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墨書 Inktalez
Three days later, the Dali Temple discovered several ledgers at the residence of Changyu Princess, detailing collusion with court factions and the buying and selling of official positions.
In an instant, the new emperor was furious and vowed to investigate thoroughly. Soon after, the once-glorious Changyu Princess was thrown into prison, along with a host of her accomplices who were also captured.
The previously empty Heavenly Prison and Dali Temple's prison were suddenly overcrowded. The treasures seized from these officials and noble families piled up like mountains, enough to fill three or four national treasuries. Even Lou Yu could not help but change his expression; he had not expected these people to have embezzled so much. If he had not personally gone undercover this year, he might still be unaware of how many commoners had not received disaster relief grain.
With Changyu Princess imprisoned, the entire capital buzzed with tales of the new emperor's decisiveness and impartiality, declaring him the most enlightened ruler in a century.
On the eve of her execution, Lou Yan, held in solitary confinement in Heavenly Prison, received an unexpected visitor.
Lou Yan was faring relatively well in prison; perhaps it was due to Lou Yu's personal arrangements that no one dared mistreat her.
As she prepared for her last meal before execution, Lou Yan was not surprised by Lou Yu's arrival. She calmly rose and poured a cup of wine for him, presenting it with a smile.
"Ah Yu, aren't you going to drink? This might be the last cup of wine your sister offers you," Lou Yan said with a gentle smile.
Lou Yu remained composed as he gazed at her. After a long moment, he accepted the cup that Lou Yan was about to retract and drank it all in one go.
As usual, Lou Yan began to advise him: "Once I'm gone, you mustn't act recklessly. Although you hold a high position, your freedom is limited. This year’s undercover visit I undertook was kept from many officials who have grown suspicious. You likely have an idea of who they are; I won’t name names. Also, Ming Fei has been pregnant for over three months now, hasn’t she? The ripple I had that Exotic Beauty send into your dreams is the rarest fragrance from the Western Regions. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to see your child. But our Lou family will not end with my generation..."
"Stop talking, Elder Sister. I’ll see you off," Lou Yu said flatly.
Lou Yan paused in her actions and looked at him with a soft laugh: "You’re talking nonsense again. If I don’t die, how will you deal with those guilty officials? Only by having me—your elder sister who grew up alongside you—executed by the righteous emperor will they be intimidated. At least for several years, no one will dare to scheme about corrupting the imperial examination or trading official positions."
"I’ve arranged for a Centaur to wait outside Heavenly Prison. As soon as you get into the carriage, you can leave the capital. From then on, whether you travel the world or seek out that monk, do not return to Cangzhou or the capital."
Lou Yan’s arched brows gradually relaxed as she withdrew her hands and sat upright: "When did you find out?"
Lou Yu replied, "From the first time you mentioned him. Cousin, you may not realize this, but you are the person I admire most in my life. If it weren’t for you being Kun Ze, perhaps this throne wouldn’t even belong to me. From Cangzhou to the capital, all the secret lines I set up and assassination attempts I faced were endured with you by my side. How could I bear to truly harm you? But if we don’t play this act of sibling betrayal, how would they willingly curry favor with the arrogant Chang Gongzhu and expose their weaknesses?
You are the wisest Kun Ze I have ever known and my last remaining relative. Regardless of what happens, I will leave you a way out. Whether or not you take it is your choice. But there’s one thing I must tell you: The trade route between the Western Regions and Great Chancellor has been opened; ten years ago that person’s spies reported having appeared at Yadan."
"Decide for yourself whether to go see him or die here, sister."
After saying this in one breath, Lou Yu cast a deep glance at Lou Yan and then stood up, striding out of the Prison.
Once he left, Lou Yan stared at the dim corner of the room in silence for a long time before murmuring to herself, "So you knew all along..."
The Young Monk, who had always lingered in the depths of her memory, was someone she thought of every moment. When they first met, he had come to the Central Plains to preach. The profound scriptures were beyond her understanding, yet she found herself drawn to this monk who always feigned indifference.
The Western Regions not only held deep Buddhist teachings but also possessed medicinal techniques unknown in the Central Plains. During that time, she learned many things from him that she had never encountered before. The feelings of young love quietly blossomed between them. But due to the unbreakable vows he adhered to, he left without a word, not even a letter. In her despair, she fell prey to the scheming Zhou Changyuan, losing all hope of ever being with him again.
But now it was different; Changyu Princess was to be executed tomorrow, and no one would know her fate afterward. She might never return to her homeland if she fled to the Western Regions, but if she could see him once before she died, it would fulfill her wish.
Lou Yan slowly closed her eyes as two lines of tears silently slid down her cheeks under the moonlight.
*
In the Warm Fragrance Pavilion, Ming Xiting was throwing another tantrum.
