Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 458: Love Attraction Gu

Xue Yuechen looked slightly embarrassed, clenched her handkerchief, and her ear tips turned slightly red.

"Sixth sister, you've misunderstood your elder sister. I just feel that family members should help each other and don't want outsiders to laugh at the Xue family..."

"It would be a joke for me to come back and interfere."

Xue Sui withdrew his gaze, no longer wanting to get entangled with her, and turned to give a slight bow to Madam Qian.

"Please move to the outer room, Third Aunt."

After Qian followed her to the outer corridor, she whispered, "Third Aunt, the old lady is only a short while away. Prepare everything that needs to be prepared, so that we don't end up in a panic and make the old lady's passing uneasy."

Upon hearing this, tears streamed down Qian's face again.

"Is there really no hope? He could still drink half a bowl of porridge in the morning... Should we ask Dr. Shu to take another look?"

Xue Sui gently shook her head, "You heard what Doctor Sun said. Doctor Shu isn't a god either; he can't save those whom the King of Hell wants..."

Seeing that Madam Qian was still wiping away tears, Xue Sui reached out and supported her arm, softening his voice, "Third Aunt, don't be sad anymore. Everyone has to go through this. Let's make proper preparations for the funeral so that the old lady won't feel wronged. That's how we show filial piety."

Knowing there was no hope, Madam Qian choked back tears and agreed, "I'll go and instruct someone to do it right away."

Xue Sui nodded: "I'll leave this to Third Aunt. I'm going out for some fresh air."

After she finished speaking, without waiting for Madam Qian's response, she turned and walked out of the oppressive Shou'an Hall.

A cold breeze blew through the corridor, washing away the sadness that filled the room.

She walked along the pillars and saw the tall pear tree in Pear Fragrance Courtyard, and stopped in her tracks...

As winter approached, the old pear tree had long since lost its flowers and leaves, standing bare and slender.

On the thickest side branch hangs a small prayer bell, which she secretly hung there when she was a child, and it's still there. If she remembers correctly, the small wooden plaque at the base of the bell is engraved with childlike words like "alive" and "grown up"...

Every stroke and line represents a wish that Xue Liu secretly carved as a child, clutching a small knife...

time flies.

In the blink of an eye, the little girl who used to hide under the pear tree, eating cold steamed buns and being bullied, is now over twenty years old.

And that old lady who once held absolute authority and wielded great power in the Xue family, too, had worn herself out and was finally going to pass away.

Xue Sui adjusted his cloak and stood quietly under the eaves, gazing at the old pear tree in a daze.

Just as I was in a daze, a deep voice came from behind me.

"Safety."

Xue Sui slowly turned around without answering.

Li Huan slowly emerged from the shadows of the pillars, dressed in a dark blue casual robe that almost blended into the night.

His eyes were red-rimmed, and a deep loneliness settled between his brows, complex and gloomy.

"Perhaps I should address you as Princess Mayila?"

"Your Highness is too kind." Xue Sui bowed, his tone indifferent. "It's late and the snow is heavy; what brings Your Highness here?"

“The old lady is seriously ill, so it is only natural for me, her grandson-in-law, to come.” Li Huan stopped three steps away from her, looking at the snow-covered stone lanterns in the courtyard, his voice low.

"I just didn't expect that Ping An would come back."

"My surname is Xue," Xue Sui said calmly.

“Yes, you still bear the surname Xue.” Li Huan repeated softly, his tone inexplicably tinged with bitterness. “I originally thought that the Xue family and the Prince Duan’s mansion were nothing more than stepping stones for revenge to you. Once you’d used them, you’d discard them like worn-out shoes…”

Xue Sui raised her eyes and finally looked him in the eye.

"What exactly does Your Highness want to say?"

Li Huan's gaze was deep and fixed on her, as if trying to draw her into that darkness.

"The Emperor has issued a decree to make Xie Yanzhan's daughter the Crown Princess. Are you aware of this?"

"Have heard a little bit."

"So what do you think?"

"Your Majesty makes decisions with a clear conscience and has your own considerations."

"What a fine excuse, 'having your own reasons'." Li Huan chuckled, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Li Zhao wants to marry another woman, and you're not even a little angry? Suspicious? Indifferent? Is your heart cold or warm?"

"Does it matter whether I care or not?" Xue Sui asked rhetorically, his tone still indifferent.

"Then don't you want to know Li Zhao's attitude towards this marriage?" Li Huan pressed.

Xue Sui's eyes narrowed slightly, and he remained silent.

"Guess, is he defying the imperial decree, or is he half-heartedly complying?" Li Huan pressed on, "Although the Xie family daughter is not as resourceful as you, she is a proper young lady from a respectable family, pure and innocent..."

