Chapter 90: Wu Lianyi

Translator's note: This chapter is belated, as life got away from me. Thank you all for your patience.

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Jiang Changbai didn't pay her any attention; in an instant, her gaze swept past her, and shifted to look at Xie Qianbing. "What's the situation outside the Palace?"

With a fight at the Imperial Palace's gates, the capital most certainly was affected. In comparison to interrogating Wu Lianyi, clearly knowing first about the situation in the city was more important. And Xie Qianbing had come here from her residence, and naturally understood best.

Luckily, almost no worry appeared on Xie Qianbing's face. "Responding to Bixia, the might of the rebel forces ought to not be much, and adding on that the capital hasn't been stable in the past dozen or so years, the people are all experienced. On the way here, this minister only saw that the doors and windows of all the houses were closed securely, and there was barely anyone on the streets. But there was only that much; I didn't see the rebel forces causing chaos in the capital, so it's likely…"

Meng Daosheng picked up speaking right on time. "It's likely that the might of the rebel forces it weak, and now that their leader has already been killed by you—"

Before Meng Daosheng could finish speaking, Jiang Changbai smiled. "But We haven't killed the leader of the rebel forces—take a look, she's still kneeling there."

Only once she said this did the group's gazes once more fall on Wu Lianyi's figure. Yet Wu Lianyi still wore that expression, her face lacking grief or joy, only indifference.

Meng Daosheng couldn't bear to look at this bearing of hers, and with quick steps, came before her, using the sheath of her dao to raise her chin. "You caused so many of my sisters to die—how come you're so at ease? I'll kill you!"

This time, Meng Daosheng had brought over her most trusted officers. Though once they'd reached the Imperial Palace they'd stabilised the situation, blades lacked sight, and the casualties weren't insignificant. Though she hadn't been close with Shen Yanyi or Chang Jiaye, they'd still known each other for many years. So many people had lost their lives because of this; if it weren't for the fact that Jiang Changbai was there, perhaps the long dao in Meng Daosheng's hand would have long since have already slit Wu Lianyi's throat.

"Step back!" Jiang Changbai suddenly rebuked. "Did We tell you to move?"

Though Meng Daosheng's heart was still resentful, when stopped by Jiang Changbai's words, she could only grudgingly say, "Understood," and then return to Jiang Changbai's side.

"Those who succeed are kings, and those who lose are bandits; having come to this state now, I don't regret it in the slightest. Kill or dismember me as you please!" Wu Lianyi said, suddenly growing multiple degrees more assertive, as if something was on her back, which had been ramrod straight the entire time. "But none of this can be blamed on me—if you, you, or you were in my place, your ending might not have been any better than mine! That now you're standing and I'm kneeling is only because your luck was a bit better than mine!"

"Not necessarily as We see it," Jiang Changbai laughed coldly, and turned around, sitting in the chair Xun Zhu had brought over. Now, the imperial guards and the soldiers who'd come from the great barracks in the outskirts of the capital in the Imperial Palace had already entirely won control of the Imperial Palace, and even the battlefield was nearly cleaned up.

Without danger to the Cining Palace, Xun Zhu had naturally come back to Jiang Changbai's side.

Wu Lianyi didn't make a sound, and Jiang Changbai didn't give her much attention either, but turned her head to look at Xun Zhu, lowering her voice to ask, "There isn't any issue over with the Empress Dowager, is there?"

Yet Xun Zhu didn't shake her head as she'd desired, but rather her expression was somewhat embarrassed.

Jiang Changbai hurriedly pressed, "You have something to say—what are you doing concealing it from Us?"

Only now did Xun Zhu speak. "Responding to Bixia, after we made it to the Cining Palace, we weren't able to pass through the great doors. The Empress Dowager had them close the doors securely, and no matter how we called out, wouldn't open them."

"I understand." Yet no worry appeared on Jiang Changbai's face like before, and she only nodded lightly, as tranquil as if long since having expected this. She didn't forget to add, "Perhaps the Empress Dowager heard the rumours, and feared that you were rebel forces in disguise. Never mind; after all, everyone's fine now, which is good."

"It's as Bixia says."

