Eternal Night

Chapter 146

First signs

Yongye lay at the post station recuperating from his injuries. The palace sent imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to examine him, using only the finest wound medicines. After healed, new skin grew, and remarkably, no scar remained.

The crime was committed by the third young master of the An family, Mo Yu Gongzi, who has disappeared without a trace, and a warrant for his arrest has been issued. The emperor's decision was to confiscate the An family's property, but because Consort Hua cried and made a fuss every day, only the An family mansion was confiscated, and the An family was ordered to pay one million taels of silver as insurance. The matter was then dropped.

With the mansion gone, the old lady announced the division of the family property. Each branch and courtyard of the An family received its share of the family fortune, with An Boping receiving the largest portion. Dachanghao and Jiguzhai remained under his name. The once-vast An family, however, was like a bundle of chopsticks standing upright, which crumbled into pieces when the hand loosened.

Those with ability and ambition diligently manage their businesses. Those who are idle and dissolute, without the restraint of elders, indulge in debauchery, cockfighting, and dog racing, gradually ruining their businesses.

However, the old lady brought her own gold and silver and servants, saying that she was going back to her hometown to spend her old age in peace and would not concern herself with the affairs of the An family.

The walls of the An family mansion, both inside and out, were suddenly torn down. Some of the once exquisite courtyards were left empty, while others were given to people by the emperor. They built their own walls and divided up the land.

Yingyue Lake was restored as a royal villa.

While recovering from her injuries, Yongye heard about the series of changes in the An family and couldn't help but sneer. This time, it was actually the Emperor of Qi who benefited. She felt resentful thinking about it, feeling that she had been injured for nothing.

Yin'er didn't understand, so Yongye lazily lay on the soft couch and explained to her, "You haven't been to the An family, so you don't know. Once you go, you'll understand. It's like a palace. Even a Buddha statue inside is priceless. His Majesty the Emperor would love for the An family to fall apart, and ideally, he'd have an even better reason to confiscate their property. There's a saying: 'When He Shen falls, Jiaqing is rich.' One family's gold and silver is enough for a country's tax revenue for twenty years. Such a big piece of meat, it makes your mouth water just looking at it."

Yin'er didn't understand He Kun, but Jiaqing suddenly realized: "It was all because of Miss's injuries."

"Very well, consider it my dowry. Anyway, I repeatedly told my father not to give me anything valuable. Otherwise, he might lose both his daughter and his dowry," Yongye said with a faint smile.

"Princess, Master Feng requests an audience."

"Tell him to get lost!" Yongye's heart flared up as he recalled Feng Yangxi's words from that day.

Yi Hong was startled and picked some chilled grapes to feed Yong Ye.

“Yihong, everything’s alright here. You can go back to Anguo with Commander Lin. His old mother is waiting for him at home.” Yongye said casually, eating grapes.

Yihong was stunned, tears welling up in her eyes. She knelt before Yongye and said, "Yihong knows, Miss has angered Yihong, Yihong didn't mean it..."

Yongye sat up abruptly, slapping the plate of grapes over the ground, his face turning pale with anger: "I'm angry with you? How can I be angry with you? You and Commandant Lin survived all those hardships for me, how dare I be angry with you?"

Yihong just kept sobbing. Yin'er and she had grown up together and had a deep bond. Yongye had always treated them very well and had never treated them like servants. He had never seen her so angry before. After a long while, he asked, "Miss, are you angry that Yihong won't stay by your side?"

Yongye gazed at Yihong and gave a cold smile. The thought of Lancui filled him with unbearable pain. He turned and walked out of the house, passing Yihong and saying bitterly, "Whether I marry the Crown Prince or not is none of your business. I won't stop you and Commandant Lin from repaying his life-saving grace. You two are caught in a dilemma here; if you want to return to Anguo, I'll grant your wish. Just don't let me find out again why the Crown Prince sends a whole basket of chilled grapes this afternoon when I ate them this morning!"

She strode away, refusing to look at Yihong again.

Yin'er was shocked and grabbed Yi Hong's hand, shaking it and asking, "Don't you know that Lan Cui broke Miss's heart? How could you..."

Yi Hong burst into tears: "I didn't! I only said it because the Crown Prince was concerned about Miss. I didn't betray her! I didn't even... utter a single word about the Chen Kingdom."

Yin'er sighed, patted Yi Hong's back to comfort her, and said softly, "Miss has been so unpredictable these days, she seems to be very distressed. Don't blame her... Miss doesn't like His Highness the Crown Prince, why are you doing this to yourself..."

Their voices carried far into Yongye's ears. A gust of wind blew, and a yellow leaf drifted down. Was autumn approaching? September was a time of clear skies and gentle breezes, so why did her heart still feel as if it were being scorched by the heat of summer?

"Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived," reported Wang Dali, the head guard, from the courtyard.

Yongye remained silent, standing on the steps, gazing at the leisurely drifting clouds on the horizon.

Wang Da then whispered, "The news that the princess is safe and sound has reached the capital. The Emperor and the Prince have sent letters." He took out two letters from his bosom.

