Chapter 86: Old friends

Jiang Changbai had just finished speaking when Shen Yanyi fell to her knees with a thud, practically falling to the ground. Only at this moment did she realise how much she'd overestimated herself; all of her plans, all of her jealousies, all of her unwillingness, in the end, it all came to nothing. She'd killed Han Yu, but soon enough, she herself would be be walking in her footsteps.

Perhaps when she reached the path of the Yellow Springs, the two foes could even walk shoulder to shoulder for a bit.

There was just one thing she couldn't understand.

Shen Yanyi drew a deep breath, and raised her head to look at Chang Jiaye, standing by Jiang Changbai's side. She couldn't figure out when it was that Chang Jiaye had discovered her plans, or how she'd made the decision; when she'd revealed it to Jiang Changbai, had her mind hesitated in the slightest, and at this moment, what was her opinion on her?

Shen Yanyi had too many questions she wanted to know the answers to, but she knew that she would perhaps never have the chance to ask these questions during this lifetime, and so she only gazed at her, hoping to grasp at the faintest of answers from Chang Jiaye's expression. However, Shen Yanyi gazed dazedly for a long while, but only saw Chang Jiaye turn her head, not willing to look at her.

She's probably very disappointed in me, isn't she, Shen Yanyi thought, an involuntary, slight smile of self-ridicule on her face.

It was just that the two people who, in the past, had had a tacit understanding, at this moment had lost that connection; Chang Jiaye turning her head was, more than that, because she feared seeing the questions in Shen Yanyi's eyes. After all, she could have acted as if she hadn't seen this matter. Chang Jiaye knew in her mind that, when she'd walked into the imperial study, she'd already sealed the death of a long-time friend with her own hand. Sending a long-time friend to the execution block with her own hand, even if she knew clearly that what she'd done was the right thing, Chang Jiaye's heart still struggled to not be reluctant.

A teardrop slipped down her cheek, and then was rapidly blown away by the fluttering summer wind.

However, what Chang Jiaye didn't know was that, even if she hadn't gone to the imperial study to "reveal a secret", Jiang Changbai would have still known Shen Yanyi had entered the Palace without permission, wishing to stealing Yang Zhuofei away—it was just the difference of sooner or later.

If she hadn't gone to make the report, she'd probably have been in the same situation as Shen Yanyi.

"We haven't treated you poorly," Jiang Changbai said, now walking over to Shen Yanyi, her expression grave, not the slightest emotion visible. "Why would you do this?"

It wasn't that she couldn't see Shen Yanyi's gaze towards Chang Jiaye, and out of the corner of her eye, she could also see that Chang Jiaye, unable to bear it, had turned her head. But Jiang Changbai didn't pay this any mind; she merely wished to ask her own question.

The panic of fear on Shen Yanyi's face before swept aside as well, only a placid expression remaining. Kneeling on the ground, she kowtowed heavily towards Jiang Changbai. "This minister deserves to die; I have no way to explain myself; your majesty, please do as you see fit."

Now, she'd been caught-red-handed, holed up in the hall palace that Yang Zhuofei had been imprisoned in by the people that Jiang Changbai had brought. Shen Yanyi knew that even if she were to explain herself, there wouldn't be anyone who would believe it. Having been a person of low status for so long, it would be better for her to be magnanimous in the last moments of her life. In the future, once she'd reached the underworld and saw her parents, it wouldn't be too much of a loss of face.

But Jiang Changbai wasn't satisfied by this answer; seeing Shen Yanyi's magnanimous bearing, she was infuriated.

Actually, to be honest, the person amidst the crowd of people here at this moment whose heart hurt the most was Jiang Changbai. Though Shen Yanyi wasn't a study companion, she'd been someone who she'd groomed from childhood until now. From the time she'd ascended the throne, Jiang Changbai had left no stone unturned. She knew that the ministers left behind by Emperor Tai were ones that weren't trustworthy, and she knew that she had to be careful of the soldiers that Song Juguang had brought along as well; only those who'd been discovered by her in childhood, and been cultivated in secret ever since, could be regarded by her as confidants.

She'd promoted them to high positions, and had all of the most important matters given to them to handle. But even so, she'd been met with betrayal.

Before, it wasn't that Jiang Changbai hadn't noticed the strangeness in Shen Yanyi, but she wasn't willing to think about it, wasn't willing to investigate it; she wasn't willing to believe that Shen Yanyi would betray her. As a result, though she'd noticed signs, they'd only made her more mindful.

