War Prisoner - Chapter 63

Su Yi's heart twisted with pain. He knew that Wanyan Shuo was still emotionally attached to him, but taking into account Su Yi's current situation and status, if Wanyan Shuo continued to have warm feelings towards him, Su Yi knew that this would only cause a hundred harms to him with not even a single benefit to balance it out. Therefore, he carefully restrained himself from showing even a shred of care and concern for the little boy in his speech. Instead, he offered another respectful bow and said: “Much thanks to the Crown Prince for coming to the aid of your humble servant.”

Wanyan Shuo stared at him stubbornly. Suddenly, he extended a hand and grabbed Su Yi, saying loudly: “You... you clearly know that what I want is not this, you clearly know it.”

Su Yi looked at this child and saw that he was doing his utmost to restrain his tears. Su Yi's heart was also distressed, and he wanted nothing more than to be able to take Wanyan Shuo into his arms to reassure him and to soothe away all his hurts. But now, he had no other option but to force himself to hide his true feelings and project an aura of indifference. Striving to be detached, he said: “I don’t know what the Crown Prince wants?” 

His hopes dashed, Wanyan Shuo released Su Yi and went over to a tall tree and slumped dejectedly against it. In an exhausted voice, he said: I want you to tell me that you had actually been falsely accused. I want you to tell me that you did not actually betray my Imperial Father. I even want you to tell me that you truly love my Imperial Father and me. I... I am very greedy, correct?” He looked straight at Su Yi and said: “I very clearly know that these are impossible things, but I still want them, am I very useless? In truth, even I find this version of myself detestable. When did I, Wanyan Shuo, start to become so irresolute? I can't carry this burden, but neither can I put it down.” He shook his head, stood up straight and said: “You should go.” Without further ado, Wanyan Shuo also proceeded to leave. Su Yi perceived that there was a strange sense of weariness about the little boy's retreating figure and he gave a long sigh as he watched Wanyan Shuo go further and further away. When his silhouette had become naught but a small blur on the horizon, only then did Su Yi say in the direction of a nearby tree: “Miss Zi Yan, the Crown Prince is now far away, you can come out.” 　

At these words, Zi Yan's figure appeared in front of Su Yi. She also looked at Wanyan Shuo's silhouette --- a mere speck now, just about to vanish --- and gave a sigh of frustration. She turned back and saw that Su Yi was looking at her with luminous eyes. In everything she had ever done, she had felt that she had the courage of her convictions, but in this time, at this moment, for some reason, she felt a trace of guilt beginning to plague her conscience and she inadvertently hung her head. 

“Miss, is this the result that you wanted? To have the three of us living with such pain? It doesn’t matter what happens to me, but Wanyan Xu and the Crown Prince are your masters and I believe that you have sincerely vowed loyalty and devotion to them with all your heart. Your aim was to cause them to become totally cynical, to divest them of all emotional ties so that they can become ruthless and calculating rulers. No matter the cost, no matter how painful the process is for them, it is all worth it in your eyes, is that right?” He could no longer contain the seething umbrage in his heart, nor could he be bothered to be mindful of his lowly status as a slave. With each word and sentence, he strove to strike at the most vulnerable part of Zi Yan's heart.

“Are you trying to make me go in front of the Emperor and help you to prove your innocence?” Unable to refute Su Yi's words, she could only choose to project the image of a pitiless villain with her cold voice and disdainful words, so as to hide her conflicted heart.

“If that is what you think of Su Yi, then there is nothing left for me to say.” Su Yi did not spare her another glance and left, brushing by her side. After he took two or three steps, he suddenly stood still and said calmly: “I really wish for Miss to kill me. Let Wanyan Xu and the little Crown Prince grieve deeply over my passing for a period of time, after that they can finally let go of their pain. It is preferable to the situation we find ourselves in now, where we are tormenting each other with our very existence. At any rate, Miss's purpose was to get rid of me; with my death you can remove me once and for all. Or is it that Miss is afraid that you will have to shoulder the consequences if Wanyan Xu should investigate?”

