☆、Twenty、Great Cause
With the unification of the empire complete, and to legitimize his rule as the Son of Heaven, Jun Yifeng decided to change the empire's name to "Jun" and perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai. According to ritual, only the emperor could pray to Heaven alone. However, Jun Yifeng instructed the Imperial Observatory and the Ministry of Rites to have Qingluan, the empress, pray with him. Wasn't this a blatant declaration to the world that he, Jun Yifeng, was willing to stand at the pinnacle of power alongside the empress, sharing imperial authority? This caused an uproar in the court and among the people, who submitted numerous petitions opposing the act.
Qingluan also advised Jun Yifeng in the harem: "I don't care about these things. Now that I have avenged myself, I will no longer participate in state affairs to avoid criticism."
But Jun Yifeng insisted on this, and no matter what Qingluan said, he did not answer, but just held her tightly in his arms.
After intensive preparations, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau calculated that the auspicious day would be three months later. At Jun Yifeng's insistence, the Ministry of Rites prepared for the Fengshan ceremony according to the standards for emperors and empresses.
On the Fengshan Platform of Mount Tai, after three days and three nights of fasting and bathing, Qingluan knelt behind Jun Yifeng, silently praying for national peace and prosperity, and for the people to live in happiness and contentment. She gazed with reverence at Jun Yifeng's retreating figure. This great king had finally fulfilled his long-cherished wish, fulfilling the expectations of his master and uncle. He would surely lead the kingdom to prosperity and be revered by the world! Below the mountain, the entire court of officials awaited their king with pride, immersed in a joyful atmosphere. A new era was about to begin!
As they descended the mountain, Jun Yifeng held Qingluan's hand tightly. The legendary founding emperor and empress of the Jun Kingdom gazed at each other with deep affection, immersed in a sea of tender feelings.
"Qingluan, without you, there would be no today. You have wholeheartedly helped me accomplish my great cause. From now on, I will share this world with you!"
Qingluan was filled with emotion, silently nodding and tightly holding Jun Yifeng's hand.
The whole country was discussing the grand event of the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, and the palace was filled with joy. The only thing missing was that there was still no news of Jun Yilin.
Ye Zhanqing had proven his strength in this battle, becoming a true general. Seeing him avenge his country and family, and realize his ambitions, Qingluan was very happy for him, but secretly reminded him to keep a low profile and not repeat Linghu Hongyu's mistakes. Ye Zhanqing was also intelligent and immediately understood Qingluan's good intentions. Whether in public or private, he attributed his success to Jun Yifeng's effective leadership. Seeing that he enjoyed Jun Yifeng's trust, Qingluan felt much more at ease.
"You're so good to him?" Piao Hong looked at Ye Zhanqing, who was full of vigor and spirit in the army in the distance, and her tone seemed a little jealous.
"I'll treat you just as well!" Qingluan said gently, as if coaxing a child.
Piao Hong seemed quite pleased, smiled contentedly, and stopped arguing with Ye Zhanqing.
Qingluan sighed inwardly.
Good things kept happening one after another. While everyone was still immersed in the national celebration, news spread from the palace that Qingluan was pregnant.
Although Qingluan said she would no longer participate in state affairs, Jun Yifeng would still consult with her on matters he couldn't make up his mind about.
"I've already allocated funds from the national treasury to the disaster area to help the victims of the floods in the south, but I'm worried about those corrupt officials. I wonder how much of the relief grain has been delivered to the victims?" Jun Yifeng said with concern.
"I have thought about this matter for a long time and have come up with a plan, but it is only a temporary solution and not a fundamental cure. I don't know if it will work," Qingluan replied.
"Oh, what good ideas do you have? Please speak freely, and we can discuss them together."
"Clear water has no fish. Although there are corrupt officials among them, the way to govern cannot be rushed. The country is newly established, and the people's hearts are not yet united. Some people are still observing. Rashly changing the status quo may hurt the people's hearts. However, the natural disaster is urgent. If it is not handled properly, it may trigger a riot and shake the foundation of the country. At this critical moment, we must take drastic measures. The officials sent to the disaster area can be made to check each other. If the official in charge of this matter is corrupt, he should be dismissed on the spot and replaced by his deputy. If the deputy is corrupt, the next official should take his place, and so on. We are not afraid that they will collude with each other!"
"Yes, it is indeed a good idea, but as you said, it is only a temporary solution. It can be implemented temporarily, but if it continues for a long time, the court will probably be in chaos. Well, for now, we can only do this for the time being."
