Peach Blossoms

Chapter 30

Qin Hao's display of power in court that day now seems full of flaws. It's regrettable that he panicked upon hearing Lin Ziyan was to be imprisoned and failed to think things through carefully. Clearly, these flaws were deliberately staged for others to see. And who else could this "other person" be but Prince Yin, Qin Ke, who had just returned from the Northwest?

Qin Ke's achievements in the Northwest within a year were enough to make Qin Hao wary. Otherwise, he wouldn't have disregarded the late emperor's dying wish and allowed Qin Ke to return to Yundu for the sacrificial ceremony. He simply wanted to keep Qin Ke in Yundu forever! Qin Hao was indeed ruthless, even more so than Emperor Shun. Emperor Shun demoted Qin Ke to the Northwest merely to use the harsh environment there to suppress his ambitions through imperial decree. But Qin Hao, whoever posed a threat to him, would be eliminated without hesitation. That's the nature of an emperor…

The deeper Lin Suyang thought about it, the colder his heart became. The ministers below, those with a modicum of insight, probably all saw through Emperor Hong's plans. However, the majority of those supporting Qin Ke were concentrated among military generals and officials in the Northwest. Furthermore, Qin Ke was generally considered upright, and had offended quite a few powerful figures. This time, relying solely on his few trusted confidants, it would be extremely difficult for him to escape Yundu unscathed.

Lin Suyang, disregarding her own barely healed injuries, rushed to the Prince Yin's residence. Without even announcing herself, she went straight to the study. Opening the door, she saw Qin Ke leisurely composing poems and painting.

"Is Your Highness taking a break from your busy schedule?" Lin Suyang asked casually as he walked over.

"Heh. The rituals have been prepared long ago. There's nothing else to do." Qin Ke looked up at her.

"Don't you want to go back to the Northwest?" Lin Suyang moved the inkstone off the table to prevent it from soiling the drawing paper.

Qin Ke paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Of course I want to, I dream of taking you back to the Northwest as soon as possible." Noticing she was staring intently at him, he forced a smile and said, "Just kidding."

Lin Suyang lowered her eyes and said softly, "What if the Emperor doesn't want you to return?"

Qin Ke put down his pen and sat down in the chair behind him, saying calmly, "Life and death are predestined. What's meant to happen will happen, no matter how hard you try to avoid it."

"But you can hide, return to the Northwest and quietly be your prince, let the Emperor believe in your loyalty..." Seeing Qin Ke's bright eyes, even Lin Suyang himself knew how unreliable these words were. Would the Emperor Hong believe them?

Qin Ke stood up and walked to her side, saying, "Su Yang, I know you're worried, even if it's just the worry between friends, I'm still glad you care about me. But you must know that as the emperor, I won't allow any possibility to remain. If I fail this time... you must protect yourself well, and retreat if you can. The imperial court is not a place for you."

Since leaving the Prince's mansion, Lin Suyang had been absent-minded. A thin layer of snowflakes covered the ground. Looking up, he wondered why the sky was so gloomy.

As he approached his doorstep, Lin Suyang suddenly stopped and turned to walk towards the Lin residence.

Lin Cheng gave his servants several instructions and was about to leave when he saw his "son" walk in.

"father."

Lin Cheng paused, glanced at her, and then turned back towards the study. Lin Suyang followed closely behind.

"Speak, what is it?" Lin Cheng asked, turning around after Lin Suyang closed the door.

"Father, you know about the Emperor's plan, don't you?"

“Ninth Prince?” Lin Cheng said slowly. “Yes, I know.” No wonder he wasn’t nervous at all when Ziyan was about to be imprisoned; he already knew that Ziyan would be fine.

Lin Suyang looked into her father's eyes, which had somehow become a deep pool, like the wisest man, impossible to see through. "Father, tell me, how can the Ninth Prince go back?" She didn't want to get involved in these conflicts, but she simply couldn't bear to watch Qin Ke be in danger.

"You want to save him?" Lin Cheng looked at her meaningfully.

"Yes, because he helped me."

Lin Cheng sighed, "Yang'er, His Majesty is determined not to let the Ninth Prince go, otherwise there would have been no preparations that day. Counting the days, once the sacrificial ceremony is over in the next few days, this matter will be settled. If anyone is to blame, it's only because the Prince is too clever, so clever that it makes people uneasy."

