Impératrice douairière Xiaoxuan

Chapitre 206

Mo Yan was so happy that she kept biting her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud.

Ning Jin gave her a disapproving look before saying seriously, "This matter needs to be carefully planned. Apart from the four of us here, no fifth person can be allowed to know about it."

Mo Yan interjected, surprised, "Even the princess didn't tell her?"

Ning Jin had no choice but to change his mind: "Then we can't let the sixth person know!"

"Then... what about Brother Zhan? Can we tell him?" Mo Yan hesitated before interjecting.

"Do you think we're compiling a guest list for a birthday banquet right now?!" Ning Jin said angrily, glaring at her before adding, "Zhan Zhao might need it, so we can tell him if necessary."

"Your Highness is indeed very thoughtful."

Mo Yan smiled and took the opportunity to praise him.

Ning Jin completely ignored this.

"I've thought about this matter several times. To make Xiao Yu'er disappear, everyone has to believe she's dead," Ning Jin continued. "So Xiao Yu'er has to fake her death to deceive the Liao people. Since she hasn't yet performed the formal ceremony with Yelü Hongji, she can't be considered a member of the Yelü family. After her death, her coffin has to return to the Song Dynasty, and I'll be the one to escort it back. Once we leave here, we can start our work. After returning to the Song Dynasty, the coffin will have been on the road for many days, and my brother won't want to open the coffin. He will definitely choose a day to bury it in the imperial mausoleum, and then everything will be settled."

"It sounds pretty easy," Mo Yan said, scratching her ear.

Ning Jin rolled her eyes at her: "Then tell me, how can we make Xiao Yu'er fake her death and fool everyone?"

"I know of a medicine that makes a person feel like they're dead after taking it," Mo Yan said, her eyes sparkling.

Do you have one?

Mo Yan shook her head.

Do you think I would?

Mo Yan could only shake her head again and asked helplessly, "There's probably nowhere nearby where you can buy it... That's why it's more convenient in the Central Plains."

Su Zui also frowned: "Unless you teach her breath-holding techniques, but although she knows some kung fu, her skill is too poor, and besides, her body can't hold out for that long right now."

"Breath-holding technique?" Wu Zichu asked in surprise, "I've only heard of this skill before, I don't even know it."

"I've learned a little bit, focusing on the mental techniques and formulas. Even a beginner, as long as they grasp the key points, can easily last for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn," Su Zui explained.

“Then you can teach me,” Mo Yan said matter-of-factly. “Don’t you know how to disguise yourself? Just disguise me as a princess, and I’ll pretend to be dead for her.”

Upon hearing this, the other three all turned to look at her...

“This method is indeed feasible… Although you are slightly shorter than her, you will be lying down, so others may not be able to tell.” Su Zui looked her up and down.

“But what if someone reaches out and touches her, and her body is warm?” Wu Zichu raised another question.

Upon hearing this, Mo Yan frowned in disgust: "Who would reach out and touch me?"

Ning Jin frowned and pondered, "When we put you in the coffin, even if someone comes to pay their respects, they shouldn't have to reach into the coffin."

"Just in case, we can place ice around her body and tell others that we are transporting the coffin back to Song, and the ice will help preserve the body longer," Su Zui suggested.

Ning Jin nodded: "That's fine, but..." He turned to Mo Yan, "but you'll have to suffer a bit."

Mo Yan shrugged nonchalantly and laughed, "It's nothing."

That night, Ning Jin and Su Zui stayed by Zhao Yu's bedside. After Zhao Yu woke up, they told her about the plan they had made.

"Little Imperial Uncle..."

Zhao Yu couldn't believe it was true. She turned to look at Su Zui and reached out her hand to him: "I had a dream last night that you were still alive..."

Su Zui took her hand, held it in his palm, and smiled, "That wasn't a dream."

Zhao Yu smiled happily, took his hand, and then looked at Ning Jin again, her heart still uneasy: "Little Imperial Uncle, do you really want me to leave? What if Father finds out?"

Ning Jin smiled faintly: "My brother is actually very soft-hearted, but as the emperor, he often has to do things against his will. I must keep this from him. He will only know that you died in Liao, and he will probably feel very guilty. Even if he does find out the truth in the future, I guess he will only feel relieved."

Zhao Yu listened with a heavy heart: "I have failed my father's expectations."

"Silly girl, you've already done more than enough," Ning Jin said with a smile.

"I know this won't be easy, Little Imperial Uncle, are you really sure you can arrange everything properly? Won't word get out?" Zhao Yu bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly. "If it's too much to handle, I... I think it's better to give up," she said, her hand trembling as she held Su Zui's. "I can't let myself..."

Ning Jin patted her head and interrupted her: "Don't worry, I'm your royal uncle. Can't I even handle this little thing? Just follow my instructions."

Zhao Yu nodded with a tearful smile.

"Silly girl, you need to get better quickly and recover so you can suffer with him in the future." Unaccustomed to being stared at with such gratitude, Ning Jin teased her, "But he's a cripple, are you really not bothered by that?"

"As long as it's him, that's fine."

Zhao Yu held Su Zui's hand tightly, and anyone could hear the satisfaction in his voice.

Ning Jin smiled slightly; how could he not understand this sentiment?

Two days later, Zhao Yu indeed felt much better. She drank all the medicine that was brought to her and gradually became more awake. However, when someone was around, she would pretend to be asleep to recuperate. At the same time, Mo Yan began to feign illness, lazily hiding in her tent all day, pretending to have a fever and a dry, hoarse throat that prevented her from speaking. During this time, she also practiced breath-holding exercises.

After a few days, Ning Jin saw that her body was gradually recovering and should be able to withstand the bumps on the road. Mo Yan's last-minute attempt at breath-holding exercises could also barely last for the time it takes to burn an incense stick. In addition, with the wedding ceremony approaching, it was not advisable to delay any longer, so he decided to put the plan into action.

First, Zhao Yu and Mo Yan were switched. Su Zui first disguised their appearances, with Mo Yan becoming Zhao Yu's appearance and Zhao Yu becoming Mo Yan's appearance. Then, they changed their clothes, and Mo Yan lay down on Zhao Yu's bed.

"Am I going to die tomorrow?" Mo Yan asked with a grin after settling comfortably on the couch.

"Um."

Ning Jin nodded and instructed, "Tomorrow morning, as soon as the maid brings in the medicine, you must pretend to be weak and feeble. Then... you can decide what to do. Spit out some blood; you'll die after that anyway."