Time was like an arrow, sunrises and sunsets were as usual.
Flowers had bloom a few rounds, flowers had wilted a few rounds, the moon changed from crescent to a full moon, so what more humans?
For example the Shen family had gotten increasingly weaker and the Empress that that was being treated increasingly coldly. It was as if they were an old man struggling in death.
Princess Wan Yu had died due to illness on the route to the marriage alliance and Empress Shen was unable to recover from it. Even though she was dignified and careful, upon close inspection, there was feebleness in her eyes. It was only when she saw the Crown Prince that it would slightly brighten, like a faint ember in the ashes that would also soon be extinguished.
A beauty clad in Palace attire smiled at the green clad male and smiled, “National Advisor, getting a drop of the Empress’s fingertip blood should not be a difficult thing for you.”
Pei Lang looked at the female in front. She was charming like a cat at night, intelligent and smart, otherwise the Emperor would not be placed in the palm of her hands.
From a female’s perspective, she was undoubtedly seductive and able to hold a man’s thought in her grasp. From one who had power, she did a good job.
She advanced by retreating and would never take the initiative to mention one’s status or demand for money but make one willing to offer things to her. Not only that, she would even snatch what others had. She would refer to others to fight, relying on the Emperor’s heart and borrowing her brother’s support to slowly and quietly grasp everything one wanted in the palm of one’s hand.
She looked as charming as a flower but had a snake-like heart. Wasn’t this one the one that forced the little Princess, who was only a teenager, up the road of death?
In comparison, the Mistress of the Six Palaces was at the end not more vicious that this one. Perhaps because one was from the Shen family that was a loyal military household, no matter how one’s personality change, there would still be some kindness in one’s bone.
But it was because of this little kindness, that made her destined to be always inferior to the other’s means.
Mei Furen saw him in a daze and said, “National Advisor?”
Pei Lang recovered to his senses and thought about it before asking, “Why does Your Ladyship the Imperial Consort want Her Ladyship the Empress’s fingertip blood?”
“You do not need to know what it is for.” Mei Furen smiled like a flower. Even though she was already an Imperial Consort, she still kept her initial title. Mei Furen. When one hear it it was charming and moving that made one forget that deep in the Inner Palace, a delicate flower was also poisonous.
She said, “National Advisor can see clearly Her Ladyship the Empress’s situation now.” She pointed to a vine that was sandwiched between two threes and smiled, “This vine has just sprouted and is sandwiched between two trees. There was no need to choose as one could live well anyhow but when it slowly grows bigger, as one gets taller, the wind and rain would be bigger, thus one would need search for a place to climb up.” She looked towards Pei Lang, “There is a tree to it’s left and right and he could only chose one tree to climb.”
“Both tree occupy the same inch of pace and is competing on the same piece of land. There is only so much land so one tree would be cut off.”
“That vine must make a good choice as if it climbed up a tree that is about to be cut, it would be pulled out in unison.” Mei Furen smiled at Pei Lang, “National Advisor, how do you think that vine would choose?”
Pei Lang stared at the two trees and turned his head around after a moment, “This official understands.”
Mei Furen smiled in satisfaction.
After Pei Lang left, a palace maid walked out from behind to pour tea for her and said softly, “Your Ladyship, will National Advisor really get the Empress’s fingertip blood? The National Advisor and the Empress seemed to have good relations.”
When it comes to friendship, Pei Lang knew Shen Miao much longer then he knew Mei Furen.
“National Advisor is an intelligent person.” Mei Furen picked up the teacup and took a sip before smiling, “Otherwise one would not watch with folded arms during the Princess’s marriage alliance. Moreover… There is an ulterior motive in his heart. He have such noble and benevolent character so he is sensible not to let himself make any slight deviation so naturally one will cut the weeds and eliminate the roots. I am helping him here, naturally he would be thankful.”
The palace maid seemingly understood and nodded her head, “But that monk said that he could borrow the Empress’s life and give it to Your Ladyship. Is it true?”
“No matter if it is true or not, I will sit on that head position of the Inner Palace.” A hint of hatred appeared in Mei Furen’s eyes, “It is only blood from the fingertips. When her life is given to me and when my Prince sit stabile in this Empire, I will be very compassionate and burn sme paper money for them three people.”
The palace maid assented and dared not speak.
Shen Miao’s illness was somewhat serious.
Fu Ming just went over to see her and accompanied her to talk for a while. Shen Miao wanted to ask someone about the situation of the Shen residence but when she stepped out of the courtyard, she saw Pei Lang.
Pei Lang greeted her but Shen Miao was very cold.
With regards to Wan Yu’s marriage alliance, Pei Lang’s cold attitude made one’s heart cold. They had so many years of friend ship and Wan Yu even called him ‘Teacher’. All the hatred towards Fu Xiu Yi was naturally shifted onto Pei Lang that she did not even want to see an additional glance of Pei Lang.
“One had heard that Your Ladyship the Empress fell ill.” Pei Lang handled a small box over, “This… Will perhaps be useful for Your Ladyship’s cough.”
Shen Miao swept him a look and opened the box. It was a herb that was inexplicably familiar. Shen Miao took it out to see when she suddenly felt a pain in her fingertip. When she look at it again, she was pricked by the herbs and beads of blood flowed down from her fingertip.
Bai Lu exclaimed and quickly went to bandage it up. Pei Lang stared at her fingertip and said somewhat woodenly, “This is Hong Xiu Cao that is useful for coughing.”
Shen Miao instead laughed. She threw that herb back into the small box and closed it before returning back to Pei Lang, “There is no need. BenGong once had such a herb but at the end, it withered. However that herb that BenGong raise did not have thorns.” There was an additional meaning to her words, “If one do not wish to gift anything then don’t gift. It makes one disgusted to receive such a gift. The National Advisor’s gift is something that BenGong cannot afford to accept. Please take it back.” Finishing, she did not even look at Pei Lang and she turned around to leave.
Pei Lang held the small box in his hands tightly and looked complicatedly at Shen Miao’s back view. Her health was getting worse and worse and would need to stop to rest every two steps.
