Chapter 14 Illusion (3)

This lovely voice-

My heart was overjoyed. It’s Si Ran!

When I sat up, I inadvertently knocked over the medicine bottle Si Ran was holding in his hand, and I noticed his brows furrow slightly. I was both embarrassed and amused. He stood up and sighed helplessly.

I got nervous and thought he was going to leave, so I grabbed his sleeve and said, “Where are you going, Si Ran?”

“To get the medicine,” he lightly pulled out his sleeves, and helplessly raised the corners of his lips, “Lie down. Don’t sit up while you’re injured. Don’t you feel pain?”

Hearing what he said, I indeed felt an ache. I lay on the bed obediently and observed him leave elegantly to get the medication. My heart became very warm.

I’ve always wanted to marry Si Ran as a concubine since I was a child, but it’s now unrealistic to even consider it. How can a man and a man coexist? However, I have always kept my wish close to my heart and had never considered discarding it.

Under Si Ran’s care, the wounds on my back got better day by day, and I gradually forgot about Feng Yin.

Time passes, two years have gone in the twinkling of an eye, and Si Ran and I have both entered the year of aspiration and wisdom, and our feelings, hey, naturally have also grown!

Since it was summertime, the golden sun hung in the sky as soon as I awoke. I was astonished as quickly as I lifted my sleeve to block the blinding brightness. Then I realized I had an appointment with Si Ran in the palace today. I had reached an agreement with Si Ran several days prior and he would undoubtedly be upset if I didn’t show up.

I quickly got up, changed my clothes, and washed myself. I left for the palace without having eaten anything. The emperor and queen granted me authority to enter the palace during any time due to a special edict as well as the fact that I am also a prince. As a result, my path into the palace was unobstructed.

As I walked, I saw many people watching outside the imperial study. With the attitude of looking at the liveliness. I slowly squeezed forward, and what I saw made me dumbfounded...

A blood-stained boy in a prince’s yellow robes collapsed alongside a cold female corpse.? The female body was clothed like an Imperial Concubine, and the blood on her temple had already congealed. She must’ve been murdered, based on the wound. The boy’s head was resting on the woman’s arm, and his neck was obviously purple, as if he’d been strangled. He twitched his quivering lips, but he could not really make a sound. I could tell he was calling for his mother concubine by the shape of his mouth. The tears on his cheeks had long since dried up, leaving blood and tangled hair sticking to his face. His black eyes were staring into the distant, blankly. He appeared miserable...

The palace maids and eunuchs all around were talking at length. Telling the story, with sighs and sarcasms. I listened, and then I understood.

The prince lying beside the body was named Feng Yin, and the female corpse lying down was his mother concubine, called Ning Fei. Feng Yi’s mother was originally a servant of Concubine Xi Fei. However, the emperor, who was naturally a romantic, fell in love with this maid for some reason, took her as a concubine, thus giving birth to Feng Yin, which irritated Concubine Xi, who was naturally jealous, to the point where she would hunt for trouble for these two every day. The Emperor didn’t bother to take care of the beating and quarreling, so Concubine Ning had to endure it. Feng Yin was talented and intelligent, and was naturally favored by the Emperor, compared to Feng Yi. Concubine Xi, on the other hand, was enraged as a result of this. She chastised and battered the weak Concubine Ning, but Feng Yin refused to give up. Because the Emperor had recently neglected Concubine Xie, she went after Concubine Ning , beat and reprimanded her to vent her rage. She even strangled Feng Yin’s throat and attempted to kill the child, making it impossible for Concubine Ning, who was struggling, to choose between life and death. How could she allow Concubine Xie to strangle her son? She became enraged and quickly removed the hairpin from her hair and stabbed it into the nape of Concubine Xi. Concubine Xi was taken aback and collapsed without even shrieking.

A maid arrived in time just to witness the spectacle. She screamed and hurried to the imperial study room where she informed the Emperor of the situation. The Emperor then sent someone to apprehend Concubine Ning, who was still in a stunned state, while Feng Yin just cried. He wept as he followed Concubine Ning.

Concubine Ning, who came to the imperial study, explained the whole story of the incident one by one under the Emperor’s stern questioning, cried and begged for the Emperor’s forgiveness.

How easily could the regulations of this border nation be changed? The Emperor ignored her prayers and ordered that Concubine Ning be dragged out and executed.. Concubine Ning, who was dragged by two people, was naturally full of grievances. Somehow, with a momentary burst of strength, she broke free from the arms that were pulling her. She dashed outside the imperial study and rammed her skull into the large scarlet pillar, broke her head upon impact and immediately died.

Feng Yin, on the other hand, was just behind Concubine Ning. When he saw this scene, he took a step forward, held his mother’s corpse, and trembled for a while, and he stayed that way for a long time. When he awoke from his trance, tears streamed down his cheeks, and he sobbed uncontrollably whilst lying on the slowly freezing corpse. He called out to his mother, hoping she would wake up and look at him.

When I came, what I saw was the picture after that.

His mother did not have it easy. After all, she was not favored. She was also a good person that anyone can just deceive.

Naturally, Feng Yin’s status was humbled by the fact that his mother was a palace maid. Although many palace servants were respectful to Feng Yin and to his mother on the surface, they actually looked down on them in secret. I’m afraid that the only person who was ever kind to Feng Yin was just his mother.

Alas.. It’s really pitiful that a child who is only eight or nine years old has to face such a big change.

After a while, someone came and carried the cold body down. The maids and eunuchs scattered in a hurry, each doing their own thing. Although Feng Yin refused to let it go, he was too weak to do anything, so he could only follow it with his empty eyes in a dazed and sad manner.

I stared blankly, and eventually took a step forward and squatted down. Without disgust, I reached out to wipe the tears and blood from his cheeks. It was a little difficult, but I still pulled the corners of my mouth and forced a smile. “Don’t cry, Imperial Uncle is here. I will take care of you from now on!”

He stared at me with vacant eyes and with a lifeless expression. After a while, my shadow was reflected on his black eyes, and he gradually opened his pale lips. “..Imperial Uncle.”

“Yes. This is Uncle.” Before I finished speaking, he hugged me, buried his head in my chest, whimpered and cried, silently without tears.

Just when I was overwhelmed by the hug, there was a faint shadow in the corner of my eyes. I was taken aback by the furrowed brows and angry expression on his face. I pushed Feng Yin away, stood up, and explained in a bewildered tone. “Si Ran, that’s not the case. I just passed by, I didn’t arrive late on purpose!”

“Oh?” He furrowed his brows indifferently, narrowed his peach blossom eyes slightly, and stared at Feng Yin, who was confused. Si Ran approached Feng Yin, squatted, and said, “If This Palace remembers correctly, you should be Concubine Ning’s son, Feng Yi’s younger brother.”

(t/n This Palace-a self-proclaimed title of the Lord of the House in ancient times.)

Feng Yin nodded, confirming Si Ran’s words. He contemplated for a while, then knelt down and bowed respectfully.