“I will discuss all of this with your mother later.”
Mother Qi, sitting in the seat of honor, nodded and settled the matter with a wave of her hand.
Her gaze swept over the sickly young girl beside Song Ning without lingering.
The girl was only there to deliver the reply card; the one she truly needed to discuss the marriage arrangements with was Mother Song.
Where the young couple would live and how they would support themselves were matters only Mother Song was qualified to discuss with her.
It was truly meaningless to talk about such things with an adopted daughter.
Song Youyi stood to the side, her expression calm. She coughed twice, covering her lips with a handkerchief in a graceful and natural motion.
She then took one step forward and meticulously went over the return gifts, explaining which ones Mother Song had prepared and which ones she had personally selected.
Her explanation was clear and logical. Finally, she did not forget to offer a few polite words, praising Mother Qi’s healthy complexion and the elegant arrangement of the Qi Mansion.
Her speech was flawless.
As Mother Qi listened, a glimmer of approval flashed in her eyes. Although this child was sickly, her grasp of etiquette was thorough.
After Song Youyi finished speaking, she bowed slightly. After a few more pleasantries were exchanged between the two families, she supported Song Ning as they departed.
They walked out of the main hall and through the corridors. Song Youyi remained silent the entire way. It was only after they entered the carriage and the curtain fell, blocking out the light, that she finally spoke.
“Brother.” She clung to Song Ning’s arm, her voice soft and carrying a hint of a spoiled pout. “Don’t go, alright? Your health makes things inconvenient. Why can’t Qi Chuyao just move into our house?”
“Our families are so close, wouldn’t it be the same?”
As she spoke, she pressed her face against his arm. ‘I can’t let Brother just marry into their house like that. Otherwise, where would I go to find him in the future?’
Song Ning let out a couple of bitter chuckles and freed one hand to pat her head.
“Have Qi Chuyao move in?” he laughed. “Only you could come up with that.”
“How could she possibly move into the Song Mansion permanently?”
He personally did not care where he lived, as long as Xia Ling and Xia Shuang remained by his side. Those two were like his eyes and could solve many troublesome matters.
Song Youyi pursed her lips, wanting to say more, but she realized her brother had already fallen into deep thought.
Song Ning leaned against the wall of the carriage, his head tilted slightly back, his white eyes directed toward the roof.
He was thinking. He thought about the Emperor currently lying in the depths of the palace, the powerful eunuch Wei Yang, the restless Beirong in Liaodong, and the turbulent undercurrents that could overturn the current situation at any moment.
The Emperor had no daughters, and Prince Xin was her only sister.
Would Wei Yang allow Prince Xin to return?
The Emperor’s illness had come too suddenly—so suddenly it was suspicious. If Prince Xin entered the Capital, everything Wei Yang had built over the years would likely go to waste. What would she do?
Song Ning’s finger tapped lightly on his knee. ‘It would be great if I had control over the military power in the Capital.’
In a Chaotic Era, the most important thing was military power. He and his Eldest Sister had realized this long ago.
While others were scrambling for prestigious positions in the Capital, they had arranged for his Eldest Sister to go to the Frontier to earn military merits on the battlefield.
“Brother, what are you thinking about?” Song Youyi’s gentle voice interrupted his thoughts.
Song Ning snapped back to reality and suddenly asked, “It’s nothing. If I were to go to the Frontier one day, would you come with me?”
Song Youyi’s expression changed slightly.
“Why would you go to the Frontier, Brother?” She hugged his arm tighter. “Do you miss Eldest Sister? The Frontier is cold and harsh, and since you can’t see, it’s best if you don’t go.”
Song Ning shook his head but did not answer. The situation at the Frontier was the most complex; he would have to go there sooner or later.
Song Youyi looked at his contemplative face. After a moment of silence, she whispered, “I can go with you. I just stay at home in the Capital anyway.”
“You can’t leave me behind, Brother.”
As she spoke, she coughed twice again.
“I’ll cling to you…” Her thin, pale arms tightly embraced Song Ning. ‘I’ll cling to you forever. Forever…’
The carriage rumbled forward, its copper bells jingling as it gradually moved away from the Qi Mansion.
……
Inside the Daqian Imperial Palace, deep within the inner courts.
The scent of medicine lingered. A thick, bitter aroma filled the entire sleeping hall, making it almost difficult to breathe.
