readsfreenovel Chapter 148 Heart Turns to Ashes
Chapter 148 Heart Turns to Ashes
Emperor Shenwu carried Lan Qingwu out of Qianzheng Hall and walked along the long palace road. He had never felt that the palace road was so long.
Emperor Shenwu suddenly recalled the scene when he first met Lan Qingwu.
"Big brother, are you hurt?"
"Big brother, you know martial arts? How about this, I'll dance for you, and you show me the sword dance!"
"Brother Heng, your handwriting is so beautiful!"
"How strange! Brother Heng, this man says he only loves his wife, but he turns around and takes a concubine!"
"Brother Heng, I've been worried since you last came back."
"Brother Heng...Brother Heng..."
Concubine Jiang stood alone in the center of the palace path. She appeared calm as she watched Shenwu approach, but her heart felt like it was soaked in bitter water, filled with sorrow and sorrow. Is that person... really that important? Your Majesty, have you given her your whole heart?
Emperor Shenwu seemed not to see Concubine Jiang. He passed by Concubine Jiang directly while holding Lan Qingwu.
"Your Majesty..." Concubine Jiang lowered her eyes, trying to control her emotions, but she couldn't help but tear up. "Don't you have anything to say to me?"
Emperor Shenwu didn't even pause or say a word, he just walked straight ahead.
Li Xiang, who was following, bowed to Concubine Jiang and said, "Empress Jiang... please return to De'an Palace." After Li Xiang finished speaking, he followed Emperor Shenwu away.
Concubine Jiang's tears finally rolled down, and she just watched the emperor's figure gradually disappear on the palace road.
Prince Ding and Wei Yanting stayed in the imperial city, while Qian Hui and others followed the emperor to the Miaoling Palace.
A group of people galloped towards Miaoling Palace at full speed.
Emperor Shenwu brought Lan Qingwu to the bedroom in Qingliang Palace.
Master Buyu activated the Miaoling Formation on Ruyi Terrace, opening a white passageway to an unknown world. Ordinary people couldn't see that passageway with the naked eye, but Master Buyu could faintly discern some white light. He simply hoped that the person could see the way home, wake up soon, and successfully survive this fateful calamity.
At the same time, Master Kunku led a group of monks from Guoan Temple to sit under the Ruyi Platform, chanting spells to summon souls and gather spirits.
In the bedroom of Qingliang Palace, Emperor Shenwu guarded Lan Qingwu day after day, but Lan Qingwu never woke up. He became weaker and weaker day by day, and his breathing became intermittent.
The Shenwu Emperor grew more desperate day by day. The days passed quickly, and soon it was the seventh day. The Shenwu Emperor held Lan Qingwu tightly, still refusing to give up.
Li Xiang entered the bedroom to report on the affairs of the imperial city, but was also driven out by Emperor Shenwu.
Emperor Shenwu held Lan Qingwu's hand, feeling extremely anxious: "Ruoruo, why haven't you woken up yet? Have you given up on your relatives here? Have you also given up on me? You can't do this to me! We clearly agreed that we would never be separated! Why... why don't you come back? Ruoruo, are you still blaming me? Is it just because I'm the emperor... Ruoruo..."
The Shenwu Emperor slowly slid down to the ground and leaned against the edge of the bed. "Ruo Ruo, I'll tell you a secret, a secret only my father knows. I grew up in Fengju Palace, but I never received the love and warmth of my biological mother. Since I was a child, I could only see black and white. Until that year - under the big peach tree on the border, Yun Heng met you! The colors in my eyes are increasing. The flowers and plants you described, the beautiful scenery of the four seasons you told me... Since then, my world has become colorful again. Ruo Ruo... Can you come back? I will agree to anything you ask me to do! I only ask you - don't leave me!"
Seven days have passed, and Master Buyu is also in despair. He has exhausted all his energy in forcibly opening the Miaoling Formation. Master Zhiyan walked up to his junior brother and wanted to persuade him, but seeing the look in Master Buyu's eyes, he couldn't bear to say anything. He suddenly realized in his heart that Junior Brother Buyu might really like this noble sister.
The fact that the emperor brought the critically ill Concubine Yi to the Miaoling Palace was inevitably known to some people with ulterior motives.
The Lan family, who were far away at the border, had not received the news yet, but the Lan family in the capital had already been in an uproar. Uncle Lan and Lan Shuren had led a team of people to the Miaoling Palace two days ago and had been guarding the outer hall of the palace.
Yu Piaolan hurriedly got off the carriage and entered Qingci Hospital. She told the other sisters the news brought by Qiulan. They could only pray silently for Lan Qingwu in their hearts.
At the Duke of Rong's Mansion, Gao Lanyan anxiously awaited news. A moment later, Jiang Qi pushed the door open and Gao Lanyan turned to look. "What's going on?"
Jiang Qi hesitated before speaking: "Not very good, he hasn't woken up yet, and there's no other news yet."
Gao Lanyan's legs went weak. It had been so many days, and he still hadn't woken up...
Jiang Qi hurriedly supported her: "My wife, please take care of yourself. No news is the best news now. You must stay calm."
After Master Ku Ku finished reciting the last verse, he looked up at the motionless Ruyi Terrace and the Qingliang Palace in the distance, and sighed involuntarily: "Amitabha! Without saying anything, follow me to see His Majesty - there must be an end to this."
Inside the Qingliang Palace bedroom, Emperor Shenwu looked at Master Kunkui with a gloomy expression. "What did you say? Send Concubine Yi to the underground palace of Miaoling Palace? No! She's clearly still breathing. I won't give up! Get out! My weak one is fine!"
Master Buyu stepped forward hurriedly. "Your Majesty, seven days have passed. Please—grieve with all your heart! It is not appropriate to keep the noble lady in this palace. She is almost dead and could die at any moment… Please send her to the underground palace of Miaoling Palace. According to the unofficial records of the imperial family, there is an ice jade coffin in the underground palace of Miaoling Palace. It is the ice jade coffin that the Human Emperor found for Empress Zhaoyan. Placing the noble lady in this ice jade coffin may save her life. Your Majesty… it will be too late to delay any longer."
The persistence and madness in Emperor Shenwu's eyes froze, and then what surged into his heart was endless dejection and helplessness.
Even if he was an emperor, so what! Zhou Xuheng, the supreme ruler of the world, had saved countless civilians, but in the end, he couldn't keep the only person he cared about. What was the point of being an emperor? Why did the heavens treat him like this? The heart of the Emperor Shenwu fell into endless darkness. He also asked himself, "Wei Ruo Ruo, should I not have taken you into the palace? If you can live a peaceful life outside the palace, I would rather... I would rather just watch you from afar!" As long as you are safe!
Emperor Shenwu was walking alone on the long road to the underground palace, with Lan Qingwu, who was almost out of breath, in his arms.
With every step Emperor Shenwu took, his heart ached more. In the end, he was almost unable to stand due to the heartache and could only slowly kneel on the ground. His tears slid down Lan Qingwu's cheeks, drop after drop, and Lan Qingwu's black hair was wet with these desperate tears of love.
After a moment, Emperor Shenwu finally managed to stand up with all his strength and continued walking into the underground palace. As he walked in, his heart gradually turned to ashes. Everywhere he looked, everything was slowly losing its color: murals, decorations, lights, plants, flowers and fruits... In the end, only black and white remained!