Li Huan stared intently at Xue Sui's face, scrutinizing every subtle expression, trying to discern pain, anger, or jealousy.

But he was disappointed.

Xue Sui remained expressionless, his icy, calm eyes showing not a trace of emotion, as if he were talking about someone else's trivial matter.

Am I not innocent?

"You were married to me, how can you be innocent?" Li Huan's tone carried a deliberate provocation.

Xue Sui laughed, "Whether I'm innocent or not, does Your Highness not know?"

Li Huan choked.

When he took her into the Prince Duan's residence, he never touched her due to various concerns. Now, being questioned so bluntly by her, he recalled his past hesitation and estrangement, and felt both regret and anger.

"Your Highness, are you telling me all this to see me lose my composure? Or are you trying to persuade me to give up?" Xue Sui said indifferently. "I know His Highness the Crown Prince's character better than Your Highness does. There's no need for Your Highness to ponder this further."

Li Huan suddenly smiled bitterly, took two steps closer to her, and the cold fragrance of plum blossoms mixed with a hint of wine wafted towards her.

"You may understand Li Zhao, but you don't understand the Crown Prince. Sitting in that position, scheming and calculating are instinctive. What love can't he let go of? Ping An, wake up... Now that the title of Crown Princess has been decided, even if you have a thousand abilities, you can't make Father Emperor retract his decree. Or do you think... Li Zhao will bear the infamy of disobedience and filial impiety for you?"

His voice was low, tinged with a cruel pleasure.

Xue Sui chuckled softly.

"Your Highness is worrying too much."

Her smile was faint, yet sharp as a knife.

"Instead of sowing discord here, you should think more about your own situation. The waters in the capital are getting increasingly murky. Can Your Highness really remain unscathed? Your Highness, you should think carefully."

After she finished speaking, she nodded slightly, turned around and left.

“Peace.” Li Huan suddenly grabbed her wrist.

His Adam's apple bobbed violently, the veins on the back of his hands were slightly visible from tension, and there was an uncontrollable pain and resentment in his eyes. Gone was his usual composure, and he even let out a breath.

“Return to my side…at least I can protect you and prevent you from suffering such humiliation…”

Xue Sui stopped and looked down at his hand.

Then, slowly, one by one, she pried his fingers apart. "Your Highness, please have some self-respect."

There was no disgust or anger in her eyes, only coldness and indifference.

It was as if he were just an insignificant stranger.

This was more embarrassing for Li Huan than any harsh curses or slaps.

He seemed to have all his strength drained away, and staggered back half a step.

Xue Sui didn't linger any longer; his figure resolutely disappeared into the shadows under the corridor.

Li Huan stood alone in the snowy night, watching the direction she had disappeared, motionless for a long time.

The cold wind whipped up his robes, his back view lonely and desolate.

Not far behind him, Xue Yuechen quietly emerged from the shadows around the corner, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at his distraught appearance.

She lost.

They lost from the very beginning.

She didn't lose to Xue Sui's beauty and cunning, but to Li Huan's true heart, which she had never truly possessed and could never reach.
-
Inside the palace.

The candlelight flickered in the Zichen Palace, casting dappled shadows.

The incense has changed its scent; it's no longer the elegant ambergris of the past, but a warm fragrance with a strange sweetness that seems to penetrate to the bone marrow. If you smell it for too long, it makes your head feel heavy and your thoughts become sticky.

Li Zhao's temples were bulging with veins, and his hair was soaked with sweat.

He leaned against the heavy wooden door, his breath hot.

"Father... is this your way of ruling?"

"The Crown Prince should know what's important." The Emperor's voice came from outside the door, analyzing word by word how Xie Weilan's birth chart was a perfect match for Heaven and how it could draw upon the pure energy of Heaven and Earth to nourish his "foundation of Dao".

“That Xue Liu has an unclear background. She was once a concubine of Prince Duan and has a deep connection with Xizi... How can such a woman be empress in the future? Lady Xie has a clean family background and a gentle nature. She is the most suitable match for you.”

"Father, I will say it again: I will only recognize Xue Sui in this life."

"Stubborn fool!" Emperor Chongzhao raised his voice. "My mind is made up, there is no need for further discussion. You two shall consummate your marriage here tonight... We will hold the grand ceremony on an auspicious day chosen by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau."

"Shameless... Utterly despicable..."

"Are you insulting me?" Emperor Chongzhao suddenly raised his voice, triggering a violent cough.

