Chapter 74
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“Bring someone to strictly guard the Empress. Confine her to the Chengluan Hall for a month, he not allowed to step out half a step from the palace gate.” Jiang Yanchi’s voice was as cold as ice, as if the warmth from a few days ago belonged to someone else.
Chu Xie couldn’t believe that the young emperor he had supported would show such a face once he gained a bit of power. Emotions surged within him, unclear whether it was resentment, disappointment, or something else entirely.
Chu Xie couldn’t discern it himself.
He grabbed a garment to cover himself and stood up, intending to follow, but was stopped by the guards at the door. Frustrated, Chu Xie picked up a porcelain bowl still containing traces of medicine and smashed it against the wall.
The sound of shattering echoed.
Unexpectedly, the person returned, pushed the door open with a creak, and ordered the removal of all porcelain, jade, and hairpins from the room.
Chu Xie was bewildered.
He only saw the young emperor instructing someone to bring over Tao Li. The young maid, who had been well taken care of in the mansion, was scared and kneeling on the ground, calling out “Lord” with red eyes. Anxious, Chu Xie sternly said, “Jiang Yanchi! You, you—”
Although the outer garment was loose, it couldn’t completely conceal the torn inner clothes. The guards immediately lowered their gazes, not daring to look any longer.
“If you hurt her even a bit, I will repay it tenfold on her.” After saying this, Jiang Yanchi turned and left again, walking away swiftly as if he had no lingering attachment.
Almost clearing the Chengluan Hall completely, the door finally closed again. Chu Xie couldn’t believe that he was treated this way just because he told a small lie before the emperor’s marriage.
In the end, now that Jiang Yanchi had become an emperor, did it really matter if he had lied?
Jiang Yanchi, although born in a pitiful state, at least in these past few years, ever since he sent that person to the Cold Palace, he considered that he hadn’t done anything particularly wrong to him. On the contrary, he had supported him all the way.
Even the position of the Crown Prince was handed to him.
The originally doomed Duan Se was also saved by him.
Now is such a crucial time. According to the original timeline in the text, in another two months, it would be the night when this brat truly ascends the throne. Xu Chunmu will die, and he himself will also die.
It is imperative to preserve Xu Chunmu’s life within these short two months; otherwise, in the next link, the original Chu would discover Xu Chunmu’s death.
With his ruthless and decisive nature, he would undoubtedly take Little Yin’s life.
Yes, the Red Tassel Spear. Xu Chunmu’s cause of death is the Red Tassel Spear—if there is a way to quickly kill Zhao Lingqu, then certainly…
Chu Xie suddenly remembered something and opened the system once again.
“Host, host?” The system sensed Chu Xie’s fluctuating emotions at the moment and said with great surprise, “Host, why is your emotional fluctuation so intense? What happened…”
“Quick, quick, unlock the original text. I want to see if killing Zhao Lingqu can definitely save Xu Chunmu’s life!”
“But, host, in the last plot of Jiang Jingan’s death, because you didn’t kill him personally, the plot unlock degree increased by 3%. The current plot unlock degree is 88%, lacking only two points to unlock the entire original plot…”
Two points, why is it still lacking two points?
Chu Xie reached into his hair, grabbing his hair tightly.
He regretted it, he should have killed Jiang Jingan himself, personally. Why did that arrow end up being shot by Jiang Yanchi?
No, the wrong decision occurred even earlier.
He should have refused when Jiang Yanchi proposed marriage.
Why did he borrow Jiang Yanchi’s ability, why did he trust him? Why did he make a deal with him?
Why did he… rely on him.
He could handle it on his own.
All along, he had solved all the problems alone.
“Host!” The system looked at the fluctuating emotional values with surprise. “Host, why is your negative emotion so high…”
Bound to him for more than a decade, this host had never shown negative emotions. It seemed like he could calmly and rationally discard all negative emotions that were not conducive to solving the current predicament. Regardless of how difficult the situation was, he could calmly deal with all chaotic circumstances.
