Untouchable Lovers

Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Destiny Cannot Be Defied (Lifted Ban)

Everyone had left, the room suddenly felt much emptier, and the medicinal scent seemed to become even richer.

Amid the fragrance of medicine, there seemed to be a faint hint of incense that, in this resplendent and luxurious chamber, contributed to an air of beautiful decay, as if it were the moment just before the extreme bloom withers away.

What does she want to do?

Chu Yu felt a moment of tension but laughed at herself for being overly cautious; she had even coaxed the Emperor with fair words, so why should she now fear a dying patient?

With a relieved smile, Chu Yu walked to the bedside and knelt down by Empress Dowager Wang’s hand, softly saying, “Does Mother have any other instructions?” Having resolved to let this woman pass on peacefully, Chu Yu’s demeanor was especially natural, and although her heart was still filled mostly with pity, her face at least resembled that of a filial daughter.

Empress Dowager Wang slightly lifted her hand, and Chu Yu promptly held it, feeling melancholy again for the thinness of these hands.

In the corner of the bed, there originally remained a lady-in-waiting to serve, who seemed to be a trusted attendant of the Empress Dowager, yet the Empress Dowager commanded even her to leave.

This made Chu Yu even more unsettled, not knowing what the mother of Shan Yin’s Princess wished to tell her.

After observing Chu Yu for a long time, Empress Dowager Wang sighed softly, “Are you truly my daughter?”

Of course not. Chu Yu agreed inwardly, but she responded, “Mother, I was wrong in the past, let’s not talk about those old matters now, shall we?” She was terrified that Empress Dowager Wang might mention something from the past which she, having no memory of Shan Yin’s Princess’s history, would instantly betray herself.

Therefore, Chu Yu immediately diverted the topic, “Didn’t you want to see His Majesty? Should I call him in to listen to your instructions together?”

Fortunately, the Empress Dowager didn’t continue probing but merely fixed her gaze on Chu Yu for a moment, a tender smile emerging in her eyes. With a weak gesture, she patted Chu Yu’s hand and said, “That unfilial son was someone you managed to summon, right? I know what my son is like; to this mother of his, he holds no affection. It must have taken quite the effort on your part to make him come.”

Chu Yu gently shook her head in submission, thinking to herself that it took no effort, she merely told a ghost story, and urged internally for the Empress Dowager to speak her mind quickly without leaving her anxious.

The Empress Dowager faintly smiled. Her pale, haggard face suddenly glowed with captivating luster, her eyes coming alive all at once and her skin gleaming—a natural elegance and grace exuded between her brows, as if she had suddenly grown ten years younger. “Chu Yu, come closer, I have something to tell you…”

Seeing her mother’s complexion improve, Chu Yu too felt somewhat joyful and obediently leaned in to listen, only to hear Empress Dowager Wang say, “With the Emperor so befuddled, sooner or later, this world will be seized by others… If, if there comes such a day, you…”

Her voice suddenly weakened, as if a strand of silk that could be blown away by a stronger gust of wind. Chu Yu had to hold her breath to just barely make out her words. After listening, she was stunned into stillness, not even noticing that the Empress Dowager’s face, which bore a peaceful expression, quickly withered away like a flower in the instant of its decay.

When Chu Yu came to her senses, she found that the Empress Dowager had already closed her eyes. She reached out to check for breathing and heartbeat, but all she found was a body that was still warm slowly cooling and stiffening. Only then did she realize that the earlier burst of vitality had been the final flicker of life.

Empress Consort Wang Xianyuan, daughter of the distinguished Wang Family, mother of two sons and four daughters, succumbed to a grave illness in Yongxun Palace’s Han Zhang Hall, not yet forty years old. In her last moments, she was accompanied only by a daughter who was not really her daughter.

Chu Yu gazed at the Empress Dowager in a daze. Although what lay before her was a corpse, she felt no fear but only pity. Her deep thoughts wandered far away, recalling that the Empress Dowager came from the Wang Family, making her and Wang Yizhi somehow related by blood.

Realizing she had been lost in thought for too long, Chu Yu hurriedly bent down and reached under the bed, carefully feeling for a flat, round protrusion as instructed by Empress Dowager Wang before her death. She quickly pressed it down, heard a soft click, then turned it half a circle to the left, and pressed down again. Subsequently, a small drawer popped out at the edge of the bed. Inside the drawer, only wide enough for a palm, lay a White Jade box, but Chu Yu didn’t rush to reach for it. Instead, she first triggered the hidden mechanism at the edge of the drawer to disable it.

