BLPSG Chapter 39: The emperor wanted to kill Xie Bufeng

As evening approached, the streets of Songxiu Prefecture grew more crowded.

 

Fearing that Xie Bufeng might get separated from him, Wen Qingci gently took hold of the young man’s sleeve.

 

Xie Bufeng, seemingly drunk, no longer had the sharp gaze he had earlier.

 

Pedestrians no longer avoided them intentionally, they flowed past without hesitation.

 

In a trance, the two of them were like fallen leaves drifting on the river’s surface, swaying and brushing against each other with the waves.

 

As the lanterns were lit, they illuminated the blue-brick and slate roofs.

 

The warm light reflected on the riverbed, casting an ethereal glow over the marketplace, akin to a legendary celestial palace.

 

The warm hues of the lanterns illuminated Wen Qingci’s profile.

 

In his dark eyes, there was a hint of warmth.

 

Xie Bufeng’s heart trembled like ripples on water.

 

Perhaps it was the effect of the wine.

 

At the corner, Xie Bufeng suddenly held his breath and gently reached out to grasp Wen Qingci’s slender wrist.

 

Cold and delicate, like jade.

 

The moon-white figure of the imperial physician swayed slightly.

 

On Wen Qingci’s wrist, a faint scar could be discerned.

 

The young man’s eyes dimmed—it was the scar he had inflicted on their first encounter, using a bone ring.

 

Regret surged like waves, threatening to engulf Xie Bufeng. He couldn’t help but use his fingertip to lightly brush over the scar on Wen Qingci’s wrist.

 

Xie Bufeng’s own hand bore numerous tiny scars, including his fingertips.

 

This unconscious touch was akin to a wild beast absentmindedly licking his wrist.

 

Both gentle and dangerous.

 

Xie Bufeng decided to play along, pretending to be slightly tipsy as he and Wen Qingci returned to their residence.

 

At the end of spring, Wen Qingci had collected many magnolia petals, drying and preserving them. Some were casually placed in his medicine box.

 

Worried that Xie Bufeng might suffer from drunkenness or dizziness, Wen Qingci took out the dried magnolia petals and brewed a soothing tea for him.

 

The floral tea was sweet and carried a subtle fragrance.

 

In an instant, it transported them back to that early spring when the air was filled with the scent of blooming magnolias.

…

 

The supply of Fuxuan Flower Pills was exhausted.

 

Fortunately, Songxiu Prefecture was renowned for its medicinal resources, and nearly all rare herbs could be found here.

 

The emperor’s visible decline worried everyone. The burdens of the southern tour, border affairs, and headaches tormented him.

 

His emotions had erupted uncontrollably in front of courtiers several times.

 

Seeing this, even the emperor dared not put up a facade of strength anymore.

 

After enduring for two days, he urgently dispatched a messenger to collect Fuxuan flowers from the nearby Eryan Mountain. These were delivered to Wen Qingci, who promptly made them into pills.

 

At the moment of handing over the medicine, Wen Qingci noticed the emperor’s trembling hands.

 

His heart sank slightly.

 

After observing for a few days, Wen Qingci had confirmed that Fuxuan Flower Pills were far more addictive than he had anticipated.

 

Simultaneously, they magnified mental issues.

 

In just a few days, the emperor seemed like a different person.

 

Even the friendly facade he had maintained was now difficult to sustain.

 

The emperor temporarily resided in the perfect’s residence in Songxiu.

 

The once-prominent Consort Hui and Second Prince had fallen from grace. Accompanying the emperor in this residence was now Consort Lan.

 

Following tradition, Xie Bufeng was also assigned to stay here with his mother.

 

Songxiu Prefecture was small but exquisite in its architecture.

 

The dining hall felt a bit crowded, with tables placed closely together.

 

The imperial dinner felt more like a family feast.

 

As the accompanying court physician, Wen Qingci was also invited. He sat next to Xie Bufeng, near the door.

 

Hearing that the emperor’s mood had been poor lately, the Perfect of Songxiu decided not to arrange music during the meal. Instead, he invited several renowned musicians from the common folk.

 

Soon, the tranquil melodies filled the hall, and the emperor’s previously furrowed brow seemed to relax.

