Chapter 60: What Fortune

Chapter 60: What Fortune

"Qinggu, you..." Shang Rongyu hastily held back Ran Qinggu, scolding, "Don't speak nonsense, go back!"

He gazed into the distance at the high platform below, calling out to the queen, "Mother Consort, after losing her child and being frightened at Zhongming Temple, Yu'er has been in a daze for many days, nearly deranged. Please take her back and have an imperial physician look after her well."

After saying this, he knelt before the emperor, pleading, "Your Majesty, after postpartum depression and excessive fright at Zhongming Temple, Yu'er has been in a daze for many days, often playing various roles within the mansion, sometimes imitating stories, other times emulating tavern operas, all day long in a state of unease... Now that she has disturbed Your Majesty, it is indeed inappropriate, but there are extenuating circumstances. Please do not blame her."

The emperor was clearly aiming to take him down, to control his father the king.

So no matter what, as long as they hadn't seized his father's military power, he would temporarily be safe. If it were Ran Qinggu, however, death would be certain.

Ran Qinggu wanted to sacrifice himself for the safety of the entire King Cheng's Mansion. He didn't want the entire King Cheng's Mansion to be forced under the emperor's control.

Jian Zuihuan was completely stunned, too many unexpected events happening in a moment.

She quickly regained her composure, sorting out the priorities, and said gently, "Yu'er, why did you run off? Quickly follow Mother Consort back."

Ran Qinggu burst out laughing, his laughter laced with sarcasm and mockery: "Hahaha, Heir, you're blind, actually mistaking a man for a woman? How can you not believe it?"

He tore off his shirt, exposing his chest.

It was flat and smooth, buffeted by the cold wind, a few snowflakes landing on it, quickly melting into beads of water sliding down his pale skin into his chest.

"Do you believe me now? I'm a man, and I did all of this. I meticulously planned the crown prince's rebellion, using the bronze mirror in Dianmu's hands to drive the crown prince mad inside Zhongming Temple. Afterward, I spoke to that servant... that is, him..."

He pointed at the trembling servant on the ground: "I told him about the crown prince's weakness, enticing him to use the crown prince's weakness to kill him. I did all of this. You couldn't have imagined that the one lying beside you every night was a man... I deceived you, hid from you, lied to you, used you, yet you regarded me as your most precious treasure. Are you furious now? I'll tell you, my identity is false, everything about me is false. Everything I've done was for today, to see this tyrant in unbearable pain."

He angrily pointed at Shang Qianxian: "This tyrant, to seize the throne, incited the fifth prince to frame the former crown prince for treason. Later, he used the fifth prince to murder the former crown prince, then killed the fifth prince, claiming it was to vindicate the former crown prince. When my father learned the truth, he went to the palace to confront him, only to find out a few days later that my father was accused of treason against the state. My family, generation after generation, full of loyal martyrs, how could we be traitors? Heir, should I hate? Should this tyrant die? I didn't want to deceive you, but who made you born into the imperial family?"

Shang Rongyu scolded, "Shut up, don't say any more."

He had always admired Ran Qinggu, able to play any role convincingly. Now, to take all the blame upon himself, he was acting like someone who had deceived him and the mansion, performing so convincingly.

As if he, Shang Rongyu, was really a fool, deceived and exploited by a man, yet remained devoted to him.

If he hadn't acted so convincingly, he wouldn't feel so distressed.

Ran Qinggu raised his eyebrows and smiled: "What? You don't like hearing it? Who in your royal family has clean hands? Blame can only be placed on you for being born into the royal family. I hate everyone in your royal family."

Shang Zhi questioned, "You claim to be a man, and Shang Rongyu was unaware of this. How did you consummate your marriage on your wedding night? No matter how incompetent the Heir may be, he should be able to distinguish between a man and a woman, right? This court doesn't believe your identity could have been hidden for so long? Over a year, you didn't slip up? Moreover, you once carried a child and miscarried... I don't believe the people of the mansion couldn't discern this."

