Xia Niangniang - Chapter 23

Chapter 23

All of a sudden, The Blind Concubine felt like he had been enclosed by strong thunder, dumbfounded him on the spot. After a long while, tears slowly flowed down. Shrieking loudly exhausted and hoarsen his voice.

Xiao Bao didn’t know what to do, he only hugged him tightly.

The Blind Concubine’s heart was hurt like being twisted by a knife. Tears were dripping nonstop. He buried his head in Xiao Bao’s waist and burst out into a heart-breaking cry.

Jue Yu collected the scattered on the floor cake, wrapping it in his handkerchief. He also took the carved food box on the table, without saying a single word he walked out.

The young Monarch was writing in the Imperial Study. Suddenly, a Palace’s servant hurriedly came to report, saying something happened at the serving quarter.

The Emperor’s writing brush paused, he lifted his eyes from the writing: “What did you say?”

The Palace’s servant knelt down while trembling in fear: “It was the news coming from young Master Jue Yu, your servant dare not to ignore, immediately I rushed over to inform. According to the news, The Little Prince was also present at that place at that time. He was startled. Already he was brought back to his Palace by his wet nurse.”

The Emperor pinched the writing brush so hard to the point his fingertips which held the writing brush turned white, “Recently, why did trouble happen one after another.” There was a faint anger in his speech.

The Palace’s servant who witnessed the unhappy mood of the Emperor, hastily lowered his head, he dared not to utter another word.

The Emperor strode with large steps to the serving quarter and entered the room. The Blind Concubine’s pair of eyes were distorted, laying prone on the bedside, his withered hair was scattered, his eyes had become swollen from crying hard, sobbing and unable to make a complete sound.

Only a single glance could already make people’s heart sting with pain.

The young Monarch bent his body, gently touched the Blind Concubine’s brows and eyes with his lips.

The Blind Concubine didn’t move at all, as if he no longer possessed any senses. Even his breathing spell had become so light and mild.

The Emperor pursed his lips, slowly he spoke: “I don’t blame you anymore, for everything that had happened, I won’t blame you anymore. You don’t be like this.”

The Blind Concubine gritted his teeth, shut his eyes, and said: “You go away!!”

The Emperor was startled: “What?!”

“I don’t want to see you anymore! You go away!!”

The Emperor’s face became cold and rigid, gritted his teeth in anger: “You actually wanted to torment me, tormenting your own self for how long so that you could be contented?!”

The Blind Concubine struggled to pull apart from the Emperor’s hand, still with his choked by sobs voice he said: “Because of you….. even a peaceful life……. unwilling to give……” His throat was terribly hoarsened. His words were unable to complete his speech.

Jue Yu lifted the curtain and entered the room. His face was calm and quiet. Putting the carved food box on the table.

Xiao Bao busily stepped forward: “Have you found out anything?”

Jue Yu’s eyes lightly swept past The Blind Concubine who was laying on the bed, said: “Let’s go outside to talk.”

The three of them lifted the curtain and walked out the room.

Jue Yu told them: “The poison was in the cake, all the food inside the box was mixed with the poison, it wasn’t really only in the sweet-scented Osmanthus cake.”

Xiao Bao made a light “Ah!” sound, covered his mouth with a look of disbelief.

Jue yu said again: “The poison was not a deadly dose. The dosage was merely enough to poison a cat, dog, and a little child to death. However, The Blind Concubine’s body is frail and weak, it hasn’t recovered at all from his illness, therefore only a small bite would be enough to cause his death.”

The Emperor upon hearing what Jue Yu had said, angrily said: “Who exactly had put in the poison? Truly is heartless and without compassion!!”

Xiao Bao nodded his head: “The Little Prince also almost ate that cake!”

Jue Yu hesitated for a while, then as if muttering, he said: “According to my speculation, the only one who could put the poison, remained the Empress Dowager alone.”

Xiao Bao’s pupils contracted in an instant, he couldn’t help but face towards the inner room and give a quick glance. But very quickly he lowered his head, acting like he didn’t hear anything regarding this matter.

The Emperor’s face had sunk like deep water, his voice also became heavy and serious, “This kind of talk, how do you explain your accusation?”

Jue Yu explained: “The cake and snacks and every meal within the Palace was cooked in the Imperial Kitchen before being delivered to each and every Palace. All along during the process, it had been inspected strictly. It was nearly impossible to poison the food. Needless to mention about the food which is about to be given to the Empress Dowager. The Palace’s servants who acted as the food testers are about five to six people. If they truly intended to put the poison, and placed the blame on the Empress Dowager, the only way they could make their move was to smear the poison on the wooden case which the food was packed. However, I had cautiously investigated, this wooden box’s exterior, the base inside, the tray, even the handle, all of them did not contain the poison, therefore, I am certain that the poison must be inside the food, during the cooking process it had already been mixed in with the poison.  Jue Yu has the nerve to make a speculation on this matter. This food container wasn’t really coming from the Imperial Kitchen. It was the Empress Dowager who ordered someone to make them in her own Palace. The Empress Dowager packed the poisoned food inside this box, made The Little Prince bring it and give it to be eaten by The Blind Concubine. The Blind Concubine has always loved the Little Prince, of course he wouldn’t suspect that there was something unusual inside the cake. Today, if it wasn’t for Yu Li, I wonder if The Blind Concubine and The Little Prince would have lost their lives at the same time.”

Xiao Bao was extremely stunned by this: “When the Empress Dowager handed over this cake to the Little Prince, surely she fully understood that the Little Prince also might eat the cake as well. Rui Ze, however we see is also the Empress Dowager’s own son that she personally raised. How could the Empress Dowager harm him?”

