The document is clear to the world

Chapter 106

Lu Xiu slapped Xi'er's forehead, "Silly son, what's so interesting about bugs?!"

"Did you hear that?" I turned around and met Qi Hui's gaze. "My son isn't some saint. Besides, what's so interesting about Fu Jing? She's presentable when she's clothed, but what's there to see when she's naked? My son is more interested in bugs than her!"

Nanae gritted her teeth, "You're just making trouble for no reason!"

"Mother, the worm is longer than my finger!"

“Baby, that’s a caterpillar!” I said, giving it a kiss.

Nanae stamped her feet in frustration, "Is there no place left to reason with people?"

"But Mother, insects have wings!"

“…Baby, that’s a dragonfly…” He kissed it again!

"Mommy's lying! Dragonfly sounds awful. It's called 'insect'!" Xi'er started acting like a rascal again. I really realized that following Lu Xiu, he's really mastered the art of being a rogue and scoundrel to a certain level!

Nanae stomped her feet and gritted her teeth, "The people in the Eastern Palace are all abnormal!"

"Don't cry, baby. Insects have wings too!"

"...Chongchong is Xier's younger brother."

"...

In the middle, he pointed at Lu Xiu behind him, "Your younger brother was born to Father!"

Then, glancing at the ground, where Nanae might have been bitten unconscious, Xi'er smiled and pointed at Nanae—"Big bug!"

After having Qi Hui carried away, I felt stuffy in the room. As I spoke, I walked to the door, pushed it open, and saw the eunuchs from the Inner Palace carrying a ledger. They were about to kneel when they saw me, but I quickly excused myself and picked up the ledger, saying, "Didn't I tell you to follow the list that Liu Shang sent over? You don't need to show it to me every day!"

"There have been some changes, please take a look."

"Changes?" I said, flipping through the book. Sure enough, for three days in a row, the concubines hadn't been served the night as scheduled. "What does this mean? Are they deliberately trying to make me lose money? Are Consort Ning, Lady Yang, and that Consort Liu all mute? They spent money and suffered losses without even saying a word?" He really is making things easy for himself, not even changing locations for three days. I even reminded Lu Li to go to Consort Liu's Red Lotus Courtyard yesterday; now I realize I was just spouting nonsense! It's true what they say, the speaker meant well, but the listener didn't pay any attention!

The sun was shining brightly when suddenly a strong wind blew up, and my emotions seemed to soar to the highest heavens.

The eunuchs retreated again and again until they reached the wall, then scurried away. As usual, a palace maid from the Imperial Hospital brought the medicine. I drank it down without hesitation, tossed the bowl back, glanced at it briefly, and softened my tone, asking, "How long have I been taking this medicine?"

"Your Majesty, you have been taking this medicine on and off for two years now, ever since you gave birth to the little prince in the twenty-sixth year of Tianyou."

"Medicine?!" I squinted and smiled. "Cook another bowl."

"Your Majesty?!"

Do you always have to hear me a second time?

The palace maids dared not utter another sound. I turned around and said, "Gather all the women in the palace and make them all kneel before I arrive! Also... go to Chaoyang Palace and invite the Emperor!"

Changchun Pavilion.

Silence reigned. The vast palace was so full of kneeling figures that there was no room to step. From the moment she reached the top of the hall, no one dared to raise their head even an inch, except for Fu Jing. Her arrogance was undisguised. She was trying to provoke my anger, to make me furious in order to prove her favor! In my eyes, she was nothing more than waiting, waiting for me to shatter her pride in another way.

Before I even sat down, I immediately called out to the three people who had suffered in silence, "Consort Ning, Lady Yang, and Consort Liu."

The three remained kneeling, crawling out from the crowd. Consort Yang was trembling with fear, but Consort Ning remained calm, respectfully kowtowing and saying, "Your Majesty... we don't ask for the money back!"

"You've been wronged." The tone of this sentence was too ordinary, too calm. It wasn't a thunderous rage, nor was it unreasonable, much less hysterical. Everyone looked at me as if I were a stranger.

I glanced at Fu Jing, who was kneeling upright in the hall, and chuckled, "You got a really good deal?!"

She clearly didn't bother to answer, turning her head to one side.