He didn't believe for a second that Shang Rongyu was unaware, so he had to find a way to drag Shang Rongyu into this. Today was designed to target Shang Rongyu, but now it had been ruined by Ran Qinggu.

So he must pin the label of treason against the crown on Shang Rongyu, only then could he apprehend him before the officials.

These words caused a stir.

Everyone began whispering, how could a man perform conjugal duties? The Heir and the Heir's consort had spent day and night together for a year or two, yet hadn't discovered that their bedmate was a man?

Doubts arose one after another.

Ran Qinggu sneered with a mocking smile: "The Heir once privately told me that the Second Prince wasn't skilled, which is why it's difficult for the imperial family to conceive heirs. At the time, I didn't believe it, but now it seems..."

He looked at Shang Zhi's lower half, shaking his head: "Just so-so."

Shang Zhi was enraged: "Rebel, even now, you still dare to lie? Confess the truth!"

Ran Qinggu scoffed: "Conjugal duties, of course, are done in the bedroom. Close the door, turn off the lights, draw the curtains, then drink some wine, spiked with a little medicine. At that point, does it matter whether it's a man or a woman? Anyway, it's just a few thrusts in and out. Who could really remember where it went afterward? Second Prince, can you remember the feeling of each of your concubines?"

Ran Qinggu's words left most of the people present blushing.

Previously, the Ran Qinggu they had seen was always composed, well-versed, dignified, and elegant as the Heir's consort. When had he ever spouted such filthy and vulgar words?

The last person they saw openly discussing conjugal matters was Shang Rongyu.

Now there was another, a fake Heir's consort.

These two had coincidentally ended up together.

Shang Zhi also blushed, never expecting to ask such an uninteresting question and be publicly ridiculed by Ran Qinggu.

The last person to mock him so shamelessly was Shang Rongyu.

Indeed, close to vermilion, one turns red; close to ink, one turns black.

Ran Qinggu maintained a calm expression, unperturbed: "As for the pregnancy and miscarriage? Hahaha... My identity was about to be exposed, so I deliberately used it to deceive everyone. I went to the Liu residence's backyard and overheard the scholar talking about me. That voice seemed familiar. I knew someone must have found out my identity, so I secretly told the Heir I was pregnant. I never expected that the Heir would love me so much, believing whatever I said..."

Shang Zhi angrily interrupted, "Clearly, an imperial physician took her pulse that day. Could it be that..."

Ran Qinggu clicked his tongue: "An imperial physician? You grew up in the deep palace, how could you be so... foolish?"

Shang Zhi angrily pointed at Ran Qinggu: "You..."

Ran Qinggu smiled: "In these days, which woman in the inner quarters doesn't have a few trusted imperial physicians by her side... Moreover..."

Emperor Xianyuan spoke coldly: "That Wang Taiyi was found among the common folk, while that Imperial Physician Yu had already received favors from the former crown princess."

The one found among the common folk was his oversight.

And Imperial Physician Yu should have been expected.

He kept Imperial Physician Yu for two reasons: first, because he was highly respected, and second, because in the vast depths of the palace, he had treated him, teaching him that if the palace servants rationed coal during winter, he should drink medicinal wine to keep warm.

Everyone assumed the former crown prince was murdered by the fifth prince, no one knew it was actually he who had secretly harmed him. So he didn't want to create additional complications and kept Imperial Physician Yu.

Now, it had become a disaster.

His words were vague, but Ran Qinggu understood them.

The physicians from the common folk, perhaps bribed by Ran Qinggu beforehand, and Physician Yu, who had been favored by the late Crown Princess—his father, Qing Yi, was as close as kin to the late Crown Prince. Given that bond, it was understandable that Physician Yu would remember that kindness and help him.

But after today, these two physicians might be condemned to death.

However, Wang Taiyi was the Third Prince's man, and thus, he would have the protection of the Third Prince.

Physician Yu was now wandering, his whereabouts unknown.

These people had helped him, and he remembered their kindness, but with matters as they stood, he could not afford to worry about so many lives.