 

After a while, the emperor lifted his eyelids and glanced at the musician playing the zither.

 

He waved his hand and said to Xian Gonggong: “The immortal music is pleasant to the ears. Go and give him the zither that Dengcheng Mansion sent a while ago.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Xian Gonggong hurriedly took the order and walked back, while silently pursing his lips.

 

The emperor has always been clear and careful in rewarding and punishing.

 

In the past, no matter how well a musician played, he would not receive any reward.

 

However, today, he not only gave a reward, but also a high reward.

 

…Under the influence of headaches, the emperor became increasingly unrestrained in his behavior.

 

Not only did Xian Gonggong feel strange, but the musician was even more shocked.

 

He quickly put down the zither in his hand, knelt on the ground and thanked the person on the throne in his heart.

 

Several other musicians also knelt down before the emperor.

 

The atmosphere became very heated.

 

But at this moment, a voice suddenly rang in Xie Bufeng’s ears –

 

“There are so many wronged souls in Songxiu Prefecture watching from under the Yinchuan Grand Canal, how dare you come?!”

 

“You are a tyrant, you shall not die well—”

 

There was a hint of Songxiu Prefecture accent in the curse.

 

Xie Bufeng subconsciously looked up at the group of musicians.

 

The next second, the boy saw that the last musician in the line, who was holding a clay flute, had hatred in his eyes that he could not hide.

 

His hair was already gray and he looked to be in his fifties or sixties.

 

interesting.

 

The young man couldn’t help but pick up the teacup to hide the smile on his lips.

 

Before, when he and Wen Qingci were walking on the streets of Songxiu Prefecture, he had vaguely noticed that the people here did not respect the emperor as much as those in Dengcheng Prefecture.

 

There was not much enthusiasm for the royal southern tour.

 

Even Xie Bufeng heard a lot of cursing that day.

 

The streets were noisy and he couldn’t hear the specific sentences.

 

However, the words “accident”, “dam breach” and “construction period” appear too frequently.

 

After listening to them several times, Xie Bufeng also memorized them in his heart…

 

Consort Lan once told Wen Qingci that many people died in Songxiu Prefecture in the past few years, and now two to three tenths of the people here came from other prefectures.

 

The musicians continued to curse.

 

Combined with what he just said, the story of that year gradually became clearer in Xie Bufeng’s mind…

 

He finally knew what had happened here that year.

 

He also knows what the person on the throne is feeling guilty about.

 

The boy narrowed his eyes slowly.

 

The blood debt owed by “Father” seemed to be much greater than he had originally thought.

 

Even Xie Bufeng, who had been able to hear people’s thoughts and knew a lot of secrets since he was a child, was still extremely surprised.

 

The musician’s expression was somewhat obvious, but fortunately he was standing in a hidden place, and only a few people in the entire hall could see him.

 

Coincidentally, Wen Qingci is one of them.

 

He couldn’t help but frown and looked over there with a little confusion.

 

For some reason, His heart suddenly trembled.

 

As if he had guessed what he was curious about, the young man sitting next to Wen Qingci suddenly came closer.

 

Xie Bufeng twirled the teacup in his hand and said in a low voice, “The Yinchuan Grand Canal began to be built in the first year of Tianchu, when he ascended the throne.”

 

Wen Qingci was stunned for a moment before realizing that the “he” Xie Bufeng was talking about was the current emperor.

 

“Hmm…” Wen Qingci clenched the teacup in his hand and nodded slowly.

 

The sound of the zither rang out again, and the emperor’s expression seemed to relax a little, but his lips were still tightly pursed.

 

Xie Bufeng glanced at the bright yellow figure and continued in a deep voice, “The river channel in Songxiu Prefecture is complicated and the soil is loose, so it takes a long time to build. The Yinchuan Canal was originally scheduled to be completed ten years after he took the throne as a gift. In order to catch up with the deadline, the river workers had to work day and night, but they didn’t expect an accident to happen and the dam collapsed and people drowned.”

 

“Looking at the age of this musician, he must have experienced this incident personally.”

 

He doesn’t know how the emperor dared to come here again.

 

Xie Bufeng’s tone was extremely calm.

