Afterwards, Luo Ye went to the palace to see the Empress Dowager, who asked him to stay in the palace to recover from his injury, specifically in the Crown Prince’s residence – the Eastern Palace.
However, Luo Ye was impatient, fearing that delays might cause complications. He planned to ascend the throne in ten days. The Empress Dowager was concerned about his injuries, but Luo Ye was not worried. He had consulted the imperial physicians and believed that with proper care, his external wounds would basically heal in ten days.
He convinced the Empress Dowager to modify and simplify the coronation ceremony.
Now, he would pre-wear the ceremonial robes, directly sit on the dragon throne, and wait for officials to arrive outside the hall to pay their respects. The other ceremony steps remained largely the same, with only the change that since the Grand Tutor had recently passed away, the Imperial Tutor would now read the imperial edict. Other rituals like sacrificing to the Heaven and Ancestors at the Temple of Heaven and paying respects to the previous emperor at the Imperial Mausoleum would be postponed until his wounds healed.
The moment the mausoleum was sealed, the pale-faced Shu Lan breathed a sigh of relief. She had played the role of a grieving widow for seven days, always maintaining a sorrowful appearance. What made her more nervous was Luo Zhan’s empty coffin. Although it was filled with wax-sealed water bags of equal weight, and Luo Ye had stopped suspecting anything, she had been constantly anxious that Luo Zhan’s fake death might be exposed.
Today, Luo Zhan’s empty coffin was finally sealed in the Imperial Mausoleum, and the secret would not be discovered for at least a decade. After today, she would leave with Luo Zhan, hide their identities, and live in seclusion.
There was one last step, and she could not completely relax yet, still needing to maintain an extremely sorrowful appearance.
The Imperial Mausoleum was built in the eastern suburbs of the capital. Shortly after getting in the carriage, Shu Lan murmured, “Can the Jade Dragon Mountain see the Imperial Mausoleum? I can see His Highness one last time.” She then ordered the carriage to turn towards the Jade Dragon Mountain near the mausoleum.
The carriage could no longer proceed halfway up the mountain. Shu Lan got out, ordered others to wait by the carriage, and continued up the mountain with Zhang Nanny and Yu Yi disguised as a maidservant, protected by Xia Yue. The four walked slowly and soon disappeared around a mountain bend.
After some time, panicked calls came: “My Lady!” “Something’s wrong, my Lady has jumped off the cliff!”
People by the carriage looked at each other in shock and rushed towards the source of the cries. They found only Zhang Nanny, Yu Yi, and Xia Yue at the cliff’s edge, with Shu Lan nowhere to be seen. Looking down from the cliff’s edge, they saw only a deep valley with dense forest, with no sign of a person. Falling from such a height would certainly be fatal.
The prince’s wife, who had been distraught and not eating for days, jumping off the cliff after completing Luo Zhan’s funeral arrangements seemed understandable.
Her previous words about seeing “His Highness one last time” could be interpreted as choosing to die where she could see the Imperial Mausoleum.
Zhang Nanny wept and ordered the servants to search for the prince’s wife at the bottom of the cliff. However, the servants found no body, only a ribbon from the prince’s wife’s dress on a tree branch by the river. With the river being rapid, it was presumed she had fallen into the water and been swept away.
After searching downstream for a while without success, they returned to the capital with heavy hearts.
The cliff where Shu Lan faked her suicide was not the highest point of Jade Dragon Mountain. She walked a short distance higher and met Xia Zhe, who was waiting there. Once everyone left, Xia Zhe escorted Shu Lan down the mountain to a farmhouse in the eastern suburbs.
Late at night, Yu Yi, Xia Yue, and Zhang Nanny arrived at the farmhouse and boarded a carriage that had been prepared long ago, heading far from the capital.
Three days later, Luo Ye ascended the throne and proclaimed it to the world. This was also the new emperor’s first imperial edict, transmitted from the capital’s post stations to state offices across the country.
After receiving the edict, local officials announced that the new emperor had ascended the throne and that land taxes would be exempted for three years.
When Meng Qing and Yu Yi’s terminals displayed the message of task completion, they were traveling in a carriage. They had learned about Luo Ye’s ascension to the throne and the three-year tax exemption. The task had been completed days ago, but their terminals had not shown task completion, and they could not contact Lin Bai.
In recent days, to avoid being alone with Shu Lan, Meng Qing had Yu Yi ride in the same carriage. At night, after checking into an inn, he used a hypnotic spray to make Shu Lan fall asleep.
On the carriage, Meng Qing felt a light vibration on his arm. He noticed this vibration was different from an ordinary message, and he exchanged a glance with Yu Yi. Both knew this meant their mission was complete.
Yu Yi said to Meng Qing, “Your Highness, we have been traveling day and night and are far from the capital. The Second Prince is likely busy with the coronation ceremony and has not noticed Your Highness and the Consort’s staged death. Your Highness and the Consort no longer need this maiden’s protection. I wish to return to my father.”
“Very well,” Meng Qing agreed to her departure and expressed gratitude: “This maiden’s help will be remembered for life by Zhan.”
Shu Lan was somewhat surprised. These days, she had vaguely felt that there was something not simple between Luo Zhan and Yi Yao, whether in their conversations or their exchanged glances. She could clearly sense a subtle understanding between them. Recalling the past, Luo Zhan had already seen Yi Yao’s true appearance when feigning serious injury, and he had not seemed surprised then. Perhaps they had feelings for each other long ago.
Although jealous, she decided to accept Yi Yao. After all, their escape from the capital was entirely due to Yi Yao’s help. Living with Yi Yao in Luo Zhan’s residence, she had even grown to like Yi Yao’s personality. She had thought Yi Yao would always accompany Luo Zhan and might become a concubine, but unexpectedly, Yi Yao proposed to leave, and Luo Zhan easily agreed.
At noon, they stopped in a small county town, and Yu Yi bid them farewell.
Shu Lan asked in surprise, “Miss Yi, why are you leaving so quickly? At least wait and have a meal together before departing.”
Yu Yi smiled and shook her head, “Parting is inevitable. Why dwell on one meal? Master and Madam Shi, Yao takes her leave.” With that, she left alone.
Meng Qing and Shu Lan entered an inn, sat down, and ordered food.
Meng Qing used the excuse of changing clothes and went to the inn’s backyard, opening his terminal to message Yu Yi: Are you back?
Yu Yi: Not yet. Are you done?
Meng Qing: Done. Let’s go back together.
Yu Yi: I tried to contact Lin Bai earlier. Someone named Gao Jianyuan responded, saying Lin Bai has been missing for many days and he is temporarily taking over Lin Bai’s executor duties.
Meng Qing frowned: Let’s return to the dormitory to discuss this.
Yu Yi: Okay, your place or mine?
Meng Qing: Yours. I know which room, but you’ll need to give me permission to enter.
