The document is clear to the world

Chapter 49

I stared at him expressionlessly, and finally understood one thing: my fate had been predetermined many years ago, and now I didn't even have a chance to struggle...

Suddenly, there was a light knock on the door, and a hoarse voice replied, "Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince, the Seventh Prince, and the Eighth Prince are all heading this way." I instinctively wanted to rush out, but I stopped after only two steps, as the Emperor's gaze was fixed on me behind me.

The Emperor turned to look at me and said calmly, "They'll be here soon..."

I silently turned around, returned to the table, sat down, reached out, picked up the cup, and gently swirled it between my fingers.

Footsteps approached from outside the door, and Lu Xiuqing's clear voice could be heard, "Now that Fourth Brother is back, we brothers will have something fun to do when we have a drinking contest."

Fourth Brother chuckled, "Alright, let's have a good drink tomorrow at the Seventh Brother's daughter's one-month celebration."

Then came Lu Li's voice with a smile, "So, what kind of full moon gift are you uncles thinking of? My formidable princess has said that if you brothers are stingy and can't come up with a hundred or eight thousand taels of silver, our little Zhi'er won't get a single sip of wine."

Lu Xiu and Fourth Master laughed heartily along with Lu Li, and the sound of their laughter echoed in my ears with a sense of reluctance.

I picked up the now-cold wine glass, my lips trembling as I touched it... The bitter taste slowly flowed down my throat, and a few tears welled up in the corner of my eye...

A blinding ray of light shone in, and I shielded my eyes slightly. The doors to the main hall had already been pushed open, and in that instant… three pairs of boots stepped into the hall in unison. I heard the Emperor's gentle voice, "You've come…"

My vision grew increasingly blurry, but I could vaguely hear the sound of the three people kneeling down in unison, saying, "Greetings to the Emperor."

When the emperor waved his sleeve, they all stood up. I could see nothing at all; it was all darkness. I held onto the table for support as I sat up.

"Zhao'er... what are you doing here?" Lu Li's voice reached my ears.

I forced a laugh, struggled to my feet, and tried to say something, but nothing came out. A sudden rush of heat to my head, and I slumped heavily backward…

The winter afternoon sun was warm, and outside the window, I could hear birds flapping their wings and the wind rustling through the trees. I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face, and in my hazy state, I heard Lu Li's reassuring voice, "What you want, I will give you..." Lu Li, I murmured in my heart... "Why can't I..." The Fourth Master's hoarse voice seemed like it came from yesterday...

Main text, extra chapters, Lu Yun's past.

Side Story – Lu Yun's Chapter

Spring breezes bring peach and plum blossoms, autumn rains bring falling leaves from the paulownia trees.

For the children and grandchildren of the royal family, there are only two paths to take: to become a subject or to become a ruler.

I am my mother's first son, and that position is a lonely one. Therefore, my mother could not bear to see me fall into that desolate situation.

My mother was the kind of person who had a profound understanding of everything, taking everything lightly yet being extremely clear-headed.

So I still remember it vividly… In the vast palace, among the many princes and grandsons, when my younger brother, the Seventh Prince, who shared the same blood as me, was taken away by the Empress's maid, my usually calm and composed mother broke down in tears for the first and only time. In her heart, the pain wasn't about losing the right to raise her son, but about the unknown fate of that infant… At least staying with her was safe, just like me.

I learned the ways of a subject from a young age, but he learned the ways of a ruler. When I learned that among everyone, only he and my second brother, the Empress's beloved son, had learned the ways of a ruler, I felt a deep fear and worry for him. Although we were both raised by the Empress, and my second brother had the powerful Xia family behind him, there was still a huge gap in our status. Would my brother be harmed? Would he be ostracized? Would he fall into danger? Whenever I thought of these things, my heart was filled with endless turmoil, and I suddenly understood the heartache and worry on my mother's face every time she looked at my brother. He was still such a young child, and I even doubted whether he could survive. At that time, I felt a sense of responsibility and wanted to support him for the rest of my life, even though I was only three years older than him.

To my surprise, he possessed a calmness and composure surpassing mine. He moved with extreme caution, never clashing with his second brother, never revealing a hint of hostility in front of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Among his brothers, he was approachable, serene, with a gentle smile, a quiet concentration, a thoughtful expression, and a slight frown… a subtle quality that made you feel you could never truly understand him… He was as quiet as a doll. For so many years, I've wanted to ask him, was he truly happy? Even when he smiled, was he truly content? Among the princes, I had the worst temperament. I was used to protecting myself with a cold exterior, preventing outside intrusion. I couldn't face everyone with the same composure as the seventh prince, regardless of whether I liked them or not. It wasn't about being a smooth talker; he simply disliked trouble. Even though I rarely smiled, I still felt… I was happier than the seventh prince. At least I don't have to worry about being framed by my own siblings in the next minute, at least I can rage when I'm angry, at least I can show a bitter face in front of my mother, but these things... he can never do, at least not in the past twenty years.

