"What will it take for you to let Consort Rong go?" The Empress Dowager frowned, her cold gaze piercing me, sending a chill down my spine.
"Impossible! I will definitely seek justice for my child!" My empty eyes still showed determination, and I looked directly into the Empress Dowager's eyes without fear, following the direction of her voice.
"Fine, fine, fine!" The Empress Dowager was truly angry; her face turned from green to black, perhaps because no one dared to challenge her authority like this.
"Empress Dowager, you must know that removing Consort Rong is also for the sake of the Emperor. If you want to protect Consort Rong, don't end up losing more than you gain, raising a treacherous wolf that will devour you." My black pupils were transparent, showing no emotion, as if I had seen through all the vicissitudes of life, blended into the clear autumn of ten thousand years, disdainful of human affairs, and coldly observing the changing world.
The Empress Dowager felt a chill run down her spine at being looked at like that for the first time, but she still managed to compose herself. "What do you know? The Prime Minister holds immense power and influence. I must consider the Emperor's future."
Her tone was cold and indifferent, devoid of any warmth: "Then Your Majesty can rest assured, His Majesty has already laid out this plan."
"This..." The Empress Dowager hesitated, glancing at me before nodding. "I understand."
I didn't try to stop her, and closed my eyes. Then I heard, "Guards, Consort Rong has behaved improperly and harmed the royal heir. Her crimes are unforgivable. Throw her into prison and execute her on a chosen day."
Silence returned outside. A footstep sounded beside my bed. I knew who it was, but I didn't move. I simply said, "I've done everything I could. You should let me go now."
"good"
Chapter 107
Sitting in the carriage Xuebin had prepared for me, the weight on my heart finally lifted. No one came to see me off today, not even Jing'er. Perhaps that girl is thinking about how to avoid the guards and then come to see me. That girl seems quiet, but she also has a willful and mischievous side.
After Consort Rong died, the prime minister wanted to rebel, but as I said, his power was controlled by Xue Bin, and the net was gradually tightening, leaving him with no way to turn back. On the day the prime minister was imprisoned, the number of guests that night inexplicably increased.
That night, "Empress" was even more silent, and sadness filled the air. I knew she had learned all the secrets and plans from Xuebin.
I sighed deeply, and my hand began to grope again. I didn't know how I would live without Mangosteen. It was because of her that I was able to live so smoothly in the darkness these past two years. Mangosteen reached out her hand to me, and I gestured for her to bend down.
"Mangosteen, I know you are skilled in martial arts, but I still don't know all about your identity. I'm leaving now, and before I go, I have something to tell you. I've already spoken with Xuebin about sending you to Jing'er's place. I can see that you genuinely like Jing'er, and your composure and calmness can be a great help to her. But there's something I still have to say. Although you are cold-hearted, you still have compassion, and this can sometimes cause you great suffering. Listen to me, sometimes it's best to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Shanzhu had only cried once when she was sent to be a bodyguard as a child, and she had never cried since. This time, she didn't know why, but tears just started falling. Her usually calm face held an unbreakable sadness. Shanzhu knew in her heart that she only had pity for her mistress.
"Still calling her Your Highness? Tomorrow morning, the Imperial Noble Consort of the Snow Kingdom will disappear." For the first time, my dignified smile vanished, replaced by a calm and serene one.
"Yes, Miss." Hearing Mangosteen call me that, I shook my head helplessly. I still couldn't change the deep-rooted sense of hierarchy among the ancients.
"Your Majesty, the Empress has arrived." At this moment, a palace maid knocked on the door and came in. She didn't dare to look at why Shanzhu was kneeling in front of me. She immediately moved to my side, bowed her head respectfully, and whispered in my ear, which immediately aroused my suspicion.
Mangosteen raised her eyes warily, calmly stood up, and stood behind me.
"Quickly, please, Mangosteen, prepare tea." Even though I was puzzled, I immediately had a palace maid invite the Empress in. Why was the Empress being so mysterious, as if she didn't want anyone to know?
After Mangosteen withdrew, a palace maid invited in the Empress and helped her to sit down in the chair opposite me.
"All of you may leave," the Queen dismissed everyone as soon as she sat down. It seemed she had something to say to me, and I guessed she already knew something!
"Your Majesty, what brings you to my humble abode?" I am still Xuebin's wife, the Noble Consort of Xue Kingdom, and I must still maintain my dignity.
"Don't bother with these polite words. I know what I need to know, and you don't need to worry about the secrets leaking out. I still call the shots in this palace." The Empress was also tired of the days of wearing a mask. Knowing that I was not a part of the harem, she took off her dignified and noble face.
