Ink Burns

Chapter 294 Mother
Jing'an lowered his eyelashes and reached out his hand. Madam Chen lifted his hand at the right moment and helped Jing'an slowly get up.

"You dare to leave the manor, you've got guts."

Compared to the last time I saw Jing'an, today Jing'an was like a candle that had burned out, his chest like a bellows blowing dry and emitting intermittent, weak sounds.

"No, He Shanyue, you've always had guts."

Jing'an gestured for Shan Yue to sit down. She was so weak she could barely breathe, and could only lean back in her chair, weakly asking, "How many years have you been planning this? Three? Five?"

"Nine years. To date, it has been nine years, one month, and three days." Shan Yue calmly sat down to the left of Jing An.

Jing An forced a weak smile and said, "You started plotting the moment you escaped from Fushou Mountain."

"No." Shan Yue's voice was calm, with rolling waves as the background: "From the moment I entered Fushou Mountain, I knew that if I did not die, this life would not end."

"You lie low in Shantang Street to learn your skills, find out the real culprit, infiltrate 'Qingfeng', climb up to Xue Xiao to form an alliance and gain his help, and then send your sister to the palace to ensure her safety. In a humble family, you can be considered a person of importance."

With a ginseng slice under his tongue, Jing'an looked at Shan Yue with a mixture of approval and regret, and said softly, "If I had discovered your purpose earlier and helped you achieve it—I would have wiped out the Cheng family for you; Xue Chen, Chang Yusu, and Cui Yulang, I would have dealt with them all without bloodshed; Ming Jiang and Ming Bo were ignorant, so I sent them back to their hometowns and confined them for ten years to atone for their sins, never to come out again. If I had done these things for you earlier, would you have truly worked for me?"

Jing'an's political maneuvering appears contradictory, but it is actually shrewd: on the one hand, she supports the powerful aristocratic families, while on the other hand, she establishes two special levels, "Indigo" and "Azure," within the "Azure Phoenix" system to absorb people from humble backgrounds and commoners. Her purpose is simply to use talented individuals from humble backgrounds as the first line of defense for the aristocratic families, ensuring that the sons of the poor are obedient dogs of the aristocratic families, while also ensuring that capable talents from humble backgrounds do not break free of control, thus smoothly guaranteeing the perpetual stability of the aristocratic families' power.

Shan Yue's eyes remained calm: "My revenge has no redemption, only death."

"It's not just them. Those who protect them, those who pave the way for them, the power, status, connections, and family background they rely on are all daggers aimed at my mother, and even at millions of ordinary people!"

Shan Yue's voice was deep: "This world needs to be changed!"

"Back then, the founding emperor reformed, but died prematurely. You went against the grain and dragged us back to the old days when powerful clans held sway and all people were treated like straw dogs! Even without me, there would still be Xue Xiao, and all those poor students in Tianbao Temple who were suppressed by powerful clans and suffered depression and frustration!"

"Your Highness, we have different paths, so we cannot work together!"

"Now that I've come this far and stand beside you, I realize that the scenery seen by aristocratic families is indeed magnificent!"

Shan Yue threw the "worst fortune" in her hand onto the ground!

"Fate—? What is fate!?"

The mountain moon rises high.

Jing'an stared intently at Shan Yue, then suddenly gasped for breath, the metallic taste of blood rising in her throat, impossible to suppress or swallow. Following the gasps came a heart-wrenching cough, so violent that her face flushed red and veins bulged. She abruptly bent over, spitting a mouthful of dark red blood directly onto Hua Chang's clothes. The strong, metallic taste instantly filled her mouth, carrying the embers of her internal organs being burned.

"The struggle between the noble and the poor has lasted for generations and dynasties!"

Having expelled the blood from his chest, Jing'an seemed to have shed many burdens and impurities, experiencing a long-awaited sense of clarity. His gaze was piercing, and his words were vehement: "The pillars of the nation should be chosen from families with a long and distinguished lineage! This is not to belittle those from humble backgrounds! Rather, it is because their families have a tradition of scholarship and etiquette passed down for centuries, and their children are immersed in this tradition from a young age. Their knowledge, vision, and connections are incomparable to those who rise to prominence overnight. Like a towering ancient tree, only with deep roots can it flourish. They can serve as the anchor of the court! Only when they hold the reins of power can the nation be stable and secure, preventing national policies from becoming frivolous, and ensuring the long-term stability of the country and the peace of the nation!"

"Just like a prince consort! Just like a prince consort!"

"The Emperor Taizu suppressed him, and the son-in-law, born into an old gentry family in Jiangnan, found it impossible to advance in the imperial examinations. Was that his own fault?! He had ability, talent, and ambition, but had nowhere to use them! Why! Why! Why!"

Shan Yue looked at her calmly, without moving.

