Chapter Thirty-Four: The Rain Falls Relentlessly

“This child is perfectly fine. The amount of poison in his body was minimal—probably the one who administered it lacked experience. The child is completely unharmed.” Chen Guangyuan felt the child’s pulse and reached his conclusion.

Ye Qianling clearly found this hard to believe. Wan Feng had even caused the death of her own empress—someone who would stop at nothing for revenge—could she really have been so timid as to use only a small dose? Anyone in Ye Qianling’s position would have been skeptical. Sensing her doubt, Chen Guangyuan sighed. Still, to soothe Ye Qianling’s nerves, he continued explaining; after all, he was getting on in years, and seeing the bewilderment on the young child’s face pained him deeply.

“Rest assured, I have never lied. I can guarantee that my diagnosis is absolutely accurate.” As he spoke, the inn’s server chimed in, “This gentleman is even more skilled than my master. Whenever my master has questions, he always turns to him.”

It was only after these words that Ye Qianling’s expression softened, her worries easing, though she still did not understand and resolved to get to the bottom of this later. Realizing she’d been lost in thought and had forgotten her manners, she glanced at little Ye Hong, still sound asleep, then turned and bowed deeply. “Thank you, sir. I am deeply grateful.”

It was only now that Chen Guangyuan turned his attention to Ye Qianling, who was dressed as a guard. There was something familiar about her features, as if he had seen someone like her before. Indeed, the matter concerning Ye Qianmu was still fresh in his mind; he had even made private inquiries about it. But from what he’d heard, the two were now both single, strangers to one another—a thought that left him sighing.

Ye Qianling, anxious as ever, instinctively reached for her pocket and suddenly felt embarrassed—it was empty. Of course, how could Xijiao Nanyuan have given her any money for leisure?

Chen Guangyuan noticed that she seemed to be without funds and smiled kindly, with the benevolence of an elder. “No matter, young lady. If you haven’t brought any money, just go about your business. Consider this my good deed for the day.”

Ye Qianling was immensely grateful. “I’m truly sorry. I’ll fetch the money and repay you right away. I apologize for troubling you—please don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.” After another deep bow, she quickly slipped out of Chen Guangyuan’s sight.

“Sir, aren’t you worried the young lady won’t return with your money? She’s dressed as a guard, but the child she brought is clearly from a wealthy family—how could she have no money?” The server, seeing Ye Qianling disappear, couldn’t help but voice his doubts.

Chen Guangyuan turned to the young man’s puzzled face and began to explain, “Money—one cannot take it with them in life or death. There’s no need to place such importance on it. Even if she doesn’t return the money today, what harm is there in doing a good deed?”

He glanced once more in the direction Ye Qianling had gone, then turned to ask about purchasing medicinal herbs.

Ye Hong had always been a sound sleeper. Once asleep, he was difficult to rouse before his usual time. Knowing this, and unwilling to use any sedatives that might harm him, Ye Qianling had not used anything that might force him into a deeper sleep—fortunately, even when she placed him in his cradle, he did not wake.

Looking at Ye Hong’s chubby, adorable face as he slept, she gently stroked his head, then hurried away. The tenderness vanished from her eyes as she turned, heading towards her next destination.

Ye Qianling had considered fetching some silver from her eldest brother’s residence to repay Chen Guangyuan, but fearing discovery, she refrained and left the Crown Prince’s manor instead. Her movements through the manor had been easy today, as she’d heard that Ye Qianchen was summoned by Emperor Guangde to discuss state affairs. Being Crown Prince was truly exhausting—Ye Qianling spared a moment’s silent sympathy for her brother.

As the late empress’s personal maid, Wan Feng would not have moved out of Kuncan Palace so soon after her mistress’s death. If Ye Qianling wanted her gone, she would have to enter the palace. But the imperial palace was teeming with skilled guards, and entry was all but impossible. Everyone there knew her—whether she tried to sneak in or enter openly disguised as a guard, every path was blocked.

As she pondered her options, a carriage stopped nearby. She had been hiding in the crowd, careful not to draw attention—now, discovered, there was no escape. Behind the carriage was an ornate sedan chair. A guard dressed identically to her approached. Upon closer inspection, Ye Qianling recognized him as one of her brother’s men. As for the person in the sedan, the answer was obvious.

“Fifth Princess, the Crown Princess invites you to join her in the carriage.” Knowing nothing good could come of this summons, Ye Qianling nevertheless understood that, with no means to enter the palace, the person in the sedan would not harm her. She did not hesitate further, lifted the curtain, and boarded.