Recently, his appetite had grown larger. The food from the imperial kitchen was mostly bland and hardly appealing to him. Moreover, with Changyu Princess now imprisoned, why hadn’t Lou Yu let him go? Did Lou Yu really have feelings for him and want to keep him in the palace as a consort?
"What are you thinking about now?" Lou Yu appeared quietly behind him and gently patted his shoulder.
Ming Xiting pouted. "Did your imperial kitchen chefs start using lard? Look at my waist; in just three months, it has grown over ten centimeters! And my weight has increased by more than ten pounds; I’m almost developing a double chin—do you see it?"
Lou Yu chuckled and placed his large hand on Ming Xiting's face, gently pinching it. "You have gained some weight. But Kun Ze should eat more during pregnancy so that he doesn’t suffer too much during childbirth."
"You see? You just said I gained weight! What do you mean 'eat more'... what! Am I pregnant?" Ming Xiting's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared intently at Lou Yu. "You must be joking! Didn’t we terminate it?"
Lou Yu remained silent, merely raising an eyebrow with a hint of amusement in his gaze.
Ming Xiting nervously touched his round little belly, murmuring, "This can't be true. How come I have no signs of pregnancy at all? Besides, didn't I take the abortion pill? I even saw that puddle of blood. How is this child so stubborn?"
Seeing Ming Xiting's dazed expression, Lou Yu could no longer hold back. He pulled him into his arms and gently stroked his belly through the thick winter clothing.
"Do you really not feel anything at all?"
Ming Xiting glanced at him sideways and replied, "It wasn't just that one day... Well, we did it. Even if I'm a bit slow to react, I can still tell whether something happened or not. Or could it be…"
Ming Xiting suddenly squinted, looking Lou Yu up and down. "Is it because you’re not capable anymore that I feel nothing? But that shouldn't be the case; last time you were so…"
Lou Yu felt both amused and exasperated, unsure whether to laugh at his naivety or give him a lesson for questioning his abilities.
Recalling what he had asked the imperial physician earlier, the child was already three months along, so the pregnancy must have stabilized. Besides, he had been making temporary marks for Ming Xiting recently to alleviate any severe pregnancy symptoms he might face. Coupled with Ming Xiting's oblivious nature, it made sense that he hadn't noticed any changes in his body.
Through the thick palace robe, Lou Yu couldn't feel the baby moving directly, so he boldly reached in and placed his cold hand inside the wide garment. The moment he touched the warm, delicate skin, Lou Yu tightened his embrace around Ming Xiting. Startled by this sudden action, Ming Xiting shivered all over.
Ming Xiting tried to pull Lou Yu's hand away but found their strength unequal. Frustrated, he clutched Lou Yu's audacious arm tightly.
"What are you trying to do? Didn’t you say I’m pregnant? Why are you still…"
"What about me?"
"Why… Hey, where are your hands going? Don't go down there. Mmm… Hmph… So annoying… You..."
Ming Xiting's face instantly flushed red, and after a long while, his emotions gradually calmed down. With eyes glistening with tears, he gazed at Lou Yu, who was now cradling him in his arms, and complained softly, "You're bullying me again."
Lou Yu's heart softened as he lowered his head and gently kissed Ming Xiting's forehead, speaking softly, "How could I ever bully you, my Empress?"
Before Ming Xiting could ponder the meaning behind the word "Empress," he found himself laid on the bed by Lou Yu. Lou Yu straightened up and began to leisurely remove his clothes while smiling at him. "Now this is what it means to bully you."
Once again, as on that day, a deep and mysterious look shone in Lou Yu's eyes.
Ming Xiting was about to get up and run away, but how could Lou Yu let him escape? With a swift motion, he reached out and pulled him close, expertly locating the gland that had been marked recently. He lowered his head and bit down.
In an instant, a chilling breath that had been building up was suddenly released, flowing along Ming Xiting's delicate and pale neck, coursing through his veins and merging with his very marrow.
In just a few seconds, the clear gaze in Ming Xiting's eyes, which had been sharp from the pain at the nape of his neck, became hazy. Unlike the temporary markings from before, this time there was no soothing presence of Xin Xiang, only an intoxicating aura that stirred desire.
This was the catalyst for him to enter the Rain Dew Period.
Ming Xiting's voice shifted from a sharp cry of pain to a soft, lingering murmur, releasing an ethereal fragrance of Xing Hua Xiang as waves of emotion washed over him.
Yet even so, Ming Xiting retained a sliver of rationality.
“Lou Yu… you bastard…”
“Yeah, I’m a bastard.”
Lou Yu bit down hard on Ming Xiting’s Heavenly Mandate mark again, causing him to go limp in his arms, helplessly gazing into those clear, bottomless eyes.
(This part will not be omitted; it’s just a magical transfer.)
In the third year of Zhao Yuan's spring, Emperor Chang conferred the title of Consort Ming upon Ming Fei, who was thereafter known as Duanwen Empress. In June of the same year, Duanwen Empress gave birth to a son.
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