Красоты династии Сун

Глава 31

Two shadows intertwined and swirled, their movements accompanied by the sound of bamboo branches striking each other. The reflections on the still lake water resembled water spirits vying for supremacy in the darkness.

Jiu Ru quickly sensed something amiss. Though it wasn't a real sword, Xing Ge's moves were fierce and ruthless, many even deadly strikes, as if it weren't a game, but a life-or-death duel! Filled with doubt and unease, his hands were busy parrying the attacks. With a spun spin, he dodged, his robe being sliced off and landing on the lake's surface. Both of them paused for a moment.

"Your Highness underestimated the enemy!" Xingge said with a faint smile.

He was stunned for a moment. Under the silvery moonlight, her unadorned face smiled radiantly, gleaming with an unusual brilliance. Her deep, dark eyes rippled with light, a mixture of joy and sorrow, longing and helplessness, with a touch of untamed playfulness, a warm smile, and a dashing decisiveness! A thought flashed through his mind: How could such a woman stay!

While still in a daze, the bamboo branch was right in front of him. Jiu Ru quickly dodged it, turned around and launched a series of fierce counterattacks. Xing Ge responded to the attack by leaping onto the stone table, glancing with a smile at the hole in his sleeve.

"Heh, that's more like you!"

Slightly annoyed, Jiu Ru was about to reply when a figure appeared like a startled swan, the smile still clear and bright, the white robe fluttering in the night wind. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept down, and Jiu Ru swung her palm to meet it, retreating rapidly. The bamboo branches opposite her pressed forward like swimming dragons, but she lightly dodged and then countered with a move called "Night Crimson Moon." Xing Ge dodged, but suddenly there was a "crack" as the wooden plank under her feet broke, and she was about to fall sideways off the pavilion. Jiu Ru quickly stopped and leaned in to support her, but abruptly stopped, and the bamboo branch had already struck her chest! Xing Ge fell backward onto the pavilion, only managing to avoid falling into the water thanks to the arm that had caught her. A victorious smile appeared on her face, but her eyes welled up with tears.

"Jiuru!"

On the eve of the grand ceremony, Xiao'an Palace was brightly lit with candles.

"Wan'er, your wish is finally about to come true!" The figure in yellow robes softly called out to the portrait. After a moment, he turned and squinted at Xingge.

"Is the young lady really willing to part with this?"

Xingge chuckled lightly, "I always keep my promises! Besides, you wouldn't allow me to go back on my word!"

"Everything the young lady requested is here!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xingge took the bundle from the table.

"I am worried that Jiu'er will be reluctant to let go!"

"After the ceremony is complete, you only need to tell me about the agreement you made with me. Given His Highness the Crown Prince's temperament, he will only hate me so much that he would want to tear me to pieces!"

The Emperor stared at Xingge for a long while, then chuckled and said, "Young lady, take care of yourself!"

"Please also keep your promise to me!"

"I will issue an edict before the abdication ceremony tomorrow!"

"I will depart after confirming that the imperial decree has been issued!"

"Hahaha!" The Emperor laughed heartily, "I am at ease discussing this with you, Miss! And you can rest assured as well!"

"Then I shall take my leave of you here!"

"Wishing you all the best in the future!"

"Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty!" He sang and bowed, then turned and left the palace.

The Emperor watched the slender figure disappear into the night, then looked back at the smiling face on the wall, "Wan'er, I hope Jiu'er understands my good intentions!"

48. Love Runs Away

On the eve of the new emperor's enthronement ceremony, the palace was bustling with activity from early morning. A messenger from the Eastern Palace came to invite Xingge, who nervously accompanied him to the Crown Prince's bedchamber. Several trembling palace maids stood inside. The Crown Prince, clad in a fur-trimmed ceremonial robe, sat before a mirror with disheveled hair. Zijuan quickly approached, placing a comb in Xingge's hand, giving the man in the mirror a wry smile, and beckoned the maids to leave. Xingge smiled silently, slowly walking to Jiuru's side, gently combing his silky black hair. After fastening his crown, Xingge carefully examined him; the fur-trimmed ceremonial robe and crown accentuated his regal bearing, inspiring a sigh of admiration.

