Chapter 171: Refusing the decree, all because of you
Emperor Tianhui stared at the man standing upright before him, his shock surpassing his anger.
Impossible to do?
He actually dared to say it was impossible?
Long Feiye had said so countless times in regards to the marriage alliance, but this time was different from the rest. This time, he was facing an imperial edict! Emperor Tianhui backed up a step, his tone inconceivable and angry, “Long Feiye, are you refusing the decree?”
Unexpectedly, Long Feiye only replied mildly, “Chendi has already refused the decree.”
His tone was light, but emanated an aggressive, indomitable air. Even when refusing Emperor Tianhui, he was lofty and immovable! Emperor Tianhui could only stare at him blankly, as if oppressed by his intimidating aura.
No, he was the emperor. No one could challenge his authority.
He swept away the reports on his table and narrowed his eyes at Long Feiye, killer intent infusing his being. There was a furious pause before he shouted out his orders. “The Duke of Qin defied an imperial edict and showed lack of respect. Immediately detain him in the Hall of Regrets. Without Zhen’s permission, no one’s allowed to see him!”
At the end of his words, guards arrived to take Long Feiye into custody. Emperor Tianhui looked at him coldly, expecting him to repent and beg for mercy. Instead, Long Feiye didn’t resist, but smiled contemptuously as the guards led him away. It was only after that imposing figure disappeared from the door that Emperor Tianhui collapsed in his chair. He felt as if he’d woken up from a nightmare.
After calming his nerves, he glared at the kneeling Eunuch Xue. “He…he…he actually dared to defy the decree! Is he trying to rebel?”
“Does he really think Zhen won’t dare to do anything to him? This time, Zhen insists on it!”
“Eunuch Xue, go! Go on! Guard him personally for Zhen and don’t let anyone take half a step into the Hall of Regrets. Tell him that he’ll stay there for the rest of his life unless he marries Princess Rongle!”
… …
Scared stiff, Eunuch Xue’s heart beat wildly. He’d served under two generations of rulers, but this was his first time seeing anyone publicly defying the imperial edict before the emperor himself. His mind was completely blank, unable to hear Emperor Tianhui’s words.
“Hurry and go!” Emperor Tianhui roared, sweeping the rest of his things off the table. He was angry enough to start spewing smoke from his nostrils! Eunuch Xue finally recovered his wits and crawled to his feet, rushing out without delay.
That day, news of the Duke of Qin’s house arrest following his defiance of the decree spread to stun all levels of society. After all, his authority and lofty position was enough to overturn society itself. Even Emperor Tianhui had to yield three parts before him and rarely moved against him lightly. But once he did, it meant that Emperor Tianhui was intent on his move!
The situation had turned severe!
Grand Concubine Yi was first to hear the news. She dropped her half-eaten food and urgently rushed to the palace, but was refused entry both to the Hall of Regrets and the imperial study. Although details of the Duke of Qin’s defiance hadn’t been publicized, people knew of Princess Rongle’s early departure and the happenings at the Three-Way Battlefield. Anyone could tell that this matter was related to the marriage alliance. Various rumors grew and multiplied, especially those claiming that Qin Wangfei had bewitched the Duke of Qin to prevent the marriage alliance from happening. Grand Concubine Yi waited outside the imperial study for an entire day before she met Emperor Tianhui coming out.
“Your Majesty, the Duke of Qin was just muddleheaded for a moment. Let me go in and coax him?”
Emperor Tianhui didn’t even look at Grand Concubine Yi. He prepared to walk past her, but she chased after him. In the end, the eunuchs stepped in to hold her back.
“Your Majesty, you know about Feiye’s personality, too. He’s been crabby since he was young. Just let me talk to him, he’ll definitely change his mind. Your Majesty, the situation at the borders are changing daily, if you do this, then…”
Grand Concubine Yi spoke halfway before Emperor Tianhui angrily cut her off. “Grand Concubine Yi, does the Duke of Qin want to rebel by rejecting the imperial decree?”
Grand Concubine Yi’s face changed color at these words. Immediately, she shut her mouth and stood quietly in place. Emperor Tianhui looked at her coldly before asking, “Grand Concubine Yi, speak. Is the Duke of Qin rebelling?”
“No! The Duke of Qin definitely wouldn’t dare! May Your Majesty be clear!” Grand Concubine Yi instantly knelt down. She hadn’t bowed down to anyone since the previous emperor’s death, but she thoroughly understood that seniority meant nothing before imperial might.
Imperial power was the Heavens, the Earth, and everything in between!
Seeing Grand Concubine Yi kneel, Emperor Tianhui gave a cold snort as he whipped his sleeves and stalked away. She only returned home very late, only to find the place surrounded by imperial relatives and important ministers waiting for her news. After something like this had happened, various camps within the imperial court had all acted differently. Some threw rocks down after the corpse in the well, some waited on the sidelines without doing anything, while still some were urgently trying to help out.
If this was any other matter with any other person, perhaps all the ministers and relatives would be rushing to help. But it was the Duke of Qin that was being held prisoner! In Tianning Country, the only person higher than the Duke of Qin was Emperor Tianhui. Who could help him out now?
When the anxious crowd saw Grand Concubine Yi’s face, they grew still instead of asking questions. Various foreheads knitted their brows. One of their reasons for coming here was not only to ask about the situation in the palace, but to verify whether the rumors were true.
The Duke of Qin solely doted on Han Yunxi. That was why he refused the decree and marriage alliance. Many found this idea unimaginable. Still others had heard of various incidents and held doubt in their hearts.
Finally someone couldn’t resist asking, “Grand Imperial Concubine, doesn’t the Duke of Qin have the command seal? If there’s no help after a few days, he could use the possession of the late emperor.”
