Ch 140 - Death
Empress Zhong's case had yet to enter trial, but during the investigation period, Empress Yang was confined in her palace, and the old cronies and disciples of Yang Fucheng were getting demoted one after another. It was clear to all that the possibility of Yang Fucheng's return to power was getting further and further away.
Madam Yang, who not long ago was the wife of the Senior Grand Secretary honored by all, had fallen so far in an instant and was now the prime suspect of poisoning the former empress.
When it rains, it pours. It was at this moment that Empress Dowager Yang fell gravely ill. Yang Fucheng's daughter-in-law tried to enter the palace to visit the empress dowager several times, but was stopped every time.
In the past few days, Empress Dowager Yang had constantly been dreaming day and night, and the dreams were all about her crown prince, who died at such a young age. Tormented by frequent nightmares, she often screamed into empty air, calling the name of the previous noble consort at one time and her son's name at the other time. As her condition rapidly worsened, she started scratching and slapping into empty air as if fighting against an invisible enemy.
Following Empress Dowager Yang's mental collapse, the maids serving in the Cining Palace were all frightened and did not dare to stay alone in her presence. The faint fragrance stayed afloat in the inner room of Cining Palace, but no one bothered to care.
Too many things happened in this period of time. The entire palace seemed to be shrouded in dark clouds. Everyone walked quietly, and no one dared to speak loudly. At the end of the month, the Dragon Boat Festival came after the rainy season.
In previous years, the Dragon Boat Festival would be held in the palace, focusing on expelling the five poisons and driving away bad luck. This year, however, the empress dowager was seriously ill, and the empress was confined in her palace. With no one to preside upon, this year's Dragon Boat Festival was bound to be done in the most simplistic manner. The palace servants put on five-color silk threads, cut out pieces of colored paper talisman, and hung the decorations hastily.
When Li Chengjing returned in the evening, he found the Ciqing Palace totally dark. His heart suddenly jumped in palpitation, and he quickly rushed to the main hall.
When Li Chengjing's palm pushed open the door, red lanterns suddenly lit up in the hall. Rows of palace maids knelt on the ground, carrying palace lanterns and saying in unison, "Your Highness, welcome back and happy birthday."
Li Chengjing was stunned. It was at this moment that he remembered that the Dragon Boat Festival was also his birthday. These past few weeks, he had been very busy, not only because of the Yang family affairs but also with the investigation of Empress Zhong's death. Naturally, he had no time to think about his birthday. On top of that, he had been absent for many years. With no precedent, very few people still remembered that the Dragon Boat Festival was also the Crown Prince's birthday.
Cheng Yujin stood at the forefront, smiling and wishing Li Chengjing a thousand blessings, just as they met for the first time: "Welcome back, Your Highness. This consort wishes you a happy birthday."
Li Chengjing rarely had a moment of speechlessness. There were no lights in the palace, which startled and even frightened him for a moment, but it turned out that his wife was preparing a birthday celebration for him. However, no matter how speechless he was just now, Li Chengjing still chuckled in the end. He stepped forward and took Cheng Yujin's hand into his, "You remember my birthday? I was startled when finding the palace totally dark just now."
"How could I not remember." Cheng Yujin stood up. The lanterns in the hall were lit one after another as the couple walked side by side. "Your birthday is such an important day. There is no way I can forget it, Your Highness."
No one disliked pleasantry, and Li Chengjing was no exception. His expression softened, and the two entered the inner chamber. Cheng Yujin pressed Li Chengjing onto the chair, then went off before returning with a bowl of longevity noodles.
Li Chengjing was surprised: "You cooked for me?"
"Yes." Cheng Yujin put the bowl in front of Li Chengjing, "It's been forever since I was last in the kitchen, so my cooking skills have deteriorated a lot. Please be nice even if the noodles don't taste good enough."
Li Chengjing took Cheng Yujin's hand and said: "You are still recovering; why are you working so hard? The kitchen is hot, and you also cannot touch cold water. What if you fell ill again?"
"Your Highness, I am not made of paper. I've rested long enough, and a bit of cooking won't do me harm." Cheng Yujin sat next to Li Chengjing, smiling, "I had been thinking long and hard, but still failed to find you a suitable present. In the end, only this bowl of noodles can express my feelings. This longevity noodle is one single strand, and this is my wish for you. May my Highness's life as long as this noodle; smooth and uninterrupted."
