Zuo Canglang shoved Hai Yun away with all her strength and sat up. "You're lying! How is that possible? Your Majesty, I want Yang Lianting to re-examine me!"
Murong Yan remained silent, but Jiang Bilan spoke from the side. "General Zuo, those are strange words indeed. You distrust the Imperial Physician General and the Assistant Physician of the palace, yet you place your faith in someone from the Baiyu Sect? This Yang Lianting is now the Sect Leader of the Baiyu; for the General to call for him by name suggests a deep acquaintance. Naturally, he would side with the General..."
Before she could finish, Zuo Canglang suddenly snapped, "Shut your mouth!"
Jiang Bilan was startled. Until now, Zuo Canglang had always maintained the decorum of a subject; when had she ever spoken so insolently? She slowly retreated behind Murong Yan and said, "You actually dare to speak to me in such a manner!"
Zuo Canglang looked at Murong Yan. "Your Majesty, it doesn't matter whose child this is." Murong Yan’s expression shifted slightly. Zuo Canglang lifted her head, becoming remarkably assertive for the first time. "Even if it isn't Your Majesty’s flesh and blood, it is still mine. It matters not how many months the physicians claim, nor whether Your Majesty believes it. I believe that throughout history, there has never been a rule stating that a subordinate’s wife must remain chaste for the King."
Murong Yan stared into her eyes. One of her hands shielded her lower abdomen, her gaze unwavering. Murong Yan said, "Whose is it? Five months ago, you were at Xiaoquan Mountain. Is it Daxi Qin’s?"
Zuo Canglang let out a cold laugh. "There is no need for Your Majesty to trouble yourself."
With that, she stood up, intending to leave the palace. Murong Yan suddenly reached out, grabbed her arm, and delivered a sharp slap to her face. Zuo Canglang’s cheek went numb, and she froze in shock. Murong Yan said, "I had resolved to grant you the rank of Consort. Yet you went behind my back to engage in such scandalous conduct with another man!"
Zuo Canglang covered her cheek. Murong Yan continued, "Where do you think you’re going now? To the Marquis Jinyu’s estate to live happily ever after with Daxi Qin?"
A man like him was usually composed; for him to act this way today showed he had truly lost his self-control. Infuriated, Zuo Canglang retorted, "If Your Majesty thinks so, then so be it!"
She pushed him away and turned to walk out! Murong Yan grabbed her back and threw her violently onto the bed. He turned to Zhao Zien and barked, "Get rid of this bastard child! Feng Ping!"
Outside the hall, Feng Ping hurried in. Seeing the King's expression, he was also taken aback. "Your Majesty?"
Murong Yan said, "Confine Zuo Canglang to Nanqing Palace. Without my permission, she is not to take a single step outside the palace gates!"
Feng Ping bowed. "This subject obeys!"
Still consumed by rage, Murong Yan added, "Send men to the Marquis Jinyu’s estate immediately and arrest Daxi Qin!"
Zuo Canglang was beyond livid. "Murong Yan!"
Murong Yan did not speak to her further and stormed out, slamming the door. Zuo Canglang tried to chase after him, but Feng Ping waved his hand, and two Imperial Guards stepped forward to restrain her. Jiang Bilan slowly stood up, glanced at Hai Yun, and said, "Why are you still standing there? Did you not hear His Majesty’s command?"
Hai Yun answered and hurriedly began writing a prescription. Zuo Canglang struggled fiercely, forcing the two guards to pin her down. Jiang Bilan walked slowly up to her and said, "I never thought you would see such a day." She reached out and gently stroked Zuo Canglang’s lower abdomen. "When my child was lost, you only spent less than ten days in prison. His life was traded for a mere ten days of your incarceration."
Her fingers were slightly cold. Zuo Canglang couldn't help but shrink back. Suddenly, Jiang Bilan stood up and kicked her in the abdomen with all her might. Zuo Canglang let out a shrill cry, her body curling up like a shrimp tossed into a pan of boiling oil.
Jiang Bilan kicked her again, viciously. Zuo Canglang suddenly broke free from the guards and lunged at her. Jiang Bilan screamed, but fortunately, Feng Ping was standing behind her; he blocked Zuo Canglang’s strike and caught her with one hand.
Jiang Bilan quickly pulled away from his hold. Once she regained her footing, she saw that Zuo Canglang had already fainted.
The palace servants dared not make a sound. A peculiar sense of gratification shone in the Queen's eyes. She turned to Zhao Zien and said, "I shouldn't need to remind you what needs to be done, should I?"
Cold sweat rolled down Zhao Zien’s forehead. Hearing this, he said, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. This subject understands."
Jiang Bilan said, "At least you know how to be tactful."
With that, she turned and left Nanqing Palace. Zhao Zien walked to the bedside and saw Zuo Canglang, thin as a rail, with a shocking streak of fresh blood seeping from beneath her robes.