But… Pei Lang looked at the small box. One must make a choice. Even when he just entered the courts with nothing, after enduring so much wind, storms and moons, how would one be clean and innocent? The higher one sits, the more one would not be able to make the decision. He was also helpless and had no choice.
The advantages and disadvantages were clearly placed together. From one glance, one could see which tree was about to be cut and which true would be exclusive to the entire land.
He had his loved ones to protect so be it relations or secret thoughts, they could all be placed aside. As to why Mei Furen wanted the blood from one fingertip, it was definitely not for anything good. He was giving succor to the enemy. He was adding frost to the snow (aggravating things).
He turned his head and headed in the other direction.
Those with different principles would not join in a common quest. He could not do anything, he could only… Watch with folded arms. He could only watch as this tree who was working hard in the Palace to grow fall into the mud.
*****
That fire burned for three entire days and nights.
In the entire Palace, only the Cold Palace was burned down. The melancholy feelings, blood weeping complaints, curses that one made before dying and the deep despair, all disappeared in that fire and what was left was the remains of the embers and constructed rumours.
The Empress of Ming Qi had died.
After the Shen family was executed due to betraying the country and the Crown Prince committed suicide after being abolished, Mei Furen became the new Empress and Fu Chen became the new Crown Prince. The lonely Cold Palace suddenly caught fire and burnt the abolished Empress Shen to dust.
It was a matter that made one sighed. The Emperor of Ming Qi was kind and because of the grace of being husband and wife, one did not let the Empress walk the road to the underworld with the disloyal Shen family and spared her life. It was just that after being banished to the Inner Palace, this female did not have fortune and lost her life in the fire.
History was written by the one who won and it is the same in the Inner Palace.
As soon as a dynasty changed, all the traces of Empress Shen were cleaned up. There was not even remains of her as it was all burned in that fire. There was no longer anyone in the First household of the Shen family and it was truly the end of a family.
The new Crown Prince’s Imperial Mother was Empress Li and she had change her former soft and charming temperament to one that was of power. She wholeheartedly support her brother and coax Fu Xiu Yi very well that even the court was faintly in her grasp.
There was some sense of the Imperial relatives were grabbing power.
Some of the officials were slightly aware of it and wanted to warn the Emperor secretly but before any action was taken, they would be either defamed or exiled for some inexplicable reasons.
Pei Lang watched everything coldly but his heart was rather exhausted.
In less than half a year after Shen Miao’s death, Ming Qi was almost turned upside down. He had not misread. Mei Furen and her younger brother had great means that it was difficult to say if the empire of Ming Qi would land in Mei Furen’s hands. He was loyal to Fu Xiu Yi but after warning him a few times, he no longer reminded her and even secretly had the thought that he deserved it.
It was easy to change a human’s heart, an wise Monarch could become a fatuous one and a loyal official would also be dissident.
Every night when Pei Lang slept, he would always be awakened by a pair of eyes. That pair of eyes were clear, bright and had no tears but it made one’s heart heavier then when tears fell.
That was Shen Miao’s eyes.
Pei Lang had once thought that he was doing the right thing. He had ultimately inevitable result and avoided disadvantages and that was the best choice but as time went on, he could not deceive himself.
How was it ultimately inevitable result? He obviously did not want Shen Miao to die like this.
When did he began to feel other emotions for Shen Miao? Pei Lang himself did not know. He was her teacher in Guang Wen Tang and saw Shen Miao from an arrogant and knew nothing delicate female who wanted to marry Fu Xiu Yi, watched her marry into the residence of Prince Ding, learning the things that she did not like for Fu iu Yi, becoming a WangFei, becoming an Empress and then becoming an abolished Empress.
She was actually somewhat stupid and was not considered smart as she learned things slowly but made one fear her stubbornness and was generous toward the Inner Palace. Pei Lang would feel ridiculous at her willingness to give her everything for a person’s heart and sometimes felt envious of Fu Xiu Yi.
It was much later he could not help but pay more attention to her. Even he did not realise himself that he would be more paitent when he was approaching Shen Miao’s problems.
But Pei Lang was a smart person and a smart person would not let oneself make mistakes.
So when he discovered his strange thoughts, he was determined to stop this mistake. It was he who suggested for Shen Miao to go to Qin country as a hostage. But after five years when Shen Miao returned, his thoughts were still not changed.
He coldly looked at Shen Miao fighting with Mei Furen till she was all injured and also saw as her eyes became dimmer and watched her withering.
At the end when Fu Xiu Yi asked him about how to deal with the Shen family’s descendants, he said a phrase without thinking.
Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots.
It was to cut the weeds in his heart and to eliminate the roots in his heart.
He had not expected that Fu Xiu Yi’s cutting the weeds and eliminating the roots was included Fu Ming. Even a vicious tiger would not eat its cubs but Fu Xiu Yi could even take action against his own flesh and blood. One could still use the excuse of Wan Yu had an accident during the journey but Fu Ming’s death was ordered by Fu Xiu Yi.
Pei Lang remembered Shen Miao’s eyes after she knew of Fu Ming’s death. That pair of clear eyes widen so big and there was no tears but made one feel so miserable that other could not bear to look at them.
That fire burned for three entire days and night but it also lit Pei Lang’s regretful heart.
He went to Pu Tuo Monastery’s abbot and asked how to clear the vileness in one’s heart.
The abbot was an old monk and he shook his head while looking at him, “An illness of a heart would need a medicine for a heart.”
Was there a medication for regret in the world?
Pei Lang begged for the Enlightened Monk for guidance and he said, “Benefactor dream of the person because one owed a lot to the person. She could not be dissipated from your dreams because there was unresolved resentment. There is no way to carry on living and no way to be liberated.”
Pei Lang was terrified and asked if there was a solution.
The monk asked instead, “Leave the mistakes of the past and seek an opportunity of a redo. If it requires benefactor’s life, is benefactor willing to give?”
Pei Lang said, “Willing.”
That monk said, “May benefactor return.”
