Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 96
Ten days later, just as the Qinhuai Tower in the northern capital was reopened for guests, dozens of black-clad Imperial Guards stormed in, cutting down anyone in sight. Not a single person associated with the Qinhuai Tower, be it the prostitutes, the servants, or the madams, was spared. In less than half an hour, blood flowed like a river, with no survivors. Finally, the black-clad Imperial Guards set fire to the place, nearly engulfing nearby establishments…
After the bloodbath, the once bustling center of entertainment in the northern capital was reduced to rubble and ashes, and Qinhuai Tower ceased to exist.
The downfall of the Qinhuai Tower seemed to foreshadow a major upheaval in the world…
In the 289th year of the Dajing era, in mid-April, Emperor Ye issued a decree recalling the Tiger Seal of the Northern Garrison from Jun Xuanxiao’s hands, rewarding him for his merits, and granting him an additional two pearls, elevating him to the unprecedented rank of Prince with Nine Pearls…
It was widely known that with the loss of the Northern Garrison, Prince Zhenbei had essentially severed both his arms. This was Emperor Ye’s way of reducing the growing power of his trusted confidant without shedding a drop of blood. Henceforth, Prince Zhenbei could only be a prestigious but idle royal…
But would Prince Zhenbei simply accept defeat?
Three days of silence followed before Prince Zhenbei proclaimed that the corrupt court eunuchs were manipulating the Emperor, holding him hostage.
Immediately, Prince Zhenbei marched south with his troops, aiming for the capital, to rescue the Emperor…
The people of the northern territories were deeply supportive, cursing the foolish Emperor for abandoning Prince Zhenbei after he quelled the Xiongnu turmoil, and forgetting his loyalty.
However, more people stood on the Emperor’s side, seeing through Prince Zhenbei’s ambitions and recognizing his rebellion under a flimsy pretext…
Emperor Ye was furious in the court. Despite his concern for the brotherly bond with Prince Zhenbei, he issued a decree denouncing Prince Zhenbei’s intention to rebel, ordering the generals stationed in various regions to mobilize their troops and block the Northern Garrison’s advance southward…
…
Amidst the changing winds outside, Shen Yu remained unaware.
The black-clad Imperial Guards who had bathed the Qinhuai Tower in blood that day were highly skilled operatives secretly cultivated by the court. They did not harm Shen Yu; instead, they brought him back to the capital…
Shen Yu had been living in the palace for over half a month now. Emperor Ye treated him well, arranging for him to stay in the Qilin Pavilion. During the day, the Emperor would take time to visit him, chatting to ease his boredom…
After the morning court session, Emperor Ye went straight to the Qilin Pavilion…
At this moment, the court’s chief physician had just finished examining Shen Yu’s pulse and had come out of the Qilin Pavilion…
“Your Majesty.”
Emperor Ye waved to the chief physician, gesturing for him to come out and speak…
“How is his condition?”
Emperor Ye’s eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown…
“Well… it’s quite complicated. I’ve seen many patients in my career, but I’ve never seen anything quite like this… sigh, the only way to describe it is ‘riddled with holes’.”
The chief physician rubbed his goatee, “He has many old injuries, which may look superficial, but his internal condition is worse than mine, an old man. He’s also been poisoned by a strange toxin. While the poison’s effects haven’t manifested yet, it’s eroding his organs and entrails, ready to strike at any moment.”
“Xuanxiao is so heartless…” Emperor Ye’s frown deepened, “His body can be nursed back to health to some extent. Just use the best medicine from the Imperial Hospital! Can the poison be extracted?”
“Well… um… forgive me for my incompetence, but for now, we haven’t even been able to determine the source of this poison.” The chief physician bowed his head in shame, “Your Majesty, the key is that this gentleman not only has external injuries and internal poisoning but also a deep-seated emotional turmoil. As a physician of many years, the most troubling patients are those with such emotional disorders. No matter how many precious herbs we use, if he himself doesn’t have the will to live, his condition cannot be cured.”
