“One person once failed to understand and now understands. The other once understood, but now willingly chooses not to. Brother Xuan, perhaps the ending will not turn out entirely as you wish.”
Even after Nalan Xuan had gone far from the Cold Palace, He Yilan’s faintly smiling voice, tinged with helplessness and reflection, continued echoing in his ears, clear and lingering.
No one could change his decision. No one could defy the ending that had already been set, not even Nalan Xuan himself. Once this game had begun, there was no retreat. Just as before, he had knowingly and deliberately placed himself inside the game, and today, fully aware of what he was doing, he was once again refusing to spare even himself.
The moment Nalan Xuan stepped through the gates of Fengyi Palace, Xiao Jiu and He Xiang, who had hurried forward behind him hoping to curry favor, were frightened into retreating several steps. Even a fool could clearly feel the murderous irritation radiating from him, much less people like them who had risen precisely by learning to read every expression and mood.
“Master.” At a time like this, Ji Yu was the only one who dared approach him. It was not that he could not feel Nalan Xuan’s anger and agitation. But one look around revealed everyone else trembling, shrinking back, and remaining silent as cicadas in winter, so Ji Yu had no choice but to force himself forward. “Mo Yan came with a message from His Majesty. His Majesty will take the midday meal at Fengyi Palace.”
Since the outcome had already been decided and could neither be changed nor avoided, rather than wait for some unknown perfect moment, he might as well give it a push himself.
“Did you bring back the medicine I told you to get from the Imperial Medical Bureau?” Nalan Xuan held a cup of tea in one hand while casually smoothing his loose hair with the other. Feng Xuanyi had more than once wanted him to appear publicly with his natural silver-white hair, but after Nalan Xuan repeatedly refused, Feng Xuanyi had stopped insisting. Even so, every time Feng Xuanyi saw his hair dyed black and falling like a waterfall, his expression always became strangely complicated.
“Yes. It’s already been placed in the small kitchen.” Ji Yu’s eyes darted rapidly, but he ultimately answered truthfully.
“Then brew it. Make it very strong.” A cruel curve blossomed at the corner of Nalan Xuan’s lips, leaving all three of them deeply unsettled.
From early that morning, Feng Xuanyi had felt inexplicably uneasy, his heart racing as though something were about to happen. Throughout the entire morning court, he had been unable to sit still or concentrate on what was being said. His brows remained tightly drawn, making even the officials beneath the throne nervous. After court ended, several ministers who had not finished talking followed him into the Imperial Study and continued droning on without end. Feng Xuanyi felt a headache coming on and could not shake the sense that something was wrong. While the ministers rambled, his attention began to wander.
“Tell the empress I will take the midday meal with him today.”
“Yes.” Mo Yan accepted the order and quietly withdrew from the Imperial Study. Not long afterward, he slipped back inside from the side and resumed his place beside Feng Xuanyi.
Whether Feng Xuanyi saw him return or simply did not care was impossible to tell. One hand supported his head while the other traced idle circles over the patterns carved into the imperial seal. The furrow between his brows had not eased in the slightest.
As though only belatedly realizing someone was beside him, Feng Xuanyi turned his face slightly. His raised hand happened to block the ministers’ view and conceal most of his face. Lowering his voice, he repeated, “I’m taking lunch at Fengyi Palace today.”
Mo Yan froze, apparently unable to react. He stared blankly at Feng Xuanyi for a long moment before confirming that the emperor truly was speaking to him. Then he bowed slightly and replied, “Your Majesty, this servant has already gone there. Her Majesty the Empress happened to be out, but Fengyi Palace has been informed and will prepare everything in advance. Your Majesty may rest assured.”
Feng Xuanyi also froze at that. After a long while, he turned away rather awkwardly, still seeming somewhat distracted, and continued staring blankly out the window.
Perhaps the ministers had finally exhausted themselves, or perhaps they had realized the emperor’s mind was elsewhere. In any case, they collectively abandoned their attempt to continue nagging him and withdrew one after another.
With the officials chattering around him, Feng Xuanyi had felt irritated. Once everything fell silent, however, he felt even more unsettled. He vaguely sensed that something was wrong with him today but could not explain what. Abandoning the mountain of state affairs waiting for him, he rose and headed straight for Fengyi Palace.
Mo Yan stared blankly after Feng Xuanyi for a long moment before finally coming back to himself. He turned toward the rows of palace attendants and guards outside, all of whom looked equally stunned, and shouted in agitation, “What are you still standing there for? Hurry and follow! Prepare the procession for Fengyi Palace!”
Feng Xuanyi gathered all his internal strength and raced ahead with an icy expression. How could Mo Yan and the others possibly keep pace? They ran after him so hard their feet barely seemed to touch the ground, not daring to shout aloud, wishing they could tuck themselves into balls and simply roll after him.
Mo Yan was left panting behind, while Feng Xuanyi, still grim-faced at the front, swept directly into Fengyi Palace. With a wave of his hand, he shoved open the hall doors and happened to see Nalan Xuan lowering a porcelain bowl. A trace of pale brown liquid still clung to the corner of his lips. The faint medicinal scent lingering in the air made Feng Xuanyi’s expression turn even uglier, carving three deep vertical furrows between his brows.
When Xiao Jiu had first been ordered by the empress to obtain abortion medicine, he had gone in utter confusion. When ordered again to brew it, his heart had pounded with questions, but he had obediently done as told. Then, when Nalan Xuan snatched up the bowl without the slightest hesitation and drained it in full view of everyone, Xiao Jiu felt as though lightning had struck from a clear sky. His mouth had only just opened when the doors were violently shoved apart. Backlit by the doorway, the newcomer’s face could not be seen clearly, but there was no mistaking those bright yellow imperial robes. Although Xiao Jiu had merely obeyed orders, he suddenly felt as though catastrophe had descended upon his head. His legs gave way and he collapsed to his knees, mouth working uselessly for a long time before he finally stammered, “Y-Your Majesty… this servant greets Your Majesty…”
Ji Yu and He Xiang froze, then their knees also buckled as they dropped to the floor with a thud.
Seeing them react that way sent Feng Xuanyi’s already suspended heart plunging straight to the bottom. His face turned a terrifying shade of ashen white.
“Leave.” To the three of them, that single word was deliverance. Ji Yu remained relatively composed and, although trembling continuously, could still walk out on his own. Xiao Jiu and He Xiang could barely stand and had to support each other just to move.
The doors closed with a soft creak, as though cutting off their final thread of hope. The instant they shut, even the air seemed to freeze. Perhaps it was only imagination, but the faintly bitter medicinal scent suddenly seemed much stronger.
Before Feng Xuanyi could speak, Nalan Xuan gave a light laugh. “Your Majesty’s timing is excellent. Unfortunately, you were still one step too late.”
“What did you do?” Feng Xuanyi struggled to restrain his violently pounding heart. Instinctive irritation and resistance surged through him, especially when he saw that faint, almost imperceptible smile on Nalan Xuan’s face. The ominous feeling only intensified.
Nalan Xuan rose, completely ignoring Feng Xuanyi’s dark expression. Holding the bowl, he approached one unhurried step at a time and stopped only when its rim touched Feng Xuanyi’s chest. His eyes were smiling, clear of the slightest impurity. Slowly, he raised the medicine bowl before Feng Xuanyi’s face. This was not the first time Nalan Xuan had tasted this medicine. The bitterness still lingered on his tongue, but his heart no longer felt as though it were being torn apart as it had the first time. Nalan Xuan was merely curious whether Feng Xuanyi remembered its taste as clearly as he did.