“Why return?” Pei Lang did not understand.
“Benefactor is willing to pay with one’s life but that opportunity requires waiting.”
“That opportunity… What kind of opportunity?” Pei Lang asked.
“The person that benefactor owed to, still have a wish. When the wish is resolved, benefactor can give one’s life and perhaps there would be a chance.” The enlightened monk then said, “This monk could not say more then this.”
Pei Lang thanked the monk and returned to the Palace.
What was Shen Miao’s unfulfilled wish?
Shen Miao’s entire life was miserable. Both children and clan died so what she wanted to see the most was most likely the enemies in hell and the Shen family’s reputation was cleared.
There was an opportunity to redo everything but it would require one to wait. Would one wait or not?
Wait. Pei Lang had made a decision.
This lifetime was so long. It was so long that he was willing to use his live to save a mistake.
*****
Winter passed and spring arrived as the wild goose came and went.
When an Imperial dynasty was nearing the end of its fate, the atmosphere of defeat would be hung over it.
The current Ming Qi was not like the former Ming Qi. Exorbitant taxation, forced labour and servitude, unhappy commoners, corrupt officials, chaotic court and a muddleheaded Monarch.
The Crown Prince was busy forming cliques for one’s own interest and could not wait to be the new Emperor as soon as possible.
The military power had been consolidated and returned but there were no capable Generals to lead them. Ming Qi was a piece of fatty meat that everyone wanted a bite.
The distant Great Liang had attacked and swallowed Qin country and finally launched an offensive against Ming Qi. It was like breaking a dead branch from a tree, it was just too easy to win as they fought all the way to the city towers of Ding capital.
As they stationed their camps, all the people in Ding capital felt the danger and the commoners’ household were tightly closed and the atmosphere of a destroyed nation filled the air.
In the biggest tent, there was someone listing and wiping a long sword.
“Ming Qi has reached it’s end.” A white clad gentleman walked over with a folding fan and one was unable to hear any emotions in his voice, “One heard that the Imperial Palace is currently cleaned out tonight.”
What was cleaned out was the womenfolk in the Palace, namely the consorts, concubines, palace maids and Princesses, all will be cleaned out. Instead of being insulted by the enemies, it was better to die first to protect one’s dignity.
But was it really to protect one’s dignity? How many of those people did not want to die?
The movements of wiping the sword paused and the man looked up, revealing a beautiful face. He had a pair of peach blossoms eyes but his gaze was of indifference, “Oh. Has the corpse of Empress Shen found?”
Ji Yu Shu opened the doors of the tent and walk in. He heard those words coincidently and said, “One had inquired and it was not found. The Cold Palace was burned cleanly down in a fire that there was not even any clothes.”
Gao Yang sneered, “Fu Xiu Yi really fears of others gossiping and managed it so cleanly.”
“The Shen family is pitiful.” Ji Yu Shu sighed, “If the Shen family was present, how would he have fallen to such a state?”
Xie Jing Xing said faintly, “One is only digging one’s grave.” He then looked at the red string in his hand.
The colour of the string had somewhat faded but it was still tied tightly. He later wore it to many battlefields but the red string had not fallen off at all.
Thinking about the bright and clear voice of the female that night, Xie Jing Xing shook his head as that promise was ultimately unfulfilled. Who knew that in a short period of a few years, the empire of Ming Qi would be annihilated that quickly? Even without Great Liang, it would not last long.
He indeed return in triumphant and intended to give her a wish for that cup of wine and also accompany her to watch fireworks but the person was gone and there would not be any opportunity in this lifetime.
He said, “Attack the city tomorrow morning.”
*****
Great Liang’s flag was flying high up. The weather of the sixth month was changing rapidly that the black clouds were pressing down onto the city and the wind was raging on, as if it was going to rain in the next moment.
There was no one in the Palace and corpses were laying everywhere. There were some females that had ‘committed suicide’ and there were some servants that were beheaded by Great Liang’s army.
Blood flowed throughout the field as corpses piled up to hundreds of thousands.
Pei Lang sat in the tea hall and pouring a cup of tea for himself. He poured it slowly and steam rose from the corner of the table as it gave of a scent, like a beauty’s whisper that made one intoxicated.
He glanced outside the window.
The day when Shen Miao died, also had such a weather like this. The skies was gloomy and suddenly the rain came pouring.
He had waiting for a long time and finally this day had come.
Great Liang’s army has arrived and Ming Qi was at its end. Fu Xiu Yi and Mei Furen had lived the end of the road and Shen Miao’s wish was about to be fulfilled.
He finally had the opportunity to turn back the mistakes that he made.
He poured the small bottle into the jug and poured a full cup for himself.
Your wish is about to come true. It’s a pity… That the person who fulfill it is not me.
On the city tower, under the pressure of the army, the Emperor’s and Empress’s hands were bound and they were tied to the flagpole.
Humans were selfish and would end another’s life for their own. This was something that Mei Furen and Fu Xiu Yi often do and not it was their turn to have a taste of it.
The officials in Ming Qi’s Palace had tied up their Emperor and Empress to flatter Great Liang. They were willing to use the heads of the Emperor and Empress to gain a way out from the other party to let oneself live.
When the tree toppled, the monkeys scattered. When a wall was about to collapse, everyone would give it a push. No matter how favoured Mei Furen was, at this moment she was unable to move.
Oh. There was still the new Crown Prince, Fu Chen. But he was long beheaded by Xie Chang Wu and Xie Chang Chao, who were great at bootlicking, and they went to the Great Liang army with it.
Under the city tower, there sat a male on horse, with a pair of lazily narrowed eyes. One did not know when did the dark clouds scattered and the golden sun shone onto the entire city.
His robes were gorgeous and stained with blood but the noble air was not suppressed. The Emperor who were captured and treated like fish meat, paled in contrast.
“Xie Jing Xing.” Fu Xiu Yi gritted his teeth.
