For a week Li Changyu refused to see anyone, claiming that it was a mourning period. While it was true that he prayed over the loss of the child, his week was spent preparing to fire all of his staff except for Meimei and Bowen. Under a gentle interrogation, neither of them showed signs of deceit or knowledge of anything going on. He wasn’t quite willing to tell them about the poisoning, but they accepted it when he said that the loss wasn’t his fault.
On the last day of the week, he set his plan into motion. With the sun barely peeking over the horizon, he, Shen Pei, and Bowen pulled his bed out into the front yard of his palace. They ignored the stares of patrolling guards that poked their heads through the moon gate and continued about their task.
“Li Changyu, why are we doing this again…?” Meimei asked as she tossed another robe onto the heap he made on the bed.
He idly plucked a few more pieces from the dresser they also dragged out and threw them on top. Pulling down his face mask, he stepped away from the pile and asked, “Have I ever told you the story of the wild dog and the vulture?”
They couldn’t be too sure how much poison was anywhere, and until his Mother could determine what it was, they would play it safe. It seemed contact and inhalation were the two main ways the poison got into his system. As his Mother explained, it wasn’t an immediate method of killing someone. Whoever was behind it wanted it to be slow and avoid as much detection as possible.
“No…” Meimei looked at him suspiciously over the edge of her mask. As she continued to get rid of his things, Li Changyu told her the story.
“In the desert, there was a starving wild dog. He was practically skin and bones, and he barely had anything to eat beyond scraps.” Li Changyu crossed his arms, admiring the display they were putting together.
“This doesn’t sound like a happy story…”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry.” Li Changyu slapped her on the back and she let out an oof! “Just listen. The wild dog howled and moaned, whining over the lack of food or water. One day when he was very, very hungry, he collapsed in the middle of the sand and laid in the hot sun.”
“Isn’t that just asking for death? Li Changyu, this isn’t a happy story!”
“It gets better, trust me! A large vulture soared above – he’d been following the wild dog for a while now, knowing how near death it was. He’d been waiting for the perfect opportunity for the meal, even if it wasn’t much. When the dog fell, he landed nearby and watched carefully. The dog whined pitifully, cursing the heavens for no food, and he lamented that he was now going to die. The vulture waited, and waited, until finally the wild dog did not move, and he was no longer breathing.”
“Li Changyu…”
“Of course, other vultures came by, but our first vulture fought them off. He claimed that it was his prize, since he was there first. The other vultures, much younger and not as big as him, stood on the outskirts to wait for him to leave and they could get the leftovers. The large vulture approached the dog, knowing that the belly was the softest and best way to start. Slowly the vulture lowered its head, sharp beak open and ready to land a bite, then SNAP!”
He clapped his hands together and Meimei jumped, “The dog had grabbed the vulture by the neck and killed it in one strike. The other vultures flew away, while the wild dog finally got its meal.”
Meimei rubbed her chest and pouted, “That isn’t a pleasant story at all, Li Changyu! I don’t know where in the world they would consider it one. Why does the story matter?”
A slow smile curved along his lips, “Because the dog knew he had no time left, and that there would likely be a scavenger. He played dead and waited for the last possible moment to strike with the little energy he had. Right now, Meimei, we are going to be the wild dog.”
She didn’t look convinced, but said nothing else and proceeded to help him dump some valuables. “How is putting all your stuff in the yard being a wild dog?”
“If your enemy thinks you have been weakened, it will lure them out.” Li Changyu dumped a jewelry box full of items that he never used or wanted. He touched the necklace that Grand Empress Dowager gave him that he still wore around his neck. There was a temptation to take it off too and toss it into the fire since it was a gift because of his pregnancy, but something told him not to, and he dropped his hand.
He looked at Meimei and continued, “The person – or persons – planning things against me likes to drag things out. They have their plan, and I am going to let them think that I am falling for their trap. And at the last possible second…”
“You snap?” Meimei wiped her hands on the hem of her skirt and stood beside him as Shen Pei and Bowen arrived.
“Exactly.” Li Changyu knew that in order to get rid of the other servants and draw attention to his supposed distressed state, he would have to act out.
Shen Pei offered her arm after she placed the box at the foot of the bed. He was still weak, and this was the most energy he exerted so far during his time as a shut-in. Li Changyu lost a bit of weight during his pregnancy and in the aftermath. He wasn’t emaciated, but he definitely felt that he lost some of the definition and strength he was normally used to. He looked down and flexed his free hand open then squeezed it shut into a fist to test it.
