Chapter 71

From the winter month to the New Year, the court and military camps were in a state of high tension and conflict. The Kun family launched a counterattack, forcing the old emperor to lose General Gao Huaiyi and Minister Feng Xiang, his two main supporters. Enraged and stressed, the old emperor fell ill but quickly recovered to take charge, deploying, pressuring, and counterattacking.

Ultimately, the old emperor remained the emperor. He wasn’t a ruler without authority or a stable foundation. As long as he was in power, the deeply rooted Kun family couldn’t withstand his repeated assaults. Finally, the situation completely turned in the old emperor’s favor.

The Kun family retreated step by step, but the old emperor didn’t relax his vigilance. He summoned his trusted ministers and military commanders from the southern and northern armies, as well as the capital’s guards, to form a pincer attack on the Kun family.

The Kun family was on the brink of collapse. Even Empress Kun had to lower her proud head.

In the late afternoon, the snow grew heavier, and the hall grew dim. Sun Shiping directed the palace servants to light the lamps, covering them to soften the light. Hearing coughing from the jade steps, Sun Shiping took the jade cup from a young eunuch and knelt to serve the old emperor his medicine.

The old emperor looked older, with deep lines etched like knife cuts around his eyes and chin. His back was more hunched, but his eyes remained deep and commanding. At this moment, he was in control.

After serving the medicine, Sun Shiping paused and softly reported, “Your Majesty, the Empress is here, requesting an audience.”

Empress Kun, a proud woman like a phoenix, could no longer maintain her pride as the Kun family faced defeat. She removed her luxurious golden-red phoenix robe, donned a plain light blue dress, and, without her phoenix crown, tied her hair with a simple gold pin. Enduring humiliation, she knelt before the Shangyang Palace, requesting an audience.

The snow was heavy, and the north wind howled, making the snowflakes sting like knives. When her knees hit the ground, Empress Kun felt a piercing cold pain, but her pride hurt even more. Her nails, painted with red lacquer, dug into her palms, drawing blood.

But no one paid her any attention.

The imperial guards and palace servants, who once bowed and greeted her, now ignored her. The majestic Shangyang Palace loomed high above.

After Sun Shiping reported, the old emperor sneered, “Who would have thought a Kun family daughter could bow so low?” He ignored her, letting the medicine take effect as he dozed for half an hour. After waking, washing, and reviewing memorials, he finally donned a purple sable cloak and said, “Let her in.”

The old emperor walked slowly to the corridor. Empress Kun gritted her teeth, stood up, and slowly climbed the steps with her frozen, stiff knees. She knelt before her husband for the first time, her voice hoarse, “The Kun family has served two emperors. Even if there are no merits, there are hardships, Your Majesty! Please be merciful—” She cried out, her words filled with sorrow, tears streaming down her face.

“Merits, hardships?” The old emperor’s eyes flashed with anger.

Yes, this was the Kun family! Even now, they hadn’t forgotten their merits and hardships, the foundation of their growing ambition!

“I believe that as ministers, loyalty to the ruler is their duty.” The old emperor looked down coldly.

Empress Kun, her voice hoarse, finally said, “Your Majesty, you are right. I was foolish.” Swallowing her pride, she clutched the emperor’s robe, her knuckles white. No matter what the old emperor said, she had to accept it. She kowtowed heavily, “Please forgive my words, Your Majesty.”

“Please be merciful to the Kun family—”

But the old emperor leaned down, staring into her eyes, and said, “Impossible!”

Merciful to the Kun family? Absolutely impossible! Stop dreaming.

The old emperor brushed off Empress Kun’s hand and abruptly turned away, leaving her to collapse on the cold steps, crying out, “Your Majesty—”

---

Not long after, Sun Shiping politely escorted Empress Kun away.

The sky was already dark. The once grand and ostentatious phoenix carriage crept through the palace alleys. None of the concubines dared confront Empress Kun at this time. The entire imperial city was shrouded in somber white.

The north wind seeped through the loosely drawn curtains like a bone-chilling knife, but it couldn’t extinguish the anger and resentment in Empress Kun’s heart. She clenched her fists tightly, her face pale with rage. For the sake of the plan and the Kun family, she had gritted her teeth and endured the humiliation, but her pride couldn’t contain her fury behind closed doors. She endured and returned to the Changqiu Palace. As soon as she dismounted, she was informed that Prince Qian had come to visit his young son and requested an audience with the Empress.

The young prince was the son of Prince Qian, raised in the Changqiu Palace. Prince Qian had waited until the palace gates were about to close, which annoyed Empress Kun.

Entering the main hall, she saw Prince Qian holding his young son, waiting. This elegant man, as gentle as smoke and ink, was sitting on a chair, speaking softly to the child by his side. Hearing her arrival, he quickly stood up with the child.