Yongye took the letter and unfolded it. Li Tianyou wrote: "Luoyu played the zither under the moon, thinking of Xiaoye that night and couldn't help but sigh. But things have come to this, Xiaoye should prioritize peace and reconciliation. The world is far away, and her soul is in agony; I pity her." Yongye chuckled. Who thinks of you all the time? Her fingertips traced the letter, and with a sudden force, she poked a hole in it. Glancing at Wang Da beside her, she suppressed a laugh and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty by express utmost urgency, Yongye has no regrets for Your Majesty, to repay Your Majesty's grace."

Wang Da bowed his head in agreement. Yongye didn't even glance at the Prince Duan's letter. Seeing that he wanted the letter back, he smiled and said, "Report back to the Prince that he has given birth to a good daughter. Also, send your regards to the Princess Consort and say that she is the only good person in the family."

Wang Da was startled; wasn't this a blatant insult to Prince Duan?

Yongye frowned and said, "How about I just say that I only miss her?"

Wang Da breathed a sigh of relief, bowed, and left.

Yongye crumpled Li Tianyou's letter into a ball, then hesitated before tucking it into her bosom. Holding the Prince Duan's letter, she hesitated. What did her treacherous father want to tell her? After guessing for a while, Yongye opened the letter. It read: "The flower on the sole of your foot was a secret leaked by Father."

Yongye sneered. She had known all along; that old cunning man. Looking closer, she saw another sentence written on it: "The customs of the thirty-six tribes of Qi differ. The Empress inadvertently mentioned that the Xibo tribe of Qi still uses human blood sacrifices during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Recalling the Anqi battle twenty-two years ago during the Mid-Autumn Festival, I killed the Xibo tribe chief with a spear, annihilated three thousand Xibo warriors, and obtained the Heavenly Vein Inner Scripture. I can't help but sigh."

What does this mean? Twenty-two years ago, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, her father fought a great battle with Qi. She unexpectedly learned from Luo Yu that the Xibo tribe also performed a blood sacrifice every Mid-Autumn Festival. Countless lives were lost in that battle; she heard that the heads her father chopped off almost crushed his mount. Could it be that he suspects the Valley Master of Youli Valley, who wanted to kill him, is a member of this Xibo tribe? Her heart pounded; she seemed to have thought of something, yet couldn't grasp it. But Yongye felt that she was getting closer to the truth, gradually uncovering the true face of Youli Valley. A surge of excitement welled up within her. If she found Youli Valley, wouldn't she be able to find Yuepo and Qiangwei?

"Princess!" Wang Da returned again, accompanied by Vice Minister Ma.

"What is it?"

Minister Ma said with a beaming smile, "Princess, Emperor Qi has decreed that the wedding date be set for the Mid-Autumn Festival. There are still ten days left..."

"My injury hasn't healed yet, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is too rushed!"

Minister Ma was eager to complete his mission of escorting the bride and return to Anguo as soon as possible. Hearing Yongye's words, he was somewhat troubled and stammered, "Please, Princess, prioritize the affairs of state."

Yongye rolled her eyes. Even Li Tianyou didn't urge me, why are you rushing me? She waved her hand impatiently: "Just reply like that."

Minister Ma was sweating profusely and stammered, "Princess... His Highness the Crown Prince and Lord Zhao are still waiting in the front hall."

“I’ll say I’m sick and in bed,” Yongye decided, determined to play the rogue. She didn’t want to leave the palace again after entering; she was determined to stay there forever. Without even glancing at Minister Ma’s expression, she turned and left.

Princess Luoyu's inadvertent revelation of Xibo's customs seemed intricately connected to the great battle of twenty-two years ago, yet also seemed unlikely. She was determined to witness the Xibo blood sacrifice. Mid-Autumn Festival was just ten days away; how could she possibly marry into the palace? Even if she didn't go to Xibo, she would still leave. Even if she were to wander alone, she would not marry Crown Prince Yan.

Back in his bedchamber, Yongye sighed. Yihong was still kneeling, with Yin'er beside her. "Why are you kneeling?"

Yi Hong raised her head, her eyes red, and said, "It was Yi Hong who was wrong."

Yongye didn't know what to say, so he stepped forward, grabbed one of them by the arm, and pulled them up. Yihong and Yin'er's legs were numb, and they cried out as they fell back down. Yongye simply tossed them onto the bed, then suddenly remembered his childhood dream of having two women on either side of him. He chuckled, pounced on the bed, and hugged the two women tightly. "I've always wanted to have two women on either side of me, and today my wish has come true. Let's all sleep in one bed tonight."

Yihong and Yin'er blushed and slapped away Yongye's hand, saying, "Miss is getting more and more improper. She's about to get married and she's still making a fuss."

Yongye sighed, her head resting behind her head. "I don't want to get married. I still need to investigate the matter of Youli Valley and try to save Princess Qiangwei. Envoy Qi came today to deliver an imperial decree, ordering me to enter the palace for the Mid-Autumn Festival. I'm so worried."