“Alright, alright.” Emperor Ye waved his hand, “Just tell me, how many more years can he live?”
“Um… the heavens are being evasive, saying that if the strange poison and emotional disorders can be cured, he could live another twenty or thirty years. If not, forgive my bluntness, but he might not even last two years…”
“Two years…” Emperor Ye muttered in a daze, “That should be enough…”
When Emperor Ye entered, his mood was complex. He saw Shen Yu sitting by the window, his gaze wandering somewhere unknown. The sunlight fell perfectly on his eyelashes, making his face appear radiant. With his thin lips tightly closed, Emperor Ye’s heart swayed for a moment.
That glimpse on the snowy night had already deeply engraved itself in Emperor Ye’s heart…
“Are you awake?” Emperor Ye sat opposite Shen Yu.
Seeing the Emperor rise, Shen Yu attempted to bow in respect, but Emperor Ye stopped him.
“Have you finished reading all these books?” Emperor Ye’s gaze fell on the several books on the desk.
Shen Yu nodded. After learning to read, although he couldn’t read as quickly as others, he was extremely fast and had an excellent memory. Perhaps it was a pity from the heavens, seeing his lack of talent in other areas, that they bestowed him with this gift…
“And have you memorized them all again?”
Emperor Ye opened his mouth, thinking to himself: Truly worthy of the Cloud Dream People, indeed as talented as the rumors say. He felt even more pleased, realizing that all the efforts he had put into driving a wedge between Shen Yu and Prince Zhenbei, ultimately winning Shen Yu over, had not been in vain.
“Yu’er, do you know how remarkable you truly are? The Qilin Pavilion is filled with rare imperial books, and there are many precious scrolls. Perhaps you’ll finish reading them all in just a few months.” Emperor Ye was both delighted and unable to refrain from praising him openly, his eyes showing undisguised admiration…
Shen Yu tilted his head slightly, avoiding Emperor Ye’s intense gaze…
“Do you know, those scholars usually take at least a month to thoroughly understand and memorize a book? If everyone had your talent, then everyone in the world would be scholars!”
Shen Yu smiled lightly. There was no need for such exaggeration. If he were truly intelligent, he wouldn’t have ended up in such a deadlock, unable to extricate himself…
Shen Yu thought he would hate Emperor Ye for what he had done, but there was no hatred. If it weren’t for Emperor Ye, Prince Zhenbei would still have looked down on him. That was an irreparable fact…
“Yu’er, do you blame me?”
Emperor Ye restrained his smile and asked seriously. Although Shen Yu had never shown any resentment, behind his modest and calm demeanor, Emperor Ye could always sense his indifference and vigilance. It had been nearly a month, and Shen Yu hadn’t spoken a word to him first; it was always Emperor Ye who initiated the conversation, and Shen Yu would respond with a nod or shake of his head.
Sure enough, Shen Yu simply shook his head calmly.
“Really?” Emperor Ye was already quite satisfied, “Yu’er, do you know, ever since I saw you at the Prince’s Mansion, I haven’t been able to forget you? That’s why I tried so hard… Please don’t blame me…”
Despite Emperor Ye’s affectionate words, Shen Yu’s thoughts drifted away.
Since leaving the Prince’s Mansion, Shen Yu had been plagued by nightmares every night, and in his dreams, there was only Prince Zhenbei.
Sometimes, Jun Xuanxiao would be as gentle as water, saying to him, “Yu’er, this is our cup of union. After drinking it, we’ll be forever united. Shall we be husband and wife for a lifetime?” In the blink of an eye, Jun Xuanxiao’s face would become cold and heartless, or even ferocious and terrifying. The oppressive feeling made Shen Yu unable to breathe, and his body would sink heavily into the abyss, tortured until the early hours before he could barely sleep for a few hours…
“I’ve had so many dreams, and you’re in every one of them. I wonder if you’ve ever dreamt of me, if I’ve been in any of your dreams.”
