usatvline Chapter 43 The show is about to begin
Chapter 43 The show is about to begin
The musician's playing was still melodious, but the tune sounded particularly jarring at that moment.
Su Wanqing's shoulder-rubbing motion paused slightly, and the pressure in her fingertips momentarily went out of control, but she quickly adjusted and regained her composure.
She lowered her eyes, her voice gentle yet carrying just the right amount of fear:
"Your Majesty... This matter concerns the state of the court, and as a mere woman, I dare not speculate."
Lu Wanning was so frightened that she trembled all over, and the hand holding Qin Mu's foot shook.
She raised her small face, her eyes filled with panic, her voice barely audible:
"Your Majesty, I... I don't know... I only felt those assassins were terrifying... Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune, you will surely turn misfortune into good fortune..."
Qin Mu smiled.
"It's alright, there are no outsiders here, let's just chat." He picked up another chess piece and toyed with it between his fingers. "Just consider it... an after-dinner chat."
He paused, gazing out the window at the deep night, as if recalling something:
"In the six months since I ascended the throne, I have rarely attended court and have approved few memorials. I'm afraid the old ministers in the court have long been dissatisfied with me. Especially Li Si and his group, they kneel down to remonstrate at the drop of a hat, they're practically pointing their fingers at me and cursing me as a tyrant."
The white jade chess pieces spun on my fingertips, reflecting a warm, lustrous sheen.
"Do you think it might be that one of the ministers in court dislikes me and wants to replace me on the throne?"
Su Wanqing and Lu Wanning didn't dare to respond, they just lowered their heads and held their breath.
Qin Mu didn't seem to care and continued speaking to himself:
"Or perhaps... my beloved uncles?"
A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes:
"The late emperor did not have many children. When I ascended the throne, my uncles were outwardly respectful, but what they really thought... is hard to say. Especially my uncle, the Prince of Chu, who was the most promising successor to the throne back then. In the end, the late emperor chose my father, and he chose me... I'm afraid he already harbors resentment."
The chess piece landed, making a crisp sound on the chessboard.
"However, the imperial uncles are all in their fiefdoms, so their influence can't extend that far. Could it be... enemies from the martial arts world?"
Qin Mu narrowed his eyes slightly:
"The Qin Dynasty has existed for hundreds of years, and it has destroyed countless countries and eradicated countless sects. Those orphans of fallen kingdoms and remnants of sects probably dream of revenge day and night. Today's assassins are ruthless in their martial arts, like the methods of the martial arts world."
He paused, then his tone suddenly changed:
"Or perhaps... it's Li Yang?"
The moment those two words were uttered, the temperature in the hall seemed to drop several degrees.
Su Wanqing stopped massaging her shoulders completely, and Lu Wanning even held her breath.
Qin Mu remained calm and composed, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him:
"Empress Zhao Qingxue of Liyang has just consolidated her military power and is in a position to establish her authority. If she can successfully assassinate me during my tour, she will not only eliminate a potential rival but also intimidate the Qin court and its people—a win-win situation."
He smiled and shook his head:
"However, Liyang is separated from our Great Qin by a river. It would not be easy to send so many assassins to infiltrate it. Besides, Zhao Qingxue is a woman with a deep mind. She would not use such a clumsy method."
Qin Mu's gaze returned to the chessboard, his fingertips gently caressing the pieces.
A brief silence fell over the hall.
Only the musician's music continued to flow, and Jiang Qingxue's dance continued, but her movements had completely broken down, and she was dancing entirely on instinct.
As she listened to Qin Mu's speculations, her heart was filled with turmoil.
Court officials, imperial uncles, enemies from the martial arts world, Empress Li Yang...
Any of them is possible.
But none of them were the answer she feared most.
She prayed, praying that Qin Mu would not utter that name.
however--
Qin Mu suddenly sighed softly, his tone tinged with helplessness and regret:
"Actually, the one I least want to doubt... is Xu Longxiang."
"Clatter—"
A sudden, soft sound.
It's not a chess piece falling onto the board, nor a string breaking.
Instead, it was the sound of Jiang Qingxue stumbling and her shoes scraping against the floor.
She was doing a spinning motion when she heard the name "Xu Longxiang," and her mind went blank, her body completely stiffening.
Halfway through her spin, she suddenly lost her balance, her right foot stepping on the hem of her left skirt, causing her to tilt to the right—
"what!"
A short, startled cry.
Jiang Qingxue fell heavily to the ground.
Her light green, wide-sleeved fairy dress spread out like lotus leaves, and her long, black hair was draped messily over her shoulders.
She lay on the ground, her elbow hitting the hard surface. The pain brought tears to her eyes, but she bit her lip tightly to keep from crying out.
But the sound of the fall was particularly jarring in the silent hall.
The musician's music stopped abruptly.
Su Wanqing and Lu Wanning turned their heads at the same time to look at Jiang Qingxue lying on the ground, their eyes filled with astonishment.
