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  9-5 representstheemperor, sinceinancienttimes 9 representedhonor (beingthehighestodd, or ’yang’, number) while 5 signifiedmediationandharmonysinceitisinthemiddleamonythe ’yang’ numbers. Whenputtogether, 9 and 5 signify ’harmonichonor’.

  掌上明珠: pearlinthepalm: similarmeaningto “appleofsomeone’seye”


  负荆请罪: bearingtherodandtakingpunishment: meanstoofferahumbleapology

  Afterward, hesuddenlystoodup, aswordagainsttheneckofthepersonentering, ZhuoErpaled: “Your Highness…… your maidservantonlyforgottotakeawaytheteatray……”


  Shehas justreceivedTuobaZhen’sjadependant, shewastooecstatic, thatsheforgottoremovethetray. Ifshereturned, ofcourse,there wasnowayforhertoexplainthistothehousesteward. SeeingthatTuobaZhenhadrelaxed, ZhuoErbreathedasighofrelief, Dianxiaseemedto like her, thereforehewouldn’tdoanythingtoher. However,inthenextmoment, withasweepofTuobaZhen’shand, herheadhadfallenoff. Her expression still showed shock, making the scene extremely terrifying.

  “Takeheraway,” TuobaZhenglancedatthebloodyfloorandfeltonlydisgust.

  Arecklesswoman, actuallywantedtocompare herself toLiWeiYang. LiWeiYangdidnotattracthisattentionmerely becauseofherbeauty, whatheliked washerdistinctivepersonalityandcleverness;even for her domineeringfierceness, there was stilladistinctflavourtoit. Incomparison, ZhouErjusthas theshapebut without her mindnor her personality; she was justlikeadoll. TuobaZhen’sgazelandedonthe facethat had alreadylostitsvitality. SheresembledLiWeiYang, hisgaze, liketheslowsharpeningtipofasword, graduallydevelopeda sharpedge. RightnowhehasastrangehatredtowardsLiWeiYang. Whathehatedhermost, wasthatshedaredtolookatothermen. Hebecamemore consciousoftheimportanceofpower. Hesecretlydecidedinhisheartthatwhenheascendedtothe 9-5

  , evenifhehastoturntheworldover, itmustbetohissatisfaction.

  WhenLiWeiYangsawWeiGuoFuren, shewassittinginadazebeforeGaoMin’sbed. Thenwhensheturnedaround, shecanseethatherusualdignified, domineering, imposingmannerhasdisappearedcompletely. Hercheekbones that appearedhighseemedgauntatthistime andbothcheeks also showed signs of slight sadness. That pair of eyes, that had alwaysmadeLiWeiYangfeeluncomfortable with the arrogance in her eyes, wereswollenfromcrying and thechaosinherpupilmadeitseem evenlarger. Unsureofwhetherit wasduetotoomuchenergybeingspentonhergrief, herhairseemedtohave grown morestrandsofwhitehair, and matched with her sullen face, itmadeherentirepersonseemevenmoredejected.

  LiWeiYangsighed.

  Thismotheranddaughterpaironlyhadthemselvestoblame. She hadalreadyverified thatitwasthetwoofthemwhosoweddiscordinfrontof Concubine Zhang De, whichstirred Concubine Zhang Deintotakingactionstogetridofher. Iftheydidnotusesuchdespicablemeanstoharmher, thentheywouldn’thavefallentothispoint.

  GaoMin’sentirebackbonehadbeenbroken, evenifsheisforcedtosurvived, shecouldonlylivetherestofherlifeonabed for this lifetime. Abeautifulfuturehadbeenruinedlikethis, foraproudandarrogantGaoMin, it wasmoreunbearablethandeath.

  SunYanJun, whocamewithLiWeiYang, pushedherslightly, indicatingthatsheshouldstandbehindherandthenfollowingSunYanJunin, she spoke words of consolation: “WeiGuoFuren, IknowthatyouareverysadoverMissGao’saccident, butyoumustalsocherishyourownbody!”


  WeiGuoFurenwasinatrance. Hearinghersaythisshewipedatear;asifwakingupfromadream, she murmured: “PoorMinEr.” Thensuddenlysheraisedherhead, staringfixedlyatLiWeiYang, shesaidangrily: “Whyareyouhere!”


  Inhereyes, LiWeiYangistheenemywhoharmedherdaughter, shecouldn’twaittopounceandtearherup, butseeingZhaoYue with her cold expression, as she held her swordbehindLiWeiYang, WeiGuoFurensubconsciouslystopped in herpace.

