sbdcsierra Chapter 266 What's so great about waiting?
Chapter 266 What's so great about waiting?
It is said that life is unpredictable.
But no matter what, Lu Yangyang never imagined that the emperor would personally shoot and kill the eldest princess.
Isn't that her own sister?
It is said that His Majesty and the Eldest Princess are siblings from the same mother. Given their close relationship, and considering that His Majesty had already ordered the execution of the Imperial Son-in-Law Bo, why did he still have the Eldest Princess shot?
Lu Yangyang was filled with questions. She had only known before that imperial power was cruel, that there was no kinship under imperial power, and that the princes fought each other to the death.
But Princess, she clearly wasn't involved in these interests, so why did the emperor insist on killing her? Was it just because of a moment of anger?
Lu Yangyang felt a tightness in her chest, and even now, recalling the sudden accident, she still felt a chill that seeped into her bones.
"Your Highness, rest assured, I will handle it well," Lu Yangyang said.
She has too many things to worry about now. Even her elder brother's request for a marriage decree couldn't change His Majesty's mind to send Li Duan to marry into the emperor. There are only a few days left until the Emperor's birthday celebration. Once the decree is officially issued, there will be no room for maneuver.
Seemingly sensing her distress, the Crown Prince spoke in a low voice.
“My aunt’s title is Zhaoyang, but I think she might prefer her own name. She was the daughter of the former Prince Mingjing, and her original name was Mingyuezhi. Although the old people of the Prince Mingjing’s mansion are no longer here, the tomb keeper is still here. Have Ayao arrange for her to go home.”
Lu Yangyang was stunned, but the Crown Prince didn't say anything more. He asked Eunuch Cao to stay and help, and Pei Ji pushed him away.
Eunuch Cao hurriedly greeted the Imperial Guards who had not yet left, took out the Crown Prince's token, and finally made sure everyone left before walking up to Lu Yangyang and speaking softly, "Princess."
Lu Yangyang was taken aback for a moment, "Huh?"
She was a little taken aback until Eunuch Cao looked at her, which brought her back to her senses. Although the emperor had conferred upon her the title of princess, he had not bestowed upon her a formal title, nor had he taken the matter to heart. Therefore, she was still somewhat unaccustomed to it.
Eunuch Cao lowered his voice, "This servant has already transferred the Imperial Guards away. Take advantage of this time to quickly lead Her Highness the Princess and Consort Bo away. If we are too late, something unexpected might happen."
In any case, Bo Zi'an just carried out the important task of assassinating the emperor. Although he is now dead, his body may not be able to be properly buried. Before His Majesty gives any orders, we should take Bo Zi'an's body away and bury it as soon as possible. Otherwise, even if His Majesty does not mention it, the people below will remember it and take the body away.
Lu Yangyang understood his meaning and quickly nodded: "Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch Cao."
Then he quickly walked to his elder brother's side and whispered what Eunuch Cao had said to him.
Sheng Junyao nodded, then placed his hands on Li Duan's shoulders and looked into her eyes: "Princess, shall we send His Highness back first?"
Lu Yangyang also squatted down and grabbed her hand: "Xiao Li, let's take your mother home."
Li Duan finally reacted and struggled to stand up. Lu Yangyang quickly helped her up and led her to the Princess's side.
Li Duan knelt down with a thud, her eyes blurred with tears as she looked at the princess on the ground. She reached out to touch her face, her fingertips trembling violently.
Lu Yangyang knelt down beside her, leaning slightly forward, wanting to pull the hands of the princess and Bo Zi'an apart, but found that the two seemed to be using all their strength to hold on to each other. She felt a little reluctant, but only by separating them first could she possibly bury them together quietly.
She understood immediately from what Eunuch Cao meant: His Majesty had agreed to allow the Princess to be buried, but would never allow her to be buried with Bo Zi'an; this matter could only be carried out in secret.
Lu Yangyang handed the princess's hand to Li Duan, who grabbed her mother's hands with both of them, lowered her head, and let tears fall one by one.
Lu Yangyang bent down and picked up the princess: "Xiao Li, let's go."
Li Duan then got up, grabbed the princess's drooping hand, and followed Lu Yangyang outside.
Sheng Junyao stepped forward, picked up Bo Zi'an, and followed behind them, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
With Eunuch Cao's arrangement, he led them around the palace gardens and left the palace as quickly as possible. Outside the palace gate, Lin Feng was already waiting in a carriage. After Sheng Junyao and the others got into the carriage, Eunuch Cao left.
The carriage was quiet the whole way, and Li Duan held the princess's hand tightly the entire time.
Upon arriving at the Princess's residence, they found the Princess's personal nanny, Granny Zhou, waiting with red eyes, but several carriages were already parked at the entrance.
Before they could get out of the carriage, Granny Zhou walked outside and said to them through the window, "His Highness instructed that if something happens to her, after her death... she should not return to the Princess's residence. This servant has already made arrangements. She will go to the old residence of Prince Mingjing. It has already been prepared there."
Lu Yangyang was slightly taken aback. The eldest princess probably knew from the beginning that the assassination of the emperor was almost impossible to succeed, and that she might lose her life as a result, so she made arrangements early on.
Lu Yangyang responded, and Lin Feng drove the carriage. The group, along with Granny Zhou in the back, went to the old residence of Prince Mingjing.
The plaque above the gate reads "Mingfu," and it's a small courtyard with only three sections. Compared to the grand Princess's mansion, which occupies an entire street, this place is probably not even as big as the main courtyard where the Princess lived.
Lu Yangyang carried the eldest princess down from the carriage, with Li Duan following beside her. Sheng Junyao was about to leave to arrange for the disposal of Bo Zi'an's body.
With Granny Zhou present, the Ming family quickly hung up white silk, and Granny Zhou personally redid the princess's makeup and placed her in the prepared coffin.
Li Duan followed Zhou Mama quietly the whole time, and didn't make a sound until the princess was placed in the coffin. She was so quiet that she seemed to have lost her soul.
Sheng Junyao helped with the funeral arrangements outside, while Granny Zhou took care of things inside the house, and Lu Yangyang accompanied Li Duan to keep vigil.
In the mourning hall at night, only Lu Yangyang and Li Duan knelt on the prayer mats, burning paper money into the brazier bit by bit. Li Duan lowered her head, tears falling onto the back of her hand.
Lu Yangyang saw this and gently patted her back.
“Yangyang, tell me, didn’t I ruin my mother’s life? It was I who brought Young Master Ming into the manor. Originally, the Fairy Music Pavilion couldn’t be selected for the Ministry of Rites’ program. It was only because I brought Young Master Ming into the manor that my mother helped me… If it weren’t for this, none of this would have happened…”
Li Duan lowered her head, her voice growing softer and softer.
Lu Yangyang stared at the flames in the brazier. "Mr. Bo... has been planning for a long time. Even if he didn't go through Her Highness the Princess, he would have gone through other means. And Her Highness the Princess will recognize Mr. Bo when she sees him. They are going to each other even in death. They must have waited for many, many years."
“You’re right. Mother must love him very, very much. I asked my mother before if she was waiting for him to come back. She said she hadn’t been waiting. What was there to wait for? I think I understand now. She wasn’t waiting. Rather, in her heart, she had never been separated from him.”
Li Duan burst into tears: "Yang Yang, when I entered the palace that day, I saw my uncle... His Majesty was forcing my mother."