AMLFS Chapter 110

Chapter 111: Entanglement

Having spoken, the old nanny in her gray Daoist robe was about to close the main door.

The head eunuch, supporting the Emperor, could hardly believe that a nanny dared to slight the Emperor to such an extent.

He immediately stepped forward to block the door and scolded, “Are you blind? How dare you disrespect the current Emperor?”

The nanny stood inside the door, her eyes calmly watching the enraged eunuch, with no sign of panic on her face.

Seeing her like this, the head eunuch was truly enlightened; a servant of the deposed Empress was actually so arrogant.

The Emperor stood outside the palace door, uncharacteristically without anger, and calmly stepped into Kun Ning Palace.

The head eunuch immediately respectfully opened the palace door, squeezing the nanny standing aside, “Your Majesty, watch your step.”

Walking into Kun Ning Palace, one was greeted by withered yellow leaves covering the entire courtyard. The whole courtyard was quiet, and no palace maids could be seen moving about.

The once magnificent Kun Ning Palace had also become dim due to years of neglect. After more than twenty years, the Emperor stepped into this place again, and the past seemed like a lifetime away.

The nanny beside them had already slipped into the main hall while they were not paying attention. Passing through the main hall, the nanny walked to the east side hall.

Entering the side hall, the first thing that caught the eye was the Three Pure Ones painting enshrined on the main wall. Under the painting was a slender figure in an indigo blue robe, her black hair tied into a bun with a white jade hairpin. She wore no other adornments.

Empress Wang was kneeling on a bright yellow futon cushion, meditating quietly.

Sensing someone approaching, the person who was focused on meditating opened her eyes, her eyes as calm as a deep pool, without joy or sorrow.

“Your Majesty, the Emperor has arrived,” the nanny said standing behind her.

A trace of ripple appeared on the Empress’s peaceful face, her brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of disgust rose in her eyes. But she did not make any movement. Still kneeling on the futon, she gently closed her eyes.

The Emperor stood at the door of the inner hall, witnessing the process of their conversation. His gaze fell on the Empress’s back, and his heart felt as if it were filled with something, an unspeakable bitterness.

“Shuran, after so many years, do you still resent me? Are you still unwilling to see me?” The Emperor said, looking at her back, as he moved his steps and sat down on the futon beside her.

The head eunuch following behind the Emperor was surprised to see this scene. He had thought that the Emperor despised the Empress, but he didn’t expect there to be hidden secrets.

After thinking for a moment, he figured that over the years, the Empress had been immersed in cultivation, confining herself in Kun Ning Palace, and the Emperor had not interfered. If he didn’t care, why would he let her keep the title of Empress for so many years?

Wang Shuran opened her eyes, her gaze calmly looking at the Three Pure Ones painting on the wall. She did not care what the Emperor beside her said.

“You still haven’t changed, as beautiful as I remember,” the Emperor said with a fascinated gaze on that still beautiful face.

More than twenty years had passed, and time had been kind, not leaving any marks on her face. Her Daoist robe made her temperament even more aloof and otherworldly.

It made him vaguely remember the fleeting glance under the peach tree in mid-spring. That one meeting had disturbed his mind, and he had been haunted by his inner demons ever since.

He had obtained her by any means necessary, but he could never warm her heart. Her heart always held a dead man. No matter how hard he tried, he was still no match for a dead man in her heart.

He was jealous, so jealous that he went crazy and did some irreversible things. And Prince Zhao Fangye of the Ning district was the evidence of his incompetence, ugliness, and baseness.

It was also a thorn in both of their hearts, and it would be unbearably painful with just a touch.

The Emperor did not care that she did not respond, and said to himself, “Fangye is so much like you, that’s why I hate him. You all want to rebel against me, you couldn’t do it, but now Fangye has done it.”

They had the same stubbornness and pride.

“Speaking of which, you gave birth to a good son, who is about to attack the Forbidden City. Cough, cough, cough…” The Emperor took a deep breath to calm his breath, and after a long while, he suddenly laughed as if he had thought of something: “Hahaha, have you ever seen that simpleton from the Song family?”

“I heard, you gave him a string of sandalwood beads?” The Emperor’s face was filled with pleasure: “That was a marriage I personally arranged for Fangye. It’s a pity you didn’t see it, Fangye likes him very much.”

“A man… Hahaha…” The Emperor’s words were full of sarcasm.

Since he could not have it, he would not allow others to have it either. It was the same for the Empress and Zhao Fangye. He would only feel happy if everyone was in pain.

Wang Shuran listened to him rambling like a madman, and a trace of impatience flashed in her eyes. She stood up and walked out. Unexpectedly, the Emperor suddenly grabbed her sleeve.

