Ink Burns

Chapter 291 Exposure (Part 2)

If Shan Yue knew she was about to violently attack someone, she would never have chosen the warm pavilion in the inner hall to meet with He Qingshu.

Difficult to maintain.

Between the blue bricks, there are still some remnants of flesh and solidified bloodstains.

Isn't there a saying like that?
A mother has a mother's scent, and a father has a father's scent.

And now, the scent of my biological father remains in the warm room.

When Emperor Yongping, Xu Quyan, stepped across the threshold into the warm pavilion with his hands behind his back, he subtly glanced at the empty wall and pillars in the southeast corner, which were blank and undecorated.

Xu Quyan calmly withdrew his gaze without uttering a word.

Shan Yue felt a bit flustered: this was her first time seeing an emperor, and he was far from the monarch she had imagined. Emperor Yongping was thin and short in stature. Standing in the wind, his wide robe sleeves fluttered in the wind, making him appear frail. Coupled with his handsome face and soft features, he seemed to be caught between a scholarly air and a sickly one.

But just from Emperor Yongping's meaningful glance, one could tell that this seemingly weak and harmless emperor also possessed extraordinary insight and keenness.

Shan Yue glanced sideways at Xue Xiao.

Xue Xiao remained expressionless and bent down to lift the curtain for Emperor Yongping.

Upon entering the inner room, the air was filled with the fragrance of incense sticks, a blend of sandalwood and subtle herbal scents that barely masked the lingering traces of flesh and blood in the cracks of the wood.

"It's rare for you to use such a strong fragrance." Emperor Yongping took his seat at the head of the table, appearing casual and peaceful.

Xue Xiao followed and sat down: "When I was young, I preferred light fragrances, but as I got older, my nose became less sensitive, so I preferred strong fragrances."

Emperor Yongping smiled and said in a gentle and clear voice, "I am a few years older than you. How can I be old? You can say you are old, but don't beat around the bush and insult me."

Xue Xiao lowered his brows and chuckled softly.

The atmosphere was alright.

The argument with the emperor a few days ago did not exist.

Shan Yue bowed and served tea. After setting down the two teacups, he turned to leave.

"younger brother"

Emperor Yongping paused for a moment: "Sister-in-law, we are all family. I came to your residence today just to chat. You may stay as well."

Shan Yue lifted her skirt and sat down next to Xue Xiao.

"These past few days, the court has been in an uproar. Yuan Wenying has gathered a group of ministers, forcing me to pursue the Russian bandits who robbed the military silver. They have jointly submitted a memorial, and their words are so vehement that they seem to be ready to die if I do not act."

Emperor Yongping shook his head and said again, "The harem is no less impressive. I strolled through the garden, and in less than a mile, I saw palace maids dropping handkerchiefs, talented women reciting poems, and concubines playing hide-and-seek."

Emperor Yongping rubbed his forehead and shook his head helplessly: "Being attacked from both sides by the imperial court and the harem is really unbearable, and there is nowhere to complain."

Xue Xiao chuckled, ignoring Yuan Wenying's comment, and instead said, "The palace is adorned with flowers and brocade, truly a blessing for the current dynasty."

"I'll give you this blessing, do you want it?" Emperor Yongping's expression was calm, his voice slowly shifting from clear and gentle to low and helpless.

"I certainly cannot accept this." Xue Xiao sat upright with a majestic posture: "I am but a humble subject, and having a good wife at home is already a blessing earned through half a lifetime of hardship."

Shan Yue kept his hands folded over his stomach, his gaze calmly half-fixed on the blue brick in front of him, but in his heart he thought: Is this all men talk about? Not the situation at court? The war in the north? The officialdom in Jiangnan? The power struggles between factions? Is this all they talk about?
Shan Yue was disappointed, but she heard the conversation gradually veer back to her.

