"But so what? Even if you do all that, you can't save the emperor at all, and you'll only harm him. You're too arrogant. If you hadn't protected him, he could have lived a couple more days."
"You've served Zhao Jian for ten years, but you've only been in the palace for nine..."
She couldn't hear what Song Shuhao said next.
Song Shuhao became Zhao Jian's wife, Zhang Yu became Zhao Jian's prisoner, and Zhang Ye eventually sat on the dragon throne... Xie Lanyan was even more dazed. What exactly were these dreamlike scenes?
Chapter 57 Clear
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When Zhang Yu returned to the palace, Lü Chuan reported to him that Xie Lanyan had sent someone to invite him to Bixiao Palace. Zhang Yu said nothing, nor did he go to see Xie Lanyan, only briefly inquiring about her situation. After hearing the news, he still gave no further instructions or explanations.
On the fourth day of Xue Liangyue's imprisonment in the Shenxing Division, she sent a message to Song Shuhao, asking her to visit her there. Song Shuhao went, not out of pity or consideration for past relationships, but because she knew Xue Liangyue would survive.
No one revealed what Xue Liangyue's fate would be, but Ahao noticed that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had been arguing frequently these past few days. She merely guessed that perhaps the two were negotiating. If the blame were shifted elsewhere, the Consort Shu would likely be implicated; sometimes, in the face of absolute power, evidence becomes unimportant.
If that were the case, the Empress Dowager would not agree, and His Majesty the Emperor would likely not easily agree to her demands. As for the specifics of their argument, Ah Hao had no way of knowing. The Empress Dowager had been in a bad mood for several days, while His Majesty the Emperor did not seem to be, but it was reasonable that he held the upper hand.
Connecting these points, Ahao deduced that Xue Liangyue's life was spared because His Majesty the Emperor had other plans. Even though she didn't know Zhang Yu's intentions, she knew that trouble was easier to avoid than to face a minor official; she wasn't afraid of trouble, but she also had no desire to cause any.
Having informed Zhang Yu and received his approval, Ahao went to the Shenxing Division. Wei Dong, the chief eunuch with whom she had previously had contact due to the death of the palace maid Qing'er, personally accompanied her and led her to see Xue Liangyue.
The prison always seemed lifeless and dimly lit, and the rows of torture instruments silently testified to how unbearable it was. Keeping her eyes straight ahead, Ah Hao followed Wei Dong for a while, until the eunuch leading the way finally stopped.
Xue Liangyue was locked in a room alone. The room was simply furnished with a small bed and a slightly worn table and chairs, the tabletop of which was bare. Only a small skylight let in a little light, illuminating dust particles that danced haphazardly in the air.
Xue Liangyue was sitting in the brightest spot in the room when the door opened, startling her from her reverie. She turned and saw the eunuch who brought her meals every day. After unlocking and pushing the door open, Wei Dong stepped aside, and she saw Song Shuhao again.
Ah Hao didn't go in, but stood quietly by the door, while Xue Liangyue slowly got up. Her expression, which had been somewhat indistinct in the sunlight, suddenly became clear, showing dejection and disappointment, which seemed to match her somewhat down-and-out situation.
Xue Liangyue was perhaps unsure if Song Shuhao would appear, and when she saw that it really was her, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. After a pause, she still moved closer, but didn't reach Ahao. Her gait was strange, as if she was injured and had difficulty moving.
Song Shuhao watched quietly, without moving or speaking. Xue Liangyue moved slowly, finally stopping a short distance away, no longer advancing. She looked at Song Shuhao, thinking of their first meeting, of the time they spent studying together at the academy… but time could not be turned back, and their relationship could not be salvaged.
Xue Liangyue glanced at Song Shuhao with a complicated expression, then gripped the hem of her skirt with her hands hanging at her sides before letting go. Finally, Xue Liangyue spoke to A-Hao, without straining her voice or feigning grief. She said, "Thank you for still coming to see me."
...
When Ahao came out of the Censorate, it was still early. Perhaps because the light inside was too dim, she felt the sunlight was blinding when she stepped into the sun. She closed her eyes for a moment, and Wei Dong suddenly caught up with her.
"Aunt Song," Wei Dong called out to Song Shuhao from behind, quickly walked a few steps to her side, and said with a smile, "Does Aunt still remember this servant?"
Ah Hao looked at Wei Dong, wondering if he was alright, and nodded slightly. Wei Dong then said, "Auntie, please forgive me if I have offended you unintentionally in the past."
After the incident with the palace maid Qing'er, Wei Dong had made some sarcastic remarks to Song Shuhao. Now, seeing Song Shuhao becoming increasingly arrogant in the palace, Wei Dong was worried that she would hold a grudge and seek revenge for what happened back then, so he quickly apologized to her again.
If Wei Dong hadn't said those words, A-Hao would have forgotten what he had said before. But now, his words stirred her memories, and she understood his hidden meaning and his little scheme. However, before she could even speak, Wei Dong couldn't stop talking and kept chattering away.
"Whether you listen or not, Aunt, I still want to advise you: you'd better not take Aunt Xue's words seriously. Based on what I've seen and heard these past few days, Aunt Xue just can't stand to see you doing well."
