Chapter 131: Fate’s Design

Chapter 131: Fate's Design

As Pei Yuanxi's consciousness faded and her eyes closed, Gongye Chu's usually aloof expression froze into a block of ice, then shattered into fragments of madness. Clutching the person in his arms tightly, he cast a chilling gaze at the assembly from the Marquis Xuanping's residence.

Startled by his gaze, Marquis Xuanping was about to say something when Gongye Chu entered the carriage with the unconscious woman. No one knew what had happened; the sudden turn of events had been too swift. It seemed as if joyous laughter had just transformed into anxious unease in an instant.

Madam Kang placed a hand on her chest. "What happened to Er Niang? Why did she faint all of a sudden?"

Madam Shen's face turned pale. "What does the Grand Marshal mean by this?"

No one knew what had transpired. Marquis Xuanping attempted to follow but was stopped by Liu Wei. It was not a sight anyone wished to witness at such a joyous celebration.

Gongye Chu's earlier look had been terrifying, but fortunately, he managed to restrain his murderous aura from affecting the Pei family. He knew that even in his previous life, Pei Yuanxi's sudden death had nothing to do with anyone else.

The woman in his arms appeared to be sleeping peacefully. His hand, which was checking her breath, trembled. Her breathing was steady, and her complexion was normal, suggesting no signs of poisoning or any hidden ailment.

"Xier, Xier."

But there was no response.

The carriage raced like lightning and came to an abrupt halt in front of the Governor's Mansion. He swept into the entrance with the woman in his arms, and soon, Imperial physicians from the palace were hastily summoned by Liu Wei.

On the bed lay a lady with a peach blossom complexion, seemingly a beauty in deep slumber, revealing no clues about her condition. Batch after batch of physicians arrived, but none could determine the reason for Pei Yuanxi's collapse or why she couldn't awaken.

Upon hearing the news, Shangxing rushed over and anxiously stood guard by the bedside.

All the imperial physicians in the palace were summoned, each displaying their best skills, yet all their efforts yielded the same result. How could someone collapse suddenly and remain unconscious without any apparent cause?

When the last physician left, Gongye Chu's eyes had turned bleak.

"Dad?" Shangxing called softly, turning his head to see a man dressed in white enter. With a pleasant surprise, he exclaimed, "Master Diviner Ye, please save my mother."

It was actually Ye Ling who entered, emitting an otherworldly aura as he sighed deeply.

Gongye Chu didn't turn around, his voice distant, "Master Diviner, is this also predetermined by fate?"

"Yes. The will of heaven is unpredictable."

The mention of the unpredictable will of heaven clenched Gongye Chu's fists. He was unafraid of life and death, indifferent to reincarnation, but he couldn't defy the heavens. Gazing at the woman sleeping peacefully on the bed, a sense of powerlessness crept over him like tendrils sprouting from the earth, binding him tightly.

"What a grand act of fate! The one who bears the burden of countless killings and cruelty is me. Yet, why does it seek vengeance on a mere woman? Its wrath strikes at a lady, revealing its impartiality and cowardice, no different from the deceitful cowards lurking in the shadows!"

"Father, Mother will be fine," Shangxing assured.

"It better be fine for your mother. If she... I will make good on my word! Let's see if this so-called Heavenly Dao dares to strike me down with lightning!" Gongye Chu's appearance was terrifying, his cold, dark eyes burning with an insane fire.

Shangxing instinctively grabbed his father's sleeve. "Father, please don't!"

Ye Ling closed his eyes, a look of distress on his face. "Everything has its cause and effect. If you were to follow through, you might even cut off her path to reincarnation. In the future, in the depths of hell or the Yellow Springs, you two may never meet again."

Gongye Chu swayed slightly. "Master Diviner, is there truly no way?"

Ye Xuan let out a sigh, gently shaking his head.

After a long while, Gongye Chu slowly sat by the bed. He gazed intently at the fair, delicate face hidden beneath the emerald silk covers, as if expecting her to wake up at any moment. He imagined her rubbing her drowsy, misty eyes, asking him the time in a daze.

A day passed, and Pei Yuanxi remained unconscious.

Two days passed, still, Pei Yuanxi did not stir.

Three days, four days, five days...

It was as if she had truly fallen into a deep sleep.

The atmosphere in the Governor's residence was as icy as frozen water, and the entire Eastern Capital City seemed to be shrouded in an inexplicable chill. Marquis Xuanping and the Kang and Shen families were permitted to visit Pei Yuanxi once. Upon hearing that even all the imperial physicians were baffled by her sudden unconsciousness, their faces turned grave with sorrow.

Marquis Xuanping ventured a guess, "Could it be some colorless and odorless poison?"

It wasn't strange for him to think so, given how mysteriously Pei Yuanxi had fallen ill.

At times, Gongye Chu wished it was indeed a poison. If it was, there would be a way to counteract it. He didn't respond, instead instructing his servants to escort them out.

The matter was kept tightly under wraps, and they dared not divulge a single word upon returning home.

The woman in the bed appeared to have the same complexion as before, but she looked thinner. They had managed to feed her ginseng soup and congee during these days, but if this continued, and she couldn't even take in any liquids...

He caressed her sleeping face, whispering in a daze, "Yuanxi, where are you? Don't wander too far, remember to come back."

No one could answer him, only his low sobs echoed in the room.

Within the Tai Ling Palace, Ye Xuan stood at the entrance of Ren'an Palace.

The cool moonlight enveloped him in a silver glow, making him appear otherworldly and ethereal, as if he were a celestial being ready to ascend on the winds. The wide sleeves of his plain white robe danced wildly in the breeze, while he gazed at the moon with an air of solitude and chill.

"Master Diviner, is there truly no way?" asked Shangxing. "Can my mother not awaken?"

