Chapter 204 Leaving the Capital
The Emperor and the others were all brought crashing down, their blood spattering across the floor. They struggled to get up but felt that their meridians had been shattered – they could not move at all.
Hua Qiyue moved forward. A great number of Qi Artists had dashed in from outside, but when they saw the scene, they were so startled that they dared not move.
After all, the 20 Qi Artists with the Emperor were supreme experts, but they had been knocked aside by Hua Qiyue’s one move. If they attacked, would they not die?
Hua Qiyue gave a derisive snort, the chilling aura emanating from her body causing the Qi Artists in the front to move aside, allowing her to pa.s.s. “I’m not going to kill you, for the sake of the Crown Prince. But… you will end up being crippled for life and paralyzed on the bed because of the power of the Drunken Flower Fan. If you dare to oppose me again, you will die!”
The Emperor was in so much pain that he could not speak. Pointing to Hua Qiyue, lips trembling, he blacked out.
Hua Qiyue walked outside, holding the crystal ball in her hand. This toy could be kept for Tianci.
Yet where was he?
Yun Shimo, how cruel are you to have taken Tianci away…
The grievances in Hua Qiyue’s heart gushed out madly. Facing those fearless Qi Artists blocking her way, Hua Qiyue bellowed, “Scram!”
She waved her large sleeve. A forceful gale swept those Qi Artists away, smashing them against the wall.
Hua Qiyue advanced steadily. The eunuchs and the maidservants saw her and knelt in terror. She did not give them even a glance. As long as they did not block her way, she would ignore them.
In this manner, she left the palace easily. Ji Feng and Ji Jing saw that her face color was ghastly and ran to her.
“Qiyue, are you alright? Did His Majesty… try to kill you, again?”
Seeing the bloodstains on Hua Qiyue’s robes, Ji Feng was infuriated. His handsome face turned crimson,, his eyes full of pity and pain. It was clear he wanted to dash into the palace and settle scores with the Emperor, but Hua Qiyue pulled him back.
Hua Qiyue remembered the hurt she received when she was three, and her voice was exceptionally chilly. “You don’t need to go. I taught the Emperor a lesson; he is a cripple now. Were it not for the Crown Prince, I would have killed him!”
“Sister Qiyue, His Royal Highness doesn’t like His Majesty either. You may as well kill him, since he’s been trying constantly to kill you. Besides, you are the heroine behind the extermination of the Gnawing Devils Sect. He’s a rapacious wolf to have treated you in this way!”
Ji Jing could not help but curse. The two guards standing by either side of the door heard her and gave her a look, but they did not dare to act.
Hua Qiyue gave a small sigh. There were no clues in Princess Qianyang’s letter. She couldn’t possibly have told the Emperor her destination. Hua Qiyue would not learn anything, even if she interrogated him.
She went to her carriage listlessly and headed for Hua’s Mansion.
No one from Hua’s Mansion had left the compound in one month. Not even the Emperor’s messengers were allowed inside.
The moment Hua Qiyue returned, she dismissed the array of people. Everyone in Hua’s Mansion heard the door creak open and joyously welcomed her.
“Qiyue!” The Old Madame’s hands were trembling, as she walked over to grab Hua Qiyue’s extremely emaciated arm. It had only been a month, but she had become so thin. She was almost unrecognizable.
The rims of Hua Liting’s eyes were slightly red as he said agitatedly, “Qiyue… it’s good that you’ve come back alive!”
Lv Xin and Youshui were by the side, sobbing quietly.
“The last month has been hard on all of you.” Hua Qiyue gave a slight smile, trying to disguise the tiredness in her eyes.
The Old Madame, of course, did not neglect Ji Feng and Ji Jing behind Hua Qiyue. “Come, come in and sit down, Young Master Ji and Miss Ji!”
“Hey, where’s the Prince? And Tianci?” The Old Madame had remained in the mansion and had not heard the news.
“Grandma, let’s get in first,” Hua Qiyue said quietly. She did not wish to mention Yun Shimo and Tianci in front of company.
The Old Madame saw the dejection in Hua Qiyue’s eyes and her heart skipped a beat. She knew that something bad had happened, so she silently allowed Hua Qiyue to help her into the yard.
Some of the servants in the courtyard took this opportunity to slip out and enjoy the fresh air.
Hua Qiyue and the Old Madame sat in the hall; the servants had all been dismissed. She then narrated what had happened over the past month.
The Old Madame and Hua Liting heard her and were astounded. They finally understood the grievances and pain Hua Qiyue had suffered in the past month.
“Girl… you’ve suffered. Grandma will get our people to prepare you a lavish meal to welcome you back. Don’t brood about the past. Cherish who you have with you now. Understand?” Her grandmother gave Ji Feng a meaningful glance, causing him to blush.
Hua Qiyue merely smiled without saying anything.
Perhaps the Old Madame felt that Tianci was only an adopted son. Although Hua Qiyue had lost him, she could make it up in some other way, like marrying a man and having their own children.
She didn’t know the truth, that Tianci was Hua Qiyue’s son in her former life. He was more precious to her than her own life. If she could choose to have him safe and in good health, Hua Qiyue would sacrifice everything. Many mothers would likely feel the same way.
But she must first rest in Hua’s Mansion for a few days before making further decisions.
————————
When Huangfu Shenglin returned from the rockeries in backyard, he heard that the Emperor had been badly injured by Hua Qiyue. The imperial physician was now treating the Changlong Emperor’s wounds.
Early in the morning, Huangfu Shenglin was deployed by the Emperor to practice archery in the rockeries in backyard. In hindsight, Huangfu Shenglin realized this must have been a deliberate ploy of the Emperor.