For me, for him, and for all the royal descendants, love is a story, a performance by actors on stage to please everyone. Women... are also something we can use to flaunt our nobility, at least that's what I thought before I met Zhaozhi.

Therefore, when my father bestowed a marriage upon me, marrying me to a daughter of the illustrious imperial family, I knelt and thanked him without any expression, just like my brothers.

Wanqing was a wonderful woman. She was gentle, elegant, and noble—a woman born to marry a prince or grandson of the emperor. She was more like a mother to me, with a clear mind and a gentle, unassuming nonchalance. She knew her significance to me, her position, what she wanted, and the boundaries between us. She was virtuous, managing my palace impeccably; she was dignified, and everyone in the palace respected and praised her; she was generous, readily taking in concubines for me without batting an eye; she was kind, treating all, regardless of whether they were legitimate or illegitimate children, as her own; she was amiable, and had an excellent reputation among my concubines, sisters-in-law, and elders in the palace.

I admire her for all of this. Since our marriage at fifteen, for eight years, she has never caused me any worry. Everything she has done, I have seen and remembered. I can only admire her, respect her, treat her with utmost courtesy, and feel sorry for her—a woman who hides her joys and sorrows so deeply. Yet, I have never loved her. Just as she never told me her preferences, never smiled openly in front of me. In my youth, I treated her merely as a decoration in my home, an object beside me. Now that I understand what love is, my heart has flown to someone else.

To Wanqing. In this lifetime. I can never repay her. She is the woman who causes me the deepest pain in my heart. It was all because of the mistakes of my youth. The numbness of my youth. The recklessness and ignorance of my youth. Yet, I ruined a woman's youthful years. I shattered the vibrant dreams a woman held in her heart when she went on her wedding day.

I thought I would grow old with Wanqing, carrying this regret and pain. But I never expected that woman, as gentle as a breeze, would shatter my life, which I thought would continue peacefully.

Before I met Zhaozhi, I never knew that a woman could evoke such strange and difficult feelings in me.

The first time I saw her was in the corridor in front of the main building of Chang'an Palace. I walked over, covered in snow. The woman, dressed in a light red floral dress without any ostentation, gently tugged at my sleeve. I was a famously cold-faced prince in the palace. This little girl wasn't afraid at all. I met her clear gaze with a puzzled look. Then, I froze the moment I saw her smile. She was smiling genuinely. Without any pretense... Although there was a hint of nervousness in her words, her eyes were clear as water, carrying a gentle tenderness. There was not a trace of fear. Not even the lingering caution in Wan Qing's eyes when she looked at me. The woman before me seemed curious about everything, yet also indifferent to everything. It was a kind of resilient, quiet tranquility. At that moment, I felt myself looking deeply into the depths of her eyes, and I was captivated by that clear, gentle smile.

Until it dawned on me. She was the renowned Princess Ning, my seventh brother's wife. After understanding everything, I suddenly felt an indescribable sense of loss. She was a woman of the Rong family… My heart sank again. Was she yet another victim of imperial and royal power? Like the Empress, like the Crown Princess, step by step, she climbed the ladder of power for her family, heading towards the dark end of the Rong family. The women of the Rong family were all heartbreaking. And while I was clearly heartbroken for her, she seemed detached and at ease, even offering comfort. I was puzzled. Was she ignorant or indifferent…?

She was an intelligent woman, as resolute and fearless as an empress. Besides her clear eyes, there was a faint sadness and helplessness that went unnoticed by others. Sometimes, she would reveal a hint of resistance, a resistance against fate. But no matter what, she would still smile with all her might, no matter how much pain she felt inside, always smiling so gently. But she didn't know that whenever I saw her smile with such difficulty, my heart would ache for a long time.