The heir of the residence of the Marquis of Lin An, Xie Ding’s Son, Xie Cang Wu’s and Xie Change Chao’s brother. No one had expected that the youth that died early in the battlefield, the youth who died along with the Marquis of Lin An, would reappear so many years later in this manner.
He was the younger blood brother of Emperor Yong Le of Great Liang, the revered and noble Prince Rui of First Rank and also the Commander of Great Liang, leading Mo Yun Army, that one would lose one’s gall upon hearing them in the wind.
“Long time no see, youngest son of the Fu family.” Xie Jing Xing greeted him.
Everyone knew that the younger blooded brother of Emperor Yong Le of Great Liang was the most impressive. He warred against the world for him and was bold and uninhibited. Such an heroic person was originally the heir of the residence of the Marquis of Lin An.
Mei Furen stared at that male.
She was very scared. No matter how she was able to grasp the winning hand, when it comes to life and death situation, she would lose all composure. She had always relied on men to get what she wanted step by step but at this juncture, all the tricks were useless. She blamed Fu Xiu Yi for being useless for making such a perfectly fine dynasty be annihilated like this. Upon looking down on the beautiful features of the male, she stared at him involuntarily, with moving eyes.
Xie Jing Xing frowned and asked Ji Yu Shu, “Shen Miao lost to this female?”
Ji Yu Shu said, “Correct.” He also added, “Only such an ordinary appearance. One really doesn’t know if this Ming Qi Emperor is short sighted.”
Both of their voices were not concealed and the entire army of Great Liang laughed while Mei Furen’s cheeks flushed red with hate. Fu Xiu Yi was annoyed and he looked at Xie Jing Xing, “If you want to kill then kill, why the need to spout nonsense.”
“Still putting on a manly act now?” Ji Yu Shu said with disdain, “Third Older Brother, this Ming Qi Emperor is anxious to die.”
Xie Jing Xing smiled lazily, “Initially this Prince did not want to kill you and was to lazy to do it oneself but this Prince owed your Little Empress a wish. Coincidentally this ending is the ending that you had prepared for this Prince so be it official or personal reasons, one have to return it as thanks.”
He spread his hands out and Gao Yang brought the bow over and handled a silver arrow to him. Xie Jing Xing pulled the bow and one could hear a ‘pak’ sound.
Mei Furen, who was on top of the city tower was shot.
That arrow did not go straight to the chest and avoided the critical organs. Blood flowed nonstop that it made onlookers widen their eyes in shock. Mei Furen was in so much pain that she felt faint. Fu Xiu Yi’s calmed face changed.
The scariest thing in the world was not death but waiting for death.
Xie Jing Xing smiled and stretched his hands out. Gao Yang handled another two arrows over.
He put both arrows together on the bow before whistling.
One saw tens of thousands of Great Liang troops all pulled their bows and aimed at the two persons at the city tower.
The wind was blowing the flags on the platform strongly like it was a ghost howling. But at the end the last trace of dark clouds dissipate and light shone onto the ground.
That male’s purple clothes swayed lightly with the wind and his smile was cold and sharp but there seemed to be some boyish stubbornness between his brows. He stood below the city towers and look on ambiguously before laughing.
“My apologies Little Emperor, one is indebted to a Young Lady to take your dog life.”
“Release.”
Tens of thousands of arrows fiercely shot towards the two persons. It was as if a beast was startled and it was almost obscuring Heavens. Not even a trace of sun was seen as it swallowed the two persons.
Nothing could be seen.
In the Palace, the green clad male had fallen onto the table in front, seemingly sleeping.
Near one’s foot a lantern was tilted and the candle in it fell. In half a moment, the curtains started to burn and fire slowly spread, burning Zhong Hua Palace, through Jin Yu Dian till the entire Imperial Palace was surrounded by flames.
“Third Older Brother, the Imperial Palace has caught fire.” Ji Yu Shu watched from afar and said in alarm, “Do one send people over to extinguish the fire?”
“No need.” Xie Jing Xing stopped him.
“This Imperial Palace of Ming Qi is not clean and it is better to burn it down.” His brows raised, “Fireworks during the daytime. At least one did not break one’s promise.”
“What does that mean?” Ji Yu Shu did not understand.
Xie Jing Jing looked at the skies that was redden by the fire but what appeared in front of his eyes was the lonely figure drinking under the clear bright moonlight.
“This Imperial dynasty had failed you so this Prince will destroy this Imperial dynasty for you.” He said lowly, “This is most probably your wish.”
He however did not notice that the red string, that was tied tightly on his wrist that it had not fallen off for a few years, suddenly broke apart and gently fell onto the fire on the ground, turning into ashes.
No one had heard a long female sigh in the ashes.
So it turned out that this was a calamity and this turned out to be fate.
What one saw might not be real. What the ears hear might also not be real. In the past and current lifetimes he had stood at a distance and smiled without a care and only when one was nearly, one could only then understand what kind of person he was. He was frivolous but was the most sincere and was full of schemes but was righteous. He could send thousands of troops for one cup of warm wine and could stand up for a stranger that one met by chance and said ‘my apologies Little Emperor, one is indebted to a Young Lady to take your dog life’. He lived most seriously but also the most chicly. From among the despicable he was an unlimited honesty and in the world where on look upon indifferently to fight, at the end one did not turn one back but placed that bit of light on one’s palm.
This was her question. It was her question but only he could resolve it.
“It is raining.” Gao Yang put away the fan, “Summer days are sure strange.”
Xie Jing Xing’s lips raised, “Enter the city.”
“For what?”
“Take over the Imperial power.”
Translator thoughts: So many emotions go through my heart and a hundred thoughts passed my mind. Every times I read to the end of this chapter, I will be so overwhelmed that I do not know what to feel or think. A sense of relief that SM could let go? Sorrow for PL’s regret? Regretful that XJX did not get to see SM? Reassured that evil was punished? Bitter that SM did not get to see their ending? Joyous at Fu Chen’s ending? Thankful that XJX is there to fulfill SM unspoken wish? Bittersweet with the scene of the ‘fireworks’? Why did XJX did what he did? How about the 2nd and 3rd household?
