Chapter 16: 16

“Who is Xi’er?”    

The sword had been taken from her hand, but she still stood there, her body stiff and not even a strand of hair quivered.

Xie Changgeng could not help but glance at her again.

The light from the candle could not hide her pale face.

Even her lips looked bloodless.

Just now when he pushed open the door and saw her standing there with the sword withdrawn, he thought that she was fooling around so he came and took it away.

Looking at her appearance now, it seems that the situation is not as he thought.

He couldn’t help but suspect that this woman was still resentful about the previous attempt to divorce, but the people of the Mu family should also know that Empress Liu had always had ill will towards them. This time she was forced to enter the capital and live in the same room with him. He was afraid that she was extremely unwilling and even held a grudge, which is why she took the sword.

He also felt displeasure in his heart, but he didn’t show it on his face. He only said, “Your trip to the capital was not my idea. It was only when I returned that I learned that you had been summoned here by the Empress Dowager.”

He paused and glanced at the sword that he had just hung back.

“It’s better to rest!”

“Tomorrow when the court meeting is over, I will take you into the palace!” He said coldly. He then turned around, took off his half-wet cloak, walked to the door, and shook off the snow on his head.

Mu Fulan forcefully stopped her hands from trembling and with heavy steps slowly moved to sit back on the edge of the bed.

Mu mama had heard the movement long ago and knew that Xie Changgeng had returned. She hurriedly came out of the side room where she was resting nearby with two maids and brought water, then closed the door and went out.

After Xie Changgeng finished bathing, he came out in a neat white robe.

Mu Fulan was already on the bed, covered with the quilt, and lay down facing inward.

He looked indifferent, blew out the lamp, went straight to the bed, and also laid down. There was an arm’s length between the two of them. He then pulled the quilt over and closed his eyes.

Mu Fulan stayed awake all night, amidst the boundless darkness and the even breathing sounds made by the man beside her. Her eyes wide open, waiting for dawn.

He got up early, washed up, changed into his court clothes and left. When it was almost time, the steward came to invite Mu Fulan, saying that the carriage was ready outside the gate, and asked Madam to go out to go to the palace.

Mu Fulan had already finished dressing and changed her clothes.

Xie Changgeng’s full official name is the governor of Hexi, the town of Liangzhou. According to his rank, he is a second-ranking officer.

In her previous life, Mu Fulan, who was in Xie County, was also ennobled and bestowed clothes by the court.

Of course, this has not happened yet, so she wore a set of light blue satin dress that was much more grand than normal clothes. The colour is made up of a hundred flowers and butterflies with gold and silver threads embroidered on the whole body, and the hem is also decorated with gold and silver threads. Exquisite and rich, but also a bit old-fashioned.

She took a last look at herself in the mirror, stepped out, and got into the carriage waiting outside.

The carriage took her outside the palace. Cao Jin, the eunuch who had come to Xie’s house to sdeliver the message, was waiting there. Seeing Mu Fulan’s arrive, he led her in. As he walked, he said with a smile, “The Empress Dowager is in Wangxian Hall. Xie Jiedu is waiting outside for the princess.”

Wangxian Hall is where Empress Liu normally resides.

Mu Fulan nodded to this eunuch Cao with a smile, followed him in, walked through the hall, and came to the outside of Wangxian Hall, where she saw Xie Changgeng standing there.

“Xie Jiedu, the princess is here.”

Eunuch Cao left Mu Fulan and hurried forward to Xie Changgeng.

Xie Changgeng nodded and looked at Mu Fulan.

A beam of sunlight was shining down from the glazed hall roof and shone on her body. From head to toe, with gold and silver threads, looking rich and noble, just in line with her identity.

Xie Changgeng glanced at her with no expression, withdrew his gaze, and said, “Come with me.”

Mu Fulan’s gaze withdrew from him and eunuch Cao and followed in with her eyes lowered, stepping into the hall. From a distance, she saw the great eunuch Yang Guangshu coming out.