She was a woman who needed to be cherished, but Lao Qi showed her no tenderness whatsoever. She wasn't always as strong as she appeared; she had wounds too, and all she could do was bury them deeper and deeper. Perhaps what I fell in love with was the unfathomable detachment in her eyes, something that seemed fragile enough to shatter at the slightest touch, concealed behind that stubbornness and feigned nonchalance, touching my heart. I wanted that allure, I wanted to protect this girl under my wings, I wanted her to always smile so quietly… just for me, I was actually hoping for that…

I thought Lao Qi would hate this marriage, but I can't understand why he can be so indifferent and friendly to everyone, but why he is so cold to this girl who makes my heart ache so much, so cold that anyone can see it... But why, despite his indifference, does he still get a quiet, reckless smile from the girl? Does she really not care?

Until each time the girl walked away, I saw the faint smile on Lao Qi's face as he watched her retreating figure… I suddenly understood how fortunate this girl was. Lao Qi treated her differently from others. Why? To make her stronger, to let her know that this was the palace, to teach her to protect herself, to help her adapt to this cold environment more quickly. This was the difference between Lao Qi and me. I merely sheltered her under my wing, while Lao Qi let her stumble and fall, allowing her wings to grow stronger with each step… Lao Qi's feelings for her were unique…

However, despite her intelligence and competence, this girl was not immune to making foolish mistakes.

Regarding the matter with Lu Xiu, it was Lu Xiu who had been frivolous, something the Seventh Prince naturally understood. However, he still worried about the girl's tendency to cause trouble and act on her own. Perhaps… the Seventh Prince wasn't angry about the woman and the Eighth Prince's affair, but rather about this girl's perpetual self-righteousness, believing she could solve everything, repeatedly pushing herself to the brink of danger, yet never daring to tell him. She didn't understand that this was the palace. If the Eighth Prince had let slip a word that day, it wouldn't just be a matter of lacking manners; the consequences would be unpredictable. In these matters, the Seventh Prince certainly thought further and deeper than that girl…

She rescued Jingqing from my own residence. That time, the Seventh Prince scolded her severely, and it was at that moment that I suddenly realized how afraid he was of losing her, just like me. When the servants said that Princess Ning was trapped in the kitchen, I was stunned. I stepped into the smoke-filled kitchen and couldn't see anything. I felt an inexplicable fear, a fear that that girl would never again look at me with such clear eyes and smile so warmly. Until, guided by my intuition, I walked step by step to her. When she weakly called out "Fourth Prince," no one knew that at that moment, my tears suddenly fell... I hadn't cried for many years, but I held this girl tightly, calling her name again and again, tears streaming down my face. I never knew... that I could be so vulnerable.

She always managed to put herself in danger, but that time, even the Seventh Prince couldn't bring himself to be angry with her. That day, she was forcibly taken away and tortured by Consort Xia. When the Crown Princess rushed to find the Seventh Prince in a panic, my usually composed Seventh Brother showed fear for the first time. That day, it was the Seventh Prince who went to take Zhao Zhi away. I watched him hold her in his arms with a pained expression, so carefully, as if afraid of hurting her with the slightest mistake. Zhao Zhi had no idea that standing behind the Seventh Prince that day was… me, anxiously waiting.

The first time the seventh prince showed displeasure was that day. When he looked up at Consort Xia, he inadvertently revealed his anger, although the displeasure quickly disappeared from his eyes. He didn't say a word, just quietly carried her away, refusing to let go even for a moment.

I stood in front of the door, watching his departing figure, and suddenly realized that his serene smile no longer belonged to me.

Lu Xiu gently patted my shoulder and smiled slightly, "Fourth Brother, some things we can't catch up with, so let them drift away with the wind and see where they land..."

I chuckled to myself. This girl... was someone we couldn't win over, not even the seventh brother. Yet, even though the three of us brothers understood all this, we foolishly grieved and yearned for this unattainable thing.

I suddenly realized that everything this girl did wasn't for anyone else, but out of her true feelings... what she genuinely wanted to do...

Even knowing there was no hope, my gaze couldn't leave that elegant figure. Every time I saw her, she was refined and graceful. She preferred simple clothes and never flaunted anything. No matter how plainly she dressed, she couldn't hide the radiance that emanated from her very being. Like at the Millennium Banquet, she stole everyone's attention. That day, my eyes didn't linger on Wanqing for a moment. I couldn't help but search for that figure, that smile that captivated me, that gaze that tore my heart apart. It was on that occasion that my gaze caught the attention of the Emperor. I knew I had brought trouble upon myself and also brought disaster upon Zhaozhi.

I knelt at my father's feet, begging him not to punish Zhao Zhi, but he just laughed coldly at me. So I pleaded to lead the army on a distant expedition, saying that I would rather die on the battlefield than see that girl hurt because of me.

