A Stolen Romance - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Changing The Sky

The next day, when Shi Yuning woke up, Xie Zhaoran was already gone. The sky outside was faintly bright, and she didn’t know when she had left.

Shi Yuning couldn’t remember when she had fallen asleep. She only remembered that before she did, Xie Zhaoran had been telling her funny stories from her childhood. She hadn’t expected the composed and dignified Xie Zhaoran to have once been a mischievous child who would get stuck in trees. Shi Yuning felt a sense of regret. If they had met when they were children, it would have been very interesting.

She stretched lazily. Thinking of yesterday’s imperial decree of marriage, she figured Tu Chunhua and the others must still be in a state of shock. She needed to go and ease their worries.

Just as Shi Yuning was about to call for Xiao Liu’er to help her get dressed, the maid rushed into the room. Seeing that Shi Yuning was already awake, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Miss, you’re up early today. That’s good. The madam has sent for you. She wants you to get ready and go to her as soon as you can.”

Shi Yuning looked at the newly bright sky. So early in the morning, her mother’s summons must mean something had happened. Since she was at home, Shi Yuning put on her outer robes and rushed to Tu Chunhua’s courtyard without bothering to wash up.

When Tu Chunhua saw Shi Yuning, who was sweaty and disheveled, she was so startled that the fan in her hand fell to the ground. “What’s wrong? What happened?” Tu Chunhua frantically went forward and grabbed Shi Yuning’s arms, feeling her all over as if she thought Shi Yuning was hurt.

“I’m fine. Didn’t you send for me? What happened?”

Hearing that Shi Yuning was okay, Tu Chunhua breathed a sigh of relief, but when Shi Yuning asked what had happened, her worries returned.

“The Crown Prince was assassinated last night, and we don’t know how he is now. Your grandfather and the others went to the palace early this morning. I’m afraid the situation is not good.” She remembered the special instructions from her father-in-law this morning that she must not go out and should keep the doors tightly shut, and her heart began to panic.

Shi Yuning’s face also tightened when she heard the news. They listened as the purchasing matron described the scene on the streets. Today, there were many more soldiers patrolling the streets. She heard that the entire Shuntian Prefecture and even the city defense barracks stationed in the eastern suburbs had been mobilized. The city gates in all four directions—east, west, north, and south—were closed, preventing people from entering or leaving. Suspicious people encountered on the road were arrested and questioned, and those who couldn’t explain their origins would surely be tortured. Now, there were hardly any people on the streets. The small vendors had also gone home early. Even the busiest brothels, opera houses, taverns, and tea houses had hung up “closed” signs today. The palace gates were also sealed early, and no one was allowed to enter without a decree.

Shi Yuning’s heart sank deeper with every word. Such a large-scale mobilization meant something serious had happened. She wondered if the Crown Prince was safe. Was Xie Zhaoran alright? Shi Yuning wanted to ask someone to get information, but she didn’t know who she could ask, and she was in a state of anxiety.

…

Inside Chong’an Hall in the Imperial Palace, Xie Zhaoran’s face was solemn and her expression was awe-inspiring as she stared at the tightly shut vermilion door, lost in thought. On the floor by her leg, the Crown Prince was collapsed, his face pale and his lips trembling. His breathing was weak as he cried, “I was wrong. It’s all my fault.” A group of eunuchs and maids knelt around him. Little Eunuch Lin tightly held onto the Crown Prince to keep him from fainting.

Xie Zhaoran looked down at him and took a deep breath. She had already sent someone to remind the Crown Prince last night to ignore everything else and just take care of his health. She never expected that he would still leave the Eastern Palace and go to the palace on his own. Xie Zhaoran, of course, knew the Crown Prince meant well. He must have found out about Shi Yuning and was going to the palace to ask the Emperor to retract his decree, when he encountered assassins on the way.

Xie Zhaoran’s hands in her sleeves were clenched into fists. There must be an internal spy in the Eastern Palace. The news she had forbidden to be spread had still reached the Crown Prince, and his movements were leaked. The assassins looked like they had been prepared for a long time.

As she was thinking, the vermilion door opened, and a young eunuch came out to say that the Emperor had asked them to come in. Xie Zhaoran quickly helped Little Eunuch Lin support the Crown Prince. As they were about to enter, they saw the Empress, her eyes red and swollen from crying, being helped out by her attendants. Seeing them, she sobbed, “Your father has something to say to you. You… have a good talk…” After that, she was inconsolable and was helped away by her attendants to wash up.