Jing'an took a few deep breaths, his mind becoming exceptionally clear.

She knew this was a final burst of energy before death.

Since Heaven has been merciful and granted her time again, she should make good use of it.

She was blessed throughout her life and never suffered hardship. She was born as the legitimate daughter of Empress Yuan, her elder brother ascended the throne smoothly, and her first marriage was to her beloved. After that, everything went smoothly, and she became the most powerful princess in the Great Wei Dynasty in nearly a hundred years.

At its peak, five out of the seven cabinet members were her protégés. Powerful ministers whom Emperor Zhaode could not use would be willing to associate with the gatekeeper at her Princess's residence in order to enter the palace as soon as possible. After Emperor Yongping ascended the throne, for the first three years, all the memorials were stamped with her seal.

Not to mention the "Qingfeng" she single-handedly promoted, how many aristocratic families, on the verge of extinction, were saved from peril? How many scions of noble families, who had been denied official positions due to the suppression by the founding emperor, were personally brought into the Linde Hall?
Her life was magnificent enough that she would be recorded in history. Whether she had a good reputation or bad deeds, she would not be forgotten in the long river of history!
She has nothing to regret.

The only one I misjudged was He Shanyue!

She had long forgotten the incident at Fushou Mountain, always thinking it was just an unintentional mistake by a young child, and never investigated it in detail!
Her previous investigations of He Shanyue always ended abruptly at Shantang Street in Suzhou Prefecture!

If He Qingshu's death hadn't been connected to Xue Nanfu, how could she have bypassed Shantang Street and started investigating from the beginning again in Hetou Village, Songjiang Prefecture?! Thus, she discovered that He Shanyue was a survivor of the Fushou Mountain fire, and then followed the clues to find He Shuiguang, who was sent to the palace, and Qiu, the biological mother of her sister who died in that fire!

If she had connected He Shanyue, who was born in Songjiang Prefecture, with the survivors of Fushou Mountain earlier, she, they, and "Qingfeng" would not have ended up in this situation!
The only thing I misjudged was the woman in front of me!

Jing'an glared angrily, his long-held authority suddenly bursting forth like a solidified drum bell striking his chest!
"There's no point in arguing with you any further. Things have come to this point; it's all or nothing—"

Shan Yue said softly, "You were just thinking that your only regret in this life is that you misjudged me and didn't nip me in the bud, right?"

Jing'an hesitated for a moment, and Shan Yue guessed it correctly.

Shan Yue gently shook her head: "No, no."

"He Qingshu, who has been by your side for many years, was originally someone that Marquis Cui Bainian of Wuding specially found and placed by your side."

Shan Yue spoke slowly and deliberately.

Jing'an raised the corners of her lips, revealing a knowing smile: "He Qingshu is twelve years younger than me, with a dignified appearance, handsome features, and refined manners. If I were not the powerful Grand Princess, why would he, who seeks neither power nor wealth, submit to me? Since his motives are impure, what does it matter to me whether he was planted by Cui Bainian or Yuan Wenying?"

"Could it be that Madam He thinks that your father and I are deeply in love?" Jing'an laughed frankly, "You haven't gotten to where you are today because of this rare naiveté, have you?"

Shanyue also laughed.

An old man and a young man sat side by side, with two cups of hot tea on either side. The atmosphere gradually became as peaceful as if the two of them were there just to enjoy the view of the sea and drink these two cups of tea.

Shan Yue stood with his back straight, his gaze sweeping over the temple.

In the temple, apart from her, Jing'an, and her personal maid Madam Chen, there was no one else.

But Shan Yue knew that the steep rocks outside the temple, the rugged cliffs, the watchtowers along the coastline, and the nearby Ma Liu Mountain were all hiding people.

Jing'an was already at its last gasp.

This crossbow, the last shot, will always draw blood.

It was either her, or Shui Guang from the palace, or one of the "Guoqiao Gu" people from Suzhou Prefecture.

She came today alone, and both sides knew perfectly well that Jing'an wanted to use her to force Xue Xiao out—Qixian was far from the capital, and according to the ironclad law of the Great Wei, the Xishan Camp, responsible for guarding the capital, was the last trump card to protect the capital and must not leave the capital!
The loss of control of the Western Garden Army at the end of the Han Dynasty led to Dong Zhuo's entry into the capital, and the transfer of the Northern Song Dynasty's imperial guards to other areas triggered the Jingkang Incident. Unless the emperor personally led the army, "the capital garrison should not leave the capital" was an ironclad rule!

In today's situation, if Emperor Yongping were to personally lead the Xishan Camp to Qi County in Jizhou just to bring back the wife of a minister who had been "invited" for tea by the Grand Princess Jing'an to the capital, wouldn't that make him a laughingstock?
If Xue Xiao had not brought the Xishan camp to Qixian and had gone to the meeting alone, he would have been outnumbered and the couple would have perished at sea. This would have been Jing'an exchanging one life for another, and his final gift to "Qingfeng" before his death.