He was not a god; he did not even leave himself an escape route, let alone one for others.

Now, sacrificing him to pave the way for Shang Rongyu and King Cheng's王府could be considered a gain.

His life should have ended in that heavy snowfall five or six years ago. The years he had lived since then were borrowed time, and it was time to pay the debt.

In truth, when he thought about it carefully, heaven had not been unkind to him. At least in the last moments of his life, it allowed him to know what it felt like to love someone.

Whether they could stay together or not was no longer important.

At least there was someone who would always remember him.

Shang Zhi angrily said, "So you later faked a miscarriage to frame me?"

Ran Qinggu: "It would have been easy to eliminate that useless Crown Prince, but getting rid of you was not so simple. So, I thought the best plan was to turn you against the Heir. Then, night after night, I whispered in the Heir's ear. I told him I lost my child and didn't want to live anymore. I said if he couldn't kill the Second Prince to avenge our child, I would die... The more he pitied me, the more he hated you to the bone. The Heir was truly infatuated, manipulated like a fool every day, unaware of anything... Oh, right, Hai Changqing was also killed by me. I hated him for brutally slaughtering my Qing family's children, for breaking my brother's spine, for crippling my hands and feet. So on that day, when the Heir was handling the case, I went to the Royal Clan Temple. I used the Heir's love for me to brutally kill him... No, I remember, there was also Yin Ping whom I threw into the oil pot... All of you were at my mercy, mere pawns on my board..."

Shang Zhi nodded: "Yes, such cruel methods could only be carried out by remnants of the Qing family."

Shang Pianfeng shook his head repeatedly, panicking and shouting, "No, Your Majesty, do not believe this person's words. He is just trying to take the blame for Shang Rongyu. Otherwise, he could have hidden well. Why would he confess now? Shang Rongyu knew his identity long ago and covered for him. They both conspired to kill the Crown Prince."

If Shang Rongyu returned safely to the王府, then given Shang Rongyu's character, he feared he would have to face the repercussions.

He had seen Shang Rongyu's methods, ruthless and merciless. Even the King could not save him.

Ran Qinggu apologized sincerely, "Second Brother, I'm sorry to you."

Shang Pianfeng was stunned: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Ran Qinggu looked at Shang Pianfeng with a pleading gaze: "Second Brother, I once lied to you, saying I was devoted to you. We would join forces; I would help you kill the Heir and support you to the position of Heir. You would marry me as your main wife. It was all a deception. Our oath is null and void. Now, consider this my conscience awakening. I've survived against all odds, and no one has ever been kind to me. I don't want to use the Heir anymore. I made you bribe Lady Hai Changqing and stand up to expose the Heir. All of this was merely to frame the Heir and force King Cheng's王府 to rebel. Just now, I regretted it. Actually, you must have discovered my true gender long ago, right? Concubine Liu investigated me in North City early last year. There was no way you didn't know. Thank you for helping me hide for so long. Your passionate heart was ultimately misplaced."

Shang Pianfeng explained in panic: "No, it's not like that..."

That wretched Ran Qinggu was dragging him down with her. With empty words, she nailed him to the pillar of traitors' shame.

At this point, the issue was no longer whether Shang Rongyu would show him mercy, but whether he could endure and make it back to the residence of King Cheng.

In the Emperor's eyes, he was likely no different from a rebellious traitor. Even if the King could protect him, his remaining life would be reduced to being exiled and forced into military service.

Yes, there was also the Second Prince.

Shang Pianfeng hurriedly crawled to the Second Prince's feet, begging, "Second Prince, save me. I have nothing to do with that wretch. Clearly, we colluded..."

Shang Zhi feared that Shang Pianfeng would publicly implicate him in framing Shang Rongyu. After all, facing the civil and military officials, he could not shake the hearts of the people.

He was now the only candidate for the Imperial Heir, and he could not afford any missteps.

He kicked Shang Pianfeng in the leg: "Rebels, everyone has the right to punish them."

