The moment he let go of the swing and the seat, all the heaviness and stability his body had brought vanished.
It was as if his soul had successfully detached from his body, making him feel weightless.
Jiang Wu’s body flew forward and upward.
He soared past the tall rockery and pavilion, seeing a large flowering tree growing on the other side.
His nose was filled with a sweet, pleasant scent.
This was his simple happiness.
Around the corner, a group of people appeared, and the leading woman stared ahead, dumbfounded. “Wu Er…”
Screams and shouts erupted around them.
Qi Hanmiao rushed forward with outstretched arms, tears streaming down as he cried, “Your Majesty—!”
Yin Wuzhi’s pupils constricted. When he saw Jiang Wu let go of the ropes, he thought, what is this incapable emperor up to now?
But when the swing descended and Jiang Wu didn’t follow, he began to tremble uncontrollably.
His heart pounded wildly, and he rushed toward the figure in the air with unprecedented speed.
A shadow also darted toward Jiang Wu.
Jiang Wu began to freefall, instinctively enjoying the familiar comfort.
In the past, he could float in the air, sleeping for a long, long time, without being disturbed.
No bed was more comfortable than air.
His arm was suddenly grabbed by someone, and he was pulled forcefully. His body collided with someone’s chest, and the scent of medicinal ointment overpowered the fragrance of flowers.
Yin Wuzhi didn’t have enough time; he rushed too fast and couldn’t stop himself in time. He crashed into the stone wall of the artificial mountain with Jiang Wu, letting out a muffled grunt. Using the tip of his foot for leverage, he spun and leaped directly onto the mountain.
Sixteen, who failed to catch them, landed steadily beside him.
Everyone rushed toward the artificial mountain in a frenzy.
Jiang Wu lifted his face. Yin Wuzhi’s face was pale, his lips trembling uncontrollably, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest. His whole body was tensed, as rigid as iron.
He stared at Jiang Wu, and when he finally spoke, he realized his tongue had been bitten, and his words were mixed with traces of blood. “Do you really want me dead that much?”
He couldn’t believe Jiang Wu would go so far as to risk his own life just to frame him.
After all, it was Yin Wuzhi who pushed him.
The thought of what would happen to the Dingnan family if anything happened to Jiang Wu was unbearable.
Jiang Wu hadn’t figured out the chain of events, but Yin Wuzhi’s arm was so tense that it made him uncomfortable.
He ordered, “Let go.”
This guy had just experienced something like that, yet he was still able to speak to him so calmly.
Yin Wuzhi’s eyes were slightly red, but his arms, which were still holding Jiang Wu, seemed frozen and wouldn’t move.
Qi Hanmiao had already come forward, noticing that Yin Wuzhi was still holding onto Jiang Wu. He said, “Your Highness, the Emperor is fine now.”
Yin Wuzhi wanted to let go, but he couldn’t.
The Pessimist told him, “Beloved Minister Yin, I feel unwell.”
“The Emperor feels unwell…” Qi Hanmiao’s body trembled, still shaken from the earlier dangerous incident. “Quick, let him go.”
Yin Wuzhi said, “….My arms are stiff.”
“Stiff, or are you taking advantage of the Emperor’s favor, thinking you can do whatever you want to the Son of Heaven?”
A cold female voice rang out. The crowd immediately parted, trembling as they greeted, “Empress Dowager Yao.”
Empress Dowager Yao was Jiang Wu’s biological mother. She had once been a mere palace maid, but her stunning beauty had caught the attention of the late emperor, who favored her greatly. Her son had been promising, and despite not being born of the Empress, he had gained the support of many ministers and the late emperor. When Jiang Wu ascended the throne, she naturally became the Empress Dowager.
In everyone’s eyes, she was a woman blessed with extraordinary luck.
This was the extent of Jiang Wu’s knowledge about her.
She walked over coldly and looked down at Yin Wuzhi. Yao Ji was well-maintained. It was said she was a few years older than Empress Dowager Wen, but they looked almost the same in age.