Qin Mu also raised his eyes.
The white jade chess piece in his hand stopped in mid-air, his gaze fell on Jiang Qingxue, and a trace of elusive emotion flashed in his deep eyes.
The hall was deathly silent.
The only sounds were the occasional crackling of palace lanterns and candlelight, and Jiang Qingxue's suppressed, rapid breathing.
She lay on the ground, afraid to raise her head or move, feeling as if everyone's gaze was piercing her like needles.
Especially Qin Mu's gaze.
Cold and sharp, as if it could pierce through her flesh and see into the deepest part of her soul.
Time seemed to have passed for a long time, yet it also felt like it had only been a moment.
Qin Mu slowly put down the chess piece in his hand, leaned forward slightly, rested his elbow on his knee, and looked down at Jiang Qingxue who was lying on the ground.
His voice was soft, gentle, and even carried a hint of concern:
"My beloved concubine, what's wrong?"
Jiang Qingxue trembled all over.
She forced herself to calm down and struggled to get up, but the pain in her elbows made it impossible for her to exert any strength. She tried twice before she could barely kneel up.
She lowered her head, her long hair covering most of her face, revealing only her pale, paper-white chin and slightly trembling lips.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty deserves to die..."
Her voice was hoarse, filled with undisguised panic:
"Your Majesty, my dancing skills are lacking, and I accidentally... accidentally twisted my ankle, disturbing Your Majesty's presence. I deserve to die..."
She spoke with difficulty, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth.
Qin Mu looked at her quietly.
Looking at her lowered head, her trembling shoulders, and her fingertips that had turned white from exerting so much force.
Then, he suddenly chuckled, shook his head, and spoke in a relaxed and casual tone, as if his earlier thrilling speculation was nothing more than a joke:
"However, I was just speaking casually. I know Xu Longxiang; he is loyal to the emperor and patriotic, with unwavering loyalty. His father, the Prince of Zhenbei, has rendered outstanding military service to our Great Qin, and he himself has defended the borders for the country at a young age, repeatedly defeating the Northern Barbarians. How could such a pillar of the nation commit such a treasonous act?"
He picked up the warm tea that the palace maid had just served, the jade teacup gleaming with a warm luster on his slender fingers.
He took a small sip, the rising steam blurring his deep eyes, a gentle smile playing on his lips:
"Furthermore, my inspection tour of Qinglan Mountain this time was conducted in secrecy; even many important officials in the court do not know the specific route. Xu Longxiang is far away in the northern border; how could he possibly know? Even if he did know, given his character, he would certainly strengthen the guards along the way; why would he send assassins?"
He put down his teacup, and the jade and sandalwood surfaces collided, producing a crisp sound.
His gaze swept over Lu Wanning, who was still kneeling on the ground, and Su Wanqing, who was standing behind her, and his tone became increasingly relaxed:
"Don't you all agree? What I said just now was merely a joke. If Prince Xu knew that I was thinking such things about him, he would probably be heartbroken."
Su Wanqing was the first to react and quickly curtsied, saying:
"Your Majesty is wise. General Xu's loyalty and righteousness are known throughout the land. Today's events must be a conspiracy by those with ulterior motives, attempting to sow discord between Your Majesty and your loyal ministers."
Lu Wanning nodded repeatedly, her little face full of seriousness:
"Your Majesty is wise."
Qin Mu smiled, his smile appearing especially gentle in the light of the palace lanterns:
"Of course I know."
He leaned back on the soft couch, his posture languid, as if he had truly only made a casual joke and that his interest had now waned.
"Alright, everyone's tired today. Wanqing, Wanning, you should go back and rest. We're going up Qinglan Mountain tomorrow, so make sure you're well-rested."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."
Su Wanqing and Lu Wanning bowed in unison and withdrew.
Before leaving, Lu Wanning glanced at Jiang Qingxue with concern, but dared not say anything more, and left Tingtao Pavilion with Su Wanqing.
Inside the hall, only Qin Mu and Jiang Qingxue, who was still kneeling on the ground, remained.
There were also musicians behind the screen who dared not make a sound and palace maids standing in the corner.
The candlelight flickered, casting shadows between the two people.
Qin Mu didn't speak, he just quietly looked at Jiang Qingxue.
Looking at the woman kneeling on the ground, head bowed, so frail that she seemed like she could be blown away by a gust of wind.
After a long silence, he finally spoke:
Get up.
Jiang Qingxue dared not move.
Qin Mu sighed, his voice tinged with helplessness:
"I'm not going to eat you. Get up and let me see your feet."
Jiang Qingxue then slowly raised her head.
The light from the palace lanterns shone on her face, revealing her once aloof and stunningly beautiful features now as pale as paper, her eyes red-rimmed, and her eyelashes still glistening with undried tears.
Her lips were bitten until they turned white, leaving deep teeth marks.
