Chapter 8, insignificant

They waited for a long time in the corridor, their expressions already collapsed; no matter how luxurious their attire, it could not conceal their anxious demeanor, losing their poise. When the Prince of Yan emerged from the hall, they surrounded him, vying to speak, though it was unnecessary, as they all asked the same question: "Is Her Majesty the Empress still unwilling to see us?"

What is he thinking about

"Enough, no need for formalities," the Empress said with an unhappy wave of her hand. "You are also a vixen! If you were to fall and injure yourself while coming to see me, I cannot imagine how many complaints I would receive." The emphasis in her tone was directed squarely at Shen Tu Rui.

Lan Dan had been quietly observing Lan Cheng. When Shen Tu Rui entered, she stiffened, her head involuntarily tilting back slightly. After steadying her mind, she stood up, glanced at him, and quickly turned away, calling out, "Brother Rui"

Your Excellency's demeanor is indeed grand. The eunuch has reported that her eight-person palanquin has just entered through the gate of the Taici Palace. The snow has lessened, and amidst the thin veil of snow and mist, the resplendent figure seated high within the palanquin is already strikingly distinguished.

Lan Dan was momentarily perplexed; it was Lan Huang, yet it did not quite resemble her.

Princess Danyang, filled with the affection of a young girl, always feels shy and timid when looking into Shen Tu Cheng's eyes, often inadvertently looking away. However, Xiao Lan Dan, who has faced the guillotine and guarded the mass grave, can coldly and indifferently gaze into his eyes.

The Empress Dowager, with a cold expression, was sizing up the approaching Lan Dan. Upon seeing Shen Tu Cheng who entered shortly after, her brows furrowed quickly as she asked him: "What brings you here?"

Shentu Ruilan stood up, as if sensing the turmoil within her heart. Without hesitation, he bent down and picked her up, saying with a hint of compassion: "Let's go"

However, the newly appointed emperor did not sense anything amiss, and with a bright smile, he said, "Once I finish my tasks, I will come over immediately"

Shentu Rui listened and smiled somewhat sarcastically, "Do you think many people have died? When your ancestor founded the nation, corpses lay for thousands of miles, blood stained the mountains and rivers. Your father, in order to expand the territory, waged wars east and west, leaving bones like mountains. We have only killed a few people; for this vast land and its common people, that is already quite merciful."

Shentu Cheng curled his lips again, deepening his smile, "So it's you. No wonder he went to such great lengths, making a fuss of opening and closing doors in the middle of the night."

Shentu Rui smiled and symbolically bent his leg, his eyes discreetly scanning the people in the hall. Without waiting for the Empress Dowager to speak, he boldly walked over and sat down next to her.

What is the court? The lowly-ranked Landan knows all too well. First comes the court, then the home; whether it is between mother and son or husband and wife, one must first discuss the relationship between ruler and subject before speaking of affection. She is immersed in it, and every subtle distinction is embedded in her heart. The words of Empress Dowager Dayan inquire about her son, not the emperor.

Lan Dan slowly turned her head, as if she had a premonition in her heart

"If you dare to leave this early, next time I will definitely fry her up in every way possible." The Empress Dowager snorted, not falling for the trick.

The Empress Dowager raised her elegant eyebrows

Shentu Rui merely smiled perfunctorily at Lan Cheng, a hint of sorrow flashing between his brows. He then hooked his mother's arm and said, "Mother, since you didn't eat her, I will take her away."

Lan Huang entered the hall with her head held high, her hair elegantly styled, and a proud demeanor, without a trace of them in her eyes

Shentu Rui smiled at her, understanding the piercing pain that cut to the heart. He even felt a twinge of envy for Lan Dan, as she still had fresh blood to spill, while... Some people, consumed by hatred to the extreme and suffering to the utmost, have their hearts utterly shattered, unable to express anything; that hatred and suffering then transform into sharp weapons, tearing apart their very insides.

"Those who are dead are all..." He looked at her and smiled, clearly handsome yet incredibly cold, each word seeming to seep with the blood of the deceased, but he did not care, "Those who are of no use."