Shang Pianfeng was kicked away, pain shooting through his crotch. He cried out in agony: "Second Prince, you..."

Shang Zhi said coldly, "Capture these rebels. If they resist, kill them without mercy."

Ran Qinggu's gaze fell softly on Shang Rongyu.

He did not know how much longer he could look at him. Now, each glance was one less.

Two Dragon Scale Army soldiers stepped forward to apprehend Ran Qinggu, but unexpectedly, Shang Rongyu suddenly rushed over, drew the Dragon Scale Army soldier's sword, and slit their throats. Snowflakes and blood spattered together, the cold wind scraping across the blade, quickly forming a layer of ice on it, freezing the bloodstains in place.

Ran Qinggu was incredulous: "Heir?"

He instantly realized that they were still acting, and sneered, "What? Heir, you love me so much? Even knowing I am a man, you can't bear to see me die? Let go, everything returns to the beginning."

He pushed Shang Rongyu away, but unexpectedly, Shang Rongyu tightly held his hand, pulling him behind him, and said sternly, "I said I would protect you, and that will always hold true."

Ran Qinggu laughed as if hearing something amusing, "Just a joke, I won't take it seriously. Heir, don't dwell on it."

At this point, this person was still acting to clear his name.

Shang Rongyu was unwavering: "I've said too many jokes in my life, but this was never one of them. I said I would protect you, and I will always protect you."

Shang Qianxian scolded sternly, "Shang Rongyu, do you want to rebel? Capture the remnants of the Qing family!"

Shang Rongyu pointed his sword at the approaching Dragon Scale Army: "Let's see who dares to come closer. Whoever comes closer dies."

The Dragon Scale Army was momentarily afraid and dared not advance.

Shang Zhi said angrily, "Capture them, capture them all. These rebels deserve to die."

The guards then rushed forward. Shang Rongyu raised his sword to block them, killing anyone who stood in his way, be it gods or buddhas.

In no time, many people died outside the imperial mausoleum. Shang Rongyu, like a demon driven mad by bloodlust, tightly held Ran Qinggu's hand, carving a bloody path.

Due to Ran Qinggu's severely injured limbs and limited mobility, in order to protect him, both he and Ran Qinggu were wounded, cut by blind blades and swords.

Warm blood flowed down the long steps, melting the thin layer of snow on them.

Shang Rongyu tightly held Ran Qinggu's hand, and even in a sea of corpses and blood, he would not let go.

"Shang Rongyu, I give you two choices now. Either kill that rebel, or your mother will die." Situ Feng lifted the Queen step by step up the stairs, confronting Shang Rongyu from above and below.

A knife was pressed against the princess consort's neck, its sharp blade already piercing her skin and leaving a trail of blood on her snowy-white neck.

Shang Rongyu tightened his grip on the hand holding the knife and shouted, "Mother Consort."

Ran Qinggu held Shang Rongyu's hand and smiled gently. "Heir, this life of mine was one I salvaged from the brink of death. Having lived so long past my time, it's time to return it to the heavens. In these past five or six years, the most correct decision I made was probably agreeing to be a substitute bride. Meeting you has exhausted all my luck in this lifetime. Amidst the ten thousand feet of red dust and countless twists and turns, how fortunate!"

In his life, he had lost much but also gained much.

How fortunate that he had met him amidst the vast sea of humanity, and how fortunate that after countless twists and turns, he had come to love him.

Shang Rongyu gripped Ran Qinggu's hand tightly and said to him, "Qinggu, I won't let go of you."

Ran Qinggu nodded and smiled. "Very well. Don't let go, then give me this one cut. I'm not afraid of pain."

He wasn't afraid of pain; he only hoped for a slow death.

Even if he disliked this world, even if it had countless flaws, there was still something worth seeing in it because he was here.

Shang Rongyu was at a loss, frightened and terrified.

He felt like a child standing in the middle of an endless street, with one path leading to a bottomless abyss and the other to a mountain of knives and fire...

He had no choice but to make a decision.