***
In the Imperial Study, Murong Yan was reviewing memorials. He had just lifted his vermilion brush when he set it down again. The carved wooden doors opened and closed; Wang Yunzhao walked over. Murong Yan asked, "How is it?"
Wang Yunzhao kept his head low. After a long silence, he said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been dealt with."
The wind brushed against the window lattices with a rustling sound. Murong Yan remained silent, offering no further word.
When Zuo Canglang woke, the candle shadows were flickering. Nanqing Palace was deathly quiet. Beyond the heavy layers of silk curtains, Keqing was leaning against the bedpost, still asleep. Zuo Canglang sat up and threw on a robe, preparing to get out of bed. Keqing’s head nodded, and she jolted awake. Seeing Zuo Canglang getting up, she hurriedly said, "General? Please, lie back down. The physician said you mustn't catch a chill!"
Zuo Canglang pushed her aside and dressed herself. Keqing grew anxious. "General, it's the middle of the night. Where are you going?"
Zuo Canglang didn't answer. She walked straight to the palace gates, where a row of Imperial Guards stood. Seeing her approach, the leader quickly blocked her path. "General, His Majesty has ordered the seal of Nanqing Palace. No one is permitted to enter or leave. Please return, General."
Zuo Canglang walked forward slowly. Finally, she spoke. "Then kill me, and take my head to him as an account of your duty."
The guards froze. Her face was as pale as paper, her steps unsteady, and she looked too frail to even bear the weight of her clothes. Yet, no one dared to draw a blade against her. The soldiers retreated step by step. The leader said, "General, we are only following orders. Why must you make things difficult for us?"
Zuo Canglang said, "If you won't draw your blades, then move."
She strode forward. This Palace of Yan was like a beast with its maw wide open, a place she didn't want to stay in for another moment. Keqing and another maid chased after her, but they didn't know what to do.
Zuo Canglang made it all the way out of the inner palace. Just as she was about to exit the palace gates, someone blocked her path. It was Feng Ping. He looked her up and down, saying expressionlessly, "His Majesty ordered your confinement to Nanqing Palace. Trespassing against the palace gates is a violation of an imperial decree, a crime punishable by death."
Zuo Canglang stared into his eyes and said, "Move."
Feng Ping’s thumb nudged his hilt, and his waist saber slid out of its scabbard. "Blades have no eyes. Do you truly insist on testing them?"
At this moment, Zuo Canglang was unarmed and physically depleted; he didn't believe he couldn't take her down. Zuo Canglang, however, was certain he wouldn't dare kill her. Murong Yan still needed the Wen faction; even Feng Ping wouldn't dare to let her die by his blade in such a public manner.
Otherwise, Murong Yan would be forced to severely punish the killer to appease the anger of the generals in the army. If that happened, regardless of whether the King wished to protect him, Feng Ping would surely die. Feng Ping was a man who valued his own life; he certainly wouldn't do something that resulted in mutual destruction.
But as she continued to walk forward, Feng Ping struck. Zuo Canglang dodged two moves and was suddenly startled—every one of Feng Ping’s strikes, whether intentional or not, was aimed at her face!
Feng Ping’s gaze was dark, his blade moving like a gale. He understood Zuo Canglang’s leverage perfectly. He couldn't take her life in this setting—just as Hai Yun and Zhao Zien, despite being instigated by the Queen, didn't dare to directly poison her to death.
No matter what, if anyone was linked to her death, the old subordinates of the Wen clan would not let it rest. Murong Yan would have to give an account to the Wen clan and the world. Therefore, anyone involved in her death would absolutely die.
However, the reason she was able to stay by Murong Yan’s side and possess such immense power was ultimately because she served the monarch with her beauty, was it not? If he "accidentally" left a scar on that face today, she was the one violating an imperial order first; he could claim it was a slip of the hand, and no one could do anything to him.
Even if Murong Yan intended to investigate, would a disfigured woman be worth his deep concern?
With this thought, his blade-wind became like lightning, pressing closer. How could Zuo Canglang endure such an intense confrontation in her current state? After only a few moves, Feng Ping’s blade was before her eyes. Just as the edge was about to lick across her face, someone screamed and lunged forward, blocking the strike.
Feng Ping hadn't intended to kill her, so his strike wasn't overly heavy. The blade sliced into a maid’s wrist, cutting deep into the flesh.
The maid seemed to think she was dead; she kept her eyes closed and just screamed. Zuo Canglang froze, slowly giving up her resistance. It was true—Feng Ping couldn't take her life, but he had more malicious intentions. Resisting now would only allow a petty man to inflict more harm upon her.
The maid in front of her screamed for a long time before opening her eyes to find she was still alive, though her wrist was bleeding profusely. She hurriedly turned to look at Zuo Canglang. Zuo Canglang was also looking at the wound on her wrist. After a long while, she said softly, "Let's go back."
Her voice was filled with exhaustion.