"Are you satisfied?" Jiu Ru asked with a faint smile.

"I'm glad Your Highness is satisfied!" Xingge bowed and withdrew.

"Call me Jiu Ru!" Jiu Ru stepped forward.

"From now on, he shall be called the Emperor!"

He gazed at the retreating figure for a long time, then said, "I will be even more satisfied when you wear the Phoenix Robe (the ceremonial robes for the empress's investiture)!"

With a hearty laugh, he curtsied again, saying, "The ceremony is about to begin; Your Highness, please proceed to the central hall!"

Jiu Ru's smile deepened, and she whispered gently, "You must wait for me!" After saying that, she gracefully stepped out the door.

Xingge walked out slowly, watching the yellow-robed figure surrounded by the crowd gradually disappear into the shadows of the palace...

The ceremonial music from the front hall resounded through the sky. The singer, still dressed in palace attire and carrying a zither and sword, headed straight for the north gate of the inner palace. Just as he turned the corner outside the inner palace, he saw a figure in blue robes staring at him with a somber expression.

"Brother Mo! Why don't you go and watch your young master's grand ceremony!"

Mo had already drawn his sword horizontally. "Young Master was right! You...you...you..."

"A heartless and ungrateful scoundrel!" Xingge laughed and answered for him.

"The young master's love for you is as deep as the sea; he disregards your background and wants to make you his empress! You!"

"Brother Mo, please calm down! Let me explain slowly!" Xingge said with a smile, mentally estimating the time.

"I also can't bear to part with your young master. If I were to take a step back and become empress, your young master would soon appoint a royal consort to the Wang family in order to balance the power of the Jiang and Wang families. The Jiang and Wang families would definitely try every means to plot against me, both openly and secretly. Unfortunately, I am invincible, and I cannot be killed by either beating or poisoning. The court is in turmoil!"

"Young Master has a way to protect you!"

"Hehe! Brother Mo, you are overthinking it. With my temperament and methods, why would I wait for someone to harm me! I'm afraid the imperial concubines won't live long in the palace!"

Mo felt a chill run down his spine, and his expression turned even colder!

“Take another step back! Brother Mo, you know my background, right? The royal family has always bestowed favors upon my clan! If I become empress, I will surely revitalize the clan to protect myself! My clan has always possessed unparalleled talent. If they are interested in politics, in a few decades, this world may not necessarily belong to the Sima family!”

Mo's face was ashen, as if he were beyond furious. Xingge leaned closer with a sly smile, "That's exactly what His Majesty was worried about, which is why he spared the punishment of severing my clan's lineage, and even bestowed upon me the 'Imperial Decree' and an imperial edict, just to banish me from the palace!"

"His Majesty bestowed upon you the 'Imperial Golden Token'?!" Mo asked in surprise, for the 'Imperial Golden Token' was a token that granted the same privilege as meeting the Emperor.

Xingge took out the 'Imperial Golden Token' from his sleeve. "With this, I'll be set for life while traveling the world! If Brother Mo tries to stop me again, he'll be disobeying the imperial decree!"

"For these reasons, you didn't hesitate to deceive the young master with false affection! The young master risked his life to save you!" Mo cried out in despair!

Xingge's face immediately turned cold, and he said in a deep voice, "Do you think the prince was able to smoothly enter the Eastern Palace, or that the emperor was able to abdicate the throne? If I did not agree, would the emperor have given up!"

Mo lowered his head and remained silent, his hand holding the sword trembling uncontrollably.

Xingge gave a wry smile. "Brother Mo, in the Prince's heart, which is more important, me or the throne?" He drew his sword fiercely, and Mo groaned and fell to the ground. Xingge then used his strength to suppress Mo's pressure points and hid him behind a rock.

"The acupoints will heal on their own in half an hour. Brother Mo, the Prince will not blame you for this injury! Xingge will take her leave now!" She turned and took a step, a soft voice coming from behind her.