But both were the most important people in his life.

He didn't want to lose either of them, nor could he afford to.

Jian Zuihuan burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face as she softly said, "My Rongyu has grown up. You can live well without your mother consort. From childhood to adulthood, you've never disappointed your mother consort. Being your mother is a beautiful thing. In the future, take good care of your father king for me. He suffers from gout, so his boots must always be dried before wearing. He sleeps lightly at night, so the calming incense must be strong... My son is free-spirited and does whatever he wants. He is the favored son of heaven... Therefore, your mother doesn't want to be the tether that holds you back. I only hope you have your own vast sky..."

With that, she lunged toward Simutu Feng's blade.

Shang Rongyu cried out, "Mother Consort!"

Swish—

Blood spurted out.

Simutu Feng turned his head in disbelief, feeling a sharp pain in his neck. Suddenly, his head tilted sideways, spinning several degrees before rolling onto the cold ground. The world spun around him as his severed neck gushed blood.

The princess consort was splattered with blood, and the sharp knife that had been pressed against her neck fell to the ground with a clatter alongside Simutu Feng's body.

Shang Yuzhou supported the princess consort, throwing her into Shang Rongyu's arms, and shouted, "Take Qinggu and leave, quickly."

As soon as he spoke, he charged at the Dragon Scale Army, beheading several soldiers.

He could gamble with anyone's life, but he couldn't risk Ran Qinggu's.

If this heavy snow was his destiny, he would fight against it until the end.

Shang Rongyu drew his sword, killing several nearby guards, protecting the princess consort and Ran Qinggu as they fled towards the city gate.

Shang Qianxian scolded Shang Yuzhou, who was blocking the Dragon Scale Army: "Rebel! Do you dare defy me?"

Shang Yuzhou kicked away two or three guards and sneered. "Father King, I don't want to lose this one too. I have nothing left to lose. Look at my empty hands—no one loves me, no one cares about me. The one who loved me and cared about me froze to death by the Rain Flower Pond, and this one, I begged the heavens for so many years. Perhaps the heavens felt that my life was too lonely and bitter, so they sent him to keep me company. The moment he survived, I secretly vowed that this time, I would protect him at all costs."

His tone was filled with sorrow, and Shang Qianxian was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Shang Yuzhou wiped the blood from his face. "I know what I have and what I don't. I just want to cherish what I possess. And Qinggu, his life was saved by me, and no one can take it away."

Shang Qianxian began coughing violently, enraged. "Seize them, seize them all! Traitors, rebels!"

Shang Rongyu led Ran Qinggu and Jian Zuihuan out of the imperial mausoleum, only to be surrounded by another army.

Shang Rongyu clenched his teeth fiercely. "Even if we die today, my mother and I will never become captives. I, Shang Rongyu, am born of noble blood. How dare you lowly scoundrels stand in my way?"

With that, he wielded his double-edged thin sword and killed several attackers near him.

After several waves of fighting, the Dragon Scale Army found his weakness: Ran Qinggu's inability to move freely. Even if he could hold a knife and knew some martial arts, he still couldn't kill many people. The princess consort didn't know any martial arts at all.

Thus, the Dragon Scale Army only needed a small portion of their forces to restrain Shang Rongyu while the majority dealt with Ran Qinggu and Jian Zuihuan. As a result, Shang Rongyu was overwhelmed, and even the most skilled person couldn't withstand the relentless onslaught and the division of his attention.

Shang Zhi stood among the Dragon Scale Army, taking a bow and arrow, aiming at Ran Qinggu and Jian Zuihuan in the midst of the chaos.

Which one should he shoot?

His arrowhead turned and turned, finally settling on Jian Zuihuan.

Ran Qinggu had used cruel means to kill so many people, so he would make him taste the agony of living worse than death.

A sword whistled through the air, and Ran Qinggu deflected it with his short dagger. But unexpectedly, an arrow shot straight toward Jian Zuihuan, clearly aimed to kill her.

