The more magnificent the palace became, the more it highlighted the Emperor's aging.
The Emperor actually didn't want Hui Yun to visit him.
Hui Yun had always been different in his heart.
If the Emperor knew the term "pure love," that would probably describe it.
But the peculiar thing about pure love is that even when the actual person appears, it doesn't help.
He loved the pure love in his heart, not the actual person.
So when he last saw Hui Yun coming down from the mountain and wounding Minister Lu, the Emperor had already made peace with it.
He still loved the pure love in his heart - it was Hui Yun, but not the Hui Yun standing before him.
The Emperor had been pretending to be ill.
But he didn't need to pretend anymore.
As soon as he lay down, he became truly sick.
In his extremely weak state, he saw Hui Yun again, but he looked past her to see the little girl behind her.
The girl was innocent and pure, with clear eyes, exactly like Hui Yun when she was young.
Mianmian felt there was something strange about how her grand-uncle looked at her.
Grand-uncle now resembled those wrinkled old women in the village.
But those old women's gazes were gentle.
Grand-uncle's gaze had a strange intensity to it.
Mianmian couldn't help taking a step back.
The Emperor's body, having consumed elixirs for years, likely had calcification in many internal organs.
He looked like a corpse that was somehow still alive.
It was actually quite frightening.
Large patches of age spots covered his skin.
In this sense, the elixirs had indeed extended his life.
First turning someone into a corpse-like state, then maintaining that corpse's vitality...
Mianmian had no intention of giving him any Magic Spring Water - she wasn't stupid.
Although Princess Grandmother wasn't very bright, she had said something wise: mind your own business if you want to live long.
Mianmian wasn't a saint either; giving Magic Spring Water to everyone she met would only harm herself.
Worried they wouldn't let her bring knives into the palace, she had brought her little tree tucked in her clothes.
After all, this was a high-risk location.
Although the little tree liked to sleep lazily in winter, it would still listen if she called for it.
The little tree was most useful, like Mianmian's personal guard.
And it could be carried anywhere.
Princess Hui Yun had thought her brother was faking illness, so she came for a casual visit. Since she had come down from the mountain, she needed to observe worldly courtesies, and she wanted to show Mianmian where she used to live as a child.
But she hadn't expected her brother to be truly ill.
She regretted it now, worried it would frighten Mianmian.
Her brother's dying appearance had scared even her.
"Elder Brother, are you alright?"
Hui Yun was anxious. Though she hadn't shed tears, she had just spoken words of concern.
But her beauty was too overwhelming.
Some women could make your heart flutter just by asking "Have you eaten?" - making you fantasize about having children, a boy named Eagle and a girl named Oriole...
The Emperor had pretended to be sick until he actually became sick.
Exhausted, not wanting to rise, feeling as though lying down was better.
But he couldn't just lie there.
So his mood was also angry and frustrated.
He wanted to kill people, and he really did kill people.
After all, some people deserved to die.
But with just one word from Hui Yun, he felt eighty percent better, became energetic, and even sat up.
Hui Yun didn't want Mianmian to stay in this environment, so she sent her away.
"Eunuch Yan, please take Mianmian for a walk around. She's been telling me at home how curious she is about what the palace looks like. I'll stay and chat with Elder Brother."
When Hui Yun said this, the Emperor naturally nodded.
Though his gaze still followed Mianmian's retreating figure.
Hui Yun's feelings toward her elder brother were complicated - there was affection, but also an irrepressible sense of disgust.
Of course, she didn't dare provoke her brother's anger, because his temperament had become erratic and unpredictable over the years. The deaths of so many nephews were undoubtedly connected to him.
Hui Yun's retreat to the temple was not unrelated to her brother's influence.
The siblings were both in their sixties now, and there wasn't much to say in casual conversation.
The Emperor's life remained unchangingly dissolute.
Mainly, it was Hui Yun's life that had changed.
"I heard you're staying at Second Jiang's house. Isn't it uncomfortable? The place is too small. Let me give Second Jiang a mansion. Come to think of it, since you've acknowledged Second Jiang, I haven't given him any rewards as his uncle."
The Emperor sat up, supported by Eunuch Duan at his side.
Half-bent over - it was a difficult posture, but to serve others and become someone important, one naturally needed some skills; only by tasting the bitterest of bitter can one rise above others.
Hui Yun sat properly by the bedside, holding a hand warmer.
"Second Jiang has suffered too much hardship and really cherishes what he has. Although the mansion isn't large, I see their family living quite well. Mianmian is very attached to me and won't let me leave, so I stayed a few extra days. We don't need any rewards - your good health is what matters. If we can all rely on you for a long time to come, that's better than anything else."
The Emperor was just making conversation; he really didn't have the heart to give out rewards now.
