Chapter 199: The Empress of Xiliang

In the Eastern Palace, at the Wan Feng Hall.

The Crown Prince stood beneath the eaves, the autumn wind stirring dried leaves that swirled and landed at his feet, forming a thin layer of yellow on the ground. A palace maid, holding a broom, was sweeping the fallen leaves.

He bent down and picked up a ginkgo leaf. Normally, these leaves wouldn’t fall until October, but now they were already starting to fall in September.

Su Wan’s favorite was this ginkgo tree. Every year, from October to November, she would stay in the Empress’s side hall and come to Wan Feng Hall during the day to watch the falling leaves. She would gather the fallen leaves and, with her skillful hands, weave them into small flowers, tying them into little bouquets to decorate porcelain vases.

The men he had sent out still hadn’t returned with any news.

A trace of unease stirred in the Crown Prince’s heart.

“Ji Lin,” he called.

Ji Lin, who had been waiting nearby, stepped forward. “Your Highness, what are your orders?”

Just as the Crown Prince was about to speak, the Imperial Guards surrounded the Eastern Palace and barged in.

“Your Highness, by the Regent’s command, I am to place you under arrest in the Office of Clan Affairs,” the commander of the Imperial Guards announced, presenting the token.

The Crown Prince’s expression darkened, and he barked, “Outrageous! What crime have I committed to warrant such an order from my royal uncle?”

“The Crown Prince stands accused of attempting to assassinate a royal family member and court officials. Master Wen and Master Li found a token linked to Your Highness on the assassin’s body. For now, you will be detained in the Office of Clan Affairs until the Regent returns to the capital to personally conduct the investigation,” the commander of the Imperial Guards declared, waving his hand. At his signal, the guards stepped forward to arrest the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince’s face turned ashen. The Office of Clan Affairs was notorious for imprisoning royal family members guilty of severe crimes, with almost no one ever overturning their case or leaving its walls—effectively a life sentence.

He understood at that moment: the plan had failed, and Ji Xuan had somehow escaped the trap.

However, the men he had sent were all death warriors—there was no way they would carry a token. Without a doubt, Ji Xuan had framed him!

Ji Xuan wanted his life, brazenly fabricating evidence and using ruthless means to have him arrested.

“What if I refuse to be taken?” the Crown Prince challenged.

The Eastern Palace’s guards and death warriors surged forward, positioning themselves protectively in front of the Crown Prince.

Ji Lin positioned himself behind the Crown Prince, standing protectively.

“My apologies!” the commander of the Imperial Guards stepped forward personally.

The Crown Prince retreated a step, but in an instant, Ji Lin restrained him, holding him in a firm grip. The cold gleam of a sharp sword pressed against the Crown Prince’s neck.

“Your Highness, my deepest apologies,” Ji Lin murmured in a low voice.

The Crown Prince froze for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening. His face turned a terrifying shade of purple, the veins on his forehead bulging in extreme rage. “Ji Lin, when have I ever treated you poorly? How dare you betray me!”

“Ji Lin has only ever served one master,” Ji Lin replied calmly. “My master saved me from a pile of corpses, and from that moment on, my life has belonged to him.”

Ji Lin had followed the Crown Prince since he was thirteen, while the Crown Prince was only nine years old. But even then, the Regent had already begun laying his plans by placing Ji Lin at the Crown Prince’s side.

The Crown Prince suddenly burst into bitter laughter, finding the situation both pathetic and absurd. After scheming and calculating for ten years, he realized that all his efforts had only served to pave the way for someone else.

He had believed he held trump cards and the means to turn the tide, unaware that the moment he was named Crown Prince, others had already planted spies at his side. The trusted aides he relied on were all agents of someone else!

Utter defeat.

There wasn’t even room left for him to struggle!

How could he possibly accept this?

——

It seemed as if the heavens had heard Su Wan’s prayers. The journey over the past few months had been remarkably smooth, with no further encounters with assassins. Perhaps it was because they traveled lightly and inconspicuously, avoiding attention. The people of Great Zhou likely had no knowledge of their itinerary.

Taking the Regent’s health into consideration, they traveled day and night over the past two months, managing to shorten the journey by nearly a month.

By early December, they finally arrived at the capital of Xiliang.

