Chapter 93
The next morning, Zhao Heng got up early, all prepared to go to the Daxiangguo Temple.
Li Wenjian had discussed many plans with her yesterday, and today they intended to visit the temple to pray and seek blessings.
They planned to stay for lunch at the temple, enjoying some vegetarian food, and in the afternoon, take advantage of the lovely spring weather to go hiking and appreciate the blooming flowers. The peach blossoms in the temple were particularly abundant, and they could even pick some to make peach blossom pastries.
Since their intense battle with Yan Chi last year, they had been mentally strained and hadn't had the leisure to sit back and enjoy the changes of the seasons. Since she went to bed last night, she had been looking forward to dawn.
Finally, when day broke, she heard a stirring and couldn't wait to open her eyes. The first thing she did was turn to look at Li Wenjian. Seeing him still deep in slumber, she moved ever so gently to get up.
After freshening up, she sat in front of the mirror, leisurely doing her makeup. Since Li Wenjian was still asleep, she hadn't called Lian Zhou and the others to help, so she had to do it all by herself.
Knowing that they would be sweating during their hike today, she was afraid of ruining her makeup, so she only applied a thin layer of powder.
The bright spring sunlight shone in through the window lattice, casting a glow on Li Wenjian's face through the gauze canopy. His eyelids fluttered slightly, awakened by the bright light.
He got up and lifted the gauze canopy, seeing Zhao Heng sitting in front of the mirror, delicately drawing her eyebrows. Her body had gotten a bit fuller than before, and the movements of her hand seemed a bit clumsy as she drew a few strokes and examined them closely in the bronze mirror, seeming somewhat dissatisfied.
She picked up a moist towel from the side to wipe off the makeup and patiently started drawing again.
Watching the troubled woman in the mirror, Li Wenjian couldn't help but smile.
Zhao Heng pursed her lips in front of the mirror, never able to get her eyebrows right, with one side being too high and the other too low. She furrowed her brows, a hint of impatience flashing in her beautiful eyes.
In the next moment, a faint fragrance wafted between them, as Li Wenjian reached over with his hand. His large palm grasped hers from behind, taking the eyebrow pencil from her clenched palm.
"Let me do it," Li Wenjian said warmly, his voice carrying a hint of grogginess from just waking up.
Compliantly, Zhao Heng handed him the pencil and adjusted herself to sit up straight, tilting her face up towards him. "I want 'distant mountain' eyebrows," she stated.
"Okay." Li Wenjian supported her chin with one hand and skillfully drew the eyebrows in between.
Feeling his warmth on her cheek, Zhao Heng gazed intently at him with her face lifted. They were face to face, eye to eye, breathing in sync, so close. Sunlight streamed in through the window lattice, illuminating his chiseled features.
From his thick eyebrows to his distinct eyelashes and deep, mysterious eyes.
She stared at him a little longer, feeling increasingly joyful as she held his face gently in her hands, leaving a light kiss on his lips unexpectedly.
The sunlight seemed to rustle like a sound.
Li Wenjian's smile remained in his eyes, his tone gentle, but with a slightly rough edge in his voice, as he squeezed her chin a little firmer. "Don't be cheeky, or you might mess up the drawing later."
She refrained from moving around, sitting obediently, but her hands continued to lightly loop around his waist, unwilling to stay still.
*
However, with just a day's itinerary, there weren't many people joining them.
Li Wenjian supported Zhao Heng as they walked slowly towards the exit, and from afar, they could see Li Nanxi standing in the courtyard, gazing at her.
"Sister-in-law!" Li Nanxi ran towards her quickly.
Li Wenjian was afraid that she would, as usual, rush into Zhao Heng's arms without a care, so he quickly lifted his hand to protect her swollen abdomen.
This small gesture did not escape Li Nanxi's eyes.
She whispered against Zhao Heng's belly, "Aunt won't bump into you, don't worry."
Zhao Heng gently rubbed her hair and praised her, "Xiao Ba is becoming more sensible."
"Of course, before Father Emperor and Mother Empress left the capital, they told me that being an aunt makes me a grown-up, and grown-ups should be sensible," Li Nanxi said.
