There was still some time before the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), and if the food was delivered at the appointed time, it would probably be too cold. Ever since he left home, Zhang Xiangui had been pondering this in his mind, and his steps became slower and slower. In the end, he simply stopped in the side hall to warm himself up for a while before leaving.
As he approached Chang Le Palace, the palace bells rang, signaling the arrival of Xu Shi (7-9 PM). He touched the bottom of the food box and, sure enough, it was no longer warm. He took a deep breath and then, with his head down, shuffled up the steps.
"Your Majesty, it's time." Bi Fan reminded Jiang Yuan when she heard the bell ring.
The crimson robe was loosely draped over her body, and Zhang Xiang then took a white fox fur cloak and tied it on her. "It's good that you've thought it through. When the time comes, just apologize to His Majesty, and you'll definitely get through this."
Zhang Xiang kept reminding her, which made Jiang Yuan chuckle, "I never knew you were so talkative."
"Perhaps it's because I'm getting old, Your Highness, please don't be offended." Zhang Xiang squinted her eyes, and after tidying up, she handed the hand warmer to Jiang Yuan, not forgetting to tell Bi Fan to change the fuel stones on the way.
The night was cool and the moon was crescent-shaped. Jiang Yuan sat in the carriage and slowly made his way towards Chang Le Palace. "Stop."
Upon hearing Jiang Yuan call to stop, Bi Fan hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "What's wrong, Your Highness?"
"Bifan, go back to Fengqi Palace and bring me the phoenix hairpin that His Majesty gave me." Jiang Yuan casually smoothed his hair. "I was in such a hurry that I forgot to bring it."
Bi Fan glanced at the road leading to Chang Le Palace. If she moved quickly, she could still make it. She nodded in agreement and then gave a warning to the palace servants who were following Jiang Yuan, telling them to keep up with Jiang Yuan. Then she picked up her palace dress, carried a lantern, and ran quickly toward Feng Qi Palace.
As Bi Fan's figure gradually disappeared into the darkness, Jiang Yuan coldly spoke, "Change course, go to Liu Platform."
The palace servants exchanged bewildered glances, until finally a young maid reminded her, "At this hour, entering the Moon-Viewing Terrace is prohibited."
“Once I get there, I can naturally go in.” Jiang Yuan stroked the embroidery on her sleeve, her voice ethereal. “Perhaps I’ll even run into His Majesty.”
The Moon-Viewing Terrace has very low railings, and the building is so tall that it seems to reach out to touch the moon. In its previous life, it had a beautiful name: Cloud-Viewing Pavilion.
She died there in her past life, and in this life, she will be born there.
Zhang Xiangui knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe. Beside him lay the shattered fruit tea he had just served. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, but no sound came out of his throat. The emperor was furious. In the instant he knelt, he caught a glimpse of the woman hidden behind the curtain. Goosebumps rose all over his body. He felt as if he had stumbled upon some earth-shattering secret.
The aroma of the wine filled the air, and Song Yansi's chest heaved. The slight joy he had felt earlier was completely replaced by panic. The moment the wine entered his throat, the taut string in his mind snapped abruptly.
This is late at night.
"He Qian!" Song Yanji rarely lost his composure, but he still held onto a sliver of struggle in his heart. "Go to Fengqi Palace."
Since the emperor's decision was made on a whim, he naturally didn't arrange a grand procession. He Qian quickly followed him out, carrying a black lambskin coat. Zhang Xiangui knelt inside the hall, secretly wiping away sweat. He heard the soft whispers of a man and a woman coming from the inner hall. He lowered his head even further, staring only at the three feet of ground in front of him.
I won't look, I won't listen, I won't think.
Song Yansi was in a hurry when he happened to meet Bi Fan, who was coming from Fengqi Palace.
"You said the person went to Chang Le Palace?" Song Yansi looked at her, his whole body so cold that ice crystals could fall out.
Didn't she go? Bi Fan's mind went blank. Where did her young lady go? Before Bi Fan could speak, Song Yansi interrupted her, "Go back to Fengqi Palace. I know where she is!"
Song Yansi looked at the pavilions with their roof tiles emerging in the distance, his eyes narrowing into slits. What's meant to happen will happen eventually; sometimes you can't escape it even if you want to.
A gentle breeze and a bright moon carry me back on the clouds; the bronze platform locks in the ages.
Jiang Yuan stepped onto the stairs, her footsteps creaking and screeching against the wind. Several palace servants stood quietly below.
