The Fearless Empress - Chapter 21

The camp was set up swiftly. At the same time, the Empress Dowager received news that the Emperor and Empress had moved out of the imperial mausoleum together and were now residing in tents outside the burial grounds.

This commotion was a direct affront to the Empress Dowager, as if implying she intended harm to the Emperor and Empress, forcing them to leave in haste.

Upon receiving the news, the Empress Dowager froze for a moment. Cheng Sangyi had always respected her, why would she suddenly slight her like this?

Could it be that she had discovered the arrangements inside the hall?

Feeling suspicious, the Empress Dowager sent her attendant to inquire why they had chosen to leave the palace chambers and reside in the freezing wilderness instead.

The court lady quickly arrived before the Empress, bowed in greeting, and with a smile, asked why they had moved out.

The newly erected tent was bitterly cold. Cheng Sangyi sat by the fire, a book in her hands. Without looking up, she replied, “I prefer to stay here.”

The court lady was stunned by this feeble excuse was that even a reason?

It hardly counted as one.

Not daring to provoke the Emperor, the court lady smiled and withdrew from the tent, hurrying back to the palace to report the matter to the Empress Dowager.

Leaning against a soft pillow, the Empress Dowager let out a cold laugh upon hearing the reason. “Her wings have hardened. In five years, a sapling has grown into a towering tree, forgetting where its roots lie.”

The court lady dared not respond to this, bowing her head in silence.

“Since they’ve all moved out, I can no longer command her. Send for Gu Yun,” the Empress Dowager said, straightening up with evident displeasure, clearly unable to contain her impatience. Remembering something else, she added, “Find time to summon the Empress as well.”

It was time to revisit old matters with the Empress.

As night fell, the temperature plummeted. No matter how they tried, the tent remained cold, and the dim lamplight cast an eerie, sinister atmosphere.

Cheng Sangyi sat by the fire, repeatedly picking up and putting down her book, occasionally glancing toward the entrance.

Unable to wait any longer, her worry grew unbearable. She set the book aside and summoned her trusted aide. “Take a team and quietly search for the Empress.”

Though the Empress claimed to be skilled in martial arts, this was the Empress Dowager’s territory. If anything were to happen, there would be no time to rescue her.

The trusted aide slipped out quietly.

Outside, all was pitch black, and the icy wind seeped into the tent. Even a slight opening of the door brought a bone-chilling cold.

After waiting a while longer, there was still no sign of anyone returning.

Cheng Sangyi could no longer remain seated. She stood up and pushed aside the tent flap. In the darkness, the imperial mausoleum stood tall, its upturned eaves and corners exuding imperial majesty.

The winter night was bitterly cold. Aside from the patrolling Imperial Guards, almost no one was outside.

As Cheng Sangyi stepped out, her attendants followed. “Your Majesty, if there is anything you need, simply command your servants. It is freezing outside.”

After just a moment outside, the cold felt piercing. Where had Gu Yunchu gone, wandering out so late at night?

Cheng Sangyi, unable to bear the cold any longer, turned back into the tent, her mind restless and her heart uneasy. Where could she have gone?

Back inside, Cheng Sangyi remained agitated. The lanterns at the entrance swayed wildly in the wind, flickering on and off, unsettling her even more.

She waited for what felt like an eternity. The hour of midnight passed, and still, the Empress had not returned.

Finally, Cheng Sangyi could sit still no longer. She reached for the cloak beside her, but just as her fingers touched it, a hand pressed down on hers. “I’m back.”

It was the Empress’s voice.

Cheng Sangyi reacted swiftly, gripping the wrist tightly. To her shock, her palm met with dampness, it was blood.

At that moment, a voice called from outside, “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has been assassinated.”

After five years of peace and stability, the moment the Emperor and Empress arrived, the Empress Dowager was attacked. The implications were deeply unsettling.

Cheng Sangyi extended her free hand to wrap around Gu Yunchu’s slender waist. The pungent scent of blood filled her nostrils. Taking a deep breath, she called out, “I understand. I will change my clothes and go see the Empress Dowager.”

The person outside withdrew. Cheng Sangyi looked down at the woman in her arms. “Did you go to assassinate the Empress Dowager?”