"I came here today just to have a chat with you. You don't need to say much, just listen to what I have to say." The Queen rested her head on her hand, looking somewhat tired. Perhaps only when she was alone could she sit so casually, because she was the Queen Mother of the Snow Kingdom, and her every move reflected the national character of the Snow Kingdom.
"Your Majesty," came the knocking of Mangosteen at the door. I answered, and Mangosteen entered, bowing her head as she set out the tea. She stood behind me, and like the Empress Dowager, I said to her, "You may leave now."
After a moment of silence, Mangosteen said "yes" and left, carefully closing the door behind her.
"Have some tea, Your Majesty." I took the first sip of tea, savoring the taste. I could never taste tea as fragrant as Mangosteen again, and I wanted to remember it well.
"I hate you. When you entered the palace, Consort Rong was favored, and I was happy that you came to share that favor. But you were treated the same as me, the Empress. I can't swallow this." After saying this, the Empress laughed with a touch of sadness.
"So I started to act willfully. I asked you to help manage the harem, but I kept the power firmly in my own hands. I entrusted you with some thorny matters, but you handled them perfectly without leaving any room for doubt. At that time, I really didn't know what to do with you. You were also very clever. You didn't form factions in the palace, but you made Consort Rong and the others very wary of you, afraid of making a mistake. I was both angry and impressed by you." The Empress's face was dark. I couldn't see it, but I could hear the resentment and unwillingness in her tone.
"Why does Your Majesty elevate me so much? In the harem, Your Majesty has been able to hold the position of Empress for so long; how could you be an incompetent person?" I shook my head with a wry smile, feeling a little uncomfortable at the thought of being hated and having it said to my face.
"Hehe, Empress, it's better to be Empress than not. When has the Emperor ever liked me? He always treats me like I'm being controlled by the Empress Dowager. He directly rejects my words, which really chills my heart. Many nights, I've sobbed in the dark, but I dare not cry out loud, afraid that people will say I'm jealous, afraid that people will say I'm not a good Empress." I don't know if the Empress cried, but I know she's saying this to ease her anger. Some things shouldn't be taken seriously. She knows I'll leave tomorrow, which is why she's so frank with me. I heard her bitterness, her love, her pain. I share the same pain as her, but she's in more pain than me. She's under double pressure, both physically and mentally. I didn't comfort her. I know she just wanted someone to listen to her.
After calming down for a moment, the Empress stood up and said, "Alright, consider what I said earlier as my misfortune. I'm going back." Before I could reply, the Empress walked out. Just as she was about to open the door, I said to her, "Empress, relax. You can't get past anyone. Don't be so hard on yourself. Sometimes love means letting go."
"Love is sometimes about letting go?" The Queen murmured as she read my last sentence, tears finally streaming down her face. She then wiped them away with a handkerchief and walked away gracefully. I think she probably understood something by now.
"Sister," Jing'er ran in as soon as the Empress left, grabbed my hand and said, "Sister, are you leaving? How can you? Jing'er hasn't spent enough time with you yet!" Jing'er was anxious, and her hurried words made it hard for me to understand what she was saying.
"Sit down quickly, you're a grown woman now, look how anxious you are, how will you ever get married?" I pulled Jing'er down to sit, and slapped her hand angrily.
"Then Jing'er won't marry and will stay with her sister," Jing'er answered my question readily, her words carrying a clear and decisive tone.
"What girl wouldn't get married? Jing'er misspoke, she deserves to be hit!" I quickly covered Jing'er's mouth haphazardly, then tapped her face.
"Who isn't getting married?" Xuebin's voice rang out from outside. He was probably here to say goodbye too, but Jing'er beat him to it.
"It's Jing'er who won't marry, Your Majesty. Jing'er wants to stay with her sister. Jing'er doesn't want her sister to leave." When her coquettishness failed, she started tugging at her brother's clothes, as if to say, "If you don't agree, I'll tear your clothes."
"Jing'er, be gentle, you're about to tear my brother's clothes. Xue'er, why don't you say something to her?" Xue Bin looked helpless. He could be ruthless to anyone, but he couldn't do anything about Jing'er, so he had no choice but to ask me for help.
"Come here, Jing'er, let me tell you something." I joked for a while before I had to take Xue Bin's lead. This guy dotes on his younger sister. If Jing'er keeps acting cute, he might agree without thinking, and then I won't be able to leave.
"Sister" Jing'er was very well-behaved in front of me, probably out of pity for my blindness.
"Sister doesn't want to be bound by this palace. Jing'er knows that this palace is not what sister likes. Jing'er, sister wants freedom, so Jing'er will grant your wish." I was very sincere, really sincere. I didn't say this just because Jing'er seemed easy to fool.
"Okay." Jing'er can be willful and likes to sulk, but she is kind and doesn't like to force people. She is as pure and innocent as a little white flower.