As for the option of Xue Xiao remaining calm and not coming, how should this be resolved? — Jing An had never considered it. Given Xue Xiao's personality, if his wife were here, he would definitely show up.

Jing'an was at her wit's end and had no choice but to take a risky gamble!

She calculated and calculated, feeling that she had a perfect plan and victory was assured: therefore, she did not understand why Shan Yue would reveal a flaw and come here.
Shan Yue picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea.

What she says next might become a sharp weapon to kill Jing'an, or it might become a death warrant that enrages Jing'an to disregard everything and insist on killing her.

“Your Highness, you have seen many people. You used the ‘Tethering the Mechanism’ to control the two-faced Yuan Wenying to work for you. You know that Chang Lin is righteous and will not reveal any secrets. You also understand that Cui Bainian is ruthless. So you let him return to the Northern Frontier Army but detained his only son in the capital.”

Shan Yue said, "Am I the only person you misjudged? Fu Mingjiang's father, Fu Yingxu, became the bait that Cui Bainian specially set for you a long, long time ago."

"What did you say?!"

Jing'an glared wide-eyed, turning his head to stare angrily!

Shan Yue smiled and continued, "The way Marquis Wuding cultivated He Qingshu to understand your preferences and temperament is the same way he told Consort Fu how to lure you in and how to get you to wholeheartedly support him. The methods are similar and the paths are the same."

"Before they met you, they even lived in the same courtyard and were taught by the same teacher—Your Highness, if you can return to the capital, you can investigate thoroughly and see if I, He Shanyue, have uttered a single lie!" Jing'an's hand hung in mid-air, his gaze like a sharp knife, fixed on Shanyue's face!
Shan Yue ignored him and continued, "You understand that I have no reason to risk my life to lie to you."

"Besides, Your Highness, your days are numbered, so why should I bother deceiving a dying man?"

Jing An was suddenly jolted.

"Your lover, your ideals, the goals you've strived for half your life—it was all just a carefully orchestrated scheme by Marquis Wuding, Cui Bainian. Like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, all your efforts have become Cui Bainian's wedding dress."

Shan Yue smiled and said, "Even now, you still believe that risking your life to eliminate the greatest threat to 'Qing Feng' is your last stand in upholding your beliefs—"

"How ridiculous."

Shan Yue smiled and shook her head, her attitude sincere: "Your Highness, is your life laughable?"

Jing'an clenched his shoulders, his flesh and bones trembling: "Why...why did you come today?"

“Destroying the enemy’s will is more comforting to my mother’s spirit than tearing their body apart,” Shan Yue replied softly.

Night had already fallen vertically.

The sea breeze whistled past.

The power of that final burst of energy was just withdrawn by the Buddha.

Jing'an tilted her head back slightly, her chest tightened violently from her throat, and the flesh of her abdomen felt as if it were being pulled by ropes. Her heart and face trembled violently, and her blood surged and churned violently!

She took a deep breath and tried her best to calm herself down, but a trace of bright red blood spilled from the corner of her lips!
"Your Highness! Your Highness!" Madam Chen cried out, kneeling on both knees. "This girl is talking nonsense! Don't believe her! Don't believe her!"

The coastline and the mountains were both silent.

No one came.

Jing An struggled to raise his head, his right hand trembling as he lifted it, his eyes reflecting a raging inferno of anger.

She pointed precisely at Shan Yue: "Kill her—kill her—kill her—kill her!"

Kill Lady He and make her pay with her life!

Shan Yue's eyes were calm as he took out a porcelain lamp plaque from his bosom, which had been placed in front of the eternal lamp of the Buddha statue.

The painting depicts hundreds of infants playing and children having fun, with a line of text engraved below: "May my son Cui Yin'er be healthy and live a long and happy life."

"Fu Mingjiang's due date is just around the corner, isn't it?"

The mountain moon possessed him and spoke softly.

"you you you--"

Since his daughter was involved, Jing'an was even more agitated than when he first learned of his wife's betrayal. He trembled violently and screamed, "My child—my child—is innocent!"

Shan Yue did not reply, but pushed the ever-burning lantern towards Jing An with one hand. After a slight pause, she flipped it over, revealing crooked and twisted inscriptions under the porcelain plate: "My son Li Yin'er is safe and healthy."

Jing'an's vision was already blurry, but he rushed forward, grabbed the lantern sign, and bit his tongue hard, trying to wake himself up!

"Why is Li surnamed Li? What is Li?" Jing'an was in a panic.

“Cui Yulang was truly disgusted with Fu Mingjiang, and even unwilling to have children with her, so he had his servant named Musheng do it for him.” Shanyue paused, “The servant goes to Hanshan Temple every month to offer an ever-burning lamp for Fu Mingjiang’s unborn child—that servant happens to be surnamed Li.” Shanyue replied.

