Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Chi Yu’s feelings were complicated and difficult to put into words.

Yes, Sheng Zhaoning had finally gotten what she wanted. She had gone to Suizhou and found Wei Heng.

But not in the way Wei Yi had imagined.

He released Wei Yi, let his strength drain away, and sat down beside him. After a long silence, he suddenly asked, “Wei Yi, have you ever regretted it?”

Leading an army to break through the Imperial City, forcing her to kill Wei Heng with her own hands, stripping her of her official position, destroying her influence, and imprisoning her within the palace, refusing to let her go.

Now that things had come to this, did he regret the outcome?

Perhaps Wei Yi was thinking of everything that had happened over all these years. His voice grew terribly hoarse, and a glimmer of moisture flashed in his eyes.

“Even if I regret it, what can I do?” His eyes reddened as he spoke, almost using up all the strength in his body. “How do you expect me to let her go?”

He had missed the Sheng Zhaoning who had once had eyes only for him. All he could do was think of every possible way to make amends and win her back.

Yet the more he tried, the farther away he pushed her.

He could not let go of her. Even knowing that being by his side brought her nothing but pain, he still could not release her.

How could Wei Yi bear to lose her?

He had thought that if he gave her enough time, she would eventually let go of that person and be willing to start over with him.

He wanted to marry her and make her his Empress.

But just as he had settled the matter of appointing an Empress and was eagerly preparing to return to her, he watched helplessly as she died in that great fire.

How could he possibly let go of her after that?

“What use is anything you’re doing now, then? Are you trying to fill the void of your regret by torturing yourself?” Chi Yu asked, turning his head toward him.

Wei Yi had deliberately refused to let himself feel better, allowing his health to deteriorate day by day. By now, the damage had accumulated into a serious illness.

“Sheng Zhaoning is already dead. No matter what else you do, she’ll never see it.”

Chi Yu continued, “But don’t forget that you’re the emperor. Beneath the heavens, you still have your subjects to care for.”

Sheng Zhaoning had also longed to see the land prosper and the world enjoy peace.

Wei Yi had seen what she was like when she was upright and incorruptible.

The icy killing intent she had carried in Liangzhou had faded away. Her back was straight, her proud spirit unyielding. She had overturned wrongful verdicts and solved countless old cases, earning a great reputation.

He knew that the Sheng Zhaoning who had served as Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review had no desire to remain trapped in the mire. She had wanted to use her own strength to create a realm of justice and clarity.

Yet that very woman had ultimately been imprisoned within the palace and died in a great fire.

Wei Yi closed his eyes without saying a word.

Seeing this, Chi Yu no longer tried to persuade him.

As emperor, Wei Yi naturally had a mission he needed to fulfill.

The realm that Prince Zhenbei had spent half his life planning and fighting to reclaim had been placed in Wei Yi’s hands. He could not simply watch the land fall into ruin and allow Great Wei to be destroyed under his rule.

So no matter how much it hurt or how deep his grief ran, he still had to pull himself together and be the lofty emperor he was meant to be.

There was no need to say anything more.

Chi Yu had the palace attendants prepare another dose of medicine and bring up a meal. He remained in the palace for another half hour, watching Wei Yi take his medicine before finally returning to his residence.

Wei Yi’s illness had originated in his heart. He had avoided disaster for all these years only because of his strong constitution.

But for that very reason, it was also especially difficult to treat.

The Imperial Physician spent several more days caring for him before his condition finally began to improve.

Wei Yi resumed attending court.

After so many days of delay, the memorials from the court had already piled up high. Other matters had accumulated as well.

The morning court session continued until the afternoon.

After returning to Changhua Hall, Wei Yi sat at his desk and spent the entire day reviewing the memorials. He did not move even half a step.

Zhao Quan watched from the side, deeply worried.

His Majesty had only just recovered. How could he work himself so hard?

“Your Majesty, it’s getting late. You should rest,” Zhao Quan urged.

Wei Yi said nothing. He continued sitting at the desk, correcting memorials one after another as though he would never grow tired.

