Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 215
Chapter 215 - Meeting Prince Zhuang
Yun Chu had been to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion once when she was very young.
However, that had been in her past life. So many years had passed that she had long since forgotten the way to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
As she followed the young eunuch, the path felt increasingly amiss.
"Miss Yun, just round this corner and we'll be there. The imperial consorts should have arrived long ago." The young eunuch led her toward the hall ahead.
Yun Chu saw that this was a main hall, its entrance adorned with a vibrant array of chrysanthemums swaying gently in the autumn breeze.
The Hundred Flowers Pavilion of her memory did not look like this at all.
Her footsteps came to a halt, her sharp, piercing gaze falling squarely upon the young eunuch before her: "Are you truly someone from Her Majesty the Empress's palace?"
The young eunuch's expression suddenly turned pale.
He gave Yun Chu a violent shove. Yun Chu stumbled over the raised threshold and tumbled into the palace doorway.
Tingxue rushed forward like lightning to support her.
The hidden dagger in Yun Chu's sleeve unsheathed in an instant. Pressing the red button, a concealed projectile shot out with a sharp whoosh straight toward the eunuch's face.
The eunuch threw up his hand to block, and the weapon pierced straight through his entire palm.
Without paying the slightest mind to his injury, he lunged forward, pulled the palace doors shut with a heavy crash, and snapped a massive lock into place.
"Miss, are you hurt anywhere?" Tingxue hurriedly inspected Yun Chu.
Yun Chu shook her head, saying with deep regret, "What a waste of that hidden weapon."
She only had three in total, so it was truly a pity.
Tingxue looked around their surroundings: "This palace looks like it hasn't been inhabited for a long time. I'll go see if there are any chairs or items we can use to climb out."
Yun Chu held up a hand to stop her.
That young eunuch had locked her inside this long-abandoned palace and departed, which meant he certainly had something to rely on.
There had to be something hidden within this palace.
She tightened her grip on the dagger in her hand and looked up at the towering, majestic main hall. Looking inward from the sunlit outside, one could see nothing but pitch darkness.
It resembled a bottomless, gaping maw in the dead of night, causing an endless wave of dread to creep over anyone who gazed into it.
Having died once already, Yun Chu was naturally not afraid of such things.
Yet she was not so foolish as to walk directly up the steps and into the hall either.
She carefully bypassed the main entrance and crept toward the rear. Thick, sturdy trees grew over there; perhaps she could use them to escape this place first before making any plans.
Reaching the rear courtyard, she found it filled with blooming chrysanthemums, exceptionally striking to the eye.
"Miss, there seems to be a sound..."
Yun Chu heard it as well and gestured for Tingxue to remain silent.
She signaled Tingxue to stay put while she slowly edged her body along the palace wall. The sound grew clearer and clearer until she caught the murmur of flowing water.
Rounding the wall, she spotted a man sitting inside a pavilion in the rear courtyard, pouring and drinking wine all by himself, cup after cup without pause.
She caught the potent, heavy stench of alcohol.
Her brows knitted slightly.
Had that young eunuch brought her here to set her up so that she and this intoxicated man would be caught together, ruining her chastity?
"Hahaha!"
The man suddenly stood up and walked toward Yun Chu's direction.
Yun Chu instantly held her breath and focused her mind, her finger resting on the hidden weapon mechanism, poised and ready to strike.
Yet she saw the man stop right before the palace wall, raising his cup to splash the wine onto the autumn chrysanthemums blooming passionately along the base of the wall.
"How... how... what on earth should I do?!"
The man raised his hand and smashed the wine cup against the palace wall with a loud bang.
The cup shattered into pieces, sending porcelain shards flying, some nearly grazing Yun Chu's face.
Her face remained utterly devoid of emotion as she continued to observe the man.
He wore luxurious robes, his hair bound in an exceedingly rare mutton-fat jade crown, and a jade pendant hung at his waist. She recognized it as a pendant that only members of the imperial family were permitted to wear.
She knew all of the current princes, and the imperial uncles of the Emperor's generation were not currently in the capital. Who was this person?
Yun Chu appraised the man's appearance. He looked extremely thin with very pale skin, giving off the impression of someone suffering from a chronic, lifelong illness... Wait, wasn't there a sickly prince in the imperial family?