 

But Wen Qingci’s breathing almost stopped.

 

He also remembered what Consort Lan said that day.

 

The river workers who constructed the Yin River Grand Canal were mostly young men recruited from nearby towns.

 

Overnight, countless people died in the river, causing the population of Songxiu Prefecture to decrease by one or two tenths.

 

Reluctantly, they relocated new residents from surrounding towns.

 

Hence, the streets of Songxiu Prefecture now echoed with various accents.

 

“…This matter has never been mentioned in any written records,” murmured Wen Qingci.

Even the “Supporting the Ming Hall” had no record of it.

 

As soon as he finished speaking, Wen Qingci understood the Emperor’s purpose—

 

In this era, transportation was inconvenient, and information spread at an excruciatingly slow pace.

 

As long as it was suppressed and not recorded in official history, In just a few years, it would become a deeply buried topic.

 

And a few years later, with the aging and death of eyewitnesses, it would either fade into mere “rumor” or become an unverifiable anecdote in unofficial history.

 

In any case, it had no bearing on the lofty Emperor in Yongdu.

 

Thinking of the countless restless souls hidden beneath the waters of the Yin River Grand Canal, Wen Qingci’s body suddenly lost its warmth.

 

No wonder the Emperor appeared so nervous upon arriving here.

 

Apart from the unexpected interruption of the Fuxuan Flower Pill supply, he was also burdened by guilt.

 

Wen Qingci’s mind spun into chaos.

 

Before he could sort through these emotions, a maid approached, carrying a long platter.

 

The voice of the Songxiu Perfect suddenly rang out:

 

“Your Majesty, Consort Lan, this clear stewed catfish is a famous dish from Songxiu Prefecture.”

 

“These fish were caught directly from the Yin River Grand Canal, incredibly tender and sweet…”

 

He enthusiastically introduced the dish, oblivious to the Emperor’s increasingly grim expression.

 

Xie Zhaolin clenched the white jade finger ring in his hand, his gaze wandering aimlessly until it met Xie Bufeng’s cold, mocking eyes.

 

In that instant, panic surged through him, and he stood up abruptly from his seat.

 

The table in front of him crashed to the ground as he rose.

 

The loud noise startled everyone present.

 

The previously smiling Songxiu Prefect turned pale and knelt on the ground, trembling as he bowed his head.

 

The music ceased abruptly.

 

The incense continued to burn.

 

The Emperor stared at the dishes before him as if he had seen a ghost. He then took out the Fuxuan Flower Pill and swallowed it.

 

With a forceful kick, he sent the table flying, scattering the still-warm fish onto the floor.

 

The aroma mixed with a hint of fishiness permeated the small room.

 

The delicious scent only made his complexion worse, even inducing a faint nausea—

 

“Remove them—”

 

“Take it all away!!!”

 

The Emperor completely lost his composure.

 

The trembling maids hurriedly approached, removing the plates of fish.

 

They knelt down and cleaned up the spilled fish from the floor.

 

Yet, the lingering fishy smell in the air refused to dissipate.

 

The Emperor’s face turned ashen, his body trembling uncontrollably. Even the little princess, cradled by her wet nurse nearby, burst into tears.

 

If it weren’t for Xie Bufeng’s earlier words, Wen Qingci might have wondered what was happening with the Emperor.

 

But now, it all became clear—

 

Catfish feed on meat. Those that are artificially farmed may eat feed made from shrimps and crabs, but the wild catfish in the Yinchuan Grand Canal will eat whatever is available.

 

The Emperor, prompted by the Songxiu Prefect’s words, remembered the countless river workers who had died beneath the canal’s waters.

 

The young Songxiu Prefect, newly transferred from another region a few months ago, had no knowledge of that history. He had merely intended to present the most famous river delicacies and curry favor by emphasizing their origin in the Yin River Grand Canal.

 

Unexpectedly, his flattery had hit the Emperor’s sore spot directly.

 

Ignoring appearances, the Songxiu Perfect hurried to the incense burner near the window, using the strong fragrance to dispel the lingering fish odor.

 

The Emperor’s chest heaved, and he looked like someone just pulled from the water, drenched in sweat.