  LiWeiYangsaidlightly: “Aunt, restrainyourgrief.”


  Hearingthosewords, WeiGuoFuren’simmediatelyshowedangerandsaidbitterly: “LiWeiYang, ifitwasnotforyouwantingtocompetewithMinEr, howcouldshehasfallentothispoint, allofthisisbecauseofyou……”


  SunYanJunlookedatWeiGuoFurenwithsympathy, inheropinion, thisincidentreallydoesn’thavemuchtodowithLiWeiYang, ifitwasn’tforGaoMinbeingoverlyaggressive, LiWeiYangwouldnothavecompetedwithher, besides, apersongettinginjuredisanaccident, justasshewasabouttosaysomething, LiWeiYangsaidgently: “MissSun, IhaveafewwordsthatIwanttospeakwith Auntalone, wouldyoumindleavingusalone.”


  SunYanJun isadecentandunderstandinggirl, shethoughtLiWeiYangwantedtoapologizetoWeiGuoFuren, thereforeshesmiledandsaid: “Verywell, Iwillgooutfirst, laterIwilllookforyou.” Having witnessed the plentiful facadesof officials’ daughters, and being bornofmilitarylineage, she greatly admiresthefrankness, intelligenceandcourage ofLiWeiYang, andisdeterminedto befriendher.

  Finishing, SunYanJunleftthetent.

  WeiGuoFurensuddenlyfeltamomentofbleakness, heroldestson wasdead, heryoungersonisagood-for-nothing, herdaughterisleftwithonlyhalfalife, herhusbandblamedherforincitingherdaughterintoalwaysseekingtoprevailoverothers, perhapsatthismoment,heevenhatesher. Hermethodsoftreatingtheservantsare meanevenundernormalcircumstances, asidefromherownoldersister, thereisnooneinthefamilythatshecanspeakto. Inthisnotverycoldnight, facing LiWeiYangwhoseface waslikewater, shesuddenlyfeltabonepiercingchill. Becauseshetrulyfeltthatshehasnowbecomealoner.

  “Areyouheretolaughatme?” SeeingLiWeiYang, WeiGuoFuren’sdismalmoodfeltlikefrostonsnow.

  “Aunt, whywouldIlaughatyou? Biaojie (olderfemalecousin)becominglikethis, Iamalsosadforher.” NotonlyisLiWeiYangnotsadbutshealsofeltthatGaoMinhadbroughtituponherself, butnow, sheneededtocontinue: “Iunderstand how you are feeling, butthereisonethingthatImusttellyou, theincidentthatdaywasnotanaccident.”


  WeiGuoFurensuddenlyraisedherhead, herfacechangingdrastically: “Whatdidyousay!”


  LiWeiYangsighedandsaid: “Ioriginallydidnotwanttomentionthisincident, becausesayingitwouldimplicatemanypeople, butifIdon’tsayit, Iwouldfeeluneasyinmyheart.”


  “Youhiditandnotmentionitisbecauseyoucannotsayit? OrdidyoufeelthatIamincapable, andcannotinquireaboutthisincident?” WeiGuoFurencouldfeelsomething wasoffandstaredfixedlyatLiWeiYang’seyes, hergazegraduallysharpening.

  LiWeiYangwithanhesitantlook, openedhermouthtospeak, butstillhesitatedforamoment: “Ialsoknowthatthisincidentcannotbehiddenfromyou…… butifItellthistoyou, I’mafraidthatthiswillaffectyourrelationshipwith Concubine Zhang De…… since it caused thiskindofconsequences, evenifIdie, Icannotatoneforthatsin…… butifIdon’ttellyou, Iamalsoafraidthatyouwillbekeptinthedarkforever……”


  Hearingthis, WeiGuoFuren’sfacesuddenlychanged, hervoicealsotrembling, graspingthearmrestofthesandalwoodchairasifshewantedtostandup, hersleeveglidingacrossthetabletop, viciouslybringingdowntheteacups: “Whatdidyousay? Havesomethingtodowith Concubine Zhang De? Whatareyou……tryingtosay?”


