Epilogue (2/2)

“I do not blame, you are doing it for my own good, but I just want to know, she……exactly is she……” A sudden shortness of breath disrupts his words, the Empress silently listens, half her body turning numb, kneeling down on the ice cold floor, only her delicate figure stands amongst this huge hall, such desolation difficult to describe.

“For- forget it……you withdraw, I don’t want to know,” The one behind the curtains heavily breaths, such breathing already using up all the energy in him, his throat hoa.r.s.e, spending a long time trying to get the words out, he is finally able to say with great difficulty:

“These years, it has been difficult for you.”

How could the Empress possibly hold back anymore, the tears streaming down, she cover her face, pus.h.i.+ng her body up, hastily stumbling out in leaving the hall.

The sunlight outside the hall s.h.i.+ning bright, bringing the brilliance of spring to an end, warmth harmoniously fills the air. The servants within the courtyard are all being sent away, she looks over this empty yard, wailing aloud.

An entire lifetime of tears, seeming to be used in this one moment.

This one cry took up an entire hour, the moment she snaps out of it, the skies were already dark, it is already evening. The flowing tears from her eyes coming to an end, and only now does her heart feel lighter. Thinking over the situation in Yu Gan Hall today, heart like an understanding mirror, able to make out the meaning. Hand reaching into her sleeves, tightly gripping onto the light paper, she slowly walks out of the courtyard to this hall.

Stepping out the main doors, a group of eunuchs and palace maids had long been waiting, seeing someone appear, a ma.s.s of dark heads kneels down. The Empress extremely exhausted, waves her hand as she says: “Return.”

Every person gasps, a few palace maids steps forward, upon getting a clear look of the Empress’ state, they were all shocked, not daring to say much, serving the Empress with great caution. The remaining people performs their respective duties, guarding outside Yu Gan Hall. The Empress’ body grew weak and numb, leaving the palace maids to support her, as they take a few steps out, once again turning her head back, the red lacquer and gold doors were deeply sombre, no longer able to restore its previous brilliance, as though purple smoke had been casted on it, dark and cold, the night skies like paint, giving rise to a chill in her heart, heart rolling like waves, but unable to explain why she is feeling like this.

Back to Feng Ye, the lanterns already lit up, scattering across the courtyard like bright little pearls. The palace maids withdraws to the sides, the Empress alone sits within the palace hall, watching the waving candlelights, casting a colour of silver brilliance onto the walls, whilst she herself silently enters deep thoughts.

It is in this moment a palace maid jogs in, the Empress greatly irritated, coldly says: “Did I not tell you all to withdraw?” The palace maid immediately kneels down, taking on this unpleasant task of reporting: “Head Eunuch De has been requesting an audience in the front hall for a while.”

The Empress turns her eyes, looking at the shadow the lanterns had casted in the front hall, saying: “Allow him in.” The palace maid sounds a reply and withdraws, not long after, De Yu in a body of scarlet red robes slowly paces in, without raising his eyes, he respectfully bows down.

“What matters does De gong-gong have?” These past few years, the only person whose words can get through to Zheng Liu is him, because of this, the Empress has always maintained politeness towards him.

“Your highness, the Imperial Lin Army’s commander upon receiving your highness’ decree, has been waiting outside the palace for half a day.” De Yu says.

The Empress knits her brows together, only now does she recall the decree set in case of any emergencies, saying: “Allow him to withdraw.” De Yu upon hearing the orders, does not move, steadily remains standing before the hall. The Empress seeing him with not the slightest of response, could not help but be angered, cold eyes shooting towards him: “My orders, did you not hear it?”

“This little one believes that the right course of action is for your highness to have the Imperial Lin Army’s general to remain ready on standby outside the palace.” De Yu speaks with a neutral tone, neither high nor low, clean and clear like a jaded bird, not hurried nor slow as he speaks, putting one at ease.

The Empress’ wrath, was originally about to erupt, but once De Yu had finished speaking, upon thinking more carefully, it indeed makes sense, suppressing the anger within, the Empress asks: “What’s the reason?”

De Yu raises his head, skin fair and bright, brows and eyes show righteousness, as he lowly says: “Prince Duan is currently in Qu Zhou, only two days journey from the Capital, only if your highness takes advantage of this timing to grasp hold of the Capital’s military power now, would Prince Duan not be able to act recklessly……”

The Empress was greatly shocked, blurting out: “His majesty, his majesty is still here……you……”

De Yu’s pitch black pupils meets with the Empress’ panic-stricken eyes, sternly saying: “Could it be the imperial physician did not tell your highness, his majesty is already unable to get up these days, only today did his spirits liven up, can only be afraid……” He swallows back the remaining words, attentively looking over the Empress, seeing her seem to be concerned, and not showing any trace of anger, he immediately continues to speak, “Your highness may not have taken precaution for the rainy days ahead, but the best way to go is to take preventive measures. By taking control of all imperial guards within the Capital, those with ambitious heart, even worse, those with sinister intentions, will be brought to a deadlock within the Capital, your hands will also be gaining an additional bargaining chip in face of struggles, more importantly, gaining precious timing to seek help from across the land.”

