Chapter 148 Dragon Yang Fire

Chapter 148: Dragon Yang Fire

If the body temperature cannot be restored quickly, not even the gods could save her.

When Shen Huai and the Empress arrived, Su Jiaojiao was still stubbornly clinging to the shore of Mirror Shadow Lake.

On that bitterly cold winter night, the frost-laden snow in the flowerbeds had not yet fully melted.

A large crowd had already gathered around Mirror Shadow Lake, each holding palace lanterns that swayed in the wind, casting wavering pools of light. They encircled her frail figure, yet no one dared to approach.

A palace maid behind her cautiously held out a cloak and pleaded, "My Lady, it's too cold. Your Ladyship's body won't be able to endure it..."

But Su Jiaojiao seemed not to hear. She knelt before the motionless body lying on the ground.

Her frost-laden disheveled hair clung to her face, her nose-tip and earlobes raw with cold. Shaking uncontrollably, she clutched Yu Ye's hand, her eyes filled with despair. "Yu Ye... wake up now, get up!"

"We promised to return to the palace together, remember? How can you just lie here and not get up?"

"Yu Ying and the others brought back special delicacies. Weren't you going to make your newest confections for me? No one else's tastes as good as yours... Yu Ye, get up now, get up!"

Tears streamed uncontrollably down Su Jiaojiao's face as she desperately rubbed Yu Ye's already icy body.

But even her own body had lost its warmth, shaking uncontrollably in the cold wind, her skin drained of color. How could she possibly warm another who's gone cold?

Shen Huai stood not far from Su Jiaojiao, watching her despairing eyes. He couldn't bring himself to approach, his hands trembling.

If only...

If only he hadn't pushed her into this predicament, perhaps she wouldn't have been framed on New Year's Eve, losing her most trusted maid.

The Empress stood beside the Emperor, her gaze cold as she stared at Su Jiaojiao, her fists tightening almost imperceptibly.

She took a deep breath, then gently tugged at the Emperor's sleeve, speaking softly, "Your Majesty, the lake water is freezing in winter. If Consort Zhen stays like this, she may suffer serious harm. We must move her back to the palace quickly and summon the imperial physician. Her clothes are soaked—if she stays in the wind any longer, she may fall seriously ill again."

"I shall have this thoroughly investigated and ensure Consort Zhen receives justice."

Yet the Emperor's gaze remained fixed on Su Jiaojiao, not sparing her a glance. The Empress's gentle smile froze on her face.

Her voice carried a subtle edge as she reminded him, "Your Majesty, I carry a child now. I shouldn't be exposed to the cold for too long—have you forgotten? Moreover, it's too cold outside. Your imperial health must not be harmed."

With that, she coughed lightly twice. Yu He immediately stepped forward to support her, affecting the manner of the fragile expectant mother perfectly.

During the New Year's banquet, she had seized the perfect moment to announce to the entire palace that she, the Empress, was two months pregnant.

Not only was it meant to surprise the Emperor and draw his attention back to her, but it was also to divert attention from tonight's incident and downplay its significance—after all, the Emperor had already grown weary of Su Jiaojiao.

Yet Shen Huai didn't even turn his head. Instead, he waved for his attendants and said coldly, "I will remain here. Escort the Empress back to the palace."

What?

The Empress's eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief. Even after invoking the child she carried, his gaze still refused to leave Su Jiaojiao.

Hadn't that woman already lost your favor? Why had he rushed here in such a panic upon hearing of her distress? And now, he was disregarding both her and the child she carried!

Useless! Even on such a perfect night, they couldn't rid themselves of that woman!

All the pride and triumph the Empress had felt tonight finally shattered in this moment. Suppressing her fury, she forced a bitter smile and said, "Consort Zhen's life is at stake. How could I leave Your Majesty here alone? Since you refuse to leave, I shall stay with you."

Shen Huai's black mood finally erupted. He turned to glare at her and snapped, "This is madness!"

"Cai Shan, see the Empress back personally!"

Cai Shan nodded in acknowledgment, bowing before the Empress as he spoke respectfully: "Your Majesty, someone must oversee Liangyi Hall, and with your pregnancy, it would be best for you to return and warm yourself."

Faced with the Emperor's attitude, the Empress laughed bitterly, her hatred surging even more fiercely. Gripping Yu He's hand tightly, she said: "Then I shall withdraw."

Footsteps faded, leaving Shen Huai's surroundings in silence, broken only by the howling wind and Su Jiaojiao's weeping.

She’d been weeping for who knows how long, refusing to leave no matter who tried to persuade her. As dusk fell, the air grew even colder.

Standing in the wind for so long, even Shen Huai felt his skin turn icy. Su Jiaojiao had been in the lake for so long, and her grief had drained her—how could she endure it?

No matter how heartbroken, she couldn’t risk her life like this. If anything were to happen to her—

He would surely lose his mind.

The palace maid beside Su Jiaojiao dared not let her continue like this. Kneeling beside her, she draped a cloak over her shoulders and tried to help her up: "My lady, she’s gone. You must look after yourself. Please, accept this loss."

Others chimed in, fearing the Emperor’s wrath should anything happen to her: "Indeed, my lady. After all, she was only a maid. Your safety is what matters most. The Emperor will honor her for her service. But if you make yourself sick with grief, you’ll only dishonor her."

