LYIPhSAA (lxxxviii)
Edited: 1.03.2024
Inside the dimly lit bedchamber, there was a momentary silence.
Emperor Jinghe quietly looked at his most unsatisfactory son. On his pale face, only those eyes seemed to have the ability to see through people’s hearts. Even though he was riddled with illness and was too sick to get up, he still carried the majesty of an Emperor, making people afraid to look at him.
Gu Sheng’s face heated up at his words and said awkwardly: “F-Father, I-I……”
“Forget it, you don’t have to answer.” Emperor Jinghe retracted his gaze and looked down at the Imperial decree in front of him, “Sheng’er, you want the throne, We can give it to you, but do you think you can sit on it steadily?”
Gu Sheng was stunned and didn’t reply.
“Changing Emperors is the easiest time for someone to take advantage of the situation.” Emperor Jinghe’s tone was calm, “Now that there is Prince Jing outside Chang’an City and the Imperial power in the Imperial city is overwhelming. If We can’t even save it, do you think you could?”
“I……son, the Wen family……”
“Wen family?” Emperor Jinghe let out a light laugh, “The Wen family is just using you as a pawn, a puppet.”
Gu Sheng’s hand hanging by his side tightened and his voice quieted: “Father should finish writing the edict quickly.”
“Write, We naturally will finish this.” Emperor Jinghe didn’t hesitate to pick up the brush again. And while writing, he leisurely said, “But Sheng’er, Father wants to remind you, sometimes if you want something too much, you will lose more than you gain.”
Gu Sheng lowered his eyes and didn’t answer. After a while, Emperor Jinghe finally put down the brush in his hand. He gently touched the Imperial decree in front of him with his withered fingers, rolled it up slowly, and tossed it gently to Gu Sheng’s feet.
Afterward, Emperor Jinghe leaned on the back of the chair and slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
Gu Sheng was busy bending down to pick up the Imperial decree and a few hints of ecstasy appeared in his eyes. He was about to unfold the decree when Emperor Jinghe suddenly said: “That medicine you gave me was given to you by Prince Jing, right?”
Gu Sheng’s movements froze. He raised his stunned gaze and subconsciously opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
As soon as Emperor Jinghe saw this reaction, he knew that he was right on the mark.
“Sheng’er, We were wrong, it’s not that you don’t know how to scheme.” He laughed softly in a mute voice: “You are held by the Empress and the power of the Wen family behind her, even if you ascend to the throne, you will only be under their manipulation forever. This is something you know all too well.”
“That’s why……you decided to cooperate with Prince Jing.”
“You delivered a message to Prince Jing, allowing him to fight his way to Chang’an unhindered. Prince Jing, in turn, gave you medicine that could save Us from the disease in Our body, allowing you to use this to threaten Us in exchange for the throne. What else did he promise you? To help you eradicate the Wen family and share the world equally with you, right?”
Gu Sheng’s voice trembled: “You……”
Before his words could be uttered, the door of the bedchamber was slammed open and a group of guards rushed in. The guards rushed into the inner room and surrounded Gu Sheng. Behind the crowd, Gu Yan walked in slowly with the escorted Empress.
Gu Yan saluted Emperor Jinghe and asked: “Your Holiness, are you alright?”
Emperor Jinghe glanced at him and didn’t reply.
Gu Yan straightened up, turned his head to the guards, and commanded, “The Empress and the Second Imperial Prince have kidnapped His Holiness with ill intent, take them down.”
“Stop!” Gu Sheng bellowed as he raised the Imperial decree in his hand: “Father has already issued an Imperial decree to pass the throne to me, which one of you dares to move?”
Hearing this, the guards didn’t dare to move and subconsciously looked at Gu Yan.
Gu Yan frowned imperceptibly and walked over to Gu Sheng, snatching the Imperial decree from his hand. Gu Yan slowly unfolded the decree and lowered his eyes in detail.
A moment later, Gu Yan took a deep breath and faintly said: “Arrest him.”
The smile on Gu Sheng’s face solidified as he shouted: “Which one of you dares! Gu Yan, this edict is right in front of you, are you going to disobey the decree and plot a rebellion?”
Gu Yan raised his eyes to look at him, placed the Imperial decree on the table, and unfolded it, “This is indeed an Imperial decree, but did you not look at it? It doesn’t even have your name on it.”
Hearing Gu Yan say this, Gu Sheng pounced in front of the Imperial decree.
The content of the imperial decree was indeed that Emperor Jinghe intended to abdicate and establish another Crown Prince. However, the line that should have contained the name of the Crown Prince who would succeed the throne was blank.