Wu Lianyi, kneeling over there, was used to being treated with indifference; like Jiang Changbai's sporadic interrogations, she didn't show the slightest bit of impatience, merely kneeling silently, feeling the ache travelling up her knees.

But Jiang Changbai didn't have the time to slowly question Wu Lianyi here, and once she understood what she wanted to understand, she looked at her suddenly. "You said you weren't chosen, but you clearly attained a jinshi, and a great future awaited you. But you didn't wat this future—rather, you wanted to revolt with your father, isn't that right?"

Wu Lianyi closed her eyes. "I did obtain a jinshi, but this jinshi of mine, was it really the same as others'? What others did was real work, but I could only sit in the back and handle nonessential logistics; if I really had persisted like that, once the next round of jinshi holders arrived, how could I still have my position?

"Your majesty—I'll call you your majesty again—, ask yourself honestly—to you, was I really no different than anyone else?"

"Impudence!" Meng Daosheng burst out, leaning forward, as if with a single command of Jiang Changbai's, she'd sever Meng Daosheng's head.

But Jiang Changbai only pressed Meng Daosheng back, and herself unhurriedly walked in front of Wu Lianyi. "There wasn't the slightest bit of difference."

Seeing Wu Lianyi frozen, Jiang Changbai continued, "The exam papers were graded by Qianbing; We trust in her, and naturally would trust those she selected. That you could distinguish yourself from countless others, you must have had talent. The positions of each one of you all were selected by Us personally.

"You said you struggled to advance, and couldn't see any hope. But matters always have to be handled by someone; in this Great Li, there are innumerable people subordinate to you. As We see it, there's not the slightest difference between them and you. How come they can live beneath you, yet you weren't willing to retain your current status?

"So, who wronged whom?"

Wu Lianyi was left dumb by this question, and for a long while, she couldn't say anything.

Jiang Changbai crouched down, taking out the dagger and placing it in her palm, and then lifted her palm before Wu Lianyi's eyes. "You said you wanted Us to consider our mutual identities as women and grant you suicide, but not only do your words not have the slightest remorse, they don't even have the slightest intent of entreaty. Are you really wholeheartedly willing? If this dagger really were given to you, which direction would the tip be thrust in?"

Actually, without even waiting for Jiang Changbai to speak, only on seeing that dagger, Wu Lianyi strove to struggle, making all efforts to toss of the restriction of the imperial guards. But her hands were bound, and she was pressed down by the imperial guards, her entire person in a posture which was the hardest to exert herself, and even if she'd exhausted all the strength in her, she couldn't struggle free in the slightest.

So, she could only compromise. "Please, Bixia, please allow this subject to commit suicide."

"Alright, then." Seeing Wu Lianyi give in to defeat, it was as if Jiang Changbai had grown quite more cheerful. Standing up, she waved her hand, and a maid came from behind her, carrying a tray with poisoned wine. Wu Lianyi turned, looking at the imperial guards behind her, yet she saw they didn't have the slightest intent of loosening their grasp. So, she turned her head helplessly back, and the maid's hand was already restraining her jaw.

Though it was poisoned wine, its flavour was even better than all the types of famous wines she'd tasted before. But she would never have a chance to investigate this again; the wine dripped from the corner of her mouth and fell onto the flagstones. The wine washed away the already-dried bloodstains on the ground, and drew a final period on the already-concluded "battlefield".

Wu Lianyi didn't want to swallow, but her mouth was restrained and it was forcefully poured in. As her blood roiled, it welled up in her throat, and she called out muddily, "Wait and see—if there's another life, I'll definitely win against you!"

Jiang Changbai walked back, not looking at her, yet she replied calmly, "Alright, then—We'll wait for you."

So, the final hostage from the rebel forces fell like that, using all of her strength, as she faced death, to spit out a mouthful of blood, but it just barely didn't land on Jiang Changbai.

The bright yellow attire of the Emperor who'd been victorious was still bright and clean, without the slightest trace of blood dying it.

