BLHO Chapter 97

Chapter 97: In His Heart, I Am Nothing

Chapter 97: In His Heart, I Am Nothing

The musty smell of the dungeon mingled with the stench of blood. Princess Meng Ning curled up in a pile of withered grass, her fingernails digging deeply into her palms.

Moonlight streamed in through the air vent, illuminating the cold gleam of the shackles on her wrists. The astrologer’s words, “Shuangxu is the true eldest son,” echoed repeatedly in her ears, causing her temples to throb.

She had never believed in ghosts or gods, preferring to believe that the astrologer was simply a charlatan.

But the bloody tears on his face were clearly the voice of the Empress Dowager.

She said, you are all unfilial descendants, none of you are qualified to sit on the throne, you should all die, you all deserve to die.

She said, she missed her child, she was sorry for her child, she regretted ending her child’s life with her own hands…

A metallic sweetness rose in Princess Meng Ning’s throat as memories flooded back like a tide.

She remembered overhearing her mother speaking in hushed tones with a palace attendant when she was a child, saying that she had once given birth to a son who died in the womb, a stillborn infant.

At the time, she was too young and vaguely assumed they were talking about someone else’s story.

Now, it seemed that everything was connected.

Shuangxu… could it be him? Lin Shuangxu…

She recalled how she had repeatedly coerced Lin Shuangxu to threaten He Yuncheng, yet in moments of crisis, Lin Shuangxu would disregard his own safety, shield her from arrows, and save her life.

The reason she had never understood was because… Lin Shuangxu was her close relative?

So, Lin Shuangxu knew.

Had he been secretly in contact with the Empress Dowager all these years?

And the He family? He had been raised in the He family since he was a child, did the He family also know about his background?

But this made no sense. If he was of royal blood, why would his identity be concealed from birth? And why did the Empress Dowager say that she had killed him?

It was all the astrologer’s demonic words, she couldn’t let herself be deceived…

Inextricable thoughts became deeply rooted in her mind, giving Princess Meng Ning a splitting headache.

“Drip.”

A drop of water landed on her head. She slowly looked up and saw Gu Huan’s crimson dragon robes, dampened with night dew, approaching from the shadows.

The palace lantern in Li Yuliang’s hand cast Gu Huan’s face in a chiaroscuro of light and shadow. The young emperor entered the prison and squatted down, the hem of his dragon robe sweeping across her bloodstained skirt.

Princess Meng Ning’s gaze was clear and cold. Despite being imprisoned, she was remarkably calm. She spoke before Gu Huan, “Where is the astrologer? I want to see him.”

“I have already seen him for you, Royal Sister.”

He moved closer to Princess Meng Ning’s ear, speaking in a voice only they could hear, “Empress Dowager is gone, she can’t help you anymore.”

Princess Meng Ning began to tremble.

“You killed her, didn’t you?”

“Whatever Royal Sister says… I won’t argue with a dying person.”

Princess Meng Ning stared at him with icy eyes. If she lost in the end, it wouldn’t be because of anything else, but simply because she could never be as ruthless as Gu Huan.

“Royal Sister, don’t you understand? There are a thousand ways to deal with the He family, why did I have to sacrifice your life?”

“Ah, Royal Sister.” Gu Huan sighed helplessly, “Let me make it clear to you this time… it’s not that I can’t tolerate you, it’s that Father Emperor couldn’t tolerate you.”

“Father Emperor?”

Princess Meng Ning had not yet come of age when the late emperor passed away, so how could it be his intention?

Gu Huan wasn’t just making empty claims; he had brought evidence.

He took out the imperial edict from behind him and slowly unfurled it in front of Princess Meng Ning.

“This is the secret edict that Father Emperor left for me before his death. You grew up in the palace, you can tell for yourself whether this edict is genuine or not.”

Princess Meng Ning stared intently at the writing on the edict, which was indeed her father’s own hand.

The dungeon was quiet. Gu Huan gave her time to read it carefully, watching her expression gradually shift to shock, and was very pleased.

The posthumous edict clearly stated that the marriage agreement between the princess and the He family must not be fulfilled. The princess must not be allowed to get too close to the He family, and even more so, must not be allowed to unite with them and bear offspring. If necessary…

The vermilion “kill” character pierced Princess Meng Ning’s pupils, causing them to shrink.

She subconsciously clutched the withered grass on the ground, her fingertips turning pale as she exerted force.

Gu Huan said lightly, “Father Emperor never trusted the He family, just like… he never trusted Empress Dowager.”

“What do you mean?” Princess Meng Ning didn’t understand.

Gu Huan ran his fingers over the dragon Texture border of the edict, remaining silent for a long time before asking, “Do you know why Royal Brother Prince Rui suddenly rebelled back then?”

Prince Rui… that name was too far in the past. Princess Meng Ning didn’t understand why Gu Huan would mention it at this time.

Gu Huan deliberately slowed his tone, saying meaningfully, “Because Father Emperor discovered that Empress Dowager’s seven-month pregnancy records were hidden in a secret compartment in Royal Brother Prince Rui’s study.”

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

Gu Huan’s meaning couldn’t be clearer. Princess Meng Ning, being so intelligent, naturally understood.

He was saying that the Empress Dowager had an affair with Royal Brother Prince Rui.

“I know this sounds bizarre, but whether you believe it or not, everything I’ve said is true.”