But now, even such a person had betrayed her. Who could she trust now, then?

However, heartache was heartache; Jiang Changbai knew as well that, at this moment, there wasn't the time to be sensitive. With so many eyes on her, the slightest careless mistake would give rise to great ramifications. Yang Zhuofei couldn't be left alive, so she she scoffed, and waved her hand broadly. "The Princess Yu, Yang Zhuofei, harboured malicious intentions, plotting with intent and colluding against the state. She will be taken immediately to the Imperial Prison, and the guard increased, and a date for her beheading selected. As a minister of the court, Shen Yanyi wasn't thinking of dedicating herself to her country, and trespassed on the Palace without permission—"

Having come to this point, Jiang Changbai suddenly hesitated in her mind; was she really going to kill her?

Never mind.

She continued, "She will be removed from her position as Vice-Minister of Revenue immediately, and exiled to the Northern border, never to return."

Jiang Changbai's words reverberated, seemingly ruthless. Yet a light suddenly emerged in Shen Yanyi's eyes, and then, tears rolled, unstoppable, down. Even if it was like this, even if she'd done something so irreversible, Jiang Changbai had still left her alive. Everything from before rushed over her in an instant; so, Jiang Changbai would forever be such a generous and benevolent ruler.

"This guilty minister kowtows in thanks to her majesty; long live, long live, long live her majesty!" Shen Yanyi, who had just straightened up, kowtowed repeatedly towards Jiang Changbai. When she raised her head again, her forehead was even painted in purples and reds.

It was a pity that Jiang Changbai didn't look at her, merely turning her head to look at the imperial guards who'd followed her there. "What are you doing standing there? Tie them up quickly, and take them both to the Imperial Prison first!"

"Understood!" Chang Jiaye's eyes were read, but she was the first person to respond.

Before she'd finished speaking, she took out some rope from who knew where, and walked directly towards Shen Yanyi. The others hurried behind her, and tied Yang Zhuofei up. Yang Zhuofei, though, hadn't had the emotional highs and lows that Shen Yanyi had, and from the moment Jiang Changbai had led people in, she'd merely worn a placid expression. It was as if everything that had occurred before her eyes had nothing to do with her at all.

But on hearing Jiang Changbai was going to lock her in the Imperial Prison, a bit of joy even rose in her heart. After all, a not insignificant amount of the Ministry of Justice were Wu Dongmu's old subordinates, and the doors of the Imperial Prison, well—they were probably even weaker than those of this palace.

"Behave a bit," the imperial guard tying her up said fiercely, "no one's coming to rescue you."

Yang Zhuofei merely responded with a smile.

Before one's head fell to the ground, there was still leeway for things to turn around.

Yet over there, it was an entirely different atmosphere. The imperial guards here now practically all knew of Chang Jiaye and Shen Yanyi's relationship. Now, seeing the two of them both red-eyed, they didn't dare say a word. After all, though Shen Yanyi had been toppled, Chang Jiaye was still steady in her position as leader of the imperial guards. After today, it wasn't impossible that she would use this old friend of hers to be promoted to a higher position.

So, the group mostly crowded around Yang Zhuofei, and those who couldn't manage to didn't dare to stand too close to Shen Yanyi.

"I nearly implicated you," Shen Yanyi said, pained, as she looked at Chang Jiaye's face, large before hers.

"That's not true," Chang Jiaye scoffed. "Are you muddled, that you think I'm a fool as well?"

Shen Yanyi realised that this was probably the last time she would speak with Chang Jiaye, and she couldn't suppress the curiosity in her mind. "How did you realise it?"

Chang Jiaye didn't reply, the motions of her hands deft as she bound up Shen Yanyi's hands and feet.

"Now you're not speaking with me." Shen Yanyi, seeing she wasn't saying anything, was unwilling to give up questioning.

"Shut up!" Chang Jiaye berated, and dropped the rope in her hands, reaching up to pinch her mouth closed. Shen Yanyi was a scholar, and under such conditions, didn't have the slightest strength to resist, and could only let Chang Jiaye pinch red marks onto her face.

"I don't want to speak with you," Chang Jiaye added.