I’ll come back around, he assured himself. If he was careful and followed his Mother’s advice, he would be back in top shape soon enough.
“Is that the last of the stuff?” he asked Bowen. The boy bobbed his head up and down eagerly.
“Yes, Li Changyu.”
“Good,” he sighed and motioned for them to carry on. “Let’s start the show.”
He pulled away from Shen Pei and took Meimei’s hand. She helped him to walk a few feet away and supported his weight as he sank down onto his knees to kneel down on the ground. His body protested, but he took a deep breath to channel the pain into accomplishing his task. Shen Pei and Bowen took out the small jars of oil that were in the box and dumped them over the pile.
Bowen finished with the last jar and a good distance away, then Shen Pei took out a set of striking stones and clacked them together. It took two tries before the bright orange sparks caught and a small blaze glided across the oil. Done with her task, Shen Pei made herself scarce and hid herself.
The flames grew quickly and stretched up high to the early morning sky, blending in with the colors of the sunrise. The heat felt oppressive even from a distance, but the sensation made Li Changyu feel a little more alive. Within the fire fabric curled and shrunk like a withering flower, and the wood cracked and helped fuel it. He watched the blaze’s hypnotizing dance, becoming so enthralled that he forgot to keep watch for his plan.
“Hey!”
The shout of the guards snapped him out of his daze and he glanced at the moon gate. Sure enough, several guards came forward in a panic. Li Changyu pinched his eyes together and summoned some tears to start with, but he didn’t start to really cry until a number of guards flooded his courtyard with buckets and blankets in tow.
“You there! What is going on?!” A gruff man pushed Bowen, who proceeded to kneel and bow, just as Li Changyu had instructed.
“I am just following my Master’s orders!” Bowen pointed in his direction. That was Li Changyu’s cue to really act up.
Li Changyu pushed his fingers in his hair and clutched his head, then with a wail he slumped forward in his spot on the ground. Meimei wrapped an arm around him and played the part of the consoling servant, though her sniffling and words of comfort felt real.
“It’s okay, Your Highness,” Meimei choked and gave a squeeze that was surprising considering her slight frame. “Please, don’t cry.”
Right on time, the morning servants were also there at the entrance, and they too were taken aback by the scene. The ones carrying breakfast dropped their dishes though others ran to either assist the guards or flee. Eventually, the big fish were lured in by the hook.
“What in the heavens is going on?!” Jin Qiuye’s shrill voice carried over the crackle of the flames and shouts of the people working to douse the fire that fought against them.
The Phoenix Palace was close enough to the two Dowagers’ courtyards that the commotion and smoke would be easy to spot. Jin Qiuye was half dressed with his hair in disarray, as he was likely pulled out of bed by some servant. He forced out sobs and dropped his hands to hug himself around his waist and cried harder.
“What are you, idiots?!” Jin Qiuye barked at the guards and pointed towards the garden. “Use dirt and sand to smother an oil fire!”
The servants that stood still and stared at him stepped aside, letting someone through. It was the Grand Empress Dowager, looking just a bit more put together than Jin Qiuye’s unkempt state. His Mother-in-law stormed over to him and Li Changyu craned his head back to look him in the eye. The flames reflected off Jin Qiuye’s blue eyes, matching his angered look, and he raised his open hand high. Meimei shouted in protest, but Li Changyu pinched her thigh. He wanted to get slapped by Jin Qiuye, as it would only help with his plan to look pitiful.
Jin Qiuye, though small in size, could pack a wallop. The back of his hand hit Li Changyu’s cheek, forcing his head to one side and Li Changyu let himself topple over with the momentum. His face burned and a sharp pain twisted at the back of his skull as Jin Qiuye gathered up a fistful of Li Changyu’s hair. His head was forced back and his neck stretched into a painful angle in order to face Jin Qiuye again.
It was a struggle to maintain a pitiful look, though he was sure that Jin Qiuye could see the resentment in his own eyes. His dear Husband’s Mother was also on his list of suspects because he couldn’t prove or disprove that this was the fault of the Harem and not some outside influence. Jin Qiuye prepared another blow, but his arm was snatched by an elegant set of fingers.