“Seeing the Empress Dowager, I advise you to be honest and sincere.” 

A whisper suddenly came to her ear.

Mu Fulan raised her eyes and glanced at him quickly.

Xie Changgeng’s eyes looked straight ahead, expressionless, and walked towards Yang Guangshu who was walking towards them.

Eunuch Yang quickly approached, his eyes stopped on Mu Fulan’s body, and he greeted her with a smile, then said, “The Empress Dowager is nostalgic, when she learned that you were not feeling well, she was so concerned she sent an imperial physician to see you. 

Fortunately, nothing is wrong. She knows that Xie Jiedu is busy with affairs and has no time to spare so she brought you here. You two were newly married, so it must be hard to part. Besides, Xie Jiedu left home on the wedding night because of the rebellion. The Empress Dowager has always felt very regretful for that matter.”

Mu Fulan pretended to be shy and did not speak.

Xie Changgeng said with a smile, “What Eunuch Yang said is very true, the Empress Dowager cares for me, and I am very grateful.”

During the conversation, they walked to the inner hall.

Mu Fulan lowered her eyes and followed Xie Changgeng to Empress Liu and the two bowed down.

Xie Changgeng expressed his gratitude to Empress Liu. Empress Liu looked at the two of them and said with a smile, “Xie Qing, here in this palace, you don’t need to be too polite. I am very pleased that your both can get together. Fulan lived in the palace for half a year when she was a child and I was very fond of her. I know you still have things to do, you go first, do not worry, leave her with me. After I have finished speaking with her, I will send her back for you. “

She said this in a teasing toned her eyes fell on Xie Changgeng’s face.

Xie Changgeng did not give a reaction. He smiled at the situation, and after paying his respects, he got up and withdrew.

Only Empress Liu, Mu Fulan, and eunuch Yang were left in the hall.

Mu Fulan immediately felt the change in Empress Liu’s attitude.

She still had a smile on her face while talking to her. She did not see the authority or intimidation that a Empress Dowager of a country should have and her expression was gentle. But Mu Fulan could very clearly see that from the time Xie Changgeng left, her eyes never left her.

She knew that Empress Liu was watching her. Her sharp eyes will never let go of any small movements.

Even without the words of Xie Changgeng just now, Mu Fulan knew that this was definitely not the time when she could show her intelligence.

But she couldn’t be too stupid either. That will only arouse suspicion.

Too far is as bad as not enough, she understood this principle.

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She responded to the Queen Liu’s questions one by one, neither too smart nor too stupid.

A middle-aged person who was cared for and raised by her family, not deeply involved in the world, and is not seen by the public.

Empress Liu talked to her and suddenly asked if she missed her aunt.

Mu Fulan nodded. Empress Liu then gave her grace and asked Eunuch Yang to take her to visit Empress Mu’s shrine first.

As the first Empress of the previous Emperor, she was initially enshrined in the Imperial Temple. However, a fire later destroyed the hall where she was enshrined. The inner court planned to reconstruct the hall, but because of various delays, the construction has not yet been completed. 

Today, her shrine is still placed in the back hall, which is the side hall for the consorts who have surpassed their status in life.

Mu Fulan, led by Eunuch Yang, entered the gloomy back hall, knelt before her aunt’s altar and burned incense to offer prayers.

When she returned to Empress Liu, the corners of her eyes were still a little red.

Empress Liu and her reminisced some old events in the Yuan Dynasty, and sighed, “When your aunt was the Empress, I was just a noble consort. Her various virtues are still fresh in my mind. It’s a pity that the gods are jealous of her beauty, and she went early. Your aunt and I are like sisters. In the future, if you have any thoughts or requests, just let me know.”

Mu Fulan’s eyes were red . Now, with an emotional look on her face, she bent her knees and knelt in front of her.

“Empress Dowager, Fulan will dare to speak. My aunt’s shrine was supposed to be in the front hall, but I heard that when the Ming Hall was being rebuilt, the work collapsed again and again. The official said that this was inauspicious, so it was delayed.” 

