“The Chief Supervisor is in danger! Let’s go back and check on him.”
Another person pulled him back, disagreeing, “We are still on duty, how can we leave?”
The first person glanced at the door and smiled ambiguously, saying, “His Majesty is having a good time, what could possibly happen?”
“That’s still not acceptable.”
“Ha! What could two women possibly do to His Majesty? Unless His Majesty gets so excited that he has a stroke while riding on a woman.”
“Stop your nonsense!”
“I can’t stand you. You keep watch, I’ll go back and see if I can seize some credit.” In the blink of an eye, his figure disappeared from the spot.
The other person stood there frowning, listening to the sounds of women’s laughter coming from the room. He recalled what his companion had just said. Indeed, what danger could His Majesty be in? The Eastern Depot’s secret guards had been protecting His Majesty in the shadows for many years, and when had Emperor Chang ever faced an assassination attempt in the palace? Never.
Moreover, two little eunuchs were still loitering outside the building. Every quarter-hour, there were patrols by the palace guards.
Maybe, just as his companion had said, they were merely two women—one a concubine, the other very young. Nothing significant could happen.
While he was thinking this, the signal smoke flashed twice more in succession. He looked once more at the little eunuchs wandering below and swiftly flew off towards the Eastern Depot.
Not long after these two people left, two young palace maids from Consort Li’s side approached the two eunuchs below with wine jars, calling them “brother” from the left and “brother” from the right, making the little eunuchs blush, thinking the palace maids fancied them and wanted to become their partners. They were coaxed into drinking in a side hall.
In the room upstairs, Emperor Chang yawned repeatedly, drowsiness washing over him. However, the laughter of the two young women kept him tantalized and restless. His health was not as robust as before, but today he was surprisingly interested.
Gu Jianli was mentally calculating the amount of wine Emperor Chang had consumed, estimating it was about right. Consort Li had a long-standing issue with insomnia and had always had sleeping aids prescribed by the Imperial Medical Institute. Gu Jianli had added the medication to the wine. Consort Li’s drunkenness was an act; she hadn’t actually drunk much.
Poison Emperor Chang?
Initially, Gu Jianli had considered it but dismissed the idea after thinking it through. The palace was not an easy place to procure poison. Although the Imperial Medical Institute, the Eastern Depot, and the Western Depot all had poisons, their quantities were meticulously recorded. The source of each poison and who handled it were all noted. Even if something could be secretly obtained from Chen He, it would still be a risk.
Surviving would depend on luck. But naturally, her plan aimed for thoroughness.
“Jianli, come to me,” Emperor Chang, struggling to stay awake, sat up and reached out to Gu Jianli.
Consort Li quickly intervened, “The wine jar is empty, Jianli, go fetch another one.”
Just as Emperor Chang was about to object, Consort Li silenced him with a fragrant kiss.
“Yes,” Gu Jianli responded softly and turned away.
Emperor Chang’s gaze moved past Consort Li and settled on Gu Jianli, his brow slowly furrowing. He couldn’t help but wonder why he felt so drowsy. Moreover, Li Yunwan was unusually proactive today. He looked down condescendingly at Consort Li, who was fawning over him, and sneered inwardly. Did this foolish woman think she could stop him from favoring Gu Jianli by such means?
Emperor Chang thought he had seen through everything and felt disdainful. No matter, he wasn’t in a hurry. The cat-and-mouse game would be more enjoyable if played slowly, especially with such a long night ahead.
As Gu Jianli rounded the screen, she quickened her pace, taking out a heavy lock prepared in advance from the low cabinet by the double doors. The lock was longer than her hand and felt heavy. Calmly, she locked the door, feeling slightly relieved.
The wind picked up, causing the elegant silk drapes before several windows to billow, revealing the room filled with wine jars.
The cool night breeze brushed her face, making Gu Jianli smile.
It wasn’t snowing, but the wind had risen—a sign of heaven’s favor.
She began to close the windows, securing each latch firmly. One window after another, leaving only one in the corner concealed by a painting. The window was wet, having been doused with wine earlier.
“Jianli, what are you doing outside? Come in,” Emperor Chang commanded.
“The wind picked up, I’m closing the windows,” Gu Jianli replied in a deliberately aggrieved tone. Facing away from the screen, she lifted a candle from the tall table and set fire to the brocade covering it.
After placing the candle, she turned and walked back behind the screen.
Emperor Chang lounged comfortably on the bed, idly stroking Consort Li’s back as she lay across his legs. Watching Gu Jianli approach, he was reminded of Li Yunyan stepping off the carriage twenty years ago, not heading towards Gu Jingyuan, but towards him instead.
“Your Majesty, may I sing a song from the Li clan for you?” Gu Jianli asked demurely, sitting by the bedside.
Emperor Chang frowned and said, “Change how you refer to yourself in the future.”
“Yes…”
After a pause, Emperor Chang said, “Sing.”
Gu Jianli began to sing a beautiful tune in a foreign dialect, her voice soft and melodious.
Emperor Chang stared at Gu Jianli intently, as if trying to make up for a long-standing regret.
Consort Li sat up and glanced behind Emperor Chang, noticing a faint light flickering on the screen. It was a dancing flame.
When the song ended, Emperor Chang looked into Gu Jianli’s eyes and said, “That gold hairpin in your hair doesn’t match your purple dress. You should learn to dress like your mother.”
As he spoke, he reached out to remove the gold hairpin from Gu Jianli’s hair.