As the two were discussing the details of the next step, Qingluan suddenly felt nauseous, covered her mouth, and ran to the side to dry heave. Seeing that Qingluan was in pain, Jun Yifeng quickly summoned the imperial physician.
The imperial physician carefully placed his hand on Qingluan's hand, which was covered with a silk scarf. After about half an incense stick's time, the physician happily reported to the two of them: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! The Empress is in good health and is pregnant!"
Upon hearing this, Jun Yifeng stood up excitedly, his expression changing before he finally exclaimed with joy, "Really? That's wonderful! I'm going to have a son!"
Qingluan lowered her head shyly. Jun Yifeng waved for the others to leave, then knelt before Qingluan and murmured, "Luan'er, you must bear me a prince. I will make him the crown prince and pass our empire to him!"
Qingluan reached out and smoothed Jun Yifeng's slightly disheveled hair, saying, "I will. Our prince will definitely be as intelligent and quick-witted as you, with a heart for the world."
Qingluan's face was filled with a happy smile, looking forward to a bright future.
Jun Yifeng lay on Qingluan's lap, his face indifferent and his eyes cold.
Perhaps because it was her first pregnancy, Qingluan was very nervous and often had a bad feeling. Qingxi and the others often said that this was due to the pregnant woman's anxiety and often tried to cheer her up. Piaohong sneaked in several times, staring at Qingluan's belly, and said childishly, "Even if I have him, I'll still be the closest person to you!" Qingluan found it funny, knowing that he lacked a sense of security, so she could only coax him, "Of course, you're his uncle!" Piaohong seemed very easy to coax; as long as Qingluan was willing to coax him, he would be happy immediately.
Jun Yifeng would personally bring Qingluan the medicine to prevent miscarriage every day. He would not leave to deal with state affairs until he saw her finish drinking it. Qingluan could not persuade him, so she had no choice but to obediently drink the bitter medicine. Qingluan was proficient in medicine and knew that those were precious medicinal materials, so she naturally had to cooperate.
As her belly grew bigger day by day, and her twentieth birthday drew ever closer, Qingluan was filled with anxiety, wondering if her master had found a way to avert her misfortune and whether she could give birth smoothly. In this anxious state of mind, her belly also became restless. To soothe Qingluan's uneasy heart, Jun Yifeng summoned Huiniang and Ye Zhanhong to the palace to accompany her. Upon seeing them, Qingluan's mood improved greatly, and the fetal movements seemed to stabilize.
The grown-up Ye Zhanhong is charming and beautiful. Looking at her sister Qingluan, whom she hasn't seen for many years, she still feels the same attachment as before. Huiniang, upon seeing Qingluan, is overcome with emotion and tears stream down her face. Although Qingluan has been sending people to take care of them all these years, they couldn't meet due to their different statuses. Now that the world is at peace, they can finally reunite, which is truly heartwarming.
☆、Twenty-one、The Truth
With Hui Niang and Ye Zhanhong by her side, Qingluan, who had been somewhat listless, felt much better. Her due date was fast approaching, and everyone had made all the necessary preparations, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new life. There was still no news from the nameless Taoist. Qingluan's 20th birthday was not far off, and now she only hoped to give birth to a healthy child; her own life and death were no longer a concern.
In the middle of the night, Qingluan woke up in excruciating pain, her head covered in sweat, and hurriedly called for Qingxi.
"Hey, what's wrong? Do you want some water?" Qingxi asked.
"My stomach hurts! Go and summon the imperial physician! I might be going into labor!" Qingluan said, enduring the pain.
Upon hearing this, Qingxi immediately arranged for someone to summon the imperial physician and report the situation to Jun Yifeng. She also called Zhi Qiu over to serve him.
Qingxi gently wiped the sweat from Qingluan's forehead with a brocade handkerchief. Qingluan gripped the silk quilt tightly, trying her best to endure.
"Please bear with it a little longer, the imperial physician will be here soon!" Qingxi kept comforting Qingluan.
Zhi Qiu anxiously went out several times to check if the imperial physician had arrived.
