Chapter 10: Downfall

Jiang Sanyi immediately darkened his face, but seeing his daughter with a worried expression, he could not bring himself to say much more

Zuo Canglang turned his head, while Murong Yan bit his lip tightly, resembling a dying wild beast in the twilight of late spring and early summer

He excused himself on the pretext of relieving himself and left for the Nonghua Palace. The Nonghua Palace is located in a remote area and is the palace where the King of Yan usually accommodates his ministers. Wen Qi often resided in the Nonghua Palace upon entering the palace. Therefore, if there are no external ministers staying there, this palace is almost entirely empty.

Bi Chengjing followed behind him as the two of them walked through the Imperial Garden. The moonlight was as bright as frost, and the grass and trees seemed to reveal a sense of withering. Bi Chengjing was an old minister in the court, having served three successive emperors. He was truly a veteran of three reigns.

Murong Ruo was already in a state of utter despair: "Father, someone has summoned me here, I have been framed!"

Bi Chengjing nodded slightly and exited the gate of the residence. Murong Yan silently watched his figure, pondering in the heavens? If that woman truly existed in the heavens, witnessing her son being granted fiefs while the son of Empress Li ascended to the throne, she would surely strike him dead.

So... ? ... is Jiang Sanyi. ? He understands clearly that Jiang Sanyi is eager to quickly dissolve the engagement between his daughter and his second brother. Desperate times call for desperate measures; this tactic is not novel. No matter how one puts it, he is still the Crown Prince and has deep feelings for Jiang Bilan. This move he made is indeed quite clever... However, on the second brother's side... ...

The King of Yan kicked him, sending him rolling, gasping for breath like an ox, and pointed at the spilled wine on the ground: "Is this filthy substance also someone else's scheme against you? You, you wretched creature!"

Not long after, one hundred and thirty Imperial Guards hurriedly surrounded the Hall of Dense Splendor. The commander of the Imperial Guards kicked open the door, only to see in the dim candlelight that the soft couch's canopy was half-rolled up. The Crown Prince was sweating profusely engaged in bestial acts, and beneath him lay Jiang Bilan, completely unclothed.

The Hall of Dense Splendor is shrouded in darkness, resembling a silent beast. A beam of light, akin to the eyes of the beast, pierces through the gloom. In the direction of the beast's gaze, a person reveals half of their face with a sullen expression

Jiang Bilan had been lost in thought. She was aware that her parents opposed her marriage to Murong Yan. However, she loved him; could it be that just because he had fallen on hard times, she would not marry him?

After Murong Yan left, an extraordinary event occurred during the palace banquet

Indeed, there is something unusual about the wine, perhaps it is something that stirs the seven emotions and six desires. Naturally, there are doubts in my heart, after all, she is the wife of my second brother. Who could summon her here in the dead of night? Who would dare to drug her? Was it she who invited me here? No, if it were her, she would certainly not drink the wine that has aphrodisiac effects.

All the ministers were somewhat taken aback, the meaning of this statement is ... ? ... No further inquiry will be made ?

The King of Yan, upon seeing her, seemed to recall something, furrowing his brow, yet remained silent. It was the Crown Prince beside the King of Yan whose gaze was fixed on Jiang Bilan. On that day, she had her hair elegantly styled, with a phoenix hairpin askew. As she walked, the sound of her jingling ornaments echoed, her grace captivating the city.

The King of Yan kicked the table over, shattering all the cups and dishes. His hands and feet trembled as he pointed at the Crown Prince, and after a long pause, he finally said: "Beast!"

The two individuals sat facing each other, and he spoke directly: "Your Highness must already be aware of what transpired at the banquet tonight." Murong Yan remained silent, and he continued: "In the opinion of this old minister, this matter is a tremendous misfortune for the Crown Prince, yet it may not necessarily be a bad thing for Your Highness."

The King of Yan smiled, as if recalling something, his expression resembling a smile yet seemingly on the verge of tears: "It is a pity she is no longer here, my mother is gone, and no one speaks a word even when my son suffers great humiliation." Bi Chengjing was taken aback, and he sighed again: "As for the Queen's temperament, if I were truly to depose the heir, she would surely seek death. At that time, I would have yet another child without a mother."

Murong Yan fixed his gaze and said: "So, should I be grateful? Forget the hatred of my mother's murder, forget the resentment of my wife's abduction"

The King of Yan stood at the forefront of his ministers, filled with rage that seemed difficult to express. After a long while, he weakly waved his hand: "First, send the Queen back to the Phoenix Rest Palace, and have the imperial physician take good care of her. The Crown Prince is confined to the Fengdeng Pavilion; without my decree, he is not to leave at will"

Bi Chengjing, having shed his previous humility before King Yan, became assertive: "Your Majesty, your heart has already been troubled by the death of Consort Rong, and you are concerned for His Highness. Now, His Highness has lost a beauty, yet gained a father's sympathy and affection for his son! Is this not a good thing for His Highness?"

