short words made Wei Xi Yuan's heart become even more bitter.

He suddenly remembered the grand occasion of his eldest brother's wedding many years ago, remembered the Crown Princess's shy and happy smile at that time, remembered the late Emperor's gratified gaze, remembered himself hiding in the shadows, that indescribable jealousy and unwillingness.

He had once thought that by seizing the throne and possessing everything, he could erase those things.

But in the end, he was not as good as his eldest brother, and the woman he found was not as good as his sister-in-law; his life was truly a complete failure.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found he couldn't make any sound.

Standing at the courtyard gate for a long time, the Crown Princess did not continue to speak, just lowered her head and embroidered the handkerchief stitch by stitch.

Wei Xi Yuan turned to leave, but finally hesitated and turned back, "Eldest brother is not dead!"

The Crown Princess's embroidering hand paused, but she didn't look up.

Wei Xi Yuan continued, "He escaped to Beijiang; to stabilize the court, Zhen released the news that he had been killed!"

"Where is he... in Beijiang now?" The Crown Princess finally had a fluctuation of emotion, asking with a tremble.

"Zhen... does not know!" Wei Xikang turned and left, leaving only one sentence, "Take advantage of the fact that we haven't started fighting Beijiang yet, you can still leave! Later, I will have someone send you some travel expenses!" ===== CHAPTER 379 =====