Zhang Yunqing used her superior height and position as an alpha to stop Jin Qiuye from hitting him. In a tone full of authority befitting a former Empress, the Grand Empress Dowager only had to say three words, “Let him go.”
Jin Qiuye’s lip curled and he glared up at her. The two Dowagers faced off in a staring contest that ended when Zhang Yunqing squeezed his hand. Jin Qiuye hissed and let go of Li Changyu, but pushed him as he did so. Again Li Changyu let himself fall back, but caught himself before his face could hit the ground.
Footsteps retreated then Li Changyu was gathered up in a tight embrace. Grand Empress Dowager had joined him on the ground to pull him into her arms and cradled his head close to her shoulder. The sudden show of intimacy surprised Li Changyu, but he held onto her nonetheless.
“Make them all leave,” he cried into her shoulder. “I don’t want anyone to step foot into my home again!”
“Shhh, shh…” Her hand worked through his hair and patted him softly.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The fire calmed down considerably with the combined efforts of servants and guards, and like he predicted, it did not spread anywhere.
Li Changyu lifted his head to shout and he pointed at the group of stragglers. “Go away! Send all the servants away!”
Grand Empress Dowager hissed, “You heard your Empress!”
Servants looked at one another in confusion but at Li Changyu’s second cry and another shout from Zhang Yunqing, a few guards herded the group away. Meimei and Bowen followed them, which he also told them to do. Aside from the guards, the only servants in his yard now were the four that belonged to the two Dowagers.
“Move them, fire them, I don’t care what, but I don’t want anyone else in my home.” Li Changyu hiccuped, the force of which unsettled his stomach.
“Of course, just take a deep breath, Changyu,” Grand Empress Dowager urged him with downward strokes along his back and her soft, but almost pleading voice.
Jin Qiuye ignored him completely and turned to a meek looking beta girl who was his servant, “Fetch a physician, and you,” he looked to a guard next, “You better make sure all of those rats stay quiet. I won’t have rumors about this insanity spreading.”
Hmph! Li Changyu rested his forehead against his Grandmother-in-law’s shoulder. If he could have mustered it, he would have smirked. Spreading news of this was what Meimei and Bowen were doing at this exact moment. At the mention of a physician, he shuddered.
“No doctors, only my Mother!”
“You live in the Imperial City!” Jin Qiuye hissed as he bent at the waist towards him. “You have access to the best doctors in our nation, but you cry for your Mother? You are a spoiled brat! This selfishness is exactly what put you in this position to begin with!”
The Grand Empress Dowager kept soothing him, but her tone was firm, “Get a physician to see him immediately, but Yutong, send word for Madame Li.”
“Tch! Go ahead and coddle him.” Jin Qiuye scoffed and pointed to the smoking heap in the center of the yard, “But he needs to pay for what he did. He’s built like a horse – he’s fine to be punished.”
Li Changyu felt the Grand Empress Dowager stiffen against him. Calmly, she spoke, “If you lay a finger on a single strand of this child’s head I will take the Empress Seal from you and confine you for three months.”
Jin Qiuye let out a sound that was part shriek and part garbled up words that sounded suspiciously like you and bitch. Now that he was openly humiliated, Jin Qiuye tried to save face by ordering the others around.
“What are you all standing around for? Clean this mess up!” With a dramatic turn, Jin Qiuye left with a huff.
The guards moved fast, obviously not wanting to appear disobedient. If the Empress Dowager was in a bad mood this early in the morning, no one would be safe from his lashing out. His Royal Grandmother waited a beat before gently guiding him up to stand.
“Let us get off the ground, shall we?”
They both let themselves be helped up by Zhang Yunqing’s servant, and now on his own two feet, Li Changyu did feel a little unsteady. A flash of vertigo came and went, but a smooth feeling wrapped around his hand. Now noticing that he had his eyes closed, Li Changyu opened them and found his hand being held in one of the Grand Empress Dowager’s. She gently tugged him along back to the Phoenix Palace. There was something ironic about an older woman helping a much younger, fit man up the short steps, but Li Changyu felt weak from exerting much energy into his performance.
It was eerily quiet with no bustling servants preparing for his morning. Usually he hated the rushing and the fussing because only Bowen and Meimei had ever gotten used to his relaxed ways. Everyone else always acted on pins and needles or couldn’t wait to leave. Try as he might, he couldn’t figure out who would have been able to poison him in such a way.
