042 : The Diminishing Zusha Shi (Part 4)

In the modern world, there is this condition called paracusia. This is a condition in which people tend to hear something without any auditory stimulus.

This can be caused by many things like being drunk or in a situation where your senses are totally muddled. Overall, this is an idea to which an individual will hear a sound out from nowhere.

It seems that everyone in the hall is having paracusia.

However, is this condition still valid if everyone heard it?

There is no sound. Nobody dared to make a sound. If one will toss a pin, everyone will surely hear it.

The audacity of Lin Mian Mian to announce his final destination took a huge hit that people started to think that they are experiencing an illusion. They are swallowing the words they are trying to speak.

Lin Mian Mian hitting his head already made them on edge.

His words pushed them off the cliff.

The silence is very loud that when a chalice from the empress dowager's table fell, all their hearts jumped out. Some people almost fainted from fright while those who were able to control themselves from shouting patted their chest. The excitement of today's activity seemed to be heightened by these unexpected events.

Only Lin Mian Mian remained motionless.

Minister Yin, as the person who asked the question, already made a good plan to have Lin Mian Mian be removed from the harem today. It is much clearer to him than the people outside the palace about the relationship between the emperor and this new wife.

His plan of using his daughter to rise in ranks will be futile if that will happen so together with Yin Mei Mei they brought the ger into the pit. Though, they did not expect the plan to happen this early. Still, it only means advancing on their plan on removing the ger by using his 'infertile' body.

That is, Lin Mian Mian can still be part of the harem but he could no longer become an Empress.

They are aware of Lin Mian Mian's influence on the army so 'actual removal' to the harem is impossible. That is also not plausible since there's no way an emperor will let a person from his harem go unless decided. And there's also a high chance that Yan JinLong will not allow that to happen.

So since they cannot do that, then, they will just make the person unable to claim the mother crown.

But who would ever think that Lin Mian Mian will actually request people to throw him somewhere?

Minister Yin could not muster any words and so remained like a fish trying to speak in the air. The Empress Dowager ignored the reaction of the official as her eyes focused on the kneeling person.

She is no longer frowning but the coldness coming from her showcased her mood. Minister Yin sensed the danger so he decided to take a step back and shut up.

"You... You wished to be exiled?" The Empress Dowager asked coldly.

"Yes, Your highness Lady Dowager," Lin Mian Mian instantly replied.

"Then, did you understand what kind of punishments that you will receive by just saying these words?" The Lady scolded loudly. "Have you ever thought of the consequences?"

It could be said that Lady Dowager never raised her voice before. Maybe, there are times that she needed to yell loudly but that is under the pretense of a command typical for a leader.

There is also no emotion but only instruction in her words. Her sudden outburst now made the ministers lowered their heads trying to stop themselves from suddenly kneeling.

Indeed, like the mother, like son.

She might be a woman but it doesn't mean that she is weak. Yan JinLong's genes came from a queen.

The people are still chattering earlier after they recovered from the shock. They did not expect that Lin Mian Mian will wish for his own death.

However, when the mother dowager suddenly went in rage mode, everyone quickly sealed their mouths. They wanted to know what the thirteenth wife would say.

Though this time, Lin Mian Mian did not respond quickly. They know that he can hear the question well and seems to be stalling time deliberately. He kept on bowing to show that he is feeling shameful.

Then suddenly they can see him slightly trembling. It is as though he is crying but trying to control it. But this action made his shaking more visible. This little movement caught their attention feeling a sudden pang of pain in their chests.

It is like...

It is like seeing a cute and little sheep getting killed ah!

"This..." Lin Mian Mian chocked.

His voice is already faltering but he still tried to speak straight to hide his emotional breakdown.

"This servant understands...understand very well. This mistake is due to my carelessness. I should be punished but still wished for her highness's favor... I..."

"Will you still dare to leave the harem?" The Lady Dowager asked.

"Y-yes... I am..."

