Consort Qian’s voice was gentle: "It’s the Empress Dowager who wants dead. What use is there in pleading with her?"
"Noble... Noble Qian, I didn’t know this tea was—"
Rong Miaoyan bit her lip and looked at the tea cup on the table in front of Qian Ruohua.
Just now, following the Empress Dowager’s decree, she had co with a palace maid to deliver a pot of winter tea to Qian Ruohua.
Although Qian Ruohua was only a noble now, she was, after all, the biological mother of the Second Prince. Miaoyan believed the Empress Dowager had her deliver the tea to warn others in the harem not to trouble her too much.
However, just as Miaoyan entered, Zisu, by Qian Ruohua’s side, suddenly struck, killing the Empress Dowager’s maid with a single blade.
Then, tears in her eyes, Zisu looked at her and said sharply, "The Empress Dowager can’t wait even a mont longer to eliminate the mistress?"
Only then did Rong Miaoyan understand the true intention of the Empress Dowager.
Qian Ruohua’s expression was particularly calm, as if the one with their life hanging in the balance wasn’t her.
She stared out the window, but unfortunately, it was pitch black outside, and nothing could be seen.
There was a "Hua" character in Qian Ruohua’s na, and throughout her life, she loved luxurious and beautiful things.
Initially, she chose Zhongcui Palace as her chamber upon being titled as Consort because of the glazed tiles on the palace roof. At night, under the palace lights, they reflected colorful lights, magnificently lively.
But now, there was only a dim lamp in the palace, and no matter how many glazed tiles there were outside, they couldn’t reflect any light.
Qian Ruohua withdrew her gaze, picked up the cup of tea, carefully examined it, and said, "Now you know, don’t you?"
Rong Miaoyan took a deep breath. Seeing Zisu’s plea and the expression of the woman before her, she understood.
This tea was brought by her to Qian Ruohua by the Empress Dowager’s order, without prior notice that it was poisoned.
It was the Empress Dowager’s plan to use her hand to kill Qian Ruohua.
As for why she was tasked with carrying the tea and wasn’t inford, Rong Miaoyan could guess. Because her mother had been detached from affairs, praying and ditating for years, causing great disappointnt to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager often said, "A benevolent mother fosters slothful sons," and urged her mother to assert the majesty of the mistress of the Six Palaces, forcing her to learn to be ruthless.
But her mother protected her, saying, "What if you’re soft-hearted, or ruthless? My Ning’an holds the grace and deanor of a noble, which is most crucial."
Rong Miaoyan thought her mother was right, but she was precocious and knew that the palace was full of filth and intrigue. So she always followed the Empress Dowager’s words, intentionally acting a bit arrogant, yet the Empress Dowager was still unsatisfied.
"Noble Qian, since my father spared your life, rely confining you, let’s pretend I never ca. I will report to the Empress Dowager, and you needn’t drink the tea."
Rong Miaoyan collected herself, as if ignoring the corpse at her feet, and spoke earnestly.
Qian Ruohua ended up in her current situation deservedly, but her mother’s nature was kind and gentle, never involving herself in the affairs of the Crown Prince. So, over the years, this woman hadn’t plotted against her and her mother.
Miaoyan didn’t want to drive people to their deaths, nor did she want the Empress Dowager to use her na to eliminate dissidents.
Qian Ruohua looked at Miaoyan and let out a bitter laugh:
"Spare my life? How could that heartless and unkind Rong Jing spare my life? Ning’an, you think the Empress Dowager wants to kill , and Rong Jing doesn’t know? If you take the tea away today, you won’t be able to account for it. The Empress Dowager will be utterly disappointed in you and Su Zhixue."
Rong Miaoyan’s eyes, marked by a teardrop mole, were sharp and clear, exuding a sense of authority as she said:
"What of disappointnt? I am a Princess, and my mother is the Empress. We are not the Empress Dowager’s servants, and I will protect my mother."
Qian Ruohua sighed: "If Qi Jun had half your brilliance, how wonderful that would be."
She said, and in the horrified eyes of Rong Miaoyan and Zisu, she downed the tea in one go!
"Noble Qian!" Rong Miaoyan called out anxiously.
Zisu collapsed beside Qian Ruohua, crying out, "Mistress—Mistress—"
Qian Ruohua sighed softly, gently patting Zisu’s hand, and said, "Don’t cry. You didn’t leave earlier; now you can’t escape this Zhongcui Palace. On the road to the Yellow Springs, we’ll still be master and servant."
Rong Miaoyan gazed at this scene incredulously. She couldn’t comprehend Qian Ruohua’s actions, stepping back a few paces, her voice trembling: "I, I’ll call for the Imperial Physician—"
Qian Ruohua still smiled: "Princess, there’s no need."
"Why do this," Rong Miaoyan asked, her eyes trembling with disbelief, "I didn’t want you dead!"
Qian Ruohua looked at Rong Miaoyan, her beautiful face softened slightly, revealing a trace of maternal warmth.
