Chapter 462 – Fate Has Run Its Course

Chapter 462 - Fate Has Run Its Course

In the summer of the 31st year of the Chongzheng era, He Jinli suddenly fainted during the early court session.

This happened only a few days after the Empress Dowager's mourning period had ended.

For the past year, his health had been deteriorating, and Yun Li had watched over him more closely than anyone else.

Upon hearing of his collapse, Yun Li rushed to the Zhengyang Palace without hesitation.

All the imperial physicians hurried to the palace, while the Empress and the Crown Prince kept watch by the emperor's side.

After Dr. Zhu and several other physicians examined the emperor, they informed the Crown Prince and the Empress, "His Majesty's ailment remains a heart condition, which has now worsened. His recovery will ultimately depend on how he fares when he awakens."

Yun Li sighed but did not ask any questions.

Such an illness could not be cured in ancient times; it would only get worse with time.

Upon waking up, He Jinli's condition was indeed dire; he was unable to move lying down.

Yun Li dismissed the matters of the harem to the concubines and devoted herself to caring for him in the Zhengyang Palace.

The crown prince was also aware of the emperor's deteriorating health. Apart from handling state affairs diligently, there was little else he could do.

Feeling the severity of his illness, the emperor himself had an ominous premonition. Holding Yun Li's hand, he said, "I sense that something is amiss..."

"Death is an inevitable fate for all, even for an emperor. One shouldn't behave as if they're invincible just because they're compared to a true dragon. However, it's not yet your time to die. You're still taking your medicine and I'm tending to you with such care. Why do you speak of such things?" Yun Li gave He Jinning a sidelong glance.

Hekin Li laughed softly. "Alright, alright, it was my mistake."

Yun Li helped him sit up straight, supporting him as she urged him to drink the medicine himself. "Take it in one gulp; sipping it slowly will only make the fishy taste more pronounced."

This time, there are several ingredients in the medicinal materials with an especially pungent odor.

Hekin Li also mustered his courage and drank it down, truly enduring a torment.

After taking the medicine, He Jinli fell asleep soon after.

When the Crown Prince arrived, he moved with great caution.

Min Chang whispered, "Your Majesty has just taken his medicine…"

The Crown Prince nodded in acknowledgment.

In truth, this was somewhat improper, but His Majesty never asked anyone to stop the Crown Prince from coming.

Min Chang naturally didn't interfere either.

This father-son duo was different from other royal pairs; they genuinely had a close relationship.

After the Crown Prince paid his visit, he then stepped out with Yun Li to discuss matters in a side palace.

The Crown Prince's face looked pale, and he had lost some weight.

Yun Li said, "Pull yourself together. Your father wouldn't want to see you like this."

"The prince has already dispatched people to search for folk healers; perhaps they might have alternative remedies," the Crown Prince said.

Yun Li sighed. "Won't your actions only make your father even more upset?"

"But... is there truly no other way?" The Crown Prince asked anxiously.

"What cure could there be for a heart ailment? What good does it do to torment him?" Yun Li inquired.

The Crown Prince bit his lip. "I just can't bear it. I... can't bear to lose him."

"Very well, if you insist on searching, then search. I won't let you live with regrets," Yun Li patted his arm. "Go ahead and do what you must."

"Mother, am... am I being childish?" Tears welled up in the Crown Prince's eyes.

"You're merely reluctant to let go, as am I." Alas, we both must face reality.

Doctor Zhu was straightforward: His Majesty was merely prolonging his suffering, and the medicine was doing little to help.

In the end, the Crown Prince still sought out a healer, deceiving He Jinli by claiming they were a royal physician.

He Jinli also accepted the gesture with a cheerful smile, not uttering a word.

He Jinli had foreseen his own fate as well.

As a result, he took a decisive action: he ordered the execution of the deposed Empress Xie.

Empress Xie didn't have many years left; her health had long since deteriorated.

If he were still alive and well, he would have allowed Yun Li to vent her anger. But since his days were numbered, that was no longer an option.

After all, Xie had once been an empress. If she were to pass away after him, there might be whispers and rumors.

It wouldn't bode well for either the empress or the crown prince. People would inevitably speculate that she had been victimized by them.

Thus, it was better to take her life now.

By ensuring that she preceded him in death, at least such gossip could be prevented.

She was a culprit, destined to meet her end eventually.

To end her life was also to release her from suffering.

Yun Li did not interfere with this decision.

In the Yining Pavilion, upon hearing the imperial edict of execution, Xie Yixiao doubted if it was merely an auditory hallucination.

For these past few years, she had lost count of how many times she had dreamed of such an event.

Long ago, she had lost the will to live, her heart now solely set on finding solace in death.

Her hair had turned completely white, and her body had wasted away.

Upon hearing the words "execution," it was as if she had been granted the most wondrous news in the world.

She rarely spoke in the past six months, but now, her hoarse voice repeatedly expressed her gratitude, bowing profusely to the emperor, thanking him over and over again.

He Jincheng did not torment her further; instead, he offered her a vial of deadly poison.

Xie Yáo held it with utmost care, as if it were a precious elixir, afraid that even a single drop lost would prevent her demise.

Only when the entire vial of poison was drained did she break into a contented smile.

Her mind had long been in disarray, alternating between moments of clarity and confusion. Yet, whether lucid or delirious, the desire to die remained her one true wish.

Soon, her wish was granted.

When the First Princess and Prince Qin entered the palace, they were naturally aware of the sentence of death upon Lady Xie.

But at this point, they harbored no resentment. Though they hadn't seen Lady Xie these past few years, they knew all too well the life she had led.

For them, this day brought a sense of relief... a long-awaited liberation.

Prince Qin took charge of Lady Xie's funeral arrangements. She could not be interred in the imperial mausoleum for the consorts.

Her remains were not crushed and scattered, but they were buried elsewhere, as Wu had suggested. Indeed, over time, no one would remember who Lady Xie once was.

For her tombstone bore only the name "Madame Xie," and even the one who erected it could only inscribe a single character: "Child."

No signature was allowed.

In truth, no one had cared about her for a long time. Now, when they suddenly heard of her passing, they were surprised that she had died at all?

It was tragic, but such was the nature of the imperial harem.

The Crown Princess and Prince Qin had not been in contact for years. When they buried Madame Xie, the siblings knelt before her grave in plain clothes, still at a loss for words.

The Crown Princess had long regretted their past, but Prince Qin had no desire to revisit those old memories.

There was nothing wrong with this state of affairs.

Some people are simply not fated to connect, even if they share the closest blood ties.

This was the case with them.

From childhood to adulthood, there had always been knots that could never be untangled. Endless misunderstandings and resentment between them persisted.

Now that their mother was gone, they would each have their own paths to follow and their own lives to lead. There was no need to forcefully intertwine their lives or show concern for one another.

If they drifted apart, then let it be forever.

Big Sister was doing well. Her father-in-law might be exceptionally clever, but her husband treated her kindly.

And as for herself... she was also doing just fine.

As they left, the siblings turned back for one last look. The grave seemed insignificant, barely noticeable.

In a few decades, it might fade from sight altogether.

For the following decades, the siblings would still visit the gravesite, but they never crossed paths again.

Beijing wasn't that big of a city; they would see each other during festive occasions, but never by chance.

Indeed, some people's fates were limited, and once exhausted, they were irretrievably lost.

Even siblings share a similar bond.