Su Wan sat in the carriage, nearly going mad from boredom. Fortunately, the Regent, with his wealth of experience, would notice whenever she grew restless and entertain her with stories of his campaigns across the land and the customs of various nations.

The Regent’s health was weak, yet he always mustered the strength to narrate vividly for her. On this journey, he spoke more than he probably had in his entire life, driving Su Wan to the brink of frustration each time.

He was a masterful storyteller, always stopping at the most thrilling moments. Every tale he told felt like an ongoing series, leaving Su Wan exasperated, eager for more.

Even though she was desperate to know the rest of the stories, Su Wan held back her curiosity, worried about the Regent’s health.

In her free time, she immersed herself in studying medical texts. By the time they reached their destination, she had thoroughly mastered the book. Now, all she needed was to meet Qi Min, and she would be able to cure the poison afflicting the Regent.

Su Wan glanced at the Regent’s sleeping face, noticing his tightly furrowed brows, as if he was enduring pain even in his sleep. Pressing her lips together, she gently lifted the curtain and looked out. Her gaze fell upon the bold and powerful characters spelling “Capital of Xiliang.”

She then observed the commoners lining up to enter the city. Their clothing and appearance bore little difference from those of the people in Great Zhou.

The carriage moved forward slowly, and when it was their turn for inspection, a female official approached them at the city gate.

Zhou Wen bowed respectfully and said, “Regent, I am Zhou Wen, Minister of Rites, here under the Empress’s command to personally welcome you.”

Su Wan’s heart tightened in surprise. The Empress of Xiliang already knew of their journey?

Could it be that they were being watched from the moment they crossed into Xiliang’s territory?

Su Wan was contemplating whether to wake the Regent when he opened his eyes and said hoarsely, “I’m not feeling well. Lead the way.”

Zhou Wen paused briefly but, knowing Ji Xuan’s temperament, refrained from saying more and led them to the Siyi Pavilion, the reception hall for foreign envoys.

As Xiliang officials accompanied them, Su Wan suppressed her curiosity about the country and refrained from lifting the curtain to observe the capital. However, judging from the smooth journey and what she had learned along the way, Xiliang appeared to be a very prosperous nation.

Noticing the Regent’s pale complexion, Su Wan retrieved a medicine bottle, took out a few pills, and handed him a cup of water. “Father, shall we wait until tomorrow to visit the Empress of Xiliang?” she asked softly.

“A few days later,” the Regent said as he drank a cup of water and handed the cup back to Su Wan. He pressed his hand against his throbbing head. “You should get some rest.”

Su Wan nodded in agreement.

When the carriage stopped at the Siyi Pavilion, Su Wan supported the Regent as he disembarked.

Zhou Wen, avoiding direct eye contact with the Regent, led them into the courtyard that had been prepared for them. “After your long journey, the Empress has instructed that you rest well. Tomorrow evening, a banquet will be held in the palace to welcome you and cleanse the dust of your travels.”

“Thank you,” Su Wan replied on behalf of the Regent. The closer they got to Xiliang’s capital, the worse the Regent’s condition became. His symptoms manifested in an increasing tendency to sleep, and even when he was awake, he spoke very little.

Zhou Wen arranged for attendants to serve the Regent and Su Wan, then withdrew from the courtyard. Before leaving, she glanced back at Su Wan, who was attentively tending to the Regent. Zhou Wen frowned, finding their interactions oddly intimate—even if Su Wan was a healer, her behavior seemed overly familiar.

Su Wan, however, didn’t give it much thought. After ensuring the Regent was settled and asleep, she stepped out of the inner chamber and looked in the direction of the palace, filled with anticipation for the banquet the following evening.

“Young Lady  Su, would you like a meal?” a maid asked respectfully.

Su Wan shook her head, feeling little appetite. Instead, she inquired, “Is the Empress in good health?”

“The Empress was a bit weak after giving birth, but over the years, with the care of the imperial doctors, she has recovered well,” the maid replied with a smile. “Just a few days ago, the Empress led the officials on a winter hunt at the royal hunting grounds.”

Su Wan furrowed her brows deeply. If the Empress was well enough to participate in the winter hunt, it didn’t seem like her health was poor.

Then why was her father’s condition worsening day by day?