Jue Yu made a cold laugh: “The most poisonous is the heart of a married woman. Rui Ze wasn’t really the son of the Empress Dowager. No matter how much he is being loved, when the time to abandon him should come, he would be abandoned without the slightest amount of hesitation. On the other side, The Emperor is truly her only son, in order to help the Emperor to achieve his goal, whatever it is, in the Empress Dowager eyes, nothing couldn’t be sacrificed.”

The Emperor knitted his brows, “The Empress Dowager ever since long ago didn’t want me to meddle in the Palace’s general affairs anymore, why did she want to do this?”

Jue Yu meaningfully threw a quick glance at the inner room, “I wonder if this matter has something to do with The Blind Concubine’s past which we can’t just ignore.”

The Emperor’s heart skipped a beat, said: “The Blind Concubine entered the Palace seven years ago. Not long after he entered the Palace, his eyes were hurt and he became blind. Soon afterward, he was cast away to the Cold Palace. Seven years ago, do you have any memory about any occasion seven years ago?”

Jue Yu asked: “Seven years ago?”

“Exactly!”

Jue Yu couldn’t help but widened his eyes: “Your Majesty doesn’t remember at all??”

The Emperor felt weird, then asked back: “Remember what?”

Jue Yu raised his brows: “Seven years ago, wasn’t it when the previous Emperor met his demise and Your Majesty ascended the throne?”

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Xiao Bao came out from the inner room carrying the porcelain bowl. Worryingly said: “Master still refused to eat, Little Prince, please help to try to persuade him.”  

Rui Ze lowered his head, carefully and cautiously, he entered the inner room, went to the Blind Concubine’s side.

The Blind Concubine’s face was ghastly pale without any blood color. His eyes were hollow without any will to live. The jade hairpin which he used to bind his hair had gone missing. His dispersed hair was scattered to the both side of his cheek. His whole appearance resembled someone who had lost their mind.

Rui Ze stretched his soft and fair little hand, lightly caressed his face, getting his own face to inch closer, nearly pressed his nose to his face. Softly said: “I am sorry.”

The Blind Concubine was staring blankly, his eyes were void and at a loss.

Rui Ze placed his forehead to lightly touch the face of The Blind Concubine which was cold as if without temperature, “I am sorry. It was me who was at fault.”

“If you want to blame, just blame me.”

“Don’t be like this, alright?”

He was still a child, he didn’t have any knowledge about what exactly had happened. Also, there wasn’t anyone who dared to tell him.

He was still thinking that the Empress Dowager loved and endeared him. It was his own wrong doing. He was blaming himself. He only could apologize clumsily, at a loss of what to do.

The Blind Concubine slowly lifted his head, there was a layer of mist on his empty eyes. Afterwards, the tears gradually formed, accumulating more and more, becoming a pool in his eyes.

He couldn’t see Rui Ze’s brimming with tears eyes, Rui Ze’s teary face.

Xiao Bao said that Rui Ze was like a small rice dumpling. Round like a ball. The robe he was wearing was of the finest silk and satin material. Running around happily and merrily.

After hearing this, he couldn’t help but love him.

His love for Rui Ze, and his love for Yu Li, was all the same.

Although he was unable to see, the portion of his love not even the slightest amount could be lessened.

He couldn’t blame Rui Ze. He could only blame himself.

If not for his existence, Rui Ze wouldn’t have to encounter this kind of misfortune in his early age.

Being born in a Royal family, if he truly had to suffer this kind of incident sooner or later, he wished that it would come later, later in the far future.

The Blind Concubine with much difficulty lifted his arm, he took Rui Ze’s small body into his embrace, firmly hugged him.

He gently touched Rui Ze’s cold little face. His fingers came across the cold water stain on that face.

The Blind Concubine stretched his shaking and trembling hand, wiped away the tears on Rui Ze’s small face.

“I don’t blame you.”

“I just hate my own self, it was me who wronged you.”

His stomach was billowing , opening his mouth to vomit. However, he hadn’t eaten for several days, his stomach was empty. Unable to throw up.

Gasping to pacify his breathing, he hugged Rui Ze even tighter.

He had lost Yu Li, he couldn’t afford to lose Rui Ze and Xiao Bao.

The Imperial Palace was a very dangerous place after all.

Seven years ago it was like this, would it still remain like this for the next seven years.

He initially did not believe that in this gloomy and cold Imperial Palace a sincere feeling would exist.

He took the great pain to gain something by approaching the Emperor, he even had sacrificed his own honor. He only thought about getting the Emperor’s temporary favor, so he could send Xiao Bao out of the Palace.

Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager expelled him from the Capital. Even General Qi was involved and punished because of him. Now, even Yu Li was also had gone.

He almost harmed Rui Ze.

The Blind Concubine closed his eyes. From his throat, a burst of sweet and fishy smell roused.

He honestly wanted to leave this place.

The more he thought about it, the more his heart was seized like being twisted.

Ever since that day, seven years ago, since his eyes were never able to see anymore.

He would never forget the person who trampled and blinded his eyes. Forever.

He buried his hatred and grudged in the deepest part of his heart. Putting on an indifferent expression on his face. An Expression without wave nor billow.

Once in a while, he would put on a smile.

The hatred in his heart did not lighten the slightest bit. Instead, it had become more and more deeper.

The overwhelming hatred almost drowned him, making his pair of eyes soak in the red color of blood.

He already couldn’t see anything.

End of The Blind Concubine Chapter 23.