Going from "Fanservice" to Reality with My Goddess - Chapter 21

“Cut!” Duan Yi poked his head out at the right moment. “Excellent, excellent. This scene is a wrap. Everyone, take a good break and prepare for the final scene.”

The final scene barely featured Yu Nianzhi, as her character was “under house arrest.” She would only appear briefly at the very end.

As filming drew to a close, it meant that Love Sickness was about to reach its final conclusion, and Yu Nianzhi felt incredibly reluctant to let go. This was her first time acting alongside so many talented actors, and she had truly learned a lot. She had signed the contract for this project privately; she feared that once she returned, Wu Lian would force her into a slew of subpar scripts to make up for the time she had spent here. The mere thought of facing Wu Lian again gave Yu Nianzhi a mounting headache.

What she dreaded most, however, was that after the wrap, she would have to part ways with Shen Yan. She had no idea when they would meet again. Worse, she feared she might never have the chance to collaborate with Shen Yan ever again.

Yu Nianzhi was deep in thought when a voice suddenly spoke beside her: “What’s wrong? Why such a long face? You don’t need to brew those emotions in advance for this final scene.”

Yu Nianzhi turned her head to see Shen Yan standing beside her, looking at her with a smile. Naturally, she couldn’t tell the “Goddess” that she was reluctant to leave or that she wanted to film Love Sickness for a hundred more episodes.

She smiled and explained, “It’s nothing. I’m just a bit sad that we’re almost finished filming.”

Shen Yan laughed. “What’s there to be sad about? There will be plenty of opportunities to collaborate in the future.”

Assuming Shen Yan was merely being polite, Yu Nianzhi nodded with a smile.

“Get ready. It’s the last scene; we must see it through to a successful end.”

By the time Shen Yan (playing the Crown Princess, Feng Ji) reached the Imperial Palace, only the tail end of the sunset remained on the horizon. Palace lanterns had been lit throughout the grounds, casting light into the quiet, dark halls.

But that light did not reach the depths of Shen Yan’s eyes.

She strode quickly toward the main hall. The path was lined with guards carrying unsheathed swords. They stood silently, like solemn, motionless statues. The once majestic hall now exuded a chilling aura, resembling a great beast with its maw wide open, crouching in wait for its prey to deliver itself into its belly.

Shen Yan entered the hall, not expecting so many people to be present.

Many court officials were there. At a glance, she saw they were mostly the core confidants of the Crown Prince’s faction and the Wen faction, held at the side by guards. Upon seeing Shen Yan arrive, several became emotional and tried to step forward, only to be immediately blocked by the blades of the guards.

Shen Yan walked to the center of the hall. Looking up, she saw a man sitting upon the Dragon Throne.

It was Wen Jian.

Shen Yan couldn’t help but feel a surge of inward mockery. Who gave him the courage?

She narrowed her eyes at Wen Jian and smiled. “You certainly are in a hurry, Lord Wen. The late Emperor was only buried today, and you have already taken his place on the Dragon Throne.” Her voice carried undisguised derision. “Or should I call you… His Majesty the New Emperor?”

“Hahaha, Your Highness the Crown Prince, whatever do you mean?” Ye Wu (Wen Jian) stroked his beard and laughed. “This old man was merely a bit tired from waiting for Your Highness and took a short rest. As for the ‘late Emperor’ talk, this humble official would not dare presume.”

Though he spoke these words, he showed no intention of rising. He remained firmly seated, his eyes filled with the look of a man who had already won, even betraying a sense of mockery and pity for the Crown Prince before him.

“Oh? Is that so?” Shen Yan arched an eyebrow.

“Naturally. Furthermore, the successor appointed by the late Emperor is the young Prince Feng Huan. How could I, your humble servant, dare to overstep?”

Shen Yan froze for a moment upon hearing the name. “Feng Huan?”

“Indeed,” Ye Wu squinted and smiled. “What? Your Highness received the imperial edict personally back then; surely you are aware?”

Shen Yan understood then, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. He certainly knows how to pick them.

Shen Yan asked, “Where is Feng Huan now?”

“The young Prince is currently in his chambers. I have sent men to look after him well.” He spoke as if he were truly a loyal minister acting out of pure devotion.

Shen Yan sneered. “Lord Wen has certainly gone to a lot of trouble.”

Ye Wu laughed. “Your Highness is too kind. Although I am a man of meager talent, as a minister of Southern Liao, I must naturally do my utmost for the future of the state until my dying breath.”

Shen Yan sighed. “To have Lord Wen assisting him is truly a blessing for His Majesty and the people, earned over a hundred lifetimes of merit. With you at his side, Southern Liao will surely… perish very soon.”

The corners of her mouth curled into a mocking arc. “Your loyalty is truly more than one can endure.”

The smile on Wen Jian’s face froze instantly. “Presumptuous!”

Shen Yan didn’t wait for him to argue. Her expression turned cold. “Enough, Wen Jian. Stop this nonsense. What do you actually want? Where is my wife?”

Ye Wu reigned in his anger and leaned back against the throne. “Your Highness always finds a topic that makes me happy.”

He sat there at his leisure and sighed softly. “I invited your esteemed wife to be a guest at my manor today, but an unexpected accident occurred, causing her to be detained until now. However, please rest assured, Your Highness the Princess is currently safe and sound.”

Ignoring his lies, Shen Yan asked directly, “I am here. What must I do for you to release her?”

“That is easily settled. The Crown Princess is a celestial beauty; even this old man cannot bear to see her suffer.” At this, Ye Wu smiled again. “If you wish for your wife to return home safely, it is simple. Please, Your Highness, commit suicide here in this hall.”

