55 Ye Cheng Fu

FlamingoBees

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

Ye Cheng Fu

Chapter 55:

"On the second day, a scholar caused a disturbance in a teahouse and inadvertently revealed that the damage in Yun and Hui was not as severe as reported, and that he had been paid to create a scene to frame the Shu family. Once this was known, the public opinion in Chu capital turned wildly against the Empress.

"The next day, Liucheng stood up to accuse the imprisoned Shangguan Wanqing of being detained by Shangguan Yun. She informed me that your mother had instructed her to stand down. Shortly after, I received a letter from Shangguan Liuqing, stating that she would return to Chu capital on the morning of the 18th. I then learned that your mother had mobilized five thousand cavalry. With your escape, it seemed clear that your mother planned to first sway public opinion, then have you escape. When Shangguan Liuqing enters the city on the 18th, she would clear your name for the murder of Shangguan Liulan, then place the blame on Shu Lin and Yun, and finally use the five thousand cavalry and public opinion to coerce the Emperor into releasing Shu Huang. If the Empress refused, your mother would directly stage a coup and use the Empress as leverage over the lords."

© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

He looked up at me, his gaze devoid of emotion. "Is that correct?"

"You know everything..." I forced a bitter smile. "Then the Empress must know too."

He didn't respond, lowering his head. I felt a cold emptiness inside. If the Empress was aware of mother's mobilization, she must have made preparations. It seemed likely that mother’s plan might fail...

But the Empress wouldn’t kill her, given the blood oath. The real fear was that he might treat her the same way he has treated me.

Severed limbs... I shuddered at the thought of my mother being subjected to such a fate, and the image of Bai Shaotang’s death flashed in my mind, painting everything in blood.

"I thought the Empress was unaware," Shen Ye suddenly spoke.

I looked up abruptly, staring at him in disbelief.

"The intelligence the Empress received was all from me. I did not inform the Empress about your mother’s military mobilization."

"Why..." I stammered. He gave a bitter smile but did not answer directly. Instead, he turned his head and said, "However, I was sure the Empress knew later on, because the person who delivered the message to you that day was one of the Empress' people."

"What are you saying?" I asked in shock. Shen Ye lowered his gaze and said, "The people in Yangxin Palace are all handpicked by me. No one other than the Empress could have delivered a message in there. After torturing her, I found out that she was indeed one of the Empress' people. If the Empress can impersonate Bai Shaotang, then she must know that I hadn't shared this information with her. So whether or not the Empress knows your mother’s plans, I'm not certain. But don't worry, I sent a message to Shangguan Liuqing yesterday. She won't come alone."

"Shangguan Liuqing..." I licked my dry lips, feeling uneasy. "Will she... will she help us?"

Shangguan's family has a military camp one day's journey from Chu capital, with twenty thousand troops. However, without orders, bringing the troops into the city would be considered rebellion. Shangguan Liuqing has no strong ties with the Shu family, so...

"She will," Shen Ye replied calmly. "Because Huanxi and Zheng Can are in my hands."

"Huanxi? Who is Huanxi?" I asked, confused. Shen Ye smiled and said, "Huanxi is to Shangguan Liuqing what you are to me. Besides, Shangguan Liuqing knows she owes Shangguan Liulan and will carry on her will."

"Shen Ye..." At this point, I could no longer hold back. "Aren't you... the Empress' person?"

He did not respond immediately, lowering his eyes. After a moment, he reached out and took my hand.

His hand was icy, like a block of ice. As soon as it touched me, he frowned and then closed his eyes, as if enduring intense pain.

The sound of barking dogs came from outside. He suddenly opened his eyes, withdrew his hand, and listened to the commotion outside. He immediately turned and walked back into the cave. After exploring the cave, he picked me up and carried me deeper into it. In the depths, there was a small crevice, barely large enough for one person to enter. He carried me into that small space, then sprinkled some realgar powder on me, and whispered, "No matter what happens, don’t make a sound or move!" He seemed worried that I might do something, and added, "I know you don’t trust me, but this time you have to. I won’t harm you!"

He then pulled a dagger from his chest and placed it in my hand. After a moment, he lowered his head and gave me a quick kiss, then hurriedly turned and positioned himself in front of the tiny entrance, blocking it.

The voices outside grew louder, and my anxiety intensified. I hid in the dark corner, watching him stand there, steadfast as a mountain, unmoving.

The barking of the dogs became increasingly frantic. My heart raced. After a long time, I finally heard someone push aside the grass and rush in with hunting dogs.

"Dark Emperor Shen, where have you taken Lord Shu?!" a cold, mocking voice called out, laced with a hint of amusement. "The Empress has ordered Lord Shu to be interrogated, yet you refuse to hand her over. Do you intend to defy the Empress?!"

"Lord Xu, since you've gone this far, what more can Shen Ye say?" Shen Ye's voice turned light and mocking. "Even if Shen Ye weren’t planning to betray the Empress today, would you, Lord Xu, have allowed even a shred of Shen Ye's loyalty to remain? With North Sea’s Four Killers, East Sea’s Seven Swords, and South Ring’s Twenty-Nine Sons, Lord Xu, you’ve brought so many people. You certainly think highly of Shen Ye."

