Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 137 The Fire of the Green Hut
The three were still clueless about the masked man's identity. At this moment, Tan Huaike subconsciously sniffed the air and suddenly turned to look at the medicine pot on the stove: "Oh no! The medicine has boiled dry!"

The maid who burned the medicine for the princess was utterly incompetent.

She rushed over to check on the medicine pot, wrapped the lid in a cloth, and lifted it. A plume of smoke billowed out, carrying the smell of burnt herbs. Realizing it couldn't be left to boil dry, Tan Huaike scooped a few spoonfuls of water into it, letting the medicine continue to simmer.

Shen Tu Zhuo was worried and rolled up his sleeves to help: "How can you dilute it with water like this? Where is the prepared medicine packet? Let's boil a new pot. You're not well, you can't stop taking your medicine."

Fanning the fire with a palm-leaf fan, Tan Huai Ke glanced at Zhou Wen Cong over there and said helplessly, "I've already taken my medicine. With the prince supervising me, I haven't missed a single dose."

Shentu Zhuo snorted and said, "Oh, then he's really good to you."

"Alright, stop being sarcastic." Zhou Wenzong also walked to this corner, looking at the bland medicine and said, "So we need to formulate a more comprehensive plan so that she can leave the Prince of Qin's mansion without any trouble, which can both block the framing of those hostile forces in the Eastern Palace and avoid being eliminated from behind."

"Her status is in a precarious position. Instead of trying to get her out quietly, we might as well find another way to make a big fuss about it." Shen Tu Zhuo reacted quickly and already had a plan in mind.

“Zhongqi and I share the same view. The bigger the commotion, the more spectacular it becomes, the fewer loopholes outsiders can exploit,” Zhou Wencong said. “That’s why I’m keeping Qinglu.”

Shentu Zhuo seized the opportunity to ask, "I was just about to ask you, what's the point of keeping that green hut? Is it to make you seem very affectionate?"

Zhou Wenzong said in a serious tone, "That's right, it's just to make me seem affectionate."

Shentu Zhuo: "..."

Zhou Wenzong said, "As you know, I'm not good at acting. Every time I try, it's full of loopholes. I can only use this kind of unorthodox method to help. This way, it will be more believable to others."

What exactly do you want to do?

"You'll find out when the time comes," Zhou Wenzong said, deliberately keeping him in suspense.

“When the time is right, we will send a message out in advance. Just go to the Ningping Medical Clinic we visited today and have Fufeng go to see Doctor Lan.” Sensing the strange atmosphere between the two, Tan Huai Ke smoothed things over by saying, “Fufeng has been searching for herbs and prescriptions everywhere lately, and he has become quite familiar with Doctor Lan.”

“Okay, I understand.” Shen Tu Zhuo looked at her intently. “I will wait for you to be reborn.”
-
Everyone in Andu knew that the Princess Consort of Qin was seriously ill and was growing increasingly frail, showing no improvement even after their wedding. The King of Qin was naturally very worried and sought medicine for her everywhere, even offering a large reward to a renowned physician, sparing no effort to save his beloved consort's life.

Of course, not everyone believes in such "deep affection".

Doubts began to circulate among the court and the public, suggesting that the King of Qin intended to discard Princess Mohe as a pawn. He argued that since she was merely a foreign princess, he had already secured all the benefits she could offer, so why continue the charade? Others claimed that the so-called incurable illness was entirely his doing, that he had unwittingly harmed Princess Mohe on the way to the wedding, and that his continued torment and abuse her in the palace had brought her to the brink of death.

To treat his beloved concubine's illness, Zhou Wenzong had not attended court for many days. The Crown Prince vehemently refuted those people's unfounded speculations, saying that the imperial physicians had also frequently visited Princess Qin to examine her, which could corroborate her condition. It was clearly stated that she was seriously ill and had not recovered. Just because the Prince of Qin had taken leave to stay at home with his new wife, he was subjected to such slander. This was intolerable!
As an envoy of the Mohe Kingdom accompanying the marriage alliance, Aisha also said that although he felt sorry for his sister, he had to admit that the Qin King's meticulous care for Alan moved even him, her own brother. He could only say that everyone has their own destiny; to marry the Qin King and contribute to the diplomatic relations between Mohe and Da Xuan, his sister said she had no regrets. He, as her brother, could only pray daily, hoping that God Monroe, seeing her kindness and sincerity, would grant her a longer life.