The Empress does not speak, eyeing De Yu from head to toe, cannot help but to grow suspicious, he was never one who served her, nor has he ever gained anything from her, why is everything he is doing, helping her? Every word spoke, is to plan things out for her……

“These five years, his majesty greatly ill, bad tempered, when I have matters to report, it is often gong-gong who gave way to me, also pitching in good words to his majesty very often, today gong-gong has even hurried here to plan ahead for me, gong-gong’s deeds, truly makes me puzzled.”

De Yu faintly smiles, the Empress’ eyes fixed onto him, her head slightly lowered, the pearls by her ears swaying, giving rise to silver lighting under the lanterns, that side profile, is exactly like that one person in his memory, who also lowers her head in smiling like this, and also carries a hint of faint silver lighting. De Yu slightly falls into a trance, due to having recalled certain matters and happenings, he has slightly frozen in sorrow, his mouth unknowingly answering: “Entrusted by another.”

The Empress’ brows jumps up: “Who?”

The hall filled with deeply still air, echoing her sound of “who”, De Yu stands still with not a word, the Empress’ eyes like a bright blade circling around him. Thinking without stop deep inside, the breeze during spring night as though carrying a sharp chill, whistling into the hall, causing the lanterns to sway in a disorderly manner, disturbing the lighting within. Thousands and thousands of thoughts and clues flas.h.i.+ng by the mind, the Empress’ heart thrown into chaos, only feeling that she is missing something, suddenly, a lightning flash pa.s.ses.

“It’s her!” She lowly cries out.

This ball of mess has been unravelled, gaze deadly set on the bowing De Yu, her heart feeling as though a knife has ripped an opening in it, many many things, one by one falling out onto the ground, her heart is clear, at the same time feels lighter, lighter than a feather.

“So it is you, so it is you, I alone, how could I possibly keep away the news from his majesty, so it was you who aided me from the shadows,” The Empress bitterly laughs, “No wonder his majesty does not know, that’s right, in this palace, only you are able……”

De Yu sees her eyes look far away, suddenly solemn, a pair of autumn-like eyes reflecting countless number of things, the things weighing her down is too much, making one feel pressured, not daring to watch intently, he calls out: “Your highness.”

The Empress does not answer, hand on her head as she softly sighs, motionless for a long time, after a long moment, does she remember something, suddenly raising her head, saying: “Back then did his majesty investigate her? Did she really draw out that stick?” This voice directly bursting out from her chest, desperately quick, leaving her to pant.

“Yes. Because Prime Minister Lou looked into it first, his majesty also sent for people to look into the matter, according to the investigator’s reports, that day at the temple, all wors.h.i.+ppers gathered, the young monks made a little mistake, knocking over two kau chim pots, the sticks mixed together, there were two people who drew out the stick.”

“Two people? Who was the other person?”

“Yao Ying.”

The Empress grips onto her own sleeve, her mind tightening, with the mentioning of this name, her heart cannot help but to sense pain, as though it is a thorn that had been stuck in her heart from a long time ago, even with the pa.s.sing of time, one touch will still bring her pain. Her eyes looking into the distance, pa.s.sing through the many courtyards, seeming to have flew faraway, above that brightly yellow large hall, to the already gravely ill emperor.

She cannot help thinking, within that emperor’s lifetime, his fake love, given to Yao Ying, his true love, given to Gui Wan, only she, real or fake, was given nothing.

Glamorous years flowing by like water, her lifetime, only comes down to this imperial palace in the night, and also the thin imperial decree in her sleeve.

“Your highness,” De Yu seeing her face turn ashen, hurriedly speaks, “Your highness must be prepared for the future, Crown Prince still needs your protection.”

The Empress is startled awake by the two words of “Crown Prince”, sitting up straight, she lightly grits her teeth, a chilly voice asking: “Then what was the results of the investigations? Exactly what makes the Emperor Swallow Stick so miraculous?”

