The war in Northern Yu proceeded with remarkable smoothness. Murong Yan was in high spirits; he had dispatched Zhou Xin to the Yu territories, leading everyone to believe he intended to appoint Zhou Xin as the Grand Marshal.
However, on this day in court, he commanded Wang Yunzhao to read an imperial edict. To everyone's surprise, he appointed Zuo Canglang as the General of the Guard of Great Yan, further bestowing upon her the title of Grand Marshal. With a golden seal and purple ribbon, her rank was now equivalent to that of the Prime Minister. Following this, Zhou Xin was promoted to General of the Flying Cavalry. Jiang Qi was also granted the rank of a fourth-grade Colonel for his military merits.
When the edict was proclaimed, Jiang Sanyi’s expression shifted slightly. This decree of Murong Yan’s carried a heavy sense of appeasement and compromise. It seemed that during this period, Zuo Canglang had been at odds with him, their hearts no longer aligned. Was this why he had issued such a conciliatory policy?
Yet, by doing so, the power of the Wen faction became far too great.
His heart was in turmoil, but he could say nothing. As he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard Murong Yan speak: "Recently, the Queen has been unwell. Upon examination by the imperial physicians, it has been confirmed that she is carrying the imperial heir." The court fell silent for a moment before the officials knelt in unison, offering their repeated congratulations.
Zheng Zhizhou went as far as to say, "The Queen’s pregnancy coincides with a period of favorable weather for our Great Yan and a succession of victories in the north. It appears this unborn heir is destined to be a person of immense blessing. Truly, a lucky star bestowed upon Your Majesty by the heavens."
For reasons unknown, Murong Yan glanced at Zuo Canglang. She said nothing, standing silently at the head of the military officials.
After the court session adjourned, Wang Yunzhao followed Murong Yan out of the palace hall and remarked, "Your Majesty, observing the General’s expression in court today, she still seemed somewhat despondent." Murong Yan gave a noncommittal hum. Wang Yunzhao continued, "In truth, the General has always been... utterly loyal to Your Majesty, without any ulterior motives. The position of Grand Marshal was never something she sought."
Murong Yan replied, "I understand your meaning, and I understand her thoughts. But for now, regardless of anything else, we must wait until the eldest prince is born. When that time comes, if she truly desires a child, it is not impossible."
Wang Yunzhao lowered his head. "Your Majesty rules the world; standing high and seeing far, your considerations are naturally thorough. We servants stand low and are inevitably short-sighted. Please do not take offense at the views of the short-sighted."
Murong Yan walked forward, only speaking after a long silence. "What is there for me to... take offense at with her?"
That night, Murong Yan visited the Phoenix Nest Palace. Jiang Bilan was naturally attentive, yet she did not dare ask him to stay the night. Since losing her previous child, she had been extremely careful in nurturing her health. Jiang Sanyi had also specifically invited highly skilled physicians to enter the palace periodically to treat and maintain her constitution.
With the arrival of this child, she was cautious to the extreme; if not supported by a palace maid, she would not even walk.
Seeing that her complexion was quite rosy, Murong Yan was satisfied. He said, "Now that the Queen is pregnant, leave the trivial matters of the palace to Wang Yunzhao. Rest quietly; the most important thing is to give birth to the imperial heir safely."
Jiang Bilan smiled gently and said, "I understand. I have also instructed the palace staff to be mindful of everything. I thank Your Majesty for your concern."
Murong Yan nodded, taking her hand. "Even now, I often remember how the Queen looked when we were children."
A sweetness filled Jiang Bilan’s heart. She finally carried this man’s flesh and blood; from now on, no matter what, they would be inseparable. That woman... even if that woman continued to stand between them, what of it?
He would have a relative bound to him by blood.
She said, "Since that time, I often imagined what it would be like... to stay by Your Majesty’s side. Though we have endured many hardships..." She lowered her head, thinking of these past years—marrying the deposed Crown Prince, losing her first child... returning to the palace only to encounter Zuo Canglang, then losing her second child. For some reason, her eyes suddenly reddened.
Murong Yan reached out to brush the hair at her temples, eventually drawing her slowly into his embrace. "You are still the Queen, staying by my side. Why be sorrowful?"