"Father, I know you must have a way to save him, please." Lin Suyang knelt down before Lin Cheng, his eyes fixed on Lin Cheng.

Seeing the child like this, Lin Cheng frowned, and finally reached out to help him up, saying, "I don't have any other way right now, but if you want to save him, it depends on whether you can persuade the Emperor to change his mind. If you can't persuade him either, listen to your father and give up."

Thick, dark clouds shrouded the sky above Yundu, and the snow had started again, falling heavily. Street vendors packed up early and went home to warm themselves by the fire; in this cold weather, home was the warmest place. There were still a few days until the late emperor's memorial service; the New Year was almost here.

Volume Three, Heartbreak, Chapter Seventy-One: Facing the Empty Moon (Part Two)

Lin Suyang wanted to see Emperor Hong, but unexpectedly, An Zhen stopped him at the door.

"Grand Tutor Lin, His Majesty is unwell today and will not see anyone."

"Is the Emperor unwell?" Lin Suyang asked in confusion, "Has the Imperial Physician been consulted?"

"I've been examined. The imperial physician said it's from catching a cold, and he should rest for a few days, just don't overexert yourself," An Zhen replied calmly. That makes sense; Qin Hao must have been preoccupied with the sacrificial ceremony these past few days, so it's quite possible he's fallen ill. Lin Suyang didn't ask any further questions and went home without even going to the imperial study.

After she left, An Zhen entered Qin Hao's palace and said to the person inside from outside the curtain, "Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Lin has left."

"Um."

The next day, Lin Suyang went to see Qin Hao again, only to be told once more that the Emperor was unwell and she should come back in a few days. A few days later, the sacrificial ceremony would be over, and by then it would be too late; the Emperor Hong probably knew her purpose and was deliberately avoiding her. On the third day, Lin Suyang stopped going through An Zhen and stood directly in front of Qin Hao's palace, waiting until he was willing to see her.

The weather was unusually gloomy today. The snow that was falling had changed from scraps of paper to goose feathers. From morning to evening, Lin Suyang stood in front of Mingchen Palace, letting a thick layer of snowflakes accumulate on his official hat and court robes.

An Zhen, carrying a bowl of ginseng soup, walked over from the front door and said to Lin Suyang, "Grand Tutor Lin, the Emperor will not see you. You should go back."

Lin Suyang remained silent, standing motionless like a frozen sculpture. An Zhen shook her head, pushed open the palace door, and went inside. The moment the door closed, Qin Hao, sitting behind his desk, saw Lin Suyang's solitary figure in the snow.

“Your Majesty,” An Zhen put down the ginseng soup and said in a low voice, “Grand Tutor Lin has been standing in the snow for six whole hours. It’s so cold, the Grand Tutor is very likely to fall ill!” This child is so weak, and he was even beaten with a cane by the emperor a few days ago. How can this be allowed to continue?

Qin Hao absentmindedly flipped through the documents. These past two days, to avoid Lin Suyang, he'd moved all his official business to his bedchamber. Who would have thought she'd pull this stunt today? His heart ached terribly, yet he was also furious. After much internal struggle, he threw what he was holding onto the table and said to An Zhen with feigned indifference, "Let her in."

An Zhen's face lit up with joy. She quickly went out to inform Lin Suyang. After she went inside, she gently closed the door, leaving the two of them inside. She just wanted the two of them to keep things from escalating.

Qin Hao raised his eyes and looked at Lin Suyang standing below, asking, "Grand Tutor, what urgent matter do you have to discuss with me?"

The temperature inside the palace had warmed up considerably. Soon after Lin Suyang entered, the snowflakes on her clothes melted into water, leaving her soaked. Although she was no longer afraid of the cold or heat, her body was already weakened from the beating she had received. The cold, stiff official robes still made her shiver uncontrollably. Qin Hao couldn't bear to see her like this. He went down and took his own cloak, draping it over her shoulders. He coldly said, "If you fall ill, who will handle the memorials for me?"

At this moment, Lin Suyang wasn't thinking about anything else. Seeing Qin Hao, he forgot everything. Hearing Qin Hao's question, he blurted out, "Will the Emperor allow the Ninth Prince to return to the Northwest?"