Qingluan felt a warm current flowing from her abdomen, her strength gradually fading, and even her consciousness was fading. In a daze, she heard Qingxi say, "Why is there so much blood!" A thought flashed through Qingluan's mind. Something was wrong. Although she had never given birth, this feeling was different from what she had read in medical books. Qingluan pinched herself hard with her fingernails, regaining a little consciousness. She stared sharply at Qingxi, who immediately realized something was amiss. Qingluan said with difficulty, "Fetch the Life-Sustaining Powder." Qingxi went to fetch it with tears in her eyes, her heart filled with sorrow. They were even using the Life-Sustaining Powder; could it be that the Lord—
By this time, the imperial physician and midwife had arrived. Qingxi gave Qingluan the life-extending powder and hurriedly asked the imperial physician to take Qingluan's pulse. The life-extending powder was a miraculous medicine made by Qingluan herself, which could prolong the life of a person on the verge of death by one day, hence the name "life-extending powder".
The imperial physician was awakened in the middle of the night and, disheveled, was forcibly brought to take the Empress's pulse. But the Empress was his consort, and he dared not show the slightest disrespect, stepping forward tremblingly. The physician gradually broke into a sweat, knelt down, and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, Your Majesty, please forgive me..."
Zhi Qiu, growing impatient, snapped, "Speak quickly, what happened?"
The imperial physician wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve and said, "Her Majesty's pregnancy has been progressing smoothly, and her pulse has been normal. There seems to be nothing wrong. However, when I took her pulse just now, I found that the pregnancy was very weak, as if it was getting weaker and weaker. The Empress and the Dragon Prince may be..." The imperial physician swallowed hard and dared not continue.
Qingluan knew her time was near, so she mustered her strength and asked the imperial physician, "If my health is disregarded, can the prince be kept safe?"
The imperial physician shook his head with difficulty and knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly.
Qingluan felt a deep sorrow in her heart. "My son, you can't even come to this world!"
Qingluan remembered something, quickly calmed herself down, and instructed Qingxi: "Tell them all to leave, and call Piaohong here."
The imperial physician, the midwife, and the palace maids all silently withdrew. Qingxi went out to find Piaohong. Zhiqiu stepped forward and grasped Qingluan's hand, her eyes brimming with tears.
"How is she? How is the Empress?" Jun Yifeng rushed over, his clothes casually draped over his shoulders, his hair loose and untied. He sat down beside Qingluan's bed, holding her hand tightly, and asked, "Why does she look so pale? What did the imperial physician say? Why did you send them all away?"
Qingluan forced a smile and said, "My time is coming to an end, and even the imperial physicians are helpless. The great calamity my master foretold has finally arrived. Don't blame anyone. I have been studying medicine since childhood and know that I am not going to live. The poor thing is our child, it—" Tears welled up and Qingluan choked up, unable to speak.
Jun Yifeng waved for everyone to leave, his face full of worry.
The doors to the main hall closed, and the hall was so quiet that you could hear two people breathing, or rather, three people breathing, because that person's martial arts were too high and they were deliberately concealing themselves, so no one noticed. Qingluan saw Jun Yifeng lost in thought and knew that her time was running out. Worried about him, she softly called out, "Yifeng?"
Jun Yifeng gently released Qingluan's hand, stood up, turned his back to her, and said coldly, "Do you have any last words?" His voice was calm and unwavering, completely different from his panicked voice just now.
Qingluan asked, somewhat puzzled, "What?"
Jun Yifeng slowly turned around, his eyes gleaming with a wicked light, a mocking smile on his lips, his entire demeanor exuding evil. Qingluan suddenly felt that she didn't recognize this person. Who was he?
"Since you're about to die anyway, I'll let you die knowing why. I know you're skilled in medicine and poison, and I also know you have a group of mysterious people working for you. It wasn't easy to get you to drink the poison I prepared for you without any suspicion, was it?" Jun Yifeng strolled leisurely to the window, his voice erratic. "It took me a lot of effort to develop this poison that you wouldn't notice! It's colorless, odorless, and crystal clear. I call it Jade Dew. Don't you think it sounds nice?"
Qingluan felt as if she had suddenly fallen into an ice cellar, her heart freezing inch by inch, her whole body trembling. She gritted her teeth and forced out a single sentence: "Why?"
"Why? You're so smart, don't you know? You have the destiny bestowed upon you by heaven, and the talent to surpass all others. The world's affairs are in your grasp, and even Master is wholeheartedly on your side. Indeed, without you, I could not have achieved what I have today, but how many sacrifices have I made to win you over? I wanted to keep you for a few more years to serve me, but you're pregnant. What am I supposed to do?" Jun Yifeng said coldly, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.
Qingluan's pupils contracted, her face turned pale, and she felt as if she were being slowly tortured by a dull knife, the pain was excruciating, and she couldn't speak.
