In the capital city, within the imperial palace, in the Jasper Chamber Palace.
The inner chamber was filled with a strong smell of medicine. Biwu carried the freshly boiled medicinal soup into the chamber. Muffled coughing sounds came from the large bed with layers of curtains hanging. A young palace maid lifted the curtain for Biwu, revealing the peerlessly beautiful and fairy - like Empress Shen behind.
Biwu walked to the bedside, helped Shen Lingyun sit up, and then found a pillow to place behind her so that she could sit more comfortably.
"Your Majesty, the medicine is ready. It's time for you to take it."
Shen Lingyun pressed her chest, unable to stop coughing.
Since she learned the news of the Crown Prince's death, she had fallen ill. She declined all visits and even excused the morning and evening greetings from the concubines.
She had always been extremely fair - skinned. Even though she looked sickly at this moment, it did not detract from her ethereal beauty in the slightest. Instead, it gave her a fragile and pitiful sense of brokenness.
Refusing Biwu's offer to feed her, Shen Lingyun took the medicine bowl from Biwu's hand and drank the medicine spoonful by spoonful herself.
The medicinal juice was bitter and hard to swallow, but she seemed to have no sense of taste. Apart from occasionally having to turn her head and cough a couple of times, she didn't even frown. In a short while, she had finished the medicine.
She returned the bowl to Biwu. Shen Lingyun gently raised her eyes, glanced at the other young palace maids in the chamber, and said hoarsely, "I just took a nap and am all sweaty. Fetch some hot water to wipe me down. Send them all out."
Biwu understood and responded. She got up, went outside to fetch a basin of hot water, and then dispersed the young palace maids in the chamber on the pretext of needing to wipe the Empress's body.
After lowering the curtain, Shen Lingyun loosened her collar. Biwu used a warm handkerchief to wipe Shen Lingyun's neck. The mistress and the maid were very close to each other.
Only then did Shen Lingyun show a bit of eagerness. She frowned tightly, suppressing the itch in her throat, and asked,
"How about it? Has there been any letter from the Prince of Mu? When will the Crown Prince's body arrive in the capital?"
Biwu lowered her voice and said, "Your servant sent someone to check, but there was no sign of any letter."
Due to her anxiety, Shen Lingyun couldn't help but cough violently. The grief of losing her son caused intense pain to spread in her chest. She had to tightly clutch the quilt beneath her to keep herself from completely breaking down.
Cheng'er, her son.
If she had known that he would encounter such a fate after traveling south this time, she would never have allowed him to leave the capital no matter what.
Even if all the court officials said that the Crown Prince had never experienced the hardships of the common people and was not fit to take on great responsibilities, she would never have let him go.
Biwu saw that she was biting her lower lip hard, trying not to cry out. She felt so heart - broken that she was on the verge of tears. She stepped forward to support Shen Lingyun and advised, "Your Majesty, please think more optimistically. No news is the best news. Your servant believes that His Highness the Crown Prince will not die so easily."
"After His Highness the Prince of Mu found the body, he immediately returned to the capital without any delay. Your Majesty, think carefully. Could there be something abnormal in this?"
Naturally, Shen Lingyun was also reluctant to believe that her son was dead. But as a mother, how could she not be anxious and heart - broken?
She gritted her teeth hard and said to Biwu, "Go and fetch paper and a writing brush. I'm going to write another letter to him."
Biwu tucked in her clothes, then pulled the quilt over her and got up to go outside to fetch the writing supplies. Just as she was about to do so, the chamber door was kicked open with a "bang", and a figure in bright yellow walked in.
Biwu was greatly startled. She quickly glanced at the bed and then knelt down in front of the yellow - robed figure: "Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty!"
The figure in bright yellow completely ignored her. With a frosty face, he walked into the chamber and headed straight for the bed.
Shen Lingyun also didn't expect Xiao Tianye to barge in at this moment. But her expression was calm. She didn't get out of bed. Instead, she suppressed a couple of coughs and bowed slightly on the bed:
"Why has Your Majesty come? Your servant is ill. Your Majesty had better not get too close..."
Xiao Tianye tore open the swaying beaded curtain and strode in. He grabbed Shen Lingyun's wrist and roughly pulled her in front of him. Staring at the person in front of him with angry eyes, he said,
"Shen Lingyun, you're really something. You're just wonderful!"
He was gripping her so tightly that it hurt. Shen Lingyun tried to twist her wrist, but he tightened his grip even more. She met his blood - red eyes and asked, "What does Your Majesty mean?"
"What do I mean?" Xiao Tianye roared. "Don't you know what you've done?"
Shen Lingyun didn't say a word. She just quietly looked at him, making Xiao Tianye seem like a raging madman. Her attitude only further infuriated Xiao Tianye.
In front of him, she was always like this. Even when he hurt her, she wouldn't even frown. It was as if he was something that could be easily discarded and was of no importance.
But he clearly remembered seeing her smile brightly at others.
It was a peerless beauty that could outshine the world.
Twenty years had passed, and she had always been like a block of ice. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't warm her up. He just couldn't...
Well, then he wouldn't try anymore!
Forgetting about their marital relationship, he grabbed her neck and tightened his grip. His expression was a bit crazy. "I know you resent me for taking you. But I made you my empress. What else are you not satisfied with? Why did you betray me? Don't think I don't know about your affair with Xiao Tianchi. You gave birth to his child and made his child call me Father. You even made me appoint his child as the Crown Prince. You're really something, really wonderful..."
The feeling of suffocation came instantly. The severe pain in her neck finally made Shen Lingyun frown, showing a look of pain. And upon hearing Xiao Tianye's words, shock flashed in her eyes. She looked at the raging man in front of her in great disbelief.
How could he think like this?!
Humiliation made her whole body tremble. The physiological tears brought on by the pain slid down from the corners of her eyes and dropped onto Xiao Tianye's hand.
It was just an ordinary tear, but it burned Xiao Tianye like molten iron. He suddenly came to his senses, loosened his hand, and pushed the woman in front of him away.
Shen Lingyun's shoulder hit the edge of the bed. She gasped in pain. At this moment, she was in extreme discomfort, both physically and mentally.
Xiao Tianye took a step forward. Biwu came to her senses and shrieked as she rushed forward and hugged his leg. "Your Majesty, please don't! Your Majesty, please spare Her Majesty. She is still ill!"
This cry built up Xiao Tianye's mental defenses again. He kicked Biwu away. "Get out of the way! Guards, drag this slut out and beat her to death!"
Immediately, two guards rushed into the chamber and dragged Biwu out.
"No, please don't. Your Majesty, Your Majesty, save your servant..."
Shen Lingyun raised her head. Her tear - filled eyes stared directly at Xiao Tianye. She said word by word, "Your Majesty, why do you think like this?"
"As for Cheng'er, whose flesh and blood is he? Your Majesty, don't you know clearly?"