"Of course," the other party sneered, "Dark Emperor Shen has taken on the Ten Killers of the Junzi Gate since he was twelve. I would never dare underestimate you. If I didn't know Dark Emperor Shen was poisoned today, would I dare be so reckless?"

Inside the cave, it was silent. Shen Ye's voice grew cold. "Did you have someone send a message to Shu Cheng?"

"Not at all," the voice took on a tone of malicious glee. "I’m merely riding the coattails of the wind. It's only a matter of time before your precious Shu Cheng poisons you."

"How did you know she intended to poison me?"

"Want to be a clear ghost, Dark Emperor Shen? I'm no fool. The more I say, the more mistakes I make. Shen Ye, you should surrender."

“I won’t let you suffer,” Shen Ye’s voice rang out again. “Tell me one piece of information, and I’ll give you one in return. Even if I die today, I can still offer you something valuable.”

There was no immediate response, but after a while, someone began clapping. “Dark Emperor Shen is indeed a dragon among men. Even in such perilous circumstances, he remains composed. Very well, tell me something so I don’t have to expend effort uncovering it later.”

“How do you know she intended to poison me?” Shen Ye repeated.

“It’s not that I know,” the voice replied lazily. “It’s that the Empress knows. Even the xiang si poison was given to Bai Shaotang by the Empress.”

“Bai Shaotang is the Empress' person?!” Shen Ye’s voice showed a mix of shock and anger.

But the other party didn’t answer.

Instead, they asked, “Where is the Saint’s Fire Order?”

“In the third compartment of the secret safe in my study. Is Bai Shaotang the Empress' person?”

“Was,” the voice pondered. “You know, Bai Shaotang’s sister was in the palace before, which is why he was coerced by the Emperor to go to the Moza tribe. But whether he is now, I don’t know. However, I do know the Empress placed people around Bai Shaotang to ensure that Shu Rou could be poisoned by him. This was all arranged by the Empress.”

Hearing this, my heart sank. I almost cried out, but I covered my mouth tightly to stifle any sound.

Shen Ye remained silent. The other party then asked, “Is there a treasure left by the Dark Court for the royal family to fall back on if necessary?”

“Yes,” Shen Ye answered quickly, then asked, “Why did the Empress arrange for me to approach Shu Cheng, give me space to genuinely care for her, and repeatedly tolerate my actions to rescue her? What is the reason?”

“Don’t you understand?” the other party sneered, “What the Empress wants is not Shu Cheng’s life or Shu Cheng herself. What the Empress wants is for Shu Cheng to fall in love with you. The better you treat her, the more likely she is to fall for you. She used to like you, but the Empress felt it wasn’t deep or enough. What the Empress wants is for Shu Cheng to consider you the most important person, more important than Shu Family, more important than anything.”

“Indeed…” Shen Ye murmured, his voice full of despair. “Then… from when did I become the Empress’ discarded piece? When did you start knowing all this?”

“Where is the treasure hidden?” the other party asked first.

“Qilian Mountain, in the mountain's belly, there is a tomb of a female emperor,” Shen Ye answered swiftly.

The other party seemed satisfied and said with a smile, “Since the moment you fell in love with Shu Cheng, the Empress has already regarded you as a discarded piece. Did you think the Empress couldn’t see your feelings? The Empress understood long ago, so once you began to like Shu Cheng, the Empress no longer hoped you would steal the blood contract! Do you not know who the Empress is? She cannot tolerate any deceit or betrayal. And you, time and again, have shown favoritism to the Shu Family. Do you think the Empress is a fool? As for me…” The other party chuckled lowly, “After you married into the Shu Family, I have secretly become another hand of the Empress.”

After saying this, the other party asked a question: “After becoming the Hidden Emperor, what is the poison the Empress intends to use on you?”

This time, Shen Ye did not respond. After a long silence, the other party finally impatiently asked again, “Shen Ye, are you going to back out?”

“I no longer wish to know anything,” Shen Ye spoke, his voice calm and composed. “You don’t need to know the answer to that question, because you won’t have the chance to.”

“Shen Ye!” The other party roared, “You’re deceiving me!”

Immediately after, the sound of blades clashing and combat filled the cave.

From the noise, I knew there were many people outside, and Shen Ye was alone.

I didn’t know what Shen Ye was like in the past, but I knew he had been to terrifying places. He took control of Junzi Gate at twelve and the Dark Court at seventeen. So I thought, with so many people, he must not be afraid.

But I was terrified, trembling as I hid in the dark, biting my hand and tears streaming down uncontrollably.

After hearing this, what else was there to understand...

Shen Ye had never harmed me; he had always tried to protect me. Yet, I had fallen into the Empress’ scheme, using his care and affection to feed him the lethal poison.

I didn’t know how he managed to keep the poison from acting up so far; I didn’t know what gave him the strength to keep fighting for me at this moment.

I suddenly felt that nothing else mattered anymore. No matter how he had treated me in the past, whether Shangguan LiuLan had truly died because of him, or whether I might die because of him in the future.