She looked at Qin Mu, her eyes filled with fear, unease, and a hint of deep-seated despair.
Qin Mu reached out his hand to her.
That hand was long and slender, with distinct knuckles, and gleamed like jade under the palace lantern.
Jiang Qingxue hesitated for a moment, but still extended her hand.
Qin Mu took her hand and gently pulled her up from the ground.
Her palms were icy cold, and her fingertips were still trembling slightly.
"Sit down." Qin Mu pointed to an embroidered stool next to the soft couch.
Jiang Qingxue sat down as instructed, her head still bowed.
Qin Mu bent down and reached out to touch her ankle.
Jiang Qingxue instinctively shrank back, but he gently pressed her down.
"Don't move."
His voice was gentle, and his movements were very soft.
He removed her embroidered shoes and stockings, revealing her fair and slender ankles. Sure enough, her ankles were red and swollen, which looked particularly striking against her snow-white skin.
"I really twisted it." Qin Mu chuckled. "I thought you were faking it."
Jiang Qingxue froze.
Qin Mu seemed oblivious to her reaction and turned to instruct the palace maid:
"Go and get some ice, and also a bottle of plaster to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis."
"Yes."
The palace maid quickly withdrew.
Qin Mu looked at Jiang Qingxue again, his gaze lingering on her swollen ankle for a moment before moving to her face:
"Does it hurt?"
Jiang Qingxue bit her lip and nodded gently.
"It's good that it hurts," Qin Mu said calmly. "Only through pain can you learn a lesson. It's okay if you don't dance well, but if you're not focused, something bad will happen sooner or later."
Jiang Qingxue's heart sank.
She understood the deeper meaning in Qin Mu's words.
He was warning her.
Warn her not to be distracted, warn her not to have any ulterior motives.
"Your Majesty...I know I was wrong," she said softly, her voice hoarse.
Qin Mu looked at her for a long time.
Then, he suddenly reached out and gently brushed his fingertips across her cheek, wiping away a tear that had not yet dried.
The movements were very light and gentle.
But Jiang Qingxue felt that the fingertips were as cold as snow.
"Go back and get some rest." Qin Mu withdrew his hand, leaned back on the soft couch, and closed his eyes to rest. "If it's inconvenient tomorrow, you don't have to go up the mountain."
"No..." Jiang Qingxue blurted out, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty can go."
She has to go.
She was going to Qinglan Mountain to see Xu Longxiang, to tell him everything that had happened that day, to warn him of Qin Mu's true strength, and to tell him that he absolutely must not act rashly.
Qin Mu opened his eyes and gave her a deep look.
That gaze seemed to see right through her thoughts.
"Whatever you want," he said calmly, closing his eyes again. "Go back."
"Yes... I shall take my leave."
Jiang Qingxue struggled to get up, a piercing pain in her ankle almost causing her to fall again.
She gritted her teeth and endured it, limping as she walked outside.
As she reached the door, she glanced back.
Qin Mu remained leaning against the soft couch with his eyes closed, the light from the palace lanterns illuminating his face and outlining his deep features.
He looked calm, as if he were simply resting from exhaustion.
But Jiang Qingxue knew that behind those closed eyes lay a gaze as sharp as a knife.
She turned and walked out of Tingtao Pavilion.
The night breeze swept over her, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees after the rain, but it couldn't dispel the chill in her heart.
The pain in her ankle came in waves, but she was completely unaware of it.
Jiang Qingxue looked up at the night sky.
The clouds remained thick, obscuring the stars and moon.
Just like the road ahead of her, it was pitch black, with not a glimmer of light in sight.
"Brother Longxiang..." she murmured softly, her voice breaking in the night wind.
"What should I do...?"
Tears finally broke free.
She leaned against a pillar, weeping silently, her frail figure trembling in the night like a leaf about to wither.
Inside Tingtao Pavilion, Qin Mu slowly opened his eyes.
He walked to the window, watching Jiang Qingxue's staggering figure as she left, a cold smile flashing in his eyes.
"Your Majesty." Yunluan appeared silently behind him.
"How is it?" Qin Mu didn't turn around.
"After leaving Tingtao Pavilion, Consort Xue cried for a while in the corridor, and has now returned to Shuying Studio. There were no abnormalities along the way," Yunluan reported in a low voice.
Qin Mu nodded, his gaze still fixed on the deep night outside the window:
"Xu Longxiang will definitely come to the Qinglan Mountain Grand Ceremony tomorrow."
"Yes."
"Protect her well." Qin Mu paused. "I want her to see with her own eyes what the person she longs for will be like in front of me."
Yunluan lowered her head: "Your subordinate understands."
Qin Mu turned around and walked back to the soft couch.
The light from the palace lanterns shone on his face, and his deep eyes gleamed with a cold yet playful light amidst the interplay of light and shadow.
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, at Qinglan Mountain.
The play was finally reaching its climax.
He was really looking forward to it.