"My lady, your body is already weak. You mustn’t let the cold harm you further."

With that, she stepped forward, taking Su Jiaojiao’s arm to help her up.

But before they could lift her, Su Jiaojiao suddenly flung their hands away: "Get back!"

Her eyes never left Yu Ye’s lifeless form, her grip on her hand unyielding, her eyes bloodshot: "She can’t be dead! She can’t be!"

"What would you know? Leave me! All of you!"

"Su Jiaojiao!" Shen Huai strode forward, pulling her up from the ground and tightening the cloak around her. Through gritted teeth, he said: "Yu Ye is dead. Gone. Can’t you accept it? Stop lying to yourself!"

He pulled her into his arms, only to feel her body like ice, devoid of any warmth.

Su Jiaojiao struggled against him, sobbing and screaming: "Let me go! Leave! Just leave!"

"Su Jiaojiao, do you think Yu Ye would want to see you destroy yourself for her?" Shen Huai clung to her, refusing to let her break free, his voice low and fierce: "I will ensure Yu Ye is buried with honor as an adopted daughter of the Su family. I will also have this matter thoroughly investigated. But if you cling to this grief, how can Yu Ye rest in peace?"

"You don’t understand a thing!" Su Jiaojiao writhed in his arms, her voice hoarse with tears, her eyes devoid of any warmth: "What I’m feeling now is just like when Xue Miao died! If I’d told you to just forget her and be happy, would you have?!"

Her gaze fell on Yu Ye’s lifeless body, and she pounded his chest, desperate to break free and touch her one last time—but she couldn’t reach her.

Crushed by grief and helpless, Su Jiaojiao sobbed uncontrollably: "You don’t know what Yu Ye meant to me… You don’t know!"

Shen Huai stared deeply at the broken woman in his arms, his heart aching unbearably.

Guilt and regret swallowed him, condemning his past indifference and foolishness.

He clung to her, her icy body fighting to break free, terrified that if he loosened his hold even slightly, Su Jiaojiao—already at her limit—would shatter in his arms.

Her body stayed frozen, cold through and through, her gaze distant and cold as unmelting frost.

Only her endless tears held any trace of warmth, a testament to her unwillingness to let Yu Ye go. Yet even as she lay in his arms, it was as if her heart had been frozen by the lake’s icy waters.

He could feel it—the gap between them widening, no matter how tightly he held her.

Recalling the past, Shen Huai had never regretted his actions more. His voice shook as he pleaded softly: "Jiaojiao, come back with me, please? We’ll take Yu Ye with us. Mirror Shadow Lake is too cold—even Yu Ye would be chilled."

He held his breath, waiting... But after a moment, she went limp in his arms.

"Su Jiaojiao...?" Shen Huai's voice trembled even more violently, his heart feeling as if it were being wrenched, the pain nearly suffocating him.

With shaking hands, he brushed aside Su Jiaojiao's hair, and when he saw the woman in his arms had already closed her eyes, he uttered in disbelief, "No... impossible!"

Shen Huai immediately scooped Su Jiaojiao into his arms and roared at the surrounding people, "Worthless idiots! The imperial physicians! Summon the imperial physicians now! If anything happens to her, I'll bury every last one of you with her!"

Fear reddened the corners of his eyes as he carried Su Jiaojiao toward the nearest palace.

He laid her down on the soft bed with the utmost speed and tightly wrapped her in blankets.

The palace servants were terrified of the emperor and Consort Zhen, all holding their breath in dread, frantically gathering every quilt, hand warmer, and hot-water bottle they could find, stuffing them beneath her covers.

With such a grave incident, the entire rear palace was doomed to a sleepless night. Cai Shan, who'd rushed back in a panic, immediately mobilized the Palace Domestic Service to deliver silver charcoal, doing everything possible to raise the room's temperature as quickly as possible.

Yu Ye's body was arranged by Cai Shan to be temporarily moved to a side hall of Guanju Palace. The imperial physicians from the Medical Bureau dared not delay, sprinting all the way, panting heavily as they arrived at Su Jiaojiao's current location.

Shen Huai continuously rubbed Su Jiaojiao's hands, his eyes wild with panic. Seeing the physicians arrive, he immediately seized one and barked, "I don’t care what methods you use—you must save Consort Zhen! If anything happens to her, I will show no mercy!"

"Yes!" The physicians broke into nervous sweat, swiftly setting up their tools to examine Consort Zhen's pulse.

After a quick rotation of diagnoses and brief exchanges, the lead physician wiped his brow with his sleeve and knelt with a thud, bowing as he reported, "Your Majesty, Her Ladyship was submerged in the icy lake for a considerable time. After coming ashore, she was not promptly warmed but instead endured prolonged exposure to the cold wind. Her body temperature is dangerously low, her skin stiffening. If we cannot restore her warmth soon, I fear not even the gods could save her!"

"What?!" Shen Huai glared at the kneeling physicians and bellowed, "If you can’t save her, what good are you worthless fools?!"

He grabbed the collar of the physician before him and demanded through gritted teeth, "What’s the fastest way to raise her temperature? Speak!"

The physician trembled under the emperor's gaze, stammering, "We’ve done all we can... I... I have no better method..."

"But charcoal braziers and hot-water bottles are lifeless objects. If... if Your Majesty would deign to warm Her Ladyship with your royal yang energy, perhaps... perhaps it could have a miraculous effect!"