Zi Yan was silent for a long time, before she suddenly said: “Actually, there is evidence that you had been framed in the very document that was used as proof of your guilt. But His Majesty and the Crown Prince were both overwhelmed by their concern for you, furthermore, the evidence is too subtle, that's why nobody was able to notice the discrepancy. General Su, have more patience and give it more time. If you are truly destined by Heaven to be the Empress of Jin Liao, then all the travails you are suffering now are simply tests Heaven has set for you to hone your mettle.”

When she finished her speech, Su Yi was stunned and could only stay rooted to his spot. He had never imagined that there would be a riddle yet to be uncovered buried within the words of his own prose. And yet Zi Yan had dared to so readily use such a poem as a key piece of incriminating evidence against him; when the very same piece of writing could absolve him of all guilt at any time. Su Yi was stunned by her audacity. This woman, she... what was she really thinking?　

“General Su, although I hate you and still feel very uneasy about you being the Empress, but, in my heart I still hope that you will live to see the day when the dark clouds over you have cleared and you are bathed in sunshine again although I don't know why I feel this way. However, I will never take the initiative to step forward to clear your name. It's fine if you hate me; if you curse me, that's fine too. That's up to you. If there comes a day when you can re-occupy the position of Empress, then I will accept without complaint whatever end you have in store for Zi Yan, whether it should be death or torture.” Zi Yan said these words calmly, her manner as casual as if she were discussing the merits of their surrounding scenery. When she finished, she turned and left, without a single look back at Su Yi.

Su Yi looked at her retreating back, but her words had made him even more confused. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, to the extent that he could not make heads or tails of them. In exasperation, he resolved to simply not think about them anymore and slowly made his way down the small path to the laundry room.

Just as he was approaching the entrance to the laundry room, Su Yi saw that a bunch of people were crowded around the door, chattering away furiously. Su Yi went up to take a look and saw that many old serving women and palace maids were surrounding a man, and with unsightly looks on their faces, they seemed to be lecturing him.

Su Yi's heart gave a tremor of surprise. Judging from this man's deportment, which was distinctly elegant and refined, he was most likely a member of the aristocracy. However, he wore clothes fashioned from coarse white cloth and the servants that had surrounded him were not showing the slightest deference or even politeness in their speech.

That stranger waited for the indignation of the crowd to run its course; only when they had quietened down, did he open his mouth to speak: “If all of you don’t wish to assist me in my search, that’s quite alright. But that garment was sewn for me by my mother with her own hands, and I would never send it here to be washed, nor have I ever done so. There was a new servant girl assigned to me recently, and being new, she didn’t know that that garment is special and she sent it here together with the rest of the laundry. Since you are not willing to help me look for it, I’ll do it myself, that shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

An old woman in the crowd gave a "humph" and said: “It would have been better if Your Highness had not mentioned the name of Her Ladyship Concubine Hua. Associating yourself with her does not reflect well on you at all. If Your Highness does not mind that this place is both dirty and messy, then please do as you like.” So saying, she withdrew with the rest of the crowd. As they dispersed, they were wearing contemptuous smiles; they had obviously been highly entertained by the drama that had played out. 

Su Yi knew that this room was full of clothes belonging to the eunuchs and palace maids; they were piled like mountains everywhere inside. As this Young Master did not have any understanding as to how the laundry was sorted, there was no way that he would be able to find what he was looking for. Although Su Yi was curious as to why the helpers in the laundry room had dared to be so rude to this prince, and also the reason why his laundry had been sent here to be washed together with the articles of servants when he had the status of a prince, Su Yi did not care to investigate further. Instead, he went forward to the man and said: “What does Your Highness's garment look like? If you could tell me, I might be able to be of some help.” When Su Yi had finished speaking, the Prince and the servants all uniformly cast their eyes at him. Without exception, the look in their eyes expressed amazement and incomprehension.