More importantly, she was truly beautiful—a beauty whose every feature could serve as a reference model.
All of Jiang Wu’s good features were inherited from her.
When they stood together, no one would doubt they were mother and son.
Yin Wuzhi finally managed to relax his stiff arms. He helped Jiang Wu to his feet and bowed. “This humble servant greets—”
Slap!
The woman’s hand ruthlessly struck his face.
The scene went silent.
Even Jiang Wu was taken aback: “?”
This was something he hadn’t anticipated.
“If anything happens to the Son of Heaven, I will have you chopped into pieces and fed to the dogs,” she said coldly. “Now, get over there and kneel!”
Yin Wuzhi pressed his bleeding lips together and silently knelt to the side.
Yao Ji approached Jiang Wu. The coldness on her face softened slightly as she gently supported him and looked him over, her gaze trembling. She asked tenderly, “Are you hurt?”
Jiang Wu replied, “I am not.”
Yao Ji breathed a sigh of relief and supported him as they walked down the artificial mountain.
Sixteen took a step forward and glanced at Yin Wuzhi, who was kneeling in the shadow of the pavilion, his expression obscured by the darkness.
Jiang Wu descended the mountain and followed her toward the Taiji Hall.
He had walked more in this short time than he had in the past half-month, and he was exhausted. Suddenly, he collapsed onto the ground.
Yao Ji was startled and instinctively bent down to help him up. “Wu Er.”
“Why did you push me?”
Yao Ji was confused. “What? What did you say?”
“If anything had happened to me, I would have chopped you into pieces and fed you to the dogs.”
Yao Ji’s face immediately darkened.
The servants kept their heads lowered, their eyes fixed on the ground, not daring to breathe.
They all understood, having come down from the artificial mountain, that Jiang Wu was standing up for Yin Wuzhi. Although he didn’t say it to his face, doing so in front of the servants was enough to make the Empress Dowager lose face.
Yao Ji gritted her teeth and whispered, “Jiang Wu, do you know what you’re saying? Aijia is… your mother.”
“I am the Emperor,” Jiang Wu said. “Even if you are my mother, you would still be punished for plotting against the Son of Heaven.”
He turned his head to look at Qi Hanmiao. “Isn’t that right?”
Qi Hanmiao: “…”
He forced a smile.
Jiang Wu didn’t make things difficult for him and continued to address Yao Ji. “Even when disciplining a dog, one must consider its owner. And what’s more, we’re talking about my ministers. Your title of Empress Dowager was granted by me, and I can take it away at any time. Do you understand?”
Yao Ji’s hair stood on end.
“Do you understand?”
Yao Ji looked into his eerily calm eyes. She could no longer see any respect or love there. Although this child used to avoid her as much as possible, she could still feel a trace of care beneath his reserved attitude. But now, it was as if Jiang Wu saw her as an ordinary stranger—or worse, like an unsightly weed by the roadside.
Her lips trembled.
Had she pushed him too hard? Why did he seem like a completely different person after the injury?
Jiang Wu’s voice remained cold and emotionless. “Royal Mother, I’m asking you, did you hear me?”
It felt as though there was no threat, nor any anger.
However, Yao Ji had a distinct feeling that if she didn’t respond, something was bound to happen.
This sense of the unknown sent a chill down her spine.
“Mother… Mother understands,” she finally said, though reluctantly emphasizing that she was his mother, the one who had given him life.
“Let’s go,” Jiang Wu said. “This will be the first and last time.”
He hadn’t reprimanded Yao Ji in front of Yin Wuzhi so that Yin Wuzhi would hate him. Earlier, he had deliberately provoked Yao Ji because he realized that Yin Wuzhi hadn’t yet reached the point of hating him enough to kill him. The initial plan of pretending to like Yin Wuzhi to keep him close was about finding a balance—teasing him just enough to keep him working. If he pushed too hard now and Yin Wuzhi ran away, wouldn’t the mountain of government documents pile up again?
After all, bullying Yin Wuzhi was easy, but making him kill a tyrant and become a celebrated emperor of all time, while allowing himself to live freely, was much harder.