"Why should I allow you? The moment you crossed the bridge, you are already the emperor's property. If you leave, what do you think the people will think of His Highness? Do you think you have the ability to carry the criticisms? Do you think you're still the one who owned your life?"

Her words... these are not the words of a caring mother.

She treated Lin Mian Mian as if he is just a property.

But this is understandable after all the Empress Dowager genuinely adored Lin Mian Mian. Now that her adored child wanted to go away, what should a mother feel? She felt wronged and bitter. She didn't want to let him go!

Like what Yan JinLong did in the past life, it is better to let the person stay and be hurt than to be lost in his sight forever.

This kind of possessiveness is wrong, but what can they do? The person they liked does not want them. If that person can never belong to them then nobody will.

The ger remained silent. The Queen now highlighted his position in the harem. Even if he is 'currently' favored, it doesn't mean that he is someone special. After all, his role is just to please the emperor in the bed and give him offspring - like any other concubines.

The 'favor' that he earned is just to showcase his existence.

The people that are listening think that Empress Dowager is harsh but at the same time could see her point. Even though Lin Mian Mian is now a waste (since he can't give birth to children), he can still be a bed warmer. The emperor already has a dozen children so having none out from him is still fine.

This made them feel more sympathy towards Lin Mian Mian.

His game is now over.

However, while everyone is worried and lighting candles towards the thirteenth, the person in question is actually...

Lin Mian Mian is actually laughing!

The trembling that he showed earlier is not because of him trying to hide his stifle but to cover his mirth. He never thought that such an image will stimulate a reaction. If ever the people will know that he has been acting all this time, they will surely throw the lit candles to him for him to see how hot fire could be.

The thirteenth wife has been planning for so long that the moment it happened it made him want to smile and laugh like some sassy devil in an old vampire film. Fortunately, he had his head lowered, or else they will see the wide grin.

His eyes never showed such excitement before.

People must have forgotten about the scene in the palace where Yin Mei Mei was almost sent to the Cold Palace (A/N: Me too, haha). Everyone thought that it is Yin Mei Mei who is at fault. Well, they did, but some people know that he is just faking it, especially Minister Chang and the emperor.

But what can they do?

They are not here to see his most spectacular show.

Lin Mian Mian remained silent because he knows that once he answers people will realize that there's something wrong with his voice. He managed to pass with his ' choking to death' voice earlier which is in reality is just him holding down his laugh.

While Lin Mian Mian is trying to calm down, Minister Yin suddenly took a step forward. He sees that things are getting over and decided to step in. The Empress Dowager is obviously angry right now so her decisions will surely be biased.

He has to persuade the Lady to remove Lin Mian Mian from the harem.

"Lady Dowager, would her highness want to hear the opinion of the Court?" Minister Yin asked.

The Empress Dowager snapped the minister a glare. Minister Yin lowered his head as if scared while taking a small step back. But his intention to push the option forward kept him in place. The old minister showed hesitation before continuing his thoughts.

"This m-minister thinks that t-the request from the Lady of the Jade Lin Courtyard s-should is evaluated properly."

"What is there to be evaluated?" The Empress Dowager inquired. "Letting a member of the Emperor's Garden go just because they asked is unheard of!"

"I-It's just because nobody tried to do it before..."

Minister Yin wasn't able to continue his words due to the glare of the Lady Dowager. His position is not high enough to go against the queen so he returned to his hiding post. Lin Mian Mian took this time to look up removing the dark veil to show his face.

This is the first time people saw his face after many days of hiding.

Lin Mian Mian is already beautiful. Even without the significant cinnabar coloring his face, his image still resembled a beautiful fairy. Added with the effect of his eyes swollen from too much crying and cheeks blushing from the exhaustion of his cries, it only made him look more delicate capturing the sympathy of the masses.

Anyone looking could feel a heavy heartbreak.

Even the empress dowager was stumped by Lin Mian Mian's appearance.

Though she wasn't a ger, she is a woman. And to be part of a harem where a child is important, such thing as being infertile is a crime. But more than that, the inability to carry your own offspring forever is really sad.

