Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 99

Outside the Hall of Ancestral Worship stood elite soldiers clad in armor. Not only here, but the entire palace city was on high alert. The Tiger Warriors guarded the gates, and the Feathered Forest Guard patrolled the grounds. Once inside the palace gates, escape was impossible, even if one had wings.

Puyang stood inside the Hall of Ancestral Worship. She was the only one in the hall. The incense that burned year-round had been extinguished, lending a rare clarity to the hall, which was usually wreathed in smoke.

The Hall of Ancestral Worship was unharmed, and the spirit tablets of the former kings were in their places in the distance. After today, she thought, they would once again enjoy the offerings of their descendants. Puyang’s gaze swept down the rows until it reached the tablet of the late Emperor. There, her eyes froze, her expression darkening.

One spirit tablet was missing—that of the late Empress.

A moment later, a clamor arose outside the hall, but it quickly fell silent again. The Prince of Jin, surrounded by a throng of armored soldiers, strode in. His expression was composed, his steps light; he was clearly in an excellent mood.

The palace city was heavily guarded, impossible to enter or leave. He could kill whomever he pleased. Puyang’s life was held firmly in his grasp. At this point, the outcome was decided. He had won, and Puyang was but fish on the chopping block, left to his mercy.

Puyang turned to face him, her expression as placid as ever, showing no fluctuation. The Prince of Jin suddenly felt it was a pity. If he couldn’t make Seventh Lady show the same fear and pleading as Xiao Dewen had, it would be less amusing.

The armored soldiers followed the Prince of Jin into the hall, splitting to line both sides. The Prince of Jin walked in leisurely and smiled at Puyang. “It truly is difficult to get a meeting with Seventh Lady.”

Puyang glanced behind him and, seeing he had entered alone, frowned slightly. “You killed Dewen?”

The Prince of Jin laughed heartily. “Dewen is the emperor. Your elder brother cannot bear the crime of regicide.” As he spoke, his smile vanished abruptly, and a sinister glint appeared in his eyes. “He was killed by you.”

He would soon be the Son of Heaven, and how could the Son of Heaven bear any stain on his name? The stain would be all Puyang’s, while he, of course, would ascend the throne cleanly and receive the prostrations of the masses.

Puyang naturally understood his implication. Just as she was about to speak, the Prince of Jin added, “Since the late Empress’s spirit tablet was accidentally burned, let’s just leave it at that. There is no need to return it to the hall for worship.”

Puyang’s expression finally turned grim.

The Prince of Jin felt a surge of satisfaction, yet his anger was not sated. He continued, “Just wait a moment. Zhongmeng should be here soon. When he arrives, your elder brother will send you both on your way together. This will spare you a lonely journey to the Yellow Springs and can be considered a fulfillment of the bond between us siblings.”

He finished speaking slowly, staring at Puyang with indifference. Only when he saw a flicker of panic in her eyes did the smile on his lips become more genuine. This is how it should be, he thought. Since you’ve lost, what’s the point of feigning courage in the face of danger?

“Why don’t you kneel and beg me, Seventh Lady? Perhaps, if your elder brother is pleased, I’ll grant you a quicker death.”

Puyang, of course, did not move. Nor did she need to. Wei Xiu had arrived.

Wei Xiu came alone. Her frail body was settled in her wheelchair, her gaze fixed forward as she passed through the ranks of the heavily armored Feathered Forest Guard. Amid the cold glint of blades and swords, Wei Xiu’s figure appeared all the more slender and fragile.

Puyang watched her approach, from a distance until she was near. She suddenly recalled something Wei Xiu had said to her long ago, not long after arriving in the capital: I am willing to live and die with Your Highness. At the time, she had been delighted by the sentiment but had never deeply considered whether the words were true or false.

But now, she knew. Wei Xiu had meant it.

In such a perilous situation, knowing full well it was a trap, she had willingly walked into the snare for her sake.

Wei Xiu drew closer. Her gaze fell upon Puyang, as if to confirm her safety. Seeing that she was unharmed, she turned to the Prince of Jin.