Jiang Bilan sniffled, then smiled again. "It is my fault for dwelling on old matters. I have prepared dinner for Your Majesty. You must be hungry; shall I have the meal served?"
Murong Yan smiled and nodded, his hand reaching out to touch her abdomen. It was still early; her belly was very flat, and he felt nothing unusual.
However, just as he was about to pull his hand away, for some reason, he suddenly remembered the border of Great Yan, at the end of the Panlong Valley mountain range, when he had placed his hand on *that* person’s belly and felt... that single fetal movement. Abruptly, his smile vanished.
As night fell, Murong Yan left the Phoenix Nest Palace after dinner. Wang Yunzhao carried a lantern to lead the way. Murong Yan suddenly asked, "Where is Ah Zuo?"
Wang Yunzhao bowed. "General Zuo returned to the Wen residence immediately after court."
Murong Yan said, "Now that Lan'er is pregnant, it is just as well she doesn't come to the palace. Make the arrangements; I will go see her."
Wang Yunzhao acknowledged the command and hurried to prepare.
Murong Yan’s visit to the Wen residence could not be publicized; he traveled with only a few highly skilled guards following secretly.
His timing was precise. By then, the lights in the Wen residence had been extinguished, and even those who stayed up late, like Wen Xingye, had fallen into dreams. Familiar with the path, Murong Yan slipped directly into Zuo Canglang’s room. She was asleep. Her qi was depleted and her body weak; even though half a year had passed since her return to Yan, she had never fully recovered.
Even at the Wen residence, she took medicinal decoctions daily.
Since Hai Yun and Zhao Zien had been beaten to death by Murong Yan’s orders, she had never again trusted anyone from the Imperial Academy of Medicine. Fortunately, Jiang Xing occasionally helped out at Yang Lianting’s Deyi Hall, so Zuo Canglang often had him prescribe her medicine.
He wasn't particularly keen on practicing medicine to save the world, but when Zuo Canglang called for him, he would occasionally give her the face to come and take a look.
Zuo Canglang had been sleeping poorly lately, so she had him prescribe a formula to calm her nerves and aid sleep. Thus, when Murong Yan entered, she did not wake.
Murong Yan walked slowly to the bedside. Amidst the layers of silk curtains, he saw her peaceful sleeping face, occasionally letting out a soft snore. He lifted the gauze curtain and climbed onto the bed, reaching out to touch her face. Her brow furrowed slightly, and she merely turned her head without opening her eyes.
Murong Yan leaned in, smelling the faint scent of medicine on her. He reached out to unfasten her clothes, suddenly struck by a powerful impulse.
He kissed her earlobe, his entire weight pressing down on her. As his hot fingertips roamed over her skin, Zuo Canglang was jolted awake, her hand striking out toward his neck. Murong Yan blocked the move but did not stop his actions. Only then did Zuo Canglang see it was him, and she pushed him away. "Your Majesty!"
Murong Yan asked, "What is it?"
Zuo Canglang sat up, wrapping herself in a fox-fur cloak. "Such behavior from Your Majesty will cause me to misunderstand."
Murong Yan raised an eyebrow. "Misunderstand what?"
Zuo Canglang said, "Has Your Majesty granted me the position of Grand Marshal only to expect me to offer my body in exchange once again?"
Murong Yan was momentarily stunned, then laughed. "Then that trade is unfair." He looked Zuo Canglang up and down, saying slowly, "The Grand Marshal is the head of the military; how vital a role is that? With this body of yours..."
Zuo Canglang was absolutely incensed. She pointed to the window. "Please leave immediately, Your Majesty. Otherwise, what I do next may damage your dignity."
Murong Yan’s robes were half-undone. Beneath the finely embroidered outer garment, a section of snow-white inner clothing was visible, and his Adam's apple was slightly exposed—he was, in truth, quite alluring. He said, "I was merely speaking the truth. Why have you become angry instead? Are you indignant?"
Zuo Canglang opened her mouth and shouted, "Someone! A thief!!"
Murong Yan was startled; he clearly hadn't expected her to actually scream! It was too late to cover her mouth now. She had thrown caution to the wind, and seeing that people were already being roused, Murong Yan had no choice but to leap out the window. Zuo Canglang had been furious, but as the emotion passed and she saw him fleeing in such a disheveled state—looking exactly like an adulterer caught in the act—she couldn't help but find it a bit funny.