The light inside was dim, with heavy curtains hanging in layers, blocking out most of the daylight.
A few palace lamps burned in the corners, their flickering flames casting dancing shadows on the drapes.
A woman lay upon the phoenix bed. She wore bright yellow inner robes, her hair was disheveled, and her face was as white as paper.
Her eyes were sunken, her cheekbones protruded, and her breathing was weak and rapid.
The woman who once ruled this empire was now nothing but skin and bones, lying there like an oil lamp about to burn out.
Tang Xi. The Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty.
She opened her eyes. They were cloudy and dim, yet a trace of light remained.
She struggled to turn her head, looking at the person standing by the bed. It was a woman in her fifties wearing deep purple eunuch robes.
Her complexion was fair, and her eyes were downcast in a submissive manner. She held a bowl of medicine, feeding the Emperor one spoonful at a time.
Wei Yang. The Chief Eunuch who had controlled the imperial court for years.
After taking two sips of the medicine, Tang Xi suddenly reached out and grabbed Wei Yang’s arm.
“Let…” her voice was weak and fragmented. “Let Prince Xin come back… back to the Capital…”
She gasped for air, staring deathly at Wei Yang.
“I have important matters to discuss with her… make her return quickly…”
She had no daughters; Prince Xin was her only sister. Summoning Prince Xin to the Capital at this time made her intentions unmistakable.
A flicker of change appeared in Wei Yang’s eyes. In an instant, she suppressed it.
She lowered her head, her face remaining submissive, and responded softly, “Very well. I will send someone to deliver the imperial decree and have Prince Xin return immediately.”
Tang Xi looked at her, the light in her eyes flickering.
“Also…” Her voice grew even weaker, yet she persisted. “Have the Minister of War, Qi Sugong, enter the palace… I want to see her… I must see her now…”
Tang Xi stared intently at Wei Yang.
Wei Yang’s heart skipped a beat. She lowered her gaze and responded obediently, “Understood. I shall go summon her at once.”
Only then did Tang Xi release her hand, falling powerlessly back onto the pillow, panting heavily. Wei Yang held the medicine bowl, bowed, and withdrew.
The hall doors slowly closed behind her.
Standing under the corridor, she looked up at the gray sky. The expression on her face changed.
The humble and submissive look from before vanished completely, replaced by a cold and sharp gaze.
She stood there with a straight back and a profound look in her eyes, like a beast perched at the pinnacle of power.
This Emperor truly wasn’t so sick that she had lost her mind. She still knew to summon the Minister of War, Qi Sugong—the one person who had always been at odds with Wei Yang.
But the Emperor’s illness had come too suddenly. For so many years, Wei Yang had managed the inner palace and court affairs, allowing the Emperor to play and enjoy herself in peace.
She had quietly replaced many officials with her own people. This illness wasn’t supposed to be severe, but she had been afraid.
She feared a single illness would make the Emperor alert enough to replace her people.
So, she had acted ruthlessly. She had ensured the Emperor became even sicker. Now, the Emperor could barely leave her bed, and everyone around her belonged to Wei Yang.
She could not allow Prince Xin to enter the Capital now. Nor could she let Qi Sugong see the Emperor.
Otherwise, wouldn’t everything she had built over the years be for nothing?
Wei Yang’s expression turned grim as she stood under the corridor. After a moment of silence, she turned and walked toward a side hall.
Several people were waiting for her inside. They were her confidants, people she had personally promoted. Seeing Wei Yang enter, they all stood up.
“How is it?” one of the civil officials asked.
Wei Yang said nothing, merely walking to the window to gaze at the gray sky. After a moment, she spoke.
“Speaking of which,” her voice was flat, “is Qi Sugong’s daughter about to get married?”
The three people looked at one another.
One of them nodded. “Yes. The Eldest Young Lady of the Qi family, Qi Chuyao, is set to marry the Eldest Son of the Song Family, Song Ning. The minor engagement has just passed. The wedding date shouldn’t be far off.”
Wei Yang turned around to face them. Her face was devoid of expression as she slowly raised her hand and made a horizontal slicing motion across her neck.
Snap.
The movement was casual and light.
Wei Yang’s gaze swept over their faces before finally landing on a lean, capable-looking woman.
“Go,” she said.