His body felt so heavy.
“Call Beloved Minister Yin over,” Jiang Wu ordered.
After Yao Ji left, exhaustion overwhelmed him. With a weary sigh, he collapsed onto the stone pavement in front of everyone.
He wanted to fly again.
The moment the emperor collapsed, everyone around him knelt down.
On the other side, Qi Hanmiao rushed up the small pavilion atop the artificial mountain. “Shizi Highness, the Emperor summons you.”
Yin Wuzhi knelt quietly and straight, his head bowed, unmoving.
Qi Hanmiao’s earlier joy faded as he noticed the injustice Yin Wuzhi had endured. Reflecting on what had happened earlier, he said, “The Emperor just… reprimanded Empress Dowager Yao.”
Yin Wuzhi remained indifferent.
The idea of a ruler scolding the Empress Dowager? No one would believe such a thing.
Even commoners would hesitate, let alone the ruler of all, who dared to challenge this idea unless he didn’t care about the people’s favor.
Qi Hanmiao knew he shouldn’t have said too much, but he couldn’t resist recounting what had just happened, emphasizing Jiang Wu’s final questions: “The Emperor didn’t raise his voice at all and managed to frighten Empress Dowager Yao away.”
… That did sound like something Jiang Wu would do.
He didn’t usually lose his temper, but his words carried a terrifying weight. Calm waters run deep, hiding the depth of his true intentions.
Yin Wuzhi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.
“Your Highness, the Emperor is still sitting on the ground. It’s cold in autumn; if he falls ill…”
Who cares?
Yin Wuzhi thought to himself. That incapable emperor was clearly unafraid of anything, as evidenced by how recklessly he let go while swinging earlier, as if he had known all along someone would catch him.
Yin Wuzhi felt the pain in his shoulders, and a new wave of annoyance surged within him.
The pavilion, situated at the top of the small mountain, was especially cold due to the wind.
Qi Hanmiao sighed, “Even if you don’t care about the Emperor, Your Highness should at least consider your own health… You were whipped today, and then you crashed into the artificial mountain earlier. You must be injured.”
A quarter of an hour later, Yin Wuzhi was finally persuaded to descend from the mountain. After walking no more than a hundred meters, they were greeted by a circle of kneeling eunuchs.
“What are you all doing?” Qi Hanmiao asked.
The eunuchs moved aside, revealing the Emperor sprawled out on the ground.
Qi Hanmiao rushed forward in alarm, “Your Majesty, why are you lying here? You’ll catch a chill—what if you fall ill?”
The Pessimist allowed himself to be helped up, brushing the grass off his head. “I just dreamed I was riding a horse…” he mumbled.
In truth, the discomfort of the stone pavement had prevented him from resting properly.
“You’ll surely make that dream come true, Your Majesty,” Qi Hanmiao assured him.
“…” Yin Wuzhi’s expression remained cold.
Shouldn’t the real issue be how, in such a short time, the incapable emperor had managed to fall asleep on the ground?
Jiang Wu nodded, his blurry eyes drifting towards Yin Wuzhi.
Yin Wuzhi’s face was pale, and because of this, the slap mark on his cheek stood out even more, making it look especially alarming.
Jiang Wu gathered his wits and opened his mouth to say something comforting. Then, remembering history, he changed his approach: “Big horse, come here.”
Yin Wuzhi ignored him.
“Come here and carry me to the other side of the mountain.”
Earlier, when Jiang Wu had drifted off, he dreamed of riding a horse, following a sweet, rich fragrance, galloping over a towering mountain to find a vibrant, colorful flower field.
“Hurry up.”
Qi Hanmiao lowered his head awkwardly.
Just earlier, he had been convincing Yin Wuzhi of how much Jiang Wu valued him, and now the Emperor had reverted to his old ways.
“Hurry up,” Jiang Wu said, his face sullen. “Or else I’ll strip off your clothes and lock you in an iron cage.”
