My heart pounded intensely, my mind felt clouded, and I could barely think. Would he die? No. Impossible. He promised to come back. We were supposed to have two children.
“A Yao?” My elder brother waved his hand in front of my eyes. “We only heard Song Sitian say this; it may not be true. Don’t be anxious!”
Miao Yin gripped my hand. “A Yao, calm down. Only by staying calm can you see the truth. This matter is suspicious. What went wrong? How did His Majesty know their escape route? Why did he send the Tang Clan and the Crimson Guard to ambush them? Why must he ensure An Jin’s death?”
The situation is unclear, so you must not lose your composure.” My younger sister nodded, no longer sobbing, and forced a smile. “That’s right, second sister. Sitian is always dramatic. Maybe she just misheard?”
I wanted to smile reassuringly, but my face had stiffened. They didn’t know I couldn’t calm down because I had seen the truth. All the clues in my mind formed a complete chain of cause and effect. This was a trap set by the Qi Emperor to lure the An family.
What pretend defection? What investigation into the Third Prince’s whereabouts? The Qi Emperor aimed to surprise An Jin and eliminate him swiftly. After that, he would threaten my mother-in-law into handing over the secret department. By now, my mother-in-law had likely been secretly imprisoned by the Qi Emperor, deprived of freedom. This appeared to be an undercover mission for the secret department, and without orders from An Jin or my mother-in-law, no secret agent would act rashly, keeping the Qi Emperor safe from retaliation.
Truly a meticulously crafted, evil scheme.
The Qi Emperor was wary of the secret department’s informants and trusted only the Crimson Guard, cultivated by the royal family. The Tang Clan was likely planted by the royal family long ago to serve the emperor exclusively.
I previously found it strange why the Qi Emperor insisted on installing mechanisms in the side hall. Now it was clear that it was to deceive the secret department’s informants, with the real purpose being to conspire with the Tang Clan about how to deal with the An family under the cover of construction. If not for Song Sitian, we might still be in the dark.
However, I didn’t understand why, in dealing with the An family, the emperor involved my own family. Was it to add more bargaining chips in negotiations with my mother-in-law?
After understanding this, I became less worried. Fear of the unknown is the worst, and now the situation was clear.
As I listened again to my younger sister repeat Song Sitian’s conversation, more doubts arose. Although I don’t understand martial arts, I know An Jin’s skills were definitely not poor. Even if he wasn’t Tang Wei’s match, he shouldn’t have been killed so easily. Given An Jin’s caution, could he really have been unaware of the Qi Emperor’s conspiracies? No. He always acted thoughtfully and would never act rashly.
This time would be no different. But what if…? He had always wanted our children and a stable life free from threats. What if he knew there was a trap but still believed the Qi Emperor’s promise for that sliver of hope? If it were like that… I couldn’t bear to imagine further.
Since it’s the Eastern Palace, it shouldn’t involve severe torture but may include persuading my mother-in-law to hand over the secret department. This is an opportunity, as only the Eastern Palace can command the Crimson Guards and have the imperial physician treat the eunuch.
I have no idea where An Jin is or what condition he’s in; I can’t help him. The only thing I can do is keep my promise and protect my family.
I was taken to the Qifeng Hall. A table was set with fine wine and dishes, and the long-absent Eastern Palace Prince, wearing a luxurious robe, reclined on a unicorn couch and raised his wine cup to me.
“My lady, please sit,” he said, his overly beautiful face showing a hint of nostalgia. “It’s been a while, and you’re still so…”
I smiled and sat across from him. “Your Highness, finding me at this time is surely not just for reminiscing?”
“Of course,” Xia Zhiyuan suddenly lost his smile, his expression turning serious.
“How much does my lady know about the An family?”
I was surprised; he still couldn’t determine if I knew the truth. I feigned confusion: “The An family is my family. Of course I know everything.”
He studied me for a moment and sighed, “My lady may have misunderstood. I have never intended to harm you, only to pity you.”
I replied, “I appreciate Your Highness’s kindness. If you truly mean well, please spare my family. I’m willing to bear my husband’s mistakes, but my family is innocent…”
Xia Zhiyuan raised his wine cup, looking melancholic. “It seems my lady truly knows nothing.”
I was on edge, waiting for him to continue.
“The An family has been secretly working for the royal family,” he said solemnly. “An Jin is a capable assistant. His escape with the Su family’s spy was to investigate matters for my father.”
I opened my eyes wide, genuinely surprised. I never expected Xia Zhiyuan to explain the situation so directly.
He hesitated, seeming troubled. “I know my lady will find this hard to accept. But what I’m about to say may cause you even more grief. Please remain calm.”
Calm – the word I’ve heard most these past few days.
“During the escape, the Su family discovered his true identity,” he said, pain etched on his peach blossom-like face, yet there was an ironic glimmer in his eyes. “He was killed by the Su family.”
He pushed a small black sandalwood box toward me. “Please accept my condolences.”
My gaze was fixed on the box, anxious about its contents. He suddenly opened it, and I gasped, instinctively moving back. Inside was not a severed hand or foot, but a silk handkerchief—embroidered with a half-blooming flower and stained with blood.
I froze, breathless. This handkerchief, embroidered by my mother, had been given to An Jin, who always kept it close to his heart. Now, it lay before me, stained with blood.
Something’s not right! I reminded myself to stay clear-headed. “Where is his body?”
Xia Zhiyuan looked surprised, then shook his head apologetically. “We discovered it too late. An Jin’s body was too badly damaged by wild animals for us to recover a proper grave. Only this handkerchief, tightly clutched in his hand, remained. My lady, please accept my condolences.”
The former emperor of Nan Rui, Xuan Di, was a female monarch known in legends to be benevolent, even to the point of being somewhat weak.
In contrast, her empress was not only strategically and militarily talented but also possessed exceptional political acumen. The empress was deeply loved by the female emperor, who relied on her for political affairs and disregarded elder ministers’ advice, insisting on not taking another imperial husband.
However, the female emperor’s affection was misplaced, as the empress had ambitions of her own and was secretly plotting a coup. When Xuan Di was pregnant with her first child, the empress colluded with several powerful ministers to confine Xuan Di within the palace and force her abdication.
Though Xuan Di had been weak for most of her life, this setback ignited the stubbornness and resilience typical of Nan Rui women. She appeared to acquiesce to abdication, but in reality, she seized the moment to escape the palace with a few loyal servants, heading to Wen Ze Yi in the northwest to seek help from her brother, the King of Yue.
Unfortunately, the empress anticipated her plan and sent people to intercept her. Xuan Di had no choice but to split up with her servants.
Two servants disguised themselves and went to Wen Ze Yi to inform others, while Xuan Di and two close nursemaids fled north, eventually reaching a small town at the border between Nan Rui and Qi Kingdom.