Zhao Quan had no choice but to have the palace maids brew several cups of strong tea to keep him alert.

And so he worked for the entire day.

It was not until the night had deepened and the moon hung high overhead that Wei Yi finally finished reviewing the last memorial.

He set down the vermilion brush in his hand, and a dull ache spread through his neck.

Wei Yi’s gaze was quiet and utterly unreadable, like a pool of stagnant water.

He could not understand why, the moment he had closed the memorial, that upright, slender figure had surfaced in his mind once more, impossible to dispel.

He remained seated, not getting up. Instead, he calmly raised his head and looked out at the moonlight beyond the window.

The crescent moon hung like a hook, its silver light clear and bright.

He stared up at it for a long while. Only when his eyes began to ache slightly did he slowly lower his gaze, letting it fall on the apricot tree a short distance away.

The spot where the apricot tree now stood had once been occupied by a red plum tree.

Wei Yi’s gaze shifted slightly.

At the time, he had not known what the red plum signified. It was simply the first time Sheng Zhaoning had spoken up to plead with him for someone. His heart had softened for a moment, and without asking any further questions, he had allowed the tree to remain.

It was not until that New Year’s banquet, when Sheng Zhaoning killed Gao Qi, that he finally learned the hidden meaning behind those plum trees.

Wei Yi still remembered the jealousy that had raged through him when he learned that red plum blossoms were Wei Heng’s favorite flowers. He had ordered every plum tree in the Imperial Palace cut down, without leaving a single one behind.

The Eastern Palace was no exception.

Other than for that New Year’s banquet, Wei Yi had never set foot there again.

The Eastern Palace had simply been left to decay, with no one to maintain or repair it.

Suddenly, he wanted to take a walk there and have a proper look.

Perhaps he would be able to find some trace of Sheng Zhaoning’s former presence.

Wei Yi rose and walked around the back of the desk.

Zhao Quan thought he was finally going to rest. His brows relaxed, and he was just about to call someone in to attend to Wei Yi’s washing and changing when, in the blink of an eye, he saw Wei Yi walking out of the hall.

“Ah, Your Majesty…” Zhao Quan hurried after him with quick, mincing steps.

Changhua Hall was not far from the Eastern Palace.

Wei Yi did not take a sedan chair. He simply walked there at an unhurried pace beneath the moonlight.

Once night fell, there were noticeably fewer people along the palace paths.

He brought only Zhao Quan and Han Xu, who accompanied him for protection.

After the Eastern Palace had been abandoned, it was regarded as an ill-omened place, and rumors that it was haunted had spread everywhere.

Thus, under ordinary circumstances, hardly anyone came this way.

Wei Yi stood before the Eastern Palace and looked up at the plaque above, now badly weathered and broken. Faintly, he could still make out traces of its former splendor.

Had Sheng Zhaoning once stood beneath this very plaque countless times, searching for Wei Heng?

Wei Yi’s eyes darkened, and a flicker of bitterness passed through them.

He pushed open the palace doors and walked into the courtyard.

Once he reached the center of the courtyard, he saw that the great expanse of plum trees had long since been cut down, leaving behind nothing but a stretch of bare stumps.

Wild grass had covered the ground, unchecked by human hands. Spiders’ webs hung in sheets, and fallen leaves lay scattered everywhere.

Under the cold moonlight, the desolate scene was bleached a ghostly white, and it did indeed give off an eerie air.

Following behind Wei Yi, Zhao Quan glanced around at the surroundings. When his eyes landed on the main hall, in particular, he drew his neck in fear.

He had not forgotten that Sheng Zhaoning had tortured Gao Qi to death in this very Eastern Palace.

The sight remained an indelible shadow in everyone’s minds even now.

Why on earth did His Majesty have to come here all of a sudden?

Zhao Quan could not understand it.

“Big! Big! Big!”

“Small! Open small!”

“Hahaha, I won! Pay up, pay up!”

A sudden burst of shouting came from inside the main hall.