The nanny subconsciously wanted to help but it was too late: “Your Majesty!”

Wang Shuran staggered from being pulled and fell to the ground. The Emperor’s eyes were gloomy as he grabbed her chin, his tone filled with obsession: “Shuran, you are finally willing to look at me.”

Reaching out to caress her eyebrows, the Emperor’s eyes revealed a hint of pity: “Shuran, they are not like you… and none of them are as good as you.”

Being tightly pinched on the chin, the disgust in Wang Shuran’s eyes grew stronger and she looked away, preferring to be restrained rather than touch him even a little.

The Emperor’s tired face became even more gloomy, and his eyes revealed madness and obsession. He slowly said in her ear, “I know, you don’t want to see me. But you have to see me. We will live together and die in the same tomb.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Empress Wang suddenly raised her head, her eyes confronting him with hatred. The calmness of many years of cultivation collapsed at this moment: “You’re dreaming!”

When she was alive, she was imprisoned in this palace and could not be freed. After her death, she would have to share a tomb with the man who killed her beloved.

She absolutely would not allow it! Absolutely not!

“Someone! Bring poisoned wine!”

The Emperor shook her off and stood up, his eyes indifferent. He already knew the answer, but he didn’t care. He had nothing to miss, except that she would be his for all eternity.

Soon someone brought the poisoned wine. The nanny watched the eunuch slowly approaching with the poisoned wine and hurriedly stood in front of Empress Wang.

“You… don’t come over!” Her face was pale, and she didn’t know that her mistress would suffer this calamity.

The thing her mistress hated most in her life was being forcibly taken into the palace, and to have her share a tomb with her enemy after death was to make her die with regret.

Empress Wang lay on the ground, looking at the poisoned wine on the tray, her eyes not filled with fear but with hatred. She could not die, as long as she died, there would be no chance to get rid of the Emperor’s shackles.

“Shuran, don’t be afraid,” the Emperor said as he picked up the wine glass from the tray and slowly approached Empress Wang.

The nanny blocked him with a vigilant look, her appearance was really an eyesore, the Emperor frowned.

The head eunuch was sensible and ordered people to drag the nanny away.

“Your Majesty!! Your Majesty!!”

“Gag her mouth!”

Without obstacles, the Emperor held the wine glass to her lips and coaxed in a low voice, as if what was in the cup was nectar rather than poison.

“Be good, drink it.”

In the silent side hall, only the incense candles were slowly burning. The eunuch holding the tray silently retreated to the door and lowered his head, not daring to peek.

Empress Wang stared at the hateful face in front of her, and the hand in her Daoist robe reached out to the wine glass as if resigned to die.

Sadness flowed in the Emperor’s eyes, but the hand holding the wine did not retract.

Just as Empress Wang was about to touch the wine glass, the Emperor suddenly released the wine glass.

And she had already reached out and quickly pulled out the jade hairpin from her head.

With a snap, the poisoned wine landed on the ground. The subtle sound of the jade hairpin being swallowed and entering the throat.

The wine splashed and wet the corners of Empress Wang’s clothes, and warm blood spurted out from her throat with a puff, dyeing the white jade hairpin bright red.

The Emperor’s hands trembled as he grasped the blood-stained hand at her neck: “Shuran… sure enough… hate…”

Blood gushed from the corner of his mouth, and the words spoken with damaged vocal cords sounded like torn window paper.

“Ah!!!! Your Majesty!! Someone come and save the Emperor!!!”

“Come quickly!”

The head eunuch was the first to regain his senses, and almost lost his soul when he saw the scene in front of him.

Empress Wang’s eyes stagnated for a moment, and the eunuch’s high-pitched voice awakened her. The smooth and warm touch on her hand and the smell of blood at the tip of her nose made her want to vomit.

But she did not let go, but used force to make the jade hairpin deeper. She was not afraid of death, but she was absolutely unwilling to share a tomb with the person in front of her after death.

At such a close distance, the Emperor carefully looked at every expression on her face. The hatred on her face was so obvious and undisguised.

So… intense…

With a difficult grin, the Emperor held her hand and stared at the person in front of him: “I’m… sorry…”

After saying that, Empress Wang’s hand was pulled hard. The entire jade hairpin was submerged in flesh.

When Prince Zhao Fangye of the Ning district arrived at Kun Ning Palace, he only saw the Emperor lying in a pool of blood. And the Empress was sitting on the futon covered in blood, her eyes lightly closed.

The incense burner on the table faintly emitted purple smoke, and the Three Pure Ones painting on the wall had a peaceful and serene face, as if it had not seen the tragic scene in front of it.