  LiWeiYangsighedandsaid: “Palace affairs arecomplicated, Concubine Zhang De seemskindandgenerousonthesurface, butinrealitysheisanarrow-mindedperson! Iheardthatyouhaveconstantlysaidbadthingsaboutmebeforeher, thereforeIwasafraid, Iasked Seventh Princetoexplainonmybehalf, but Seventh Princecamebackonlytotellme, Concubine Zhang De feltthatyouaretryingtosowdiscordsintotheirmotherandsonrelationship, and thus becomingangrywithyouractions. Aunt, youdoknow, JiangGuoGongResidence’sErJiujiuhasanillegitimatedaughterthathasenteredtheCrownPrince’sresidencetobecomeaCeFei(sideconsort), Concubine Zhang Dehaseasilyconnectedotherthoughts, shefeltthatthere wascollusionbetweenJiangGuoGongResidenceandBoChangHouResidence, whileyoumeantwell, toher, itappearedyouweretryingtodriveawedge, thereforeshewaspreparedtogiveusalesson! Thatday…… justhappenedtobeBiaojie’sbadluck!”


  “Whatdidyousay!” Thisremark wasjustlikeathundershockthatshookapartWeiGuoFuren’ssoul. Shewantedtostaggeredup, herbodyraisinghalfwaybeforefallingbackdowntothechair, herfacepalingevenmore, hereyesdulling, shakingnonstopallover, thatlookasifhersoulhadsuddenlydrainedaway.

  Thesewords wereoriginallyfullofloopholes, butLiWeiYangknew, sayingthesewordsrightnow, WeiGuoFurenwoulddefinitelybelieveit, andwhatmore, shewilltrustitcompletely. Shecontinuedon: “Auntcannotbelieveme, butIhopethatyouwillsendsomeonetoinvestigatethatZuoYuan’sbackground, asthedeputycommanderoftheImperialArmyformanyyears, outstandingmartialartsandexcellentarchery, howcouldhemissashotfornoreason, asithappensthatheshotinourdirection, thisisclearlysomeoneusinghishandstowarnus!”


  “No! Thisisnotpossible!” WeiGuoFurendidnotbelieveLiWeiYang.

  LiWeiYangsmiledandsaid: “Aunt, nomatterhow we loathedeachother behind closed doors, intheeyesofoutsiders, JiangGuoResidence, BoChangResidence, areallonefamily. Eventhoughyouhavesaidalotofbadthingsaboutmeinfrontof Concubine Zhang De and itisnotharmoniousbetweenus, butthewayothersseeit, wearerelatedbymarriageafterall, no? Concubine Zhang De would have feel thatyouhaveotherintentionstobetraymeinordertogainhertrust, wantingtowarnyouabit, isthereanythingstrangeaboutthat?” Shepaused, thenglancedattheunconsciousGaoMinandsaid: “Whatmore, GaoBiaojiehasalwaysbeengettingcloseto Third Prince, otherpeoplefeelthatinthefuture, shewillbecome the imperial consort of the Third Prince, ifanythinghappenedtoher, naturallyitisnotalightblowto Third Prince, Third PrinceistheCrownedPrince’speople…… naturallytherearealotofcomplexrelationshipsinthemistofthis, alas, thebottomlineis, Biaojieisjustascapegoat.”


  WeiGuoFurensatinherchairasifhersoulwaslost, herteethbitingherdeathlypalelipstightly: “Whatareyoutellingmethese!”


  LiWeiYangsmiled, she wasnotafraidofWeiGuoFurencheckingonthis, becausethis wasindeed doneby Concubine Zhang De. Rightnowallshe wasdoing wasjusttellingthisfacttoWeiGuoFuren, “BecauseIamalsoavictim, thatdayIwaswalkingthehorsewith Ninth Princess, thensomeoneusedatamedeagletoscarethehorses, Ialmostdiedunderthehorse’shoof. TheculpritbehindthisnotonlywantedtokillBiaojie, butalsowantedtoraiseinternalfightingamongstus, tellmeYimu, wouldmyhatebeanylessthanyours?”


  “Whatraiseinternalfighting? Idon’tunderstand!” WeiGuoFurenopenedhereyeswide.

  AlayerofregretaroseonLiWeiYang’sface: “ThereasonwhyBiaojieraced her horsewithme merely stemmed from agirl’sdesiretoexceloverothers, wedonothaveanydeep-rootedhatred, butintheeyesofother, IhavebecametheculpritwhocausedBiaojietobeinjured. Asaresult, Unclewouldnotsayit, butinhisheart, thereisalreadyagrudgeagainstFather, intheimperialcourt, ourfamilieshavealwaysbeensupportingeachother, nowifwehaveafallout, ourpowerwillbeweakened. Ifatthistime, someoneexploitsthesituation, itisnotimpossiblefor bothfamiliesbecomingopposingenemies, makingiteasiertotakeouttheenemiesonebyone.”


