CH 3.2

Outside of Ganlin Palace, Zhu Yunxuan is currently draped in his fox fur coat while holding a hand-heater and strolling around at a slow pace. The palace lantern in the hand of eunuch behind him illuminated the accumulated snow from beneath, manifesting a vague dusky glow.

Liang Zhen stopped in his tracks, and after seeing him gradually approaching, the corner of his lips raised unnoticeably.

Zhu Yunxuan walked closer, and as their eyes met, he nodded in an indifferent manner. Liang Zhen beamingly asked him: “Why has your highness come to visit his majesty the emperor at this hour?”

Zhu Yunxuan said: “Just overheard from the others that imperial father isn’t feeling well again, so I came for a visit.”

“Then I am afraid that you made this trip in vain, your highness, his majesty the emperor has lost his consciousness just now after coughing out gulps of blood for a while. Thus, he won’t so much as be aware that you even showed up.”

Zhu Yunxuan glance towards the direction of the brightly lit palace chamber which is packed full of people and replied with an unperturbed tone: “If that’s the case, then I’ll visit another day instead.”

“Then I’ll accompany your highness on the way back.”

Liang Zhen also has a temporary residence that’s not quite far from Qixiang Hall within the palace, so the two of them walk towards the same direction on their way back. They rarely had moment of peace in which they would get along with each other such as this one. In the darkness of the night, the image of them walking shoulder to shoulder stretched out two long silhouettes onto the snow as they inadvertently blended together.

After arriving outside of Qixiang Palace, Zhu Yunxuan once again exchanged a nod with Liang Zhen before heading in. Yet Liang Zhen called out to him all of the sudden: “Your Highness.”

Zhu Yunxuan turns back and habitually glances towards Liang Zhen with caution in his eyes. Within the darkness of the night, Liang Zhen displays a subtle smile in his eyes as he extends out his hands.

Zhu Yunxuan instantly turn away with an awkward expression on his face, yet Liang Zhen’s hand merely settled on his shoulder as he flick away the snowflakes accumulated on top of it for him, and chuckled softly: “What is it that your highness is being so nervous for?”

Zhu Yunxuan unnoticeably subpress the unwillingness that instinctively rose in his heart and replied in an indifferent manner: “Zhaowang is too apprehensive.”

He has nothing more to add, but just as he was about to head in, Liang Zhen once again called out to him then took a step forward and stood opposite to him while leaning in closer. Zhu Yunxuan tried his best to subpress the urge to reach out and shove the other person away as his complexion becomes extra distasteful: “What exactly are you intending to do?”

Liang Zhen beamingly looked at him: “What intentions does your highness think I have?”

Zhu Yunxuan’s expression chilled, and after a long period of silence later, he added: “May Zhaowang be the someone who abide by their words.”

Liang Zhen spoke in a composed manner: “Of course.”

Zhu Yunxuan has nothing else to say, so he turned around and left.

Watching as his back profile gradually fades away, the smile shown on the corner of Liang Zhen’s lips slowly vanished, and the sentiments hidden within his abstruse eyes were unfathomable.

From that night onward, Emperor Zhaoyang had been in an unconscious state all along, and the imperial physicians were at a loss of what to do. The whole palace is shrouded in an almost inexplicable, yet silent atmosphere with all the eyes fixed towards the direction of Ganlin Palace. It was especially at this critical moment that no one dared to act out of impulse.

It wasn’t until late at night on the third day did someone suddenly wake Zhu Yunxuan up while he was in a half sober state. Gao-an knelt beside his bed and restlessly reminded him: “Quickly wake up your highness, someone showed up from Ganlin Palace, so I am afraid that his majesty isn’t doing well right now.”

Zhu Yunxuan’s drowsiness was instantly swept away as he hurriedly get dress and headed straight towards the direction of Ganlin Palace after exiting out the door.

The rushing footsteps of palace men could be heard along the way, creating a clamorous commotion, whilst the number of palace guards on patrol also increased compared to the usual amount. Zhu Yunxuan couldn’t calm down his restless heart until he bumped into Liang Zhen at a place where there’s only a wall separating the Ganlin Palace.

Liang Zhen nevertheless had a nonchalant attitude of someone who seemingly had everything under control. Seeing this, Zhu Yunxuan’s agitated mood became inexplicably more restless as he opened his mouth and directly inquired: “What exactly had you mentioned to imperial father that day? And why has he been in an unconscious state up until now?”

Liang Zhen narrowed his gaze, quietly watching as the corner of Zhu Yunxuan’s eyes reddened with disintegration and spoke in a deep voice: “Your highness still has the time to worry about trivial matters such as this one at a time like this? Shouldn’t you be like others who are currently rushing to Ganlin Palace in order to send off his majesty the emperor one last time and wait for the testamentary edict?”

Zhu Yunxuan closed his eyes. How could he not understand that he is supposed to rush to the Ganlin Palace right now to prevent others from snatching away his opportunity. Yet at this moment, it doesn’t matter how much resentment and hatred he had towards the emperor in the past, all that it’s left now is an indescribable complexity. He doesn't even have the will to see him, but that person is still his imperial father after all.

“In the end…… Just what exactly did he told you?”

Liang Zhen curls up his lip ambiguously: “Your highness wouldn’t wish to know, those filthy matters shouldn't dirty your ears.”

“You——”

“There’s no need for your highness to be so agonised, this isn’t the right time to be worried over those things.” Liang Zhen step forward and extended out his hand whilst Zhu Yunxuan cast his gaze downwards as a handkerchief was handed over to him.”

After seeing him refused to receive it, Liang Zhen gave him a reminder: “Wipe yourself beforehand, it isn’t time for the mourning yet.”

Zhu Yunxuan sneered: “What about you? With that unperturbed manner of yours, aren’t you afraid that others will pick you out for the blame?”

Liang Zhen nonchalantly said: “Me and your highness aren’t the same, you are his majesty the emperor’s descendent while I am merely a foreign official.”

Zhu Yunxuan raised his gaze to glance at him, he hesitated for a moment as the words rushed to the tip of his tongue, but he ultimately didn’t say anything in the end and received the handkerchief.

At the present, there were hoards of people on their knees in and out of Ganlin Palace, as the scuffling sound of weeping resonated in the surroundings.

On the floor within the interior of the palace, there were full male and female monarchies on their knees along with concubines from the harem as well as the imperial clansmen. The few esteemed governing eunuchs who were summon into palace yesterday are also present.

Imperial consort Chen brought along the ninth prince to kneeled at the foremost position, while leaning beside the couch and hopelessly wept for Emperor Zhaoyang. The emperor who is lying on the lounge while tightly closing his eyes is already on a shortage of breath.

Zhu Yunxuan didn’t make an appearance, he restlessly walked towards the assembling of royalty and knelt down. On the other hand, Liang Zhen lifted up the hem of his clothes and knelt behind the assembling of imperial clansmen in a solemn manner.

Emperor Zhaoyang who is lying on the lounge seems to have sensed something as he slowly opens his eyelids, turning his gaze around with great difficulty and settling it on Liang Zhen who is hiding behind the crowd. He appeared as though he intend to extend out his hands, while his lips also showed movement, yet all that was heard is a hoarse mumble.

He stretched out his neck slightly and struggles to keep his eyes open. Yet in the end, he dejectedly collapsed backwards onto the bed, with his eyelid dropping.

The leading imperial physician who is kneeling before the lounge, prostrated after taking the pulse for awhile, with his forehead touching the floor. Imperial consort Chen let out a whimper along with countless cries which sounded throughout the palace simultaneously.

Zhu Yunxuan closed his eyelids, as his tears soundless descended.