On the platform where the moon lingers, the wind is a bit chilly. She took off her fox fur cloak and placed it on the high chair behind her. The night wind blew by, making her shiver, and she quickly warmed the hand warmer in her arms even more. From afar, her crimson robe was billowing in the wind, her hair was piled high, and the golden hairpins made a slight clinking sound in the wind. Her face was like a lotus flower, without any makeup, and she looked exactly like the person she had jumped on that night.
The entire imperial city seemed to prostrate itself at her feet. Jiang Yuan waited and waited. In her past life, there were many things she couldn't see clearly, and it was the same in this life. Something was frantically struggling and roaring in her heart. Jiang Yuan touched the hand warmer in her arms; the raised patterns were a little uncomfortable to the touch.
Song Yansi had just arrived at Liuyue Terrace when he saw this scene, and he almost stumbled to a stop. He Qian rushed forward to help him up, but Song Yansi shoved him away violently, his eyes gradually turning bloodshot, suppressing a torrent of anger, "Get out of here, all of you!"
"Your Majesty." How could He Qian dare to leave Song Yansi here like this?
"Get out!" Song Yansi turned his head, his eyes filled with a chilling malice. "Do you intend to come here next year to worship the peach blossoms?"
"Yes." He Qian finally opened his mouth.
The palace servants who had come with Jiang Yuan were completely baffled. The Emperor and Empress had told them that His Majesty would come and that they should wait here together, but when he finally arrived, he was like an angry wild beast.
Seeing He Qian wave to them, they had no choice but to leave the courtyard with the newly arrived eunuchs and palace servants.
The night was as still as water, the wind howled through the branches and leaves, and there was no one else under the Moon-Viewing Terrace except for Song Yanji. Time seemed to stand still.
Song Yansi stared blankly at the woman on the high platform. She looked down at him from above. His voice was a little hoarse, with an unprecedented caution, "A-Yuan, be good and don't move. I'll come find you, okay?"
"Do you believe me or not?" Jiang Yuan lowered her eyelashes, tears falling onto her clothes. Her voice echoed in the empty attic. Unease, grievance, and anger made it impossible for her to maintain her usual indifference.
"I believe it!" Memories of the past, both present and distant, flashed through Song Yansi's mind. Amidst the myriad of worlds, he could only see the splash of red before him.
"Hahaha." Laughter came from the platform where the moon had been set. Jiang Yuan stood alone on the platform, her expression a mixture of certainty, strangeness, and something indescribable. She asked, "Who are you?"
"Who am I?" He is Song Yansi, who else could he be? He felt that Jiang Yuan was just like this, unchanged all these years, always willing to fight for everything, demanding his attitude, his certainty, and his unchangeability.
“I know you’re reluctant to die.” Song Yansi’s cold voice rang out under the moonlight. He knew she wasn’t planning to commit suicide, otherwise she wouldn’t have waited until now. When she was heartbroken, she was more resolute than anyone else. “It’s just that I don’t dare to gamble. I’ve already lost once.”
Jiang Yuan, whose eyes had been lowered, suddenly opened them, trembling as she looked at the man below, a chill spreading through her body as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
"Zitong." Song Yansi's deep voice brushed against her eardrums, tinged with relief, "Fortunately, you're still alive this time."
Jiang Yuan staggered back two steps, barely managing to grab the railing, tears streaming down her face as she laughed, "It really was you!"
"It's me, I'm back too."
Memories flooded back, and everything that had happened before became clear.
Author's Note: Jiang Yuan: Please call me the master of driving the plot forward~
Chapter 86 A Dream of Spring and Autumn
Jiang Yuan stared at the dark stairwell, her footsteps creaking on the wooden planks. Song Yanji's face appeared in the dim moonlight, embroidered with gold thread on his dark blue robe, making Jiang Yuan somewhat lost in thought.
This man was once the man she cherished most, her beloved husband.
He took a step forward, and she involuntarily took a step back.
"Jiang Yuan, look what you've done to our family! Jiang Li trusted you so much, and what have you done? How could you face us like this?!"
It was her. She was the one who let slip the truth after being coaxed by Song Yanji. He made false promises to her, and she was so foolish as to believe they could go back to the past. But in the end, her brother, thirteen members of his family, were all killed, leaving no survivors. Her nephews and nieces were so young, they couldn't even call her "aunt," and they were just gone.
Jiang Yuan's arm was grabbed tightly, and she was pulled and thrown against the wall. A sharp pain shot through her back, as if she had been burned. The man's breath was on her ear, and his voice was as cold as ice. He stared at her intently, "Where do you think you're going?"