This farce that had been put on with the Princess Yu as the leader could be considered to have come to an end; fearing that allowing the situation to continue might result in unfavourable outcomes, the second day, Jiang Changbai had Liu Zihe placed on the street to be beheaded. Thinking on it, barely a year ago, he'd still worn a clean official's attire, sitting reluctantly by the side of the street and watching someone else be beheaded, and now, a year later, he could only wear tattered prisoner's garb, with a headful of dishevelled hair that hadn't been taken care of in who knew how long, kneeling before the executioner's block.

No one could hear his voice from before he met death; what gave this life of his an end was the cry of the executioner who had been derided by who knew how many people.

But if someone were to pay careful attention, they would have realised that the executioner at this execution was, by chance, the one who'd ended Lian Zhigao.

Under the moonlit night, by the foot of the mountain.

Jiang Changbai and Song Juguang wore civilian attire, their gazes concentrated on where there were houses with lamps lit. They still recalled that time when Jiang Changbai had just ascended the throne, without anyone she could trust at hand, only able to go into the mountains and beg He Leyong to come out of exile and help with governance. At the time, they'd been thirsty from travel, and they'd bought tea from an old woman selling tea from her stand here.

The journey of the searchers had been smooth, but that old woman's life had been miserable. Her land had been taken by Liu Zihe by force, and her only daughter had been killed a black bear in the depths of the mountainous forest. No one knew what her thoughts had been when she'd begged, on her deathbed, with Jiang Changbai and Song Juguang, strangers who she'd only met once, to avenge her, but she'd gambled correctly, and these two "nobles" from the capital had now truly avenged her.

At the time, Jiang Changbai had ordered Meng Daosheng to bury that old woman, and had erected a wooden tablet as a stele. Now, thinking of coming back to give offerings, she suddenly discovered that this dilapidated house had already, at some point, been rebuilt, and there were new residents.

This place was a far cry from the decline of that time; the fencing had been reinforced, and even the house had been repaired anew, and a faint lamp light penetrated the window, and the aura of life pervaded this residence.

It seemed as if the new residents of this place lived quite happily.

"Your majesty," Song Juguang said, looking at the hesitant Jiang Changbai, "if you really want to go look, then I'll just take you inside. They ought to be asleep at this point, and they won't be able to notice."

"Nonsense," Jiang Changbai said, shooting her a glance, her gaze discontented. "Those who enter without invite are thieves—what, do you want me to go in and commit a robbery?"

Song Juguang shrugged her shoulders and laughed, and picked up from Jiang Changbai's words. "Even if it were a robbery, it ought to be the two of us committing one together. I'm afraid there wouldn't be a more honourable robbery in this world."

Jiang Changbai didn't pay her any mind, turning her head to gaze intently at that house. She could even remember how it was that that old woman had lost her breath in her embrace, could remember how her hand had fallen, and, more than that, could remember where it was she'd been buried.

Before then, she'd only known that the powerful ministers of the bureaucratic sphere were insular and corrupt, selfish and without regard for others, but she didn't know that these entirely powerless common people, who were like stemless duckweed, had been forced by these people to what extent.

It was only starting from that day that she'd had more of her spies pay attention to Wu Dongmu, Liu Zihe, and the others. Taking care in all matters, being guarded at all times—only this had allowed them to not be able to expand, and lead to an even greater calamity.

She wanted to go give offerings to that old woman, to go pour a jar of wine before her grave. To tell her, she, Jiang Changbai, hadn't drunk that aged wine for nothing—that not only had she taken revenge for her, now, she'd repay her with this jar of wine.

But Jiang Changbai was also unwilling to disturb commoners' peaceful lives. The depths of night were the time for rest, never mind the fact that the new residents didn't know there was a dead body buried beneath the ground, if someone came to suddenly pay a visit under this moonlit night, it was enough to scare someone.

After standing for a while, Jiang Changbai took that jar of wine from the horse's back, preparing to give an offering at a distance like this, separated by the road. But she hadn't imagined that the horse would startle for some reason, neighing at the heavens, looking as if about to immediately flee.

Jiang Changbai hurriedly placed the wine jar into Song Juguang's hands, reaching out to rein the horse in. Luckily, the horse settled very quickly, but the house across the road, which had originally been silent, had its silence broken when the the horse had cried out.

A torch suddenly lit in the courtyard.

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