At the mention of the Emperor and Empress, Li Wenjian's expression dimmed a little. Recent reports from the Qingzhou Palace indicated that the Emperor's health was deteriorating rapidly.
Not long ago, he could still walk on his own, but now, during the spring, he required assistance to move around.
Imperial Physician Xu examined his pulse and didn't paint an optimistic picture. If the situation improved, he might make it through the year, but if not, it would be a struggle.
Parting and death were the most inevitable and heart-wrenching aspects of life, something that everyone had to endure. Zhao Heng's slender fingers intertwined with Li Wenjian's, holding onto him tightly.
Since it couldn't be avoided, she would accompany him through the pain, experiences, and challenges.
Li Wenjian looked down at their clasped hands, a moment of spiritual enlightenment washing over him as he understood her intentions, and he smiled gently at her.
The carriage halted in front of the East Palace gate, and as Li Wenjian helped Zhao Heng onto the carriage, Jian Ning hurriedly approached from the other end of the palace road, calling out, "Your Highness."
Li Wenjian turned his head, the sunlight directly shining into his eyes, causing him to squint. He asked in a deep voice, "What is it?"
"We've found Lord Liang," Jianning said.
Li Wenjian's expression suddenly changed, "Where is he?"
"He's at Hejiang Manor," Jianning glanced up at Li Wenjian before continuing, "He's holding a blade to his throat, demanding to see you."
Hejiang Manor, where they used to sneak off to play during their youth and where they would ride horses back for deep slumbers after drinking. Those were the happiest, carefree years of their lives, closely connected to each other.
Li Wenjian didn't know why Liang Xingyan had returned to Hejiang Manor, but he knew that he had to go see him.
Turning to Zhao Heng, he looked somewhat guilty, as he realized that he would have to break the promise he made to her.
Without waiting for him to speak, Zhao Heng spoke first, her tone as gentle as ever, "Your Highness, if you have business to attend to, we can reschedule our outing for another day."
Li Wenjian smiled at her, knowing how much she had looked forward to today's excursion. He had instructed the maids last night to prepare everything, and she had woken up early today to dress and groom herself.
He said, "You and Xiao Ba go ahead. I will join you after meeting with Liang Xingyan."
He took out a longevity lock from his pocket and placed it in her palm, "This is a gift from Father Emperor to our child, a token of his love with Mother Empress. Take it to the Daxiangguo Temple and have Master Huiming bless it. It will keep our child safe and sound in the future."
After she had it blessed, he estimated he would be back after meeting with Liang Xingyan.
Zhao Heng bowed her head and looked at the small golden lock in her palm, closing her snow-white fingers tightly around it and nodding softly, "Okay, I'll wait for you."
The grand sunlight illuminated her hair, casting a radiant glow on the pearl flowers in her hair. In that sparkling light, his features remained calm and gentle.
*
The room in Hejiang Manor was completely surrounded by guards from the East Palace. The man, dressed thinly and slender, held a sharp knife against his throat, his eyes fixed on the door as if he were a soulless puppet.
He pressed his lips together tightly and remained motionless until he saw Li Wenjian, dressed in a golden round-collared robe, approach from the corner of the courtyard. His lips curled slightly, "So, you've come."
Liang Xingyan silently watched as Li Wenjian entered the courtyard and stood before the wall of guards. Only then did he seem to find his voice, lowering the knife in his hand.
"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Li Wenjian stood with his hands behind his back, squinting against the brilliant sunlight.
"No, I thought you wouldn't come to see me again," Liang Xingyan tilted his chin slightly, the shadow of the eaves casting over him, unable to conceal the hint of melancholy on his pale face.
Li Wenjian calmly responded, "Why wouldn't I come to see you? You were once my best friend."
Upon hearing these words, Liang Xingyan suddenly met Li Wenjian's gaze, his throat dry and his eyes inexplicably reddened, "Friend?"
"If we were once friends, would you dare to come in and have a drink?" Liang Xingyan asked.
Li Wenjian took a few steps forward, and Jian Ning moved to restrain him, but he gestured to stop her.
Liang Xingyan looked at Jian Ning, gave a disdainful snort, discarded the knife in his hand, and said, "The guards have this place surrounded like a fortress, and I've lost my only weapon. Is there still something you're worried about?"