"It's none of your business where I go!" Jiang Yuan struggled hysterically, her entire soul screaming.
"Why shouldn't I care? You are my wife!" He was a military man, and now he had strength in his hands.
"I am not your wife!" Jiang Yuan's wrist was gripped so tightly it hurt, and her voice was almost squeezed out of her throat. "Isn't your wife Xie Jiayan, Zhao Baozhen, or Su Yun? Where am I?"
"Stop messing around." Song Yansi's anger was also ignited by her. His previous worries and fears now burned fiercely together with his anger.
"I'm making a fuss? What I said wasn't true!" All the memories flooded her mind, and Jiang Yuan couldn't help but try to shake off his grip. Her crimson robe was slightly open at the collar due to the violent struggle, revealing her collarbone. The scent of Ye Hansu on her body kept wafting into Song Yansi's nostrils.
He held her arm tightly, and the next second his lips were on hers, carrying a hint of Gui Wan's scent. Jiang Yuan's heart sank. It was him; he was always like this whenever they argued to the point of no return.
He was ruthless when he squeezed into her body. Jiang Yuan bit her lip tightly and didn't make a sound. Her back kept hitting the wall, and tears fell down her face. Song Yansi turned his head to kiss her, but she stubbornly turned her head away. His lips slid across her cheek.
She heard him sigh, and then his hot hand slid into her clothes. Jiang Yuan's tears fell even harder, and all the images flashed before her eyes.
When Song Yansi finally stopped and leaned against her, panting heavily, Jiang Yuan trembled and looked at the moon outside, big and round, hanging high in the sky. "I want to go home."
"This is your home." Song Yansi's voice rang in her ears.
This isn't it, this has never been. Jiang Yuan tried to push him away, but he held her even tighter.
"I know you want to ask me something." Song Yansi gently kissed Jiang Yuan's earlobe, his fingers tracing her cheek, wiping away the moisture from her face. "Go ahead."
Jiang Yuan's fingers gripped Song Yansi's sleeve tightly, her fingertips turning blue from the effort. Her eyes gradually welled up with tears. The question that had been buried deep in her heart was finally brought to the forefront. Her voice was hoarse and trembling uncontrollably, "Why did you lie to me? Why did you lie to me about my brother?"
Song Yansi propped herself up and looked down at Jiang Yuan, her hands gripping her shoulders as she listened to her sobs. These were things she had suppressed for over a decade, things she dared not even think about. "Everyone blames me. My mother used to love me so much, but because of you, she refused to look at me even when she died. And Shao'er and Aman, so little, they couldn't even call me aunt yet. I was holding them just a few days ago, and in the blink of an eye, they're gone."
"Jiang Yuan, do you know that it's either them or me who dies?" Song Yanji pinched her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "You're so smart, do you really think your Jiang family are loyal ministers and good generals?!"
"Are you stupid? You've been abandoned by the Jiang family long ago. You're a discarded pawn, do you understand?" Beautiful illusions were ruthlessly shattered by reality. Song Yanji's voice was sharp and cutting, like a blade slowly peeling back the layers of fresh flesh covering the wound. The flesh beneath the wound had long since rotted, emitting a pungent stench. "If your father's men hadn't leaked intelligence during the attack on the army, could they have directly attacked the commander's camp? During the trip to the northern desert, knowing you were there, Jiang Zhongsi still held back. How many soldiers died tragically? Do you know any of this? You hate me, but why do you hate me? You should hate those who drove me to my death. If it weren't for you, do you think your Jiang family could have survived for so long?"
Song Yansi's voice was like an accusation, carrying an absolute certainty. His certainty was so unwavering that Jiang Yuan found it laughable.
That's how people are; they desperately try to find reasons for their actions, blaming everything on others and claiming they've done nothing wrong. But what about her? What did she do wrong? She simply saved a man, fell in love with him, and in the end, her sincere heart was exchanged for utter ruin.
"So, what did you care about me for? Was it watching me carefully try to please you, watching me harbor resentment towards you, or did you use me to kill my brother with your own hands? You let me live, and then watched the entire Jiang family be wiped out, watched me be rejected by all my relatives, watched me live alone in this world. Is this your concern for me? How can there be such hurtful concern in this world!"
There was too much resentment between her and Song Yansi, and they hated each other.
So, having been reborn, she didn't want to even bump into him, and she cautiously retreated into her shell. But Song Yanji still appeared, showing great interest in her. In this life, he treated her very well, but he lacked the pride of his previous life. She thought that perhaps it was because Song Yanji had taken a liking to her first, so he had become more genuine.