Li Chengjing was literally beaming with happiness, and his eyes were very gentle as he looked at Cheng Yujin, "I'm very happy. However, you are still recovering and should not do hard work. Next time, just leave everything to the servants, okay?"
"How can I do that?" Cheng Yujin smiled, "My birthday is in the twelfth month, and so is our children's. In our family, you alone were born in the summer, so of course I cannot wrong you. Otherwise, it will seem like the three of us are deliberately leaving you out."
Li Chengjing couldn't help laughing. His eyes were full of light, just like the starry sky.
After Li Chengjing finished eating the longevity noodles, he and Cheng Yujin went into the bedroom to see Mingyue and Mingqian. The twins were growing up day by day, and they were no longer as thin as they were on the day they were born. Li Chengjing held both children and commented honestly, "Mingqian has gotten fatter again."
"What did you say?" Cheng Yujin glared. "Which part of Mingqian is fat? They are just growing up."
"What did you say?" Cheng Yujin glared. "Which part of Mingqian is fat? They are just growing up."
"I was wrong." Li Chengjing put the two 'growing' children on the couch and let them play alone. When he turned around, he saw the item Cheng Yujin had just retrieved from a box and asked, "What is that?"
Cheng Yujin sat on the side of the couch, held Li Chengjing's hand, and tied the five-colored silk threads around his wrist.
"I remember it was on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival that I first learned about Ninth Uncle's birthday. At that time, I had no time to prepare a gift, so I had no choice but to give you the five-colored silk thread I personally weaved. They say your birthday is ominous, but I don't believe it." Cheng Yujin tied a knot, then raised her head and said with a smile, "Alright. With this, Ninth Uncle will live until one hundred. Happy and blessed."
The light was gentle, adding a soft layer inside the room. Li Chengjing looked at the smiling beauty in front of her and suddenly reminisced about the year he first met Cheng Yujin. The girl had just learned about his birthday, which fell on the Dragon Boat Festival. After a moment of surprise, she put a five-colored silk thread on his wrist, saying that the fifth month was just a month when many poisonous insects started to become active and had nothing to do with bad luck.
At the time, Li Chengjing could see that the thread was very exquisitely made. Since Cheng Yujin personally carried it with her, it must be the thing she originally made for herself.
Because the topic of the birthday came out abruptly, Cheng Yujin was totally unprepared, so she had no choice but to take out the thing she was carrying at the time. Unexpectedly, the five-colored thread became a red thread of marriage. Cheng Yujin not only gave him her blessing, but also herself.
Today was the re-enactment of a past scene, but the relationship between the two protagonists had totally changed. The Cheng Yujin at the time was still Li Chengjing's niece in name, but she was now his wife, the mother of their two children.
Li Chengjing didn't want to let go of Cheng Yujin's hand. He grabbed her slender wrist and asked, "What about you and the little ones?"
"I've put it for them." Cheng Yujin pointed, and sure enough, both Mingyue and Mingqian had a thin silk thread on their ankle.
Li Chengjing asked again, "What about yours? I remember you don't like to wear it on your hand, so are you just carrying the thread with you?"
Cheng Yujin gave Li Chengjing a glance, but remained silent. Seeing this, he smiled: "Do you want me to find it?"
Facing Li Chengjing's meaningful smile, Cheng Yujin had no choice but to take out the thread herself, "It's too childish. I'm an adult now. Others will laugh if they see me wearing this on my hand."
"You are still young. Why do you always sound so old-fashioned?" Li Chengjing took the thread and tied it around Cheng Yujin's wrist. "You are indeed a child, so it's just right for you to be childish."
Cheng Yujin quickly retorted, "Your Highness is not that much older than me, right? Why do you always treat me like a child?"
Li Chengjing nodded seriously: "You are right. Maybe because I have been your uncle for too long, I cannot help but treat you as a younger generation."
Cheng Yujin smiled angrily and was about to hit him, but Li Chengjing caught the incoming fist with ease. He took Cheng Yujin's hand closer, admiring her slender wrist under the gentle light. The five-colored silk threads contrasted against her fair skin, lovely and gorgeous. "'Beauty is like jade.' Sure enough, the ancestors know better."
Cheng Yujin tried to get free but failed twice. Li Chengjing's eyes followed the outline of the slender hand, going upward until his gaze met the face of the beauty. Cheng Yujin was very meticulous during her post-partum recovery. Her waist and limbs were back to their original size, but her breasts and buttocks had grown in size. Her skin, which originally was already very fair, now had an additional softness of being a mother. Under the lantern, she was like fine porcelain, shining brightly with a charmful beauty.