Time was like an arrow, sunrises and sunsets were as usual.
Flowers had bloom a few rounds, flowers had wilted a few rounds, the moon changed from crescent to a full moon, so what more humans?
For example the Shen family had gotten increasingly weaker and the Empress that that was being treated increasingly coldly. It was as if they were an old man struggling in death.
Princess Wan Yu had died due to illness on the route to the marriage alliance and Empress Shen was unable to recover from it. Even though she was dignified and careful, upon close inspection, there was feebleness in her eyes. It was only when she saw the Crown Prince that it would slightly brighten, like a faint ember in the ashes that would also soon be extinguished.
A beauty clad in Palace attire smiled at the green clad male and smiled, “National Advisor, getting a drop of the Empress’s fingertip blood should not be a difficult thing for you.”
Pei Lang looked at the female in front. She was charming like a cat at night, intelligent and smart, otherwise the Emperor would not be placed in the palm of her hands.
From a female’s perspective, she was undoubtedly seductive and able to hold a man’s thought in her grasp. From one who had power, she did a good job.
She advanced by retreating and would never take the initiative to mention one’s status or demand for money but make one willing to offer things to her. Not only that, she would even snatch what others had. She would refer to others to fight, relying on the Emperor’s heart and borrowing her brother’s support to slowly and quietly grasp everything one wanted in the palm of one’s hand.
She looked as charming as a flower but had a snake-like heart. Wasn’t this one the one that forced the little Princess, who was only a teenager, up the road of death?
In comparison, the Mistress of the Six Palaces was at the end not more vicious that this one. Perhaps because one was from the Shen family that was a loyal military household, no matter how one’s personality change, there would still be some kindness in one’s bone.
But it was because of this little kindness, that made her destined to be always inferior to the other’s means.
Mei Furen saw him in a daze and said, “National Advisor?”
Pei Lang recovered to his senses and thought about it before asking, “Why does Your Ladyship the Imperial Consort want Her Ladyship the Empress’s fingertip blood?”
“You do not need to know what it is for.” Mei Furen smiled like a flower. Even though she was already an Imperial Consort, she still kept her initial title. Mei Furen. When one hear it it was charming and moving that made one forget that deep in the Inner Palace, a delicate flower was also poisonous.
She said, “National Advisor can see clearly Her Ladyship the Empress’s situation now.” She pointed to a vine that was sandwiched between two threes and smiled, “This vine has just sprouted and is sandwiched between two trees. There was no need to choose as one could live well anyhow but when it slowly grows bigger, as one gets taller, the wind and rain would be bigger, thus one would need search for a place to climb up.” She looked towards Pei Lang, “There is a tree to it’s left and right and he could only chose one tree to climb.”
“Both tree occupy the same inch of pace and is competing on the same piece of land. There is only so much land so one tree would be cut off.”
“That vine must make a good choice as if it climbed up a tree that is about to be cut, it would be pulled out in unison.” Mei Furen smiled at Pei Lang, “National Advisor, how do you think that vine would choose?”
Pei Lang stared at the two trees and turned his head around after a moment, “This official understands.”
Mei Furen smiled in satisfaction.
After Pei Lang left, a palace maid walked out from behind to pour tea for her and said softly, “Your Ladyship, will National Advisor really get the Empress’s fingertip blood? The National Advisor and the Empress seemed to have good relations.”
When it comes to friendship, Pei Lang knew Shen Miao much longer then he knew Mei Furen.
“National Advisor is an intelligent person.” Mei Furen picked up the teacup and took a sip before smiling, “Otherwise one would not watch with folded arms during the Princess’s marriage alliance. Moreover… There is an ulterior motive in his heart. He have such noble and benevolent character so he is sensible not to let himself make any slight deviation so naturally one will cut the weeds and eliminate the roots. I am helping him here, naturally he would be thankful.”
The palace maid seemingly understood and nodded her head, “But that monk said that he could borrow the Empress’s life and give it to Your Ladyship. Is it true?”
“No matter if it is true or not, I will sit on that head position of the Inner Palace.” A hint of hatred appeared in Mei Furen’s eyes, “It is only blood from the fingertips. When her life is given to me and when my Prince sit stabile in this Empire, I will be very compassionate and burn sme paper money for them three people.”
The palace maid assented and dared not speak.
Shen Miao’s illness was somewhat serious.
Fu Ming just went over to see her and accompanied her to talk for a while. Shen Miao wanted to ask someone about the situation of the Shen residence but when she stepped out of the courtyard, she saw Pei Lang.
Pei Lang greeted her but Shen Miao was very cold.
With regards to Wan Yu’s marriage alliance, Pei Lang’s cold attitude made one’s heart cold. They had so many years of friend ship and Wan Yu even called him ‘Teacher’. All the hatred towards Fu Xiu Yi was naturally shifted onto Pei Lang that she did not even want to see an additional glance of Pei Lang.
“One had heard that Your Ladyship the Empress fell ill.” Pei Lang handled a small box over, “This… Will perhaps be useful for Your Ladyship’s cough.”
Shen Miao swept him a look and opened the box. It was a herb that was inexplicably familiar. Shen Miao took it out to see when she suddenly felt a pain in her fingertip. When she look at it again, she was pricked by the herbs and beads of blood flowed down from her fingertip.
Bai Lu exclaimed and quickly went to bandage it up. Pei Lang stared at her fingertip and said somewhat woodenly, “This is Hong Xiu Cao that is useful for coughing.”
Shen Miao instead laughed. She threw that herb back into the small box and closed it before returning back to Pei Lang, “There is no need. BenGong once had such a herb but at the end, it withered. However that herb that BenGong raise did not have thorns.” There was an additional meaning to her words, “If one do not wish to gift anything then don’t gift. It makes one disgusted to receive such a gift. The National Advisor’s gift is something that BenGong cannot afford to accept. Please take it back.” Finishing, she did not even look at Pei Lang and she turned around to leave.
Pei Lang held the small box in his hands tightly and looked complicatedly at Shen Miao’s back view. Her health was getting worse and worse and would need to stop to rest every two steps.