The eunuch joyfully announced from behind the soft curtain, "His Highness, the Prince of Yan, is here to see you"

As the curtain stirred, a tall and handsome figure clad in deep crimson entered the hall, causing the candlelight to dim under his brilliance

This single sentence elicited a cold chuckle from Lan Dan. Indeed, the Dayan was still a makeshift troupe; the lady from a noble family possessed her own dignity, yet when it came to acting as the Empress, she was still far from adequate

The young girl beside the Empress Dowager also stood up, sweetly running over to embrace Shen Tu Cheng's arm, calling out: "Emperor Brother"

Shentu Cheng noticed the anomaly in Lan Dan's gait, let out a soft sound of surprise, and said no more, following behind them into the side hall

Lan Cheng's gaze at Lan Dan was sharp, like two pointed knives, which startled Lan Dan. Seeing her face turn pale, Lan Cheng thought she had intimidated her and, feeling quite satisfied, pulled Shen Tu Cheng to sit down by the kang.

The sedan chair came to a stop only at the eaves of the corridor, and Lan Huang remained seated high above, not allowing herself to disembark. She waited until Shen Tu Rui reluctantly bent down slightly towards her, and then she raised her hand, descending from the elevated position.

Shentu Rui ignored them, took a couple of steps forward, and seated her on the long bench by the railing of the eaves, instructing the eunuch to prepare the carriage

"Who is where?" the Empress Dowager in the side hall questioned with authority

Once on the carriage and having left the imperial city, Lan Dan finally breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "They... are all alive, so who are the ones that are dead?"

She seems to never know what he is thinking, and can never discern any emotions from his beautiful, deep-set eyes

It was the young lady brought into the palace by His Highness the Prince of Yan

He squinted his eyes, "Do you see those ladies? Their husbands used to take the salary from the Xiao family, and now they take it from mine. They do not care. Dayan needs them to stabilize the country, whether they are from the previous dynasty or not, it does not matter. These people are still alive, still thriving. And your sisters, your sisters-in-law, are still the same as before, scheming and vying for favor in the harem. Only those of little significance will be ruthlessly eliminated. Danyang... your sisters, your sisters-in-law, are still the same as before, scheming and vying for favor in the harem. Only those of little significance will be ruthlessly eliminated. Danyang... you already possess enough capital, do you still wish to continue being a person of little significance?"

The bones of my elder brother have long since grown cold in the shallow grave, and what is even more chilling is the sight of my sister-in-law standing alive before me

Lan Dan shivered slightly; had it not been for Shen Tu Rui's firm grip holding her, she would have nearly fallen out of his embrace

"That dead girl Lan Cheng," the ninth princess of the previous dynasty stamped her cloud boots, the gemstones and gold pieces on her hairpin shimmering with fiery brilliance, "surely she hasn't spoken well of us! And the Emperor! At this time, shouldn't he be saying a few words for us..."

Two palace maids who had brought her in hurried over, their expressions slightly flustered. Upon entering, they were momentarily taken aback upon seeing Shentu Cheng. After greeting him with a bow, they immediately approached Lan Dan, without further ado, pulling her down from the bed and assisting her towards the side hall.

"Get out of the way! The chill on my body is overwhelming." The Empress Dowager glanced at him but turned around to hand him a cup of freshly brewed tea.

Lan Dan frowned in annoyance, expressing her disinterest in the matters of the country and its people. "Who has died?" she asked

Upon seeing him arrive, the Empress turned her head, pursed her lips, and exclaimed, "Is he afraid that someone might eat him alive? On such a cold day, he hasn't even put on a cloak and has rushed here in a flurry."

She had never seen such a sharp and ruthless expression on Lan Huang's face. Although her features remained extraordinarily beautiful and her demeanor was exceptional, the alluring makeup could not conceal the unfamiliar hostility. Lan Huang slightly raised her chin, her eyes narrowed into a cold arc that seemed to disdain everything, and the corner of her mouth was only slightly curled on one side, as if mocking all worldly matters. The delicate beauty of the past was completely gone, leaving only an air of arrogance. In contrast to Shen Tu Cheng's calmness, it seemed as if the power and authority of the successful usurper were in her hands.

Lan Dan also looked at him, originally thinking that she would become furious and rush over to fight desperately, but she did not, there was nothing, not even love or hate

But she knew what she was thinking, it was not the sweet nothings he whispered to her on that warm sunny afternoon, but rather the snow and haze pressing down on the city, as she knelt on the execution platform, listlessly gazing at the empty city tower.