The Prince of Jin didn’t quite dare to look at her. Fearing that Wei Xiu had some other trick up her sleeve, he averted his eyes, looked at Puyang, and said, “Everyone is here. Your elder brother will now send you to see the late Emperor!”

With that, he drew his sword and pointed it at Puyang.

Wei Xiu propelled her wheelchair forward, positioning herself in front of Puyang. Puyang’s face went pale with shock. “Prince Consort!”

Wei Xiu turned her head and gave her a look.

Her gaze was gentle, easily soothing Puyang’s panic. Seeing Puyang calm down, she turned back around. Shielded behind her, Puyang could only see her back.

Her back was very slender, her frame could not be called strong, and she was physically impaired. Not even a strong man was needed; a small child could have easily killed her. Yet she used her own body to shield Puyang, standing before her like Mount Tai, unshakeable.

The Prince of Jin suddenly found it laughable. Since she wanted to die, he would grant her wish!

The point of his sword shifted downward, turning toward Wei Xiu until it rested against her heart.

Wei Xiu remained perfectly still, looking at the Prince of Jin without even a flicker of her gaze.

The Prince of Jin gave a contemptuous smile and applied pressure. The sword’s tip pierced through Wei Xiu’s robes and sank into her flesh. Still, Wei Xiu did not move, remaining steadfastly in front of Puyang.

The Prince of Jin’s expression changed. He stared at Wei Xiu, and Wei Xiu looked back at him—one burning with rage, the other calm and composed.

“You are not afraid of death?” the Prince of Jin said through gritted teeth.

Wei Xiu’s expression was finally no longer blank. She smiled, a smile filled with mockery. The Prince of Jin was already wary of her; seeing this, he grew even more flustered, raised his voice, and asked again, “You do not fear death!”

Wei Xiu replied calmly, “With Your Highness the Prince of Jin to be buried with me, what is there to fear in death?”

Killing intent instantly filled the Prince of Jin’s eyes. He glared at Wei Xiu, furious. He knew it! Her daring to enter the palace alone couldn’t have been just to die! She must have made arrangements outside!

The Prince of Jin was about to question her when it suddenly struck him: no matter what arrangements she had made outside, both of them were now in his hands. And he had already committed a crime punishable by the extermination of his entire clan. There was no longer any path of retreat!

Once the Prince of Jin understood this, he abruptly calmed down.

The hall was filled with armored soldiers, and heavily armored guards stood outside. Forget two people with no strength to truss a chicken; even a general who could move freely amidst an army of ten thousand would not be able to walk out of this place alive.

The Prince of Jin was no longer flustered and regained his composure. The sword in his hand was still pressed against Wei Xiu’s heart. He could even imagine the visceral satisfaction of plunging the blade fully into this body, then having it thrown out to be torn apart by five horses.

The Prince of Jin pushed the sword another fraction deeper. Wei Xiu’s expression remained unchanged.

The Prince of Jin suddenly grew curious. What kind of foolproof plan could allow her to remain so composed with death at her doorstep? He was suddenly interested in knowing the details, so he could better counter it in a moment.

With this in mind, the Prince of Jin asked, “I wonder what foolproof plan Young Master Wei has?”

Wei Xiu glanced down at the cold gleam of the sword blade and made no attempt to hide it. “In two days, the Black Armor Army will reach the capital. Entering the capital without cause is a capital offense. I imagine that to save their own lives, the Black Armor Army will storm Luoyang, enter the imperial palace, execute the traitor, and establish a new emperor.”

This traitor, of course, was the Prince of Jin.

His mind, which he had just managed to calm, was thrown into turmoil again. Panic flashed once more in the Prince of Jin’s eyes. He had not known that Puyang had already sent people out of the capital. He stared at Wei Xiu, who gave a slight nod, indicating that her words were true.

