LF Chapter 68
by VolareJiang Yinghua tried to help Your Majesty up, but the two were wearing elaborate clothing that got in the way. Seeing that Your Majesty looked unwell, she didn’t care about etiquette and gritted her teeth, scooping her up and placing her on the bed. She had carried Yan Wanzhi like this before; that person was petite and easy to lift. But today, Jiang Yinghua didn’t feel tired at all. Your Majesty’s figure should be heavier than Yan Wanzhi’s.
Suppressing her doubts, she quickly brewed tea and served it. She took out her silk handkerchief, found an ice tray in the inner chamber, soaked it in ice water, wrung it half dry, and placed it on Your Majesty’s forehead.
Seeing that her breathing was rapid, she reached out to untie the jade belt around her waist and fussed around, gazing anxiously, and timidly asked, “Are you really not going to summon the Imperial Physician?”
After a long while, Your Majesty glanced at her and said, “If I summon the Imperial Physician, just wait for Mother to skin you alive.”
Jiang Yinghua looked away, saw the ice fan in the distance, pushed it over, and honestly started fanning, creating a gentle breeze. After struggling for a long time, she finally mustered the courage to ask:
“What exactly is wrong with you? Ever since I returned from the Northern Territory, you and the Empress Dowager have been acting strangely. I’ve been holding onto my questions for a long time. You wouldn’t usually indulge me like this, so what are you hiding from me?”
Jiang Yinghua lowered her eyes to look at the blue bricks on the ground and waited for a long time, but the person on the bed didn’t say anything. She couldn’t help but look up and saw that Your Majesty was also sizing her up. Your Majesty pointed to the desk, “Go get the top right memorial, open it and take a look.”
Jiang Yinghua did as she was told, glanced at the memorial, and then cast a hesitant look at Your Majesty. Your Majesty said faintly, “This is the result of discussions between me and the Right Chancellor. Since you are in good health, accept the decree and go to court.”
“Are you confused? The position of Grand Secretary of the State has been vacant for years, why order me to take on this position? This one position is enough, why add the title of Governor of Sheng Province? Giving me the position of Governor of the Imperial Capital is absurd. You haven’t been feeling well lately, so please think carefully before deciding in the future. I don’t want to be arranged like this.” Jiang Yinghua’s face turned cold, and her words were not pleasant.
In fact, she was already in a state of confusion. Giving her two such important official positions, the intention was self-evident. Your Majesty is in the prime of her life, how could she make such an absurd decree? She vaguely guessed something, but she didn’t dare or want to admit it. As for this arrangement, she was a thousand times unwilling.
“You’re judging my decisions now? Do you want to rebel? You will go to court tomorrow, no discussion.” Your Majesty weakly propped herself up, and a fit of coughing shook her powerlessly.
“No, I’m still calling the Imperial Physician to have a look.” Jiang Yinghua glanced around and went out of the hall on her own.
“It’s useless, come back!” Your Majesty called out to her somewhat urgently, “Can’t you understand even now? You want to know, I’ll tell you, come over and sit down.”
Curiosity prevailed, and she turned back and walked to Your Majesty’s bedside, sitting on the footstool in front of the bed, “If you want me to understand something, can you not be so mysterious?”
“The things I’m about to tell you, remember to keep them buried deep inside.” Your Majesty sized her up with a deep gaze and then said, “Do you remember when I went to your manor on my last tour?” Jiang Yinghua nodded blankly, “It was then that I found out I was poisoned. A chronic poison has been eroding my body for many years, and it should be beyond medical help. The time left…”
“Elder Sister is talking nonsense!” Before she could finish, Jiang Yinghua jumped up excitedly, interrupting her, her breathing instantly becoming rapid.
Your Majesty sighed and scolded, “Are you going to listen or not? If not, get out! So rash and unruly.”
Jiang Yinghua clenched her sleeves, trying to alleviate the discomfort all over her body, and sat back down. “What poison is it? I’ll go find an antidote for you. There are many doctors in the world, not just the incompetent ones in the Imperial Hospital…” As she spoke, her eyes involuntarily turned red.
“Hua’er, you should understand my intention. I have never married in my life and only have you, a sister from the same mother. Entrusting the future of the country to you is what puts me at ease the most.” Jiang Yinghua raised her hand to cover her ears, “I’m asking you what poison it is, don’t say these things. I never wanted it, I never cared for it, I won’t listen…”
Your Majesty shifted her body and pulled her hand away, “That’s the reality, there’s no use in running away. The Imperial Physician said that I have at most five or six years left. If you are sensible, worry me less, okay?”
