Chapter 43: No Joy, Nor Sorrow
Shrouded by the early morning mist, the layered tiled roofs of the imperial palace towered majestically. It looked beautiful and dreamy, but all Liu Rushuang could muster at the luxurious and radiant imperial palace was a chilling smile.
The eunuch escorted Liu Rushuang to the Purple Cloud Hall, where the male and female servants stood waiting in the courtyard.
Liu Rushuang watched everything with an emotionless look on her face. There was no joy, nor sorrow in her heart, and when she thought about what Han Moze did last night, a dull look flashed across her eyes.
She grinned, as she walked into the luxurious palace. Inside, everything was already prepared and Liu Rushuang acted as a wooden puppet whilst she let them dress her.
They brushed her hair into a bridal top knot with a golden phoenix crown in the center. She wore a bridal hairpin with double phoenix pearls, a pair of red jade pearl earrings, and a red flowing gown with embroidered gold phoenixes that dragged across the floor. She had a pink silk belt around her waist, and a double phoenix necklace with embedded gems around her neck. Considering Liu Rushuang’s ordinary complexion and her hint of charm, her outfit was the very extent to her glowing beauty.
…
In the Empress’ chambers.
“Th-this is bad. Yo-your majesty!” yelled Eunuch Li loudly in a terrified voice, as he suddenly ran in.
Ouyang Xiu’s eyes squinted slightly. His instincts told him that something awful had happened. “What is it?!” He cried coldly after turning around.
“The c-c-crown pr-prince w-was k-kil-killed last night.” Eunuch Li’s voice and body couldn’t help but tremble fiercely, and his face had turned pale white.
Ouyang Xiu’s eyes widened. His hands clenched tightly, and he gritted his teeth with ferocity. “Have you investigated who was behind this?”
“W-w-we d-dddon’t know,” replied Eunuch Li with a trembling voice.
“Firstly, take good care of the Crown Prince’s remains. I will be over there soon,” said Ouyang Xiu coldly with thin lines of blood in his eyes after taking such a huge blow.
The emperor always cared about the Crown Prince. Despite the fact that the Crown Prince almost emptied the state treasury with his gambling, the emperor endured it as much he could considering he was the only son he had with the Empress.
He never imagined that his son would eventually end up dead by another’s hand.
“Ahhhh… My son…” wailed the Empress. “My poor son!”
The thin bloody lines in Ouyang Xiu’s eyes reddened, as he clenched his hands tighter. A cold, murderous aura gathered in his gaze. “Empress, let us go see the Crown Prince. If I catch that assassin, I will definitely execute his entire family!”
Ouyang Yaoyi stared at the dark, sinking sorrow in Ouyang Xiu’s eyes and retreated a few steps.
She has never seen her father look this frightening before.
Whenever her father were with his children, he would always wear an indulgent smile on his face.
One time, when she and general Feng’s daughter, Feng Hong, got into an argument, Feng Hong slapped her on the face.
She ordered someone to lock up Feng Hong in prison and punish her with all the torture methods possible.
In the end, six-year-old Feng Hong, who was merely a year older than herself, couldn’t handle the pain and died.
General Feng turned to the Emperor for justice, but the Emperor removed him from his position and exiled him somewhere far far away.
From then on, she became even more unruly to the point in which even her royal older sister would be afraid of her when she saw her.
Because of her father’s leniency, she’s never known fear.
But in that very moment, she saw the hatred on her father’s face, and knew that there were matters that even he couldn’t settle.
No… He actually couldn’t protect her at all times. With that thought, she became even more determined to think of a way to marry the Emperor of Beiming.
If she became the woman to such a powerful man, nobody would dare touch her.
…
Ouyang Xiu led the Empress and Ouyang Yaoyi to the Crown Prince’s chamber in a hurry.
The Empress saw the Crown Prince’s meek face had turned pale white, then sobbed and ran to his side. “My son! How could you pass away so early and leave your mother! My son! My poor son!”