De Yu lets a shallow smile float to the corner of his lips, shaking his head: “Your highness’ heart knows very well, so why continue to ask? What the investigator had reported back then, only one matter, I had kept away, not reporting it to his majesty.” From his waist he takes out an embroidered pouch, greyish pink satin, embroidered with cloud-like patterns, above it are golden ta.s.sels hanging, gently swaying in the wind, it appears to be well cherished, always kept by his side. From it, he takes out a snow clear silk fabric, folded into a little square. He takes two steps forward, pa.s.sing it to the Empress: “This is the note that came with news of the Emperor Swallow.”

The hand pa.s.sing it over is only a small distance away, she presses her lips together, face turning a little green, not daring to take it, that is a type of fear, fearing that this type of fate that makes her envious, can be shown to her so easily.

In this moment of her hesitation, a sharp ringing suddenly sounds from outside, the sounds are rapid and instable, instantly spreading throughout the entire imperial palace, piercing through the calm night. Inside the palace, there are people shouting, crying, unable to make out their voices. The Empress’ body trembles, her mouth turns dry, something seems to have lightly drift past her ears, yet she hears absolutely nothing. De Yu lightly sighs, taking back the note in hand. His gesture instable, the thin silk fabric drifts to the ground from his hand, yet he does not pick it up, freezing on the spot.

A palace maid breathlessly runs into the hall, face drenched in tears, crying as she speaks: “His ma-……his majesty…….pa.s.sed away!”

The Empress opens her mouth, but says nothing. Only inhaling the cold air, the chill travelling into her body, filling her heart. She clutches onto her chest, afraid that any moment now, her heart will stop beating, touching her chest, there, it is also ice cold, body s.h.i.+vering.

She feels as though her alive and beating heart had just gotten a piece cut out of it, such numbing pain, too late to cry out loud, the tears in her eyes already cried dry, right now, only sensing astringent pain in her eyes.

She in his heart, be it real or fake, does not take up any s.p.a.ce, gaining only a t.i.tle. But now that he has gone, does she know, how much of her heart he had occupied. He is no more, her very last support is also no more, a scene of chaos before her eyes, vast emptiness behind her, all is empty.

“Your highness, your highness……” The palace maid shouts out aghast, seeing the Empress stare ahead, such state so chilling, so horrifying. De Yu steps forward, patting the Empress’ back, deep voice advising: “Your highness must take care, you still have Crown Prince.” The Empress catches her breath, unable to emit a sound, she grabs onto De Yu’s hand, long nails drawing red marks on the back of his hand.

“Gong-gong a.s.sist me!”

De Yu reads the words from her lips, solemnly nodding.

Tears slowly falls from the corner of her eyes, she thought that she no longer had anymore tears to cry out, turns out this thing called tears, also has no end, inexhaustible. The lanterns hanging from eaves sways to the wind, the lighting dimmed, reflected on everyone’s faces, also brings to light the dejection, carrying a mournful colour. After a long time, regaining her senses, she exerts some strength with her hands, pus.h.i.+ng herself up. De Yu supports her from the side.

She has no time to be wailing, nor is there any time to be sorrowful, only in this moment, not knowing how many pairs of eyes in the Capital are simply watching on, how many sparkling hearts are beating. Should she spend this time weeping, her husband’s imperial throne, her son’s fate……what will become of it?

She cannot stall here.

“Come, prepare the sedan!” She speaks up, voice abnormally hoa.r.s.e, suppressed, yet also extremely firm.

De Yu supports her arm, step by step heading down the hall.

That plain white note gets stepped on by her as she pa.s.ses, yet she does not notice this in the slightest, eyes set straight ahead, each step more steady than the other, each step more certain than the other, each step more graceful than the other.

The hall doors of Feng Ye are slowly closed behind her, sounding gezhi gezhi.

The lanterns within the hall all put out, quiet with not the slightest sound, the wind rustling by like screeching cries, the entire sky black, heavily falling upon the hall, only leaving behind that little touch of a pale white note, as thin as onion skin.

Only two lines written on it:

The swallows of the former n.o.ble families, has now flew into the homes of the common people.[1]

[1] Lines from the poem Wu Yi Alley by 刘禹锡 Liú Yǔ Xī

I know you guys are waiting for the ending snippet after that open ending, but honestly the final lines of this epilogue pretty much says it all haha so let us just take a little time to appreciate the empress’ character here.

So gentle and elegant but deep inside she holds conflicting feelings towards Gui Wan, the grat.i.tude towards this younger sister who has done so much for her yet there is also the mix of hate and jealousy since her husband has only ever truly loved one woman.

Yao Ying received his fake love, Gui Wan received his sincere love, only she alone receives nothing.

Many characters are all pitiful in their own ways, but I personally believe the Empress takes the cake in this one. Her entire life residing within the lonely palace walls, yet she still stands above them all, in that she chooses to stand strong for the sake of her husband’s will and for her son.

<script>