"By the way, didn't you send Little Seven a concubine? Although Little Seven married her, they say he hasn't touched her at all. Who knows who he takes after, being famous for such devoted love. But my Second Jiang's relationship with Little Seven is very awkward. Little Seven is so devoted, and Jiang Yuluan, Zhou Rongrong's daughter, used to play with me all the time when she was little, spending most of her time with me. I took good care of both of them, but good deeds were repaid with evil - Zhou Rongrong took away my son and abused him. Little Seven is so devoted, I think he'll hold a grudge against my son because of his mother-in-law's death. Anyway, whoever you choose to inherit the throne is fine, just don't choose Little Seven." Princess Hui Yun said domineeringly.
The Emperor smiled bitterly.
Before, when he heard people discussing his successor, he would become furious inside, feeling they couldn't wait for him to die and give up his throne.
Only his royal sister would speak so brazenly.
Brazenly saying he couldn't establish Little Seven as heir simply because she didn't like him.
When others spoke of such matters warranting execution, it was because of ulterior motives and self-interest.
But when his royal sister spoke, it was simply direct dislike.
He didn't like Little Seven either, but for certain reasons, he hadn't heard of any misconduct and had no particular impression of him.
But among his many sons, it seemed there weren't many choices left now.
At first, he thought he had too many sons.
Now it seemed there weren't enough, they were gone.
"You're talking nonsense again. It's only because I've spoiled you, spoiled you until you have no regard for rules. If I'm gone, how will you survive with that stubborn temperament of yours?"
Although the Emperor felt better mentally,
This time pretending to be sick had left him deeply shaken - it felt too real, he himself couldn't tell what was real and what was fake.
"That won't happen. Elder Brother will surely live to be a hundred. If anyone dies, I'll die first. If I can't live freely as the most noble princess, I won't live at all. Elder Brother, you know me, I can't stand even the slightest grievance. So Elder Brother, you must live well." As she finished speaking, Hui Yun's reddened eyes began to tear up.
She thought of their father.
But the Emperor was deeply moved, thinking only his royal sister treated him with such sincere devotion.
Outside the great hall.
The path was clean and tidy, without fallen leaves, as if someone was constantly sweeping. There wasn't even dust between the stone cracks, as if someone had used a vacuum cleaner, though there certainly weren't any vacuum cleaners here - it could only be manual labor, manual labor as thorough as a vacuum cleaner.
Eunuch Yan asked: "Where would you like to look around?"
"Hmm, can we go to Godfather's place? Is Godfather comfortable living in the palace? Is it cold? Is the food to his liking?"
Yan Wenxin was taken aback.
"You remember your Godfather?" He recalled that when he left, Mianmian was still a baby.
Mianmian nodded.
"Godfather took Father's water, the one I gave him. After Godfather left, Elder Sister and Elder Brother often talked about you, Mom and Father would mention you too, so even though it's been a long time, it doesn't feel that long. Later we had Eunuch Duan inquire about your news, and when we learned you were doing well, Father was very happy that night and had some drinks, but then Mom carried him away again..."
Yan Wenxin smiled.
When smiling before the Emperor, his eyes barely showed any wrinkles.
Even when laughing heartily, they remained that way.
But now, with just a slight smile, the wrinkles spread from the corners of his eyes, line by line.
"Your father's alcohol tolerance is quite ordinary - he blushes even from eating drunken fish."
"My quarters are in the northwest corner, it's a bit cool. I'll take you up high where you can see everything. Living in the palace is fine, not as free though - you have to follow the rules. Either you adapt to the rules or you become someone who can make the rules. It's not cold, Godfather has fur clothes too. I'm quite used to the food, even more so than in Jingzhou. I feel like I might have originally been from the capital - I'm very accustomed to the river fish here."
Eunuch Yan led Mianmian along the path, climbing higher and higher.
They reached the highest tower.
There were railings around it, reaching up to her chest height. Looking down was somewhat frightening due to the extreme height.
Falling from here would certainly mean death.
But standing up here, one could see not only the entire imperial palace but even beyond its walls, as if the whole capital city was laid out before them.
This spot offered an exceptional view, and she imagined the Emperor must often stand here to survey everything below.
However, the wind was quite strong, making their cloaks flutter noisily.
Below, numerous guards stood at their posts, wearing armor with cloaks draped over them.
Only then did Mianmian understand that wearing cloaks over armor wasn't just for show. In summer, it prevented the metal armor from getting too hot in the sun and burning the skin; the cloak kept them cool. When it rained, the cloak protected the armor from rusting. In winter, it provided warmth against the cold metal armor that let in the wind.
What looked impressive actually served practical purposes.
Looking out, she could see rows of armored soldiers, their cloaks billowing in the wind, creating a striking scene.
With so many guards in the palace, it felt quite secure. Just then, she witnessed a shift change - though she couldn't make out their faces, she saw them turn and alternate positions, another column of guards taking their place, appearing unchanged from before.
The wind continued to lift their cloaks, day after day.
...