Zhang Yunqing must have remembered the layout from her time living in the Phoenix Palace when she was Empress. She led him to his bedroom that now had a divan tucked against the corner. He wiped his drying tears and pointed to it.
“Erchen is ashamed and is a horrible host for Royal Grandmother,” he said softly. “May we sit there?”
She nodded and they still walked hand in hand until she sat down on the divan first and himself next to her. Suddenly Li Changyu was pulled to the side, and before he could understand what was happening, his head was in Royal Grandmother’s lap. The position was innocent and sent him back to childhood. Something strange welled up inside him that came from his chest.
“It is alright, Changyu,” she said with a gentle cadence to her voice. Royal Grandmother combed his hair with her long, slender fingers from his crown down to the tips of his strands. “You do not need to adhere to etiquette. Mothers know when their children are in pain, and it is their duty to help.”
Mothers… This reminded him of his own Mother who would comfort him and his Brothers much like this until they were too old. Li Changyu was much too old for this, because at his age it should be him doing this to his own…
Fresh tears flooded the corners of his eyes and blurred his vision. They came out of nowhere, surprising him so much that he flinched. Royal Grandmother continued to coo at him.
“It is alright, Changyu,” she repeated, and this time, Li Changyu actually cried. It was as if her voice was the key that unlocked the floodgate, letting him pour out as many tears as he could.
Anger and resentment slipped through his fingers, leaving him only with his sorrows. Li Changyu wouldn’t admit it to anyone else, but he wanted that child. He’d never thought that he’d have some sort of maternal instincts that seemed so natural to other omegas, and he worried that he’d mess up horribly in raising a child, but it felt good. The possibility of settling down and having a Family never crossed his mind before. For so many years of his life, he had the single minded focus of becoming the best soldier in order to protect the country because the person he loved back home would someday rule it. Not once did he think himself so above his station to try and pursue Jin Xiyan when they were the Crown Prince, nor did any other man match up to his standards.
Or maybe, they didn’t live up to my memory of him.
This felt like such a good plan at first, but now he wondered if he should have waited until he felt a bit better, or more clear headed. His mind felt tangled together, and his body sore and weak. There was a constant ache in his stomach that reminded him of what he lost and he couldn’t escape it. Shaking his head, he buried his face into Royal Grandmother’s knee and sobbed.
No. The sooner I catch the people that did this, the sooner I can avenge them.
Zhang Yunqing continued to comfort him until a physician arrived. It was not any of the ones he’d seen so far, but he was young with a sparse mustache. The Grand Empress Dowager slowly moved out from under Li Changyu and tucked him into the divan. The physician grabbed a seat to examine him.
He checked Li Changyu’s pulse first before pulling something from his kit. He held a pill out to him, “Here is a mild sedative.”
Li Changyu took the honey coated pill and put it near his mouth. He pretended to take it, at the last second palming it and resting that hand on his chest. He didn’t trust any of the physicians now that he knew he was poisoned – he wouldn’t let anyone try to repeat that tactic again.
He let the physician examine him, mostly checking his tongue and eyes, but when he wanted to palpate Li Changyu’s abdomen he flatly refused. Thankfully, a guard stepped in with Royal Grandmother’s servant.
“Physician Li is here,” the guard said with a bow directed towards them. His Mother stepped out from behind them and bowed as well.
“Please, there is no need for formalities,” Royal Grandmother touched Li Yuyan’s arms. His Mother straightened with a sad smile.
“Many thanks to Her Highness,” she said before looking towards him now. “If I may, this Mother would like to tend to her Son.”
“Certainly.” The two women lowered their heads to one another in farewell and Li Yuyan waited until all of them left. She sat down where the physician was and turned to him.
“I have news,” Li Yuyan plopped her bag next to Li Changyu and he sat upright. Shen Pei slipped inside through the open window. Neither of them paid it any mind and Shen Pei approached while brushing leaves from her hair and shoulders.
“Word has reached the other parts of the Harem. Your name is on every set of lips, Yanhe.”
Li Changyu nodded, “Good. Mama, did you find the source of the poison?”
“Yes, but I want to tell you first that your Brothers miss you terribly. They will visit once they come back from their trip North.” She bit her lower lip, worrying it lightly. “They mentioned that they were definitely being followed.”
“Trip?” Li Changyu’s eyebrows shot up. “Followed? By who?”
