Chapter 85
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Chapter 85: Title
Inside the tent, the silence was deafening, and Gu Hengbo felt her breath becoming laborious. She wanted to stand up and walk toward the bed, but her body wouldn’t move.
“What are you doing? I’m not dead yet!” Lian Rong’s weak voice broke through, and the former sighed in relief while the latter quickly sat up.
Gu Hengbo stared wide-eyed at the person lying in bed, struggling to sit up. She quickly pushed herself up and crawled over. “Are you crazy? You’re breathing heavily and not saying a word! I thought you were gone!”
Lian Rong turned her head slightly, half-closing her eyes as she looked at Gu Hengbo, whose eyes were slightly red. Her voice came out hoarse, “How did you get here?”
Gu Hengbo glared at her, “This is my home! If I’m not here, where else would I be?”
Lian Rong frowned and looked at Wuyang, “Take me away from here; go to Northern Region Capital.”
Both Gu Hengbo and Wuyang were taken aback.
Wuyang quickly stood up and bowed, “The prince’s injuries are serious; it’s not good to travel.”
Lian Rong didn’t understand why. After hearing Wuyang’s words, she stubbornly insisted on sitting up, “Take me away!”
Gu Hengbo was left aside. She lowered her gaze, “You’re injured; wait until you’re better to leave.”
“No need!” Lian Rong replied very decisively!
Wuyang turned her gaze to Gu Hengbo, shaking her head gently.
Gu Hengbo tried to persuade Lian Rong a few more times, but it was still no use. She had never known that Lian Rong could be this stubborn. She had said that no matter who it was today, after such a big incident, she would not ignore it. Lian Rong felt the same way; it was about a human life!
Lian Rong kept struggling to get up, and Gu Hengbo, feeling helpless and unable to think of a good solution, decided not to wait for her to speak again. She leaned down and kissed those pale, thin lips.
Lian Rong stopped moving!
Wuyang was completely stunned! So she sensibly slipped away in silence.
Gu Hengbo did not linger on Lian Rong’s lips for long before pulling back. “Take good care of your injury. When you’re better, you can leave whenever you want; I won’t stop you.”
Lian Rong looked up at her.
Gu Hengbo helped her sit up. “I’ll help you clean up and change the sheets, and you can rest well.”
Lian Rong didn’t move; she just stared at her.
Gu Hengbo wasn’t uncomfortable this time and let her watch. After a pause, she said, “You don’t need to think too much about it. No matter who it is, I treat them the same.”
What does it mean to treat everyone the same? Are you going to kiss everyone like that? That was what Lian Rong was truly concerned about!
Once everything was tidied up, Gu Hengbo settled Lian Rong and planned to go out. As if recalling something, she turned back and asked with a puzzled expression, “Will the people chasing you come here?”
Lian Rong coughed a few times. “They should not, but don’t worry, I will leave early.”
Gu Hengbo waved her hand. “I’m not trying to rush you out. You need to have a plan, and what to do is your own business.”
Lian Rong didn’t speak; she just quietly watched her. At this moment, she couldn’t understand the woman in front of her at all, even though she was the one in control of everything.
As soon as Gu Hengbo left, Wuyang entered the big tent. She took out a stack of envelope-like items from her sleeve and handed them directly to Lian Rong. “Master, why go through this? You know these two are impossible.”
Lian Rong leaned back a bit, her back injury feeling like a thousand sharp swords piercing her bones. Despite the cold sweat trickling down her forehead, she remained silent as she took the items from Wuyang. They were hers, and no one could take them away—not even her nephew or her own son!
She was not a righteous person, and she didn’t give without expecting anything in return. She had indulged her time and again, even to the point of harming herself for her. What else could she not do?
Seeing her master gripping the stack of letters and falling into silence, Wuyang felt helpless and didn’t know what to do. She recalled how she had arrived to find a woman in a bright red robe standing quietly amidst the fierce wind, allowing her enemies to attack without retaliating. If she hadn’t rushed in when her master suddenly used her energy as if she was self-harming, perhaps that person would already be crippled.