Huangfu Shenglin managed to get the truth from the injured Qi Artists and was livid. He angrily rushed to the Emperor’s bedchamber.
Having just treated the Emperor’s injuries, the imperial physician saw Huangfu approaching in a mad rage and gave the proper obeisance. “My greetings to Your Royal Highness, the Crown Prince!”
Huangfu Shenglin glanced at the Changlong Emperor lying on his imperial couch. He could no longer talk, only making gabbling noises.
Consort Mei stared at her son. Her worst fears were finally allayed, but her eyes remained red. “Your Royal Highness, you’re finally back! Such an incident has happened in the palace. What can I do?”
“My Royal Mother, I would speak alone with the Emperor first,” Huangfu Shenglin said coldly.
Consort Mei and the other royal concubines all stared at one another and retreated despondently. The Emperor was now paralyzed. In the future, Huangfu Shenglin would probably take over all affairs of state.
But since Hua Qiyue was the culprit, how would he deal with her? They might have to rely on the Crown Prince’s judgement.
Huangfu Shenglin pondered for a while. “Right, censor the news. Don’t let anything on today’s incident spread out of the palace!”
“Yes, Your Highness!” Huangfu Shenglin’s confidante Qi Artist immediately answered. They were alone, save for the Emperor and his confidante eunuch.
Huangfu Shenglin stood in front of the couch, watching the Emperor’s contorted expressions. “My Royal Father, you are too much! You shattered Qiyue’s meridians when she was three, and tried to waylay and kill her after she rendered such meritorious services. She’s a servant of Changjing Kingdom…” *He gave a joyless chuckle. “My father, you’ve always taught us to repay our debts of grat.i.tude. I didn’t expect you to be such a despicable ingrate!”
The Emperor’s eyes showed great astonishment. He had not expected Huangfu Shenglin to know about this matter.
Huangfu Shenglin did not show even a tinge of pity for the paralyzed Emperor on the couch. “My Royal Father, we will forgive Hua Qiyue for trying to a.s.sa.s.sinate you. You two are even now, since you tried to kill her first. Besides… she’s a famous Qi Artist, far more famous than you, my Royal Father. If news of this leaks out, I’m afraid your name will go further down in infamy.”
Although the Changlong Emperor had treated him quite well when he was young, he had thoroughly neglected Huangfu Shenglin after designating Huangfu Changyu as the Crown Prince.
Even Consort Mei had ended up being the target of Queen Liu’s many a.s.sa.s.sination attempts, to which the Changlong Emperor merely turned a blind eye.
Huangfu Shenglin was thoroughly disappointed with the Changlong Emperor. He was the sovereign of the kingdom. He ought to be righteous, rational, and calm, treating his people as his own descendants. Unfortunately, this matter over Hua Qiyue had caused his upright image in his son’s heart to collapse.
The Changlong Emperor could no longer speak. It seemed that he had been heavily injured but Hua Qiyue was still quite merciful.
“My Royal Father, enjoy the days of your old age. I will settle all the affairs of the state. Eunuch Zhou, please take good care of His Majesty. Then, issue an edict and changed the name of the sovereign to… the Changsheng Emperor!” Huangfu Shenglin meant that his father ought to pa.s.s down the throne to him and he would ascend the throne at once.
The Emperor’s eyes were seized by momentary rage. He was so upset that he started to shake. The Crown Prince had instructed the eunuch to write an edict without even inquiring about his health!
Huangfu Shenglin was exceedingly cold and indifferent, watching the man’s raging eyes. “My Royal Father, you can’t speak now. Do you intend to remain on the throne? If it weren’t for the fact that you and my mother have brought me up, I would have left long ago with Hua Qiyue. Of course, if you will allow me on the throne…”
The Changlong Emperor had always enjoyed much fanfare in his life. He had not expected himself to fall so low in the world. He was angry and sad, but had no other choice.
Eunuch Zhou hesitated for a while before offering the Emperor a quiet piece of advice. “Your Majesty, His Royal Highness is learned and virtuous. I’m sure he will govern the kingdom well. What’s more… Hua Qiyue cares about him and maybe we can still offer her an amnesty and make her accept it. Although Hua Qiyue’s a heinous criminal, she is still a heroine. If she becomes a general, no Qi Artists from the other states will dare provoke us.”
The Emperor’s enraged eyes slowly began to calm.
Huangfu Shenglin watched the Emperor for a moment, then quietly turned and left.
The next day, Huangfu Shenglin went in the early morning to visit Hua Qiyue at Hua’s Mansion. He had not seen her for a month. She was as scrawny as dry wood, and he couldn’t help but pity her.
The moment Huangfu Shenglin saw Hua Qiyue, he quickly said, “Qiyue, why didn’t you take care of yourself? I apologize for my father over yesterday’s incident. He is old and has done things to shame our royal family… but I will soon a.s.sume the throne. Qiyue, don’t worry… you and everybody in Hua’s Mansion are the most important people in my heart.”
Hua Qiyue helped Huangfu Shenglin pour some tea, quietly pursing her lips. Her voice was indifferent. “Thank you, Your Royal Highness, for your trust in me. If Your Highness promises to treat Hua’s Mansion well, I shall leave without any worries.”
“What? You’re leaving again?”
Huangfu Shenglin was so shocked that he shot up from his seat, his face looking truly ghastly. He had thought that since Yun Shimo had eloped with Princess Qianyang, Hua Qiyue would be free to fall for another man. Even if she did not choose him, Huangfu Shenglin would feel much better with her in the capital.
What would he do with her gone?