“Li Julong is…” His Mother hesitated, “…expecting. We wanted him to visit his Family before they would be unable to, and your Brothers are escorting him with a group of friends. They do not know who it is tailing them, but they dare not risk being offensive with Julong there.”
“Ah,” came his flat response. He knew he should be delighted for his Brother-in-law, but it was a little hard to wade through his muddled thoughts to find a bit of happiness. The fact they were being followed troubled him greatly. “Did you send word ahead to Julong’s Family?”
She nodded, “Yes. They plan on meeting them part way to strengthen their numbers. A few of Julong’s Cousins will join them on the trip back.”
“That is good,” he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “And the poison?”
His Mother’s expression looked worse than before and she took out a folded paper from her bag. She unfolded the piece and flattened it as best as she could before handing it to him. Li Changyu held it between both hands and examined it. On the paper was a drawing of a reed-looking plant with bright red flowers. It wasn’t a plant he was familiar with so he looked expectantly at his Mother.
“We know this plant as the Viper’s Tongue, but in another language it’s called Giwe.” She tapped at the roots in the picture. “The roots and flowers are used to make poison. Since we found it as a powder, it is likely the roots were used. It has a very mild scent and is astringent, which makes it easily overpowered by the jasmine, but…”
“But?” Both he and Shen Pei repeated in unison.
“Jasmine enters through the kidneys and liver. I believe it coupled with the Giwe poison made it more effective as an inhalant and contact poison which would have normally affected your lungs, kidney, and liver. However, you were with child, so it targeted your womb and the child’s developing organs instead.”
There was a lot he wanted to say to that information, but his tongue was too thick in his mouth to move. Shen Pei spoke for him and speculated out loud.
“This tells us that whoever did this has knowledge of poisons.” Shen Pei crossed her arms and rubbed her chin with a hand. “But the manner it was delivered was extremely sloppy. That means we are either dealing with a poison master who’s incompetant in actually killing, or–”
“Or there were more people involved, like I originally thought,” he finished her thought in a hoarse voice. He cleared his throat and handed the paper back to his Mother as he continued. “It’s possible someone put a servant up to do it.”
Li Yuyan took the drawing back and tucked it away in her bag. “Did you smell the jasmine frequently?”
“Not often. It would be randomly inside the Phoenix Palace, but I brushed it off as either a concubine or one of the servants wearing it and it rubbed off. It didn’t start to feel overwhelming until close to that day.”
“I never noticed it until the week it happened,” Shen Pei added with a frown, “but the rashes happened shortly after your pregnancy was found out, which was weeks before. Is it possible that the doses were small before and then a larger dose this past week?”
His Mother took out her roll of canvas that held her needles. “If the person administering the poison was suddenly pressured, it would explain the sudden increase. Or perhaps they were ordered to complete the mission sooner rather than later. Regardless, it is a slow method of poisoning, and would have likely gone unnoticed under normal circumstances, which is probably what they wanted.”
It was interesting hearing the two of them skirt around the issue of his miscarriage but be knee deep in it. They are avoiding mentioning the incident, but no matter what they say it will just remind me. He let out a bitter laugh and handed Shen Pei the pill the physician gave him, which she chucked out the window that she used to enter.
“Where does this plant come from?” he asked, hoping that by narrowing down an origin he could compile the appropriate list of suspects.
“It comes from the south and is prevalent along the border mountains around Sui.”
Li Changyu’s heart slammed against his chest and his hand shot out to grab his Mother’s arm in a tight grip. “What did you say?”
Beside them Shen Pei froze and stared off into space. Her face darkened with fists clenched tightly at her sides in a white knuckle hold.
His Mother did not know the weight of what she said. Frowning, she repeated herself, “It comes from the south. Normally it grows in mountains, like the ones on the border of the Sui Kingdom.”
“Huang Guifei is the nephew of the Sui King,” he revealed. Li Yuyan’s eyes widened then looked between Li Changyu and Shen Pei.
“That day it happened, Prince Wenru was coming from the direction of their mansion,” Shen Pei pointed out, already on the path his thoughts were on.
“But he was already in the garden when I arrived. Qin Yuze has no qi gong and wouldn’t be able to move fast with all the stuff they wear.” Li Changyu lifted his hand and chewed on his thumbnail while he tried to connect the details. “It’s possible Third Uncle was looking for him, or dropping something off. It’s all too speculative, but it raises my suspicions.”