The direct son of the former Crown Prince, and currently the Empress Dowager's only biological grandson—Prince Zhuang, Chu Rui.
Was this person Prince Zhuang?
Incredulity washed over Yun Chu's face.
Who on earth was setting up her and Prince Zhuang, and for what purpose?
Swish!
Just as she was lost in thought, she saw the man, standing a mere three steps away from her, suddenly draw the sword from his waist.
She had assumed Prince Zhuang had discovered her presence.
To her shock, Prince Zhuang pressed the sharp blade against his own wrist, slowly slicing downward bit by bit.
Blood quickly seeped out, dripping onto the brilliant autumn chrysanthemums.
He was still pressing the blade deeper.
How could Yun Chu possibly remain hidden any longer?
If Prince Zhuang died right before her eyes, she would never be able to clear her name, no matter what she said.
She stood up abruptly.
Standing before the palace wall, Chu Rui froze instantly.
His gaze fell upon Yun Chu's face as he murmured softly, "Eldest Sister, you've finally come back..."
Yun Chu had heard her mother mention that the former Crown Prince had a direct daughter. Later, after the former Crown Prince died and the current Emperor ascended the throne, the former Crown Princess had brought her son and daughter to live in this very palace.
Not long after, the former Crown Princess passed away.
As for when that commandery princess had died, very few people knew.
"Eldest Sister, Rui'er missed you so much..." Chu Rui's tears poured down like a torrential downpour. "I've finally made up my mind to come see you. Eldest Sister, wait for me!"
The moment the words left his mouth, he raised the long sword and pressed it against his own neck.
"Prince Zhuang!" Yun Chu shouted, instantly realizing something was wrong, and hurriedly corrected herself, "Rui'er, I am Eldest Sister. I've come to see you. I won't allow you to harm yourself like this. Give the sword to Eldest Sister, alright...?"
Her gentle voice caused Chu Rui to relax completely.
Chu Rui reached out his hand, moving it forward slowly to touch Yun Chu's face. The moment his fingers met solid flesh, a look of utter astonishment swept across his face.
Immediately, the drunken stupor in his eyes scattered somewhat, and he regained his clarity: "You aren't Eldest Sister!"
Yun Chu seized the opportunity to snatch the long sword from his hand, bowing as she said, "Greetings, Prince Zhuang. I am the eldest direct daughter of the Yun family. Circumstances forced my hand, so I pray Your Highness will forgive my offense."
Chu Rui's face grew as dark as water: "You... offended my Eldest Sister! What crime do you deserve for this?!"
Even as he spoke, blood continued to drip from his wrist.
Yun Chu reached out her hand, and Tingxue behind her immediately handed over a handkerchief. Lowering her head, Yun Chu tied the cloth around Chu Rui's wrist, binding it tightly to stop the bleeding.
"It was indeed my offense," Yun Chu looked up at him. "Our bodies, hair, and skin are given to us by our parents; no matter what, Your Highness should not harm your own body. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager is advanced in years. If Your Highness were to pass, I fear the Empress Dowager would..."
In her past life, Prince Zhuang had indeed died young, likely after the Yun family's turmoil had settled down, taking his own life as an apology to secure a chance of survival for the Empress Dowager.
It mattered not to her when this man died, but he could not die right in front of her.
She still had many wonderful experiences ahead of her in the future and would not allow herself to be dragged into such a filthy quagmire.
Chu Rui's lips pressed tightly into a straight line.
He lived because of the Empress Dowager.
Yet he also wished to die because of the Empress Dowager.
Life was far too full of contradictions.
"If one loathes everything in the present, can one not even die?" Chu Rui's voice carried an eerie air of emptiness. "What meaning is there in clinging to a miserable existence for a lifetime?"
"If you loathe it, then cast it aside," Yun Chu met his gaze directly. "With every loss comes a gain. By letting go of what shouldn't be held, you might obtain things beyond your wildest expectations. Why doesn't Your Highness give it a try?"
"With every loss comes a gain... with every loss comes a gain..."
Chu Rui muttered to himself.
Suddenly, he whipped his head toward Yun Chu: "How could you be here? This is no good place—leave quickly!"