"Ning’an, if I didn’t drink, you’d have to do it yourself. The Empress Dowager wants you stained with my blood as you leave here."
Rong Miaoyan shuddered all over. Her mind was extrely keen, and she naturally understood Qian Ruohua’s intention.
But she still didn’t comprehend why the Empress Dowager insisted on killing Qian Ruohua, nor why Qian Ruohua was willing to drink the poisoned tea willingly.
"I chose to end my life because I admire Su Zhixue."
Qian Ruohua seed to understand the question in Rong Miaoyan’s heart and responded.
"I gave up my love to enter the palace, as did Su Zhixue. But for Qi Jun, for the Qian Family, I could only keep pleasing this man who took everything from . However, Su Zhixue could disregard these powers, statuses, and family ties. She could utterly abandon Rong Jing. I truly admire her."
Miaoyan’s heart trembled, her eyes widened, and her voice beca suddenly hoarse:
"What do you an... giving up the one you love? My mother beca the Crown Princess Consort when she married the Emperor. When the Emperor ascended the throne, she beca the Empress—"
"Doesn’t Princess Ning’an know? Your mother was originally supposed to marry the Third Prince, Rong Jue. It was Rong Jing and the Su Family who forced two lovers to separate."
The Third Prince, Rong Jue—
That was her Third Imperial Uncle.
Rong Miaoyan’s mind buzzed with a loud noise.
No wonder her mother felt disheartened towards her father, and her father was indifferent to her mother.
When she was young, she t her Third Imperial Uncle, that outstanding man who, every ti he saw her, would gaze at her from afar with sorrowful eyes.
No wonder, seven years ago, when the Emperor ascended the throne, her mother cried all night, for it was also the day her Third Imperial Uncle passed away.
It turned out that her father and mother never loved each other from the start, rather than growing weary of each other after years of deep affection.
Rong Miaoyan felt a deep fatigue in her heart. She didn’t know what was true or false in this palace.
"Princess Ning’an, I have fought against the Empress Dowager for so many years, despising her hypocritical ways. So, you don’t need to take action; you shouldn’t bla yourself, and never listen to the Empress Dowager; don’t beco that heartless person she speaks of."
After Qian Ruohua spoke, blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
"Zisu, let the princess have a good sleep."
She waved her hand, and Zisu struck Rong Miaoyan unconscious, placing her in the corner.
Qian Ruohua lay on the Noble Consort chair, waiting for her death amidst the cold.
She wasn’t sad; she felt she had done a good deed before her death, not letting Princess Ning’an kill her with her own hands, perhaps this could be considered a victory over the Empress Dowager.
"Zisu, how can it be that when soone is about to die, they can still see the person they want to see? There really are such blessings in this world."
Qian Noble Consort murmured, seeing a remarkable yet blurred figure in front of her.
Zisu, with tears streaming down her face, said, "Your Highness, it’s Young Master Wei, Young Master Wei has co."
Qian Ruohua’s originally half-closed eyes suddenly opened, and then she saw Wei Chengyuan standing in front of her.
Those deep, golden eyes, luxurious yet cold, were her favorite color.
"Yuan—Yuan, why are you here? I specially grood myself today; I thought, perhaps you might co... I never expected you really would."
Qian Ruohua wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, overjoyed, instinctively wanting to tidy her attire.
Wei Chengyuan had just sneaked in. He didn’t know Qian Ruohua had already drunk poisoned tea, but he could feel the woman’s breath becoming faint, looking as if she was about to perish.
He hesitated for a mont, grabbed Qian Ruohua’s hand, and transmitted his abundant inner strength into her body, trying to slow the poison’s onset.
Wei Chengyuan didn’t know why he wanted to save Qian Ruohua, but he couldn’t watch her die without having asked anything.
Qian Ruohua’s paper-white face gained a hint of rosiness. She gently pushed Wei Chengyuan’s hand away and said, "Yuan, twelve years ago, you also saved when I was injured. Now, don’t waste your inner strength on ."
"Tell , just who am I? The first ti you saw in Yunzhou City, what exactly was my identity?"
Wei Chengyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent inner spirit, and asked word by word.
Qian Ruohua laughed softly, raised her hand wanting to caress Wei Chengyuan’s resolute face, but he avoided it.
"Actually, I lied to you. The first ti I saw you was not in Yunzhou, but at the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion during the Young Master Gu’s full month banquet. You were still a young boy, yet you protected that infant so dearly..."
Wei Chengyuan listened to her words in a daze, envisioning a fantasy scene in his mind.
A young boy, quietly watching over and protecting the baby in swaddling clothes.
He murmured, "Lanlan indeed is my si-... brother."
"Until I t you again in Yunzhou and you saved . We should have spent so good ti together on that journey, but you said you wanted to go back for Gu Lan’s third birthday.
Later, I learned, Yuan, that you are the Death Warrior raised by the Dingyuan Marquis, destined to live your life for Gu Lan alone."
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