Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The wounds on Night Star's body stirred faintly, and his heart gradually grew colder.
It felt as if a light touch could freeze a person to the core.
At this moment, within the vast palace, a heavy atmosphere permeated, yet no one noticed or knew. Empress Dowager had locked herself in Buddha Hall all day, indifferent to worldly affairs, even requiring servants to bring her meals.
The Emperor wore a gloomy expression, and the eunuch Zhang Zehai did not dare to breathe.
The other palace attendants continued their duties as usual, while the concubines still groomed themselves daily, anticipating the Emperor's arrival. However, this Emperor remained sullen all day long; despite being young and handsome, around twenty years old, he appeared unusually heavy and serious.
An unexpected guest arrived at the palace. This guest was heavily veiled and claimed to possess a token from the Night Family, requesting an audience with the Emperor.
Zhang Zehai rushed in to report, and in an instant, the Emperor guessed who it was. A strong sense of unease surged within him; although he did not know why this person had come in such a hurry, he understood it must be related to that day's events.
"Let him in; wait for me in the study," the Emperor said quietly, but his voice trembled uncontrollably.
"But, Your Majesty, we do not know who has come. We cannot be sure if they pose a threat to your safety..." Zhang Zehai hesitated, his eyes flickering with anxiety.
"Do what you are supposed to do and do not speak unnecessarily. I know who he is."
Li Ye coldly interrupted, revealing clear disdain in his gaze—an emotion that could instill fear.
Zhang Zehai dared not say more and turned to leave.
In the Imperial Study, fragrant incense wafted through the air, creating an atmosphere of profound stillness enveloped in seriousness.
Finally, the Emperor spoke first, "What brings you here, Old General?" His voice was extremely cold, laced with intense anger yet not overtly displayed.
The man removed his veil and lifted the hood from his head, revealing a handsome face marked by age and wrinkles, exuding a masculine aura and a commanding presence that suggested he was a seasoned warrior with extensive life experience.
He chuckled softly, "Your Majesty, I have come for the matter of that day."
His voice was deep and heavy, tinged with a hint of sorrow. This inexplicable sadness caused the emperor's heart to tremble, and in an instant, many figures and events flashed through his mind.
He even recalled the Empress Dowager's distant gaze that day, her expression of disappointment washing over him like a bucket of cold water.
"No! I refuse!" The emperor coldly rejected him, dismissing the idea outright. He raised his hand and waved his sleeve. "If Old General has come only for this matter, then please take your leave!"
With that, he made a gesture to send him away. He was the emperor; historically, emperors were often heartless.
But he was different. Even though he wanted to consider the bond of blood relations, he could not forget the Li Family's nurturing kindness or the Empress Dowager.
"What if we use Princess Fuyuan as a bargaining chip?" The Old General's voice carried a playful tone.
Li Ye suddenly looked up, seeing the deep amusement in the man's eyes—a smile that concealed other chilling intentions, making one feel uncomfortably uneasy.
"Are you threatening me?" he shouted in anger!
"Not at all!" The Old General's voice remained steady, showing no sign of fear. His eyes met Li Ye's clear starry gaze without any intention of backing down.
The emperor was the same; his gaze bore down on him intensely as his cold voice rang out again, "What have you done to her? What do you want?"
"What I want is simple; it depends on what the emperor decides to do," the Old General replied nonchalantly, his tone light as if joking, his words dismissive as if crushing an ant underfoot.
"How dare you do anything to her!" Li Ye gritted his teeth, recalling the image of that woman—her delicate features and spring-like eyes, her slender figure resembling a fragile willow in the distance.
How long has it been since he last saw her? That day at Night Family, her submissive demeanor as she bowed to him has replayed in his mind countless times.
Every smile and frown of hers, every gesture, deeply touched the softest part of his heart. But now she is in trouble; what should he do?
"Now that the world is at peace and the people are living well, what is wrong with that? Why must it be changed to the rule of Night Family? How important is this name, really? I can allow you Night Family to wear gold and silver for generations, even live in wealth and prosperity forever. What are you dissatisfied with, and on what grounds?"
Li Ye's voice trembled slightly, his chest rising and falling violently, revealing his agitation.
"Over the years, I have grown up in the palace. When has Night Family cared for me even a little? Not even a moment of warmth! Why should I treat you Night Family so generously? Just because your blood flows in my veins?"
The emperor's voice was intense, filled with a mad rage. He tightly grasped his collar, pounding his chest forcefully as he coldly questioned.
"Jiaqing..." Old General saw the emperor's frenzied state and felt a flicker of excitement. He sighed heavily, his voice laden with regret. "How could I have wanted to send you to the palace? There are circumstances you do not know about; the matter with Consort Hua was not entirely as it seems. The old emperor, due to his age and temper, could not produce an heir. To appease Consort Hua, he took you away."
