Jinyi Spring

Emperor Jianzhang recalled nineteen years ago, when Lady Xiao knelt on the cold floor tiles of Kunning Palace, repeatedly crying out in grief and indignation, "Your Majesty, I am innocent, I did not..."

Xiao's voice went from aggrieved to hoarse, and from hoarse to desperate.

Finally, he crashed headfirst into the doorpost—his slender figure, like a withered leaf blown away by the wind, silently slid to the ground…

At that time, Emperor Jianzhang, blinded by rage, simply did not believe it. He thought Lady Xiao was putting on an act, that she was threatening suicide, and that she had someone else in her heart, so she was not even afraid of death.

He knew that Xiao and Ming Changqing were childhood sweethearts and were about to get engaged. He had snatched Xiao away from Ming Changqing because of that "fate" prediction.

He could tell that although Xiao looked at him with gentle respect, there was never any affection in her eyes.

What's most despicable is that she even dared to exchange tokens with him in private!

But at that time, Xiao was already pregnant. Master Yuhui said that the son she gave birth to would "inherit the destiny of the world and save all people from suffering," and therefore could not be abandoned.

Xiao was rescued and indeed gave birth to a son, who was strong and intelligent.

He thought, let's just leave her like this.

A year later, the Empress Dowager arranged a marriage for Ming Changqing. He also hoped that Ming Shanqing would marry someone else, thus ending Xiao's hopes.

But that military man actually dared to defy the imperial decree and refuse to marry.

If it weren't for the sake of Princess Changning's reputation, he would have killed him.

He didn't kill, but he came up with a way that would give him even more satisfaction than killing someone—that night, he went to Kunning Palace again.

Ms. Xiao became pregnant again.

Later, he personally led an expedition.

After returning to the capital, I heard that Lady Xiao had given birth to a "Red Hare".

Without much thought, he deposed the empress, made her a monk, and stripped her of her title.

All in one go.

He had suspected that someone might have tampered with things, but he suppressed the thought as soon as it crossed his mind.

He disliked the Xiao family and did not want his eldest son to have an unvirtuous, promiscuous, and dissolute mother, nor did he want the Xiao family to become powerful again.

For the sake of the stability of the court, and to ensure that Shui Heng will not be hindered by his birth mother or maternal relatives after he succeeds to the throne, it is a good thing that Lady Xiao is "guilty".

The late emperor repeatedly warned that maternal relatives should not become too powerful, citing the Xue family as an example. Therefore, the next crown prince must not be a grandson of the Xue family.

The Xue family had already offended the late emperor, but they had helped him, his mother, and him in many ways, so he tolerated them.

He thought that when the opportunity arose, he would make Heng'er the crown prince. After that, the Xue family's downfall was only a matter of time.

Years ago, Ms. Xiao proved her innocence and survived. After nineteen years, she finally died the day before yesterday, but her body was never recovered.

Even though she's dead, they're still making a big deal out of her past with Ming Changqing...

Emperor Jianzhang opened his eyes and looked at the empty hall. Suddenly, that peerless face from his distant memory surfaced.

Beautiful, gentle, and vibrant, yet her brow is always furrowed with a lingering melancholy, like the misty rain of early autumn.

That appearance was incomparable to the two bloody bones and the tattered monk's hat before him.

Emperor Jianzhang felt as if something had suddenly struck his chest; it was dull and aching, and he couldn't tell whether it was pain or regret.

Nineteen years ago, he was convinced she still harbored feelings for Ming Changqing. Sixteen years ago, he personally pushed her into the nunnery…

But now, she has been cruelly devoured by a pack of wolves, leaving only these two remains.

Only then did he realize that Lady Xiao was also a pitiful person. Perhaps he should have investigated more thoroughly back then, whether she really had an affair with Ming Changqing, and whether the child she gave birth to was truly "Red Hare". Emperor Jianzhang clutched his chest, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times, before speaking in a hoarse voice, "I bestow upon Prince Qin a gold and jade ruyi scepter each."

He Quan, standing behind him, looked up, waiting for what was to come.

Emperor Jianzhang paused, his gaze falling on the small window. Outside, the night was deep and dark, pressing down endlessly.

“Tell him again that I… will give him an explanation.”

-

At the beginning of Hai hour, the night was already deep.

Inside Fu Rong Tang, the elderly couple were still sitting on the daybed, neither of them showing any intention of resting.

The candlelight flickered, making the wrinkles on their faces appear even more pronounced.

Xia advised, "Father, Mother, it's late, you should rest."

Almost every day, she would help the old lady to bed before she went to rest herself. Therefore, she was always said to be the old lady's most filial daughter.

The old lady waved her hand and said in a calm voice, "No, this old woman is still waiting for news from Xiao Wan'er."

Xia suppressed the urge to burst out laughing. Was she waiting for Qingxin's news? How could someone dragged up the mountain by wolves possibly still be alive?

That bitch is finally dead, and in this way at that.

She remained meek on the surface, saying, "Mother, if I hear any news about her, I will come and tell you."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than footsteps echoed in the courtyard. The young maidservant at the gate announced, "The Duke has arrived."

As soon as the Duke of Ming entered, the old Duke anxiously asked, "How is it?"

Duke Ming gestured for his servants to leave, and after the door closed, he said in a deep voice, "Lord Jin has also withdrawn his troops and returned to the capital. It is certain that Qingxin Fagu has perished in the wolf's belly."

He looked at Xia Shi, who quickly lowered her eyes, suppressing the overwhelming joy that was about to burst forth from her heart. When she raised her face again, her eyes were full of pity.

"What a pity, Sister Xiao is still so young."

She used the nickname she had when she was a child.

The Duke of Ming sat down and looked at his parents, his expression growing increasingly grave. “What’s even more despicable is that, after such a tragic death, some people are still trying to smear her—going to the Emperor to say that she secretly kept her second brother’s clothes and jade pendant.”

The old Duke slammed his hand on the small table, his eyes wide with rage. "What utter nonsense! Which scoundrel said that? I'll beat him to death!"

"Father, don't worry," Duke Mingguo hurriedly said. "The clothes and jade pendant belong to Prince Qin, who admitted it in court. Now, the Flying Eagle Guard, the Ministry of Justice, and the Court of Judicial Review are interrogating Empress Dowager Cixi and related people overnight, and they will surely be able to find out who is behind it."

Xia's face turned pale instantly.

How did the clothes and jade pendant become items belonging to the loyalist king? Also, during the joint trial in those three places, will she implicate someone?
The old lady's eyes reddened, and she sighed, "Poor little Wan'er, our family has wronged her."

These words were profound, like a thorn piercing straight into Xia's heart. She felt those gazes sweeping over her, as if ants were crawling all over her back, leaving her numb and weak.

Xia forced a smile and said, "This is not Father and Mother's fault."

The old woman stubbornly insisted, "Strange, strange..."

The old Duke sighed, "When I go there in the future, I will definitely apologize to Brother Xiao." He then asked, "Why did Xiao Wan'er run away in the middle of the night?"

Ming Guogong said, "I heard that someone told her that she didn't give birth to Red Hare, but a son. The child was killed as soon as he was born and thrown into the Bai Cang River... After hearing this, she went a little crazy. She ran away in the chaos, whether to mourn her child or for some other reason, I don't know."

The old woman said sadly, "Poor child, a mother hearing such words would probably not want to live anymore and would want to follow her child in death." (End of this chapter)