Hearing this, Jiang Yinghua frantically tore at her hair, her lips trembling. Suddenly, she pursed her lips, and two lines of tears slid down silently with snot, looking very pitiful.
Your Majesty raised her hand and handed her a handkerchief, “What’s the use of crying? You’re grown up, change your temper. No one will indulge you in the future; countless people are counting on you.”
Jiang Yinghua didn’t take the handkerchief and buried her face in her wide sleeves, hugging her knees for a long time before murmuring:
“So the Empress Dowager knew all along, and they were all hiding it from me. You agreed to force me to marry, to win over the King of the East Sea; to completely eliminate Prince Yong, to eliminate future troubles; to lock me up in the Forbidden City and watch me closely. Not seeking medicine to detoxify, but planning these things eight hundred years later so carefully…”
Suppressing her sobs, she slowly got up and said:
“Your Majesty can go back on her word, so the Imperial Physician’s statement is the absolute truth? No matter how good the plan is, it’s useless if I don’t agree. Your Majesty must get better. This vast empire cannot do without you. I’m just a selfish piece of mud that can’t be plastered on a wall, I can’t bear the responsibility of the country, and I have no connection to royal offspring. Such a person cannot be a Crown Prince.” After saying that, she flung her sleeves and walked out, without looking back.
“Get back here!” Your Majesty scolded sternly from behind, “Put away your bad temper, I’m talking serious business with you!” Due to emotional agitation, another burst of violent coughing occurred.
Jiang Yinghua was lost in thought and subconsciously turned around and rushed back, raising her hand to pat her back, dejectedly saying, “Don’t get so angry, Hua’er will obey you, so you can be well and live to be a hundred years old, and piss off those bastards in the gutter. If I catch that person, I’ll flay him alive, chop his flesh into pieces, and feed it to the dogs.”
Your Majesty glanced at her with a surprised expression, not knowing if this person had a heart, babbling nonsense at this moment.
“Hua’er, I won’t explicitly make you the Crown Prince. Whether you want to or not, help me share some of the burden. It’s okay to decide on future matters later. However, the death of our eldest brother, and even Emperor Father and your second brother, may have all suffered the same conspiracy.
If I don’t establish a Crown Prince, it may protect you. There are no clues at the moment, and I don’t know where to defend. When I ordered you back, everyone in the palace had been replaced, so there shouldn’t be any problems. Therefore, don’t mention leaving the palace again. You and Feng’er stay in the inner palace.”
Jiang Yinghua nodded silently. Your Majesty continued, “I have been investigating Wanzhi’s matter. Your presence won’t change anything, so wait patiently. I did deceive you about one thing, and now I should tell you. Your second brother…”
“Your Majesty, don’t say any more, please, don’t mention it again.” Jiang Yinghua interrupted, her second brother was deposed and died violently, which was the beginning of her estrangement from Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager. Jiang Yinghua was afraid that Your Majesty would say it, let her hear with her own ears that her second brother’s death was truly fratricide.
Your Majesty smiled bitterly, “He is still alive.” Jiang Yinghua was stunned and stared wide-eyed in disbelief, “What?!”
“Back then, Mother noticed that his emotions were difficult to control, and his actions became increasingly irrational, which aroused suspicion, so she had to depose him. Although he is alive, he is insane and cannot recognize people. What poison he was poisoned with has not been found out yet. He is in the Forbidden City. If you want to see him, I’ll take you another day.”
Your Majesty narrated slowly, her eyes full of helpless bitterness. Two generations of the family have been controlled by others because of the struggle for imperial power, some dying and some becoming ill.
Knowing too many secrets at once, Jiang Yinghua felt a deep headache. She sat on the bedside, her eyes dull, having lost the ability to think calmly, half-closed her eyes, and leaned against the carved wooden bed railing, completely emptying herself. She couldn’t understand how Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager had survived these years, telling such a huge lie and secretly investigating, but still falling for the trick. Thinking about it made her spine tingle.
The glazed tiles outside the window were majestic and solemn. In the magnificent palace with its overlapping eaves, there was always darkness that even the scorching sun could not penetrate. Unlike the bright swords and spears of the battlefield, this place was the chilling dueling arena where people were killed without shedding blood.