Xuebin and Jing'er sat here for a while. It was already very late, and I urged Jing'er to go to sleep. Jing'er refused and insisted on sleeping with me. I had no choice but to ask Shanzhu to take her to my inner room to sleep.
Xuebin also stood up to leave, but I stopped him. "Don't rush off. I have a few things to say to you first. Be careful in choosing Jing'er's husband, don't let her husband bully her."
"I know that. I will not let my imperial sister marry such a person," Xuebin rolled her eyes at me, proving that I had said something nonsense.
"Don't keep going to Consort Lan's place just because you like her. That will only make her an enemy of the women in the palace. It's also necessary to favor others appropriately. Also, the Empress's place..." I really miss my mother. Look at how I'm nagging.
"Empress, what's wrong with her?" Xuebin turned around and looked at me, asking me with a puzzled expression and a deep sense of disgust in her voice.
"You hate her? Why? She didn't do anything wrong. She's the Empress, the mother of the nation. Her job is to be filial to the Empress Dowager and manage the harem for the Emperor. I know you think she was sent by the Empress Dowager to watch over you, but have you ever thought that she's also a woman, just a woman who wants her husband's love? I'm not asking you to love her, but as a request when I leave the palace, please treat her well. At least in my opinion, she hasn't done anything wrong. Relatively speaking, she's done a good job. Just look at your harem."
Xuebin listened for a moment, then walked out in silence. I don't know if my words were of any use, but I have no regrets now that I've said them.
Thinking about what happened last night, I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the carriage rolling across the ground. This time, I was free.
Chapter 108
Hi everyone, I've been on vacation for a few days now, and I'll be back to writing soon. My college entrance exam results weren't great, and I'm feeling really down.
The carriage traveled on and off for two days, and during those two days, my bones felt like they were about to fall apart. Finally, we arrived at the forest that brought me into this world. Yes, I wanted Xuebin to take me back to this forest, and he promised to build me a small wooden house here, a small wooden house of my own. I want to live a quiet life on my own, and maybe one day I can disappear from this world like that day and return to my original life. I am half looking forward to it and half feeling uneasy.
"Miss, we've arrived," the driver's voice brought me back to my senses. I reached out and lifted the curtain, and the driver quickly helped me to the ground, then respectfully said, "Miss, I'll head back now."
"Hmm," I answered subconsciously, drawn by the pervasive fragrance of flowers. Now I'm all alone here, how am I supposed to adapt to the life of a blind person? Everything is difficult at the beginning, it seems I have to learn to rely on myself.
I carefully felt my way to the wooden gate in front of me and walked step by step, being careful not to fall. It seems I'll need some time to get used to it.
After sweating profusely, I finally reached the top of the cabin stairs, gently pushed open the door, and slowly walked inside.
Warm sunlight filtered through the sparse air. The air was pleasant and long. The scent of firewood filled the spring air, filling the emptiness of the world. In the warm sunlight, a simple table and four chairs were placed in the cozy wooden cabin. Behind the table, in the corner, a small table held a pot of small, vibrant pink flowers. I felt a piece of wood and traced it along the wall, encircling the entire room—perhaps for my blindness. Following the wood, I came to the right of the table, where a beaded curtain made of purple sandstone hung to the floor. A bed stood there, next to a wardrobe filled with clothes of every color. It seemed Xuebin hadn't neglected himself. I slowly walked to the left of the table, where a zither sat on a peach wood table. I gently touched it, and it produced a clear, crisp sound. I smiled; I didn't have that kind of leisure.
After exploring the entire house, I was exhausted. Being blind was really inconvenient. I sat down on a chair, and suddenly, some small sounds startled me. I shouted "Who's there?" and Yue Ling rushed towards that direction.
"Sister, it's me, Jing'er!" Jing'er's voice made me even more flustered. I quickly withdrew my Moon Frame, but because I withdrew my power too quickly, I spun around and fell into a chair. I quickly regulated my breathing.
"Jing'er?" After calming myself down for a while and figuring out that I was fine, I bent my head in confusion. Wasn't Jing'er in the palace? How could she be here? The next sound surprised me even more.
"Miss, I am Mangosteen," Mangosteen's gentle voice followed.
I stood up, somewhat exasperated, and said, "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you not to leave the palace?"
"Jing'er doesn't want to, Jing'er wants to stay with her sister." At this moment, Jing'er also started to act like a princess, making a fuss about not going back, and sitting on the chair being stubborn. I had no choice but to change my target.
"Shanzhu, how could you let Jing'er act so recklessly? Jing'er is a princess, how can a princess leave the palace so casually? How could you let Jing'er do such a dangerous thing?" I scolded Shanzhu with a cold face.