I casually flipped through the roster. "Is it Consort Cao's turn tonight? Sister, are you still going to try and take it? You're not going to pay up, and you're competing with palace servants who are four or five ranks lower than you. How can you be so shameless?"

Fu Jing took a cold breath, trying her best to maintain a smile, and said something succinct, "That depends on the Emperor's intentions tonight. Sister, how can you bear to sell the Emperor to those lowly palace servants?"

This statement was sure to provoke public outrage, but no one dared to speak up and demand an explanation.

"Despicable?!" I chuckled, coldly eyeing the female official. "The Imperial Concubine has been demoted six ranks, directly to the eighth rank of Imperial Concubine. Consort Yang, Lady Liu, and Lady Cao have been promoted to the rank of Consort, and Consort Ning has been promoted to Imperial Concubine. From now on, you can not only refuse to kneel before Imperial Concubine Fu, but you can also force her to kneel and call her a lowly concubine!"

"You?!" Fu Jingxuan's eyes widened immediately. "I want to see the Emperor."

"No rush, he'll be here soon." I flicked my long sleeves, sat upright in the main seat of the hall, and ordered, "Bring the medicine!"

A palace maid carrying a tray walked out quietly.

"Do you drink it yourself or do you need someone to feed you?"

Fu Jing's face was filled with terror. She looked at the medicine bowl, then at me. "You...you actually wanted to poison me?! Are you really crazy? He won't let you get away with this. You'll push him to the limit sooner or later. How long can you keep up this arrogant attitude?!"

I smiled, holding up my sleeve as I examined the intricate patterns of the flowing clouds, truly wondering how cowardly Fu Jing was. "If you drink it willingly, I'll make you Empress!" That was quite a temptation. Between empty fame and life, which did she value more?

The medicine bowl was already in her hands. She stood up stiffly, her whole body trembling, and she swallowed nervously again and again.

"His Majesty has arrived at Changchun Pavilion!"

He really knows how to pick his time! The calls from outside the palace seemed to be a cry for help to Fu Jing. She abruptly pushed aside the medicine bowl and turned to run out of the palace, but after only a few steps, she was tripped by Consort Ning, who was now the Imperial Concubine Ning.

"Hey!" I insisted, completely ignoring the approaching imperial carriage.

No one in the hall dared to move an inch. Even the palace maids who brought the medicine had pale faces. Suddenly, a figure in blue robes emerged from a corner. She was elegant and dignified. She always managed to attract my attention in her own unique way, and this time was no exception.

"Your Majesty, I will serve you." Xu Liang turned to look at me, waiting for me to speak. I simply nodded. She was indeed a sensible person, and it was no wonder I valued her so much. Footsteps approached from the outer hall, but Xu Liang remained calm. She took the medicine, nodded to Consort Ning beside her, and only then did Consort Ning dare to hold Fu Jing tightly with both hands.

Fu Jing struggled, her expression panicked, and could only cry out for help to the people walking in the outer hall, "Your Majesty—Your Majesty—I am here! Please come and save me!"

"Pinch her nose." Xu Liang remained calm, completely ignoring the person Fu Jing was referring to, and said methodically.

The bright yellow court robe had already stepped into the main hall, but the crowd had no time to pay attention to the arrival of the emperor. They were all staring at Fu Jingxin with bated breath. Some were secretly delighted, some were pondering, and some were cautiously observing her.

Xu Liang didn't even look up at Lu Li, who strode in. His expression was calm as he force-fed the full bowl of medicine into Fu Jing's mouth. He poured it in too quickly; some went down her throat, some choked her, and some spilled from her mouth and nose, staining her fine clothes. Fu Jing cried out, half the bowl of medicine still uneaten. Xu Liang turned to look at me, and I nodded slightly. Xu Liang put the bowl back, turned, and quietly knelt down. When Consort Ning released her, Fu Jing collapsed to the ground, seemingly stunned for a long time, before crawling towards Lu Li with a sob, pulling up her court robes. When she looked up again, her face was streaked with tears.

"Your Majesty, you must do justice for me! Your Majesty, I said nothing, I did nothing!"