The queen sat back to her throne, upset. She never thought that despite her careful guard with the harem, such a thing will happen. She wanted to live in harmony, keeping people to be at peace, at least on the outside. She did not want a massacre to happen, like what their older generations had done.

Everyone is just killing and scheming at each other just to obtain a crown.

"I..." A broken voice echoed through the hall. "I n-never though that t-this will happen to m-me. I also w-wished to have s-something b-but..."

Lin Mian Mian faced the Empress dowager. His posture and movements are sluggish and clumsy as if losing energy. And because he has been kneeling, a part of his clothes are now stained with dirt. It made him look abandoned. Altogether with his tear-filled face, the empress dowager could not help but also want to cry.

How hard it is to see your child suffering, asking your help, but have to maintain a strict face to show that you did not favor him?

How hard it is to keep acting cold while your heart is hurting?

"I am a-asking the L-lady Do-, no... I am asking the mother to let me go... I-I don't know what t-to do... I-it hurts... h-hurts..."

He is crying before but it seems that those are just small tears that were just casually dropping. Now, the real breakdown of teardrops fell from the edges of his eyes. It is relatively small but somehow people could see it vividly - each is a crystal tear that sent waves of emotion affecting their water ducts.

One drop contained his sorrow; another one is the hopelessness to continue living.

"Y-you can d-do something..." The empress dowager tried to save the situation.

Her heart is wavering. It tells her to let Lin Mian Mian go. The child will only feel sadder and depress staying in the harem. Letting him go to find something worthwhile is the best solution.

However, her logic says otherwise. If Lin Mian Mian could not give birth, then let him adopt a few children. After all, there are a lot of children born from the harem. Some of them are not taken off properly so Lin Mian Mian could just pick someone he fancies. He need not go.

But the heart refuted. Lin Mian Mian could not give birth, but it doesn't mean that he will just accept any child. Isn't giving him a kid from other people rubbing the wound with salt? It is just highlighting his inability to give birth.

This statement is slapping Lin Mian Mian straight into his face, left and right.

"We understand your intention but this is..." Suddenly, a minister from the sidelines named Fu voiced out. He looked at the queen with the utmost respect. "Lady Dowager, we should not decide this matter hastily. His Highness is not here. It is better to wait for His Highness to-"

As if on cue, additional cries were heard from the ground. The five servants that are siding Lin Mian Mian started crying loudly. Lin Mian Mian is already pitiful, added to these children, the emotional factor increased a lot.

Lin Mian Mian's tears are created from acting but these children did not.

They showed sorrow and sadness. Their cries are equal to mourning.

To whom are you mourning?

The Empress Dowager seems to not hear the minister's words. Her attention is now focused on how to make Lin Mian Mian happy. Lin Mian Mian is suffering. But she is not sure what should she do.

Will letting Lin Mian Mian leave the correct answer?

Will this resolve everything?

He did not want this youth to suffer, but she also did not want him to be sent away. Exiled - it means going far away. Will he be safe going there? Lin Mian Mian has no family, no people to take good care of him. Letting him leave like that...

Will Lin Mian Mian be happy?

How about his son?

Lin Mian Mian can tell that he finally caught the heartstrings of the queen. Though he is feeling bad from pretending he cannot help it. This is what the Previous Lin Mian Mian wanted to do. To become free, he has to leave the harem.

He needs to be out of here.

"Mother... please let me go," Lin Mian Mian once again lowered his head to the ground.

Seeing the determination of Lin Mian Mian, the empress dowager decided.

"T-then... to be banished away without reason... I-"

"What is happening here?"

A loud voice suddenly erupted. All the people watching the drama looked at the large entrance of the door where a shadow of a valiant hero stood.

The image that people admired somehow appeared in a critical moment. The empress dowager that was caught off-guard by a loud voice strangely look at the person but quickly smiled after realizing who it is.

Yan JinLong arrived madafakas.