There was a "clang" sound.

Jing'an felt as if she had been struck in the chest by an invisible hammer. She was jolted backward, her back slamming heavily against the chair back. A violent ringing in her ears gripped her, and all the sounds around her became distant and indistinct. She could clearly hear her heart pounding wildly in her chest, fast and chaotic, as if it were about to explode. A chilling coldness rapidly rose from her tailbone along her spine, instantly freezing her limbs and immobilizing her.

She tried to speak, but only a series of hissing sounds, like a broken bellows, escaped her throat. The composure and dignity she had carefully maintained her entire life were utterly shattered at that moment, leaving only a trembling shell gripped by extreme fear!

"Your Highness, do you want Fu Mingjiang to know the truth?" Shan Yue asked in a low voice, her face extremely cold and stern.

"Do not--"

Motherhood allows the sound to break through the narrow airway and finally produce a sound!
"No! No! No!" Jing'an cried out in a frenzy. She was a pampered daughter of heaven, and she had never cried before. But now, her voice was filled with despair as she pleaded, her pleas climbing up little by little: "Childbirth is extremely difficult for a woman. If she is struck hard, both mother and child will surely die! No—don't let Linniang die in humiliation! Please—please! I beg you!"

Jing'an burst into tears, two lines of bloody tears sliding down his cheeks!

She reached out her hand; the will to die was gradually creeping into her heart and mind!
Shan Yue took a half step back, turned around and paused. After a moment, she suddenly pushed open the side door of the temple with both hands!

The waves crashed against the rocks and shells below the cliff!
The darkness and stars, little by little, are reflected in the sponge; the sea, as thick as ink and silk, has long since become a monstrous monster that devours all living things.

Shan Yue remained calm, pointing her right hand to the three-zhang-high waves: "Your Highness, go and jump in here, and I will keep this secret for eternity."

Madam Chen screamed shrilly, "No—No, Your Highness—"

The ground beneath your feet trembled dully through the soles of your shoes, as if giants were beating war drums from the depths of an abyss. Then, in the almost pure darkness, a wall of inky black water, deeper than the night itself, rose up with a deafening roar and slammed into the jagged rocks, shattering itself in the process—the sound was deafening, and the icy water spray carrying the salty stench of death instantly soaked through your clothes.

Jing'an stopped trembling, and the bloody tears in the corners of her eyes hung on her cheeks like two lines of cool, clear agate.

"If I were to jump off a cliff, could you exchange your life for mine, and leave Mingjiang a way out?" Jing'an asked softly.

Shan Yue slid a metal rod wrapped in pink oil paper and smelling of gunpowder from his sleeve. With a flick of his fingertip, the metal rod shot into the sky with a whoosh!

In an instant, clusters of firelight also lit up in the monkey forests outside the coastline!

Xue Xiao led his team to lie in ambush in the forest!

Xue Xiao had guessed that Jing'an would choose Qi County!

"You have no choice." Shan Yue's voice was very soft: "The people on the mountain are not soldiers from the Western Mountain Camp. If you do not jump off the cliff in three quarters of an hour, the mountain bandits in the forest will swoop down on the Sea God Temple!"

Not the Xishan Camp?
Who is in the woods?!
Jing'an raised her head and closed her eyes slightly: she had already dealt a fatal blow, but the He family still had a series of trump cards up their sleeves.
If she dies, she can buy Ming Jiang a moment's life.
Even if it's only for half a moment!
Jing'an did not hesitate any longer.

She was destined to die.

There are many reasons why people die, but at the very least, they should not be killed by "mountain bandits"!
That magnificent phoenix-patterned gown, now wrapped around her bent and slender body, fluttered wildly in the gale, its looseness almost ironic.

She walked step by step toward the edge of the cliff, her steps unsteady, but her back was straightened in an almost broken posture, maintaining her last, fragile dignity.

"Your Highness!" Madam Chen cried out.

"Very well. In this world, no one can judge me, the Grand Princess Jing'an."

At the edge of the cliff, Jing'an stopped, his blood-red eyes taking a deep look back before he leaped into the air without a trace of lingering attachment.

That hunched figure, like a withered leaf torn off by a gale, or a black bird with broken wings, resolutely plunged into the roaring, dark waves.

The churning seawater instantly swallowed her up, leaving only a faint, insignificant sound on the rocks before being covered by even larger waves.

Shan Yue lowered her head and stood quietly at the edge of the cliff.

Her mother perished in the fire while protecting her;
Jing'an jumped off a cliff to protect Fu Mingjiang.

Shan Yue reached out and threw the ever-burning lantern heavily into the raging sea.

For some reason, two lines of clear tears slid down her cheeks.