Gu Sheng trembled and raised his head to look at Emperor Jinghe. His eyes were so red that they were almost bloodshot and it was only after a long time that he found his voice: “You……you tricked me?”
Emperor Jinghe looked at him calmly, his expression indifferent and he didn’t say a word.
The redness in Gu Sheng’s eyes intensified as he suddenly snapped. Seizing the longsword in the hands of a guard beside him, he violently stabbed it towards Emperor Jinghe. Emperor Jinghe’s face changed, but it was too late to dodge.
Suddenly, there was a flash of silver light in front of his eyes as Gu Yan pulled out a dagger from nowhere and lightly blocked off Gu Sheng’s sword.
Prince Rui had never shown any martial arts in front of others while Gu Sheng’s martial arts skills were recognized as the best amongst the Imperial Princes. Amidst the astonishment of the crowd, the two of them quickly exchanged a few moves, and a moment later, the long sword in Gu Sheng’s hand was knocked to the ground.
The dagger held by Gu Yan, on the other hand, landed firmly between Gu Sheng’s neck.
Gu Yan turned his head and said in a low voice: “Plotting to kill His Holiness is an additional offense, Your Second Imperial Majesty might as well surrender.”
“Gu Yan!” The Empress suddenly opened her mouth and said in a loud voice, “Don’t get cocky too early, the Wen family won’t let you go, I’m going to make you——”
Before she could finish her sentence, a lazy voice came from outside the door: “What are you going to make us do?”
The Empress was stunned for a moment as Ye Zi stepped into the chambers with a team of elite soldiers and walked up to Gu Yan, “Your Majesty, as you have ordered, the rebels have all been captured. This is their token.”
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As he spoke, he handed Gu Yan a silver waistplate.
The word “Wen” was engraved on the waistplate.
The Empress’s face turned pale.
While Gu Yan was searching everywhere for Emperor Jinghe, Ye Zi, through the news sent by plants and birds, discovered early in the morning that there were people with strange movements ambushing outside the Imperial city. Thus, the two of them split up, with Gu Yan coming to search for Emperor Jinghe while he took a team of elite soldiers and went to round up the Wen family.
Ye Zi had captured the Wen family’s rebels and hurried back from outside the palace gates to report the news. Even on a wintery Autumn night, a thin layer of sweat still inevitably broke out on his forehead.
Gu Yan raised his hand and wiped it away for him, saying in a warm voice: “Thank you for your work.”
“No need, it was a small matter.” Ye Zi said, “On the contrary, the Wen family really wasn’t easy to deal with. It took a lot of effort to catch them all.”
When the Empress heard his words, she withdrew her gaze in a daze and said no more. Gu Sheng sat on his knees with the color of bewilderment and despair in his eyes.
Gu Yan glanced at the mother and son duo, brought the waistplate over, and ordered the guards: “The Empress and the Second Imperial Prince have joined forces with the Wen family with the intent to rebel, the evidence is conclusive, put the whole bunch into prison.”
The guards took the order: “Yes.”
Gu Yan hesitated for a moment and looked at Emperor Jinghe beside him. The latter seemed to have exhausted all his energy. He lay on the armchair with his eyes closed in concentration and his face was pale.
Ye Zi could see his concern: “Zicheng, you should go check on the Wen family, I will escort His Holiness back.”
Gu Yan nodded, “Okay.”
Gu Yan ordered a few guards to follow Ye Zi. Several guards came forward and helped Emperor Jinghe leave the bedchamber and board the Imperial carriage.
Once most of the people in the bedchamber went down and Gu Yan was about to leave, he happened to catch a glimpse of a bowl of finished medicine by the bed in the inner room.
Gu Yan walked forward, picked up the bowl of medicine, and smelled it.
There was only a little bit of medicine left in the bowl. The color wasn’t different from ordinary tonics, but it smelled familiar.
Gu Yan’s brows wrinkled slightly.
Inside Emperor Jinghe’s chambers, Ye Zi helped Emperor Jinghe lie down, placed the unfinished Imperial decree on Emperor Jinghe’s pillow, and calmly said: “Your Holiness has been overly frightened today, please rest well and take care of your body.”
Ye Zi wanted to leave after saying this, but Emperor Jinghe suddenly called out: “Wait.”
Ye Zi’s footsteps paused.
Emperor Jinghe raised his hand and caressed the Imperial decree, asking in a low voice: “This Imperial decree, you guys don’t want it?”
Ye Zi was silent for a moment before turning his head: “If I say I don’t want it, His Holiness won’t believe me, right?”