He wouldn’t panic, regret, hesitate, or be distressed, and if he did, it wouldn’t last long. Emotions usually fluctuated for an instant and were quickly suppressed.
Not to mention being sad or desperate.
But now, it seemed like a crack had opened in the emotions that had been suppressed for a long time. Chu Xie covered his chest, desperately trying to suppress the gloomy resentment back into his heart.
The system clearly sensed Chu Xie’s emotions and gradually lowered them. It returned to the normal level of the past decade.
“What is the next plot?”
The system hesitated a bit. “Now, there are only two plots left. The next plot is… an assassination in the mountains and forests.”
Mountain forest assassination, which mountain forest, and who is the target?
Chu Xie was almost confused, but then he came to his senses. It was the mountain forest twenty miles southwest of the outskirts of the capital, assassinating the Crown Prince.
Now that the Crown Prince has ascended, it is tantamount to assassinating the emperor.
Indeed, he should have walked away from the plot early! Jiang Yanchi is now a bit less powerful without him, and there is no threat from Ningyuan Wang or Marquis Zhenguo. Even the Xu family has suffered a great setback.
Who else can assassinate him?
With things reaching this point, Chu Xie looked back and realized that the plot had become precarious, but Jiang Yanchi always managed to win in adversity. From the perspective of the protagonist’s storyline, he was even accelerating the process of consolidating power in his hands.
Still here venting at me.
Clearly, you’re the one benefiting!
The flames in the depths of his heart surged again, but after calming down, he asked, “Can we directly proceed to the next plot?”
“The next plot?” The system was puzzled. “The next plot is that you fail in the assassination and are executed by Lingchi.”
“…”
“Moreover, plots must be followed in order and cannot be skipped…”
After some thought, the system asked, “Are you… not willing to go through this plot?”
“Not that, it’s just that this plot is too difficult.”
Chu Xie said coldly. “I won’t go.”
“…?” The system was astonished. Were there any easy plots to go through here? No, each one was difficult.
Although the host often said that the plots were difficult in the past, he always obediently went through them neatly in the end.
Why is he refusing now at the critical moment?
“Host, after unlocking all the plots, it will be easier to determine what Xu Chunmu’s fate is… Didn’t you say before that information… is the most important thing?” The system persuaded for a couple of sentences. “The young emperor won’t really die, just give him a stab. It doesn’t have to be perfect; just two points are enough to unlock all the plots…”
He understood the logic.
But he couldn’t articulate it. In reality, if he was forced to go through this plot, he could do it. Not only could he go through it, but he could also find a way to do it cleanly, so that Jiang Yanchi couldn’t find any leverage in a short period.
But he just didn’t want to go through with it.
“Red Tassel Spear, Zhao Lingqu,” Chu Xie frowned. “In the original text, Xu Chunmu was killed by Zhao Lingqu. As long as Zhao Lingqu dies, Xu Chunmu’s fate can definitely be resolved…”
“Even if I don’t go through the plot, it doesn’t matter.”
As long as Zhao Lingqu is killed.
Fortunately, Xu Chunmu has already left the capital… No, it should be said, luckily, he left the capital.
The emperor’s heart changes in an instant, and Jiang Yanchi is completely unreliable.
It would be extremely dangerous for him to stay in the capital.
As for himself, it doesn’t matter how he is. After all, in just over two months, he will die anyway. As long as Zhao Lingqu is killed again.
Xu Chunmu’s life will definitely be saved.
***
Grand Tutor’s residence.
Su Mingan learned about the news from the palace. He knew that his risky move had paid off.
He grasped Chu Xie’s lifeline—the young Marquis of the Xu family.
Ever since he learned about Chu Xie’s death in the explosion, he found it strange. Why would Chu Xie follow the young Marquis of the Xu family to the northern border? At that time, he suspected an undisclosed relationship between Chu Xie and Xu Chunmu.
Now, even though he hasn’t fully figured it out, it’s time to play this card—otherwise, Zhao Lingqu might really be killed by Chu Xie.
However, he still maintained a skeptical attitude toward the relationship between Chu Xie and Xu Chunmu.