But… Pei Lang looked at the small box. One must make a choice. Even when he just entered the courts with nothing, after enduring so much wind, storms and moons, how would one be clean and innocent? The higher one sits, the more one would not be able to make the decision. He was also helpless and had no choice.
The advantages and disadvantages were clearly placed together. From one glance, one could see which tree was about to be cut and which true would be exclusive to the entire land.
He had his loved ones to protect so be it relations or secret thoughts, they could all be placed aside. As to why Mei Furen wanted the blood from one fingertip, it was definitely not for anything good. He was giving succor to the enemy. He was adding frost to the snow (aggravating things).
He turned his head and headed in the other direction.
Those with different principles would not join in a common quest. He could not do anything, he could only… Watch with folded arms. He could only watch as this tree who was working hard in the Palace to grow fall into the mud.
*****
That fire burned for three entire days and nights.
In the entire Palace, only the Cold Palace was burned down. The melancholy feelings, blood weeping complaints, curses that one made before dying and the deep despair, all disappeared in that fire and what was left was the remains of the embers and constructed rumours.
The Empress of Ming Qi had died.
After the Shen family was executed due to betraying the country and the Crown Prince committed suicide after being abolished, Mei Furen became the new Empress and Fu Chen became the new Crown Prince. The lonely Cold Palace suddenly caught fire and burnt the abolished Empress Shen to dust.
It was a matter that made one sighed. The Emperor of Ming Qi was kind and because of the grace of being husband and wife, one did not let the Empress walk the road to the underworld with the disloyal Shen family and spared her life. It was just that after being banished to the Inner Palace, this female did not have fortune and lost her life in the fire.
History was written by the one who won and it is the same in the Inner Palace.
As soon as a dynasty changed, all the traces of Empress Shen were cleaned up. There was not even remains of her as it was all burned in that fire. There was no longer anyone in the First household of the Shen family and it was truly the end of a family.
The new Crown Prince’s Imperial Mother was Empress Li and she had change her former soft and charming temperament to one that was of power. She wholeheartedly support her brother and coax Fu Xiu Yi very well that even the court was faintly in her grasp.
There was some sense of the Imperial relatives were grabbing power.
Some of the officials were slightly aware of it and wanted to warn the Emperor secretly but before any action was taken, they would be either defamed or exiled for some inexplicable reasons.
Pei Lang watched everything coldly but his heart was rather exhausted.
In less than half a year after Shen Miao’s death, Ming Qi was almost turned upside down. He had not misread. Mei Furen and her younger brother had great means that it was difficult to say if the empire of Ming Qi would land in Mei Furen’s hands. He was loyal to Fu Xiu Yi but after warning him a few times, he no longer reminded her and even secretly had the thought that he deserved it.
It was easy to change a human’s heart, an wise Monarch could become a fatuous one and a loyal official would also be dissident.
Every night when Pei Lang slept, he would always be awakened by a pair of eyes. That pair of eyes were clear, bright and had no tears but it made one’s heart heavier then when tears fell.
That was Shen Miao’s eyes.
Pei Lang had once thought that he was doing the right thing. He had ultimately inevitable result and avoided disadvantages and that was the best choice but as time went on, he could not deceive himself.
How was it ultimately inevitable result? He obviously did not want Shen Miao to die like this.
When did he began to feel other emotions for Shen Miao? Pei Lang himself did not know. He was her teacher in Guang Wen Tang and saw Shen Miao from an arrogant and knew nothing delicate female who wanted to marry Fu Xiu Yi, watched her marry into the residence of Prince Ding, learning the things that she did not like for Fu iu Yi, becoming a WangFei, becoming an Empress and then becoming an abolished Empress.
She was actually somewhat stupid and was not considered smart as she learned things slowly but made one fear her stubbornness and was generous toward the Inner Palace. Pei Lang would feel ridiculous at her willingness to give her everything for a person’s heart and sometimes felt envious of Fu Xiu Yi.
It was much later he could not help but pay more attention to her. Even he did not realise himself that he would be more paitent when he was approaching Shen Miao’s problems.
But Pei Lang was a smart person and a smart person would not let oneself make mistakes.
So when he discovered his strange thoughts, he was determined to stop this mistake. It was he who suggested for Shen Miao to go to Qin country as a hostage. But after five years when Shen Miao returned, his thoughts were still not changed.
He coldly looked at Shen Miao fighting with Mei Furen till she was all injured and also saw as her eyes became dimmer and watched her withering.
At the end when Fu Xiu Yi asked him about how to deal with the Shen family’s descendants, he said a phrase without thinking.
Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots.
It was to cut the weeds in his heart and to eliminate the roots in his heart.
He had not expected that Fu Xiu Yi’s cutting the weeds and eliminating the roots was included Fu Ming. Even a vicious tiger would not eat its cubs but Fu Xiu Yi could even take action against his own flesh and blood. One could still use the excuse of Wan Yu had an accident during the journey but Fu Ming’s death was ordered by Fu Xiu Yi.
Pei Lang remembered Shen Miao’s eyes after she knew of Fu Ming’s death. That pair of clear eyes widen so big and there was no tears but made one feel so miserable that other could not bear to look at them.
That fire burned for three entire days and night but it also lit Pei Lang’s regretful heart.
He went to Pu Tuo Monastery’s abbot and asked how to clear the vileness in one’s heart.
The abbot was an old monk and he shook his head while looking at him, “An illness of a heart would need a medicine for a heart.”
Was there a medication for regret in the world?
Pei Lang begged for the Enlightened Monk for guidance and he said, “Benefactor dream of the person because one owed a lot to the person. She could not be dissipated from your dreams because there was unresolved resentment. There is no way to carry on living and no way to be liberated.”
Pei Lang was terrified and asked if there was a solution.
The monk asked instead, “Leave the mistakes of the past and seek an opportunity of a redo. If it requires benefactor’s life, is benefactor willing to give?”
Pei Lang said, “Willing.”
That monk said, “May benefactor return.”