Inside the Emperor’s bedchamber, the bright yellow curtains were held up by golden hooks. Emperor Yuanwen lay on his imperial bed, his breathing weak. His face was pale, his eye sockets sunken, his eyes dark, and even his lips, which should have been rosy, were blue-black. In just a few days, his hair had turned mostly white, and his eyes were lifeless, withered, and clouded. He looked like a man on his last legs.

The Crown Prince’s heart was filled with grief. He stumbled and knelt by the Emperor’s bed, throwing himself onto Emperor Yuanwen and sobbing uncontrollably. Xie Zhaoran also quickly walked to the bed and knelt beside the Crown Prince. She looked at the frail, elderly Emperor Yuanwen on the bed, her brows tightly furrowed. Compared to a few days ago, Emperor Yuanwen’s change was too great. He looked as if he had aged ten years overnight.

“Father… Your son is unfilial… It’s all my fault… Father…” The Crown Prince cried, his body trembling. His gaunt frame was heaving violently, and he didn’t look much better than Emperor Yuanwen.

Emperor Yuanwen tried to lift his hand to touch the Crown Prince’s head, but he could only lift it an inch from the bed before it fell back limply. His expression was heavy and his heart was filled with sorrow. “It’s not your fault… It’s just my body… My time has come…”

The Crown Prince suddenly stopped crying, his eyes wide with disbelief. He shook his head frantically. “No, no, Father… that’s not true. You’re just… just temporarily unwell. It’s because you heard that I was assassinated and worried about me that you fell ill. It’s all my fault.”

Emperor Yuanwen’s hand on the bed trembled slightly. “It’s not your fault, Crown Prince. It’s just that my time is approaching.”

“No, Father, it’s not. You are a true Son of Heaven, protected by the heavens. You will surely get through this.”

“Silly child. A Son of Heaven also has his own destiny. It’s just… I just feel I have let you down, child. I couldn’t give you a healthy body, so you have suffered since you were a child.” Emperor Yuanwen only understood how helpless a sick person was after he fell ill. He had to drink medicine all day long. He couldn’t do the things a normal person could, and he had to avoid even his favorite foods. The Crown Prince had lived this life for more than ten years…

“I know what you originally came to the palace to do today. But, my child, although Prince Yu has a quick temper and is a bit reckless, his heart is still good.” Emperor Yuanwen knew he didn’t have much time left and tried to give as many instructions as he could. “As for you adopting a son from the imperial clan, I was thinking it would be better to name your brother the Imperial Crown Prince… His talent is enough to be a king who preserves the kingdom… Cough, cough.“

Xie Zhaoran took a cup of tea from a eunuch and handed it to Emperor Yuanwen. “Father, drink some tea.” The Crown Prince quickly took it and personally helped Emperor Yuanwen drink the water.

Xie Zhaoran retreated to the side and said slowly, “There is one more thing that Father should know.” After the Crown Prince finished helping the Emperor drink the water, they both looked at Xie Zhaoran. Xie Zhaoran nodded to the imperial physician standing by the bed. The physician immediately knelt down, his body trembling, and what he said shocked everyone in the room except for Xie Zhaoran. “Your Majesty, your condition has suddenly worsened because you have been poisoned.”

Emperor Yuanwen’s clouded eyes flashed with angry light. “What did you say?”

The imperial physician tremblingly took out an object from his sleeve and opened it for everyone to see. “This is the secret medicine that Prince Yu presented to you. Your servant has examined it, and this medicine contains poison.”

Emperor Yuanwen was shocked. “That’s impossible. After I took it, my body did feel much better.”

The imperial physician quickly explained, “This secret medicine contains an ingredient called ‘Ling.’ This ingredient is normally poisonous, but if used properly, a small amount can be an excellent remedy for treating poison with poison. But this medicine has one drawback. The person taking it must not have a great emotional fluctuation, or it will cause the blood to surge, and the poison will attack the heart.”

After the imperial physician finished what he had to say, he quietly knelt to the side.

Xie Zhaoran’s voice was heavy. “How did the news of the Crown Prince’s assassination spread so quickly in the palace? And the rumor was that the Crown Prince had died.”

The Crown Prince was stunned. Yes, that’s right. He had just encountered the assassins, so how did his father already know?

Xie Zhaoran spoke loudly to the outside. “Bring him in.”

The door opened, and a guard escorted a young eunuch in. When Eunuch Xia, who served the Emperor, saw him, he realized it was his adopted son and was so scared he collapsed to the floor. The cotton gag was removed from the young eunuch’s mouth, and he immediately begged for mercy. “Your Majesty, please spare my life! It was Prince Yu, Prince Yu told this servant to spread the news!”