The two of them indeed had minimal interaction in the northern border before. Chu Xie had been wandering along the border, more towards the northwest border, and if forced to say, he had more interactions on the northern side of the border with the Xiongnu.
Do not say that there is no doubt before for the little emperor, even if he has noticed the clues, he still can’t figure it out.
Why does Chu Xie have to protect Xu Chunmu so persistently?
With his clever and ingenious mind, in the capital, he treads on thin ice step by step. Could it be true that he is truly infatuated with Xu Chunmu, a person so simple and kind-hearted? He has defended him all the way to such a bewildering extent.
Now, the situation is temporarily stable, and Zhao Lingqu’s life is temporarily saved.
But if you want to delve further, you have to probe again.
“Is it just house arrest?”
“Just house arrest,” the undercover replied, “His Majesty spent some effort, and it was not easy to completely remove it. Now Chu Xie in the palace is like a blind and deaf person. This is a rare opportunity, my lord should take advantage of it to do something.”
The little emperor also harbors suspicions. Now, things have been stirred up like a muddy river—depending on who can find the biggest fish in this muddy water.
What to do.
It might be better not to do anything and use stillness to control movement.
After probing the emperor the day before, now it’s time to probe the truth of Chu Xie.
How much weight does Xu Chunmu have in your heart, and how much are you willing to do for him—I would like to see it clearly.
After contemplating for a moment, Su Mingan’s thoughts turned several times, and he decided to take the risk again.
“Have all the eyes Chu Xie has in the palace been cut off?” Grand Tutor Su looked at the clouds covering the moon, feeling like tonight might bring a heavy rainstorm, “Go, keep it discreet. Spread the news that Xu Chunmu hasn’t left the capital to Chu Xie.”
“In addition, send someone to the northern border, take advantage of the chaos in the Marquis Zhenguo’s mansion. Inquire about… I want to know everything about Xu Chunmu.”
Chu Xie values him so much, could there be something else?
With the fine snow, raindrops fell on the green tiles, making a crackling sound— the first snowfall in the capital arrived, carrying a biting cold in the wind, blowing through every corner of the mansion.
It also fell on the dark and long steps of the palace.
Chu Xie, draped in a large cloak, sat on a rocking chair covered with snow fox fur, watching as this chilly rain gradually turned into fluttering goose feather-like snow.
This is the first snow in the capital this year.
Surprisingly, it came so late.
Exhaling a long breath, white mist emerged from Chu Xie’s mouth and nose.
“My lord, let’s rest early.” Tao Li’s eyes were as swollen as walnuts, and she handed a warmer stove to Chu Xie.
“Don’t worry, I want to think a bit more.”
“What does my lord want to think about?”
I want to think about how to kill Zhao Lingqu, who is a thousand miles away.
“My lord, your health is not good, you shouldn’t be exposed to the cold like this.” Tao Li cried again, sniffing, half-crouching at Chu Xie’s feet, “Let’s go inside and think, okay?”
She vaguely felt that tonight’s master was different from the past.
He seemed a bit tired and troubled.
“My lord?”
“Tao Li.” Chu Xie turned his head, raised his hand to rub the girl’s hair, and suddenly asked, “If I lied to you, used you, would you… be very angry?”
“It depends on why.” Tao Li wiped her red nose with her sleeve, happy that Chu Xie was willing to say a few more words to her, and said, “Tao Li knows that my lord is always doing things for my good, won’t harm me, even if it’s a lie… it’s to protect Tao Li. So, no matter what lies my lord tells, Tao Li won’t be angry. If my lord wants to use me, then use me. Tao Li doesn’t mind.”
“Oh.”
Chu Xie muttered twice, pondering over these words: It depends on why.
“Why did my lord suddenly ask about this? Was he deceived by someone?”
“No. It’s me… who deceived him.”
“Him?” Tao Li didn’t understand, and saw Chu Xie looking confused.
Listening to her master speaking in a low voice, as if caught in some entanglement on this late night, “Clearly, he didn’t suffer any loss… why would he be so angry? Xu Chunmu lost his family, I lost my power, and the Northern Xiongs are about to return empty-handed… the situation is so advantageous, why would he…”
“I’ve given him everything I can give him.”
