Mistakenly Treated The Princess As A Concubine - Chapter 123

A few sticks of incense burned in the censer, releasing wisps of blue smoke that dissipated into the air.

Wen Zhuojin felt that the scents around him had become strange ever since Yan Qi started embroidering.

After carefully discerning the smell, Wen Zhuojin could identify that the incense materials were harmless. However, the scent emanating from the embroidery was not pleasant to others, though it was not harmful either.

Wen Zhuojin reached out and pulled Yan Qinglan, wanting to ask if she was planning to leave. As she knelt on the prayer cushion, he heard Yan Qi speak.

“Elder Sister, do you still remember the winter when our mother passed away? You caught a cold and fever, and who was it that went to the Imperial Hospital to get medicine for you?”

“In the twelfth year of Yuanding, during the palace coup, who was it that ran out to divert the searching rebels?”

“You promised our mother that you would take care of me, that you would protect me with your life. But now? You’ve taken the throne from me, imprisoned me! How do you dare to stand before our mother’s memorial tablet?”

Yan Qi raised his head and stared at Yan Qinglan.

Yan Qinglan, hearing Yan Qi’s words, gripped Wen Zhuojin’s hand with some force.

She knew that meeting Yan Qi would inevitably lead to these questions she did not want to face.

Her relationship with Wen Zhuojin had not yet been restored, and her emotions had been unstable.

Part of the reason she had avoided seeing Yan Qi was due to her emotional state, as well as her mother’s admonitions and the sibling bond she shared with Yan Qi for over twenty years.

Otherwise, if she had faced Yan Qi with her bad mood at that time, she didn’t know if Yan Qi would still be alive.

Having Wen Zhuojin by her side these past few days had made her feel much better, which was why she had decided to face this heartache.

She thought this way, but upon hearing Yan Qi’s words, memories were stirred, and her emotions surged again.

“If Your Majesty does not cherish old sentiments, how could you still be alive here? If we were to settle old accounts, who owes whom, do you not know in your heart?” Before Yan Qinglan could speak, Wen Zhuojin angrily interjected.

Wen Zhuojin, seeing Yan Qinglan’s expression, guessed that she was agitated by Yan Qi’s questions, and supported her, speaking on her behalf.

Yan Qinglan, hearing Wen Zhuojin’s words, glanced at her, and her heart calmed somewhat.

Her Ah Zhuo believed in her.

That was enough.

“Yan Qi, I do not owe you. Since you were in swaddling clothes, you have been under my care. After our mother passed away, you fell ill several times and were plotted against by people in the palace. Have you counted how many times? During the palace coup, after you diverted the pursuers, it was I who brought people to rescue you. Back then, when various factions were vying for the throne, if it weren’t for me, you would have died long ago. How could you have the throne? I treated you this way, yet you poisoned me, wanting to harm me. How do you have the face to speak like this before our mother?”

Yan Qinglan spoke, her voice cold. She did not look at Yan Qi but stared straight ahead at their mother’s portrait.

The promises she made back then, Yan Qinglan had done her best to fulfill. The current outcome was not what she had wanted.

Yan Qinglan had a clear conscience, but arguing with Yan Qi like this, she didn’t know how much it would hurt their mother.

“Haha, if it weren’t for you? If it weren’t for you, I would be better off than I am now! You merely used me as a pawn, a stepping stone for your ascent to the throne! If not for that, why did you keep the Golden Fish Talisman to yourself? If not for that, how could you claim to be the reincarnation of the Celestial Lady, beloved by the people, gaining their support, while I wanted to become the reincarnation of the Banquet, yet you wouldn’t allow it! If not for that, why didn’t you leave the palace to marry, instead staying in the palace all this time?” Yan Qi’s words grew angrier, his tone more furious, his eyes increasingly sinister.

Yan Qinglan knew that Yan Qi had been dissatisfied with her for a long time, ever since she poisoned her five or six years ago, but she hadn’t expected that in Yan Qi’s heart, there were even more outrageous views. All her painstaking efforts were seen as treacherous.