Li Chengjing moved his hand and hugged Cheng Yujin's waist. At the beginning of the pregnancy, both of them were very cautious and didn't dare to take any risk, so they naturally had never done it even once. Later, Li Chengjing was sent to Jiangnan for several months, and Cheng Yujin gave birth not long after his return. Cheng Yujin's delivery was not too smooth. Li Chengjing was afraid of hurting Cheng Yujin's health and thus was very cautious in everything. It was not until three months later that the two carefully tried to do it once.
But it was at this time that the Yang family's turmoil began. With things happened one after another, Li Chengjing was too busy, so they hadn't done it again.
It had been too long. Today's mood was perfect, and Li Chengjing was moved. He sighed helplessly, "Yujin - beautiful jade. You really live up to this name. A beautiful jade is flawless. If days in the future are like today, then I have nothing to ask for."
Cheng Yujin was a little embarrassed, but seeing Li Chengjing's serious look, she couldn't help laughing, "If you want, just say so. Why do you have to find such a glorious reason to justify yourself?"
Li Chengjing also chuckled and pulled her closer: "Maybe I have been wearing this crown prince's facade for so long it has become my habit."
Li Chengjing was about to call the wetnurses to take Li Mingqian and Li Mingyue away when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside. The next moment, Liu Yi's voice rang, "Your Highness, there is an urgent report."
Cheng Yujin and Li Chengjing looked at each other: "What's the matter?"
"Empress Dowager has passed away."
The death of an empress dowager was not a trivial matter. Cheng Yujin quickly changed into mourning clothes and departed to the Cining Palace.
The palace was already full of cries when Cheng Yujin came. Seeing her arrival, the maids and eunuchs panicked and knelt in greetings, "Greetings to the Crown Princess."
Cheng Yujin responded with a nod and walked into the palace with a heavy face. After entering the inner hall, she promptly went to the bedchamber. There lay Empress Dowager Yang, still on the sickbed she used until her last moment, surrounded by people kneeling on the floor, weeping. Cheng Yujin stopped in front of the bed, sniffed softly, and found that the incense had been changed.
Relieved, Cheng Yujin then went forward to check the Empress Dowager, still with a sad face. Upon feeling no breath left, she fell to her knees in tears.
It was at this time that the power changes in the palace were truly reflected. Empress Yang got the news later than Cheng Yujin, the Crown Princess. Empress Yang stumbled as she rushed in, but the moment she saw Empress Dowager Yang's motionless body, she was instantly stunned. She stepped forward tremblingly, checking on Empress Dowager Yang's breath, pupil, and temperature, but still refusing to believe it. When the imperial physician on the side announced in a low voice that Empress Dowager had indeed passed away, Empress Yang finally fell to the ground with a plop and started to cry loudly, as if struck by lightning.
This cry was not by all means pretty and was incredibly heart-rending. Anyone who heard it could tell that the crier was truly mourning without any deliberation whatsoever. After a while, the Emperor also arrived, accompanied by the Crown Prince. Seeing the body of Empress Dowager Yang, the Emperor sighed and said, "As a son, Zhen wants nothing else but to take care of my parents, but time waits for no one. Empress Dowager has passed away. Instruct the Ministry of Rites to prepare for the funeral ceremony."
The funeral of Empress Dowager Yang was extremely solemn and grand. All the titled madams in the capital had to enter the palace to join the mourning. The most grief-stricken of all was Empress Yang. On the day of the burial, she was so overwhelmed with grief that she passed out crying in the mourning hall.
How could she not? With the passing of Empress Dowager Yang, the Emperor finally no longer had scruples. Just barely seven days after the funeral, the case of Empress Zhong's murder finally reached a conclusion. Yang Fucheng's wife was found guilty of murdering the previous empress and should be sentenced to public beheading. However, considering that she was the present empress' biological mother, a special grace was given, and she was allowed to take a cup of poisoned wine.
Of course things didn't stop with Madam Yang's death. Senior Grand Secretary Yang failed to control his wife and neglected to discipline his grandson, causing them to commit unforgivable crimes. Citing these incidents as proof of his lack of personal virtue, Yang Fucheng was removed from his position in the cabinet. However, considering his long service and dedication to the country, he was allowed to keep his life and a part of his property. Still, his only son Yang Shilong was also removed from court, debased to the commoner rank, and was forbidden to serve as an official again.