"Miss! The young master has already deployed five thousand elite troops from the Northwest to guard the nine gates of the capital. Once the ceremony is complete, he will issue an edict to seal the nine gates. Miss, please be careful in everything you do!"

Xing Ge was secretly alarmed. Before the ceremony was over, the prince could not command the Nine Gates Commander and had to mobilize the Northwest Army. There was less than half an hour left! "Thank you, Brother Xie Mo!" He quickly rushed out of the palace wall.

Standing at the front hall, I gazed silently at the end of the gate to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the Golden Throne stood majestically! Stepping to the rhythm of ceremonial music, I walked slowly along the imperial path, courtiers bowing respectfully on either side. Yet, the image of that smiling face that had promised me a perpetual smile floated into my mind! Were you there? Were you watching me ascend that throne? Entering the hall, close ministers lined both sides, and the Emperor sat upon the Golden Throne, signaling to his attendants to issue an edict.

As the clear voice of the courtier echoed through the hall, all the officials were astonished. The Emperor had actually spared the Yuezhi from the punishment of having their veins severed, which their ancestors had bestowed upon them!

In an instant, everything became clear, and a surge of urge to run after him welled up within him. When he came to his senses, his father and the assembled officials were already waiting for him to step forward and perform the abdication ceremony. He clenched his fist in his sleeve, steadied himself, and then stepped forward steadily…

Xingge quickly found an inn, made his arrangements, and rushed to the South Gate. The South Gate was the main thoroughfare for ordinary people, and a long line of people scurried along its length. At the front, city guards leaned idly to one side, while outside, soldiers in Northwest military uniforms checked each person in the line. Xingge quickly calculated that when it was his turn, he would surely complete the formalities. After a moment's thought, he spurred his horse and galloped towards the North Gate. In the distance, he saw Vice General Lü standing outside the gate. Vice General Lü was a former subordinate of General Lin of the Southwest, whom he had encountered during the Battle of Tiangou.

The North Gate is close to the imperial city, and to avoid trouble, and because it doesn't connect to the main road, few people usually pass through it. Yet His Highness has ordered him to personally guard this gate until the imperial decree to seal it arrives. Deputy General Lü is somewhat helpless. Back in Kucha, Military Advisor Ye and the Prince had a close relationship, with many ambiguous rumors circulating. Now, he's urgently mobilizing elite troops to besiege the city, just to capture this demoness, but without harming anyone! This demoness once led an army at the front; her skills are formidable. If they were to encounter her, who knows how many would die before capturing her? The ceremony is almost over, and all nine gates are unharmed—thank goodness! Just as he looks up, he sees a rider in a green robe galloping towards the city gate, and his heart skips a beat!

As the figure drew closer, he recognized the rider as a refined middle-aged scholar and reached out to stop him.

Where are we headed?

"My lord, my friend is seriously ill, and I must rush to Luoyang to visit him!"

Deputy General Lü scrutinized the man closely. He recognized him as a middle-aged man with a knot in his throat. Remembering the demoness's skill in disguise, he reached out and touched the man's face. It was indeed skin!

"Sir!" the man said awkwardly, stepping back.

Ignoring the surprised looks from the soldiers behind him, Vice General Lü remained expressionless. "Please open your baggage, sir!"

There was a zither, a sword, and some other everyday items belonging to a man. The sword was indeed white, but extremely ordinary; the zither was neither red nor black, but rather a brown one. Deputy General Lü pondered for a moment, then said, "Please, sir, undress!"

"Does Your Excellency intend to humiliate a commoner like me?" the man asked, slightly angry.

A salute was fired from the direction of the Imperial City, signaling the end of the grand ceremony!

"The city gates are sealed now, sir. Please leave the city another day!" Vice General Lü said in a deep voice.

Helpless, the man quickly removed his outer robe, his face turning pale. "Please examine me, sir!"

Lieutenant General Lü peered through his thin spring shirt and saw that his chest and back were flat and without any bindings, causing him to hesitate...

