Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 94: Awakening

After many days of unconsciousness, Empress Fucha had awakened.

She struggled to climb down from the bed, but she had lain immobile for so long that her limbs were weak and numb. She immediately collapsed to the floor.

“Niangniang!” Ming Yu hurriedly rushed over to support her. “Someone—quick, call the imperial physician!”

The Empress tightly gripped Ming Yu’s hand, her face filled with urgency: “No—call Fuheng. I want to see Fuheng!”

Today Fuheng happened to be on duty in the palace. Upon receiving news of the Empress’s awakening, he rushed to Changchun Palace without a moment’s delay:

“Sister!”

The Empress gave a meaningful glance toward the palace servants in the room. They quietly withdrew. Fuheng stepped to her side and was just about to say something when she suddenly raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

“…Sister?” Fuheng covered his cheek, looking at her in bewilderment.

“Fuheng, when you spoke in front of me before, I could hear every word—I just couldn’t open my eyes.” The Empress spoke with bitter disappointment, as though scolding someone hopelessly foolish. “You idiot! How could you agree to Erqing’s terms? What are you going to do about Yingluo?”

That name was like a thorn—every mention reopened a bleeding wound. Fuheng lowered his head and said quietly:

“Sister, in that situation, only by agreeing to His Majesty’s bestowed marriage could I save Yingluo.”

The Empress shook her head, unable to accept it: “Given her temperament, she would rather die together with you. Do you realize that from the moment you nodded, Yingluo will never forgive you? Fuheng—can you truly bear the outcome of becoming strangers to her forever?”

Fuheng fell completely silent.

“This is unfair—to you, to Yingluo, and to Erqing!” The Empress understood her younger brother; his silence was itself a wordless refusal. “No matter the cost, I will demand that His Majesty retract the decree!”

“Sister…” Fuheng raised his head to look at her. His lips were bitten until they turned white. With a bitter smile he said, “The imperial edict has already been issued. Erqing has left the palace to prepare for the wedding. There is no room left to turn this back! If you go to beg His Majesty to withdraw the decree, it will bring utter disgrace upon the Fucha family—and it will make it impossible for Erqing to face the world. You would be forcing her to her death! Erqing only agreed to this marriage in order to help me. For the sake of both emotion and duty, I cannot do such a thing!”

This time it was the Empress who fell silent.

People are not made of wood or stone—how can they be without feelings? Yingluo was one of her own close attendants, but Erqing had been too. So many days and nights, so long a bond between master and servant—she could not simply watch the other walk toward death with open eyes.

After a long pause, the Empress let out a deep sigh, her voice filled with sorrow:

“I thought that at least you and Yingluo could find happiness. I never imagined… the ending would be the same.”

Just like herself—she had loved Hongli with her whole heart, yet she had no choice but to share him with countless other women. If Yingluo still wished to be with Fuheng in the future, she would have to do the same: share him with Erqing.

But unlike her own situation, the marriage alliance between the Fucha family and the imperial house was unavoidable—whereas Fuheng and Erqing’s wedding could actually have been avoided. In the end, it was this child’s foolishness that had created today’s irreparable mess.

“Elder sister…” Fuheng looked at her with some concern. “Are you alright?”

Instead of worrying about me, you should worry more about yourself—and about Yingluo! the Empress thought to herself. Then she waved her hand wearily and said, “Leave. I don’t want to see you right now.”

Fuheng hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back for a long moment. Finally he sighed, turned, and began to walk away. Halfway out, the Empress’s voice suddenly rang out behind him:

“Fuheng… I am very afraid. You will regret this decision you made for the rest of your life.”

His footsteps halted. Fuheng lowered his head; his fist clenched tightly, then slowly loosened. At last he said in a low voice:

“…Elder sister, everyone must take responsibility for their own choices. Please forgive me.”

Not long after Fuheng left, Hongli received the news and hurried to Changchun Palace.

“Empress, you’re finally awake!” He had expected to see her smiling face, but when the person on the bed slowly turned toward him, he froze. “…What’s wrong with you?”