“Your Majesty.” Prince Qian bowed. With little time left, he quickly stated his purpose after Empress Kun sat down, “Your Majesty, I wish to take Min’er home for a while.”

This was a polite way of saying it. Prince Qian had requested many times over the years to take his son home. He didn’t want to be involved in these matters. As a father, especially in these tense times between the old emperor and the Kun family, he couldn’t help but worry about his son. His desire to stay out of the conflict was even stronger. He had waited until now just to make this request. Both father and son looked nervously at Empress Kun with identical eyes.

A surge of anger filled her mind. She forced a smile and said to the young prince, “Min’er, it’s getting late. Let Aunt Liang take you back to the side hall. I’ll come to see you later.”

The young prince looked uneasily at his father, not wanting to go, but Aunt Liang came over with a smile and took his hand. He had to let go of his father’s hand, “Yes, Mother.”

After the young prince left, Empress Kun erupted in anger, sweeping all the items off the table and shouting, “Why are you telling Min’er these things?!”

At such a critical moment, how could Min’er go home?! The Kun family would only succeed, not fail. Put your worries aside!!

Even though everyone present was a trusted confidant, Empress Kun didn’t say a word. She angrily threw everything within reach, “Enough, stop talking. The palace gates are about to close. Go back,” she gave him a warning look, “Don’t cause trouble.”

Prince Qian remained silent for a moment before reluctantly leaving.

---

Outside, the palace was bustling with activity, both big and small matters constantly arising. However, Yang Yanzong found himself with a rare moment of free time.

Returning home in the late afternoon, exhausted from days of work, he decided to skip non-urgent tasks and headed straight for a hot bath to relax his muscles. Afterward, he casually donned a robe and half-closed his eyes, leaning against the bed.

Su Ci rolled over, poking his thigh. Yang Yanzong ignored her, so she poked again. She was persistent, and Yang Yanzong, though still somewhat angry, couldn’t help but be amused. His usual demeanor was neither warm nor cold, but Su Ci, pretending not to notice, shamelessly snuggled closer. She sneaked a glance at him and poked again. Recently, the weather had been too cold for Su Ci to leave the house, and everyone agreed she should stay indoors. Bored out of her mind, she had read books, sketched, and doodled until she had a pile of drawings. With Yang Yanzong home, she couldn’t resist bothering him.

“Husband, Shenxing, Yang Yanzong?”

Yang Yanzong, irritated by her constant poking, shook the blanket, causing her to roll to the other side of the bed. She rolled back, repeating the process until she clutched her abdomen and pitifully said, “It hurts.”

Yang Yanzong glared at her but immediately sat up, roughly pulling off her robe and examining the wound. Seeing a bit of redness around the scab, he scolded, “Serves you right!”

Always restless, like a monkey.

He bent down, opened a drawer, took out some medicinal powder, and sprinkled it on the wound. Then he wrapped the bandage around her seven or eight times, tying it tightly.

Su Ci: “…” This was a classic case of self-inflicted trouble. The redness was her own doing. As everyone knows, wounds itch as they heal, and she couldn’t resist picking at the edges.

Yang Yanzong, seeing through her, tied the bandage tightly to prevent her from picking.

Su Ci reluctantly put on her robe and buried herself in the blankets, not wanting to move. Winter blankets are wonderful, but after so long, she thought she wouldn’t want to sleep in for a while once she healed. She was tired of sleeping.

---

However, this leisurely time lasted only a short time. After the New Year, when the last stubborn scab on Su Ci’s abdomen finally fell off, revealing fresh pink skin, the situation outside reached a climax.

The Kun family, repeatedly attacked and seemingly cornered, finally found the perfect moment to strike as the old emperor’s vigilance relaxed.

After the New Year, spring came quickly. Before the tenth day, the ice and snow had melted, and a cold rain soaked into the bones, prompting the old emperor to move to the hot spring palace in Xiling. This was the moment the Kun family had been waiting for!

The weather favored their plans, making everything go smoothly. The old emperor had no choice but to go. After the Kun family’s continuous counterattacks, the old emperor fell ill again last winter. He had barely recovered and was already exhausting himself again. His health had clearly deteriorated. If Empress Kun and Imperial Uncle Kun were correct, the old emperor would inevitably move to the hot spring palace after the New Year, as his body couldn’t withstand the damp cold of early spring.

Indeed!!

The Kun family had been biding their time, suffering losses, and making preparations for this day. Finally, it had come!

“Southern Army, Imperial Guards, and Huang Dewei…” The long table was covered with a map of the Xiling Palace, worn and touched countless times. Imperial Uncle Kun had studied it for a long time and recently discussed it with others. The final plan to force the emperor’s hand was set.

“Shenxing, you are responsible for the west. Enter through the Imperial River and attack with Zhongchen from both sides, dealing with Huang Dewei first!”