“Whether you believe it or not, everything I did before this year was for you. When you ascended the throne, you were still young. Several times you impulsively wanted to go to war. When the Northern Qiang invaded, I went to the northern frontier in your place to lead the campaign. The military talisman was only temporarily in my custody. Victory would be credited to you, defeat would be blamed on me. Later, when the Golden Fish Talisman was no longer needed, it was placed in the devil’s work ball I gave you. If you had discovered it, the Golden Fish Talisman would have been yours. But you never found it, and even gave the devil’s work ball away as a reward.”

Yan Qinglan spoke indifferently, explaining much of this mainly for Wen Zhuojin to hear, and also for their mother.

As soon as Yan Qinglan said this, both Yan Qi and Wen Zhuojin were surprised.

Yan Qi had been trying to find the Golden Fish Talisman and never expected it had been right beside him all along, inside the devil’s work ball!

At that time, dissatisfied with Yan Qinglan, he had paid little attention to the gifts, not even willing to look at them more than once.

Wen Zhuojin, on the other hand, recalled the day she won the devil’s work ball in a polo match. Yan Qinglan had been in a bad mood that day, holding the devil’s work ball for a long time, obedient and pitiful under her coaxing…

“Claiming to be the reincarnation of the Celestial Lady, such a taboo and disrespectful act, I didn’t do it and didn’t want you to do it either. As for not marrying, it was merely to balance the forces in the palace, to prevent internal strife because of me.” Yan Qinglan added.

Yan Qi’s expression froze for a moment, then turned agitated and sinister again.

“You’re lying, twisting right and wrong as you please. Who would know? You are the most hypocritical, the most ruthless! Everyone can be deceived by you. If General Wei Chengyi hadn’t been bewitched by you, why would he be so loyal to you? The Wen Zhuojin by your side must have been deceived by you too! Once you’ve used them up, they’ll end up like me, discarded, imprisoned, living a life worse than death!”

Yan Qi’s tone was already somewhat frenzied, not believing a word Yan Qinglan said.

Yan Qi’s words did not provoke Yan Qinglan, only making her care even less for what remained of their sibling bond.

“Enough, gag Yan Qi and take him away.” Yan Qinglan said, not wanting to argue further, waving her hand.

Some attendants moved to seize Yan Qi, but he pushed them away.

“My Consort Shu, Consort Xian, Consort De, Consort Gui, where are you? Come protect your emperor!” Yan Qi shouted.

Wen Zhuojin, hearing this, was somewhat puzzled, but then she saw several inconspicuous maids in the hall move, even two who were originally part of the attendants. Some resisted other attendants, some protected Yan Qi, and some even attempted to assassinate Yan Qinglan.

There was also commotion outside, as if some were fighting with the attendants trying to enter.

The few attendants left in the hall blocked them.

“Wen Zhuojin, I order you to seize Yan Qinglan immediately. Upon success, I will make you Empress!” Yan Qi then said to Wen Zhuojin, his words filled with delight.

At this moment, several attendants were still a few steps away from Yan Qinglan, while Wen Zhuojin was almost right by her side protecting her, making her the easiest to seize or even kill Yan Qinglan.

Hearing Yan Qi’s words, Wen Zhuojin understood how those four consorts had come to be—they were all promised by Yan Qi!

He made such a promise verbally, and yet there were really people who fell for it, daring to help him rebel against Yan Qinglan?!

“Empress? I do certainly want to be one.” Wen Zhuojin said, her eyes curving as she looked at Yan Qi, while holding Yan Qinglan close.

Yan Qi’s eyes lit up slightly.

Wen Zhuojin had intended to make a joke to lighten Yan Qinglan’s mood a little, but as soon as she finished speaking, she noticed that Yan Qinglan’s expression didn’t seem quite right.

“Sister, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?” Wen Zhuojin quickly asked.

“I have a bit of a headache, and my stomach feels a little uncomfortable…” Yan Qinglan whispered.

Wen Zhuojin instinctively felt that the scent Yan Qi had brought was off. She hurriedly took out a wax-sealed pill from the pouch she carried, crushed it, and fed it to Yan Qinglan.