The Wen residence maintained private guards, and someone was already knocking on the door. "General? General?"
She was a woman, after all, so no one dared to barge in. Zuo Canglang said, "It’s nothing, just a nightmare. You may all leave."
The guards didn't dare ask more and retreated. Afterward, Wen Xingye and his wife knocked as well, and Zuo Canglang had to deal with them too. Once everyone had returned to sleep, she blew out the candle and prepared to lie down.
This time, sleep did not come easily. She turned over, and suddenly the window frame creaked. Murong Yan had actually come back inside. Zuo Canglang was helpless as he climbed directly onto the bed. Without a word, he removed his outer robe, pulled over the quilt, and lay down to sleep.
Zuo Canglang didn't know what to say. This man was most accustomed to mixing a trace of honey into poison; to drink it was to have one's heart wrenched, yet to refuse it was to be consumed by anxiety day and night.
She had consumed it all the way until now, sometimes willingly, sometimes out of necessity. Thus, she was sometimes ecstatic, and sometimes felt as if ten thousand arrows were piercing her heart.
Having already caused a commotion once, she did not move again. Murong Yan reached out and pulled her into his arms, pressing her face against his chest. Outside the window, the moon was bright and the breeze clear. His fingertips slowly twined through her hair as he said, "I know you are hurting. We won't fight anymore, alright?"
In the gentle spring night, his voice was low and tender. "From now on, we will speak properly to each other, alright?"
Zuo Canglang did not speak. For some reason, tears rolled down, wetting his fingertips. He gently kissed her forehead and said, "I know you have always wanted your own family. Ah Zuo, give me a little time. It won't be long." He used his lips to kiss away the tear tracks at the corners of her eyes. "In all these years, I have only had the two of you, yet look at you both..."
Zuo Canglang didn't know when she fell asleep. In this life, she had slept in many places—desolate wilds, crude orphan camps, border towns where the dust never settled—but it had always been in this man’s arms that she felt most secure.
And yet, until morning, there were still tear stains at the corners of her eyes.
Murong Yan did not rise to leave until the sky was about to brighten. Zuo Canglang handed him his outer robe. He said softly, "I grant you special permission to skip court today." He thought for a moment, then added, "Actually, you should go. These days you are reluctant to enter the palace; at least this way I can see you a few more times."
Zuo Canglang lowered her head. Murong Yan lifted her chin, kissed her forehead gently, and finally pressed her slowly against the wall. When the surge of desire came, even he could not distinguish between truth and falsehood. Was this person deceiving her, or had he once truly loved her?
However, he could not stay long; dawn was breaking. If he were truly seen by the Wen family, it would be quite disgraceful. He released her and said, "There is little business in court lately. I'll take you out to play. How about the Qianbi Woods?"
Zuo Canglang turned her face away. "The hour is late. Your Majesty should head to court first."
Murong Yan nodded and once again leaped out the window.
Inside the residence, in the kitchen, Keqing was preparing breakfast. Since Zuo Canglang had to attend court, she rose early, and breakfast naturally had to be started before dawn.
As soon as Murong Yan arrived, Wang Yunzhao had notified her. She gripped the medicine bottle tightly. Doing such a thing for the first time made her incredibly nervous. Now that she had finally managed to send the others out of the kitchen, her hands shook as she uncorked the bottle. Just as she was about to drip the medicine in, someone suddenly entered. Hearing the door, she panicked completely; her hand jerked, and half the bottle of medicine poured in!
At that moment, Weiwei came in and asked, "Why haven't you sent breakfast over yet? The General is already up."
Keqing quickly stuffed the bottle into her sleeve. "I'm going now!"
Weiwei was impatient and couldn't wait. She immediately picked up the tray. "I'll do it."
Keqing felt uneasy. "Wait... wait a moment."
Weiwei didn't understand. "What?"
Keqing stammered, unable to speak. Weiwei couldn't wait any longer. "I'll listen to you when I get back. The General surely can't wait."
With that, she carried the food to the main hall. Breakfast was not lavish—just clear porridge and small side dishes, sometimes with flatbread.