Imperial cavalry were already galloping in from within the city, likely carrying an imperial edict to seal the gates! The man glanced furtively at the white sword on the ground, his mind making a resolute decision.

"Sir, may I leave the city now?"

Deputy General Lü suddenly drew his sword and attacked. The man cried out in shock, his arm slashed and blood gushing out. "This humble commoner does not know what crime I have committed?"

Seeing the man's reaction to the attack, Deputy General Lü breathed a sigh of relief. "I apologize for my rudeness earlier. Please leave the city, sir!" With that, he led his troops into the city to receive the imperial decree.

The man shuddered as he bandaged the wound on his arm, listened to the sound of the city gate closing behind him, chuckled, and spurred his horse to gallop away!

After galloping for nearly half an hour, they had left the capital's territory. The man stood atop a hill, ignoring the dark blood seeping from the corner of his lips, and laughed heartily. "Hmph! 'Phantom Flower Shift' is indeed not for humans! Looks like I'll need to rest for a while! But, hehe!"

I've come through countless mountains and rivers...

On a summer night, Mo Yi stood silently outside the Xiao'an Palace, her heart filled with unease. The young master had been on the throne for over three months, yet he had not punished her, nor issued an edict to search the entire country for the missing person. He had even made the Crown Princess Empress, and diligently governed daily, earning praise from all levels of the court as a wise ruler. However, only the palace attendants knew that since his ascension, the new emperor had spent every night in the Xiao'an Palace, drinking himself into a stupor before two portraits, and had even moved his own bedchamber there. The Dowager Consort had pleaded with him, but was driven out of the palace, and no one dared to speak further. Seeing the young master growing increasingly haggard, his smile vanished, Mo Yi was filled with remorse. She should have risked her life to save him that day. Who cared what the future held? At this rate, how many more years could the young master live?! Today, the Emperor Emeritus, who had been recuperating at the Luoyang Palace after his coronation, returned to the capital and was currently in the palace talking with the young master. She wondered…

Just then, the sound of heated debate gradually rose from inside the hall.

"I won't be like you, spending my whole life..."

...

"You even abandoned your mother...!"

...

"Please grant my wish..."

...

The noise grew louder and louder, and Tingdi Mo was already terrified.

In the top-floor pavilion of Zui Dongfeng Restaurant in Linzhou, Ruyi sat sprawled on a chair, her face filled with sorrow. "That damned little Ge'er! What trouble has she gotten herself into?! The Ninth Young Master actually mobilized the Linzhou government to seal off the restaurant, threatening to slaughter dozens of its inhabitants if he didn't appear within ten days! Today is the tenth day! Little Ge'er, if you receive this terrible news, you must come to my rescue! You have to compensate me for these ten days of losses! Waaah…"

Jiu Ru ignored Ru Yi's sobs, leaned against the couch where Xing Ge often lay, and stared blankly at the lake outside the window. Mo Yi remained silent beside him.

As the sun began to set, and Ruyi was on the verge of fainting, footsteps echoed in the hallway. The three people inside were startled. Suddenly, the door was kicked open with a bang, and a girl in a pretty purple knight-errant outfit stood leaning against it, smiling. Ruyi snapped back to reality and rushed forward.

"Little Ge'er, you've finally arrived!" But fingernails dug into Xingge's back as she whispered, "Quickly get rid of that plague god, if you want to fight, go outside!"

He stared silently for a long time, his heart churning with mixed emotions, his face expressionless. Meanwhile, Mo Yi glared at Xing Ge with undisguised hatred.

Xingge gently supported Ruyi, stepped forward, and clasped her hands in a fist salute.

"Ninth Young Master, it's been a long time!"

Jiu Ru remained silent. The person in front of him had a slightly darker complexion, which shimmered with a dark light. His eyes were bright and spirited, which made people feel angry!

The person reclining was pale with a bluish tinge, and had heavy shadows under his eyes. Xingge sighed inwardly, thinking that the seat was truly unfit for human habitation.