“Bang!” Long Hanxie, emboldened by alcohol, slammed the table and stood up. The maidservant Huarong turned pale and hurriedly knelt.
The night was clear, the sky dotted with a faint moon and sparse stars.
“Xu Qiuer, do you have anything to say?” Long Hanxie’s eyes flickered with an indescribable emotion.
The ministers below held their breath, experiencing the tension. Xu Qiuer looked at Long Hanxie with a dazed gaze, then suddenly collapsed onto the table, surprising everyone. Xu Qing’er bit her lip and knocked her head hard on the ground.
“Your Highness, please seek justice for this concubine.”
Long Hanxie glanced at Xu Qing’er and said, “Guanyue, wake up your mistress.”
Guanyue stepped forward, softly calling, “Your Ladyship… Your Ladyship…” Xu Qiuer showed no response.
“Keep trying.”
Cang Yue also approached and pushed her. Suddenly, Xu Qiuer went limp and fell to the ground, her face flushed. Everyone thought she was drunk. Guanyue’s eyes shimmered in the pale moonlight. She glanced at Xu Qing’er, noticing her excitement, and then at Cang Yue, who understood the meaning. Cang Yue carefully patted Xu Qiuer’s cheek, inadvertently revealing her arm, pale as lotus root.
Long Hanxie moved and pushed Cang Yue aside, examining Xu Qiuer’s arm, which had turned black. Cang Yue cried out, “Your Ladyship… Your Ladyship, what’s wrong?” Chaos ensued.
Long Hanxie checked Xu Qiuer’s breath and shouted, “Summon the imperial physician.”
Xu Qing’er watched Long Hanxie carry Xu Qiuer away, clutching her hand tightly.
The carriage disappeared into the dust, and the night grew darker, shrouded in mist. The moonlight soaked the water, leaving people in a hazy state, the unseen gentleness perhaps never existed.
“I hate you, I hate you, hate you…” she murmured to herself like a butterfly’s whisper beneath flower shadows.
“Your Highness, Her Ladyship has been poisoned with crane’s top red.”
Long Hanxie was shocked. “Crane’s top red?”
The imperial physicians nodded repeatedly, sweating and not daring to meet Long Hanxie’s eyes. His face turned iron-blue as he nearly broke one physician’s arm. “Can you save her?”
“Your Highness, spare us.”
“If you can’t save Autumn Concubine, prepare to be buried with her.” He snorted coldly and turned to leave.
“Your Highness.”
“Return to Ning Xi Hall.” Long Hanxie’s face remained cold.
Ning Xi Hall –
Most people had already left, leaving only Xu Qing’er and Qing Ya. After handing the young master to the wet nurse, Qing Ya looked at Xu Qing’er and sneered, “You poisoned her?”
Even she could tell that Xu Qing’er’s poison was extraordinary. Xu Qing’er was in trouble this time.
Xu Qing’er looked at Qing Ya in panic, “Don’t talk nonsense. What poison did I give her?”
Qing Ya laughed, “Xu Qing’er, do you think I’m stupid? You did it too obviously.”
“The Crown Prince has arrived.”
Did you poison her?” Long Hanxie rushed in, charging towards Xu Qing’er and slapping her hard. Xu Qing’er fell to the ground from the forceful blow. Qing Ya silently prayed for her. Xu Qing’er scrambled up and hugged Long Hanxie’s legs, “Your Highness, it wasn’t me, truly. Would I poison her in front of so many people? It wasn’t me.”
“I underestimated you. She’s your sister, and you actually dared to do this.”
As Xu Qinger attempted to speak, Long Hanxie interrupted, “Pray that Qiu’er survives, or you’ll accompany her.”
Qingya approached Long Hanxie and asked, “What poison did my sister contract?”
“Crane’s Crown Red,” Long Hanxie replied gloomily.
Qingya froze, realizing the severity of the situation. With Crane’s Crown Red, Xu Qiu’er was surely doomed. She felt unexpectedly grateful that this foolish Xu Qinger had inadvertently helped her.