On the night before my departure, my mother held my hand and sighed softly, "This is all you can do for that girl. From now on, it's up to her fate. What truly drove her to despair wasn't the covetousness of many princes and nobles, but her own life, her bloodline from the Rong family..."

My mother's words came true. My father didn't order me to fight the Liao people, but rather to besiege Huainan. He commanded me to work with Marshal Pang Jian to eliminate the power of the King of Huainan and thus destroy the Rong clan. I had considered resisting, but my mother said that if I resisted, it would only hasten Zhaozhi's death... I didn't know how long that girl would live after the Rong clan was destroyed, but I knew that she would never smile again before the seventh prince ascended the throne.

I traveled all the way back to the capital from Huainan without a moment's delay, my only thought being to see her as soon as possible. I wanted to tell the seventh prince what my mother had said, about her uncertain and difficult fate. Perhaps... perhaps our persistence would still offer a glimmer of hope...

But everything happened so quickly. As we chatted and laughed as we entered the main hall, I didn't notice the slender figure behind my father. When we finished our greetings and rose, the Seventh Prince noticed her. She smiled and responded, her voice light and cheerful, a warm smile on her face. Her eyes were still clear, yet she couldn't see us so close. She struggled to stand a few times, but then she didn't. Instead, she quietly fell to the ground. The afternoon sun shone down, illuminating her temples, falling on her smiling lips, and settling into her clear but unfocused eyes…

"Zhao'er..." I finally couldn't help but call out, raising my arm as if to rush over and grab her. It was an unconscious, uncontrollable urge. At that moment, a terrible thought entered my mind: perhaps I no longer needed to control myself, perhaps I could rush forward and hug her tightly without restraint. But when I came to my senses, I couldn't move a step no matter what. And Lao Qi... remained frozen in place, motionless.

The Emperor sat by the window with his eyes tightly shut. When I saw that single tear slide rapidly down his cheek, I understood... this girl was gone forever... How could she leave? She had so many smiles, so many dreams. Her daughter, her only daughter, was only a month old. Was she leaving willingly? She must have felt a pang of longing, a deep sense of loss...

A deathly silence; the ease that had brought them was now swallowed up by the stillness.

None of the three of us men dared to step forward and touch her breath; we were all afraid… No one wanted to admit that what we were seeing was real; we all hoped she was joking with us, expecting her to laugh, pat herself, and stand up soon…

That afternoon felt like a long time ago. The seventh brother silently picked her up and carefully walked away. The difference was that back then, there was heartache in his eyes, but now his empty gaze seemed to hold nothing, yet it also seemed to be filled with everything...

As Lao Qi carried her past me, I clearly saw her serene smile, yet I still didn't dare to raise my hand to touch those delicate features...

For five days straight, the seventh brother locked himself and her in their room. There was no sound, no crying, no murmurs—just complete silence. For five days, I lay in a daze in the study, not venturing out an inch. The girl's smile, her gaze, haunted my mind. When I closed my eyes, I kept hearing her voice, saying, "Master, you must give our Zhi'er a generous full-moon gift." I nodded repeatedly, and as I nodded, tears streamed down my face…

No one questioned the Emperor, and it was precisely because of this that he was particularly heartbroken. For five days, he did not urge us to attend court.

On the sixth day, someone pushed open the door and entered. Her light red floral jacket was exceptionally beautiful. I heard her chuckle softly, "Fourth Master... why are you looking so worried again?"

I looked up blankly, my lips trembling, the smile frozen on my lips. The person in front of me was Wan Qing.

"Master..." she called out in a hoarse voice, her eyes red and swollen, "Seventh Brother went to court early this morning, are you... going to continue to be so depressed?"

In the imperial court, the seventh prince was still the same calm and collected seventh prince, speaking with the same amiable manner, a faint smile, and a thoughtful expression of his mind... The only difference was that he was concentrating more and more often, for longer and longer periods. Sometimes, when his father gently reminded him in court, he would immediately offer an apologetic smile and then express his own opinion, still meticulous and accurate to the smallest detail.

Zhao Zhi's coffin was placed in the Ning Prince's residence. The Emperor's permission for her to be placed in the imperial mausoleum seemed like an extraordinary favor, but it was ironic.

Lao Ba stared at the white curtain outside the mourning hall, motionless for a long time. I was also lost in thought.

That night, the three of us brothers sat quietly facing her coffin.

The seventh brother remained calm, a faint smile playing on his lips. "After all the twists and turns, I still couldn't protect her."

At that moment, I trembled, overwhelmed by indescribable sorrow and longing.