  “Ah……” WeiGuoFurenawakenedasiffromadream, nowherangerhasgraduallycalmeddown, sheonlysigheddeeply, lookingdejectedasifherentirebodyisemptiedofstrength: “Youshouldgoback, gobackanddonottalktoanyone.”


  LiWeiYangsmiledlightlyandsaid: “Aunt, youshouldtakearest, Iwillleavefirst.”


  WeiGuoFurengrittedherteeth, lookingatherback, andspatheavilytowardstheground, besideWeiGuoFuren, herconfidanteLiuMama, said: “Furen, Xianzhuistryingtosowdiscord.”


  WeiGuoFurenslowlyleanedbackagainstthechair, hergazelikedyingembers, staringatthetopofthetent, holdingherhandinafistforcefully, hernailspiercingintoflesh: “Sheistryingtosowdiscord, butwhatshesaidisafact, atleastinregardstotherealpersonwhoharmedmydaughter, shedidnotlied. Thatarrowisdefinitelyarrangedby Consort Wu Xian!”


  There wasnoreasonforLiWeiYangtolieaboutthispoint, becauseifatthatmoment, itwouldbeabsolutelyimpossibleforhertoescapeifshedidnotdodgequickly. Whatmore, thesceneatthattime, bothofthegirls’ horseswereracingnecktoneck, regardlessofwhethertheotherparty wastryingtokillLiWeiYangorGaoMin, bothofthemhaveenteredintodangertogether! WeiGuoFurenonlythoughtthatLiWeiYangwasluckybutneverthoughtthatshewasalreadypreparedforthis, afterall, whointhisworldwouldrisktheirownlife? Evenmoreimpossibletodevisesuchterrifyingtrap! SheresentedLiWeiYang, butloathed Concubine Zhang De evenmore, theyoriginallywantedtoborrowherhandtogetridofLiWeiYang, insteadwereharmedbythekillersentbyher!

  LiWeiYangcameoutofWeiGuoFuren’stent, lookedbackandcouldn’thelp but smile slightly.

  ZhaoYuefeltitwasweird: “Xiaojie, whydidyoudothis?”


  LiWeiYangsmiledanddidnotanswer.

  Onthelastdayofhunting, thewhitewolfwascapturedbySeventhPrince, theEmperorwashappyandheldabanquettocelebrate.

  Thiswasoriginallyaharmoniousbanquet, butchaoscameoutofthebanquet. Apalacemaidwasactuallyanassassinthatsnuckin, inattempttoassassinatetheEmperor, however, theroyalpalacehadalreadyassignedexpertstopersonallyprotecttheEmperorandtheimportantconcubines. Thatpalace maid had justpulledaknifefromthetrayandwas immediately discoveredbysomeonebeforeshehadthechancetotakeactionandwascapturedonthespot. TheEmperororderedaninterrogation, thatpalacemaidslittedherownneckanddiedfromsuicide.

  TheEmperorwasenragedandorderedsomeonetosearchthebody. Theresult wasthatan imperial pass wasdiscoveredonthepalacemaid’sbody. Uponcheckingthe imperial pass, itactuallycamefrom Concubine Zhang De’spalace.

  Atthatmoment, everyone’sfaceschanged.

  Concubine Zhang De hadalwaysbeenfavouredbytheEmperor, stillstandingtothisday, butthistimetheEmperorwasfurious, takingtheimperialpassand threw it hard: “Concubine Zhang De, youhavedoneagoodjob!”


  Concubine Zhang De’sfacesuddenlybecamepale, shehasbeeninthepalaceforalongtime, she wasalreadyusedtothesekindofmatters, butshehasneverseentheEmperorbeingthisfuriousbefore, thatshefellstraighttothegroundfromfrightofthissuddenmishap. She forgot her intelligence and quick wits and knowinghowtoexplainherself, criedloudly: “Your concubinehasbeenwronged! HisMajesty, your concubine hasbeenwronged!”


  LiWeiYangwatchedfromafar, atraceofsmileappearedonherface.

  Concubine Zhang De’sface wasfulloftearsandkeptsaying: “HisMajesty’sgreatkindnessisdeep, howcould your concubineplotagainstHisMajesty?!”


  TheEmperorhasexperiencedmanychangesinthepalace, oftenfallingpreytoothers’ machinationssincechildhood, that what heloathedandfearedmost weretheseunderhandmethods. Withoutthinkingcarefullyinhisfury, heshouted: “Take Concubine Zhang Deaway, tobedealtwith.” Oncethewordscameout, everyonewasshocked.