Qin Hao's face immediately darkened. He approached her step by step. "Grand Tutor, all your efforts these past two days and your actions today were for Ninth Imperial Uncle?" Seeing her acquiescence, his tone became even colder. "I never imagined that Ninth Imperial Uncle was so important to Grand Tutor Lin. To give the Grand Tutor such strong willpower to stand in the snow for six hours!"

Lin Suyang ignored the implication in his words and asked again, "Please tell me, Your Majesty, will Your Majesty allow the Ninth Prince to return to the Northwest?"

"So what if I do, and so what if I don't?" Qin Hao asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"If Your Majesty allows the Prince to return to the Northwest, I believe Your Majesty is a benevolent and virtuous ruler."

"If I don't let my uncle return to the Northwest, I'll be a heartless and tyrannical ruler!" Qin Hao roared.

Lin Suyang lowered his eyes. "That's not what I meant. Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince is your uncle, and he has made many contributions to our Great Yang Dynasty. Does Your Majesty really want to be a treacherous person?"

"Betrayal? Can you guarantee that the Imperial Uncle won't betray his promise in the future?" Qin Hao questioned.

"I can guarantee it," Lin Suyang replied confidently, though he didn't know why he thought so, but subconsciously believed that Qin Ke wouldn't do it.

"The national treasury has been robbed. I'm sure His Majesty knows better than I do what happened. The Ninth Prince is His Majesty's ultimate target. However, His Majesty has only been on the throne for a year. Although there are no external threats, not to mention that Yan and Liao are still eyeing us covetously, the vassal states in the west are also eager to make moves. I believe His Majesty is also aware of the Ninth Prince's status and prestige in the army. If His Majesty detains the prince, it will inevitably cause instability in the army and make people doubt His Majesty's authority. If we really have to confront the two countries, we may encounter great obstacles."

Qin Hao sneered, "Lin Suyang, you're very smart and know a lot, but do you understand what kind of fate awaits those who know too much?"

"I know, but I understand even more clearly that what is detrimental to the Prince at this time is also detrimental to the Emperor. If the Emperor believes that I know too much, I am willing to die to keep quiet," Lin Suyang replied calmly.

"Die? You'd rather die than let me spare my uncle?" Qin Hao leaned close to her and stared intently at her.

Lin Suyang could feel the scorching breath coming from him. "Yes, Your Majesty." He owed Qin Ke so much. If he could help him return to the Northwest safely, what did death matter? As for Si Junxing, although he had also given a lot, he had already given him all the heart he could. If there was an afterlife, he only asked that there be no more twists and turns.

"Are you threatening me?" Qin Hao was furious, his heart clenching with even greater pain. Before, he was willing to bear the death penalty for deceiving the emperor for that man named Si Junxing; now, he's willing to die to plead for the Ninth Prince. Lin Suyang… how many people are truly worthy of your concern? In your heart, whether it's the Ninth Prince, Si Junxing, or even Yu'er and Lin Ziyan, they can all frighten you, all make you spare no effort to protect them. When will you finally turn around and look at me?

"That's enough," Qin Hao said, turning around. "You may leave."

"emperor……"

"Don't worry, I won't be the 'traitor' you speak of." I'm tired because of you.

Before Qin Hao could finish saying "thank you," he heard a thud from behind. He turned around and saw Lin Suyang lying on the ground with a flushed face. He quickly went over to her and called out, "Grand Tutor Lin, Grand Tutor Lin." He reached out and touched her forehead; it was burning hot.

Qin Hao didn't have time to think. He picked her up and carried her to the dragon bed behind the screen. After placing her on the bed, he wanted to call the imperial physician to examine her, but then he remembered that her identity would be exposed immediately upon examination. However, seeing her suffering, he felt a pang of panic. After careful consideration, he realized that she had fallen ill because she had been beaten some time ago and had been exposed to the cold wind for so long today. After regretting it for a long time, he finally called An Zhen and ordered the imperial physician to brew some medicine for typhoid fever and bring it over.

Holding the medicine, Qin Hao was at a loss. He had never fed anyone medicine before. He had been raised in luxury since childhood, and it was more likely that others would feed him.

