Jinwei joins hands in rebirth: villains can also eat at the table

Chapter 324 Breaking the Cauldron

At this moment, Yan Wan was like a cat with its fur standing on end. All her nerves were suddenly tense, and her heart was full of vigilance and alertness.

She has spies all over the palace and many trusted aides. If they really have to fight to the death, she thinks that she has at least a 30% chance of winning.

Jinzhong has accompanied her through two lives' ups and downs. In this life, she is determined to keep him no matter what, even if the price is to destroy both herself and the whole world.

The Queen Mother saw her whole appearance and couldn't help but sneer.

"Hmph, you are truly foolish. I originally thought you were different from the vulgar ladies in the harem, but I didn't expect you to be so foolish when the time comes. If you insist on keeping that eunuch, I have no intention of stopping you. However, as time goes by, you will have to think carefully about how you will explain to Yongyan in the future."

There was a mixture of sarcasm and emotion in his words, and at the end he sighed secretly.

He is a love-struck seed.

Upon hearing this, Yan Wan's face turned slightly cold, but her tone remained firm.

"I will handle these matters properly, Your Majesty, please do not worry about them."

Now that the words have been spoken and the window paper has been completely broken, there is no need for her to pretend to be submissive anymore.

Seeing her reaction, the Queen Mother burst out laughing.

"Oh, look at you! I was just joking with you, but you got so scared! It's really funny. In this harem, you actually have your true love hidden. It's a pity that you can only hide in this dark gutter for the rest of your life, never to see the light of day."

After saying this, the Queen Mother slowly stood up and walked straight out of the palace.

Yan Wan was left alone, sitting there in a daze, like a wooden sculpture or clay statue.

It took her a while to come back to her senses. She gasped for breath and raised her hand to touch her chest with lingering fear. She felt that her back was already covered in cold sweat, and the chill was running down her spine.

It turned out that the Queen Mother had known about it for a long time.

"Master, please don't act like this for me. It's really not worth it."

After the Queen Mother's figure completely disappeared outside the palace gate, Jinzhong slowly emerged from behind the screen where he had been hiding.

He slowly raised his eyes and looked at Yan Wan, his eyes full of care and tenderness, and whispered softly.

"As long as my master can be safe and sound, even if they skin me alive, I will do it willingly and without complaint."

His voice was slightly hoarse, but every word he spoke was sincere. As he spoke, he slowly walked towards Yan Wan step by step.

Since his mistress came back this time, she has always acted carefully and prudently, and never showed her emotions. This is the first time he has seen her so emotional.

This loss of composure was all caused by himself. In an instant, Jinzhong felt mixed emotions. He was secretly happy about her true feelings, but he was also deeply afraid that he would become a burden to her and was filled with worries.

The situation is changing now. In the past, he could protect her from the wind and rain and give her advice, but now he has become a drag. How can he not be worried?

"Shut up! Stop spouting those depressing words. I promised you ten years ago that I would never abandon you in this life. How dare you, that old man, play tricks on me now!"

Yanwan took a deep breath, tried her best to suppress her troubled thoughts, and forced a smile.

But that smile couldn't hide the anger and reluctance.

Jinzhong lowered his head slightly and sighed softly, "I have long said that I would help you ascend the throne of the Empress even if it meant risking my life. Now, we are only one step away from this final step. Even if I die now, I will have no regrets. I am content with the extra ten years I have earned..."

His tone was gentle, but his words carried a thousand pounds of weight. As he spoke slowly, the unremovable sorrow between his brows was like a gloomy haze, and every bit of it was a worry about Yan Wan's future.

He knew that Yan Wan had schemed all the way to where she was today, and the hardships she had gone through were beyond the imagination of outsiders. How could he bear to become a burden to her at this critical moment?

Thinking about the past, it turns out that eleven years have passed since the thrilling night when Ruyi cut her hair.

Yanwan stared at Jinzhong, looking at the new white hair on his temples and the new wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. Her eyes suddenly became warm and then she burst out laughing.

"Jinzhong, look at you, you're really old, even your brain is muddled. I have the final say on your life. No matter who it is, even the gods can't take it away! The nights in this palace are so long. Without you by my side to accompany and protect me, how can I survive the rest of my life?"

After she finished speaking, she raised her hand and gently placed it on Jinzhong's shoulder. The warmth from her palm burned into Jinzhong's heart.

The corners of her lips curled up slightly, and she smiled, but as she smiled, tears began to swirl in the sparkling water.

In a moment, her eyes became firm and she made up her mind.

"You will take refuge in the Old Summer Palace for a while. If an official in the imperial court fails to perform his duties without being punished, no one will be able to justify it. Don't worry, once this storm has passed, you will be the chief steward of my Yongshou Palace. Then, we can stay together without any worries..."

This is a temporary measure. Since the Queen Mother already knows about this, it is really inconvenient for her to act too ostentatiously and attract attention.

Fortunately, the Empress Dowager's time is coming soon. As long as she can win over the hearts of the ministers for Yongyan during this period of time, no one in the harem will be able to suppress her in the future.

In these troubled times, it would be very risky to mess with the Queen Mother and make her angry.

Jinzhong listened quietly, but his thoughts were inadvertently drawn to the few strands of white hair that quietly appeared on her temples.

The silver strands that suddenly grew in her originally shiny black hair were particularly glaring in his eyes.