Jun Yifeng didn't even look at her. His words were somewhat incoherent, as if words that had been suppressed for a long time were pouring into Qingluan's ears: "Even my good younger brother has fallen in love with you. If you two are in cahoots and have my child, how can I have a place to stand? I have arranged so many accidents to get rid of you, but I have never succeeded. There is such a powerful force behind you. You are really not to be underestimated!"
Qingluan's tears had soaked her face and filled her heart.
"Don't worry, after you die, I will announce to the world that it was Ya Xiu Rong who hated you for taking away her daughter and poisoned you. I will avenge you and grind her bones to dust!"
Qingluan's teeth chattered, and she began to shiver. When did this man start pretending? When...?
That song "The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate," those heartwarming words—were they all...?
It turns out I was just a stepping stone for someone else...
Was his desperate attempt to save me back then also a lie...?
So what Jun Yilin said was true. Was he also implicated because of me...?
Now is not the time to think about these things. Qingluan suppressed her thoughts and said in a hoarse voice, "Don't hurt anyone else. Once I'm dead, no one can threaten you anymore, please!"
Jun Yifeng coldly stared at the sorrowful face on the bed. Finally, he could eliminate the person who posed the greatest threat to him. Once upon a time, he had liked her too! But why was she so powerful, so powerful that she kept him up at night, making him hesitant to act against her...
"As long as you die, I promise not to implicate innocent people, as a way of repaying you for your assistance over the years," Jun Yifeng said coldly.
"You should think about how you want to die first?" A clear voice rang out, and a short sword silently kissed Jun Yifeng's neck.
"No, don't kill him!" Qingluan weakly tried to stop him when she saw Piaohong's bloodthirsty eyes.
"Why? He wants to kill you!" Piao Hong said, feeling wronged.
"You said you would listen to me, but now you're not keeping your word?" Qingluan coaxed him.
"If you don't tell me the reason, I won't listen. I'll just die with you!" Piao Hong said stubbornly.
Qingluan had no choice but to say, "He has already promised me that he will not harm anyone else. Besides, if you kill him, the world will surely descend into chaos. You mustn't—"
Seeing Qingluan panting heavily, struggling to breathe, Piaohong's heart softened. She pressed Jun Yifeng's pressure points, rushed to Qingluan's bedside, picked her up, and lightly stepped out of the palace gate.
Qingluan lay quietly in Piaohong's arms, a few tears falling on his face. He knew that Piaohong was heartbroken and felt sorry for this lonely boy. He could trust everyone else, but not him. "I lied to you. I lied to you about the intimate things. You were not poisoned. After I die, you must take good care of yourself. Don't seek revenge for me. Don't kill people indiscriminately..." His voice grew softer and softer.
Piao Hong gently placed Qing Luan on the ground, feeling her face was icy cold. Were those tears? How long had it been since she had cried? From the day she received assassin training, tears and weakness no longer belonged to her, not even her life. It was this woman who warmed her long-frozen heart. It was she who made her realize that she was no longer alone!
He sobbed, "I know, I've known all along. It was my own choice to stay by your side. Don't speak, I'll take you to see a doctor!"
"Don't be silly, there's no one left in this world who can save me. Don't you trust my medical skills? After I die, you must send my body back, otherwise I'm afraid he'll break his promise. If you don't listen to me, I'll no longer acknowledge you as my brother!" Qingluan knew that her weakness was him, so she had no choice but to threaten him.
Piao Hong nodded with difficulty, her eyes fixed greedily on Qing Luan, as if she would disappear in the blink of an eye.
Memories flashed through Qingluan's mind, those touching, tender, sad, and painful moments... all turning to dust and vanishing with the wind.
If life were only as beautiful as our first meeting, why would the autumn wind bring sorrow to the painted fan? So easily does the heart of a loved one change, yet people say it's the heart of the loved one that is fickle.
If that's the case, why did we ever meet? If that's the case, why did we ever fall in love? If everything could go back to the beginning, when we first met, would I still have shown off my talent? Would my heart have trembled for that song, "The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate"? But alas, everything can never be the same again!
Qingluan felt her body getting colder and colder, her rosy, jade-like face gradually becoming blurry, and her body floated up lightly, not knowing where to go.
A heart-wrenching scream rang out: "Qingluan, Qingluan, don't leave me! I don't want to be alone and sad anymore, don't..."
A few pink petals drifted down, landing sporadically on Qingluan. Qingluan saw Piaohong tightly hugging her, sobbing uncontrollably, while her own eyes were tightly closed, her face gradually turning pale.