Emperor Yongping took a sip of tea and hummed in appreciation: "It's Dongting Biluochun from Suzhou Prefecture, its aroma is intoxicating—your sister-in-law is from Suzhou?"

Shan Yue did not believe that Emperor Yongping was unaware of her true identity.

But if the emperor asked, she had to answer: "Your Majesty, I grew up in Hetou Village, Songjiang Prefecture. I suffered hardship in my childhood and was forced to flee to Suzhou Prefecture. I only returned to Songjiang Prefecture a few years ago. Perhaps because of this experience, I am more inclined to adopt the habits of Suzhou in my clothing, food and behavior."

"Is this the disaster at Mount Fushou?" Emperor Yongping asked.

Shan Yue paused slightly.

Emperor Yongping's expression was extremely gentle: "Sister-in-law, please speak freely. This bad result can also be attributed to my Xu family. It is ultimately the failure of the imperial clan to restrain themselves that has led to the suffering of the people."

After hesitating for a moment, Shan Yue nodded gently: "Yes, in the disaster at Fushou Mountain, my mother died and my younger sister went missing. If I had not been fortunate enough to be rescued, I might not be alive today, let alone see my younger sister again."

"Have the sisters reunited now?" Emperor Yongping asked naturally, as if pushing a boat with flowing water.

Thinking of Shuiguang, Shanyue unconsciously curled the corners of her mouth slightly. Her voice was soft, but it was as comforting and warm as a winter coat: "They are reunited. They recognized each other the year before last. Fortunately, she did not remember the past. She also met her adoptive parents who treated her very well. It is truly a blessing in disguise."

When it comes to Shuiguang, Shanyue could talk for three days and three nights, praising her in a different way every time.

Even if the emperor were in front of her, it wouldn't stop her from confiding.

Moreover, Emperor Yongping even played along, saying, "Is that so? Your sister-in-law ended up in Songjiang Prefecture. And where did your younger sister grow up?"

Then there's even more to say.

"In Pingning Mountain."

Shan Yue smiled, pursing her lips, and even raised her hand to gesture to Emperor Yongping: "Actually, it's the same mountain as Fushou Mountain, but it's called Fushou Mountain in Songjiang Prefecture and Pingning Mountain in southern Anhui. That night, my sister hid underwater for a long time, and was about to drown when she was rescued by a herbalist from Pingning Mountain who came to collect herbs. She then learned some medicine and acupuncture from her adoptive father and an extremely skilled doctor. Children who grow up in the mountains are wild and untamed."

Shan Yue smiled and arched her eyebrows, radiating a gentle glow: "That child is very unruly, let's not talk about her—I have lost my composure and spoken too much."

Emperor Yongping's eyes held a deep, gentle smile: "I only see the deep affection between sisters, not any loss of composure or excessive talk."

But then he remembered the phrase "at the moment of drowning" hidden in the words, and his smile inexplicably faded a little.

Running away at night.

Escape for your life.

Fire.

pursuit.

They treat human lives as a form of amusement.

When he learned that Xue Xiao's wife came from the traitorous Qingfeng, he sent people to investigate the so-called "Fushou Mountain fire." It wasn't until yesterday that he came to report the whole story: a group of seven people, led by Princess Suiyuan, took advantage of the trip south to worship their ancestors and, together with local officials, kidnapped nearly forty civilians and staged a chase and murder in the mountains. Xue Xiao's wife and Shui Guang from the Imperial Hospital were the only two survivors.

As night fell and darkness descended, he closed his eyes and saw Shui Guang dressed in the uniform of a servant in the Imperial Medical Academy, crying and fleeing for her life amidst the firelight and rain of arrows.

This dream lasted all night.

As dawn broke, without a second thought, he immediately left the palace in disguise.

Emperor Yongping paused, then asked, "Drowned?"