“No, I went to kill that Taoist priest,” the Empress replied, her face pale. In the candlelight, her eyes appeared unusually large. She leaned weakly against Cheng Sangyi, resting her head on her shoulder. “I didn’t attempt to kill the Empress Dowager, so don’t wrongfully accuse me. That old priest was quite troublesome.”

Killing an old priest wasn’t a crime, but assassinating the Empress Dowager would be an unforgivable offense. She wasn’t foolish enough to attempt such a thing.

Cheng Sangyi helped her lie down on the bed, instinctively reaching out to feel her forehead, it was feverish.

“Where are you injured?”

“My waist.”

Cheng Sangyi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. Hesitating for a moment, she decided to unbutton the thick cotton robe, revealing the undergarment soaked with blood.

The Empress winced in pain, her lips losing their color. “That old priest was incredibly powerful,” she murmured.

“Don’t speak,” Cheng Sangyi said, her voice unusually soft, a sudden unease stirring within her. She lowered her gaze to conceal her anxiety. “We can’t summon the imperial physician, but I have brought some medicinal ointment.”

Her gentle tone was like a spring breeze soothing the heart.

The Empress squinted, her hands icy cold as she glanced toward the brazier. Understanding her meaning, Cheng Sangyi said, “I’ll have someone move the brazier closer. Let me tend to your wound first.”

Lifting the undergarment, Cheng Sangyi’s breath caught at the sight of the gash where flesh had been torn open. Without a word, she called for hot water and the medicinal ointment.

The Empress drifted into a feverish sleep, her cheeks burning hot while her hands remained cold.

Faced with a life-threatening situation, Cheng Sangyi finally set aside her embarrassment and carefully examined the Empress’s body. Gu Yunchu was only fifteen or sixteen, her frame delicate and her skin pale and smooth. After wiping away the blood, the sight of the torn flesh made Cheng Sangyi’s hands tremble so much she could barely hold the medicine bottle.

She applied the ointment with utmost care, but the Empress showed no signs of waking. Outside, the messenger urged her again if she delayed any longer, the Empress Dowager would surely grow suspicious.

Torn between two pressing matters, Cheng Sangyi felt a surge of frustration. Gu Yunchu was far too reckless. The moment she sensed something amiss, she had rushed off to kill, catching her opponent off guard but at what cost?

She couldn’t understand why Gu Yunchu harbored such intense killing intent. This was not the right time or place to act. Waiting until they returned to the capital would have been the wiser choice.

With the Empress still unconscious, Cheng Sangyi cleaned her body and changed into a fresh set of clothes, using incense to mask the lingering scent of blood.

Before leaving, she glanced back one last time, the Empress’s pale face was flushed with fever, a clear sign of her severe injury.

“Take good care of the Empress. Post guards around the tent and allow no one to approach.”

Outside the Empress Dowager’s hall, soldiers stood in formation like clouds, their armor glinting under the bright lanterns. The old Taoist priest’s body lay in the courtyard, a gruesome sight with multiple wounds and dried blood staining his robes.

Cheng Sangyi paused as she approached, studying the priest’s face intently. “Who is this?”

“He was a Taoist priest recently summoned by the Empress Dowager. They say he was skilled in exorcising evil spirits.”

A faint, mocking smile touched Cheng Sangyi’s fair features. “Then how did he end up dead?”

“He died protecting the Empress Dowager from an assassin.”

“How loyal of him,” Cheng Sangyi remarked, feigning confusion. “How many assassins were there?” Gu Yunchu had acted alone and hadn’t even reached the Empress Dowager, how could he have died saving her?

Even after all these years, the Empress Dowager still loved to scheme.

After a quick glance, Cheng Sangyi felt even more disgusted. Suppressing the urge to tear the Taoist priest to pieces, she stepped into the hall.

The Empress Dowager leaned weakly against a pillow, dressed in thin robes, her long hair cascading down. She looked as if she had been badly frightened.

Had Cheng Sangyi not been reborn, she might have believed the act. Though inwardly displeased, she still feigned concern. “Has the Empress Dowager been frightened?”

“Your Majesty, why have you only just arrived? Such a major incident has occurred, and you are so late,” the Empress Dowager said sharply, her earlier weakness vanishing entirely.