He stirred the medicine in the bowl with a spoon, then helped the still unconscious Lin Suyang sit up and held her in his arms. He held the medicine in one hand and gently lifted her head with the other, helping her drink it slowly. After she finally finished, Qin Hao put the bowl down, looked at the person in his arms, and, reluctant to let go, tightened his embrace. Heaven knows how long he had wanted to do this?

Just as she was immersed in a rare moment of happiness, she suddenly felt something was wrong. Lin Suyang's body was getting hotter and hotter than before. Lin Suyang struggled uncomfortably in his arms, and Qin Hao quickly put her back on the bed.

Lin Suyang, freed from her constraints, did not find relief. Instead, she writhed in even greater agony, clutching her collar and crying out, "It's so hot!" Sweat dripped from her forehead, soaking the brocade quilt. Qin Hao, in a panic, disregarded everything else and immediately summoned the imperial physician who had just fetched the medicine.

"Tell me, what kind of medicine have you brewed for me?" Qin Hao roared furiously.

The imperial physician, who was lying on the ground, was unaware of what had happened. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow with his sleeve and answered tremblingly, "Your Majesty, I was only preparing medicine for treating typhoid fever."

"Then come and see what's going on." Qin Hao stepped aside, and the imperial physician immediately saw Lin Suyang lying on the bed. Upon seeing this, he was shocked and took a few steps back, saying in a panic, "Your Majesty, may I take a closer look?"

Qin Hao impatiently waved him away, and the imperial physician hurried over to take Lin Suyang's pulse. This time, he was even more terrified, his face turning ashen. The imperial son-in-law and tutor, the emperor's favorite, was actually a woman! Seeing the emperor's anxious expression, what was going on between them…

The imperial physician collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably. "Your Majesty, the Grand Tutor... seems to have been given an aphrodisiac..."

Volume Three, Heartbreak, Chapter Seventy-Two: Things Have Changed (Part 1)

"What did you say?" Qin Hao asked through gritted teeth.

The imperial physician was so frightened he couldn't speak. Under Qin Hao's imposing aura, he could only stammer, "Your Majesty, the Grand Tutor has an abnormally high fever, her pulse is strong and rapid, and she's emotionally unstable... it's... it's a sign of being drugged with aphrodisiacs..."

"Absurd!" Qin Hao was furious. How could she have been drugged with aphrodisiacs while she was by his side the whole time? Could it be the typhoid medicine from earlier?

"What formula did you use just now? She's like this after taking your medicine." Seeing that Lin Suyang's hands had scratched her neck and left bloody marks, Qin Hao sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her hands down to stop her from moving.

Seeing all this, even the most unreasonable imperial physician understood the Emperor's high regard for Grand Tutor Lin. He felt a pang of sorrow, knowing that knowing such a secret meant he was likely doomed.

"Your Majesty, just now Eunuch An asked me to prepare medicine for typhoid fever. I prepared the medicine according to the dosage Your Majesty used when you were ill in the past. I really don't know why this is happening."

In truth, the imperial physician genuinely didn't know why a perfectly good prescription for typhoid fever had led to this situation after Lin Taifu took it. Specifically, it was related to Lin Suyang herself. The imperial cane had injured her, leaving her weak, and the Nine Lotus Ice within her body was slowly beginning to heal. Today, she had been exposed to six hours of wind and snow, causing her to be chilled and develop a high fever and fall into a coma. If left untreated, she would recover on her own soon, and the imperial physician's typhoid fever decoction wouldn't cause any major side effects. The problem was that the imperial physician, worried about the medicine being too strong, added a honey stem branch to the regular decoction.

Honey stem has very low medicinal properties and a sweet taste. When added to traditional Chinese medicine, it can make the decoction less bitter. However, honey stem cannot be used on Lin Suyang at this moment. You must know that her internal energy is very unstable. Nine Lotus Ice is a divine medicine that spontaneously protects her body and therefore takes the lead. As soon as honey stem enters, it immediately disrupts the balance. Its medicinal properties stimulate the suppressed fever, which is why the current situation has occurred.

Lin Suyang was like a boiled shrimp, unable to move and in excruciating pain under Qin Hao's control. Her cherry-red lips were bitten until they bled, her long eyelashes trembled, and her exquisite features were even more alluring. Qin Hao's eyes darkened, and he slowly released his grip. Lin Suyang immediately raised her hand to touch her forehead, then opened her clothes and breathed heavily.

