Chapter 13: Escape

The sweetness of the lotus cake burst across her lips and teeth.
Yan Ling quite liked these small pastries.
Back in the palace, her elder brother would always complain that her food was overly rich.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”
She raised her head, her expression slightly uneasy.
As she spoke, the sweet fragrance of the cake drifted from her lips and tongue.

Xie Chongqing’s gaze deepened.
There were still crumbs at the corner of her lips, and that sweetness seemed to stir the very air around them.
Her cherry lips opened and closed, biting at the very spot he had just touched.

A flicker passed across his brows before settling back into calm.
He tossed a cloth toward her.
“Wipe your mouth. What kind of appearance is that?”

Even eating a pastry could draw criticism.
Yan Ling was already numb to it.
The half piece of cake in her hand instantly lost all flavor.
She casually tossed it back onto the plate, yet still retorted,
“If you find it unpleasant to look at, then don’t look.”

Xie Chongqing’s gaze darkened.
“That mouth of Yours… sooner or later, it will cost you.”

Yan Ling wanted to say more, but he had already stood and left.
In anger, she swept the plate straight onto the floor.

The next day, Yan Ling went to Flowing Firefly Residence as usual.
The medicinal scent on her body had grown stronger.

Only Xie Ying was in the room.
Yan Ling sat at the table as before, quietly copying the Buddhist scriptures.

Xie Ying, bored out of her mind flipping through a book, could not help but speak when she saw Yan Ling’s composed demeanor.

“Hey, it’s just the two of us. You don’t have to keep pretending, do you?”

Yan Ling did not even lift her head.
“I do not understand what Fourth Miss Xie means.”

“I know my brother holds a high position and is admired by many.
There are countless women dreaming of marrying into the Xie household.
What about you? For money? Power? Or something else?”

Xie Ying rested her chin on her hand, thoughtful.
“To catch my brother’s eye, you must have some ability.”

“But give up that thought.
Someone like you could never dream of becoming the main wife in this lifetime.”

Yan Ling found it somewhat amusing.
This Fourth Miss Xie was rather interesting.

“Oh? Then what kind of lady would be worthy of the master?”

Xie Ying answered without hesitation,
“A noble lady from a great clan, or a royal princess—
with family, beauty, and talent all outstanding.
A perfect alliance of equals.”

“If you’re only after money or power, you might live more comfortably.
But don’t develop feelings—you’ll only humiliate yourself.”

Yan Ling merely smiled faintly and said nothing.
Xie Ying snorted, finding her unresponsive, and stopped speaking.

Xie Ying rubbed her temples.
For some reason, she felt especially tired today, drowsiness creeping in.

Yan Ling glanced at her subtly.
“Miss, are you feeling fatigued?”

Xie Ying cast her a sideways glance, arrogant as ever.
“What does that have to do with you?”

“I know a little medicine.
I can prepare an incense or tea to refresh your mind.”

Xie Ying assumed she was trying to curry favor.
She gave a cold smile but said nothing.
Someone offering themselves up like this—she had no reason to refuse.

After finishing the scriptures, Yan Ling quietly left.

From Qingtao’s report, Xie Chongqing learned there was nothing unusual.
Life was dull each day, though Yan Ling had become much more obedient than before.

Perhaps to please him, she even sent tea and pastries daily.
But Xie Chongqing never touched them—he rewarded them all to the servants instead.

When this reached Yan Ling’s ears, she showed no particular reaction.
Qingtao comforted her,
“The master has always been like this. Miss, don’t take it to heart.”

Yan Ling let out a soft scoff.
“I think he’s simply afraid I might poison him.”

“I heard His Majesty has awakened and summoned the court for discussion.”

“Is it to decide the Crown Prince?”

“Naturally. His Majesty’s health worsens by the day.
He likely wants to settle the heir while still conscious.”

“With the Twelfth Prince gone, the most likely candidates are Prince Hui and Prince Ji.”

The officials whispered freely outside Jiankang Palace.
Inside, the atmosphere was tense and deadlocked.

That morning, news spread that the Emperor Yonghe had awakened.
Xie Chongqing hurried into the palace.
Empress Huan, Prince Hui, Consort Yu, Prince Ji, and the Grand Secretary were all gathered.

No one had expected the Emperor to awaken so suddenly—yet it was a fortunate event.

The Emperor’s eyes were open, but he could not speak or move.
He could only open his mouth slightly, twitch his fingers, and make faint sounds.

“Your Majesty, the officials are waiting outside.
It is time to establish the Crown Prince,” the Empress said gently, stroking his aged face.

They did not need him to speak—only to nod.

Leaning close, she whispered intimately into his ear:
“Your Majesty, your beloved Twelfth will never return.
As for the Eighth Prince’s residence, everyone there has been replaced with my people.”

The Emperor’s face twisted violently.
His chest heaved, veins bulging along his neck.
His graying hair lay disheveled across the pillow.
He was furious—but unable to move, utterly helpless.

He simply shut his eyes tightly, refusing to respond.

The Empress’s expression darkened.
“Does Your Majesty no longer care about the Eighth Prince?”