“There is no one who doesn’t want the throne.” Emperor Jinghe lightly coughed twice as he let out short wisps of breath: “Now that Sheng’er has been imprisoned and Xuan’er is……I will have to give this Imperial decree to Yan’er sooner or later.”
Ye Zi’s eyes darkened slightly and instinctively felt that Jinghe Emperor was calculating something again.
Emperor Jinghe said, “In fact, this world should have been Yan’er’s. If not for his father’s early death, he would be the rightful Crown Prince. Although he didn’t show it in the past, it’s impossible to not want the throne, are We right?”
Ye Zi asked: “Why is Your Holiness telling me this?”
Emperor Jinghe turned his head towards Ye Zi and smiled, “In fact, I can write Yan’er’s name on this Imperial decree right now, making him the rightful heir.”
Ye Zi was silent for a moment: “Then thank you, Your Holiness, for your support.”
“There’s no rush, We have one more thing here.” Emperor Jinghe used all his strength to fumble under his pillow for a moment and drew out another letter, handing it to Ye Zi, “Take this, if you agree, We will immediately hand over the Imperial decree to Gu Yan as well.”
Ye Zi frowned, unfolded the letter, lowered his head, and scanned it quickly, and his expression changed.
Ye Zi’s fingers trembled imperceptibly. He slowly raised his eyes to look at Emperor Jinghe and gritted his teeth: “You……”
Emperor Jinghe said in a low voice: “Actually, you know, this is the only way out. During this period, We thought about it very clearly. These old bones of Our won’t be able to survive no matter what and this world can’t be without a successor.”
“No matter how much of a grudge We have with Gu Yan, the people of this world are innocent. We believe he doesn’t want to see this world fall to its present state. If you are truly in love with him, you definitely know his thoughts.”
“Take this and think about it, We will wait for your decision.”
Ye Zi left Emperor Jinghe’s chambers in a daze.
He put the letter that Emperor Jinghe gave him into his bosom. But the originally thin paper seemed to have condensed with frost, clinging to his skin through his clothes, making him feel chilled to the bone.
Ye Zi walked towards the direction of the prison with a heavy heart when suddenly, a eunuch walked in front of him and bowed towards Ye Zi: “Greetings, Princess Consort Rui.”
That eunuch looked unfamiliar and Ye Zi was awakened from his thoughts: “What’s the matter?”
That eunuch reached into his bosom, took out a letter, and handed it to Ye Zi: “Someone asked this servant to give this letter to Princess Consort Rui, please take a look at it.”
Ye Zi took it.
The letter was completely sealed. Ye Zi opened it and half a green leaf shook out from the envelope. Ye Zi paused and slowly unfolded the letter inside.
Ye Zi quickly scanned the contents of the letter, closed his eyes slightly, and thought for a long time.
After a long time, Ye Zi faintly said: “I got it, you may leave now.”
The eunuch answered and turned his head to leave when he suddenly felt a coldness in front of his chest.
A slender silver sword pierced through his heart.
The eunuch stumbled and fell to the ground. Ye Zi expressionlessly drew out his long sword, wiped it on the eunuch’s clothes, and sheathed it. He walked to the palace lamp by the side of the road and threw the letter and the leaf inside together, quickly incinerating it.
After doing so, Ye Zi fixed his clothes and headed back toward his original destination.
When Gu Yan came out of the prison, he saw Ye Zi holding his sword and leaning against the parapet. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was preoccupied.
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That look was actually exactly the same as Huaiyuan in the past.
Ever since Ye Zi recovered his memory, his demeanor became more and more similar to Huaiyuan. Although he knew in his heart that they were the same person, Gu Yan selfishly didn’t want Ye Zi to be so similar to Huaiyuan.
In his previous life, Huaiyuan had experienced too many things, he was burdened with a heavy past, and only had a few moments of leisure in his life.
But Ye Zi in this world was different. From his words, Gu Yan could feel that Ye Zi’s life was safe and smooth and he had been living a carefree life before meeting him.
This was what Gu Yan wanted to see.
Gu Yan sighed silently and walked to Ye Zi’s side: “What are you thinking about?”
Ye Zi snapped back to his senses and the expression on his face immediately tightened. He raised his head, his pair of bright eyes curved, and softly said: “ZiCheng, I was waiting for you.”
Gu Yan, however, frowned slightly: “What happened?”
“Nothing.” Ye Zi shook his head and took Gu Yan’s hand, pulling him outside.
Perhaps it was because he had been in the cold for too long, Ye Zi’s hand was terribly cold.
Gu Yan warmed Ye Zi’s hand in his palm and chided: “It’s so cold outside, why are you waiting for me here, wouldn’t it be better to go back to the carriage?”