Xu Qinger collapsed upon hearing Long Hanxie’s words.
“Take the young master to the Qingfei for care,” Long Hanxie instructed before turning to leave.
“Your Highness…” Xu Qinger’s despairing cry echoed outside the hall.
Hao Li stood behind Xu Qiu’er, quietly looking at her, with melancholy in his eyes.
The moon fell silently, flowers bloomed soundlessly, everything as still as an undisturbed water surface.
Ice moon, cold snow, winter plum. A traveler’s tears dripped under the moonlight, melting into the snow, dispersing among the flowers.
Sorrowful dreams came and went, repeatedly entangling endlessly. The emotional pain was like a blue mist, permeating the air. Wanting to forget yet feeling it deep in her bones; wanting to remember yet unable to find a trace. In an instant, fallen flowers and flowing water forgot each other.
“Hao Li, can you hear me?” Xu Qiu’er looked into the mist, softly expressing her longing. Hao Li suppressed the impulse to rush out, clenching his fists, knowing his presence would distress Qiu’er. He thought if she knew he was about to get married, she would hate him.
“My lady, please return. Your health has just recovered. It would be bad if the prince sees you.” Xu Qiu’er followed Guan Yue away. Suddenly, she awoke, sitting up with her hands pressed to her chest, the faint melancholy still tangled in her heart. She felt she had a long dream; the desolate plum flower fragrance lingered near her pillow. There was a sad figure she could not recall. She sighed, shaking her head. Forgotten was forgotten. A dream is a dream, emotions extinguished. Why care so much? Xu Qiu’er came to her senses, feeling her way down from the bed and lighting a red candle. The hourglass showed it was already noon, but hanging ice silk concealed all traces of daylight. Inside the room, day and night were as one.
“Cang Yue.”
“Here, my lady.”
“Go tell the prince I’m awake.”
“Yes.”
He went down.
Ping Wang Mansion –
The rose-colored gauze curtains were torn, the emerald night-light cup rolled onto the carpet, and the sandalwood screen was crooked. The once magnificent chamber was now a mess.
“Outrageous! This is absolutely too much!” Liu Yiwa screamed, her expression filled with anger. She waved her sleeve, and the purple copper candlestick fell with a “clang”: “How could he abandon me, a new bride? How can I ever show my face again?”
“Fujin…” The young maidservant looked anxiously at Liu Yiwa. No one understood what was happening. Wasn’t the young prince dead? How could he suddenly appear with a princess? The prince’s instructions to keep quiet were strange, but wasn’t his survival good news?
“Where is Hao Li?” Liu Yiwa asked fiercely.
“This servant does not know.”
Another crash of things being thrown.
A few months earlier –
“Your Majesty, the young prince has awakened.”
The Empress Dowager trembled as she walked to Hao Li’s side and anxiously asked the imperial physician, “How is he? Is the young prince alright?”
The imperial physician reported, “Your Majesty, the young prince has only bitten his tongue root and needs time to recover.”
Relieved, the Empress Dowager approached Hao Li’s bed. Upon opening his eyes, he murmured, “Release… her.”
The Empress Dowager sighed, “This is good. Go to Rong Jun first. Tell your father that you are dead for now.” She appeared aged. “Hao Li, I hope you do not resent your grandmother. The hatred you carry cannot be swayed by familial emotions.”
Hao Li was sent to the border to Rong Jun Wang. Ignoring his injuries, he charged into battle, attempting to diminish the pain, until he was captured.
In a palace hall, brightly lit yet oppressive, Hao Li curled up on the ground, too weak to stand. A heat seeped into his skin, nearly suffocating him.
A person approached, holding a golden long sword, and pulled Hao Li up with a light laugh: “Young Prince Hao Li, aren’t you feeling very uncomfortable now?”
Hao Li met their gaze, his deep black eyes calm, devoid of the anticipated panic or fear.