“Is the Huang Guifei trying to race you to get an heir?” Li Yuyan asked.
Shaking his head, he answered, “In all the years they have been married there has not been one child. I can only assume he can’t have children, but he’s deeply devoted to the Emperor. It would make no sense to deny him an heir.”
“Unless he wants a specific person to give him an heir, someone he has control or influence over.” Shen Pei sat down at the end of the divan and rested her elbows on her knees and perched her chin in both hands. “In order to do that, he would need someone with such a great influence like Prince Wenru.”
The three of them fell silent and Li Changyu’s mind raced with the various routes and possibilities that this rabbit hole could take him. His Mother took his closest hand and turned it over so she could apply some needles. The pricks felt hot, but he did not complain.
After taking a deep breath in, he exhaled loudly and said, “I have to tell him about the poison.”
“The Emperor?” Li Yuyan asked.
“Yes. Shen Pei, do you know where he is?”
“At around this time, he is in morning assembly. Afterward, he heads to the Imperial Study.”
He let himself rest back against the pillows so his Mother could reach across and put some other needles in his other hand. She manipulated them while he asked, “Could you wake me up when he’s there? I want to take a nap, but I need to speak to him as soon as possible.”
Shen Pei sat up straighter and held her cupped hands to him and bowed her head, “Of course, Yanhe. I will watch the study and arrange for the carriage, but are you alright to stay here by yourself?”
“Meimei and Bowen know to return in an hour, that’s not too long.”
“He’s in good hands with me,” his Mother smiled softly. “I will stay until they arrive.”
“There are still no weapons in the home, Madame Li. Are you sure you will be alright?”
Li Yuyan deftly pulled four needles from her roll and held them between her fingers like they were throwing daggers. Shen Pei’s brows lifted in surprise and Li Changyu managed to smile. His Mother tossed her braid over her shoulder, “I know more about anatomy and how to kill a man than you. I was a field physician, after all.”
Shen Pei shook her head and blew out a breath, “All of you Li’s are intense.”
“Go,” his Mother slipped her needles back in their slots. “I’ll take good care of him.”
After rising, Shen Pei bowed to them both and left through the same window in a blur. The needles stopped burning now and felt like dull tingles. With Shen Pei gone, he could ask his Mother the question that had been on his mind since she spoke about the poison. He didn’t want to say it in front of Shen Pei in case it worried her.
“Mama…tell me honestly. Since the poison attacked my lungs and womb, can I…I mean…”
His Mother placed a hand on his slightly bared chest, the heat from it comforting but a lump welled in his throat from her gentle expression. Her eyes were sad, and though she smiled, her lips were drawn tightly together.
“I took the placenta that day to better examine it, and it is too early to tell, but there was some scarring on it. That may also exist in your womb, which may make it more difficult for you…”
She didn’t need to finish her sentence. He shut his eyes so he wouldn’t have to see her pity and laid his head back. Her hand rubbed up and down his chest, much like she had done when he was a child with a cough. When the herbal smell reached his nose, he realized too late what it was she was doing and immediately drifted off to sleep from her concoction she used.
——-
When the Emperor left the assembly, Shen Pei immediately went back and summoned Li Changyu. Though a little groggy, he made quick work in making himself somewhat presentable before he entered his carriage with Meimei. He still wore his plain white robe, but his hair was combed and his face looked less tired and worn out. His Mother’s herbal remedy worked wonders, but he still felt ill at ease.
Li Changyu arrived but was made to wait outside the gate. He had Meimei stay in the carriage as he did, not wanting to draw too much attention that he still had a servant. He already caught much of the guards’ wary looks and servants kept their distance. His plan was working well so far.
Finally, Shorty the Eunuch came and allowed him inside.
Jin Xiyan sat at a desk much larger than the one he had in his bedroom. Books upon books lined the shelves behind him, and seated on the ground to his right was his Recorder. Shorty – I should really get in the habit of calling him Su Ao – stepped forward.
“His Highness the Empress has arrived,” he announced. Su Ao scurried over to stand at Jin Xiyan’s left.
The Emperor himself looked as imposing as his desk. He sat up with perfect posture, eyes set on the appeal before him with a stern expression. His brown hair was pulled into a tight, stiff bun that didn’t have a strand out of place. The brocade on his robes glittered as he held a sleeve and wrote carefully along the scroll. He didn’t make any move to acknowledge him, so he dipped into a bow before rising and
“Xiyan, I–”
“Please address Zhen appropriately when there are other people present,” Jin Xiyan didn’t look up from writing when he spoke.