At this, Grand Concubine Yi’s gloomy face turned even gloomier. The New Year’s Eve family banquet, Changping’s incident, and the matter of the command seal had spread its way out from various rumors, but it’d never been publically proclaimed. Nor was she planning to set things straight now to a crowd of people. In the end, she hung her head and kept silent for a long time before waving a hand to dismiss them.
The crowd had no way to press her for answers, so each and every one of them took their leave. Emperor Tianhui’s question still lingered in her mind, leaving her worried, restless, and yet unsatisfied.
Back then, the previous emperor had been too ill and the Duke of Qin too young. If not for the fact that she lacked backing while her family was weaker than the empress dowager, the imperial throne could have gone to someone else besides Emperor Tianhui!
“Rebellion? Heheh…” as she thought, Grand Concubine Yi’s lips drew into a cold smile.
At this point, Han Yunxi walked in after seeing everyone else leave. Her tone was light as she spoke. “Mufei…”
She’d been completely frightened by the news, too. Never had she expected Long Feiye to refuse the imperial decree. Her impatient heart had her setting off towards the palace instantly, but Zhao mama had held her back. Who could she find or ask help from in the palace? Even then, could she convince them to do it? How could the Duke of Qin even permit such a thing? Wasn’t that just seeking disgrace for herself?
Grand Concubine Yi raised her head from her thoughts to gaze at Han Yunxi before giving a cold laugh. “Han Yunxi, do you know what edict the Duke of Qin refused?”
Han Yunxi guessed that it was the marriage alliance; otherwise, what else would cause friction between Emperor Tianhui and Long Feiye?
“It’s exactly the marriage alliance! Are you happy now?” As she spoke, Grand Concubine Yi took steps towards Han Yunxi with icy eyes. “Are you satisfied now?”
“I…” Han Yunxi backed away two steps. Although she’d guessed that this was the case, her heartbeat still sped up at Grand Concubine Yi’s irrefutable words!
“Are you satisfied?” Grand Concubine Yi bellowed.
“I’m not!” Han Yunxi blurred out.
“You’re still not satisfied?” Grand Concubine Yi shook her head with a frigid smile.
“That’s not what I meant! Whoever he chooses to marry has nothing to do with me! It’s not like he’s ever asked my opinion!” Han Yunxi indignantly explained in a loud voice.
Long Feiye hadn’t spoken a word to her regarding Duanmu Yao’s matters! But Grand Concubine Yi didn’t believe it. She asked her word-by-word, “Han Yunxi, exactly what did you use to bewitch Feiye?”
Bewitch?
Han Yunxi teetered at these words as she backed into a chair and sat down. “Mufei, what are you saying? I didn’t!”
Long Feiye wasn’t someone one cold bewitch easily. Moreover, if she could really do that, she wouldn’t have suffered so much to this point with her never ending tribulations.
“You haven’t? If you haven’t, why would Feiye reject the marriage alliance? He was forced to marry you just as he’s forced to marry Prince Rongle now. Where’s the difference?” Grand Concubine Yi asked.
This…
Where was the difference? Technically speaking, wedding Princess Rongle was an equal fit in social status. They were also a pair that seemed like a match made in Heaven. Marrying her was like the capital’s big joke. Han Yunxi had nothing to say.
Long Feiye had indeed been forced to marry her. He didn’t even show up on the wedding day but still agreed to it in the end.
Why was he being so unyielding this time?
What was the difference between being forced to marry once or twice? Couldn’t he just learn to accept it?
“You haven’t? If you haven’t, why would he use the command seal on you? What does your life and death have anything to do with him? Don’t you know that the command seal is equal to a second life?”
Han Yunxi had even less initiative to speak. If the command seal hadn’t been used on her, Long Feiye wouldn’t be under house arrest now. Even if it was refusing the edict, Emperor Tianhui wouldn’t have any way of dealing with him.
“Han Yunxi, it’s all because of you! All you!” Grand Concubine Yi’s hands clutched tightly at Han Yunxi’s shoulders, her hate-filled gaze ready to tear Han Yunxi apart.
Against such violence, Han Yunxi lost her confidence for the first time and allowed Grand Concubine Yi to hold onto her. She couldn’t provide an explanation, but she didn’t push her away, either. She could only stand stunned and dazed as her mind turned blank. Grand Concubine Yi was angry enough to leave her entire person in a state of agitation. Finally, she shook her sleeves and left Han Yunxi with one line.
“Han Yunxi, you’re a star of misfortune. If anything happens to Feiye, I won’t forgive you!”
—
Han Yunxi sat in her rooms for a very long time until Zhao mama’s appearance stirred her back to her senses.
“Zhao mama, will something really happen to His Highness?” she murmured.
Zhao mama sighed. “Defying a decree…that’s a capital offence. These years, His Majesty’s been striving to catch His Highness’s tail! Aye, His Highness has always been prudent and careful, but why this time…”
Hearing this, Han Yunxi’s heart sank. She didn’t bewitch Long Feiye, but she did use up the command seal. So in short, she ended up hurting him anyways.
Very soon, ten days passed. No one could coax Emperor Tianhui, nor were there any news from the Hall of Regrets. All one could do was wait. Grand Concubine Yi didn’t enter the palace again, nor did she speak when seeing Han Yunxi. But the enmity in her gaze was venomous enough to kill! Han Yunxi’s heart was filled with conscience-stricken remorse. She didn’t go anywhere, but sat for entire days in front of Long Feiye’s quarters.
Today, Zhao mama ran over in a fluster, called, “Esteemed wangfei, esteemed wangfei…”
Delighted, Han Yunxi rose to meet her. “Zhao mama, is there news?”