“Zi Che, Li Yuan, you and Yun Long will handle the southeast, coordinating from inside and outside to take down Hong Qianting and the three Southern Army guards.”

“Sui Yu, you and Kun Tai will head straight for Suiyang Road, cutting off reinforcements and blocking information to ensure nothing goes wrong.”

“Mei Ting and Zhang Ying, you two will create a diversion from the north, targeting the Shangtang Hall!”

As for Imperial Uncle Kun and Empress Kun, they would lead 300 death warriors from Chang’an Palace straight to the emperor’s bedchamber.

“We will meet here!!” Imperial Uncle Kun pointed to a spot on the map. Finally, he raised his wine cup. In the dark room, they sacrificed three animals, smeared blood on their blades, and vowed to succeed!

“Everyone, drink this cup!”

“Drink!!”

Everyone stood up, including Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao, who took the blood-stained wine and drank it down!!

---

Everything was in intense preparation. On the surface, it was calm, but in reality, tensions were high. Everyone hoped for success, but this was a risky endeavor where one step could lead to success or complete ruin.

No one could sleep well. They might succeed in forcing the emperor’s hand, supporting the heir to the throne, and controlling the court, becoming second only to the emperor. They might share the fruits of victory, reaching the pinnacle of power. But they might also fail, being labeled as rebels and dying without a complete body.

No one knew. So, everyone involved made private arrangements for their families in advance.

When Su Ci’s scabs had completely fallen off, and she had rested for a few more days, she was finally allowed to leave the house. One day, Yang Yanzong returned home, dismissed everyone, and said to her, “In a few days, we will act.”

Su Ci’s heart tightened.

Yang Yanzong continued in a calm voice, “In the corner room of my study courtyard, there is a secret passage that leads to a house three miles away.”

Not long after moving in, Yang Yanzong had ordered the excavation of the secret passage, which was now coming in handy.

“On the tenth day, go to Hongruitang and Shou’antang, and with Father, take Mother and the rest of the family through the passage to that house.”

Everything was prepared. Once Su Ci arrived, she would change clothes and take a carriage out of the city.

“You know the villa at Yangling, right?” This was one of Yang Yanzong’s secret bases. After leaving the city, Su Ci would take the family straight to the Yangling villa and wait there.

Wait for what?

Wait for news of the palace coup.

“If it succeeds, there’s nothing more to say,” Yang Yanzong said with a self-deprecating smile. “If it doesn’t, you and the family will have new identities and properties, and you will leave Yangdu for the southwest.”

He paused, then looked at her familiar porcelain-white face and said, “If it comes to that, and you don’t want to stay with the family, you can leave. Don’t worry about anyone else.”

The night was cold as water, and he spoke calmly as if giving final instructions. Everyone seemed to have new arrangements except for himself.

Su Ci listened in a daze, then grabbed his hand, “What about you?”

“Don’t you have a backup escape plan?” She was anxious, “If it really doesn’t work out, can’t you find a way to escape?”

If he couldn’t become a powerful minister or hero, he could still be a wealthy merchant or nobleman!

In her urgency, she finally showed a bit of naivety. In such matters, it’s either success or death. There is no option to retreat unscathed from a failed coup.

Yang Yanzong’s throat moved as he stared at her, “So, you do worry about me?”

Su Ci retorted, “Of course I worry about you. You’re my husband!” She wasn’t planning on becoming a widow anytime soon. What was he talking about? She glared at him.

Su Ci’s words were so natural, and the urgency and concern in her eyes were genuine. She wasn’t deeply invested, but she wasn’t indifferent to him either. If he died, she would probably be truly sad. But sadness would pass, and it wouldn’t stop her from remarrying if necessary. Of course, she wouldn’t consider remarrying unless absolutely necessary because she found it troublesome.

After being married for a while, Yang Yanzong had come to understand her a bit. Her feelings always remained at a moderate level—real, but not enough for him.

Yang Yanzong clenched his fist on the table. “Let’s talk when I come back alive.”

After a moment, he opened his eyes and said to her. “But if… I’ve arranged everything. Just go. And your medical skills, don’t reveal them again.”

He added calmly, “Mother, take care of her if you can. If not, let it be.”

His words left a faint bitterness in the air, making Su Ci feel dazed. She hadn’t figured out what to say when he turned and left.

The cold wind howled, and the light rain fell. His cloak billowed as he strode into the courtyard, disappearing into the rain and darkness.

Su Ci chased after him, calling out after a moment, “I’ll wait for you!”

“Be careful!”

There might still be unresolved conflicts between them, and the future might not turn out as they hoped. But no matter what, take care of yourself! I’ll wait for you to come back!!

In the cold drizzle, Yang Yanzong paused for a moment but didn’t look back. He strode away into the night.