“Why return?” Pei Lang did not understand.
“Benefactor is willing to pay with one’s life but that opportunity requires waiting.”
“That opportunity… What kind of opportunity?” Pei Lang asked.
“The person that benefactor owed to, still have a wish. When the wish is resolved, benefactor can give one’s life and perhaps there would be a chance.” The enlightened monk then said, “This monk could not say more then this.”
Pei Lang thanked the monk and returned to the Palace.
What was Shen Miao’s unfulfilled wish?
Shen Miao’s entire life was miserable. Both children and clan died so what she wanted to see the most was most likely the enemies in hell and the Shen family’s reputation was cleared.
There was an opportunity to redo everything but it would require one to wait. Would one wait or not?
Wait. Pei Lang had made a decision.
This lifetime was so long. It was so long that he was willing to use his live to save a mistake.
*****
Winter passed and spring arrived as the wild goose came and went.
When an Imperial dynasty was nearing the end of its fate, the atmosphere of defeat would be hung over it.
The current Ming Qi was not like the former Ming Qi. Exorbitant taxation, forced labour and servitude, unhappy commoners, corrupt officials, chaotic court and a muddleheaded Monarch.
The Crown Prince was busy forming cliques for one’s own interest and could not wait to be the new Emperor as soon as possible.
The military power had been consolidated and returned but there were no capable Generals to lead them. Ming Qi was a piece of fatty meat that everyone wanted a bite.
The distant Great Liang had attacked and swallowed Qin country and finally launched an offensive against Ming Qi. It was like breaking a dead branch from a tree, it was just too easy to win as they fought all the way to the city towers of Ding capital.
As they stationed their camps, all the people in Ding capital felt the danger and the commoners’ household were tightly closed and the atmosphere of a destroyed nation filled the air.
In the biggest tent, there was someone listing and wiping a long sword.
“Ming Qi has reached it’s end.” A white clad gentleman walked over with a folding fan and one was unable to hear any emotions in his voice, “One heard that the Imperial Palace is currently cleaned out tonight.”
What was cleaned out was the womenfolk in the Palace, namely the consorts, concubines, palace maids and Princesses, all will be cleaned out. Instead of being insulted by the enemies, it was better to die first to protect one’s dignity.
But was it really to protect one’s dignity? How many of those people did not want to die?
The movements of wiping the sword paused and the man looked up, revealing a beautiful face. He had a pair of peach blossoms eyes but his gaze was of indifference, “Oh. Has the corpse of Empress Shen found?”
Ji Yu Shu opened the doors of the tent and walk in. He heard those words coincidently and said, “One had inquired and it was not found. The Cold Palace was burned cleanly down in a fire that there was not even any clothes.”
Gao Yang sneered, “Fu Xiu Yi really fears of others gossiping and managed it so cleanly.”
“The Shen family is pitiful.” Ji Yu Shu sighed, “If the Shen family was present, how would he have fallen to such a state?”
Xie Jing Xing said faintly, “One is only digging one’s grave.” He then looked at the red string in his hand.
The colour of the string had somewhat faded but it was still tied tightly. He later wore it to many battlefields but the red string had not fallen off at all.
Thinking about the bright and clear voice of the female that night, Xie Jing Xing shook his head as that promise was ultimately unfulfilled. Who knew that in a short period of a few years, the empire of Ming Qi would be annihilated that quickly? Even without Great Liang, it would not last long.
He indeed return in triumphant and intended to give her a wish for that cup of wine and also accompany her to watch fireworks but the person was gone and there would not be any opportunity in this lifetime.
He said, “Attack the city tomorrow morning.”
*****
Great Liang’s flag was flying high up. The weather of the sixth month was changing rapidly that the black clouds were pressing down onto the city and the wind was raging on, as if it was going to rain in the next moment.
There was no one in the Palace and corpses were laying everywhere. There were some females that had ‘committed suicide’ and there were some servants that were beheaded by Great Liang’s army.
Blood flowed throughout the field as corpses piled up to hundreds of thousands.
Pei Lang sat in the tea hall and pouring a cup of tea for himself. He poured it slowly and steam rose from the corner of the table as it gave of a scent, like a beauty’s whisper that made one intoxicated.
He glanced outside the window.
The day when Shen Miao died, also had such a weather like this. The skies was gloomy and suddenly the rain came pouring.
He had waiting for a long time and finally this day had come.
Great Liang’s army has arrived and Ming Qi was at its end. Fu Xiu Yi and Mei Furen had lived the end of the road and Shen Miao’s wish was about to be fulfilled.
He finally had the opportunity to turn back the mistakes that he made.
He poured the small bottle into the jug and poured a full cup for himself.
Your wish is about to come true. It’s a pity… That the person who fulfill it is not me.
On the city tower, under the pressure of the army, the Emperor’s and Empress’s hands were bound and they were tied to the flagpole.
Humans were selfish and would end another’s life for their own. This was something that Mei Furen and Fu Xiu Yi often do and not it was their turn to have a taste of it.
The officials in Ming Qi’s Palace had tied up their Emperor and Empress to flatter Great Liang. They were willing to use the heads of the Emperor and Empress to gain a way out from the other party to let oneself live.
When the tree toppled, the monkeys scattered. When a wall was about to collapse, everyone would give it a push. No matter how favoured Mei Furen was, at this moment she was unable to move.
Oh. There was still the new Crown Prince, Fu Chen. But he was long beheaded by Xie Chang Wu and Xie Chang Chao, who were great at bootlicking, and they went to the Great Liang army with it.
Under the city tower, there sat a male on horse, with a pair of lazily narrowed eyes. One did not know when did the dark clouds scattered and the golden sun shone onto the entire city.
His robes were gorgeous and stained with blood but the noble air was not suppressed. The Emperor who were captured and treated like fish meat, paled in contrast.
“Xie Jing Xing.” Fu Xiu Yi gritted his teeth.