Only then did everyone in the hall realize that Lu Li had been there for quite some time, witnessing Fu Jing's horrific ordeal of being forced to take the medicine. Heartache? Anger? Confusion? Everyone speculated about his feelings, silently awaiting a storm. But he didn't speak up to stop it; if he had said "Stop," Xu Liang would have stopped.

As everyone bowed to Lu Li, I slowly descended the steps. From beginning to end, he...

He was staring at me. While everyone was speculating why he hadn't intervened, I knew he was completely oblivious to Fu Jing's presence, just like now, with her kneeling at his feet and pulling at his robe, he seemed utterly unaware.

Will he really stop? If he says "stop"—Xu Liang might, but I absolutely won't!

"I'm going to war."

Everyone in the hall was stunned, because of this one sentence that had nothing to do with the current situation. Fu Jing's face turned pale, and her crying stopped abruptly. There was no sobbing, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she looked at Lu Li without resentment or doubt, only a heart-wrenching pain.

"Is that so?" That's all I wanted to say. I didn't care why he was going to war or how long he would be gone. For topics I didn't want to get involved in, this was the only answer I wanted. Any more words or emotions would be a waste.

It seemed I should bring him back to the present world. I thought for a moment and said, "You'll have a hard time tonight. Make up for the past three days. Consort Ning, Consort Yang, Consort Liu, and Consort Cao, who was supposed to be serving you tonight, will all be attending to Your Majesty."

"Okay," he replied calmly.

I glanced at Fu Jing for a moment, then paused, "This medicine isn't bitter at all, and it won't kill you. Ask the Emperor; I drink it all the time. I drink it every day and I haven't died, so how could you?"

Lu Li paused abruptly, staring intently at me, his gaze subtly shifting. Seeing his expression, I felt strangely calm, only picking up the bowl and repeatedly examining the remaining half-bowl of dark brown medicine. "This is a precious medicine personally bestowed by the Emperor; not everyone can drink it."

"It's a blessing that you're given this drink, you know?"

Fu Jing looked up at me, a string of crystal beads landing on her lips. Lu Li's lips tightened, and he reached out to snatch the medicine bowl, but I stepped back to avoid him. "I've been drinking the medicine you gave me for two years, but you feel bad just giving your favorite concubine half a bowl? I know this medicine is expensive, and not a single drop can be wasted."

Xiao picked up the medicine bowl, gently placed it to her lips, and let the medicine slowly flow into her throat. It tasted sweet in her mouth, but a bitter and astringent feeling rose in her chest. She drank it all down, lightly wiped her lips, quietly looked up at Lu Li, smiled, and then let go of the bowl, allowing it to fall and shatter into pieces.

Suddenly, I burst into loud laughter, laughing uncontrollably, my whole body trembling. In truth, everything in this world is utterly ridiculous—like how he gave me infertility medicine for two years, and I pretended to be confused for two years, neither of us truly understanding the other.

I knew, of course, that he didn't want me to have any more of his children, that his descendants wouldn't have the blood of the Rong family flowing in their veins, that my family would never again have the opportunity to become "in-laws of the imperial family," and that my son wouldn't let me seize power. He had so many things he didn't want, and so did I.

Lu called out to me, seemingly trying to say something, but all I could hear was my own laughter echoing through the hall, chilling me to the bone…

The laughter and the commotion had subsided, and it seemed this farce could finally come to an end. I turned away, wanting to end it all in silence. I'd seen through it all long ago, so why bother? Why bother? You hid it so well, why should I see it so clearly? Why bother explaining, why should I pretend to be confused?!

You rule the world. I roam the land freely. Isn't that better?

A forlorn turn, drawing a perfect conclusion. So beautifully sketched, as if there were no beginning, and the end brought no pain.

I slowly walked over his shoulder, and in an instant, his hand gripped me tightly, and it even felt warm.

"I love you." These three words came out of his mouth without any expression.

He loves me? This game is no longer fun. With love involved, everything becomes difficult! The already silent hall was now completely still, not even a breath could be heard. I still stared intently at him. I bit my lip until I tasted the metallic tang of blood, my voice as cold as ice, striking straight to his heart, "What right do you have to love me?! You don't deserve it!"