The Emperor suddenly opened his eyes wide again.
His sinister gaze seemed ready to pierce her to death.
He struggled to move, to raise his hand and strike her—but he could not.

His breathing nearly failed him.

“Your Majesty,” a low voice suddenly interrupted.

The Empress looked up at Xie Chongqing.

“Since His Majesty’s condition is unstable, there is no need to rush the matter of succession.
We can wait until he recovers,” Xie Chongqing said unexpectedly.

Prince Ji and the Grand Secretary immediately echoed,
“Indeed. His Majesty cannot even speak—how is he to decide?
Or does Your Highness have other intentions?”

The Empress’s face showed displeasure at being contradicted.
After a moment, she said,
“What selfish motives could I have?
I only worry for the governance of Great Jin and the welfare of its people.
Grand Secretary, do not make baseless accusations.”

Even so, she had no choice but to abandon the idea for now.
The officials already disliked her interference in state affairs.
She would have to quickly send word to Luoyang and summon her brother back.

The Grand Eunuch Liu stepped out to dismiss the officials.
They looked at each other in confusion, uncertain what had transpired.

As Xie Chongqing exited, Prince Hui stopped him.

“Lord Xie, shouldn’t you give me an explanation?
Why did you block Father from deciding the succession?”

Xie Chongqing replied calmly,
“Did Your Highness not see His Majesty’s condition?
I already told you—you are too rash.
You agitated His Majesty into collapse without informing me.
I have already gone to great lengths to cover for you.
Yet you still push him to decide now.
If anything happens to him, do you wish to bear the charge of patricide?”

Prince Hui’s legs went weak.
Guilt flooded his face.

Xie Chongqing inwardly cursed him as a fool.
If not for his debt to the Grand Marshal, he would not bother with him at all.

Seeing Prince Hui distracted, he gave a perfunctory bow and left.

Another day passed.

Yan Ling brought the prepared incense and tea to Xie Ying’s room.

“Wait outside,” she told Qingtao, who had been following her closely.

Qingtao thought nothing of it and remained in the courtyard.

Xie Ying was as fatigued as ever.

“Light this incense.
Within a quarter hour, Miss will feel refreshed.”

Yan Ling knelt gracefully, preparing the incense with elegant movements.
Her pale, slender fingers lit it.

Smoke curled upward in thin strands, spreading through the air.
Through the haze, Xie Ying could barely make out her figure.

How strange.
Though she had never revealed her face, Xie Ying felt certain she must be a breathtaking beauty.

Her restless mind gradually calmed.
Drowsiness crept in.

Before losing consciousness, Xie Ying struggled to think—
Wasn’t this incense supposed to refresh the mind?
Why did it make her sleepier the more she inhaled?

Then darkness swallowed her vision.

Yan Ling gently set down the brush.
Her clear, tranquil eyes lifted.

She rose and walked to Xie Ying’s side, lightly pushing her.
“Fourth Miss?”

No response.

After confirming repeatedly that Xie Ying was deeply asleep, she turned and walked out.

“Qingtao.”
Her clear voice rang out.

Qingtao turned immediately.

“It’s getting cold.
Go back to Bamboo Purity Court and fetch me a cloak.
I’m afraid it will be chilly when I return later.”

Yan Ling’s expression was calm, without a trace of abnormality.

Qingtao did not suspect anything.
Flowing Firefly Residence was heavily guarded—she left without worry.

Yan Ling remained composed.

Raised in the deep palace and having survived multiple assassination attempts, she was long accustomed to such situations.

She turned back inside.
Her hand reached toward Xie Ying’s collar.

She began changing their clothes.

Throughout the process, she feared Xie Ying might wake.
But the sedative incense was strong—too strong, in fact.
It was her first time making incense, and she had not measured the strength carefully.

Medicine and incense shared the same roots.
From medical texts, she had discovered that certain herbs could serve both purposes.

Some ingredients in her daily medicine could both invigorate blood circulation and calm the mind for sleep.

She had already placed mint leaves in her mouth beforehand to keep herself awake.

After changing clothes, Yan Ling took the token hanging from Xie Ying’s waist.
This token was the key to entering and exiting the Xie residence.

Once dressed, she put on a veiled hat, concealing her face.

Two maids stood at the door.
Seeing her emerge, they bowed and prepared to follow.

She waved them off lightly and left alone.

Xie Ying’s usual arrogant and strict demeanor meant the servants dared not question her movements.

With the token at her waist, adorned with her distinctive jewelry and dressed in her striking red garments, no one needed to look closely to recognize her as Fourth Miss Xie.

Sure enough—she passed unimpeded.

She avoided the route Qingtao would take.
Thanks to her earlier wandering around the estate, she made her way smoothly to the side gate of the Western Hall.

Freedom was within reach.

Yan Ling’s heart soared.
She quickened her pace.
The veil fluttered in the wind, revealing glimpses of her delicate chin.

Fan Yuning emerged from a corner ahead, carrying a qin, speaking to a maid behind her.
Her peripheral vision caught sight of Yan Ling.

Unfortunately, Yan Ling was too focused on leaving to notice her.

The guards at the gate saw the token and did not stop her.

From behind, Fan Yuning called out loudly:

“Fourth Sister, where are you going?”