“…Your Majesty,” he began with a deep breath. Li Changyu curbed his flash of frustration and continued. “Your Majesty, may this Wife ask to speak to Your Majesty in private?”
Again, Jin Xiyan didn’t bother to look at him. “Zhen does not know what is so important that you must request a private audience.”
“I assure Your Majesty that this is important and is not for any other’s ears.” Tentatively, he tacked on, “Please?”
Without a pause in his long, sure strokes, he ordered, “Both of you may leave.”
Su Ao and the Recorder looked hesitant, but after a glance at Li Changyu, they set their things aside and scurried out. Li Changyu stepped up to the desk to stand in front of it.
“Thank you. I know you’ve had a busy day, but it’s–”
“Oh, I did have a busy day so far,” Jin Xiyan interrupted. “I had to hear from my Mother about your outburst. Tell me, how many taels of gold did you burn away?”
Li Changyu gazed at Jin Xiyan’s expressionless face, a frown forming on his own.
“There was a reason for that, and my parents are replacing my things. If you let me explain my plan–”
“Ah,” Jin Xiyan finally looked up at him, his lips pressed together in a line. “Then you admit it was an act?”
“Yes and no–”
“Zhen does not–”
“Will you let me finish a sentence?!” cried Li Changyu, finally frustrated enough that a flush was in his cheeks and his chest ached.
Jin Xiyan went quiet and set his brush aside before leaning back in his chair. He placed one hand over the other and rested them on the desk. With him silent, and apparently listening, Li Changyu started over again.
“My Mother found evidence that I was in fact being poisoned.” Li Changyu pushed a hand through his hair to pull it away from his face. “It was a specific herb mixed in with jasmine.”
“Pretend Zhen believes you. What sort of herb was it?”
That barb hit him harder than he expected. Li Changyu could feel the pull of his heart so much that he rubbed a palm over the spot. Momentarily speechless, he rushed to gather his thoughts and asked, “What is there not to believe?”
Jin Xiyan tilted his head slightly, “You are presenting evidence that you admit that only your Mother has found. Furthermore, Zhen made inquiries after you initially claimed that you were poisoned. None of the physicians that attended that night found any indication of poison. Every witness said you climbed the tree willingly and fell down. If this were somehow true, how did your mother find out about the poisoning just now why didn’t she notice it before?”
When put like that, even Li Changyu could understand Jin Xiyan’s reluctance. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he answered him. “She genuinely thought it was a rash, as it’s not unusual in pregnancies. We didn’t suspect poisoning until I…” How much do I reveal about what happened that day? “Until…it was hard for me to stop bleeding. It was unusual.”
“Injuries can make you bleed,” Jin Xiyan pointed out flatly.
He ignored that remark and pressed on, “She can show you the powder that was used with the jasmine. This is why I wanted to talk to you in private – the herb is unique and from the south. She said it’s grown around the Sui Kingdom, and–”
A single clipped, firm command interrupted him, “Stop.”
Jin Xiyan’s dusk colored eyes turned sharp as steel, his expression turning even more grim. A tic formed in his strong jaw as it clenched and his brows lowered in a glare. He leaned forward slightly.
“Do not finish that thought. You obviously don’t understand the severity of what you are implying. Zhen does not understand what sort of ploy you concocted because of jealousy–”
“Jealousy?” he guffawed. “This isn’t about jealousy! I had to burn those things because many of them were covered in that poison! I am just pointing out facts so that you can–”
“So that Zhen can do what? Let you do whatever whim that pops into your brain?” Jin Xiyan shifted in his seat and grabbed the sleeve of his arm that reached for his brush. “You are acting out in a most undesirable fashion. This would not have been an issue if you were more invested in your duty rather than doing whatever you want. Zhen will consider this an outburst. Go back to your quarters.”
Li Changyu blinked at the man in front of him. He still couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Duty?”
Jin Xiyan didn’t respond so Li Changyu slammed his fists on the desk, rattling the ink stone and other items on it. Jin Xiyan’s hand flinched, but otherwise did not react, and continued with his work.
“I’ve been a soldier for years, you don’t get to lecture me about duty!” Heat blazed across his cheeks as his anger bubbled over. It didn’t burn as much as his chest did as he felt his heart break. Him, their child, all of it…It can’t be. “Was that all it was, Jin Xiyan? A duty?!”