Dou Xiyin was also implicated. She was deprived of Wangfei's title and demoted to the commoner rank. Seeing the increasingly unfavorable situation, the Dou family quickly abandoned Yang Yan and hurriedly threw her back to the Yang family.
It had been a while after Empress Dowager Yang's funeral, but Empress Yang was still despondent, as if losing all hope in life. The future was indeed very bleak for her. The Yang family collapsed overnight, her father and elder brother were demoted into commoners, most of their property was confiscated, and they had no hope of joining officialdom again. And her poor mother and aunt were dead, her elder sister was abandoned by her husband's family, and her niece now had no title nor rank, worse than even the lowest concubine in the Shou Wang Manor.
When the tree fell, the birds flew away - the people who used to curry favor with the Yang family now shunned them one after another, and even Empress Yang herself was also facing the crisis of abolishment.
The Second Prince knelt in front of the Qianqing Palace, begging the Emperor to spare Empress Yang's life on the basis that she had given birth and raised several children for the imperial family. The Emperor was furious and ordered the Second Prince to go back to his manor and reflected behind closed doors. The Second Prince admitted his mistakes, but stubbornly remained kneeling.
Like this, the Second Prince knelt in front of the Qianqing Palace, neither eating nor drinking, and even refusing the soft cushion that a eunuch secretly smuggled in. In the end, the Emperor softened. One's child was different from a wife after all. When Empress Yang previously went to intercede for the Yang family, the Emperor didn't even give her a single glance. Now that the one kneeling was replaced by the Second Prince, it didn't take long for him to feel soft.
When the sun was the harshest in the middle of the day, the Emperor came out of the Qianqing Palace. Seeing his second son still kneeling under the sun, he sighed and ordered a eunuch to hold an umbrella for the Second Prince and help him up.
The Second Prince entered the palace with the Emperor and continued kneeling in the imperial study for a long time, interceding for Empress Yang. The Emperor didn't make any promises. He simply waved his hand and ordered someone to escort the Second Prince back to his manor.
When Li Chengjun came out of the Qianqing Palace, he happened to meet Li Chengjing, who was on the way to the imperial study. The two met on the steps, one up and the other down. As they passed each other, Li Chengjun stopped and said to Li Chengjing, "Eldest Brother, you have achieved your revenge. The Yang family has been reduced to this point, and my mother is draining her tears every day. Do you still have to be so aggressive? Where it is possible to let people off, one should spare them. Or do you insist on pushing my mother to her death before you can feel satisfied?"
Li Chengjing stopped, turned sideways, and looked down at Li Chengjun, "I am being aggressive? You said I am the one who pushes others to their death?"
As if hearing some kind of joke, the corners of Li Chengjing's lips slightly upturned, "However, it's my mother whom they have killed. You, the proud son of heaven who was held in their palm since birth and enjoyed all the benefits your maternal family brought you throughout your life... do you think you are worthy to preach about forgiving others to me?"
Li Chengjun couldn't find a single rebuttal. After a moment of silence, he took a step back and gave Li Chengjing a deep bow, so deep that his hand almost touched the steps: "Your Highness the Crown Prince, my eldest brother. My mother and maternal family are indeed sorry for you. I apologize on behalf of the elders. I understand your anger and hate, but please direct it to me, not my mother. I beg you to let her go."
Li Chengjing simply ignored Li Chengjun's plea. With an indifferent face that allowed others no chance to perceive his emotion, he continued to walk into the Qianqing Palace, located on the top of the high steps made from snow-white marble.
"Even injustice has preparators and collectors. What qualifications do you have to bear the sin on behalf of your mother? You are willing to suffer for the mother who gave birth to you, but the suffering my mother experienced can no longer be transferred to others."
Li Chengjun raised his head in surprise. He watched in gaffe as Li Chengjing walked step by step towards the Qianqing Palace, which symbolized the highest power in the world. Li Chengjing's steps were light and graceful, as if he would stop for no one. Unable to bear it any longer, Li Chengjun rushed two steps up and asked, "So, you still refuse to stop?"
Li Chengjing had already reached the last step. Standing on the high platform, he didn't look back and simply said in a cold tone, "What I say will remain the same: right or wrong, let the law judges everything fairly."