"Lord Li... What did you just say?" Concubine Shu stared wide - eyed, her face as pale as paper.
Concubine Shu's strange state startled Ying'er. She had never seen Concubine Shu like this before. She seemed like a delicate vase that would shatter at the slightest touch. Tears welled in her eyes, and her whole body trembled violently.
"Your Ladyship...?"
"Concubine Shu!" Doctor Li beat his chest and stamped his feet. Then he rushed back to Concubine Shu's bedside and advised, "Your Ladyship, please don't be so emotional. Your body needs rest now..."
Concubine Shu ignored him. All she could think about was what Doctor Li had just said. She grabbed Doctor Li's hand and said tremulously, "You just said... What happened to Concubine De?"
Doctor Li thought she was worried about Concubine De's health. He quickly comforted her, "Someone poisoned Concubine De. It's said to be a very powerful poison. Concubine De almost died, but she's lucky. It seems someone found a way to save her. However, her body is very weak."
Hearing this, Concubine Shu felt a sudden blackout before her eyes and almost fainted again. Fortunately, Ying'er was quick - eyed and quick - handed. She quickly supported Concubine Shu and shouted, "Your Ladyship!"
Concubine Shu's face grew even paler. She looked like a fallen leaf in the autumn wind. Doctor Li was startled and quickly said, "Look at this old man's mouth! Your Ladyship, rest assured. Concubine De is blessed by the heavens. She will surely pull through..."
Concubine Shu leaned in Ying'er's arms. Her complex emotions made it hard for her to catch her breath for a moment. She nodded weakly and said, "Thank you, Doctor Li. I'm fine now. You may leave."
Doctor Li wanted to persuade her further, but Concubine Shu had closed her eyes and turned her head away, as if she didn't want to hear anymore.
Doctor Li naturally didn't know Concubine Shu's complex emotions. He was completely confused. Since Concubine Shu had given the order, he didn't dare to stay any longer. He quickly bowed and backed out.
After Doctor Li gently closed the door, Concubine Shu seemed to lose all her strength and slumped down.
What was the crime for murdering a fourth - rank official, Concubine De?
If Chang Lin was found out, he would surely be executed!
Concubine Shu felt a sharp pain in her heart. Memories from the past suddenly welled up like the waves of the sea, pulling her in forcefully. The fragments of memory were so heavy that Concubine Shu, exhausted both physically and mentally, finally couldn't bear it and vomited a mouthful of blood.
Ying'er was startled. She jumped up and was about to go for the imperial doctor. But unexpectedly, Concubine Shu grabbed her.
She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and forced a smile that was uglier than crying.
"Don't go for the imperial doctor. I'm fine."
"Your Ladyship..." Ying'er cried loudly.
"Don't go... There's no need... I just want to sleep for a while..." Concubine Shu's voice grew softer and softer. Gradually, she closed her eyes. Her consciousness was finally out of control, being beaten and swallowed by the surging waves of memory.
The more painful the reality, the deeper the memories. When the deliberately sealed memories were slowly opened, every bit in the long river of memory would secretly form a huge impact. This impact carried the broken - hearted Concubine Shu and took her directly back to the Lantern Festival six years ago.
At that time, she wasn't Concubine Shu yet. She had a very beautiful name, Liu Wanyan.
That year, she was fourteen, and he was eighteen.
At a riddle - guessing stall, he accidentally glanced at her, and from that moment on, he was deeply smitten.
The riddle - stall owner, looking at the fourteen - year - old girl, wanted to make things difficult for her. He smiled and asked, "Then you guess this riddle: When is the mountain not a mountain, the sky not the sky, and the earth not the earth?"
Liu Wanyan propped her chin up, frowning deeply. After thinking for a long time, she slapped the table and said, "How could there be such a time? Pangu separated heaven and earth. Mountains and rivers are eternal, and the sun and moon are endless."
"Indeed, there's no such time." A gentle and elegant young man in white walked out of the crowd. He gave Liu Wanyan a gentle smile. His eyes were as bright as the stars in the night sky. With his bright eyes and white teeth, he instantly captured Liu Wanyan's heart. He slightly parted his thin lips and said, seemingly lightly but extremely seriously, "Because only when the mountains have no edges and heaven and earth combine will I dare to part with you."
Applause suddenly erupted from all around. Even the stall owner joined in the fun, "Such a handsome young man and a beautiful girl are truly a match made in heaven!"
Liu Wanyan blushed deeply as she watched the young man in white approaching.
The young man in white slowly leaned forward, "My name is Chang Zixuan. May I have the honor of knowing the young lady's name?"
That year, Liu Wanyan's innocent heart fell into the mortal world.
He made an appointment with her under the peach tree. She arrived as promised. He was so excited that he could hardly contain himself. He took out a piece of rice paper from his bosom and handed it to her.
"Yaner, open it and take a look." Under the peach tree, the flowers were in full bloom, and their red color also dyed his handsome face.
She blushed and slowly opened it.
A fair maiden of the Liu family has just come of age.
I caught a glimpse of you in the market and was deeply smitten.
Do you, sweet maiden, know your lover's heart?
I dream of your graceful figure and eagerly await your presence.
The gentle breeze blew through her hair, bringing with it her fragrance.
He boldly took her hand.
And she blushed like a ripe apple, shyly dodging but never letting go.
They met secretly under the moon and rowed a boat on the peaceful lake.
He and she made a vow for a lifetime.
In the same year, Emperor Huan's health was getting worse and worse. Moreover, with the border being pacified and the war situation easing a bit.
Emperor Huan appointed a side concubine for the crown prince. Everyone knew that this side concubine would become the empress who would rule the harem in the future.
That year, Liu Cheng had made contributions in the court. With the recommendation of the ministers and his eldest daughter being of the right age, the matter was thus decided.
She cried, made a scene, and went on a hunger strike. But finally, she was persuaded by her father.
Her father tore up all the letters he had sent and burned them to ashes. Her heart was baptized again and again, and she gradually accepted the reason and necessity of becoming the empress.
So, after that, she never saw him again.
The crown prince's first wedding was a joyous occasion celebrated throughout the country.
But few people knew that on the wedding night, she was alone in the empty bridal chamber.
Despite this, the allure of the empress position always supported her. It wasn't until three years later, when the former emperor passed away and the crown prince ascended the throne, that she successfully became Concubine Shu in the harem.
It was the first time she saw him after three years.
He signed up to enter the palace as a eunuch and brought the false news of Chang Zixuan's death.
After the talented Chang Gaotai, who had won the highest honors in the imperial examinations, died of illness, his son also died unexpectedly. The Chang family left no descendants. Such a sad story spread in the streets, arousing people's pity. He successfully got the quota to enter the palace with a false identity because of this.
"You're crazy!" she said, her voice extremely shrill, "It's impossible for us! I'm a woman who is going to be the empress!"
"I just want to be with you." Tears welled in the corners of his eyes, and his voice was choked with sobs, "I only want to be with you."
"You're crazy! You're crazy!" She cried loudly and reached out to knock over all the porcelain on the table, "I will never love you again. Do you understand?"
Tears slowly slid down from his eyes. He bent down to pick up the broken writing brush on the ground. He held the broken brush in his hand, dipped it gently in the inkstone, and wrote a line of powerful but extremely sad words:
Only when the mountains have no edges and heaven and earth combine will I dare to part with you.
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Chang Lin looked at the raging flames in front of him.
His face was lonely and pale, showing helplessness and relief.
There was a knock on the door.
Liu Zhen walked in with his men.
"Your name is Chang Lin, right? Come with this general."