Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Inside the Imperial Garden, Fu Xingjian followed behind me. As we passed a corner, he pulled me into the shadows of a Rock Cave.

Fu Xingjian’s voice was like the still waters of a secluded lake, his emotions completely unreadable.

“The Empress did that on purpose.”

He wasn’t asking me. I had indeed intentionally brought up the Medical Records to make His Majesty slip up.

I looked up at him, cautiously reaching out to take his hand. “Xingjian, are you unhappy? This is our child.”

The corners of Fu Xingjian’s mouth curled into a mocking arc. “What does the Empress want me to do?”

I knew he was angry. I had to coax him first before discussing the real business.

I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. Fu Xingjian stood motionless. After a while, I grew tired and my body began to sink.

His strong hands supported my waist, and he lowered his head to kiss the corners of my eyes before covering my lips with his.

He didn’t let go until I was nearly breathless. Then, he used his hands to smooth the corners of my clothes.

Those hands had distinct joints, with thin calluses on two fingers from years of holding a brush.

I was extremely familiar with them.

I caught his hand and rubbed it suggestively.

Fu Xingjian stopped, sounding quite helpless. “Just what does the Empress want?”

My gaze fixed on his face. My heart was incredibly nervous, but I forced my voice to remain steady.

“Lord Fu, have you remembered the name Liu Ye?

“The Late Emperor and the current Emperor both spoke nothing but praise for Lord Fu’s calligraphy. If, in the future, it is your hand that holds the brush…”

Fu Xingjian’s expression changed instantly. His face became as cold as frost, and his voice dropped several degrees.

“Zhao Zhen, you insist on treating me like this, don’t you?

“His Majesty has only one son. There is absolutely no need for you to use me as a pawn.”

Fu Xingjian left in a fit of anger, and I hurriedly reached out to stop him.

I was too frantic and lost my balance. Even though he was furious, he still reached out and held me tight.

“Xingjian, it’s not like that. That night, I was completely sincere. Now, I’m just giving you a heads-up. For the sake of the long term, it is more appropriate for you to write it on His Majesty’s behalf.”

Fu Xingjian stood in the shadows and slowly closed his eyes. His voice was restrained and low as he said, “Empress, please go back.”

Two months later, the Emperor fell ill with an unspeakable, acute disease.

I was already eight months pregnant, so it was naturally inconvenient for me to attend to his illness.

I heard that Liu Hong’s body was covered in festering sores and the wounds were so gruesome that even the Empress Dowager was unwilling to visit him.

He became moody and volatile. He killed all the young eunuchs and executed several outspoken Imperial Physicians.

Now, no one dared to speak plainly about his condition, using only tonics to keep him clinging to life.

The affairs of the court were all supported by Fu Xingjian; he was well-acquainted with the work anyway.

Liu Hong’s illness was severe, and he didn’t want to see anyone. However, he took a peculiar liking to summoning me to the outer chamber to chat with me through the window.

“Zhen’er, is our imperial son about to be born?

“I was only scaring you when I said I’d keep the child and get rid of the mother. I want to watch him grow up with you.

“After I became Emperor, I became a very poor husband. Will you forgive me?”

Hearing Liu Hong’s deathbed confession, Fu Xingjian couldn’t help but frown slightly.

I gave him a sharp bite and whispered dissatisfiedly, “Lord Fu, don’t get distracted.”

Fu Xingjian freed a hand to gently rub my waist, then leaned down to give me a kiss as light as a dragonfly skimming the water.

The Emperor only had a few days left. Fu Xingjian inevitably had to keep watch in the outer chamber, and I was called over every day to listen to Liu Hong’s nonsense.

Bored out of my mind, I decided to pass the time with the Minister.

Fu Xingjian didn’t dare make a sound, and fearing he might hurt me if he struggled, he could only let me indulge in my ridiculous antics.

“Lord Fu looks so upright and pure, yet he dares to dally with the current Empress behind a wall. How bold.”

Teasing Fu Xingjian was one of the great joys of my life.

His face was flushed and his expression tender, yet his body was tense, not allowing me to provoke him any further.

A few days later, on a snowy night, I successfully gave birth to an imperial prince. He was the child of Fu Xingjian and me.

I couldn’t help but shed tears as a weight lifted from my heart. I had someone take away the baby boy I had prepared beforehand.

Upon hearing the news, Liu Hong regained some spirit. He walked to the door himself and told the palace attendants he wanted to see Liu Ye. The Imperial Physicians could not stop him.

On that night of wind and snow, Liu Hong sat on his palanquin with a smile still on his face. “Quickly, I want to see the Crown Prince.”

By the time they reached the gates of the Empress’s palace, the attendants discovered that His Majesty had already closed his eyes. He had passed away just like that.

Fu Xingjian, dressed in purple robes, stood beneath the palace eaves. In a clear, loud voice, he read the Imperial Edict, passing the throne to the eldest legitimate son, Liu Ye.

I woke up slowly, feeling incredibly thirsty. I reached for some tea by the bedside.

Instead, I saw the three-piece set for a bestowed death laid out by my pillow: a white silk cord, poisoned wine, and a dagger.