"Think about it, both of you are serving the Empress Dowager. But Aunt Song is good in every way, and is liked by the Empress Dowager and His Majesty, while she is always inferior to you. Anyone would feel uncomfortable in that situation."
"In the words of scholars, it's nothing more than 'the tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind.' Aunt is too outstanding, so it's hard to guarantee that she won't attract jealousy and dislike. Aunt just doesn't take it to heart; being well is better than anything else. If Aunt ever needs to order me around in the future, I will definitely do it once she gives the word!"
Wei Dong's words were rather presumptuous, and he was also quite bossy. A-Hao frowned, did not respond to him, and said sternly, "It is important that Eunuch Wei learn properly what 'disaster comes from the mouth' and 'too much talk leads to mistakes' means."
Realizing his flattery had backfired, Wei Dong was speechless after Ah Hao's words. Before he could say anything more, Song Shuhao had already walked away.
·
Two days later, the witchcraft case was concluded: Xue Liangyue was the mastermind, conspiring with two palace maids to frame Song Shuhao. The Empress Dowager, pitying her for serving her for many years and her willingness to repent, pleaded with the Emperor to spare her life, but she could not escape punishment.
Xue Liangyue was demoted to a low-ranking palace maid and then exiled to the Yongxiang Palace. Consort Feng Hui remained unscathed, uninvolved, and the Feng family was also unharmed. The agreement reached between Empress Dowager Feng and Zhang Yu remained unknown to anyone else.
After visiting Song Shuhao at the Censorate, Ahao saw Xue Liangyue once more, when she came to Changning Palace to kowtow and express her gratitude to Empress Dowager Feng. However, the distance between them, one above the steps and the other below, seemed like an eternity, a world apart. Even after leaving the main hall of Changning Palace, Xue Liangyue didn't glance at Song Shuhao even once more.
The chaos that Song Shuhao encountered eventually subsided by appeasing the suffering people, arresting the rioters, and punishing the relevant officials. Many people were injured in the riot, and quite a few also lost their lives. The imperial court covered the medical expenses and provided additional subsidies depending on the severity of the injuries.
Appeasing the people was a demanding task, and Xia Mingzhe and his officials were extremely busy. Fortunately, the measures were effective, the people remained calm, and their efforts were worthwhile, proving they had not disappointed the emperor's trust.
After the turmoil subsided, the court became much more stable, and the inner palace, having reached a conclusion on the witchcraft case, also became peaceful, without any further disturbances. With this peace and tranquility, Song Shuhao's life returned to a stable state, no longer constantly troubled by various matters.
Empress Shen's health improved, and Consort Xie's health seemed to have improved as well. Song Shuhao only remembered meeting Cui'er a few times. The first two times she saw Cui'er, she was frowning and worried about Consort Xie's health. Later, when Consort Xie's health improved, she smiled.
As the New Year approaches, preparations are underway in the palace for the new year and Empress Dowager Feng's birthday. The thought of bidding farewell to the old year brings a sense of new beginnings, and perhaps because of this, the smiles on the faces of the palace servants have increased.
Xie Lanyan had intermittent dreams for a month, each day featuring different scenes and images. Everyone in her dreams was familiar, but the events and conversations were not in her memory.
Until the night of the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, Xie Lanyan dreamed of things unrelated to her, yet all connected to Prosecutor Zhao. Upon waking, she finally dreamed of a quiet room in the dead of night. Prosecutor Zhao, who should have been fast asleep, suddenly woke up, touching his body in disbelief and checking his surroundings, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
She dreamt that Zhao Jian got out of bed, walked out of the room, and strolled through the Anping Prince's Mansion. The servants were all startled by him, but he remained expressionless until he reached the ancestral hall and glanced at the memorial tablets placed there. At that moment, he seemed to finally calm down.
Xie Lanyan felt she could almost hear him sigh with relief, and then she saw him return to the room and lie back down on the bed. Zhao Jian murmured something softly. She heard him say, "Ah Hao..."
In that instant, all the inexplicable things she had dreamt about these past few days seemed to connect together. Xie Lanyan slowly accepted these things and also realized that something very strange and illogical was happening to Zhao Jian. Even she herself had strange experiences.
But none of that seemed so important. What she cared about more was that none of what she dreamed about would happen in the future; it turned out they had already happened. That was why Prosecutor Zhao loathed her, hated her, and deliberately put her in dangerous situations, determined to make her suffer.
Xie Lanyan opened her eyes, her gaze filled with venomous resentment. A tightness gripped her chest; she had never imagined she would live such a miserable life. Since Inspector Zhao was indifferent, what did she have to fear? She would take revenge on him! She would ensure that none of his wishes were ever fulfilled!
Thinking of Song Shuhao, Xie Lanyan's lips curled into a smile. Zhao Jian thought his love was unwavering, little did he know that Song Shuhao had never truly loved him? How ridiculous that he was so easily fooled, even moving himself to tears. She'd been blinded once, and she would never be blinded again.
Prosecutor Zhao... let's see who outsmarts whom this time...
·
The next day, after getting up, having breakfast and drinking her medicine, Xie Lanyan went to her study and wrote a note to Inspector Zhao. She only wrote "Jingyun Nunnery," yet she knew Inspector Zhao would definitely appear. She had Haitang deliver the message, and then Xie Lanyan waited for nightfall. Acting… anyone could do that.