"I don't believe it! Absurd! How could such absurdity exist in this world!"
Li Ye interrupted coldly, openly rejecting the claim. His gaze was sharp as he extended his hand and slammed it down on a nearby table. With a crash, various letters and documents scattered across the floor.
In an instant, white paper filled the ground, chaotic and disordered like the sorrow in his heart, overflowing and clamoring loudly as it fell to the ground in desolation.
"Back then, Consort Hua had no children and was under immense mental pressure, going mad day after day. Coincidentally, Night Family had just given birth to two sons; the Former Emperor took one of them away to adopt under Consort Hua's name, forbidding us from recognizing each other. My father suffered for twenty years."
Old General spoke with deep sorrow; after all, those who knew the truth back then were no longer alive. No one would know if he fabricated stories!
He lowered his head to hide his face, his voice tinged with weariness. The emperor imagined seeing a glimmer of moisture in Old General's murky eyes.
"How could this be possible? How could my father do something so absurd! If that's the case, wouldn't Li Family's bloodline be impure? Such an act of destroying one's own family is something no one would easily commit!"
He coldly questioned, leaving no room for sentiment in his words.
"Ah, back in the day, the Former Emperor doted on Consort Hua immensely. This is well-known; even if Consort Hua wanted the sun from the sky, the Former Emperor would find a way to pluck it down for her. Your Majesty, do you not believe this?
If you do not believe it, you can ask the old maids who worked in this palace back then. They can tell you how glorious it was when Consort Hua was favored and had her own quarters."
He spoke quietly, as if recounting an ancient tale.
"I..." The Emperor was momentarily at a loss for words. Indeed, if the Emperor favored someone greatly, what would it matter if that person desired the world?
Just like how he loved Mo Xier; even if he lost his entire reputation to be with her, what of it? For the sake of being with her for a lifetime, he would willingly pay any price.
"Back then, Consort Hua knew her time was short and secretly swapped you with the current Empress Dowager's child. Although I do not know what ultimately happened to the Empress Dowager's biological son at Consort Hua's hands,
even though these details remain unknown, I still know that you are of our Night Family bloodline! The Former Emperor was hot-tempered and anxious; you must have seen this when you were old enough to understand, right?"
The Old General noticed a change in the Emperor's expression, as if he was beginning to believe. In this moment of doubt, he couldn't help but deliver another strong reminder. "You are of our Night Family bloodline!
Tell me, when you and the Empress Dowager were alone and helpless in the palace, who supported you? Who extended a helping hand in your darkness? It was the Chancellor! And who ultimately assisted your ascension? It was our Night Family's Military Authority!"
The Emperor trembled slightly and instinctively stepped back, beads of sweat forming on his forehead and trickling down his cheeks. For a moment, he felt overwhelmed and began to breathe heavily.
"Tell me, if not for your own flesh and blood, who would help you like this?"
The Old General pressed on aggressively, using familial ties as leverage.
"What should I do?" The Emperor's eyes revealed confusion; the bright yellow robes he wore suddenly seemed dull and glaring in his eyes.
"Listen to me, transform the world from the Li Family to the Night Family, and place all Military Authority in the hands of me and the Chancellor. The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Justice will be managed by the Chancellor, and matters regarding personnel selection in the court will be entrusted to the Chancellor's son."
The Old General said calmly, appearing indifferent, yet he had already made plans for all of this.
"Have you been planning this for a long time?" The Emperor felt a slight chill at these words, his heart filled with indescribable shock, though his expression remained calm and composed.
This time, his question was met with a long silence in the air; the Old General seemed unwilling to answer such a heavy question.
"Are you trying to strip me of my power? Tell me, has this been planned for a long time?"
Li Ye pressed on, his eyes filled with frenzied anger. He shot a cold glare at the Old General, his gaze sharp like a sword, like a raging venomous snake.
The Old General lowered his head, remaining silent for a long time, seemingly unsure how to respond. Finally, when he raised his head again, there was hatred in his eyes—clear and intense hatred. His aged voice carried no emotion, even sounding somewhat vicious.
"It was he who tore us apart back then; now I seek revenge. I want to turn this world upside down. Even if I have to rest underground, I want him to know how cruel his actions were."
For a moment, there were no words. The intense hatred that surged from his eyes oddly made the Emperor feel a sense of familiarity.
It was a feeling of being remembered and missed, which inexplicably brought him a sense of comfort—an unaccountable feeling of safety that felt so soothing and warm.
"I understand now. You may leave; I will think this over carefully."
The Emperor waved his hand wearily, stepping on the white papers scattered on the ground as he walked to the desk. The coldness beneath him seemed to transmit into his heart, making it feel weary and cold as well.
Comment 0 Comment Count