With a single look from Xie Zhaoran, the guards took the eunuch away.

Emperor Yuanwen lay on the bed for a long time, breathing heavily. “How could this be… Prince Yu, this child… how could he…”

Xie Zhaoran knelt to report. “Father, I have investigated and found that the assassin at the spring hunting grounds was Prince Yu’s doing.”

The Crown Prince, worried that the Emperor would not believe Xie Zhaoran, quickly added, “Father, it’s true. The assassin’s testimony is still with your son.”

A hint of doubt flashed in Emperor Yuanwen’s eyes. “If that is the case, why did you not say so before?”

The Crown Prince gave a bitter smile. “I knew Father would not believe it, so what was the point of saying anything?”

Emperor Yuanwen’s gaze grew colder. “Why are you saying it now?”

Xie Zhaoran spoke. “We never expected that in addition to trying to kill the Crown Prince, he would also try to murder you, Father.”

Emperor Yuanwen’s heart was filled with sorrow. He had always thought that Prince Yu was just a little eccentric and arrogant. He never expected that it was all an act, and that he would even dare to harm him, his own father.

Emperor Yuanwen closed his eyes, and a single tear rolled down his wrinkled cheek. After a long silence, he seemed to have used up his last bit of strength. “It would be a scandal for the imperial family… it would tarnish our prestige… Crown Prince… you must not… publicize this…”

Xie Zhaoran’s heart sank. Emperor Yuanwen intended to protect Prince Yu.

Emperor Yuanwen continued, “Someone, prepare an imperial edict.” He had the eunuch prepare a decree that after his death, Prince Yu would be ordered to keep vigil over his coffin and never leave the imperial mausoleum for the rest of his life. At Xie Zhaoran’s reminder, he canceled the imperial marriage decree for Prince Yu. He also drafted an edict to pass the throne to the Crown Prince.

With his last remaining strength, Emperor Yuanwen stamped the imperial jade seal on all three edicts. After stamping the one for the succession, Emperor Yuanwen collapsed on the bed. He looked at the Crown Prince, and as if he still had some worries, he grabbed his hand tightly. “My child, I know your intentions, but it’s not possible… your imperial sister won’t do. It goes against the rites of our ancestors. You must not be naive.”

Xie Zhaoran’s hands suddenly clenched, her eyes heavy with emotion. So Emperor Yuanwen had known all along.

Emperor Yuanwen looked at Xie Zhaoran, his gaze loving. “Zhaoran, you are a good child. I am sorry for what I have put you through. In the future, choose a child from the imperial clan to adopt. You will have a guarantee then.”

Just then, someone from outside came to report that the Princess requested an audience.

Emperor Yuanwen closed his eyes. “I will not see her.”

The Crown Prince by his side was sobbing. “Father, I beg you, please see Imperial Sister. If you don’t see her, she will be in pain for the rest of her life.”

A tear rolled down Emperor Yuanwen’s cheek. “So be it. Let her in.”

Xiao Liju, who had been anxiously waiting outside the door, heard that her father was willing to see her. Ignoring her princessly dignity, she moved at the speed of a soldier on the march and quickly went to Emperor Yuanwen’s side. Seeing Emperor Yuanwen’s sickly and gaunt appearance, Xiao Liju’s eyes immediately turned red, and tears fell one after another. “Father, your daughter is late.”

Emperor Yuanwen tried to open his heavy eyelids with great effort. His gaze seemed hazy as he looked at the woman in front of him. She was both very familiar and very strange. His once soft and delicate girl had become such a valiant and heroic female general. He no longer had the strength to speak, and his words were just a whisper.

“The wind and frost of the border… A girl should not have to suffer…”

Xiao Liju held her breath to listen, then wiped her tears. Her gaze was firm. “Father, that is the land of our Great Yan, and I am a princess of Great Yan.”

Emperor Yuanwen forced a smile. “You… are the most like your grandfather… I am not as good as you… Good, good.”

After saying the final “good,” Emperor Yuanwen’s hand by his side suddenly went limp.

“Father!”

“Your Majesty!”

The imperial physician stepped forward, checked for breathing, and felt for a pulse. He shook his head with a look of sorrow.

A thunderous wail of grief erupted in the bedchamber.

“The Emperor has passed away—”

The shouts echoed far and wide. The funeral bells rang, spreading throughout the imperial city.

In the 27th year of the Yuanwen reign, Emperor Yuanwen passed away from illness. The Crown Prince, Xiao Yuanjia, ascended the throne. A new era has begun.

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