After many days of deep sleep, though she had been cared for and Wei Yingluo had tirelessly massaged her hands and feet, the Empress’s body had still grown steadily thinner and more haggard. Her once round, jade-like cheeks had sunken; her jet-black hair spilled across her shoulders. There was a faint, heartbreaking beauty to her—like Xi Shi clutching her heart—evoking pity at first sight.

“Your Majesty, you’ve come.” The Empress slowly turned her gaze toward him, hesitating as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t quite begin.

Recalling that he had just passed Fuheng in the corridor, Hongli already understood something. The joy gradually faded from his face. He said coolly:

“Empress, is there something you wish to say to me?”

Having been husband and wife for so many years, the Empress knew his temperament well. She could tell he was already angry, yet she still spoke her mind without fear:

“If I were to make a request, would Your Majesty be willing to cancel the marriage between Fuheng and Erqing?”

Hongli answered decisively: “Impossible!”

Though she had already anticipated that answer, hearing it from his own lips still filled her with disappointment. It was as if her body had been hollowed out in an instant. She closed her eyes, leaned back against the pillow, and said:

“If it cannot be done, then I have nothing more to say.”

Seeing her cold, indifferent expression, Hongli felt deeply uncomfortable—even a little wronged. He frowned:

“Empress, I don’t understand. Erqing is dignified and proper, intelligent and graceful. Her grandfather is the Minister of Justice. I even raised her entire family’s banner. Whether in status or character, she is hardly beneath Fuheng. Everyone is delighted—why are you the only one frowning?”

“Everyone is delighted?” The Empress found it somewhat amusing and actually let out a small laugh. “Your Majesty, is that really what you believe?”

Hongli forced himself to remain calm: “Is it not?”

The Empress stared at him, her gaze seeming to pierce through the majestic exterior of the Son of Heaven to the heart of an ordinary man hidden beneath:

“You are the ruler of all under Heaven. Every word you speak is golden and jade, and no one dares disobey. But I have accompanied you for many years—may I ask just one question: why must you tear apart Fuheng and the woman he truly loves?”

Under that gaze, Hongli actually felt a flicker of panic, though his face remained composed:

“I have said it many times—she is not worthy!”

The Empress slowly shook her head: “Worthy or not, Fuheng doesn’t care. Why does Your Majesty insist on minding it?”

“When marrying a wife, one marries virtue. Fuheng is a pillar I have personally chosen—he will be entrusted with great responsibilities in the future. His wife absolutely cannot harbor ulterior motives or be full of cunning schemes!” Hongli said through gritted teeth. “I am protecting him—keeping him from being bewitched by a venomous woman and making the greatest mistake of his life!”

The Empress was first stunned, then she looked him up and down for a long moment. Suddenly she burst into laughter—laughing so hard she rocked back and forth, unable to stop.

“Empress,” Hongli said coldly, face darkening, “what are you laughing at?”

The Empress abruptly stopped laughing. She looked at him and said, very calmly:

“Your Majesty, are you truly certain that your insistence on breaking this marriage has no personal motive?”

Compared to her calm, Hongli’s heart was in far greater turmoil—as though some secret… a secret even he himself was unaware of… was about to rise to the surface.

“What personal motive could I possibly have?” he forced out.

“Is it not because…” The Empress stared straight into his eyes, “…Your Majesty has taken a liking to Wei Yingluo yourself and wishes to possess her?”

Hongli was stunned. Then he threw his head back and laughed loudly:

“Empress, you’ve been unconscious too long—your mind isn’t clear anymore! Let me tell you, this is your delusion, your hallucination!”

If this really were the Empress’s delusion or hallucination, why would he need to flee in such panic?

   Hongli retreated all the way to the main gate. Still unwilling to accept it, he turned back and shouted—as if trying to convince her, or perhaps even more to convince himself:

“This is absolutely impossible!”

The door slammed shut with a thud. Ming Yu entered carrying a bowl of rice porridge, her face filled with worry: “Your Majesty…”

The Empress sat motionless on the bed, a single line of tears slowly sliding down from the corner of her eye.

“Your Majesty, please don’t be sad…” Ming Yu’s feelings were complicated; she truly didn’t know where to begin comforting her.

“The Emperor possesses the entire realm—what kind of woman can’t he obtain? Why does it have to be Yingluo?” The Empress wept blankly. “Can’t he just let her go… let Fuheng go?”

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