Before he could reach it, Gu Jianli removed the hairpin herself, letting her ink-black hair cascade down. Holding the hairpin, she said meekly, “If Your Majesty doesn’t like it, I won’t wear it again.”
Emperor Chang nodded with satisfaction. He tugged at his collar impatiently and said, “Why does it feel so hot? Change my clothes. It’s late, I should rest.”
Consort Li quickly responded, “Let me help His Majesty change clothes. Jianli, didn’t you hear His Majesty say he’s hot? Go and open the window.”
“Yes,” Gu Jianli replied, holding the gold hairpin as she stepped outside the screen to check the fire.
Emperor Chang squinted at Gu Jianli’s graceful silhouette, thinking that perhaps she was just shy. As the mighty emperor, he should be patient and not act like a brute. He should let the child come to him willingly.
When Gu Jianli returned, Emperor Chang had already stripped naked and was sprawled out on the bed.
Gu Jianli walked towards him, blowing out the candle on the lampstand as she passed, plunging the room into darkness.
A chill ran down Emperor Chang’s spine, and a sense of foreboding crept in.
“Why did you blow out the candle? Light it again!”
Consort Li laughed as she quietly slipped out of bed, saying, “Why is His Majesty so unromantic?”
Emperor Chang, listening closely, realized from her voice that Consort Li had gotten out of bed. He quickly grabbed her wrist and demanded, “Where are you going? Guards! Guards!”
He must not be allowed to call for help!
Gu Jianli rushed forward, pulling a white silk cloth hidden behind the bed drapes and wrapped it around Emperor Chang’s neck.
Consort Li, snapping out of her panic, covered Emperor Chang’s mouth with her hand in desperation.
Emperor Chang, enraged, easily broke free, causing Gu Jianli and Consort Li to fall to the ground. Ignoring them, he dashed towards the door, only to be met with a wave of heat and the sight of the heavy lock on the door illuminated by the flames.
“Tingyi! Tingwu! Where are you? Guards!”
Gu Jianli scrambled to her feet, grabbed the white silk from the floor, and chased after Emperor Chang. Consort Li also picked up a vase from the bedside table and rushed forward.
Before Gu Jianli could strangle Emperor Chang with the silk, he dodged and grabbed her wrist with such force that it felt like he would crush her bones.
Consort Li swung the vase at Emperor Chang’s head, but her pampered lifestyle left her without much strength, and the vase didn’t break, instead hurting her hand.
“You wench!” Emperor Chang released Gu Jianli and grabbed Consort Li by the throat, pinning her against the screen. His grip tightened, intent on strangling her.
Gu Jianli, sitting on the floor, pressed the ornament on the top of the gold hairpin, causing a long needle to spring out from the bottom. She looked up at Emperor Chang, the raging fire reflecting red in her eyes.
“The weak point of a man’s body is here. Just a light squeeze, and a man will be rendered powerless, dropping his armor and unable to fight back. If you twist it like this, his life will be in your hands.”
Ji Wujing’s teasing words echoed in Gu Jianli’s ears.
Gu Jianli bit her lip, tightened her grip on the gold hairpin, and drove the long needle viciously into Emperor Chang’s groin.
Emperor Chang cried out in pain, his limbs weak, immediately releasing Consort Li and collapsing, hunched over, with cold sweat streaming down his face. He shook his head, finding his vision blurry. The sleeping aid in the wine had finally taken effect.
There was no longer any need to cover his mouth; he couldn’t call out anymore.
Gu Jianli and Consort Li clung tightly to each other’s hands, nervously watching Emperor Chang. Blood spread beneath him, and his grotesque body trembled uncontrollably. Gradually, his tremors subsided.
Consort Li’s legs gave way, and she nearly fell. Gu Jianli caught her just in time.
“The key, you threw it away, didn’t you?” Consort Li asked in a trembling voice, staring at the growing flames. Fear was now taking hold of her.
Gu Jianli looked towards the door and said, “Even if we had the key, we couldn’t cross the flames to unlock it.”
The fire was spreading, already reaching them. Between them and the door was a sea of flames.
They stood still, watching Emperor Chang lying in a pool of blood.
The flames gradually reached Emperor Chang’s body, and he groaned in agony. The combined pain and the drug rendered him unable to scream, his groans hoarse and terrifying.
Fire was a useful tool; it could make this appear as an accident and destroy the wounds on Emperor Chang’s body, erasing all evidence.
Supporting the weakened Consort Li, Gu Jianli moved towards the only open window.
“Aunt, if we survive, do you remember what we need to do next?”
“I remember, I remember everything. But… I’m afraid to jump…” Consort Li recoiled.
Gu Jianli tightened her grip on her hand and said, “Don’t be afraid. It’s just the third floor. Jumping gives us a chance to live; otherwise, we’ll certainly be burned to death. Dying from a fall is instant, burning is excruciatingly painful.”
Emperor Chang’s agonized groans continued behind them, making Consort Li shiver.
“Don’t be afraid, we’ll do it together.” Gu Jianli pulled aside the hanging painting and helped Consort Li climb onto the windowsill. The cold wind blew harder, lifting her purple dress.
Holding Consort Li’s hand tightly, she jumped against the wind. It seemed like they jumped simultaneously, but Gu Jianli deliberately went a step ahead.
As they were about to hit the ground, she hugged Consort Li’s waist, cushioning her fall. She heard the clear sound of bones breaking, the pain in her leg making her shiver.
Ignoring the pain, she shouted at the top of her lungs, “Fire! Help! Save the Emperor!”