The gentle and peaceful expression on Madam He's face vanished instantly. Her voice was very soft, almost a whisper: "They forced the three of us, mother and daughters, to kill each other, with only the last one surviving. I bought some time, and Shuiguang ran into the pond to gather reeds and breathe, which allowed her to survive. However, the fire was too intense, and perhaps due to the smoke or the heat, she was found unconscious for a long time. When she first woke up, she was like a young child, unable to speak, act, or eat. After being carefully cared for by her adoptive parents, although she lost her memory, she eventually returned to normal."

The wafting incense and the tranquility brought by the sandalwood could not soothe the turbulent emotions beneath the calm water's surface.

Emperor Yongping gently closed his eyes, raised his head, and very subtly lowered his chin. After an unknown amount of time, he finally let out a long sigh: "You sisters... truly have had many misfortunes." Shan Yue did not notice anything unusual, but Xue Xiao subtly glanced at Emperor Yongping.

Emperor Yongping composed himself in time, and when he spoke again, his voice was as clear and gentle as ever: "However, the past is like death, and the future is like a new beginning. You should live your life well with your mother, which will be the best comfort to her spirit in heaven."

Shan Yue turned to Xue Xiao: After talking about women, you're now advising couples to live a good life? Is this the ruler of the world? Or just an old woman from the village? Is that all? Do you even need to talk about the court's infighting? Do you even need to discuss where to attack next? Jing'an isn't dead yet! Cui Bainian is still leading the Northern Frontier Army, swaggering around Shanhaiguan!

If we don't get to the main topic soon, she's going to read a book.

Shan Yue's expression instantly amused Xue Xiao.

Like an old ox being driven to work.

Xue Xiao lowered his eyes, cleared his throat, and coughed lightly.

Emperor Yongping looked at Xue Xiao.

"The other day, I happened to obtain a register." Xue Xiao took out the "Azure Phoenix" register, which was rolled up from his bosom: "From first-rank dukes to ninth-rank officials, the 'Azure Phoenix' is divided into five grades: gold, black, crimson, indigo, and blue. Apart from the 'gold' grade, the background, place of origin, expertise, family members, whether or not they have taken the 'Traction Inducing' drug, and the time when they took the antidote are all recorded in great detail."

Emperor Yongping straightened his expression slightly.

Xue Xiao presented it with both hands.

Emperor Yongping took it and turned it over. On the "Xuan" step, the names of two people were written: Qiao Yishu and Cui Bainian.

Qiao Yishu was the Consort Qiao, a concubine of Emperor Zhaode.

It was expected that these two would be called "Qingfeng".

Turn the page again, the "gold" step is blank.

“‘Gold’ is reserved for the royal family. This page should only have Princess Jing’an as the name.” Emperor Yongping murmured softly. He turned the page again and saw the name “Yuan Wenying” prominently displayed. There was a big checkmark under the name “Qianji Yin” indicating that the antidote was taken this month, but there was no mark yet, which meant that he had not yet obtained the antidote for “Qianji Yin”.

No wonder Yuan Wenying, despite the pressure, still dared to join forces with four or five officials to offer serious advice and remonstrance.

Because of his life, he was still in Jing'an's hands.

and also.

There are other cases like this.

His investigation of the "Qianji Yin" only covered those in the capital and the inner palace, but not those in Tianjin, Hebei, or other provincial administration officials.

This is a huge hidden danger: Jing'an is now weak and powerless, and it is hard to guarantee that it will not resort to desperate measures.

And how could these "Green Phoenixes" who were being led by the nose by the "guiding mechanism" dare to disobey?

Emperor Yongping flipped back to the beginning.

Here.

For example, the deputy battalion commander and the clerk of the five city garrison guarding the city gates of the capital, whose poison "Qianji Yin" was scheduled to take effect next month, happened to be together, one civil and one military, and could open the city gates without authorization.

For example, the poisoning of the inspector of Qi County, Jizhou, in the northwest was also imminent.

These were either low-ranking officials of the seventh or eighth grade, or cities some distance from the capital, which he was powerless to reach, and thus they slipped through the net.