  “Imperial Father ——” TuobaYuquicklysteppedout, thensuddenlythought, nomatterwhat, nowisnottheplaceortimeforhimtoangertheEmperor. Evenifhewantedtoaddresstheinjusticeforhis Imperial Mother, hestillhastowaituntiltheEmperor’sthunderousfurydisappeared, nomatterwhatissaidnow, hewouldnotlisten!

  “Concubine Zhang Dehasdefinitelybeenwronged!” Inthemidstofthisdiscussion, suddenlyachildishvoicespoke.

  Thecrowdwastakenaback, alllookingat Ninth Princess,

  Originally Ninth PrincesshasdeliberatelywenttositwithLiWeiYang, nowsherosefromherseatandquicklysteppedout, kneeledontheground, bowedacoupleoftimeandsaid: “Imperial Fathermustnotdecidethesinsof Concubine Zhang Debasedonasingleimperialpass.”


  ConcubineRousuddenlystoodup: “HisMajesty, Ninth Princessisstillachild, shedoesnotunderstandanything!”


  Ninth Princess saidcourageously: “Imperial Father, therearealotofpeoplehere, howhardisittogetan imperialpass? Ifthisimperialpassisreallyfrom Concubine Zhang De’spalace, whywouldsheletthatpersonwearit, is she notafraidthatotherpeople would know? Thisisasetup!”


  Everyoneloweredtheirhead, ofcoursetheycouldseethatthisisasetup, howeverinfrontoftheEmperor’sfury, noonedaretosayawordofdefensefor Concubine Zhang De.

  TheEmperorlookedathisfavouritelittledaughterinsurprise, she wasnotparticularlycloseto Concubine Zhang De, buttodayshesuddenlycameouttospeakupfor Concubine Zhang De. Thinkingaboutit, therelationshipbetween Concubine Rouand Concubine Zhang De wasnot on good terms, but Ninth Princess didnotavoidit, intheend she isstillachild—— itisbecausesheisachild, thereforeshedaredtosaywhatothersdonotdareto, eventhefactthattheEmperordidnotthinkofinhis moments of fury, sheactuallydaredtosayitinpublic.

  Thinkingofitcarefully, theevidence werehere;suchcleverandwiseEmperor, becauseConcubine Zhang Dewasrespectedanddeartohim, therefore he was unabletotakesuchblow, especiallywhenangered. Ifhewronged Concubine Zhang De duetosuchsimplesetup, evenifhemadeupforitinthefuture, ariftwillstillremain, especiallybetweenhusbandandwife, betweenfatherandson. Havingthought over this, helookedattheearnestgazeof Seventh Princewho iswatching Concubine Zhang Desilently, hisfacecalmingdown.

  ConcubineWu Xianwhohasbeensilentthiswholetimesuddenlyopenedhermouth: “Yes, HisMajesty, thisissomeonewhoisjealousthat Concubine Zhang Dehas receivedHisMajesty’sfavor, thereforetheydeliberatelyframedher, youmustinvestigatecarefully, toensureyoudidnotwrong Concubine Zhang De.”


  Concubine Zhang De chokedwithtears, shethrewherselfinfrontoftheemperorcrying, bothhandsseizingthebottomofhisgownandbeggedbitterly: “HisMajesty, your concubinewouldneverdaretodoanythingthatwouldharmHisMajesty!”


  Theemperorhasalreadyunderstoodeverything, butfeelingthatheisatanawkwardplace, hewentwith Concubine Wu Xian’swordstogetoutoftheawkwardsituation: “Youshouldrise, zhen (emperor addressing himself in first person) knows. Youshouldreturnandrest, zhenwillgiveyoujustice.” Then, turningtofacethecrowd: “Thebanquetcannotcontinueon, everyoneshoulddisperse.”


  Seventh Prince, TuobaZhen wasreallydisappointed, hereallyhoped for Concubine Zhang De’s downfall, althoughitseemedlikethispoorlythoughtoutplancouldn’tshake the concubine’sposition, butaslongasaseedofsuspicion wasplantedintheemperor’sheartand and roots had formed, atacertainpointoftime, itwillplayasignificantrole, onlyforittobedestroyedlikethistoday. Heglancedat Ninth Princess grudgingly, onlytofindthatsheischattinghappilytoLiWeiYang.

  ItwasLiWeiYangwhotaught Ninth Princesstosaythosewords! TuobaZhen wasthefirst one tounderstand! Hisfingers, unconsciouslytightenedevenmore, almostdrawingoutblood——

  Translator: Angela

  Editor: Erica——