Slowly, he turned his head to look at the worried emperor before him.

A ruler with eternal virtue will bring blessings for a hundred years.

In the past three years, the Ling Dynasty had enjoyed peace and prosperity, with the emperor and his subjects united in harmony, foreshadowing a golden age. He knew that if this young prince remained here, within a decade, they would witness a flourishing spring and autumn period.

Yet, fate was fickle, and destiny hard to defy.

"Your Highness, if you wish to save the Empress, you must defy the heavens and alter her fate."

Understanding the implications of these words, Shangxing's expression swirled with both sorrow and determination. "Master Diviner, I am willing."

The night was cold, and autumn dew deep; frosty winds and dense fog shrouded the scene.

The vast Tai Ling Palace was illuminated by countless lanterns, and within the main hall of Ren'an Palace, a man in a bright yellow dragon robe sat pensively. He gazed at the two playful koi swimming in the fish tank, a hint of nostalgia crossing his face.

He wondered if, in that other life, the fish in the aquarium of Ren'an Palace still swam there?

On the table lay the written abdication edict; all subsequent matters need not be elaborated upon, for his father had everything under control. He looked towards the row of bookshelves, as if seeing a tranquil woman reading on the nearby couch.

In this lifetime, without him, his father still had his mother. No matter where he went, at least his parents would have each other's company. To have spent a few years bringing joy to his parents, it made his journey worthwhile.

Eunuchs entered with hot water, but the steam could not dispel the melancholy in his eyes. His hair had grown and been cut again, always leaving his hands soft with short bristles. His body and skin were a gift from his parents, and after borrowing someone else's for so long, it was time for the original owner to find their rightful resting place.

Ye Ling appeared in the hall at some unseen moment, still holding his whisk.

"Master Diviner, will we meet again?"

"All endings and beginnings are predetermined, beyond the comprehension of mortals like us."

Shangxing smiled, revealing his dimples once more, "I don't even know if I'm headed for the underworld or doomed to wander as a wandering spirit. Perhaps I won't have the chance to see Master Diviner again."

Despite his casual tone, his unusual experiences had granted him an extraordinary sense of detachment. At only nineteen, a youthful spirit still lingered in his features.

The servants had already prepared hot water, and he dismissed them all, stretching his limbs in relief. "After all these years, I can finally have a proper bath."

"Your Highness, do you have any last words for the Emperor and Empress?"

He paused, his expression wistful. "There were so many things I wanted to say, but now I realize they're unnecessary. Being their son is the proudest achievement of my life. I hope they'll have more children in the future and not grieve for me anymore."

After all, how could there be no sorrow or tears in such a bittersweet farewell?

Tears welled up in his eyes. "Just now, I was thinking how wonderful it would be if there was a medicine that could make them forget about me, so they wouldn't feel sad or hurt. But then I'm afraid they might forget me... I still want them to remember me, to remember that I was their son."

Ye Ling listened quietly and replied, "Being bound by blood is the greatest bond in this world. No matter the distance in time or the cycles of reincarnation, life and death, prosperity and decline – these are not within our mortal control."

Shangxing gradually walked towards the screen. "If there's a next life, I'd still want to be their son."

The water temperature was perfect, with a gentle steam rising from its surface. Petals had been scattered in the water, filling the air with a sweet floral scent. He smiled, wondering how long it had been since his last bath.

Master Diviner Ye slowly closed his eyes, murmuring an incantation under his breath.

A gust of wind blew in, carrying a chill like a fierce winter storm. Gongye Chu rushed in, clad in a black robe that seemed to embody a tempestuous thunderstorm. He charged towards the screen, only to witness the scene behind it, his eyes bulging in horror at the sight of the bathtub.

Amidst the steam, the short hair swirled with the floating petals.

"Chong'er!"

He lifted his son from the water, trembling as he checked for breath. His frosty expression instantly froze into ice, yet he stubbornly felt for his son's pulse once more.

Silence reigned, and even sorrow seemed powerless.

It was as if an endless night stretched before him, making him feel as though he had returned to that fateful day many years ago. The stench of blood, the unseeing eyes of loved ones, and the dark, silent night—abandoned in this world.

He believed he would never again know when dawn would break, nor feel the warmth of concern. In his long life, he would ultimately walk alone.

"All my karma, why must it fall upon my wife and child? Master Diviner, can you ask the Heavenly Dao why it bullies the good and fears the wicked? If he is enraged, let him come at me! Why must I choose between my wife and son?"

Tears flowed freely as he clung to his son, now growing cold in his arms.

The night seemed both interminable and fleeting.

Slowly, Ye Ling drew a piece of cloth from his bosom, gently covering his eyes. In this moment, he resembled the reclusive sage that Gongye Chu once knew.

"Master Diviner, your eyes...?"

Was he blind just now? This hadn't happened before. Master Diviner appeared when Chong'er was six years old. What on earth was going on?

Ye Ling spoke in a melancholic tone, "Who can truly distinguish between past and present lives? What seems like a past life might be the previous one, and what appears to be the present life could be yet another. Or perhaps there is no such thing as past or present lives; it's merely different versions of you existing in different timelines. You remain who you are, while time splits into two. The universe is profound, and we can never grasp even a fraction of its mysteries in our lifetimes."

Back then, Master had believed he had glimpsed the secrets of the heavens, which led to the arrival of a soul from another world. Guided by the belief that the well-being of all living beings mattered most, Master might never have imagined that defying the heavens would bring about a calamity.

This calamity was fate.

"The prince said before his departure that if there were a next life, he would wish to be reborn in Empress's womb once more."

Gongye Chu's heart stirred slightly. "Master Diviner, will we ever meet Chong'er again?"

"Your Majesty, I do not know."

The way of heaven has its own plans.