After a long daze, Jiang Yinghua stood up and asked with concern, “Are you feeling better?”
“I’m fine. I feel comfortable when you don’t make me angry.” Your Majesty teased her intentionally. Seeing that her complexion was much better, Jiang Yinghua responded, “I will accept the decree and go to court. I won’t disturb your rest. I’ll take my leave first.”
She fled Chengming Hall in a hurry. She originally wanted to solve Yan Wanzhi’s mess, but she never expected that after meeting her, she would have to deal with an even bigger mess. Jiang Yinghua was at a loss, her heart filled with fear.
If what Your Majesty said was true, all the members of this family who approached the throne were secretly harmed. How could the black hand behind the scenes remain hidden for decades without being noticed? Who is this person, and what means did they use?
One trouble after another, the years in the capital were different from those in the Northern Territory. Before, she could pull Yan Wanzhi to confide in, but now, her lonely heart was filled with burdens. In an instant, Jiang Yinghua felt a bad premonition. Yan Wanzhi’s abduction was also inextricably linked to the mastermind behind the scenes. Otherwise, who would have the courage to risk killing the secret service and abduct a powerless, disgraced court official?
If that were the case, the manipulator had already gained the upper hand. Not only could Jiang Yinghua not see the overall situation, but she was also completely in the dark. However, if everything was as Jiang Yinghua expected, as long as Yan Wanzhi was clever, her life should be safe. She had always been able to adapt to circumstances, so she shouldn’t be so foolish as to throw her life away.
Thinking like this, Jiang Yinghua wasn’t averse to wielding power, and was even eager to take charge of the central government so that she could take the opportunity to confront the villain in the dark.
In the following days, Jiang Yinghua went to Chengming Hall to visit frequently. She always went there excitedly and returned angrily. It was because Ying Feng was there nine out of ten times, and the two of them seemed to get along more harmoniously than her own sister. Later, she simply saw the situation clearly and stopped trying to get close.
More than two years of relatively peaceful days passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was the twelfth month of Shaozheng eleven years. Jiang Yinghua had become increasingly skilled at handling government affairs, and she was already adept at dealing with the civil officials.
However, there was still no news of Yan Wanzhi, and the poisoner had also disappeared without a trace. The longer the time dragged on, the more obvious the panic in Jiang Yinghua’s heart became. Out of desperation, she could only bury herself in official documents, working so hard that she forgot to eat and drink, so as not to let Yan Wanzhi emerge in her mind.
On New Year’s Eve, Jiang Yinghua went to see her second brother. That person’s mind was even less developed than a three-year-old child, pulling at her fiery red clothes, only smiling foolishly and saying, “Flower, beautiful, for sister…” Jiang Yinghua didn’t dare to stay for a moment, and ran out as if escaping, tears welling up in her eyes, but her heart was filled with hatred. The rebellious traitors had harmed her relatives and friends, and this hatred was irreconcilable.
Even though Jiang Yinghua obediently took on most of the tasks, and Ying Feng was also very considerate in serving by her side, Your Majesty did not live up to her promise. Her body was getting worse every day, and she always looked listless.
On the first day of the first month of Shaozheng twelve years, at the grand court assembly, Your Majesty announced that due to ill health, Jiang Yinghua was to exercise the power of regent, and the corresponding seals were handed over. She had not informed anyone of this beforehand, including Jiang Yinghua herself.
The first month was the beginning of the new year, when spring returned to the earth and families should have been celebrating. However, Jiang Yinghua became more and more afraid. Day after day, year after year, time was merciless, not staying for any desire, but persisting in adding a few regrets and sorrows to the short life.
Although she was called the regent, she was to inform Your Majesty of important matters for a decision. In reality, Jiang Yinghua knew that all the memorials submitted were returned by Your Majesty unchanged. It was simply washing her hands of the matter. Even all the powers of the Secret Service had been entrusted to Jiang Yinghua. If there was anything she was missing, it was probably the command of the Imperial Guards and half of the military seal.
The complicated court affairs weighed Jiang Yinghua down so much that she couldn’t breathe. On the verge of collapse, on an ordinary evening in mid-October, a young eunuch ran over quickly, his face full of joy, shouting, “Your Highness, there’s news!”