Murong Yan had indeed sealed Nanqing Palace, leaving only two maids behind: one was Keqing, and the other was the girl who had blocked Feng Ping’s blade for her. It wasn't until they returned to Nanqing Palace that Zuo Canglang took her hand to examine it. The tip of the blade hadn't gone deep into the bone, but if it had struck her face, disfigurement would have been certain.
She said, "Ask Keqing to apply some medicine for you."
The maid had screamed so loudly earlier because she was certain she would die. Now that she hadn't, and had only suffered a minor injury, she couldn't help but blush. She nodded. Zuo Canglang asked, "What is your name?"
She grinned. "Reporting to the General, my name is Weiwei."
Zuo Canglang nodded and signaled for the two of them to leave. Keqing led Weiwei away, and in an instant, the entire palace chamber was left with only her and the cold light of the candles.
Zuo Canglang sat on the bed until dawn. The charcoal fire slowly burned out. Keqing and Weiwei, behind her back, mixed the low-grade charcoal used by servants into the high-grade charcoal so that her chamber wouldn't be excessively cold. Although Zuo Canglang was a warrior, she was actually quite observant. If she couldn't even notice this, it would have been far too dangerous for her to have become the commander of three armies.
But she didn't expose them. Now that Jiang Bilan was in charge of the inner palace, one could imagine how much the provisions for Nanqing Palace were being embezzled. Zhao Zien and Hai Yun came by once a day, but as long as Zuo Canglang said she wouldn't see them, they wouldn't enter.
Both men knew a grudge had been formed; trying to curry favor now was useless, so they were merely going through the motions.
Two days passed. Even the food sent to Nanqing Palace consisted of leftovers and scraps, and it was always delayed. Even Keqing and Weiwei could no longer bear it.
The two girls frequently argued with the eunuchs delivering the food, but what did it matter? They only received cold mockery and insults in return, leaving them fuming with indignation.
Wen Xingye and the others did not come to the palace to see her again. Ever since they learned of her relationship with Murong Yan, Wen Xingye had stopped worrying about her—with that kind of connection, staying in the palace for a long time was only natural, right? The generals in the army couldn't come to see her either, but everyone assumed she must be doing well.
After all, when she fell into enemy hands, Murong Yan was willing to trade cities for her. What kind of high regard was that? Throughout history, had any general ever received such divine imperial favor?
And so, she stayed in the cold, desolate palace, discovering that the Palace of Yan was truly so lonely it was frightening. The sky darkened and brightened; day and night, it was so quiet she could hear the sound of leaves falling.
The weather grew colder and colder. Icicles could be seen hanging from the eaves outside. Her body was already weak and couldn't withstand the cold; the brazier couldn't be extinguished day or night. By the time Keqing and Weiwei had burned through their own rations of charcoal, Nanqing Palace was cold enough to chill the heart.
Zuo Canglang sat upon the bed, the warmth of her body slowly being sapped away. The two maids were so cold they constantly rubbed their hands and blew on them for warmth.
Lunch didn't arrive until evening, and the thin porridge was filled with ice shards. When Weiwei saw it, she said angrily, "In such cold weather, how can the General eat this?!"
A snide voice replied, "Everyone eats this. If others can eat it, why can't she?"
Weiwei snapped, "What kind of talk is that?! Our General is ill..."
Before she could finish, Zuo Canglang said softly, "Weiwei, come inside."
The voice outside wasn't afraid of her hearing and continued, "Since the General is so precious, this servant will just take these things back."
Weiwei gritted her teeth in hatred, but she had no choice. She snatched the tray from his hands and carried it into the inner hall. Her eyes were filled with tears, but fearing she would make the General sad, she didn't cry. She only said, "Those dogs only know how to bully people!"
Zuo Canglang stood up. The brazier had already gone out. She walked to the bookshelf, took a roll of bamboo slips, and without even looking to see what military strategy it was, she lit it with a fire-starter and threw it into the stove.
Weiwei was shocked. "General, this book... this is an ancient text!"
Zuo Canglang tossed the bamboo slips covered in military strategies into the stove one by one. She said, "Come here, heat the porridge."
Weiwei rushed to snatch the bamboo slips back, her tears flowing instantly. "General! What are you doing?"
Zuo Canglang said, "Don't cry."
Weiwei’s tears fell like rain. "Please don't be like this, I beg you! The year I entered the palace, you had just conquered Mayi City. Back then, when I knew I was being assigned to serve in Nanqing Palace, you don't know how happy I was! I thought that as long as I could catch a glimpse of you, I would be willing to die! Please don't be like this..."
She pulled out the half-charred bamboo slips and collapsed into Zuo Canglang’s arms, weeping. Zuo Canglang did not move. These profound and exquisite military strategies—what use were they in the end?
She patted Weiwei’s shoulder and said softly, "I am not 'being like' anything." Weiwei lifted her head, sobbing as she looked at her face. Zuo Canglang’s gaze was cold and dark. "I only want to make certain people tremble with fear and be seized by terror, simply because of where my blade is pointed."
***
**Glossary**