The court was ablaze with heated arguments, while chaos reigned in the Prince of Qin's residence.

As the princess's health deteriorated, the prince's temper grew increasingly volatile. The once gentle and refined nobleman now seemed to have his heart emptied. Apart from being able to be kind and smile a little at the princess's bedside, he spent the rest of his time either drinking away his sorrows in the still-undemolished hut or locking himself in his study, refusing to see anyone.

The Empress had summoned him once, and seeing his absent-minded appearance, she said with a hint of sarcasm and undisguised heartache, "She's just a princess from a foreign land, why is she like this?"

Zhou Wenzong raised his bloodshot eyes and said, "Yes, she's just a pitiful foreign princess. Why did Mother Empress have to do this?" The two of them knew exactly what the other meant.

The Empress said angrily, "You... I was doing this for your own good, and you dare to talk back to me for her sake?"

Zhou Wenzong said frankly, "Your subject dares not, but your subject is truly worried about her. I beg Your Majesty... to be lenient and not interfere any further."

The Empress was speechless and could only sigh, "Fine, fine, just go ahead and be a gentleman. You can't hold onto affection, and you can't hold onto people. Let's see what you can gain."

Xu Guanbai waited to the side, his gaze fixed on Zhou Wencong, without uttering a word.

Less than two months after their wedding, Princess Qin passed away due to exhaustion.

That night, the King of Qin was overcome with grief, supporting the coffin and weeping so bitterly that he fainted.

Upon hearing the sound of the wind, Shen Tu Zhuo was speechless. One could imagine that he couldn't keep up the act, so he simply fainted.

Fu Feng received the news from Doctor Lan and, as instructed by the King of Qin, handed it over to Shen Tu Zhuo.

Seven days after the death of his beloved concubine, he took advantage of the fire burning in the green pavilion to escort her out of the mansion.

Now Shen Tu Zhuo fully understood that the green hut was kept to be used as a "funeral hall".

The green pavilion, which symbolized the tender moments of the King of Qin and his queen's honeymoon, was draped with white curtains, bearing the King of Qin's reluctance and deep affection, where the deceased queen could rest in peace.

According to the customs of Da Xuan, the body of the Qin Queen was laid to rest for seven days to be mourned. Logically, after seven days, she should be buried, but Aisha proposed that, according to the customs of Mohe, her body, which had endured so much suffering, be burned with holy fire so that her soul could return to the embrace of God Monroe.

Despite the King of Qin's reluctance, he agreed to comply out of consideration for his beloved concubine's faith.

That very night, Prince Aisha of Mohe, the other members of the wedding procession, and General Lingchuan of the Zhenxi Army who had escorted the princess all came to see her off.

Outside the mourning hall converted from Qinglu, the King of Qin erected an altar in the courtyard for burning offerings. As requested by Aisha, wooden pillars carved with the totem of the god Monroe were placed around the altar, and then, at the turn of day and night, a sacred fire was lit.

Princess Alan lay on the elaborately decorated altar, with flames raging beneath her, the flames about to lick the altar.

Shen Tu Zhuo waited quietly outside the east gate.

He knew that there was a trap set under the altar, and that when the fire surrounded Tan Huaike, Zhou Wenzong would trigger the trap to allow her to escape from the altar.

But in order to cover up the truth, a riot still had to be created.

An incense stick later, Shentu Zhuo heard cries of alarm coming from inside the Qin Prince's mansion: "Fire! The mourning hall is on fire!"

Someone else shouted, "Your Highness, Your Highness is still inside the mourning hall! Quickly, rescue Your Highness!"
-
Next chapter: It's you again? Why are you everywhere?!