Li Wenjian pushed aside Jian Ning's hand and, under the watchful eyes of the Imperial Guards, walked into the shadow of the eaves. Liang Xingyan stepped aside to allow him entry, and Li Wenjian calmly took a seat at the tea table inside.
It seemed that Liang Xingyan had been prepared, as there were two places set at the table with cups and pots, and the silver pot on the stove was bubbling vigorously.
Li Wenjian adeptly warmed the cups and poured the tea, offering one to Liang Xingyan, before casually looking up at him, "The New Policies have been implemented quite successfully. This year, in the capital saw an increase in scholars from Jiangnan."
"In the eighteenth year of Tiande, my father proposed the Tiande New Policies, but before they could be implemented, the Sui'an Incident occurred. The Emperor Grandfather, fearing the reputation of my father as the 'Wuyou Crown Prince,' ordered the execution of my father's confidant, Sui'an..." Liang Xingyan lowered his gaze, pursed his dry lips, but didn't take a sip of the hot tea he held in his hand, "To appease the Emperor Grandfather's emotions, my father had to temporarily set aside the general implementation of the New Policies."
At the mention of the "Wuyou Crown Prince," Li Wenjian sitting across from him suddenly raised his eyes.
"Later on, a series of events unfolded. The Emperor Grandfather grew increasingly wary of my father's power, fearing he would turn rebellious in his prime, and subjected him to various pressures and humiliations," Liang Xingyan paused, and steam rose from the teacup.
In a cloud of mist, his eyes turned dangerously red, "The Emperor Grandfather became more and more tyrannical. In order to protect me and my mother, my father purposely made my mother feign madness and divorce her. He then sent Wang Zhao to escort us south, where we boarded a ship to the Southern Seas."
"But shortly after we left the capital, my father passed away. My mother had a deep affection for my father, and the pain of separation was heart-wrenching. Upon hearing of his death, she hung herself." His cracked lips seemed to seep a bit of blood, "Wang Zhao and the others were fiercely loyal to my father, and seeing the kingdom in turmoil, the Emperor Grandfather tyrannical, and various warlords rising, they thought to bring me back to the capital, seizing the opportunity to reclaim what rightfully belonged to my father."
"On our way back to the capital, I fell seriously ill, with a high fever. We were staying with Lady Liang at the Jijue Temple in Jizhou at that time, and she cured me using herbal remedies." His teeth clenched, and with great difficulty, he continued, "At that time, Wang Zhao was worried about our return to the capital and how we would survive. He happened to meet Lady Liang. Upon learning that she was a distant relative of Liang Ji, they devised a plan to use her as a scapegoat."
"Wang Zhao said my father's downfall was due to his compassion towards women. He was afraid of meeting the same fate and wouldn't allow me to be as indecisive as my father. To toughen my resolve, he placed a dagger in my hand and instructed me to kill her under the pretext of gratitude. Otherwise, he would abandon me in the mountains." His voice was hoarse, choked up, a stark contrast to his usual clear and gentle tone, "I was afraid of being abandoned by them, so I took advantage of Lady Liang's moment of vulnerability and personally plunged the dagger into her heart. Perhaps she never understood why she saved me, only for me to kill them with my own hands."
"From that day on, my life completely fell apart."
Liang Ji appeared as an ordinary wealthy merchant, but in reality, he was supplying provisions for the Li family rebels in the capital. For the safety of his wife and children, he had kept them in the countryside. However, that year, when Lady Liang fell ill and did not improve despite seeing many doctors, Liang Ji had no choice but to bring her back to the capital.
Little did he know that on the way, they would encounter the returning "Crown Prince".
With a twist of fate, he transformed from the Crown Prince into Liang Ji's son, a wealthy merchant in the capital.
Overnight, the eight years of nurturing, radiant as the sun and moon, were overturned, and his hands were stained with blood.
The blood of his benefactor.
It was truly ironic â Liang Ji had kept him in the countryside out of guilt and love, treating him like the apple of his eye, sending him to study at the An family Academy, paving the way for a bright future.
Blind to the truth, the man cherished his son for years, unaware that he was the monster who had murdered his own child.