The wind was strong today, and sand got into Mantuo’s eyes, causing tears to slide down the corners of her eyes, one by one, linking into a string. From silence to sobbing, from sobbing to wailing.
Nan Shiying held Mantuo’s small body and felt her tremble in her arms. She didn't speak, just stayed with her quietly. Xuan Yi stood in a corner further away, holding the horse, half of his body hidden behind it.
Perhaps His Lord sent Mantuo to the Shadow Pavilion with the intention of controlling Nan Shiying, but now, His Lord had no such thoughts. Otherwise, Mantuo wouldn't have known that it was the Empress who rescued her from the Nan mansion.
Xuan Yi remembered the scene when he pulled Mantuo out of the vat that day. She was so small, not even as big as a wolfdog. Now she was still so small. Although she always had a cold expression, the blood on her hands was probably less than that of the Princess.
Still a child!
Mantuo didn't know how long she cried. She felt as if she had cried out all the moisture in her body. Nan Shiying’s clothes were soaked, and as the wind blew, it brought a biting cold. Mantuo raised her head, and her small face, which had been tense from the beginning, finally showed a child-like shyness. Her eyes, red from crying, dared not look at Nan Shiying’s face.
"I'm sorry, Miss, for getting your clothes dirty!"
Nan Shiying squatted down and took out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from her face. "Alright, go and offer a stick of incense to your grandmother!"
Mantuo nodded, turned to pick up the incense, and inserted the lit incense in front of the tombstone. She knelt on the ground, which was frozen cold and hard, and kowtowed repeatedly.
...
In Jingren Palace, Ji Hong was talking with the Empress Dowager.
"Imperial Son, do you have something troubling you?"
Ji Hong held a hazelnut crisp and lowered his head, lost in thought, not hearing what the Empress Dowager had said. Seeing his preoccupied expression, the Empress Dowager raised her hand and dismissed the palace maids and eunuchs attending them.
She reached out and pushed the tea directly in front of his line of sight. "Come, have some tea!"
The teacup that entered his vision brought Ji Hong’s thoughts back. The voice by his ear gradually became clear. He looked up, seeing his mother’s concerned gaze, and the furrowed brows and eyes relaxed a little.
Ji Hong picked up the tea and took a sip. The tea's fragrance filled his mouth and teeth, taking away some of his worries.
"Imperial Son, do you have something troubling you?" The Empress Dowager repeated her earlier words.
Ji Hong shook his head, then nodded. Seeing that there was no one attending them, he finally revealed his inner thoughts. "Has Mother heard about what happened a few days ago?"
"Imperial Son, are you referring to that audacious fellow who took Lord Gu from the main hall?"
Ji Hong nodded with a displeased expression. "That day, I saw the officials in the Censorate lamenting over Lord Gu's matter, so I promised them that I would spare Lord Gu's life."
"But Mother, you also know that Ji Jinmo he..."
Mentioning Ji Jinmo, Ji Hong's face showed anger. How could Ji Jinmo be willing to hand over Lord Gu? The Demon Hunter Army, which had previously claimed to be cleaning up the black market, still had a portion of its forces stationed in the capital, encamped just outside the city. A head-on confrontation was impossible. However, if they didn't resort to force, to make Ji Jinmo release Lord Gu, he would only have to pay a greater price.
"That scoundrel, how did your father treat him? And how did he treat you for the sake of the throne!" The Empress Dowager was so angry that she slammed the table. The jade bracelet in her hand immediately cracked. Ji Hong was startled and quickly stepped forward to check if the broken bracelet had scratched her hand.
"Mother, it is my filial impiety that has caused you worry!"
Ji Hong threw the bracelet aside and knelt at the Empress Dowager's feet.
"My child, what are you doing? Hurry and get up!" The Empress Dowager pulled Ji Hong up and, with some concern, bent down to brush away the dust from his trousers, signaling him to sit back down quickly.
After Ji Hong sat down, he remained silent.
"Imperial Son, the prince from Dali, how much longer until he arrives?" The Empress Dowager's voice reached Ji Hong's ears. Ji Hong looked up. Although he didn't understand why his mother would suddenly mention the prince from Dali, he still replied, "If he rides at full speed, it should be more than ten days!"
After speaking, he asked, "Why is Mother asking this?"
The Empress Dowager looked at Ji Hong. On her face, which was beautiful and unblemished by the erosion of time, a look of unreadable emotion appeared. Her voice slowly deepened, as if being dragged by something all the way into the deep sea, leaving only desolate silence and darkness at the end. "If there is anyone who wishes Ji Jinmo dead more, it would be Dali. Imperial Son, if Dali were to engage in war with our Lin Yuan, do you think Ji Jinmo would choose to lead the Demon Hunter Army to defend Lin Yuan's territory once more, or would he stand by and watch Dali invade the heartland of Lin Yuan?"
"Mother!"
Hearing this, Ji Hong could not help but exclaim.
He understood his mother's meaning. This was a gamble with the entire Lin Yuan as the stake, betting that Ji Jinmo would definitely lead his troops to fight.
"Mother, if Dali and Lin Yuan go to war, then the border civilians will once again be plunged into the abyss of suffering. At that time, there will be corpses strewn everywhere, and the people will be displaced..."
"Emperor, those who achieve great things are not bound by minor details. It is merely a city's populace. If handled properly, you can not only weaken Dali's military strength in one fell swoop but also permanently resolve Ji Jinmo!"
"Imperial Son, compared to Dali, Ji Jinmo is the immediate trouble you need to deal with. Do you want to continue to be humiliated by him like this?"
Ji Hong clenched his fists at his sides, momentarily speechless.
The Empress Dowager's voice softened. "Imperial Son, I know you love your people as if they were your children, but a ruler must not only be kind but also ruthless. Compared to Ji Jinmo, you are not ruthless enough. What is a city's populace? To achieve one's goals, even if it means sacrificing thousands or millions of people, what does it matter?"
Ji Hong's hands clenched and unclenched. After a long pause, he suddenly looked up, a hint of morbid madness on his face. The desire to eliminate Ji Jinmo finally overcame his compassion for the people. "Mother, your son understands!"
The Empress Dowager said nothing more, only smiled at him and beckoned the maid outside. "Let Qin Momo come in!"
The maid responded, and a moment later, an old wet nurse dressed in a green gown entered. The Empress Dowager said to Qin Momo, "I plan to invite Nan Shiying to the palace tomorrow. Go and make preparations."
"Yes!"
Qin Momo lowered her head and replied softly.
"Mother, you intend to..." Ji Hong's words were unfinished, but his meaning was very clear. The Empress Dowager smiled inscrutably but shook her head, denying Ji Hong's guess. "No, I simply want to meet her!"
"Imperial Son, have you heard? A favored concubine has died in Ji Jinmo's rear courtyard!"
"If only I had had this skill back then..." The Empress Dowager suddenly stopped speaking and a look of exhaustion appeared on her face. "Imperial Son, I am tired."
Ji Hong got up to take his leave.