The sound of the papers rustling brought Wuyang back to reality. She looked at Lian Rong, who was staring blankly at the letter, and reminded her, “These are the recent letters. They have been coming quite frequently these days.”
Lian Rong focused on the end of the letter:
Meisheng, I miss you.
Wuyang noticed Lian Rong’s expression was off, and quickly glanced at the letter. Just one look made her break out in a cold sweat. The Second Prince was indeed different from before, and what’s worse, this matter was seen by her master. A royal aunt and a royal nephew? Just thinking about them made her feel that their courage was extraordinary.
Lian Rong folded the letter neatly and placed it in the envelope. Leaning back against the big pillow, she slowly closed her eyes. “Wuyang, we can’t wait any longer.” This country was about to change hands!
Wuyang smirked slightly. “Master, 400,000 troops are ready at any time!”
Lian Rong nodded. “How is it with the Empress?”
Wuyang’s eyes were calm as she replied quietly, “Since the First Prince was taken to the Tiangong Division, the Empress has fallen ill. The Emperor hasn’t treated her as he used to, and has been visiting Concubine Wan much more frequently.”
Lian Rong opened her eyes, memories of a graceful figure from the past flashing in her mind. She sighed softly. Lan’er, don’t blame me for being cruel. If you had seen the situation clearly and followed me from the start, you wouldn’t have ended like this. I loved you, truly loved you, but over time, it changed its flavor.
Since I cannot have you, I can’t let you live well either.
Wuyang recounted the recent happenings in the court to Lian Rong and added, “Master, we overlooked one thing.”
Lian Rong raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“Second Prince is not as simple as we think; he has people by his side,” Wuyang said in a low voice.
Lian Rong silently laughed. “During these years when the Empress has been ill, he would naturally not remain indifferent. Otherwise, I have wasted many years teaching him. In terms of cunning, Lian Yue truly does not compare to him.” The child she raised, even if he craves the throne, it does not matter; it’s just that he has done things he should not have, so he is destined to be unfulfilled.
*
Dongyin’s royal city, Prime Minister’s residence
“Sir, there’s a letter from that side. The Second Prince has requested the Emperor to grant him a marriage,” a man in dark clothing stood quietly in the hall.
Gu Yuanqing sat behind the table, tapped it lightly, and said thoughtfully, “What is meant to come will come. I never expected that to protect the entire Prime Minister’s residence today, I would have to sacrifice two daughters.”
“Sir, those who recognize the times are heroes; whoever can provide a way out for the Prime Minister’s residence, we will naturally follow,” the dark-clothed man said calmly.
Gu Yuanqing shook his head. “I started my career late and married late. Now that I am old and have lost my children, even if I return to my youth, what can I do? Among those in court, who can truly be clean and aboveboard, without greed or anger? Ha, that is a fairy! Now, wanting to withdraw unscathed still relies on my two daughters in exchange.” The people around him and the forces he is connected to remind him that he does not overshadow the ruler, yet he holds immense power. However, there is someone who has never feared him; whether to keep him in this position or to uproot him is just a matter of a finger’s movement. Indeed, that person has already shared all plans with him: if he agrees, he can retire safely; if he refuses, he will not have a good end.
Helpless, he could only agree to make the next steps flawless. After years of wandering, if he could experience three generations of rulers, death would be no regret.
*
Dongyin Imperial Palace
“Your Majesty, you have finally arrived. Today, the Empress has been feeling weak since early morning and has vomited several times. Even the Imperial Physicians could not find out what was wrong,” an older palace maid anxiously knelt in Changning Palace.
The Eastern Emperor kept a serious face and walked directly to Concubine Wan’s chamber. “Proclaim my orders: summon all the Imperial Physicians within the palace immediately, and send someone out to invite Prime Minister Gu in.”