Emperor Yongping closed the register, a sharp glint flashing in his usually serene eyes: "No matter how many pests there are, they must be eradicated—"

Emperor Yongping looked up at Xue Xiao and carefully chose his words: "Or bring him back."

It means that it is not about exterminating everyone.

This is the source of the conflict between Xue Xiao and Emperor Yongping.

Xue Xiao remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Like Yuan Wenying, she was originally a pawn, manipulated by others, but she herself has some talent and can naturally be used by the court. Princess Jing'an, although she is a member of the imperial family and enjoys the offerings of the whole country, she indulges her children in enslaving the people and disregards life. If she is indulged again and again, what justice and fairness can be said in the world? Just as I said before, the emperor is wary of her blood relation. I am a mad dog with a worthless life, so I will fight her to the death. I will have done right by my mother, mother-in-law and wife."

The point is to kill.

If you won't kill him, I'll kill him myself.

You forbid me to kill, but I'll do it secretly, even if it costs me my life.

Emperor Yongping was inexplicably moved by the latter sentence: "He is worthy of his wife."

It's worth it.

Wife.

Night escape, fleeing from death, drowning, losing one's mother, amnesia.
水光
Emperor Yongping pursed his lips: "This matter is open to discussion."

Xue Xiao raised an eyebrow.

Emperor Yongping looked away, but his eyes fell on the suddenly bare wall pillar.

Emperor Yongping spoke slowly, his voice slightly lower: "But from now on, power will be returned to us. You and I are not only ruler and subject, but also brothers in life and death, like Bo Ya and Zi Qi, or Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. We should understand that there is no true fairness and justice in this world. Those in power have things they can and cannot do. They cannot do whatever they want. There are many things and many feelings that I must endure, and you must also endure. I do not want you to walk away indifferently when you disagree with me in the Linde Hall in the future."

Emperor Yongping raised his hand and pointed to the bare wall, which should have been covered with paintings but was now just a square wall, whiter and newer than the other walls.

“In a few days, I will bestow upon you a painting or calligraphy.” Emperor Yongping’s voice was still soft: “That wall is bare, it doesn’t look good.”

Shan Yue turned her head to look in the direction Emperor Yongping was pointing.

On that wall, there used to hang a painting of Zhu Siming's mountain dwelling.

He Qingshu's blood splattered on the painting, so they removed it, and they haven't had time to hang it up again yet.

Emperor Yongping never mentioned He Qingshu from beginning to end. However, the changed smell and the missing painting all proved that he knew or guessed something.

If absolute fairness and justice are desired, she and Xue Xiao should not have killed He Qingshu in private. Instead, they should have followed the law, reported the case through the proper channels, and ensured that He Qingshu received the punishment he deserved.
Xue Xiao lowered his voice and replied softly, "Yes."

The emperor and his ministers had finished their conversation, and the atmosphere in the harem returned to its usual relaxed state, with many palace maids dancing and concubines picking up bracelets.

Emperor Yongping even stayed for a meal.

After their meal, the emperor, his minister, and Shan Yue leaned against a tree in the deep courtyard. The bamboo rocking chairs swayed gently, and fruits were placed on the side table, adorned with silver toothpicks, resembling round little mountain spirits.

"Sister—Sister—"

When a proper little mountain spirit appears, it never does so silently; it usually starts singing mountain songs at the top of its lungs at the second gate.

Shui Guang's voice was loud and clear, even the cicadas in the trees found her too melodious and noisy: "Sister!!! I have a day off today! My master finally let me out! I want to drink chicken soup! I want to eat braised pork knuckle! I want to eat red bean and pork sandwich! Ahhh! I'm so hungry!"

Shan Yue hurriedly got up to greet her, but someone was faster than her.

Emperor Yongping, who was usually weak and docile, suddenly straightened up, froze in place, and his pupils involuntarily dilated rapidly before shrinking again.