It was an antidote pill Wen Zhuojin had prepared while concocting antidote incense, which could suppress the toxicity of some medicinal ingredients.

“…Let’s get out of here first!” After Yan Qinglan took the pill, Wen Zhuojin covered her face with a cloth to block the scent, then supported her as they walked out.

With the attendants clearing the way, Wen Zhuojin and Yan Qinglan quickly reached the hall’s entrance, but the closed doors had not been pushed open. Outside, someone was guarding the door, and the attendants outside were fighting.

“Elder Sister, I’m afraid you’ll have to stay with our mother a little longer. Wait a bit longer, and you’ll feel it more clearly. The incense burned today and the scent I carry on me have mixed to form a poison, and when combined with the other poison Elder Sister has been exposed to, it becomes even more potent.” A low voice was heard, it was Yan Qi speaking.

Hearing Yan Qi say this, Wen Zhuojin understood.

Several non-toxic incense materials had mixed to form a toxicity.

Wen Zhuojin didn’t know how much poison was still in Yan Qinglan’s body, but seeing her brows furrowed and her silence, she grew anxious.

At the same time, she was frustrated with her limited understanding of incense materials, as she had failed to notice this earlier.

Wen Zhuojin quickly thought for a moment, then rummaged through her belongings for an incense pill, lit it with a fire starter.

This incense pill was one Wen Zhuojin had deduced might counteract the combined toxicity.

But it was a bit too late now.

As the fighting began, some of the attendants seemed to be struggling, likely affected by the mixed poison.

Meanwhile, the women Yan Qi had turned against them were still fierce, especially the two attendants.

“Wen Zhuojin, the emperor’s word is law. If you seize her, I guarantee you’ll be empress in the future. She’s poisoned now, her life won’t last long. I can give you the wealth and honor she can’t!” Yan Qi said to Wen Zhuojin again, trying to get her to join his side and increase his chances of winning.

Wen Zhuojin, already annoyed, felt her heart skip a beat upon hearing Yan Qi’s words. How potent was this poison, that it could make Yan Qinglan’s life short?

Wen Zhuojin supported Yan Qinglan to the side, letting two attendants protect her.

“Sister, wait a moment. His poison doesn’t seem to affect me. I’ll go see if he has an antidote.” Wen Zhuojin said, releasing Yan Qinglan.

Yan Qinglan watched as Wen Zhuojin seemed about to say something more, but she had already taken a few quick steps forward and charged ahead.

In just a few steps, Wen Zhuojin was in front of Yan Qi, kicking at him.

With the help of several attendants, Wen Zhuojin quickly gained the upper hand against Yan Qi.

Yan Qi had initially thought Wen Zhuojin could be used, and hearing that she also wanted to be empress, he became even more confident. But who would have thought Wen Zhuojin would be so fierce, with such immense strength, each punch and kick landing painfully on his body.

“Wen Zhuojin, did you even hear what I said?” Yan Qi said angrily.

“I heard you! I do want to be empress, but not your empress!” Wen Zhuojin said, as she followed up with a few strikes from the attendants’ blades onto Yan Qi’s body.

Yan Qi cried out in pain, feeling that Wen Zhuojin before him must have gone mad. He had even promised her the highest position of empress.

Which woman wouldn’t want to be the mother of the nation?

The Wen Zhuojin before him clearly had some rebellious bones, dealing with him without any mercy.

Yan Qi didn’t dare to let his guard down again.

Yan Qi had been taught martial arts by the best general of Northern Jin, and though his skills weren’t top-notch, his techniques were clever and precise. With the help of the other “consorts” he fought several rounds with Wen Zhuojin and the poisoned attendants.

Wen Zhuojin was determined to capture Yan Qi quickly and force him to reveal the antidote, even if it meant getting injured in the process.

Just as Wen Zhuojin, despite being stabbed in the arm by a sword, was about to strike Yan Qi, a bright yellow shadow flashed before her eyes. Immediately after, Wen Zhuojin saw the sword in Yan Qi’s hand being knocked away by another long sword adorned with a bright yellow tassel.