Can a single word like "love" really end all this grudges and entanglements? Can just one word like "love" make one forget the word "pain"? The whole world must be laughing…

——————————————Gorgeous Divider——————————————————————

He said it! He actually said it! He finally said it! And he said it so frankly!

Yi Ling was startled at first, a sharp pain shooting through his heart, then he felt numb. She had been with him for so long; she was his first woman. She had watched him grow from a frail boy into a strong and upright man. She had watched him smile quietly, think quietly, so quietly that even his very existence was so still. But now he could no longer remain silent. He had suppressed his feelings for too long, and he feared he wouldn't have enough time to let her know, because that woman had made up her mind to leave him, with no turning back.

Isn't Rong Zhaozhi just that kind of woman? She's observed her for so long. She's hated her, resented her, feared her, and even respected her. Just like now, as she causes such a commotion, she gracefully waves goodbye to all the chaos around her; just like how she can watch him sit on the throne without a trace of emotion. In that woman's eyes, the struggle for the Empress's position is just a game; she can take the Phoenix Seal at any time, and even if she destroys it, he won't say a word.

But now, that woman is fed up. She summoned everyone here just to say, "I'm fed up, I'm not playing anymore, you can continue." That's a kind of pride, an arrogant disdain for everyone! The spot that everyone is staring at is nothing more than a toy she wouldn't even bother touching, something she doesn't like, and she doesn't even have the leisure to destroy it.

She had once hated her, but now she pitied her. She pitied her for being able to rule the world, dominate the palace, and roam freely, yet she couldn't hold onto a heart that remained loyal. Ling smiled quietly, looking at him in his dragon robe, who was thinner than before, at the emotions in his eyes when he looked at that woman that she couldn't understand, and at this separation that had been foreseen all along.

But she was different from him. Even though her heart was dead, she had become accustomed to staying in her rightful place. She didn't want to abandon him. Even if she was utterly despondent, she wanted to quietly watch over him from a distance, observing his silent life.

Now he was holding her hand, but he was only holding air.

He sensed the impending separation long ago, when she smiled and told him, "We will go our separate ways from now on." That feeling intensified as she indulged her whims and ruled the harem. He had no choice but to tolerate it. His love was so humble, wavering between indulgence and farewell; with a single turn of her head, she could shatter it to pieces!

He wouldn't keep her; he didn't want to be bound, forced, or tormented by pain any longer. She needed to be free, and perhaps he did too.

Before parting, he only wanted her to know how important she was to him. There was no question of worthiness; that word only had meaning in his life because of her.

Chapter Twenty-Two: I Can't Be With You

The interior space wasn't large. Ling and I sat side by side, and I could smell the V9 perfume on her. No one expected that I would invite Yiling to ride in the sedan chair with me. There was a long silence along the way, before Yiling finally smiled and said, "I see you less and less these days. When you have time, come to my palace for a visit, and we sisters can have a chat."

My first instinct was to give a perfunctory "yes," but I was getting tired of it, so I just laughed and said, "I don't want to go."

Yi Ling was taken aback, then her forced smile disappeared, and she looked at me quietly.

"Neither of us will feel comfortable, so why bother?"

"I don't understand," Yi Ling said with a half-smile, pursing her lips.

"Ling, is there something you don't understand?" I thought back to a time when she would always come to see me out of courtesy, and I would respond politely in return. We would sit and chat about everyday things, often sharing a knowing smile. She had always been a simple, ordinary woman, devoted to her husband and children, a woman who made people feel comfortable. But now, she wasn't like that with me. Ever since Consort Ding sent Lu Zhen to my side, her gaze towards me had become more complex. Was I going to continue exchanging insincere pleasantries with her just to show my magnanimity? I didn't actually want to see her.

Yi Ling smiled gently; of course she understood.

“Rong Zhaozhi, you want too much, but you’ve also received a lot—more than many people could dream of their entire lives. The way he treated you, I…I’m so jealous. But why aren’t you satisfied? You should be happy, why make yourself miserable?” she said, looking at me.

I looked at her too, somewhat surprised by her frankness.

"Do you still have feelings for him?" Ling's voice came softly from the side. I didn't look at her, but slowly asked, "What about you?"

"Let's talk," she said politely, without beating around the bush.