Here we go again. For some reason, Yin Wuzhi detected a hint of childlike mischief in the threat. He approached Jiang Wu and said, “There’s nothing on the other side of the mountain.”
“I want to see for myself.”
Yin Wuzhi stared at him for a moment, then bent down and hoisted him onto his shoulder.
Jiang Wu, now upside down: “…”
Yin Wuzhi carried the lifeless emperor on his shoulder and walked toward the back of the mountain.
Surprisingly, the incapable emperor didn’t struggle at all. He hung there obediently like a sack of grain.
Jiang Wu wasn’t silent on purpose. He was always lethargic and drained, and now, deprived of oxygen, he was even more exhausted.
After all, being carried around didn’t seem too bad for Jiang Wu.
It was tolerable, at least.
Yin Wuzhi stopped at the back of the mountain. “We’re here.”
Jiang Wu’s arms and hair hung limply at his waist, unmoving.
Yin Wuzhi glanced at the thing on his shoulder, then bent down and set him on the ground.
Jiang Wu took a deep breath.
The sweet fragrance filled his lungs, his flushed face gradually calming as the fresh oxygen brought him back to life.
Jiang Wu tilted his head back, gazing up at the giant osmanthus tree in front of him. He turned to look around at his surroundings.
He took another deep breath.
“Osmanthus, such a sweet scent.”
Jiang Wu gazed at the osmanthus tree and said, “Squat down.”
“What for?”
“To follow orders.”
…Yin Wuzhi expressionlessly squatted down.
Jiang Wu remained motionless. “I want to sit on your shoulders.”
Yin Wuzhi glanced at his lazy feet. “Do it yourself.”
“Hurry up.”
Yin Wuzhi stubbornly didn’t move.
Why should he rush to be humiliated? Did Jiang Wu think he was a fool?
Fifteen minutes passed, neither Jiang Wu nor Yin Wuzhi moved.
Another fifteen minutes passed. Jiang Wu sat down on the ground, and Yin Wuzhi still didn’t move.
An incense stick later…
Yin Wuzhi’s legs went numb. “Are you going to get on or not?”
“Yes,” Jiang Wu replied, “I want to.”
Yin Wuzhi was completely numb.
In the end, he couldn’t avoid the fate of lifting Jiang Wu onto his shoulders—
Jiang Wu was slowly hoisted up, his head disappearing into the soft yellow blooms of the ancient osmanthus tree. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the sweet, intoxicating fragrance.
Yin Wuzhi had lost all curiosity about the emperor’s whims because every time he did, it led to disaster.
“…Is it really that pleasant?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“You grew up in the palace, haven’t you smelled this every year?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“…” Can you say something more coherent?
Jiang Wu had seen the osmanthus bloom many times and had heard many people praise its scent, yet he’d never truly experienced it. He’d always felt the wind carrying the fragrance through the trees but had never touched or smelled it up close.
This was the first time.
“A little higher, just a bit higher.”
Yin Wuzhi strained to lift him, his face cast in shadows. “Too much of a good thing leads to its opposite.”
“What does that mean?”
“If you go any higher, you’ll fall.”
“?” Jiang Wu didn’t understand. “Are you saying you can’t handle it?”
After a few moments, Yin Wuzhi reluctantly said, “Just sit still.”
Jiang Wu spread his arms confidently. “All set.”
Yin Wuzhi couldn’t see his posture, so after hearing that, he let go of his grip on Jiang Wu and grabbed a tree branch instead. Then, he abruptly leaped.
Jiang Wu’s view expanded in an instant. Yellow blossoms filled his sight, the air saturated with a rich, sweet scent. The black branches, dark against the flower-covered canopy, appeared ancient and elegant in the dim light filtering through the flowers.
He praised, “Yin Wuzhi, you’re such a good person.”
Yin Wuzhi barely had time to react before hearing a loud “thud.”
Jiang Wu’s head collided heavily with a thick branch.
He slumped down silently.
Instinctively, Yin Wuzhi caught him and quickly concealed them both in the dense osmanthus clouds.
Pretending nothing had happened.