“No.” Ye Zi looked down at the ground, “If I wait here, I will be able to see you as soon as you come out.”
Gu Yan smiled: “Isn’t it the same if you go and wait in the carriage? Did you think I would run away or something?”
“It’s not the same.” Ye Zi whispered: “Here……I can see you for a while longer.”
Gu Yan’s heart trembled lightly. He didn’t answer him, but warmly asked: “Are you cold?”
Ye Zi paused and said truthfully: “Yeah.”
Gu Yan unfolded his cloak, wrapped Ye Zi’s entire body in it, and helped him outside: “Are you still cold?”
The wide cloak wrapped around Ye Zi completely. Ye Zi snuggled in Gu Yan’s arms, his voice warm and soft: “I’m not cold anymore.”
The Imperial city returned to silence. The two walked together in the cold wind and after a long time, Ye Zi spoke softly: “Zicheng……”
“What’s wrong?”
Ye Zi pursed his lips and whispered: “You’re so good to me.”
Gu Yan’s arm around him tightened a bit: “Is this what you call being good to you? I can treat you better.”
Ye Zi turned his head, looked at Gu Yan’s profile, and gently answered.
In the remaining days, people in Chang’an City were even more panic-stricken.
Prince Jing’s army was making their way forward with overwhelming momentum that no one could stop. Some cities along the way simply opened their gates to allow passage in order to seek a truce. Prince Jing was kind and generous, and he never harmed the lives of any innocent people from beginning to end. Over time, more and more people supported Prince Jing.
When the news of Prince Jing’s army camping outside Chang’an came in, Gu Yan and Ye Zi were just about to take a rest.
Gu Yan dismissed the scouts who came to report the news as Ye Zi poured a cup of flower tea and handed it to Gu Yan: “Zicheng, drink some tea first.”
“Mnn.” Gu Yan nodded, took the cup of tea, and sipped it, “I went into the palace today, Pei Ge said that Emperor Jinghe probably won’t last the next few days.”
Ye Zi asked, “The Imperial decree……he still didn’t finish it?”
“No.” Gu Yan faintly said, “But by now, he probably doesn’t know what to write. Gu Sheng went to prison, and Gu Xuan faked his death and left. Who else can he give his throne to? To the seven-year-old Gu Xu?”
Ye Zi’s eyes moved slightly and he said in a low voice: “From Prince Jing’s intent, as long as Emperor Jinghe is willing to voluntarily abdicate and give up the throne to him within three days, he will agree to withdraw his troops. Otherwise, three days later, he will attack Chang’an.”
“Yes.” Gu Yan stroked the rim of his teacup and said in disbelief, “If you ask me, there’s no harm in giving the throne to the Sixth Imperial Uncle, he can’t do any worse than Emperor Jinghe.”
“But……”
Ye Zi had doubts in his heart.
They had previously come into contact with Gu Yi in Jiangnan. The man seemed gentle and amiable, but in reality, he was decisive and had an unpredictable temperament. Gu Yan had previously rejected his proposal to join the rebellion. If that man really became the Emperor, would he let Gu Yan go?
Furthermore……
Ye Zi narrowed her eyes, hiding a hint of worry in his eyes.
It was almost late at night. Gu Yan hugged Ye Zi and lay back on the bed, yawning: “What kind of tea did you give me? I feel so sleepy after drinking it.”
Ye Zi rested on his arm, looked up at him without blinking, and whispered: “I asked Dr. Pei to prescribe a tranquilizing flower tea. You have been working too hard recently so drinking some of this scented tea will help you sleep better.”
Gu Yan answered vaguely and closed his eyes, his breathing quickly stabilized.
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Ye Zi waited for a while longer before slowly climbing up. He knelt down and sat beside Gu Yan, calling out in a low voice: “Zicheng?”
Gu Yan didn’t move a muscle, as if he had already fallen asleep.
Ye Zi carefully got out of bed, rummaged around in the secret place next to the table, and took out a letter. It was exactly what Emperor Jinghe had given him before. Ye Zi had been hiding it here since he got it back.
Ye Zi put the letter into his bosom and returned to the bedside. Lowering his head, he kissed Gu Yan gently on his lips: “Zicheng, I really like you so much.”
He looked deeply at Gu Yan and whispered as if talking to himself, “You don’t know how much I want to be with you forever, how much I want to selfishly keep you by my side so that you can leave all these things behind and it’ll just be the two of us at the end of the world.”
“……But it doesn’t seem to work.”
