Xu Qiu’er smiled faintly, “Hao Li, we can never go back. Do you understand?” She turned and left, leaving him speechless.
Suddenly remembering something, Xu Qiu’er sat up in bed and ordered Guan Yue to find the pearl necklace in Xiao Ju’s palace. They returned without it, which troubled her. How could it be missing? Her eyes widened with rage. Xiao Ju was killed by her.
Everything was a coincidence. Xiao Ju could have lived, but because Xu Qiu’er wanted her to place the necklace at the Emperor’s feet, she had killed her. She hadn’t expected there would be her own people around Xiao Ju. Xu Qiu’er was furious that her momentary carelessness had led to the death of someone like family. She narrowed her eyes, knowing this was not the end.
“Prepare a sedan chair.”
“Your Highness, where are you going?”
“The Crown Prince’s palace.”
Guan Yue stopped, and Xu Qiu’er lowered her eyes, “Guan Yue, you must decide who you’re loyal to – me or the Young Prince. You can only choose one.”
“Your Highness…” Cang Yue lowered his head, not daring to look at her. Xu Qiu’er stood, swaying slightly, as Xiao Rong stepped forward to support her.
Xu Qiu’er descended the steps weakly. “Go to the Crown Prince’s palace.”
Seven months later –
“Your Majesty…”
Fuqiu Hall –
“Your Majesty…”
Xu Qiu’er took a deep breath and asked, “How is it?”
Cang Yue leaned in and whispered to Xu Qiu’er, “The Emperor and Empress have gone, and the items the Consort instructed me to put away are in place.”
Xu Qiu’er awaited her son’s arrival. Twenty-eight years ago, the most favored concubine was the Noble Consort, whom the Emperor doted on. When the Empress and the Noble Consort gave birth simultaneously, the Empress’s hatred for the Noble Consort became evident. She bribed the imperial physician to ensure the Noble Consort’s child was stillborn. However, the Empress underestimated the Noble Consort’s aunt, who was not ordinary; she was the Empress Dowager’s niece, aware of the Empress’s intentions. Even if the child survived, threats remained. The Noble Consort, perceived as gentle, had the backing of the Empress Dowager, who couldn’t allow her grandchild to die.
As the Empress watched the Noble Consort’s belly, the Empress Dowager devised a plan. On her birthday, the newly delivered Princess of Ping entered the palace by imperial decree to chat with the Old Buddha. In the chaos, Nurse Liu secretly swapped the swaddled Hao Li with the Princess of Ping’s child. Unexpectedly, news soon arrived that the Noble Consort had hanged herself.
The Empress Dowager sighed deeply, realizing the child had been saved. Initially, she hadn’t intended to support Hao Li, merely preserving a life. However, as Long Hanjie grew, she recognized he was not from her family. At this moment, she recalled Hao Li, who also learned about his background.
Xu Qiuer had recently saved the Noble Consort. She believed the Empress wished to watch the Noble Consort live out her misery and reflected that the Empress would die before the Noble Consort.
Long Hanjie was busy, his inner grief unspeakable. Qing Ya saw this and felt pain in her heart.
“Your Highness… The Crown Princess has given birth to the Third Prince.”
Fuqiu Hall –
Xu Qiuer looked at her son in her arms, playfully touching his tiny nose. Guan Yue entered, “Your Majesty, the young prince has made a move.” Xu Qiuer coldly laughed, recognizing this as the best opportunity.
Hao Li was anxious, and so was the Empress Dowager. Xu Qiuer took out a yellow jade stone and threw it on the ground. “Give it to Hao Li and tell him to look carefully before speaking to me.”
“My lady…” Guan Yue stood still.
“Don’t want to go? Should I find someone else?”
A few months earlier, Cang Yue looked poised to speak to Xu Qiuer. “Your Majesty…”
“Speak.” After Cang Yue’s account, Xu Qiuer’s heart grew cold. She realized everything had been a deception. Hao Li’s connection to Xu Xinyi was unclear, and she had been misled. The song she sang at the farewell banquet was not taught by Xinyi; Hao Li falsely claimed it was. Though she had been suspicious, she had gambled on Hao Li’s true feelings. The Empress Dowager only aimed to manipulate her against Long Hanjie and provide Hao Li an escape. She overlooked that emotions can be everything or nothing for a woman.
“Your Highness…”
Hao Li took the stone, surprised. “Where is she? Where is she?” He shook Guan Yue’s arm. Avoiding his gaze, she knelt down. “Please forgive me, Your Highness. If you wish to see the Noble Consort, her wish is for you not to enter the palace tomorrow.”
Hao Li coldly laughed. “What?”
Does Xu Qiuer really think I would abandon my plans for someone who might not exist?”
Guan Yue lowered her eyes. “I’m just delivering a message. The Consort said you can come to the palace. Tomorrow is the Noble Consort’s death anniversary. Please prepare the paper money.”
Hao Li punched the book, blood flowing from his fingertips.
Fuqiu Hall –
“How is it?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, the young prince will not enter the palace tomorrow.”
Xu Qiuer smiled, glanced at Guan Yue, and ordered her to leave, calling Ning’er. “Guan Yue cannot stay.” Perhaps she is loyal, but Xu Qiuer cannot leave a time bomb by her side. Ning’er was shocked. “Your Majesty…”
“New shoots grow again after the wild fire.”
Ning’er sat on the ground.
Xu Qiuer held her child and murmured, “Look, this world will soon be yours, my son.”
The next day –
“Hereby decree: Confer Xu Qiuer, the Crown Princess, as Empress; Confer Qing Ya as Noble Consort; Confer Lady Xu as Consort. By imperial decree.”
When Xu Qiuer received the imperial edict, she didn’t even blink, as if she had long expected this. That night, Long Hanjie was about to go to bed when he fell straight to the ground. Xu Qiuer smiled and knelt down. “Your Majesty…”
Long Hanjie seemed to sense something and pointed at Xu Qiuer. She held his hand. “Your Majesty, rest assured…” Long Hanjie closed his unbelieving eyes.
The new Emperor had been on the throne for only a day before his death.
As the supreme ruler of the country, Xu Qiuer’s power remained unchanged, whether she wanted to establish her son or another concubine’s son as Emperor.
The day after the emperor’s death, the empress uncovered evidence of the noble concubine poisoning the prince and bestowed three feet of white silk upon Xu Fei Qinger for plotting against her. The old empress dowager’s power was dismantled overnight, and the third prince was installed as emperor, with Xu Qiuer acting as regent.
“Are you happy now that you’ve killed so many people?” Hao Li asked Xu Qiuer during their last meeting in the Forbidden City.
“Young Prince…”
Hao Li coldly snorted, “I’ve told you to call me brother.”
Little An almost fell to the ground, “Do you really plan to be a farmer on this land?”
Hao Li smiled softly, “Sometimes being a farmer can also be happy.”
“Why didn’t you tell Xu Qiuer that you loved her?”
Hao Li laughed silently; some things once passed are just passed…
“Appoint Gong Sun Jinyu as Left Chancellor.”
It was widely rumored in the palace that the empress could cover the sky because of the support from Gong Sun Jinyu, the Prince of Qin, and the King of Rong.
The following year, the eldest prince died of smallpox, and the second prince also died of the same illness.
– End of the book.