Landan's entire body seemed to have its blood congealed

It is unknown which eunuch shouted: "The esteemed master has arrived"

Lan Cheng is the youngest daughter of the Emperor. Her biological mother, Consort Xi, passed away early, and she was raised under the care of the Empress. Although they experienced similar fates, her situation is vastly different from that of those raised under the care of less favored consorts. In previous years, when Lan Cheng was younger, she did not feel it as much, but in recent years, as she has come of age, the Emperor's affection for her has grown day by day, second only to Lan Huang. ... Having received the Emperor's abundant favor, Lan Cheng ... ? ... not only resides peacefully in the grand court of Dayan, but also maintains a close relationship with the Empress Dowager and the Emperor? In previous years, when Lan Cheng was younger, she did not feel it as much, but in recent years, as she has come of age, the Emperor's affection for her has grown day by day, second only to Lan Huang. ... Having received the Emperor's abundant favor, Lan Cheng ... ? ... not only resides peacefully in the grand court of Dayan, but also maintains a close relationship with the Empress Dowager and the Emperor?

Many people stood in the corridor under the eaves, and apart from the common folk, two elegantly dressed noblewomen were particularly eye-catching

Lan Dan was kneeling with the support of two palace maids when she heard this call. It felt as though she had been struck by a heavy blow to the chest, her head swelled, her vision darkened, and she fell to the ground, half prostrated and half kneeling.

He seemed almost afraid that she would not understand, "Your father and mother have died, because they had to die. Your third brother and ninth brother have died, because their wives were eager to become concubines of the new emperor. There are also some people who have received minor favors from your Xiao family who have died, but they are merely insignificant figures. And... Princess Danyang, who bore all the sins, has also died

Lan Dan had loved someone, so she understood very well what emotions these subtle expressions conveyed. However, having moved from the ear room to the side hall, in such a short time, her fragile and temporary world had already collapsed. She was so shocked that she could only accept and read but could not think.

Lan Dan suddenly pressed her chest, as if a sharp knife had pierced her heart, causing her to retch and nearly choke on her breath. How could Sister Jiu speak of "the Emperor" in such a tone? Does she not realize that her husband has been dead for less than forty-nine days?

Lan Dan took a deep breath, having been assisted by the palace maid to sit on the embroidered stool. She could not help but glance again at the girl referred to as the Emperor's brother, Shen Tu Cheng—her sister, Lan Cheng

"Well then..." Shen Tu Rui feigned helplessness, "I will stay to have dinner with you, but I must first take her home"

Lan Dan looked closely at the two sisters-in-law, young and beautiful, adorned with pearls and jade, their bodies draped in fine silk... She recalled her two brothers who had died young, wrapped in a single tattered prison garment, buried in a shallow grave.

The curtain was lifted and then fell again, and as the cold wind blew against Lan Dan, she felt a slight clarity in her mind, yet the pain continued to tighten in waves.

The Empress expressed her dissatisfaction with a disapproving click of her tongue at this overstepping intimacy, while Shen Tu Cheng chuckled, as if he had witnessed an amusing spectacle, leaving Lan Cheng with a blank expression.

Alright... then let's get her in the car! Shen Tu Rui, defeated and surrendering, glared at his mother with a smile.

Shentu Cheng wore a bright yellow dragon-patterned fur robe, adorned with gold and pearl clasps, a jade belt cinching his waist, and his hair was styled high, topped with a small crown of red gold featuring a dragon motif. His appearance was already striking, and such attire should have added an air of nobility, yet it unexpectedly accentuated the beauty of his features. After years of planning, he finally achieved success, but instead of feeling complacent, he became even more composed and reserved. As he stood there smiling at her, there was a hint of the essence of light clouds and gentle snow.

She initially paid no attention to the two women, but when she heard them speaking, she turned to look—indeed, they were acquaintances, and even close relatives, her third sister-in-law and ninth sister-in-law

Lan Dan spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, staining the floral patterns on her skirt red

The three princesses and the ninth princess seemed to fear her, yet also appeared to hate her, their expressions strange as they retreated several steps, neither approaching nor offering their respects