“They must have made a mistake. How could my aunt have an ominous fate? The Empress Dowager is kind, please think of a way to help move my aunt back to the front hall, Fulan would be grateful.”

When she finished, tears fell down her face.

Empress Liu promised that she would think of a way, told her to get her up, and comforted her. Mu Fulan turned her tears into smiles.

On this day, Mu Fulan was kept by Empress Liu until evening, and she was given a meal before she was sent out of the palace.

The days were short in winter, so when Mu Fulan returned home, it was already dark.

Xie Changgeng had not returned. She entered the room and looked up to see that the sword that was hanging there yesterday was gone.

It must have been taken away by Xie Changgeng.

She stared at the empty wall and stood there for a moment. She was in the palace during the day, facing all kinds of temptations by Empress Liu and she pretended to be dumb. All the emotions in her heart suddenly surged at this moment, like a tide and flooded her whole body.

She didn’t sleep last night, and this day was spent with a long period of vigilance and falsehood. She felt extremely tired, took a hot bath, came out, and went to bed early.

But as soon as she closed her eyes, she thought of her Xi’er again.

From the day she reopened her eyes, there was hardly a night when she didn’t fall asleep with deep thoughts of Xi’er.

Every time she met Xi’er in her dream, upon waking it would add to her grief and resentment towards Xie Changgeng.

In her previous life, even though she died early and it was an unpleasant death, rather than resent her husband’s heartlessness, she is more disgusted with herself.

He was originally that kind of person.

In the last life, the warmth and affection he had shown her on their first night together was probably all genuine.

He probably never really forgot the kindness the old Changsha wang had shown to him.

When he witnessed her death, he, at that moment, may have also had a guilty conscience.

But that’s about it.

Those who become obstacles on his way to the top, all the warmth will be completely torn away.

When she was thirteen years old, the young man in green walking on the mountain road next to the old cypress in Junshan was just a figment of her imagination.

The bandit from who came to seek marriage for profit, was ambitious, and this is the real Xie Changgeng.

If you want to hate, hate your own stupidity and weakness, which nourished the selfishness and ruthlessness in his bones and blood, until they finally turned into sharp blades and cut her life short.

Until the last moment arrived.

When she saw Xi’er kill himself in front of her memorial tablet, she deeply felt the despairing grief and unresolved resentment.

It was also from that moment that she truly hated Xie Changgeng, the man who had been the man of her teenage dreams.

Xi’er had died, with a grudge against his biological father.

She gained a new life and everything can start over, and while the current Xie Changgeng’s hands have never been stained with Xi’er’s blood, she will not forgive him.

Because of Xi’er, she will never forgive him for the rest of her life. Life after life, endless reincarnation, never will!

Mu Fulan remembered clearly that the last sentence Xi’er said was that he would come to accompany her.

She has been reincarnated. But what about her Xi’er, where is he now?

The familiar pain that felt as if a piece of flesh had been dug out of her heart hit her again.

She frowned, closed her eyes, and curled up painfully in her dream, clasping her arms like a newborn baby, and curling herself tightly into a ball.

“Wake up!”

A vague voice drifted to her distant ears.

She felt a hand pat her face. It was the same feeling as the memory of Xi’er waking up as a child and touching her face with his little hand.

“Xi’er!”

She cried out and opened her eyes suddenly to meet a pair of dark eyes that were looking down at her.

Her head was covered in cold sweat, her long hair was tightly clinging to her face and neck, and her mind was blank for a moment.

For a moment, she didn’t know where she was or who she was facing. She just opened his eyes, the pain from the dream remained in her eyes, and in the dim light that the candlelight quietly penetrated into the tent, she stared blankly at the man beside the bed who was leaning down to look at her. .

“What did you dream about?”

“Who is Xi’er?”

Xie Changgeng looked at her for a moment, his eyes swept over her body that was still tightly curled figure and asked in a flat tone.

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