Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Your Highness, This Servant Takes Her Leave

After returning from Empress Gu’s quarters, the Crown Princess Consort wanted to take her child to a temple for a spiritual retreat.

The Crown Prince’s gaze landed on her. His fingers tapped rhythmically, his thoughts unreadable.

Feeling like she was being watched by a bloodthirsty beast, the Crown Princess Consort grew apprehensive.

She spoke up first. "Because of what happened to Prince Chen, the Empress has been in poor health. I thought that if she could see her grandchild, it might put her heart at ease and help her recover."

The Crown Prince frowned.

’He couldn’t understand what went on in this woman’s head. Empress Gu wasn’t even her biological mother-in-law, so why was she trying so hard to curry favor?’

’No wonder the people at the Prime Minister’s Mansion couldn’t stand her. She always did the most tactless things. How could she not be infuriating?’

The Crown Princess Consort warily watched the Crown Prince’s expression.

Before he could lose his temper, she added, as if it were an afterthought, "Seeing her today, the Empress seems to be in much better condition than she was a while ago. I suppose it’s because Prince Chen’s health is improving."

’Pei Yan was the Crown Prince’s greatest nemesis. Once his name was brought up, nothing else mattered.’

He dismissed the Crown Princess Consort from the study. "I have important matters to attend to."

The Crown Princess Consort bit her lip. "May I leave the Imperial Palace..."

"Do as you please."

The man’s face was a mask of indifference. He didn’t care where she went. The only time he ever paid her any real attention was when he suspected her of something.

Bitterness welled up in her heart.

In truth, when she first entered the Eastern Palace, she had truly thought of herself as his wife.

But reality had proven that her feelings were unrequited.

Knowing her husband was growing impatient, the Crown Princess Consort still said, "I want to take our son with me."

His reply was the same. "Do as you please."

’Once they left the Eastern Palace, they were outside his protection. If something were to happen, he would not compromise for the sake of his wife and son.’

’A person must be responsible for their own choices, mustn’t they?’

He glanced one last time at his oblivious son, his heart completely serene.

’Love for the house extends to the crow on its roof. He didn’t care about the Crown Princess Consort, so the child she bore was no different to him than a blade of grass or a random tree in the Eastern Palace.’

’Whether they lived or died, he didn’t care.’

’He fought for power for his own sake, not for some so-called heir to carry on his bloodline.’

’Once he won, he would capture Mei Wanying and bring her back.’

’He would trap her deep within the palace and make her bear him child after child.’

’Perhaps those children would be able to soften his heart.’

The Crown Prince looked forward to it.

Though she knew the Crown Prince was cold-blooded and ruthless, seeing his utter indifference still felt like a needle piercing her heart.

Holding her son, she curtsied. "Your Highness, I will take my leave."

...

No sooner had the Crown Princess Consort left the city than the Crown Prince launched his coup.

The Emperor had only ever truly considered Pei Yan his son. After Pei Yan’s incident, the Emperor was reminded of an old curse.

He felt that the heavens intended to destroy his dynasty, and consumed by worry, he fell gravely ill.

When his illness improved slightly, the Emperor suddenly reverted to his old ways, summoning woman after woman to his bed.

He was still unwilling to accept that he could no longer father a son.

To prove himself, the Emperor, despite his ailing body, summoned beautiful women to his chambers every night.

Empress Gu was furious about this. ’If her own son were still well, she would have wished for nothing more than for that faithless bastard to die in some woman’s bed.’

’But Ah Yan had yet to awaken, and the Crown Prince had yet to be deposed.’

’The Emperor could not die yet.’

When the Crown Prince’s men stormed the Imperial Palace, the Emperor was in bed with a beautiful woman.

Empress Gu was about to go find the Emperor and try to turn the tables with him when she received a secret message: her own son had awoken.

She immediately burst into tears of joy. "I knew it! Ah Yan is truly blessed. He always manages to turn peril into prosperity!"

Mrs. Feng was overjoyed as well.

’With His Highness alive, people like them had a chance of survival.’

’Otherwise, once the Crown Prince took the throne, the entire Gu Family would be doomed.’

"Your Majesty," Mrs. Feng urged, "the Imperial Palace is no longer safe. His Highness wants you to leave with us."