Puyang was behind her. She could not see Wei Xiu’s expression, but she could see the Prince of Jin’s face. Hope rose in her heart, but only for an instant. She realized that the Black Armor Army was not enough of a threat. Two days was enough time to sweep through the capital and reinforce the defenses of Luoyang’s twelve gates. Without an inside agent to open the gates, the Black Armor Army would not be able to break through. At that point, the Prince of Jin could light the signal fires and request aid from the more distant Dingbei Army.

The Prince of Jin was much slower than Puyang, but he eventually thought of it as well. He secretly let out a breath and calmed down again. “Is Young Master Wei just bluffing? Two days is more than enough time to stabilize the capital. By then, let alone one Black Armor Army, not even the strength of two or three Black Armor Armies could hope to set foot in the capital!”

As he spoke, a triumphant laugh welled up inside him. He felt that Wei Xiu had exhausted her tricks. He had lost to her once, then defeated her once. This time, he would take her life!

Wei Xiu watched him. No matter how his delight showed on his face, her expression never changed. She merely stared at him coldly.

Seeing this, the Prince of Jin’s smile grew even brighter. This cripple before him, who could only rely on a wheelchair, seemed resourceful, but in reality, she was nothing special. “If this is Young Master Wei’s final stratagem, it is far too disappointing.”

Wei Xiu spoke slowly. “The Capital Commandant, Jiao Yong, is my man.”

The Prince of Jin looked as if he had been brutally slapped. The arrogant triumph of the previous moment was now frozen on his face. He turned his head stiffly, his eyes wide, his voice strained. “What did you say?”

Wei Xiu’s smile was mocking, but she did not answer. She was clearly such a frail and elegant person, yet at this moment, in the Prince of Jin’s eyes, she was like a life-reaping specter, sending a chill rising from the depths of his heart.

He shifted his gaze upward to look at Puyang.

Puyang also said nothing.

The Prince of Jin felt a strange terror, a coldness that seemed to rise from beneath the earth, making him shiver all over in the sweltering summer heat. If the Gold Guard refused to submit, this palace city, his pride and joy, would become a cage, trapping him inside. People from the outside couldn’t get in, and he couldn’t get out. If he had ten days or half a month, he could still command the Feathered Forest and Tiger Warriors to fight the Gold Guard. But with only two days, two armies of comparable strength, and numerous ministers willing to open the city gates for the Black Armor Army, there was no way he could win.

Silence filled the hall. The Prince of Jin looked at Wei Xiu again and suddenly burst into laughter. The sound was abrupt and extremely forced. After a moment, he stopped laughing and stared viciously at Wei Xiu. “You think I’ll believe you? The Capital Commandant is a minister of the court! He is a man of the court…”

He couldn’t continue, because the mockery in Wei Xiu’s eyes had grown even deeper.

The Prince of Jin grew more flustered. He knew he already believed her, but he didn’t dare admit it. A sliver of doubt remained in his heart—what if she was just deceiving him? What if this was merely a delaying tactic?

He could not afford to lose. He had staked his life and his family’s fortune. He could not believe it, not if there was even the slightest doubt.

Despite this thought, the hand holding the sword trembled uncontrollably.

Just then, a person ran into the hall from outside.

The newcomer was panic-stricken. He knelt beside the Prince of Jin and said, “Your… Your Highness, the Capital Commandant has suddenly led his men to surround the Prince of Jin’s mansion! The Princess Consort and the young prince are both inside!”

It was confirmed. Jiao Yong truly did take orders from Wei Xiu… The Prince of Jin deflated instantly. He stared blankly at Wei Xiu, then at Puyang. He was only a single step away from the throne, but it seemed to be a step he could not take.

The Prince of Jin was scared out of his wits. His gaze toward Wei Xiu was filled with disgust, and also with fear.

Wei Xiu looked down, pinched the blade between her index and middle fingers, and pulled the sword out nonchalantly.

“Now, is Your Highness the Prince of Jin able to speak with me calmly?” Wei Xiu’s lips pressed into a thin line. The mockery in her eyes was gone, replaced by a sharpness like the glint of a blade.