258 Untitled (2/2)
When Meng Fuyao came back to her senses, she apologized sheepishly, ”I'm sorry, old people tend to reminisce often.”
Shadow Blade shook his head and didn't say anything further. The two of them sat in silence as they ate, but Meng Fuyao felt that the silence was rather comforting and peaceful. The person opposite her wasn't the boisterous kind; he had a kind of cold loneliness, yet within that coldness, she felt a warmth that was given only to her.
After a while, he said, ”Got any new year's wish?”
Meng Fuyao sucked on the tip of her chopsticks as she thought for a moment, her eyes brightening and darkening as she thought.
Finally, she said, ”I wish for my dream to come true, and for everyone, I love to live well.”
Shadow Blade lowered his eyelids and slowly drank his soup. Meng Fuyao asked, ”What about you?”
Shadow Blade fell silent, and Meng Fuyao didn't press any further.
After the two of them had finished eating, Meng Fuyao smiled and said, ”We have to rest now, the night may not be safe.”
Picking up a stuffed Lord Yuan Bao, she turned to leave. She was about to reach the door when she heard Shadow Blade murmur, ”I wish that someone will always be there to accompany you every year.”
Someone to accompany her every year.
Who was that someone?
Carrying Lord Yuan Bao in her arms, she stared listlessly into the darkness, thinking of the passionate yet cold man who had just spoken that line. The faint silhouette of the Imperial Palace of Xuanyuan could be faintly seen.
That palace… That kind of beginning and ending, what was he thinking of all the time?
Meng Fuyao sighed as the wintry wind carried her breath away.
It was already deep into the night.
”Report—”
The sound of hurried footsteps and an urgent terrified voice pierced through the silence of the night. Countless people were rushing around between Chongxing Palace and Cheng Ming Palace. The sound of terrible crying could also be heard faintly.
Meng Fuyao smiled in the dark.
She pushed open the door and stepped out. As she stood atop the steps, a sweat-soaked eunuch from Consort Shu's palace was kneeling at the bottom of the steps. She called out coldly, ”Why are you making such a ruckus this late into the night?”
”Replying Your Grace…” The eunuch's face was twisted with fear, and even his voice had changed as he said, ”Something, something has happened to Consort Shu!”
Meng Fuyao frowned and said immediately, ”Prepare to head to Jinyun Palace!”
When she arrived, Jinyun Palace was already filled with people. Xuanyuan Min and the other concubines had already arrived. The hall was packed with doctors, and the corpse of Consort Shu had already turned cold.
Meng Fuyao rushed into the brightly lit inner palace and caught Xuanyuan Min's eye. Then, she said loudly, ”Who were the ones serving Consort Shu tonight? They should be beaten to death—”
”Have mercy, Your Grace!” Consort Shu's lady-in-waiting had been stripped of her dress, and she knelt on the ground, crying uncontrollably as she dragged her knees and came in front of Meng Fuyao. ”Your Grace, it wasn't me, my Lady had gotten a stomach ache after eating the chicken slices given by Consort Jade…”
Meng Fuyao suddenly turned around and glanced at the Jade Consort Jian Xue, who had already been stripped of her crown. Jian Xue looked unapologetic and defiant as she knelt on the ground. ”That dish was given by me, but it was personally prepared by the Consort Xian herself,” she said.
”Consort Jade!” Consort Xian screamed, her face green with anger.
Similarly, Meng Fuyao berated, ”Consort Jade, don't accuse others blindly—”
Consort Xian was stunned and stared suspiciously at Meng Fuyao. However, Meng Fuyao turned and bowed to Xuanyuan Min. ”May Your Majesty make the decision,” she said.
”The harem is your business,” replied Xuanyuan Min. ”I am very sad… I want to see my beloved consort one more time, ah, my Consort Shu…”
The cross-dressing emperor flung himself towards Consort Shu and began to act. Meng Fuyao had gotten impatient and said, ”Send Consort Jade for interrogation. Since Consort Xian is a suspect, she is temporarily forbidden from leaving her palace.”
”Why am I forbidden?” Consort Xian was enraged. ”Does Your Grace suspect me?”
”Can you prove your innocence right now?” Meng Fuyao met her glare steadily. ”I am approaching this matter in the most impartial way, if you have something to say, I recommend that you say it at the Zongzheng temple.”
”Hmph!” Consort Xian continued glaring at her. Seeing that Xuanyuan Min was still ”grieving over the corpse,” she spat, ”You barbaric empress, one day…”
Meng Fuyao smiled and asked, ”One day, what?”
Consort Xian opened and closed her mouth, but no words came out. She turned around promptly and left, slamming the palace doors loudly as she left.
Meng Fuyao smiled faintly and said, ”Consort Xian has such a bad temper.”
All the other consorts and concubines dared not say a word. Meng Fuyao continued, ”Consort Hua, stay behind and comfort His Majesty, do not let his grief affect his health.”
Consort Hua immediately agreed happily while Concubine Yao looked on with envy—Xuanyuan Min had flipped her tag that night and had just felt her body and praised her for having supple and snow-like skin, even promising to promote her as Consort Snow. Now that such a turn of events had occurred, her ambitions were shattered.