Chapter 113: The Abandoned Little Emperor (17)
Only after that touch of pale yellow disappeared from sight did Su Mingxiu dare to unclench her left fist. The sticky residue in her palm had turned a dark, reddish-black.
She stared at the empty corridor, then slowly looked away, returning her gaze to the sand table. But somehow, she had lost all interest in talking to the system.
Since it wasn’t afraid of her guessing the truth, it meant that the system had other plans. Even if she extracted it temporarily, she would still be under its control in the next world… This wouldn’t solve the problem fundamentally.
Su Mingxiu pressed her fingers against her temples, massaging them slowly. The problems before her—her worsening illness, the hidden dangers within the Xiao Zhou dynasty, the strange connection between her and the protagonists, and uncovering the system’s true purpose…
…all lined up, waiting to be solved.
Outside the Zhenbei Manor…
The faint redness on Xiao Miyun’s neck hadn’t faded. After leaving the manor, she looked back at the plaque, its black background and golden inscription, then turned and left with a flick of her sleeve.
Since returning to the palace, apart from court sessions, she hadn’t spoken a word to Su Mingxiu privately. After ordering the Prince of Zhenbei to lead the troops and assist the Imperial Hospital in dealing with the plague in the north, the only news from the court was about the Prince of Zhenbei’s departure from the capital.
That night.
A light drizzle fell over the capital.
Rain was scarce in the north this year. The little emperor, always concerned about her people, instinctively opened the window and looked out. Remembering the agricultural knowledge she had diligently acquired, she hoped for heavier rain to nourish the fields, but also worried that a prolonged drizzle would rot the crops’ roots.
The rain fell from the eaves like pearls. She looked up and saw a dark figure approaching in the distance.
Thinking of Su Mingxiu’s preference for black clothes, Xiao Miyun was momentarily lost in thought. She strained her eyes, trying to see the figure more clearly, even leaning forward unconsciously, the rain-soaked wind almost touching her forehead.
But…
As the figure approached, her shoulders slumped.
Oh.
It’s General Sun.
She watched from afar as Sun Feiyan changed shifts with the other guards, then looked away. A palace maid, hearing the noise, quietly draped a robe over her shoulders and softly asked if she was feeling unwell, offering to summon an imperial physician. When the emperor didn’t respond, she quietly retreated.
Xiao Miyun suddenly called out towards the window: “General Sun.”
Sun Feiyan, who was talking to her colleagues, heard her voice and hurried over, her armor glistening with raindrops. Reaching the window, she assumed the emperor had some orders, but she heard the young emperor ask in a low voice:
“From the capital, how far has the Prince of Zhenbei’s army traveled?”
Sun Feiyan was surprised. Xiao Miyun should have known this. After all, the officials in the Qinzheng Palace were well-informed about the Zhenbei army’s movements, and this information couldn’t be hidden from the emperor, who was gradually consolidating her power.
But she still answered truthfully.
Xiao Miyun let out a soft “Oh,” then asked, “Is it also raining there?” Was Su Mingxiu riding a horse, or in her carriage?
If it was raining, would that frail body remember to stay warm?
The young emperor, experiencing the first pangs of love, now understood the meaning of tossing and turning, sleepless nights, those clichés she used to scoff at.
She, who had thought herself heartless, was now so full of emotions, foolishly devoted to someone who didn’t love her back.
Thinking of this, she smiled self-deprecatingly and lowered her gaze.
Having come of age, the girl’s figure was now like a willow tree in early spring, her gracefulness unfolding. A fleeting glimpse of her beauty could steal one’s breath away.
But the person who possessed such beauty was oblivious, lost in thoughts of the one who had left.
Sun Feiyan couldn’t answer her question. She simply stood there in the rain, her eyes lowered respectfully. After a long silence, she heard Xiao Miyun whisper: “Is Zhen… foolish?”
Knowing that Su Mingxiu wouldn’t care, her one-sided coldness only intensified her own longing, having no effect on the other party.
Perhaps…
Su Mingxiu was even secretly relieved, finally free from this troublesome emperor.
“Your Majesty is wise,” General Sun, hearing her self-deprecating words, could only reply like this.
Xiao Miyun scoffed, shook her head, and turned back to the palace. But she didn’t allow the palace maids to close the window, listening to the gentle patter of rain as she lay awake until dawn.
With the Prince of Zhenbei away from the capital, news traveled even slower. Initially, reports arrived every three to five days.
But as the plague worsened and unrest broke out, quelled by the Zhenbei army, the news reaching the capital became less frequent.
Xiao Miyun frequently summoned the imperial physician, but no matter how much calming medicine she took, she still couldn’t sleep.
Early one morning…
As she attended court, hearing that there was no news about the plague in the north, her eyelids twitched. Seeing only embellished reports from the officials, her heart sank.
By evening, the vibrant sunset painted the palace in beautiful hues. A message was delivered, handed to her by a palace maid. Wang Dan bowed and whispered the news from the eunuch accompanying the army.
“Half a day ago, the Prince of Zhenbei entered the isolation zone, where the plague victims are being quarantined and cremated, and ordered that no one from the army should enter.”
The emperor’s eyelids twitched. She crumpled the note in her hand, her voice strained as she tried to maintain her composure. “Is the Prince of Zhenbei showing compassion for the sick, or trying to set an example and calm the people?”
Wang Dan, looking at her expression, understanding her thoughts, kept his head lowered, not daring to speak.
Xiao Miyun slammed her hand on the armrest. “Speak!”
The eunuch sighed and forced himself to tell the truth: “This servant guesses… that the Prince of Zhenbei has also been infected—”
“Silence! Who allowed you to make such baseless assumptions?!”
“This servant deserves to die.”
Wang Dan quickly knelt down, ready to accept his punishment, his eyes closed, thinking that he was truly unlucky today.
But the message was too important to be relayed by others. Taking the blame was a small matter, but concealing such crucial information was a grave offense.
“Get out! Get out of here!”
Xiao Miyun threw her teacup on the floor. Hearing the door close, she slumped back in her chair, her hand covering her eyes, tears silently tracing paths down her cheeks.
Drip, drip.
Her tears stained the golden threads of her imperial robes. But she didn’t care, letting her emotions flow. Suddenly, she made a decision.
She would leave the palace.
Whether Su Mingxiu lived or died, she had to see it with her own eyes.
The emperor held supreme power in the mortal realm, controlling life and death. She, Xiao Miyun, would not allow it. She would see which death god dared to claim the soul of the Great Zhou’s God of War.
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