But he’s still so angry.
Just for that small, insignificant lie.
“My lord.” Tao Li reached out, grabbed the slightly cool hand on top of her head, and put it back on the warm stove, “People won’t get hurt by a mere lie.”
“What makes people heartbroken is the expectation they once had.”
Although Tao Li didn’t understand what Chu Xie was saying, it seemed like she understood something. Sometimes, my lord is extremely clever, but sometimes, he’s like a child who doesn’t understand the ways of the world. For the first time, Tao Li gently brushed away the fine snow on Chu Xie’s hair like a sister, comforting her master, “A few years ago, when Tao Li had just entered the mansion, I had a big quarrel with the servant girl who was burning fire in the kitchen. I lied to her and said there was a Flower Festival on the third day of the twelfth lunar month. She worked hard to do chores, burning fires, just so she could take the night off that day—”
“On the third day of the twelfth lunar month, in broad daylight, I knew I was wrong, so I spent half a month’s salary to buy her favorite and most expensive oil-paper osmanthus candy. I told her I lied to her, teaching her not to go out at night… but that night, she still stood outside the mansion gate all night, waiting for the Flower Festival that would never come. She didn’t eat any of the candy I gave her; she threw it under the steps.”
Listening to this seemingly unrelated story, Chu Xie’s heart felt a dull ache.
“The servant girl cried and told me. If there was no Flower Festival, why did I lie to her? I cried too. I said I spent half a month’s salary to buy the candy, why did you throw it away for nothing? It’s just a street full of flowers, what’s so rare about it.”
“We both cried all night.” Tao Li still felt sentimental when talking about this past, “The next day, she told me that no matter how expensive the candy was, she just wanted to see the Flower Festival. If there was no Flower Festival at all, why did I lie to her.”
“At that time, Tao Li finally understood. I liked candy, but the servant girl didn’t. I thought I was compensating, but in reality, she didn’t care at all. What I thought was just a trivial lie made that twelve-year-old girl sleep only three hours that night, full of expectations and exhausted in the firewood room for a whole half month…”
“Since then, Tao Li has never lied again.”
Tao Li pursed her lips, as if relieved, “Last year, the servant girl got married, and her husband accompanied her to see the Flower Festival. She still remembered this incident and bought me a large bag of my favorite oil-paper osmanthus candy.” Tao Li gestured, her eyes full of smiles, “So, my lord, don’t be too sad. No matter what, as long as my lord’s heart is not bad, everything will be fine in the end.”
Chu Xie seemed to understand, but also seemed not to fully understand.
What oil-paper candy, what Flower Festival.
At this moment, Tao Li heard a palace maid next to her say something, exchanged a few low words, and suddenly ran over in excitement, whispering, “Lord Chu, a letter has been delivered to the mansion. It was passed through the canal south of the palace, it seems that those things in the mansion are not entirely useless, and there is some news from outside… Tao Li will fetch it for you.”
The little maid ran happily into the thin snow with her umbrella.
The wind was very cold, and Chu Xie instructed, “Be careful, don’t slip.” In less than a moment, the girl returned, carrying a scent of snow and cold air, and pulled out a letter hidden in her sleeve.
Tao Li couldn’t read much, but Chu Xie glanced at it and knew it was from the deputy steward familiar to him in the mansion. Actually, in the current chaotic situation, he didn’t really want to know what was happening outside.
It’s quite nice to be able to enjoy peace for a couple of days like this.
“You read it for me.”
After saying that, he got up and went back to the inner room, looking somewhat tired.
But Tao Li opened the letter, unfolded the thin sheet of paper, first exclaimed, “Oh,” then said, “My lord, is this the character ‘Xu’? Uh… Changming… will… uh, west, uh… Xu… coming to the capital… oh, my lord, I don’t recognize many characters, Tao Li, can’t understand it very well…”
These few words were enough to alert Chu Xie, who immediately took the letter from Tao Li’s hand.
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