Xuanjizi hurriedly stepped forward to help him catch his breath.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. His Highness the Crown Prince is young, and it's understandable that he might make a mistake at times. Once he gets through this, he will understand..."

After saying this, he leaned closer to the crack in the door and lowered his voice, saying, "Your Highness, please forgive my bluntness. What Heaven has shown concerns Your Majesty's health and the fate of the Great Liang. How can a little personal affection compare to this? Please do not let a small matter cause you to lose sight of the bigger picture."

These words added fuel to the fire and were extremely malicious.

Li Zhao's chest heaved violently, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"This heretic is a scourge to the country... He deserves to die!"

Emperor Chongzhao's voice trembled with anger: "Listen to him, listen to him—the dignified Crown Prince, his heart and eyes are only on one woman... A woman of unknown origin, surrounded by malevolent energy, is she worthy of being the Crown Prince? I think you've been bewitched by her!"

The inner and outer chambers were utterly silent for a moment.

Wang Chengxi lowered his head, wishing he could shrink into a crack in the ground.

Li Zhao gritted his teeth, bowed slightly, and resisted the waves of heat and dizziness that grew stronger with each passing moment.

"If Father Emperor insists on this, your son... requests that the position of Crown Prince be abolished..."

"You're threatening me?" Emperor Chongzhao's breathing quickened; he was clearly furious and coughed. "You unfilial son! You've painstakingly built up your power over the years, winning over the commoners and purging the Xiao faction. You've finally reached this point, and now you're going to give up so easily for a woman? You're utterly... utterly foolish!"

Li Zhao's eyes were icy cold.

"Father, have you forgotten how the late Emperor forced you to marry Mother?"

What my father despised most was that the late emperor used force to control his marriage, forcing him to marry my mother, creating a resentful couple and leaving my mother lonely for half her life.

Now, history repeats itself.

The one exerting pressure became the emperor himself.

"Crown Prince, you will thank me." Emperor Chongzhao's voice came through the palace gate, carrying the euphoric excitement invigorated by the elixir, yet cold and ruthless.

"This is the necessary trial a prince must undergo to become emperor. Only by severing all emotions and becoming cold-hearted can he secure the throne. If you cannot even make this choice and are constantly troubled by personal feelings, how will you be able to control the court and protect the country in the future..."

"Is this the original intention behind Father's scheme to trap me today?"

"I... am teaching you how to be an emperor."

Emperor Chongzhao's words were like knives, piercing his last shred of illusion.

For the emperor, everything was worth sacrificing, including his son's life.

Li Zhao closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, all that remained was a crimson, resolute look.

"Father, you will regret this!"

"I'll be waiting," Emperor Chongzhao scoffed.

"Wang Chengxi, lock the door. No one is allowed to open the door without my decree."

He turned and left.

The emperor's personal guards responded immediately.

The heavy palace doors were locked from the outside, making a chilling clanging sound, completely isolating the inside from the outside.

Xuanjizi approached the door, his expression sinister and mocking.

"Your Highness, enjoy this wonderful evening. Do not disappoint His Majesty's good intentions."

Li Zhao leaned against the cold door, clenched his fists, and slowly slid down to sit.

A strange, malevolent fire surged from his dantian to the top of his head, as if his limbs and bones were being burned by a raging fire, almost overwhelming his reason.

But what truly terrified him wasn't Xuanji Zi's mediocre aphrodisiac incense...

Instead, it was the long-dormant love potion, like a hibernating venomous snake, that began to slowly awaken under the influence of the sweet incense, flicking its tongue and intertwining with the heat in his blood, stirring restlessly...

Incense was merely the trigger; what truly activated it was a love potion.

　Sisters, don't think this part is illogical, and don't think of all the supporting characters as NPCs or mere tools. They also have their own thoughts, calculations, and intelligence. After all, this isn't just a pure wish-fulfillment story...

　　Firstly, Emperor Chongzhao had ruled for many years, and even a weakened camel is bigger than a horse. He had confidants in the palace and enjoyed years of prestige. Secondly, he was the Crown Prince's biological father. In ancient times, people were extremely filial to their parents, and the ethical principles of ruler and subject, father and son, all needed to be respected. Even if the Crown Prince had real power, he still had to adhere to certain bottom lines... It wasn't that the Crown Prince lacked ability, but that he couldn't easily disobey and give his opponents a handle to use against him.

　　Or perhaps we could look to how Emperor Kangxi, in his youth, brought down the powerful and influential Ao Bai? Hahaha, many historical truths are actually far more absurd than those in novels. Of course, if you still find it illogical, just consider the two brocades as a way to create some sparks of love between the male and female leads... Love Silk Gu, love is only for each other.

　　(End of this chapter)