TPE Chapters 37-38

Chapter 37

The next morning, Jiang Si used the chance to hide her letter under the pillow when Fengzhen went to relieve himself. Then, she summoned Honglian in, and instructed her not to touch anything within her chambers these few days. 

Jiang Si would be the Empress after this journey to Qingque Tai, hence Honglian had to obey her instructions. She responded, “Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll definitely watch over the palace properly!” 

Jiang Si tightened her hold over the porcelain bottle hidden in her sleeves. The bottle contained the diluted version of the dragon blood. That was all she could manage. She really didn’t have the guts to take a knife and injure Fengzhen. 

All the gods in the skies, please bless me! 

Qingque Tai was located on Wutong Mountain, and required a two-day journey from the palace. Back then, the Imperial Astronomer had proposed three lucky days, and perhaps it was fate, but one of the dates was the first day of the seventh month. When Fengzhen asked her for her opinion, naturally she picked the day of the solar eclipse. This would save her another trip to Qingque Tai. 

Jiang Si wore her official imperial outfit, and Fengzhen walked her all the way to the entrance of the palace. Even though they were only going to be apart for a few days, he still couldn’t bear to leave her. “The weather is hot, but these few days when you’re out, don’t eat too many cold items.” 

Jiang Si agreed shyly, but in her mind, she was thinking, if she really disappeared this time, Fengzhen would probably be very upset! 

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……

Back in the palace. 

After Jiang Si left, the harem became lively again. All the concubines started dressing provocatively and came up with all sorts of ways to meet with Fengzhen. There were some who sent Fengzhen desserts, some who set up “coincidental” meetings with him outside the Imperial Studies, and even those who sent letters using pigeons. 

However, Fengzhen did not even meet a single one of them. After all, his heart had been filled by that one woman! He shook his head and smiled in disbelief. He had never dared to wish that there would be a woman whom he could be in love with. The other women in the harem were simply his means to control the imperial courts. Fortunately, the heavens took pity on him, and gave Jiang Si to him. 

Jiang Si… Fengzhen suddenly missed her a lot, and his longing was transferred onto the paper, where he wrote her name. 

When Jinbao, who was serving him by the side, say this, he tried to please the Emperor, saying, “Your Majesty, I believe Her Majesty would reach Qingque Tai by tomorrow.” 

Hearing Jinbao address Jiang Si as “Her Majesty”, Fengzhen’s spirits were lifted. He put his brush down and smiled, “Tonight, I’ll rest in Hanzhang Palace.” Hanzhang Palace was Jiang Si’s palace. 

Fengzhen’s arrival caused the servants in Hanzhang Palace to be in a flurry. Her Highness had left, so why did His Majesty still come here? Fortunately, the servants were experienced, so they quickly got their act together and served Fengzhen well. 

Fengzhen wore his sleeping robe and lay in bed. The tip of his nose was still surrounded with the remnants of Jiang Si’s body fragrance. He couldn’t resist burying his head into her pillow and sniffing it, but when his hand moved under the pillow, he felt something… A piece of paper? 

When he pulled it out, he realised that it was a letter. The words, “For Your Majesty”, were scrawled on it. 

Chapter 38

The more Fengzhen read the letter, the grimmer his face became. At the very end, his entire face was covered with a layer of frost. He tore the letter apart, then barked his orders, “Prepare my horse! I want to leave the palace now!” 

His Majesty wanted to leave the palace? That was major news! Instantly, the news spread across the entire Imperial Palace. Everyone was wondering what had happened. Why would the Emperor want to leave the palace in the middle of the night! 

The Head of the Imperial Guards who was on duty tonight looked at the Emperor’s sullen expression and forced himself to report, “Your Majesty, the First Battalion of the Imperial Guards is ready to receive your orders.” 

Fengzhen was dressed entirely in black. He raised the whip in his hand, rage covering his voice, and said, “To Qingque Tai. We have to travel overnight, and get there before the solar eclipse tomorrow!” Fengzhen’s horse neighed, then dashed forward hastily. 

The Head of the Imperial Guards followed behind Fengzhen, as he speculated internally, Her Majesty was at Qingque Tai, but why was His Majesty rushing over with such fury? 

……

When dawn broke the next morning, Jiang Si took a bath and changed into a white outfit. Her hair was let down, and she walked out from Wutong Palace towards Qingque Tai. 

Qingque Tai was ten feet wide and ten feet high, made from the purest marble. It was a vast platform that emulated the beauty of the heavens. There was a specific plot in the middle of the Qingque Tai. That was the place where the Empress of every dynasty would pray. 

Jiang Si piously sat in the midst of Qingque Tai. She followed the instructions in her dream, carefully applying Fengzhen’s dragon blood onto the eyes of the Vermillion Bird statue, and waited for the space portal to open. 

Time passed slowly, and the azure blue sky was slowly covered by layers of dark clouds. Then, a loud thunderous sound could be heard from the corner of the skies, followed by the howls of strong winds. 

The surge of winds not only tore away the tiles sitting on the roof of the palace, and there was even a terrifying hurricane that was forming from the dark skies!

The servants at Qingque Tai couldn’t resist looking at the sky. The dark clouds were like a gigantic black dragon rolling in the clouds, roaring loudly upon the earth!

Just as everyone was in shock, Jiang Si placed her palms together and prayed that she could transmigrate back. She had too! Instantly, a red glow surrounded her body, and the glow was sucked up slowly by the strong winds into the sky. 

The dragon blood had worked! Jiang Si was overjoyed inside. Her heart was drumming rapidly, awaiting the opening of the space portal.

What Jiang Si didn’t know was that the tiny amount of dragon blood she had prepared was actually useless. Rather, it was the dragon blood that was used to create the antidote for the Yuanyang Pill that had ignited the array. And that was the reason why the red glow came from her body, and not the eyes of the Vermillion Bird! 

Amidst the thunderous roars from the skies, the dark clouds quickly spun into a whirlpool, creating a large black hole in the skies. The red glow continued to flow into the abyssal hole, and then, a bright rainbow-like glow shone down from the skies, enveloping Jiang Si’s body like a pillar of light!

The servants at Qingque Tai who had witnessed this miraculous moment knelt down and shouted in unison, “Long live Her Royal Highness, the queen!” 

Jiang Si felt the colourful lights bathing her entire body. She knew that she had succeeded, and was about to transmigrate back! 

Right at this moment, hurried footsteps could be heard at the base of the Qingque Tai. When Jiang Si turned around to look, she saw Fengzhen’s darkened expression as he walked up the platform in large strides towards her. There was even a group of armoured guards behind him, all of them looking travel-worn. 

Jiang Si’s heart was almost jumping out of her chest, and she couldn’t even think about why Fengzhen had suddenly arrived. All she could think of was, Hurry up! Hurry up! 

Her body became increasingly lighter. When Jiang Si looked down, she realised that she had actually floated above the platform, and was being sucked into the sky! But before she could rejoice, a pair of large palms grabbed her shoulders, and pulled her down!