Perhaps because her emotions had been too aroused, even the force of her hand had increased a degree. No one knew whose tears it was which, uncontrolled, rolled down, splashing onto Chang Jiaye's hand, and rolled to the edge of Shen Yanyi's lips. Shen Yanyi merely felt a salty, metallic scent escape from the corner of her mouth, and she raised her eyes, helplessly looking at Chang Jiaye.

"You know," she said, raising the corners of her mouth with difficulty, "if you don't say it, there won't be chance for the rest of your life. I can't be counted as smart, and I can only blame myself for having come to such an end; there's no need to feel bad because of me. Her majesty is benevolent and kind, and left me alive, so this ending isn't too wretched, either. Work well in your post in the future, and include my portion in your loyalty towards her majesty, and her majesty's dozen or so years of cultivation won't be in vain."

Chang Jiaye's expression chilled, and she extended a hand to wipe behind Shen Yanyi's ear. When she brought it before her eyes, there was a smear of dark red on her hand. Only now did she speak. "We've lived through hard times together, and know what the world is like outside. In the future when doing something, don't be so foolish again."

No wonder Yang Zhuofei felt Han Yu was clever, and believed her. Who could have guessed that, at the brink of death, bloodstains would burst from Han Yu, and so take her foe away as well.

Tying someone up took merely that bit of time, and even if Chang Jiaye wanted to drag the time out, she couldn't. Finally, she shoved the end of the rope into Shen Yanyi's hand, and brought her head to her ear. "I'm sorry."

Shen Yanyi was still startled, and she didn't even have the time to say "it's no matter" before Chang Jiaye had already stood up, and she only extended a hand to pat her shoulder heavily. Suddenly, Shen Yanyi felt something slip out of Chang Jiaye's sleeve and fall into her clothes from her collar.

A moment later, she suddenly realised, it was a purse.

Shen Yanyi knew what Chang Jiaye was thinking. She held the end of the rope in her hand, and if she were to only exert herself a little b it, she could undo all the ropes binding her. And the purse that had slipped into her breast was just enough for her to conceal her identity, and settle down outside.

Although she'd been deceived by people recently, and been used by others, the friends that Shen Yanyi had made before all treated her sincerely.

"Bixia," Chang Jiaye said, coming over to Jiang Changbai's side to report. The emotional tumult of just now, at this moment, was already not visible on her face, only the red beneath her eyes remaining.

Jiang Changbai looked at her, and then looked at Shen Yanyi, kneeling on the ground. "You've known each other so long; do you not have anything you want to say? We will not punish you; if you want to say something, then go say it quickly."

"This subject has nothing I can say to her," Chang Jiaye said, her expression still cold, putting on the bearing of wishing to cut ties with Shen Yanyi entirely.

Yet Jiang Changbai wasn't gullible; after all, the actions of the two just now had all been taken in by her. She raised the corners of her lips in a smile. "Is it that you have nothing to say, or that you've already said everything? We don't like those who lie; go, bind her up again."

Chang Jiaye, hearing this, was startled, and guilt flashed in her eyes in an instant. She didn't have the time to be astonished as to how Jiang Changbai had noticed her minute actions, and she could only follow orders and turn around to walk to Shen Yanyi. The instant her gaze fell onto Shen Yanyi, her expression grew faintly sorrowful.

Shen Yanyi understood clearly as well.

But before Chang Jiaye could make it to Shen Yanyi's side, she heard the sound of chaotic footsteps coming from a distance. The group's gazes turned to look towards where the sound had come from, and saw someone who looked like an imperial guard rushing over.

The imperial guards by Jiang Changbai's side immediately went on guard, and Jiang Changbai narrowed her eyes as well, gazing fixedly at that person. But only once she came close did Jiang Changbai recognise her. This person also an imperial guard in the Imperial Palace, the one who'd rushed before her despite being obstructed because of Liang Jiwen and Nanny Pei Yu—Wen Qing.

But at this moment, Wen Qing's figure had some peculiar red to it.

Beads of blood flowed without end out from her wound.

"Who are you!" the imperial guard by Jiang Changbai's side called out loudly.

It seemed as if Wen Qing's strength wasn't sufficient, and before she'd gotten too close, she fell to her knees. The roar that she'd gathered up all the strength in her body to make gradually dissipated as well, but it was already enough; all of them could hear her voice.

"Your majesty, it's not good—Wu-daren has led his personal forces and charged in! When this subject rushed to report, they'd already reached the Rongtai Gate!"

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