Without missing a stroke, Jin Xiyan asked coldly, “What else could it be?”
He stared at Jin Xiyan, wondering if the man would have still behaved like this if he had the memory of him, or if he was destined to be like this. Either option felt like salt on his already gaping wound. Am I just in love with a memory?
Li Changyu knew he couldn’t reveal that he might not be able to have children now. At best he’d be demoted to a low level concubine, at worst probably beheaded since he couldn’t fulfill his duty any longer. No, he told himself with conviction. I have to remain Empress – it’s the only way I can solve this and protect Xiyan. He knew in his gut this was a lot bigger than just him. Despite this, Zhang Wenru’s haunting words floated back to Li Changyu. His lips twitched but he refused to frown and show how distressed he was.
Instead, he hung his head and casting his eyes down, he whispered, “Yichen.”
Jin Xiyan stopped writing and his brush paused in the air. His face turned up to look at him, “What?”
“Yichen,” he repeated, now a little louder. “That’s what I would have named them, if they were your heir. Something celestial like all the other men in my Family, and a nod to his destiny to be the future Emperor.” Li Changyu lifted his eyes from the desk to look into Jin Xiyan’s. “So don’t you ever dare insult me again by saying I wasn’t invested.”
Jin Xiyan’s grip tightened on the brush and a fat drop fell onto the paper, ruining the most recent letter. With no response from Jin Xiyan, Li Changyu shook his head, pushed off from the desk, and turned.
“Do you want to know what I would have named them if they weren’t an alpha male?” He tossed over his shoulder, trying to sound cold and indifferent. Jin Xiyan’s silence remained, so he continued. “Xinyi. Because even though they wouldn’t be your heir, I wanted them to know they weren’t unwanted and that I was happy with them.”
He left at a much faster pace than he had arrived in, but he couldn’t mask his slight limp from the pain in his stomach. He heard the telltale scrape of chair legs against the floor and he picked up his pace even more. If Li Changyu looked back, he knew that he would cry all over again, and he didn’t have the energy or desire to let Jin Xiyan see him like that. When he crossed through the door, he slammed the two panels shut behind him.
With Su Ao and the Recorder nowhere to be seen, Li Changyu leaned back against the heavy door and listened carefully. Is he going to follow me? He looked over his shoulder, staring at the dark grain of the wood. …do I want him to? He didn’t know what he wanted or expected, but his legs were as heavy as lead and he couldn’t push himself to leave. Li Changyu waited a few more moments, but there were no footsteps or movements next to the door.
He sighed out loud. Wishful thinking.
Picking himself up, he slowly walked down the lonely granite path out from the Imperial Study courtyard and back to his carriage. He climbed into it and sat on the cushioned seat left for him and Meimei put a warm blanket over his legs. Li Changyu thanked her softly then leaned back and stared out the window.
“Is the plan working, Li Changyu?” asked Meimei.
He turned his head to give her a weak smile. He just didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth that he hadn’t expected how much the Emperor disliked him. Without his support, he was unsure how the rest of it would play out, but there was no turning back now.
“Yeah, Meimei. It’s all good.”
Bastard
Thank you for not hurting this author <33
Well I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you so Xiyan can grovel a nd kiss ass
This was a tough chapter. Xiyan is so disappointing.
He will get his just desserts.
👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾. Counting on you Author-sama!!
And I know the pain isn’t even over for LCY! There are many worse things waiting amongst the shadows on the road he was set upon. Plus the people following his brothers makes it scarier. Prayer for Juluong.I suspect everyone but team Li/Phoenix Palace at this point. That cutesy omega concubine could be the culprit! Although the poison originating from the same county as Qin Yuze seems like a red herring. They want JXY to doubt LCY, to think it’s jealousy on JCY’s part. It’s a conspiracy to cover up the real culprit and to maybe also get rid of Qin Yuze.
We have another detective on the case!!
Biased asshole!
Come on jin xiyan. Gib me more painnnnnnnnn.. i want you to suffer and regret so much tht even meeting King Yama cant make you redeem yourself 🙂
i’m crying buckets here huhuhuu(╥﹏╥)
I don’t know who to blame anymore.
I would say I am sorry, but……….I can’t.
Tbh I’m crying rn 😭😭
Thanks for the chapters