His Royal Highness Prince Rui was the eldest son of the late empress and the late emperor. He was born before the late emperor ascended the throne. In terms of age, the Qi dynasty long princess was only eight years older than him. When the long princess married into Bei Sheng from Daqi, it was His Royal Highness Prince Rui who led people to Qi to escort her for the welcoming ceremony. The boy, just opening his heart, fell in love with the Father Emperor’s concubine at a time of youthful energy, and disregarded etiquette and flew like a moth to a flame, brewing a big mistake.

After the long princess married into Bei Sheng, everyone said that she was virtuous and treated the other princes as if they were her own.

Prince Rui was close to her and everyone thought it was maternal love.

A cold wind suddenly rose in the dungeon, and the flame in the palace lantern flared up.

Princess Meng Ning had always wondered why Prince Rui, who was the crown prince designated by the Father Emperor, was in such a hurry to rebel before the Father Emperor abdicated…

If he really had an affair with the Empress Dowager, then that was the reason he rebelled, and that was also the reason why the Father Emperor cruelly had him cut in half at the waist…

“Royal Sister,” Gu Huan said, “the blood flowing through your veins may not necessarily be anyone’s, how could Father Emperor tolerate you?”

Princess Meng Ning steadied her breathing, refuting him, “How can you draw conclusions based on hearsay rumors? Besides, when all royal descendants are born, the Imperial Hospital must check their parentage. If I was born from the Empress Dowager’s adultery with someone else, how could it have been concealed?”

“The results of the Imperial Hospital’s examination may not be accurate. Even if they are accurate, if Empress Dowager wanted to fake it, there might be a way…”

There simply was no way.

The matter of royal descendants was of utmost importance. If the Empress Dowager had a way to fake it, then there would have been no need to kill her beloved child in the cradle.

That was not a stillbirth at all, but evidence destroyed to prevent the Father Emperor from discovering the affair.

Over the years, old enemies had died one by one, and the children whose corpses were destroyed were no longer mentioned. Gu Huan re-examined the past and mistakenly believed that the Empress Dowager was pregnant with the child in Prince Rui’s private pregnancy records.

At this point, all the questions that couldn’t be understood became clear.

The affairs of this royal family were truly absurd.

Princess Meng Ning suddenly sneered.

Gu Huan frowned unhappily, “What are you laughing at?”

“Laughing at the invisible knife hanging over your head.”

“What do you mean?”

Princess Meng Ning raised an eyebrow, shaking her head triumphantly, and laughed to the sky, “Empress Dowager, if you are watching, don’t be biased anymore.”

Gu Huan was angered by her pretentious appearance and suddenly grabbed her neck, “As expected, you are a bastard disaster. Father Emperor was right to be foresightful.”

His fingers suddenly tightened, “Go to hell, Princess Meng Ning.”

Princess Meng Ning’s eyes widened in pain, unable to breathe.

Just as she was about to suffocate, a cold light bypassed the shadows. Li Yuliang’s finger bones were placed across Gu Huan’s wrist. “Your Majesty, you can’t kill her.”

Gu Huan raised his eyes gloomily, burning with rage amidst confusion, “Li Yuliang, what are you doing?”

–

Outside the city, a carriage sped along the official road, the hemp rope on Song Jiting’s wrist tightly constricting his flesh.

Li Yuliang saw through his lies and didn’t silence him, but sent people to take him away.

To go far away, and never allow him to return to Fengdu.

He didn’t know how long he had been running when the sound of weapons suddenly rang out outside the carriage. The horses were startled and stopped, and Song Jiting lost his balance and crashed into the wooden board.

He pricked up his ears and listened carefully to the sounds outside, hearing Shen Tan’s voice.

A short knife picked open the carriage curtain. Under the night, he saw Shen Tan’s murderous eyes.

But before she could get close to him, he was blocked by the Embroidered Guard escorting him.

The group stayed behind to fight with Shen Tan, while the Embroidered Guard driving the carriage tightened the reins and fled without looking back.

Li Yuliang had issued a strict order that he must be sent away and that no mistakes could be made.

Song Jiting was bound in the carriage. Hearing the fighting behind him getting further and further away, he hardened his heart, leaned back, and rolled out of the rapidly moving carriage.

The driver noticed the anomaly and quickly stopped the car to turn back and look for him.

But behind him, Shen Tan, who was chasing closely, grabbed him and took him away one step ahead.

His body was in great pain from the fall, but Shen Tan didn’t care at all and threw him roughly onto the horse’s back.

He knew that Commander Shen must now believe that he had betrayed them and leaked information to Li Yuliang.

“Are they dead?” Song Jiting asked.

“What do you think?” Shen Tan asked coldly.

The operation had failed.

He should have known that Li Yuliang would protect his inviolable emperor at all costs, even if it meant being crushed to pieces.

His emperor was his everything.

“If the Princess loses a single hair, you and Li Yuliang will pay with your lives.”

“The Princess has been captured by them?” Song Jiting asked anxiously.

Shen Tan didn’t answer.

“I didn’t betray the Princess,” Song Jiting said.

“Don’t explain to me, I only look at the results.”

Song Jiting was unable to argue.

He asked Shen Tan, “What are you planning to do now? How are you going to save her?”

Shen Tan remained silent.

When she retreated, she had warned Li Yuliang that if he dared to harm the Princess, Song Jiting shouldn’t think about living either.

She didn’t speak, but Song Jiting could guess what she was thinking.

“You can’t exchange the Princess for me.” He looked into the distance towards the imperial city, “Don’t you understand yet? We were all wrong. In his heart, I am nothing, insignificant.”