“You have so many things you want to do and I don’t want to be a burden to you. You’ve been so good to me and I want to treat you better.”
“……Don’t worry, when you wake up tomorrow, everything will be fine. I promise.”
After saying this, Ye Zi took down the silver sword that Gu Yan had made for him from the wall and pushed the door to leave the bedroom.
The Imperial city was deathly silent at night and a dark shadow agilely avoided the patrolling guards and silently approached Emperor Jinghe’s bedchamber.
The bedchamber was surprisingly quiet. Ye Zi walked to the bed and the person lying on the bed had a withered description, as if he had already been drained of all his vitality.
Emperor Jinghe opened his eyes and saw the ghost-like figure standing in front of his bed.
But he seemed to be not surprised. He barely managed to smile with a hoarse voice: “I knew that you would come…….”
Ye Zi didn’t say much and directly threw something at Emperor Jinghe.
The letter fell on Emperor Jinghe, rolled off, and unfolded, revealing the words inside.
——”Letter of Peaceful Separation.”
It was this item that Emperor Jinghe had handed over to Ye Zi that day.
When Prince Rui and his princess consort were married, it was Emperor Jinghe himself who personally decreed the marriage. And if the two of them wanted to separate in peace, it had to be agreed upon by His Holiness.
At the end of this letter of peaceful separation, there was a fingerprint that Ye Zi had just imprinted.
Ye Zi said: “I have done as you asked, where is the decree?”
Emperor Jinghe did not answer, but asked: “He doesn’t know that you came here, right?”
Ye Zi asked back in a cold voice: “What does it have to do with you?”
Emperor Jinghe seemed to have regained his energy a little. He used his energy to sit up and his eyes fell on the letter of peaceful separation in front of him: “Actually…….on the first day We fell into Gu Yan’s hands, he could have forced Us to write the decree. But he did not, do you know why this is?”
“……He did it for you.”
“Gu Yan has indeed fooled me over these years. He did it so well I almost thought that he was really a useless person who couldn’t live up to his dignity.” Emperor Jinghe said, “Perhaps you don’t know, but for the first time in so many years, he contradicted Us once just to marry you.”
“Marrying a man to be the main consort is a laughable matter.”
Ye Zi interrupted: “Shut up.”
Emperor Jinghe snorted and said quietly: “What, did We hit your sore spot?”
“It would seem so, the current situation is too interesting.” Emperor Jinghe turned his head to look at him, a bit of vengeful pleasure showing in his eyes, “We have no successor anymore and there are only two paths to choose from. This throne will either be given to Gu Yan or……it will be given to Prince Jing.”
“It’s not easy for Prince Jing to conquer this world. If he gets what he wants, the first person he wants to kill is Gu Yan. But if Gu Yan becomes the Emperor, what will you do?”
“The world will not tolerate a man becoming the Empress, much less an Emperor without an heir. So even if We don’t force you to sign this letter of peaceful separation, he won’t be able to sit on this throne. Your choice is correct.”
Ye Zi’s fingers hanging down at his side trembled gently, subconsciously clenching into fists.
Ye Zi took a deep breath and raised his eyes to look at Emperor Jinghe: “Why are you telling me this now? Where is the decree?”
Emperor Jinghe looked at him deeply. He fumbled under his pillow, took out an Imperial decree wrapped in yellow silk, and handed it to Ye Zi: “We have written the decree a long time ago. At dawn tomorrow, We will publicize these two things together and Gu Yan will become the new ruler of this country.”
Ye Zi took the decree, unfolded it, looked down, and really saw that familiar name.
Ye Zi’s fingers slowly brushed over those two words on the Imperial decree, his heart pumping with pain.
At the dawn of tomorrow, Gu Yan would be the emperor.
After wasting so much time in his past life and present life, that person had finally accomplished his original long-cherished wish.
Ye Zi’s eyes trembled lightly as he softly said: “Many thanks.”
Just as his words fell, the door to the bedchamber was suddenly pushed open and Gu Yan stepped into the room with a gloomy face.
Gu Yan’s expression was dark and his voice carried an unprecedented amount of anger: “Should I thank you as well?”
********
The author has something to say:
Gu Yan: You want to leave me?
Ye Zi: No, that’s not…….
Gu Yan: Be quiet and pay with your body 🙂
☽ ⋆ℍalf 𝕄oon 𝕋ranslations⋆ ☾ 
Can’t you two just talk? Is it so hard? =.= I’m not even a wife of GY, but I know that he isn’t interested in the throne at all… (눈_눈) Use your brain a little, YZ! ( ｰ̀εｰ́ )
Thank You for the new chapter (ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡
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