Qin Hao stood up and walked to the still kneeling imperial physician. "Imperial Physician Wang, do you know what to do?"

Imperial Physician Wang trembled in despair. The emperor's secrets were only kept by the dead. "Your Majesty, I understand."

Qin Hao nodded. "I will make proper arrangements for your wife and children. Go."

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor." Imperial Physician Wang kowtowed to Qin Hao, then stood up unsteadily and staggered out.

The palace gates are closed, heavy and cold. The night is desolate. Outside the walls, plum blossoms exude fragrance. Inside, withered bamboo groves stand forlorn. Palace lanterns flicker. Gauze curtains hang heavy with melancholy. It is not in dreams that I often think of someone, but rather I dwell as a transient inn in this world. The candle goes out. All is quiet. The tea grows cold.

That night, the flowers and trees outside Mingchen Palace, which should have withered long ago, miraculously came back to life, lush and vibrant. Everyone who saw this knelt before the heavens. Heaven blesses the Great Central Plains.

High above, the mountains stand bare. The night is cold and desolate. Si Junxing listens to the sound of the wind. Snowflakes must be falling softly. But... where does this faint floral fragrance come from? His heart stirs. Lin Suyang. Lin Suyang. Those three indelible words!

How many days left? Soon. Soon. He gripped the jade pendant tightly in his hand, stroking the words on it. Si Junxing's lips curled into a smile. Soon I'll see you. You'll be so happy, won't you? I'll stay by your side every day, waiting for you, watching you, until you leave that cage-like place. Then I'll take you to every corner of this world.

Qin Yu was extremely anxious, more anxious than ever before. Lin Suyang hadn't returned since leaving early yesterday morning. She couldn't eat or drink, sitting in her room waiting, unable to sleep all night. Her uncle had come this morning, only to say that Lin Suyang had gone to the palace on business. In truth, she didn't know what Lin Suyang was doing in the palace. Seeing how hurried she'd been these past few days, she must have important matters to discuss with her brother. However, this time she'd been gone far too long. Usually, no matter how much official business she had or how late she stayed in the palace, she would always return home. But last night, she hadn't come back all night and still hadn't returned.

As darkness fell, Qin Yu couldn't wait to change his clothes and go to the palace to ask. Stepping out of the courtyard, he saw a figure standing at the door. Puzzled, he walked closer and found Lin Suyang standing there blankly with a pale face.

"Su Yang, why are you only coming back now?" Qin Yu asked, pulling her along with a hint of reproach, though his heart had finally settled. Lin Su Yang didn't answer, letting Qin Yu lead her inside.

"I thought something had happened to you, I was so scared I couldn't eat anything, and I was just about to go out and look for you. You know, today Ninth Prince came to chat with you, and when I told him you weren't here, he didn't believe me and waited at home for ages before leaving, and you..." The silence behind her made Qin Yu stop talking to herself. She turned around and looked at Lin Suyang, "Suyang?"

Lin Suyang kept her head down, seemingly lost in thought, until Qin Yu called out to her again, at which point she looked up at him in a daze.

"What's wrong?" Could something really have happened? Qin Yu's heart, which had just settled down, jumped again.

"It's nothing," Lin Suyang forced a smile. "I want to take a shower."

Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief at her weak words; she must be too busy with official duties and too tired to speak. He immediately ordered someone to prepare a bath and bring it into the room. After preparing her clothes, Qin Yu said softly, "Take your time bathing. I'll have Qiao Sheng get some food. I'll wait for you in the side hall." He then closed the door and left.

Lin Suyang walked over and locked the door. She returned to the bathtub, lost in thought. After a while, she slowly pulled down her belt. As her clothes fell away, her smooth, fair skin was revealed, but the numerous bluish-purple bruises on it stood out starkly in the dim, flickering light. From her neck down, her entire body bore these cruel marks. She stepped into the tub, her expression remaining as blank as before.

Her head ached so badly that she couldn't think straight. What was wrong? What was happening? She wanted to cry, but couldn't. Her eyes felt sore and dry, as if everything was slipping away from her, something she couldn't grasp or get back.