With the jade box in hand, cool and smooth to the touch, Chu Yu didn’t hasten to open it. First, she stored it in her sleeve, patted the outside to make sure it wasn’t noticeable, then restored the drawer to its original state. A push back, and the edge of the drawer seamlessly fitted with its surroundings, leaving no trace of a gap to be seen.

After standing up and composing herself, Chu Yu mustered a grieved expression on her face, went out to announce the death of the Empress Dowager to everyone. The rest naturally had to express shock and sadness in a timely and appropriate manner, leading to yet another display that isn’t worth mentioning in detail.

After confirming several times that Empress Dowager wouldn’t become a ghost to haunt him, Liu Ziyue issued an edict to have the Empress Dowager buried with the previous Emperor, and then left with a happy face. Chu Yu watched his retreating figure, deep in thought for a long time. Everyone she had brought with her stood by her side, Yue Jiefei and Tian Rujing, the pair of sworn brothers, stood side by side while Rong Zhi leisurely sat cross-legged against the corridor’s pillar, face tilted up with a slight smile as he watched Chu Yu.

“Tian Rujing, come with me,” Chu Yu decided after a long thought. Just as she was about to turn to leave, she remembered something, turned back and instructed Rong Zhi, “You can go back first. Yue Jiefei will stay and wait for me.” Her intention to send him away was for Rong Zhi’s sake. Knowing the resentment between these two men, Chu Yu no longer felt at ease leaving them alone, fearing a moment of negligence might lead to returning to find one dead and one alive.

Rong Zhi answered casually, stood up, and walked away. After a few steps, he stopped, turned, and smiled at Tian Rujing. “My promise with Tian Ruyue should be transferred to you now. Tian Ruyue is dead, and I hope you won’t let me down.”

Tian Rujing didn’t respond, and Rong Zhi didn’t expect one either, so he left without further ado.

Thanks to Rong Zhi’s previous persuasion, Yue Jiefei didn’t try to stop Chu Yu this time. So, under his reluctant gaze, Chu Yu took Tian Rujing back to the desolate garden where they had previously spoken in private.

Once they stood still, Chu Yu looked at Tian Rujing for a moment, then suddenly stood tall and bowed deeply, an act of respect that was more than sufficient. Yet facing such a grand gesture from a Princess of her stature, Tian Rujing showed no emotion. He didn’t even step back but accepted the bow calmly.@@novelbin@@

“What do you want me to do?” Tian Rujing asked indifferently.

Though his thoughts were pure, he was not foolish. He could see through the actions and thoughts of others clearly, he simply chose not to care about them.

Chu Yu gazed at him, speaking in a softer tone, “His Highness the Emperor is young and without virtue. Now that our mother has passed away, as His Highness’s sister, it is my duty to look after him. Unfortunately, His Highness is too headstrong to take any advice and only fears ghosts. I hope Lord Heavenly Master can cooperate with me to jointly guide the Emperor onto the right path.” In plain and uncouth terms, this would translate to: The old ones are dead, and now there’s no one to discipline that lawless little brat. Luckily, he’s afraid of ghosts, so you, the priest, should work with me to scare the little Emperor into behaving better.

Although Chu Yu looked earnest and righteous, she felt rather frustrated inside. Logically, this should be a task for the court officials. She was merely a leisurely Princess, yet here she was, taking on work that wasn’t hers to do.

Tian Rujing shook his head coldly, “Princess, you should not delude yourself into thinking that you alone can change the fate of a dynasty.” His demeanor was lofty as if the sky itself had opened its eyes, looking down indifferently and pityingly upon all beings.

Chu Yu was infuriated, “What do you mean by ‘delude’?” She wanted to survive, to live well; how could that be considered a delusion? Regarding Tian Rujing’s talk of fate, she didn’t believe a stroke of it.

No matter how much she lowered her stance, Tian Rujing retained his cold demeanor. In a rush of anger, Chu Yu reached out and grabbed Tian Rujing’s collar tightly, with the other hand already gripping a golden hairpin.

The sharp end of the hairpin pressed against Tian Rujing’s throat, and Chu Yu asked coldly, “I’ll ask you one more time, do you agree or not?” She had lost her patience and was unwilling to drag things out any longer.

The reason she had chosen Tian Rujing as a partner was because of his image and status, and because Liu Ziyue also seemed to hold him in high regard. Although she looked down on priests, Chu Yu would not underestimate his influence because of her own preferences and dislikes.

Just as Chu Yu made her move, the hairpin barely touching the skin on Tian Rujing’s neck, she suddenly felt a numbness in her palm. An invisible yet irresistible force emanated from Tian Rujing’s body, flipping her over and tossing her into the air, and moments later, she landed amid the dense flowers and plants!