The mother of the Fifth Prince, Consort Li, despite her best efforts to conceal it, could not hide the joy in her eyes. Everyone knew that, from the sound of it, the King was about to depose the Crown Prince

Fei Chengjing received the order: "I will certainly convey Your Majesty's intentions to His Highness the Second Prince."

She followed her father Jiang Sanyi, scanning the surroundings, but did not see His Highness Murong Yan at the table. She then asked, "Father, why is His Highness the Second Prince not here?"

Behind, a voice replied: "Me." It was Jiang Sanyi's voice, coming from the darkness

Murong Yan did not attend the banquet, and Murong Yuan said nothing. After all, he could not let go of the matter concerning Concubine Rong; if it were not necessary, he did not wish to see her offspring. That person's eyes would bleed, which was repulsive. Since he did not mention it, the queen naturally would not pay any attention to this second prince. Thus, everyone in the palace simply regarded this person as nonexistent.

He softly asked, "The queen fell into the water and was startled; Your Majesty, will you not go to the Phoenix Palace to take a look?"

Jiang Sanyi, a person of considerable shrewdness, immediately noticed the gaze of His Highness the Crown Prince. He smiled slightly, choosing not to reveal his awareness. Murong Ruo and Murong Yan are of similar age; when they were young, Jiang Bilian almost visited the palace daily to accompany Princess Murong Shu. The two brothers, Murong Ruo and Murong Yan, would always revolve around her. However, there was one occasion when she secretly rode a horse, and the horse was startled. She fell from the horse, and the two brothers chased after her frantically. In the end, Murong Yan leaped forward, and Jiang Bilian happened to fall into his arms.

The prince lightly knocked on the door, but no one responded. He pushed the door open and saw Jiang Bilan sitting at the table, her face flushed. On the table was half a pot of wine, still warm. He glanced at the beauty's complexion; although his heart stirred with waves of emotion, he ultimately picked up the wine and sniffed it.

He rushed over in a few steps and wrapped Jiang Bilan tightly in a brocade quilt. At this moment, the Crown Prince's face had already turned ashen, and the strange sound startled the officials attending the banquet. The Queen, who arrived shortly after, also turned pale. The King of Yan was trembling all over, and the Left Chancellor, Bi Chengjing, stepped forward, picked up the leftover wine on the table, sniffed it slightly, and sighed, saying: "Your Majesty... there is something unusual in this wine; it is feared that Miss Jiang has been affected by some drug..."

Fei Chengcheng slammed the table and stood up: "Your Highness! His Majesty is not only your father, but also your sovereign! If the sovereign commands the minister to die, the minister must die; this is loyalty. If the father demands the son to perish, the son must perish; this is filial piety! How can you utter such disloyal and unfilial words?"

Perhaps Murong Ruo was too engrossed, and Jiang Bilian finally became aware of it. She glanced towards the Crown Prince's seat, their eyes met, and her face immediately flushed red as she averted her gaze. Murong Ruo felt a sense of loss in his heart, but before long, he received a note delivered by a eunuch. He found a secluded spot to unfold it and saw a line of elegant small characters. Someone had invited him to meet at the Nonghua Palace.

The next day, King Murong Yuan of Yan issued an edict, conferring the title of Lord Qianyi upon the second prince, Murong Yan. Upon the issuance of this decree, everyone was taken aback, including the queen, who was somewhat surprised. It seemed as though there were high hopes placed upon Qian Guang, nurturing his wings, advancing gradually and steadily.

Upon hearing this, the queen felt as if struck by five thunders. She knelt heavily before the Yan King and said, "Your Majesty, it is my failure in educating my son; it is all my fault! Now that such a thing has happened, let me atone for my sins with my death!"

Bi Chengjing finally understood his meaning: "Your Majesty is benevolent. However, this matter is known to all the officials in the court, and I fear it will be widely spread by tomorrow. As the crown prince of a nation, engaging in such acts of brotherly dominance over a sister-in-law and a ruler seizing a minister's wife, how can the subjects of the world accept such a monarch? What remains of the great Yan's heavenly might?"