"Sister, it was Jing'er who pulled Shanzhu. My brother also knows about this. He didn't agree at first, but I made him so upset that he said he could only leave with Shanzhu. Hehe, sister, don't be angry." Jing'er probably saw that I was really angry, so she rushed to my side and acted coquettishly. Her cute and mischievous appearance made Shanzhu laugh.
I tapped her cheek. "You, you, no, you have to go back." Then, I changed my mind and felt uneasy, so I frowned and objected.
"Sister, you're not very convenient right now, so let Shanzhu take care of you. Once you've adjusted, Jing'er and Shanzhu will leave, okay?" When Jing'er saw that I wouldn't allow it, she grabbed my hand and pleaded fiercely, her face saying, "If you don't agree, I'll stay here forever."
I thought about it and decided it was okay, so after hesitating for a moment, I nodded. "But you can't stay too long, okay?"
"Okay, sister, that's great! Shanzhu, hurry up and cook, sister must be hungry!" Jing'er pulled me down to sit and started yelling at Shanzhu. She didn't act like a proper princess at all, but that's exactly the kind of Jing'er I like.
"Yes, Miss, Princess," Mangosteen nodded with a smile in her eyes and left the cabin.
"Sister, you're really not fair. You left without telling me. Luckily, I'm quick-witted and saw that something was wrong, so I went to ask my brother. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to find you now." Jing'er sat down and started complaining. Even I could feel how deep her resentment was.
"I knew your personality, that's why I didn't tell you. I didn't expect you to get so bold as to chase after me like this," I said to her bluntly, glancing at her indifferently.
"Hehe, sister, don't be angry. Jing'er just came to keep you company, didn't she?" Seeing that things weren't going well, Jing'er immediately tried to appease her. It seems that I like this trick.
Jing'er and I were chatting when a voice suddenly interrupted us.
"Xue'er," Gui Yao's voice startled me again. Don't they know that scaring someone can kill them? I can't see, and if I get a heart attack from being scared by them again, it won't be worth it.
At this moment, Jing'er was completely captivated by the man before her. He was incredibly handsome, with a sculpted face and sharply defined features, his features strikingly beautiful. He appeared carefree and unrestrained, but the glint in his eyes betrayed a sharp, unassuming nature that commanded respect. He had thick, jet-black hair, and beneath his arched eyebrows were a pair of long, narrow, captivating eyes, brimming with amorous charm that could easily draw one in. His high, straight nose and full, red lips were now adorned with a dazzling smile, and his magnetic voice was irresistibly alluring.
"How did you find this place?" I asked involuntarily, not noticing Jing'er's strange behavior.
"I told you, you'll know once you leave me." Gui Yao ignored the woman who was staring at him in fascination. He had seen many women like her, but since she had helped Xue'er, he smiled politely and nodded. Then he ignored her again and just watched Zi Xue answer the questions.
"You..." I was silent for a moment. To change the subject, I said, "You can do it. Eat with us. Oh, by the way, Jing'er, her name is Gui Yao, Xiao Yao. She is Princess Xue Jing of the Snow Kingdom." I didn't reveal Gui Yao's identity because I thought it was impolite to say it without asking. But Jing'er was different. Even if I didn't say it, Gui Yao would know.
Gui Yao sat lazily in the seat next to me, leaning against me. I was startled, but I didn't push him away. He didn't do anything.
Jing'er stared at the man with fascination. She saw him chatting with her sister and felt a pang of envy for her sister. When she saw her sister introducing her to him, she felt a surge of secret joy, her face filled with the shyness of a young girl. Seeing his tenderness and love for her sister, and seeing him leaning against her sister, a sadness welled up in her eyes.
"What's wrong, Jing'er?" I didn't hear Jing'er's voice and asked her worriedly, wondering what had happened to her.
"It's alright, sister," Jing'er was awakened by the call, then inwardly scolded herself for being attracted to this man and having such inappropriate thoughts. Seeing that he seemed to have something to discuss with her sister, Jing'er stood up. "Sister, I'll go check if Mangosteen is ready yet. It's been so long, I'm starving."
Before I could even call her, she ran out. I scolded her playfully, "That girl!"
"He found you." Gui Yao's words made my joy turn to sadness again, and I nodded gently.
"You know everything," Gui Yao said calmly, but I couldn't see any pity in his eyes.
"You can probably guess, right? I'm telling you, listen to me. If it's wrong, tell me. I have the right to know these things." My tone was firm but tinged with heartache and pain. That kind of agonizing feeling was really unbearable.
"Do you really want to know?" Gui Yao's tone remained calm, but her eyes held a deep affection.
"Well, after all, I'm in that situation too, aren't I?" I lowered my head, and Gui Yao, who was leaning against me, sat up straight, looking at me and waiting for my next words.