Zuo Canglang’s appetite was poor lately; a small bowl of porridge and a few bites of vegetables were enough to fill her. She picked up the bowl, hurrying for court, and without much ceremony, she finished quickly. Weiwei helped her change, and as Zuo Canglang let her tie her sash, she suddenly felt a wave of nausea in her stomach.
She covered her mouth but couldn't hold it back, suddenly vomiting.
Weiwei was shocked. "General?"
Zuo Canglang felt a twisting pain in her abdomen, her face instantly turning deathly pale. Weiwei was so panicked she didn't know what to do, pacing frantically around her. Zuo Canglang managed to say, "Find a doctor!" Only then did Weiwei snap out of it and prepare to bolt outside. Zuo Canglang added, "Find Jiang Xing."
Weiwei was already terrified. She agreed and ran out, bumping into Keqing. Keqing, feeling guilty, had been hiding outside, not daring to come in. She had thought that since Wang Yunzhao said the medicine wasn't poisonous, there shouldn't be a problem.
However, seeing Weiwei’s frantic expression, she grabbed her and asked, "What happened?"
Weiwei pulled her hand away without looking back. "The General is unwell. I'm going for the doctor; you take care of her!"
Keqing was startled and ran into Zuo Canglang’s room. Zuo Canglang was clutching her abdomen, sweating profusely. First, she vomited continuously, and then the vomit began to show streaks of blood. Keqing was frightened out of her wits. Remembering there were people in the residence who could send messages to the palace, she hurried out to have a guard relay the news.
After about an hour, Weiwei finally arrived with Jiang Xing. As soon as Jiang Xing took Zuo Canglang’s pulse, his brow furrowed. He turned to pick up a brush and listed several herbs. "Go fetch these immediately. Boil three bowls down to one and have her drink it."
Weiwei didn't care about anything else; she agreed and sent a fast-footed guard to get the medicine.
Zuo Canglang’s abdominal pain was severe. Jiang Xing took out a pill and fed it to her first. Only then did she have the strength to ask, "What is wrong with me?"
Jiang Xing glanced at her, his expression cold. "Overdose of saffron. Poisoning."
Zuo Canglang stared into his eyes and asked, word by word, "Saffron?"
Jiang Xing turned away and listed several types of medicinal ingredients. After a moment’s thought, he added one and removed another. Then he showed the list to her. Zuo Canglang didn't understand any of it. "What is this?"
Jiang Xing said, "It is a prescription for a contraceptive decoction, and the person who wrote it is quite skilled. Hmph, using such luxurious ingredients—it’s clearly the work of that lot in the Imperial Academy of Medicine. It shouldn't have caused poisoning... just how much did you drink? This medicine is fine for its purpose, but its nature is cold. With your current body, don't even think about having children in the future."
Zuo Canglang slowly tightened her grip on the prescription. A chill rose from her heart. Someone had laced her food with contraceptives. But now, who else would instruct the people of the Wen residence to do such a thing?
That person... that person had been whispering tender words in her ear just this morning, showing her every kind of warmth and affection.
But in all these years, he had never trusted her.
Never.
Of all the words he had ever spoken, which were true and which were false?
Or rather, in all these years, have you ever spoken a single true word to me?
Zuo Canglang looked up and asked, "Who?"
Jiang Xing said, "Surname Zhao, Zhao Zien. An old imperial physician of over ten years."
Zuo Canglang said slowly, "Where is he now?"
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
卫将军 | General of the Guard | A high-ranking military title.
太尉 | Grand Marshal | Also translated as Commander-in-Chief; one of the highest civil/military officials.
金印紫绶 | Golden seal and purple ribbon | Symbols of the highest-ranking officials in ancient China.
骠骑大将军 | General of the Flying Cavalry | A prestigious senior military rank.
栖凤宫 | Phoenix Nest Palace | The Queen's residence.
德益堂 | Deyi Hall | The name of the medical hall/pharmacy where Yang Lianting and Jiang Xing work.
藏红花 | Saffron | Zang Hong Hua; often used in historical fiction as an abortifacient or contraceptive.
避子汤 | Contraceptive decoction | A medicinal soup used to prevent pregnancy.
千碧林 | Qianbi Woods | A scenic location (literally "Thousand Emerald Woods").