Emperor Guangde disliked his children using sedan chairs, fearing it would make them soft and pampered. Whether it was Ye Qianchen, Ye Qianzhi, Ye Qianling—warriors all—or the more scholarly Ye Qianmu and Ye Qiange, none were allowed to use sedan chairs during leisure. They were required to ride horses whenever they went out. As a result, all the siblings had become accomplished riders—if one’s skills were lacking, they’d be left behind on family outings and miss all the fun. Daughters-in-law, however, were exempt from this rule; their choice of transport was unrestricted. Ye Qianling used to protest, longing for the comfort of a sedan, but Emperor Guangde would always come up with excuses, even claiming the palace’s sedan chairs were all broken. After that, Ye Qianling never had the heart to ask again.

“Sister-in-law,” Ye Qianling greeted as she entered, bowing to the Crown Princess, Lu Xiaoxiao, whom she had not seen in days but felt as if it had been a year.

Lu Xiaoxiao was the eldest daughter of the Lu family, childhood sweetheart to Ye Qianchen, and had always gotten along well with his siblings—almost like an elder sister to them, deeply respected. Yet there had been a complication.

Lu Xiaoxiao and Ye Qianchen had always been seen as a destined pair; it was assumed she would be Crown Princess and, in time, Empress. Emperor Guangde, Empress Muziying, and all the siblings favored her. So when Consort Lu’s affair with the emperor came to light, no one suspected a setup—Ye Qianchen’s own position was so secure, and the Lu family had no reason to bring another noblewoman into the palace, as it would only breed resentment and risk Lu Xiaoxiao’s standing.

Inevitably, after Consort Lu’s scandal, relations between the Empress and the Lu family grew awkward, the tension straining even the bond between Ye Qianchen and Lu Xiaoxiao. Ye Qianchen couldn’t understand why the Lu family would act against their own interests, risking everything and endangering the childhood romance that had been destined for life.

As the eldest son, Ye Qianchen felt compelled to sacrifice his feelings for the greater good. The Lu family’s judgment was questionable; should Lu Xiaoxiao become Empress and her family gain power, there was a risk they might abuse it, leading to irreparable disaster.

The night Ye Qianchen came to this realization, he confessed his thoughts to Lu Xiaoxiao. To his surprise, she said very little—just enough to ask if he was truly certain, and, if so, to make his choice and never regret it. She admitted her family had wronged the Empress and Ye Qianchen, but insisted it had nothing to do with her. She cared nothing for rank or status—those were fleeting, meaningless things. All she wanted was the pure, lifelong love they had shared since childhood.

Lu Xiaoxiao truly meant it. Though aunt and niece by family, their personalities were worlds apart. Ye Qianchen had been raised as the heir, always focused on the bigger picture, and said only that he would think it over before leaving.

He could not bring himself to break things off—they truly loved each other, even if still young, and both understood that theirs was a love meant to last a lifetime. Yet when Empress Muziying learned of it, she scolded Ye Qianchen, arguing that Lu Xiaoxiao could not be blamed for the sins of others. The Lu family’s head would never have acted so recklessly; the blame lay solely with Lu Lingyu, or at most the Lu family’s second branch.

Empress Muziying, sharp as ever, saw to the heart of the matter. Longing for power, Lu Xiaoxiao had sided with the marginalized second branch of the Lu family, plying Emperor Guangde with drink and so becoming a consort overnight. With her newfound status, she became the talk of the city. The first and second branches of the Lu family were henceforth estranged, their fortunes diminished compared to their former glory, yet they remained one of the capital’s distinguished families.

After the Empress’s admonition, Ye Qianchen chose to stay with the one he loved. They married a little over a year ago and now had a child.

“How did you come to be out here, Ling’er?” Lu Xiaoxiao’s question startled Ye Qianling from her reverie. She looked up to meet her sister-in-law’s concerned gaze. “I’m all right, Sister-in-law. I just… haven’t been able to see everyone much these past two years. It weighs on me.”

“Ling’er,” Lu Xiaoxiao touched Ye Qianling’s noticeably thinner face, trying to lighten the mood. “You finally don’t have to complain about dieting all the time. Look how much weight you’ve lost in just a few days.” She tried to smile, but her voice caught. Reaching out, she gently drew Ye Qianling’s head to her chest.