Cheng Sangyi maintained a facade of filial piety and deference, offering comforting words and engaging in empty pleasantries.

“Fortunately, the Empress Dowager is unharmed, and I am relieved. It is late now; you should rest early. I will personally investigate this case thoroughly.”

“Where has the Empress gone?” the Empress Dowager glanced behind Cheng Sangyi. The image of the lively young Empress remained vivid in her mind sharp-tongued and clearly no easy opponent.

She continued, “I have been attacked, yet she can sleep peacefully?”

“The Empress was exhausted from the journey and had already retired. I pitied her and did not wish to wake her. Besides, since the Empress Dowager is unharmed, waking her would serve no purpose,” Cheng Sangyi replied, frowning as she tried to persuade her.

“How touching that the Emperor cares so deeply for the Empress. It is a beautiful tale for the royal family,” the Empress Dowager said sarcastically. “Your brother is ill, yet I do not see you visiting him.”

“Prince Guangling will not run away from the palace. The Empress and I will visit him once we are well-rested,” Cheng Sangyi retorted, her mind preoccupied with Gu Yunchu. Tired of further pretense, she turned to leave.

Just as she reached the door, a troop of soldiers blocked her path.

Unfazed, Cheng Sangyi turned back and looked calmly at the Empress Dowager. “Does the Empress Dowager intend to detain me?”

“The assassin remains at large. I am concerned for Your Majesty’s safety. Why not stay here until the assassin is captured before returning to your tent?” the Empress Dowager straightened up, her gaze sharp. Across from her, Cheng Sangyi met her eyes coldly, with none of her usual filial deference.

This daughter had finally grown up. But it did not matter, she would personally clip her wings.

Cheng Sangyi’s expression turned icy. “And if I insist on leaving?”

“Then I am afraid it is not up to you,” the Empress Dowager waved her hand lightly, and the soldiers swiftly surrounded the hall, blocking the exit completely.

Cheng Sangyi had arrived in haste, accompanied by only a dozen or so guards. She had never expected the Empress Dowager to be so bold as to imprison her outright.

Mother and daughter stood in a stalemate, neither willing to yield, yet neither giving the order to act.

The tension was palpable when a small, snow-white fox leaped into the hall, landing directly in front of Cheng Sangyi.

Timidly, the little fox pawed at the hem of Cheng Sangyi’s robe, its claws clinging to the dragon embroidery. It was a tiny, fluffy ball of snow-white fur, with a patch of pink on its forehead, making it utterly adorable.

For some reason, Cheng Sangyi found the fox familiar. Driven by this sense of recognition, she bent down and picked it up, gently stroking its small head.

The fox was warm, its fur soft and pleasant to the touch.

Standing her ground, she looked at the Empress Dowager in the hall. “If the Empress Dowager wishes to imprison me, you should first assess your own strength. I have left an edict behind the plaque in the Zichen Hall. If I die, the throne will pass to Prince Qi.”

Prince Qi was the late Emperor’s youngest son, now only thirteen or fourteen years old.

The Empress Dowager’s face paled instantly, and she stared at Cheng Sangyi in disbelief. “How heartless! You would rather see the throne pass to someone else than to your own brother. I have raised a viper in my bosom.”

The little fox couldn’t help but widen its eyes. What kind of talk was this?

It turned its gaze toward Cheng Sangyi, patting her with its paw once, twice. When there was no response, it raised its paw higher and patted again.

Huh, so soft.

It had patted the wrong spot.

Before the little fox could reflect on its actions, Cheng Sangyi grabbed the unruly paw and snorted coldly, “Has the Empress Dowager thought this through? If the Empress notices my absence and comes looking for me on the mountain.”

She deliberately paused, then smiled gently at the Empress Dowager. “Empress Dowager, I could simply say that the Prince of Guangling has imprisoned me.”

“How dare you!” The Empress Dowager flew into a rage, slamming the table and glaring at Cheng Sangyi. “I only asked you to stay for your own good. Your heart is truly hardened, do you even see me as your mother anymore?”

The little fox in her arms trembled slightly. A hand gently stroked the fur along its spine as a cold, light voice said, “So what if I dare? I happen to enjoy being daring!”

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