When Wei Guo was captured, Song Yanji didn't appear to rescue her. Although she felt wronged, she didn't truly blame him. A man of principle should protect his country; the lives of countless people were far more important than her alone. She could distinguish between righteousness and personal love. She was as if blinded, somewhat enamored with his warmth; after all, this was a man she had genuinely loved. As long as the Jiang family was well, she was willing to marry him and grow old together.
But gradually, he became more and more different, and she became more and more uneasy. The matter of Princess Jingwu aroused her suspicions, and she took the opportunity to test him. A thought arose in her mind that even she herself was afraid of. She tried her best to suppress it and dared not even think about it.
"We've started over, so why do you still want to marry me?" Jiang Yuan's eyes were red, and the strength in her fingers gradually loosened. In fact, she and Xie Jiayan were the same, and she might even feel more pity for Xie Jiayan. "In this life, the Jiang family will not get in your way."
Her father's path to wealth and glory was cut off by his own hands years ago, wasn't it?
"I'm sorry." Song Yansi reached out and hugged her, the body in his arms trembling. He felt a warmth on his shoulder. If he could forget all these years, he would have forgotten long ago. His Ayuan was the best in the world, ever since she saved him.
A life for ten thousand taels of gold. She made an outrageous demand, but in the end, she couldn't even remember it herself. He once asked thirteen-year-old Jiang Yuan why she saved him. Back then, Yuan was bright and dazzling. She blushed and secretly leaned close to his ear, saying: "Because you are beautiful."
Because you're beautiful, I saved you.
"Let's start over, okay?" Song Yansi lowered his head. This time, he would never hurt her again. As if afraid that she would refuse, Song Yansi pulled her into his arms. "In this world, only I recognize you, and I recognize that you are A-Yuan."
Behind her was a cold wall, in front of her a burning chest. She was Jiang Yuan, yet not Jiang Yuan; he was Song Yanji, yet not Song Yanji. Jiang Yuan looked at the bright moon outside, completely lost in confusion, "I don't even know what I am."
“You are my A-Yuan, I still remember you, don’t I?” Song Yansi hugged her tightly, his kiss landing on her earlobe with a hint of seduction. “Don’t hate anymore, hate is fire, it will burn away all hope. This time, whether it’s the Jiang family or you and me, everything is fine, isn’t it? And Chengyu, he is your son.”
This is all a new beginning.
Hearing him mention Cheng Yu, Jiang Yuan's dim eyes lit up slightly. Yes, she still had Cheng Yu. Her son.
After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice hoarse, "When did you get back?"
“The eighth year of Zheng'an.” After thinking for a moment, Song Yansi hugged her again and added, “The day Jiang Yuan saved me.”
It was March of the eighth year of Zheng'an. The peach blossoms were in full bloom. He lay in the carriage, his chest aching as if being torn apart. When he opened his eyes, he met Jiang Yuan's bright eyes. For a moment, it seemed as if his blood had stopped flowing. He stared at her without blinking. Jiang Yuan was incredibly vibrant, passionate and full of life.
The little man looked at him, seemingly puzzled, and waved his hand in front of him. "Are you out of your mind?"
After that night at Liuyue Terrace, Jiang Yuan fell ill. She caught a cold on the terrace and had a fever that lasted for two whole days, with alternating chills and fever. No one knew what exactly happened that night except for Song Yansi and Jiang Yuan.
However, Bi Fan glanced at Song Yanji, who was running to Fengqi Palace even more frequently, and felt that this might not necessarily be a bad thing.
Song Yansi held the bowl of medicine, gently blowing on it to cool it before bringing it to Jiang Yuan's lips. The medicine was prescribed by the Fifth Master, and it was horribly bitter. Jiang Yuan felt that the old man was probably deliberately trying to torment her. Because of this, she refused to drink the medicine, but Song Yansi pinched her nose and forced it down her throat.
The calls to depose the former empress were growing louder, but Song Yanji seemed unaffected. Jiang Yuan would occasionally ask him a couple of questions, but he would always brush them off with a smile.
Zhang Xiangui stood to one side, wishing he could lower his head to the ground. Song Yansi watched him, his mind racing, but he ultimately remained silent. He was waiting, waiting for the best opportunity.
On this day, Jiang Yuan, having recovered from his illness, took Bi Fan Zhang Xiang to stroll in the flower garden. As usual, Zhang Xiangui was watering the green jade in the pot in his room. Jiang Yuan had given it to him, telling him to take good care of it and that he wouldn't be blamed if it died. But how could he dare to let it die?