He was momentarily taken aback, as the paper exuded a faint fragrance, clearly the writing and the note were both from the hand of a woman. When he looked up again, he noticed that Jiang Bilan had also vanished from her seat, though he could not tell when it had happened

Bi Chengjing did not wait for the next day; as soon as he left the palace, he went directly to the residence of Murong Yan

Murong Yan fell silent again, his tone softening: "If the late Concubine Rong has a spirit in the heavens, would she prefer to see her beloved Second Prince granted a fief, living a life of wealth and honor, or would she wish for him to turn against his father and brothers because of her death?"

The King of Yan said no more, seemingly unwilling to hear anyone else speak. He simply left behind a remark: "Everyone disperse, disperse! Chengjing, accompany me for a walk."

What is love, really? Jiang Bilan has thought countless times in the midnight hours about the clouds and birds of that day. Perhaps love is simply the sudden desire to be with someone forever in a certain moment

When the living mention the deceased, Bi Chengjing also sighed: "Indeed, the personality of Consort Rong is straightforward; if she were here, it would probably cause a tremendous uproar."

The King of Yan sighed: "Cheng Jing, back then, I was left with a child filled with hatred after the death of Rong Er. Now... I... you have the time to go and see Yan Er on my behalf."

He was taken aback and hurriedly shouted: "Save the person, save the person immediately!"

Jiang Sanyi brought her daughter Jiang Bilan to the banquet. When Jiang Bilan was thirteen, she performed a dance at the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration, captivating everyone with her performance, and from that moment on, her beauty became renowned far and wide. She is truly the first beauty of the Great Yan. Over the years, the Jiang family has invested significantly in her upbringing, and in every other aspect, things have gone smoothly, except for this marriage matter

He was filled with doubt and uncertainty, and without even bringing a follower, he entered the depths of this winding path's hall. Inside the hall, there was a faint light, and he followed it, only to find the courtyard deep and lush with greenery. Passing through the hall and courtyard, in the inner chamber, a blend of the fragrance of wine and the scent of cosmetics added a touch of ambiguity to the night.

When the news came from the palace, Zuo Canglang asked twice, "What?" The servant who reported it stammered and repeated it twice— the Crown Prince had drugged the wine, tarnishing Miss Jiang's purity. He was apprehended on the spot by the Imperial Guard and taken into custody.

He held the note, his heart racing—could it be that this enchanting lady had made an appointment?

Murong Yan fixed his gaze on him and said with a cold smile: "Please, Chancellor, enlighten me on how this can be considered a good thing?"

The crown prince raised his head and, upon seeing the newcomer, instantly felt all his charm turn into cold sweat. He roared, "Who allowed you to enter?!"

Under the moonlight, King Yan stood as if he had aged overnight: "Cheng Jing, that beast, has committed such a barbaric act. If Rong Er were still alive, I cannot imagine how furious she would be"

The King of Yan shook his head, turned, and walked towards the Qifeng Palace, his steps unsteady

The Prince of Yan was filled with rage, as if on the verge of collapse: "How can someone who lacks principles and moral order be worthy of being called a crown prince?! Someone come!"

Murong Ruo pondered back and forth, hesitating and indecisive. However, when the beauty entered his embrace, soft as if without bones, he gazed at her under the lamp, feeling as if she were a celestial being. Her cherry lips and snow-like skin were all exquisite. He leaned down and kissed her full, soft lips, instantly enveloped by the fragrance of the beauty between his lips and teeth. At that moment, lust ignited in his heart, clouding his senses. ... He lifted Jiang Bilan horizontally and placed her on the nearby soft couch, his index finger slightly curling as he untied the sash around her waist ...

As her words fell, she turned and rushed out of the Grand Hall of Splendor. In a fit of rage, the Prince of Yan heard someone outside shouting: "Not good, the Empress has thrown herself into the lake!"

The crown prince, filled with the springtime of youth, was startled into a cold sweat, while Jiang Bilian lay on the couch, still in a deep slumber. Upon seeing her, Jiang Sanyi was immediately overcome with tears: "My daughter!"

The Imperial Guards rushed out to rescue people, and the Prince of Yan followed them. The Queen was rescued from the lake, but her entire body was already soaked. The Crown Prince was also greatly frightened; disregarding the palace maids who tried to pull him back, he forcefully entered the water. The mother and son were brought ashore, and they embraced each other, weeping bitterly.

At this moment, although Jiang Sanyi was crying, she said, "Your Majesty, please do not be angry; perhaps there is indeed a reason behind this. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."

Murong Yan finally spoke: "Please convey to Father King on behalf of Minister Bi that the matters he wishes for his son to understand, his son has already comprehended"

Murong Yan closed his eyes, as if enduring a heart-wrenching pain. Bi Chengjing gently patted his shoulder: "Your Highness, when one is under the eaves, how can one not bow one’s head?"