Ran Qinggu hadn't expected them to actually dare to kill the princess consort. Unable to block it in time, he pulled the princess consort behind him and took the hit himself.

The arrow pierced through his chest, spraying blood onto Jian Zuihuan's face.

Jian Zuihuan was terrified and screamed, "Yuer!"

Everything happened too quickly. She thought she was certain to die, but Bai Yuer had shielded her.

Shang Rongyu kicked down a pursuing soldier, sending him flying and crashing into three others.

He returned to Ran Qinggu's side, supporting him with one arm. "Qinggu, hold on. Once we're out of the city gates, we'll be safe."

Ran Qinggu leaned on Shang Rongyu's hand, gritting his teeth as he pulled out the arrow and stabbed it into the eye of a nearby pursuer. "I told you..."

He spat out a mouthful of blood, which seemed to flow endlessly from his chest and mouth. "I'm not afraid of pain!"

"Safety? Shang Rongyu, you're truly optimistic," Shang Zhi said coldly, standing among the Dragon Scale Army and looking down on the trio. "How dare you walk into our trap without preparation? When given the choice earlier, you didn't choose. Now, it's better this way. Three deaths at once, so you won't be lonely on the road to the netherworld."

With a flick of his hand, he commanded, "Archers, ready your bows."

Shang Rongyu, Ran Qinggu, and Jian Zuihuan stood outside the imperial tomb, surrounded by the imposing ranks of the Dragon Scale Army, their dark armor and cherry-wood spears held high, their shields raised in a tight encirclement.

The archer tautened the bowstring, utterly focused, ready to turn the three men into sieves at the mere command of the second prince.

Jian Zuihuan advised, "Rongyu, you should leave and seek out your father, the king."

If it were just her son alone, he would have been able to break through the encirclement with absolute certainty.

Shang Rongyu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said, "I've never been the kind to abandon my mother or my wife. Such cowardly acts are not in my nature. If you dare, come at me. If you can't kill me today, I'll surely use your heads for playing polo tomorrow."

Shang Zhi raised his hand and commanded, "Get ready—"

Knock knock knock——

There was a sudden earthquake and the sound of iron hooves trampling on light stone slabs could be heard. The force was so heavy that it seemed as if a mountain might collapse and a city might fall.

In the vast expanse of the street enveloped by the dense fog and the swirling snowflakes, King Cheng rode a steed clad in iron armor, brandishing a hundred-pound blade, galloping into view.

His voice was as loud as a bell, and he shouted sternly, "Who dares to touch my son!"

Behind him, an army of iron-clad warriors emerged slowly from the mist, as if they were demonic spirits or fiendish generals, their mere sound of iron hooves striking the ground was enough to instill fear and make men drop their arms and armor in terror, not to mention the sight of such a formidable force brandishing their red-tasseled spears!

A Note from the Author: I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the little angels who cast their tyrant tickets or watered the nutrients for me during the period from 17:49:44 on September 8, 2020, to 01:42:54 on September 10, 2020.

Thank you to the little angels who have thrown out "landmines": Pup 2; A Curtain of Leisurely Wind and Moon, A Smile, Ling520, Fluffy, The Wind Comes from the South, Le Meng Mumu, and Sakura Blows Si Ting 1 each.

Thanks to the lovely supporters who provided the nutrient solution: Jinyi 50 bottles; Can Jixuan 20 bottles; Mojiujiu 18 bottles; CHEN︵迷", Nana Nana Nana, Shenbieli 10 bottles; Don't Ignore Otter, Yan... Guliang, Nan Qiaoxi, Yangyang 5 bottles; Hanmo, Yusi Miaoran, Huajiao, Tan Qianxun 3 bottles; Lanxi 2 bottles; Red Soldier, Fou Que, Jin Guan, Chang'an, Xiaoxiao, (.w.)yan, Zhou Ziheng's Xia Xiqing, the literary and artistic 213 youth with glasses 1 bottle;

I am deeply grateful for the support everyone has shown me, and I will continue to strive for excellence!