The heir of the residence of the Marquis of Lin An, Xie Ding’s Son, Xie Cang Wu’s and Xie Change Chao’s brother. No one had expected that the youth that died early in the battlefield, the youth who died along with the Marquis of Lin An, would reappear so many years later in this manner.
He was the younger blood brother of Emperor Yong Le of Great Liang, the revered and noble Prince Rui of First Rank and also the Commander of Great Liang, leading Mo Yun Army, that one would lose one’s gall upon hearing them in the wind.
“Long time no see, youngest son of the Fu family.” Xie Jing Xing greeted him.
Everyone knew that the younger blooded brother of Emperor Yong Le of Great Liang was the most impressive. He warred against the world for him and was bold and uninhibited. Such an heroic person was originally the heir of the residence of the Marquis of Lin An.
Mei Furen stared at that male.
She was very scared. No matter how she was able to grasp the winning hand, when it comes to life and death situation, she would lose all composure. She had always relied on men to get what she wanted step by step but at this juncture, all the tricks were useless. She blamed Fu Xiu Yi for being useless for making such a perfectly fine dynasty be annihilated like this. Upon looking down on the beautiful features of the male, she stared at him involuntarily, with moving eyes.
Xie Jing Xing frowned and asked Ji Yu Shu, “Shen Miao lost to this female?”
Ji Yu Shu said, “Correct.” He also added, “Only such an ordinary appearance. One really doesn’t know if this Ming Qi Emperor is short sighted.”
Both of their voices were not concealed and the entire army of Great Liang laughed while Mei Furen’s cheeks flushed red with hate. Fu Xiu Yi was annoyed and he looked at Xie Jing Xing, “If you want to kill then kill, why the need to spout nonsense.”
“Still putting on a manly act now?” Ji Yu Shu said with disdain, “Third Older Brother, this Ming Qi Emperor is anxious to die.”
Xie Jing Xing smiled lazily, “Initially this Prince did not want to kill you and was to lazy to do it oneself but this Prince owed your Little Empress a wish. Coincidentally this ending is the ending that you had prepared for this Prince so be it official or personal reasons, one have to return it as thanks.”
He spread his hands out and Gao Yang brought the bow over and handled a silver arrow to him. Xie Jing Xing pulled the bow and one could hear a ‘pak’ sound.
Mei Furen, who was on top of the city tower was shot.
That arrow did not go straight to the chest and avoided the critical organs. Blood flowed nonstop that it made onlookers widen their eyes in shock. Mei Furen was in so much pain that she felt faint. Fu Xiu Yi’s calmed face changed.
The scariest thing in the world was not death but waiting for death.
Xie Jing Xing smiled and stretched his hands out. Gao Yang handled another two arrows over.
He put both arrows together on the bow before whistling.
One saw tens of thousands of Great Liang troops all pulled their bows and aimed at the two persons at the city tower.
The wind was blowing the flags on the platform strongly like it was a ghost howling. But at the end the last trace of dark clouds dissipate and light shone onto the ground.
That male’s purple clothes swayed lightly with the wind and his smile was cold and sharp but there seemed to be some boyish stubbornness between his brows. He stood below the city towers and look on ambiguously before laughing.
“My apologies Little Emperor, one is indebted to a Young Lady to take your dog life.”
“Release.”
Tens of thousands of arrows fiercely shot towards the two persons. It was as if a beast was startled and it was almost obscuring Heavens. Not even a trace of sun was seen as it swallowed the two persons.
Nothing could be seen.
In the Palace, the green clad male had fallen onto the table in front, seemingly sleeping.
Near one’s foot a lantern was tilted and the candle in it fell. In half a moment, the curtains started to burn and fire slowly spread, burning Zhong Hua Palace, through Jin Yu Dian till the entire Imperial Palace was surrounded by flames.
“Third Older Brother, the Imperial Palace has caught fire.” Ji Yu Shu watched from afar and said in alarm, “Do one send people over to extinguish the fire?”
“No need.” Xie Jing Xing stopped him.
“This Imperial Palace of Ming Qi is not clean and it is better to burn it down.” His brows raised, “Fireworks during the daytime. At least one did not break one’s promise.”
“What does that mean?” Ji Yu Shu did not understand.
Xie Jing Jing looked at the skies that was redden by the fire but what appeared in front of his eyes was the lonely figure drinking under the clear bright moonlight.
“This Imperial dynasty had failed you so this Prince will destroy this Imperial dynasty for you.” He said lowly, “This is most probably your wish.”
He however did not notice that the red string, that was tied tightly on his wrist that it had not fallen off for a few years, suddenly broke apart and gently fell onto the fire on the ground, turning into ashes.
No one had heard a long female sigh in the ashes.
So it turned out that this was a calamity and this turned out to be fate.
What one saw might not be real. What the ears hear might also not be real. In the past and current lifetimes he had stood at a distance and smiled without a care and only when one was nearly, one could only then understand what kind of person he was. He was frivolous but was the most sincere and was full of schemes but was righteous. He could send thousands of troops for one cup of warm wine and could stand up for a stranger that one met by chance and said ‘my apologies Little Emperor, one is indebted to a Young Lady to take your dog life’. He lived most seriously but also the most chicly. From among the despicable he was an unlimited honesty and in the world where on look upon indifferently to fight, at the end one did not turn one back but placed that bit of light on one’s palm.
This was her question. It was her question but only he could resolve it.
“It is raining.” Gao Yang put away the fan, “Summer days are sure strange.”
Xie Jing Xing’s lips raised, “Enter the city.”
“For what?”
“Take over the Imperial power.”
Translator thoughts: So many emotions go through my heart and a hundred thoughts passed my mind. Every times I read to the end of this chapter, I will be so overwhelmed that I do not know what to feel or think. A sense of relief that SM could let go? Sorrow for PL’s regret? Regretful that XJX did not get to see SM? Reassured that evil was punished? Bitter that SM did not get to see their ending? Joyous at Fu Chen’s ending? Thankful that XJX is there to fulfill SM unspoken wish? Bittersweet with the scene of the ‘fireworks’? Why did XJX did what he did? How about the 2nd and 3rd household?