He spoke with such a relaxed tone, as if he were saying something as trivial as “Go brew a pot of tea for me.”

Ye Wu seemed quite helpless as he added, “Alas, although the edict states Prince Feng Huan shall inherit the throne, your continued existence is, after all, a threat. To set His Majesty’s mind at ease, for the sake of the people of Southern Liao, and… for the safety of your wife, Your Highness should consider this carefully.”

Shen Yan stood in place, unmoving.

Feng Huan had the mental capacity of a young child. His succession would make him nothing more than a puppet in Wen Jian’s hands, and all court affairs would undoubtedly fall under Wen Jian’s sole control.

But a man like Wen Jian…

Suddenly, there was a clatter. Shen Yan looked down to see a sword had been thrown at her feet.

Ye Wu’s voice came from above. “Your Highness had better decide quickly. The Crown Princess cannot wait for very long.”

Shen Yan leaned down and picked up the sword. The cold blade reflected her pale face and the deep-seated pain and struggle hidden in her eyes.

Shen Yan raised the sword. As the icy edge touched her skin, a bead of blood slid down the blade and wound its way down her fair neck.

At this moment of life and death, an official ignored the blades in front of him and suddenly threw himself to the ground. His voice choked with emotion as he wailed, “Your Highness! You still have the countless subjects of Southern Liao! You have the people of the world!”

With someone leading the way, the surrounding officials all knelt together. “We beg Your Highness not to abandon the people of Southern Liao!”

Ye Wu had brought these members of the Crown Prince’s faction here with the intention of forcing them to watch their master commit suicide, thereby killing their hopes so they would serve him in the future. He had not expected such a scene. Infuriated, he shouted, “You ungrateful lot! Stop them!”

The guards moved hurriedly to intervene, but they could not restrain the indignance of the officials. The cries grew louder and louder, crashing against Shen Yan’s heart.

Shen Yan closed her eyes, her lowered eyelashes trembling slightly. Her hand gripped the hilt of the sword, tightening and loosening, unable to make the final move.

Ye Wu was about to threaten her again when a servant suddenly came rolling and crawling into the palace. In his haste, he tripped over the threshold and fell flat on his face.

Regardless of his disheveled clothes, he scrambled forward and knelt. “My Lord, disaster! The Crown Princess… she took poison and committed suicide in the inner chambers!”

Ye Wu’s face changed drastically. He roared, “Didn’t I tell you to watch her?! You useless waste!”

The man was on the verge of tears. “M-My Lord, the guards were at the door the whole time, and no lethal objects were found on her person. We truly never imagined… that these jequirity beans (rosary peas) could actually take a life!”

Shen Yan felt as if she had been struck by a heavy club. Her head buzzed, and the world around her seemed to recede like a tide. Only the sentence “The Crown Princess took poison and committed suicide” echoed endlessly in her mind, like countless ghosts laughing shrilly, tearing her consciousness apart.

Jequirity beans… (Note: Xiangsi Zi, or “Seeds of Mutual Longing”)

Shen Yan’s eyes were vacant as she stared at the gold-carved ceiling. Under the light of the lanterns, it shimmered with specks of gold.

Shen Yan blinked and thought to herself: This light is too bright.

After an unknown amount of time, she suddenly turned and grabbed the messenger by his collar, lifting him off the ground. She raised her sword and pressed the edge against his cheek. His already pale face turned ghostly, and he could not stutter out a coherent word.

Shen Yan’s voice was deathly cold. She patted the blade against the young eunuch’s face. “I am asking you: is everything you just said entirely true?”

The eunuch had turned into a puddle of mush from terror. He trembled as he replied, “R-Report… Your Highness, e-every word is true.”

“Oh.” Shen Yan’s lips curled into a faint smile. She reached into her robe, pulled out a sachet, and opened it. “Are the ‘Seeds of Mutual Longing’ you spoke of the same as these?”

The eunuch could no longer speak; he could only nod his head frantically.

Seeing Shen Yan ignore him entirely, Ye Wu couldn’t help but speak up. “Feng Ji, you—”

“Shut up.” Shen Yan’s voice wasn’t loud, but because it was infused with internal energy, it vibrated enough to make Ye Wu stagger back half a step. She didn’t even turn her head as she said flatly, “Did I give you permission to speak?”

Having said that, she continued her questioning. “Where is she now?”

The eunuch gasped out the name of a palace hall. Shen Yan released her grip, and he slumped back to the floor, finally liberated. He sat there paralyzed, panting heavily, unable to stand for a long time.

The people in the hall were too stunned to react, allowing Shen Yan to fly out of the main hall.

The palace the eunuch mentioned was in a secluded corner of the Imperial City, rarely visited. At this moment, there were no guards outside they had likely fled in fear of punishment.

Shen Yan stepped toward the palace but stopped at the entrance. She stood there silently, her thoughts unknown.

The sky had turned completely dark; the heavy night was as thick as ink. The moon and stars in the sky complemented each other, making the night in the mortal realm seem a little less long.

Shen Yan suddenly remembered that a long time ago, she and Yu Nianzhi had sat in the courtyard of the Crown Prince’s manor one playing the zither, the other playing the leaf flute.

It was a moonlit night just like this one.

Shen Yan had sat in the Xiangsi tree, leisurely blowing the leaf flute, while Yu Nianzhi sat beneath the tree, plucking a melody that flowed like water.

But now, there was nothing left.

In the future, more “Seeds of Mutual Longing” trees should be planted here, Shen Yan thought.