With a win-or-die resolve, the Crown Prince had mobilized all of his forces.

Their advance was swift and fierce; they had already broken through the palace gates.

There was a secret passage in the palace that the rebels hadn’t discovered yet. Any delay could be disastrous; if they didn’t leave now, they might not get another chance.

With no one in the palace worth staying for, Empress Gu didn’t hesitate for a second. She left via the secret passage, heading straight for the Prince Chen Mansion.

She no longer cared whether the Emperor lived or died.

’Besides, Ah Yan was more than capable. He didn’t need to rely on that heartless bastard to rightfully claim the dragon throne!’

Flames lit up the sky as blades clashed.

The stench of blood filled the Imperial City.

Outside the Imperial Palace, a grim silence fell over the mansions of the great families. Everyone was waiting for the outcome.

「In the Duke Mansion.」

Xue Yunshu had packed her bags, intending to use the chaos as a chance to flee the Capital City.

When she had been captured by the enemy, she had revealed quite a bit about Pei Yan’s military camp. While it wasn’t top-secret information, she still had a guilty conscience.

Now that fighting had broken out, she had no idea how things would end.

After her capture, Xue Yunshu had lost her obsession with marrying into a powerful family. All she wanted now was to save her own skin.

As long as she was alive, anything was possible.

With a bundle on her back, she limped toward the mansion gates. Her leg had been broken in the enemy camp, and without timely treatment, she had been left with a permanent limp.

At first, Xue Yunshu couldn’t accept it, convinced she would be a laughingstock upon her return to the Capital City.

By the time she returned to the capital, Xue Xingyao had already been married off to someone in a different province.

She heard that in order to rescue her, her father had caused Xue Xingyao to lose face on her wedding day.

This restored Xue Yunshu’s sense of balance, and she finally came to accept the fact that one of her legs was now useless.

Xue Yunshu ambled slowly toward the exit, with no one stopping her. A quick-witted young maid, however, ran to the main courtyard to report to Mrs. Xue.

"Where is she going?"

"The eldest young miss didn’t say, but she packed her gold and silver jewelry. It looks like she’s preparing for a long journey."

Mrs. Xue knew better than anyone how vain Xue Yunshu was and how desperately she wanted to marry up.

For her to now abandon all hope of wealth and glory and try to leave without a word... something was very wrong.

’Could it be she’s done something she can’t admit to, and her conscience is getting the better of her?’

’Xue Yunshu was so thick-skinned it was unparalleled. Unless she had gotten herself into serious trouble, she was the type to argue that black was white; she would never run away from home.’

Mrs. Xue’s expression turned grave. "Stop her! Lock her back in her courtyard and don’t let her take a single step out of this mansion!"

’No matter what she’s done, detaining her is the right move.’

’It would prevent them from having to take the blame for her if something really had happened!’

With their orders, two burly servant women gave chase and, moments later, dragged Xue Yunshu back to her courtyard.

Xue Yunshu threw a fit, demanding to be let out. "I’m going to go out and tend to the wounded! You can’t lock me in here! This is tantamount to murder!"

One of the women rolled her eyes. "Tend to the wounded? We’d be grateful if you just stopped causing trouble! Behave yourself!"

Xue Yunshu was locked in the mansion, unable to leave, but her strange behavior had thoroughly aroused Mrs. Xue’s suspicions.

Fearing that Xue Yunshu would drag the family into a bloodbath, Mrs. Xue went to find Duke Xue herself.

She asked him about the negotiations he’d had with the enemy.

"You’re just a woman. Why do you concern yourself with such matters?"

Duke Xue was displeased. "You need only manage the household and raise our children. You don’t need to worry about anything else."

’As if she wanted to worry! But this father-daughter duo was always making a mess of things!’

"She suddenly throws a tantrum and tries to run away, and you don’t find that strange?"

For a moment, Duke Xue looked uncomfortable. "Don’t overthink it. Prince Chen routed the enemy and rescued her. We did not collude with the enemy. Even if the sky falls, it will have nothing to do with us!"

’Regarding the matter of passing messages, he too had just been used by the Crown Prince.’

’He was innocent!’