"Heh, you guys are having a good time drinking here." That familiar voice echoed in the courtyard. I suddenly felt disgusted by that voice and that figure, even though he was the emperor, my father.

The eighth prince's face stiffened, a hint of anger in it. "Your Majesty, there is no wine here, nor any celebration."

The Emperor was taken aback, but did not blame her. He simply turned his gaze to the coffin on one side and said, "I will offer incense to the girl."

I didn't make way for him. In my heart, I thought Zhaozhi probably didn't want to see him.

The Emperor sighed softly, walked past me, and took the incense sticks from the coffin and placed them on it.

“Girl, I took your life, but you caused me to lose three sons. So be it, so be it.”

It's another cold, desolate night. I've been sitting at my desk for who knows how long. Wanqing says I'm always so lost in thought, but I never really know what I'm thinking about. Every time I suddenly wake up, my cheeks are already damp with cold sweat…

"Master, please get some rest soon. How can your body take it to sit like this all day?" Wanqing sighed.

I patted her on the shoulder and said, "Okay, you go ahead."

Wanqing walked ahead, and I sighed and followed behind her. I could hear the familiar footsteps outside, the ones etched in my heart. I hurried forward and sure enough, I saw that figure leaning against the opposite corridor. I heard her voice carried on the wind, as gentle as ever, “Master—I don’t know which branch of the family you are from, but I suppose it’s about the same.”

I chuckled to myself, about to ask, "Are you the seventh brother's wife?"

Wanqing felt a tug at her sleeve and asked sadly, "Master, what's wrong?"

I was stunned, quickly wiping the tears from my cheeks, and reached out to pull Wanqing closer. "Let's go..."

Last year on this day, in this very doorway, faces and peach blossoms reflected each other's rosy hue.

The face is gone, I know not where; but the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze.

(End of extra)

Main text, side story: Lan Ruo

Orchids bloom in spring and summer, lush and green.

I often recall many years ago, when you recited Mencius in the Imperial Study with a gentle smile; when you picked the most dazzling magnolia in the back garden and personally placed it in my hair; when the teacher mentioned the phrase "childhood sweethearts" in the Southern Study, you were distracted for the first time, your gaze passing over Fourth Brother and turning to me as I ground the inkstone with a serene smile.

That year, I was seven years old, and you were nine.

I once accompanied you, walking through every corner of this palace; I once knelt with you in front of the Central Palace for a whole night as punishment; I once accompanied you in your loneliness, hiding in a corner of Yonghe Palace to secretly watch Mother Consort, Mother Consort's affection for Fourth Brother, and the envy and loss in your eyes, all of which I saw and felt pain in my heart.

Those years, the days spent with you, studying together, traveling together, have become precious treasures in my memory. These memories are so beautiful, so beautiful that I would never forget them, even in countless lifetimes.

Whenever I speak with you, your gentle eyes and serene smile always make me feel a little dazed, as if I was born to be with you, as if I could truly walk with you through the long journey of life, until the end of time. I am not a greedy person, but I have a desperate obsession with having you.

I think I understand you. I understand how you grew up in loneliness in the harem, how you carefully took each step, and how you avoided falling into the abyss.

When you were fourteen, the Emperor arranged a concubine for you and built a mansion for you. On the day you left the palace, you held my hand, and your voice echoed in my ears. You said, "Lan'er, wait for me, just wait a little longer." Okay, I'll wait, wait until you've settled down in the mansion, wait until you've achieved something, and ask the Emperor to make me your principal wife, and then bring me into the mansion to marry into your family.

Two years later, Xiwen's sudden act of desperation brought me not news of you, but the Emperor's decree of marriage. The Sixth Prince was betrothed to me, and the entire court showered the courtyard with congratulations. Only I remained resentful. Just a tiny bit more, just a tiny bit more, and I could have ended my wait. I wasn't waiting for a title, nor for a grand marriage; the person I was waiting for was simply you.

I have not forgotten my vow. Before you, the marriage invitation sent by the Sixth Prince has turned into fragments in my hand. I do not care about deceiving the emperor, nor am I afraid of death, because what could be more painful than leaving you?

I told you I would continue to wait for you, and that when you marry your principal wife, you would throw me the most magnificent wedding banquet...

I watched you nod, your eyes blurry with tears. My mind was in a daze.

For the next three years, you indeed did not marry. You were also waiting, waiting for an opportunity to mention me to your father, the Emperor.

I will never forget that day. You stood before me. You said with difficulty, "Lan'er, don't wait any longer... My father has betrothed me to a princess of Huainan Prefecture."