The sounds of battle outside, and the occasional groans he made, told me that he had exhausted everything, loving me with all his might.

The sounds outside continued, but no one entered the cave. He blocked the entrance, stubbornly holding his ground like an immovable rock.

I didn’t know how long it had been; I only felt the light outside gradually fading, the howling of wolves, and the cave filled with a thick, nauseating stench of blood. The noises outside grew quieter until someone suddenly shouted, “He’s poisoned, he can’t hold on any longer!”

The sounds of combat grew more intense. Soon, I heard the sounds of blades piercing flesh and Shen Ye’s muffled groans. I huddled in the dark, tears streaming down my face.

Yet the fighting continued. I closed my eyes, biting my hand so hard it drew blood. After what felt like an eternity, the clatter of a sword falling to the ground was followed by an eerie silence.

I was trembling, unable to move. I wanted to go outside and see what had happened, but I lacked the courage. I didn’t know if he was still alive or if he was intact.

I had never regretted anything in my life as much as this. If I hadn’t poisoned him, with his formidable skills, he surely wouldn’t have come to harm.

But life doesn’t offer second chances. All I could do was cling to the hope that his strength and experience would see him through this. When we got out, I would treat him well, give him everything, and he would be more important than anything else.

I trembled, holding myself tightly. After a long while, someone entered the cave.

The smell of blood was overwhelming. I buried my head in my arms, not daring to look up. The person walked slowly toward me, and I gripped the dagger tightly in my hand.

Eventually, the figure stopped in front of me. He stood still, watching me silently before crouching down, his blood-stained hand resting gently on my head.

The touch was icy and reeked of blood, but at that moment, I felt an overwhelming joy I had never experienced before.

I looked up, my gaze fixed on his bloodied face.

His hair was disheveled, and his face was streaked with blood. His eyes, like black gemstones, shone brightly in the dim light of the cave.

He didn’t say anything for a while. Finally, his voice came out hoarsely: “Don’t be afraid, Shu Cheng. The dawn is coming. When the sun rises, everything will be alright. I’ll take you back to Chudu. Your mother will win, and you’ll return to your place as the young master of the Shu family. You’ll have a loving husband, and you’ll live a long, happy life with children and grandchildren.”

I said nothing, trembling as I reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

The sleeve was soaked with blood, and I could squeeze drops of it from the fabric. I clutched him tightly, tears streaming from my eyes: “What about you?”

“I’m fine,” he smiled weakly, “How could I have any trouble? Don’t worry about me. I’ll take you back to the capital, and then I’ll go to the Valley of the Medicine King. Zheng’s medical skills are excellent. I’ll be alright. But I might be gone for a long time. Don’t wait for me. I tend to forget people easily. Enough of this,” he said, his voice filled with exhaustion, “I’ll carry you out. Don’t move your legs; it could leave lasting damage, and then you’ll be crippled for life, just as the Empress wishes.”

He crouched in front of me, speaking gently: “Come on.”

He spoke so seriously and reassuringly that I almost believed him.

But I couldn’t help but believe him; I could only trust his words. I believed he had a way, I believed he wouldn’t die, and I believed he would be alright. I would wait for him, no matter how long it took.

I carefully settled on his back, wrapping my arms around his neck. He slowly stood up, pausing for a moment, then began walking forward step by step.

He was dripping blood all over, leaving a trail of red footprints with each step. Yet he walked so steadily, as if nothing were wrong. I lay on his back, smelling the blood on him, and for the first time, I didn’t find it unbearable. He seemed to recall something and asked with concern, “Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

“No…” I croaked, “I’m not uncomfortable.”

“That’s good…” he smiled weakly, “I’ve always worried that you might dislike me for killing. Since being with you, I’ve been worried that you’d dislike me…”

He sighed and continued, “I always knew you were a good person, but I also knew I wasn’t a good person. I’ve killed many and done many wrong things, and I never felt regret until I met you.”

His words made me unable to hold back my tears. He didn’t notice and continued to murmur, “I never intended to be with you. The Empress gave me to you as a task to complete, but I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to use my marriage as a means to accomplish this task. You know, she hoped I would use you to steal the blood contract. At that time, I thought, ‘It’s just stealing a blood contract, what’s the big deal?’

“So I had Shangguan Wanqing lure you to the Phoenix Tower and approached you in the guise of Shen Ye…

“But I never planned on falling in love with you. How did the person from the bamboo grove become you?

“I’ve thought about that girl for ten years, and how could it be you?

“In my life, no one has ever loved or cherished me. I was always abandoned, always alone, until you came. You said you’d die for Su Rongqing… At that moment, I was so happy. I thought I finally found someone willing to die for me.”

“You never gave up on me. Even in that maze, you never abandoned me and almost died trying to save me. At that moment, I thought, no matter what, I must protect you for the rest of my life…

“But later I realized that you loved Su Rongqing, not Shen Ye. I spent every day and night worrying and being afraid. You loved the perfect nobleman, Su Rongqing, someone so pure and clean, but what about Shen Ye…”

•••

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55 Ye Cheng Fu

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