 

Witnessing this, the Xian Gonggong quickly led a few young eunuchs to support the Emperor toward the inner chamber, simultaneously sending for the imperial physician.

 

Wen Qingci glanced back at Xie Fuyin, who was still crying not far away and said, “Your Highness, please check on the little princess. I’ll be back shortly.”

 

With that, he followed the young eunuch, leaving the chaotic main hall behind and heading toward the inner chamber.

 

As he stepped inside, a crisp sound echoed beneath his feet.

 

The emperor kicked over a copper incense burner with a bamboo handle. It rolled on the ground for a few rounds and landed right at Wen Qingci’s feet.

 

In an instant, the smoke billowed up, choking Wen Qingci and causing him to cough continuously.

 

He held his breath and walked forward slowly.

 

At this time, a young eunuch took Wen Qingci’s medicine box and handed it to him.

 

The emperor also forced himself to sit on the couch.

 

Wen Qingci saw from the corner of his eye that the room was full of porcelain fragments, and the eunuch who handed him the medicine box was covered in blood.

 

It looked like he was accidentally hit by something.

 

In order to prevent these innocent people from being hurt again, Wen Qingci must calm the emperor down as soon as possible.

 

At this point, the medicine is no longer very effective.

 

Wen Qingci was just about to take out the silver needle when he suddenly saw the emperor looking at him with his eyes wide open.

 

After a few seconds of pause, he slowly shook his head and said through gritted teeth: “…I should have killed him long ago.”

 

“I should have killed him long ago… I shouldn’t have listened to the Queen Mother and let him go…”

 

The emperor’s gaze passed Wen Qingci and fell into a misty smoke.

 

Although it was not stated who this “he” was, the three words “Xie Bufeng” subconsciously appeared in Wen Qingci’s mind.

 

Wen Qingci’s ears suddenly became quiet.

 

He clenched the silver needle in his hand and instinctively asked the unconscious emperor: “Why?”

 

“Vengeful spirit… a vengeful spirit reincarnated…”

 

The emperor’s eyes were confused and filled with fear as he spoke.

 

——Xie Bufeng was born on a boat on the Yinchuan Grand Canal during the emperor’s first southern tour more than ten years ago.

 

Since he was born, he has had no sense of pain. No matter how the midwife beat him, he refused to shed a single tear. He was so calm that he was unlike any other baby.

 

This is unprecedented and has never been heard of before.

 

The emperor was already feeling guilty and fearful.

 

Xie Bufeng’s abnormal behavior instantly reminded him of the countless river workers who died at the bottom of the Yinchuan Grand Canal.

 

He subconsciously regarded Xie Bufeng as a vengeful spirit who was reincarnated into the imperial family and came to seek revenge on him.

 

…No wonder he was so disgusted and even afraid of Xie Bufeng.

 

…No wonder he, as a “benevolent ruler”, regardless of his reputation, was determined to send the three-year-old Xie Bufeng away from his side.

 

Thinking of this, Wen Qingci’s heart suddenly ached.

 

Xie Bufeng did nothing after he was born, but because of his congenital disease and his father’s fear, he suffered unnecessary punishment.

 

Even his fate was determined at the moment of his birth.

 

Everything is due to other people’s ignorance and guilty conscience.

 

Wen Qingci quickly inserted the needle into the acupuncture points that calmed the mind.

 

The emperor’s eyelids finally drooped.

 

Just before he fell asleep, he kept muttering “I should have killed him earlier”.

 

The back hall became quiet again.

 

The only sound in Wen Qingci’s ears was the sound of the eunuchs and palace maids cleaning the vase residue from beneath their feet.

 

He silently put the silver needle back into the medicine box.

 

At this moment, Wen Qingci clearly realized that unlike his fear and vigilance towards Xie Guanzhi, the emperor really wanted to kill Xie Bufeng.

 

The night wind brought the faint smell of fish from the Yinchuan Grand Canal to Wen Qingci’s nose.

 

At this moment, he inevitably thought of the next plot in the original novel:

 

Xie Bufeng was sent to the battlefield by the emperor to fend for himself.

 

Wen Qingci’s heart sank heavily.