He couldn't help but slowly raised his hand, gently stroking the strands of white hair with his fingertips, staring at her intently: "Okay, I will obey your orders..."

As soon as he said this, he suddenly realized that so many years had passed in the blink of an eye. They were no longer young and had already reached the age where white hair was quietly growing.

Your mistress has always loved beauty and used to care a lot about her appearance and demeanor. Now that she sees the silver hair on her temples, she must be secretly sad.

Yan Wan let him do this, and the distance between them narrowed inch by inch, until they could clearly hear each other's breathing. In the end, she simply leaned lightly on his chest.

That warm chest was like a solid barrier, isolating the storms outside, leaving only the tranquility of the two people hugging each other at this moment.

"From now on, you must never say such discouraging words again. I feel uncomfortable when I hear them. Jinzhong, you must believe in me. I will take care of everything." Yanwan's voice trembled slightly.

"Okay, I will obey your order."

Jinzhong quickly agreed, his voice full of comfort.

As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand, and gently stroked her back with his large palm, again and again, his movements gentle and soothing, filled with endless pampering and care.

This is the second time that the master has given in for him.

Jinzhong counted silently in his heart. This sweetness was now inexplicably mixed with a hint of bitterness, like a few strands of coptis powder falling into the sweet frosting.

After the two of them calmed down a little and their thoughts returned, Yan Wan took a deep breath, straightened her expression, and returned to her usual decisive look.

"Let's not talk about these troubles for now. I have an important matter at hand and I absolutely need your help..."

When she mentioned this, she paused slightly, raised her eyes and looked at Jinzhong, her gaze as deep as a pool.

"Since the Empress Dowager has made it clear, I think it's time to seal the imperial edict..."

At dusk, the setting sun was as red as blood, casting a strange shadow on the flying eaves and brackets of the Qinzheng Hall.

"Your Majesty...Concubine..."

A weak and unclear voice came out from the hall with difficulty.

At this moment, Jinzhong's face was full of respect. He carefully supported the emperor, letting his weak body lean on the soft pillow.

The emperor's face was pale and haggard, and his former imperial majesty was gone. Only two spots of light remained in his sunken eye sockets, revealing a trace of his last breath.

Yan Wan sat aside, holding the half bowl of porridge in her hand, and mechanically put a spoonful of it into the emperor's mouth.

Originally, recruiting famous doctors was just a pretext for her to deceive people, but she never expected that there would actually be some improvement.

During this period of time, the emperor could speak two words coherently, which was a change from the initial difficulty of only being able to squeeze out one word at a time. Although the progress was slow, it was a change after all.

However, his body was still extremely frail, his skin sagging beneath his bony frame, a tinge of unnatural bluish-gray. And the stench of rancidity from his prolonged illness was so strong it made one's stomach churn and nausea rise at the mere sight of him.

After feeding her just a few mouthfuls, Yan Wan felt annoyed. She frowned slightly, a hint of impatience flashed in her eyes, and then she raised her hand and gently signaled Chun Chan to hand over the bowl of medicine prepared on the side.

She didn't want to delay any longer.

Chunchan was very smart. After handing over the medicine bowl swiftly and deftly, she glanced at him and quickly and quietly withdrew with her attendants.

She also calmly sent away the people guarding the Qinzheng Hall.

In the blink of an eye, the only people left in the empty hall were the dying emperor, Yanwan and Jinzhong.

The medicine bowl fell steadily into Yanwan's hands. The thick black medicine juice glowed faintly under the flickering candlelight, reflecting her still delicate but stern face.

The rising wisps of hot air, carrying with them the pungent and bitter smell of medicine, spread out in wisps, rushing towards her and disrupting the sweet and rich fragrance that originally surrounded her body.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. The Empress Dowager has already issued an edict. When Yongyan returns to the palace from the autumn hunt on your behalf, she will remove the secret edict from behind the "Zhengda Guangming" plaque in front of all the civil and military officials and read it out on the spot..."

Yan Wan gently but irresistibly handed the medicine spoon to the emperor's mouth, murmuring softly but with a hint of coldness in her voice.

"Since the Emperor has so arbitrarily chosen Yongyan as the Crown Prince, it's only natural that Yongyan must be the legitimate heir to the throne. I, too, have benefited from this privilege, having been honored by my son and having the privilege of sitting in the position of Head of the Imperial Palace. When I think about it, it's all thanks to the Emperor's great blessing. Without the Emperor's favor, I wouldn't be able to enjoy the glory and honor I enjoy today."

Having said this, she paused slightly, lowered her eyes, and sighed softly as if with regret.

"It's a pity that the Emperor is now ill. I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to witness the moment when he personally drafts the edict, affixes the imperial seal, and vindicates me..."

The tone, three parts emotion and seven parts hidden pride, drifted slowly in the hall.

Before she knew it, most of the juice in the medicine bowl in her hand had gone, and the bitter and thick medicine had flowed down the corners of the emperor's cracked lips.

The emperor's originally confused and drowsy mind suddenly became a little clearer because of her meaningful words. Although he was unable to reprimand her, he still understood the hidden meaning by instinct.

The eyebrows that had been loose for a long time were twisted into a knot in an instant, and together with the face that was becoming increasingly distorted by pain and anger, it looked particularly hideous and terrifying.

"ah……"

Suddenly, a scream broke the stagnant air in the Qinzheng Hall.

Yanwan frowned slightly, pretending to be panicked as she flipped over the half bowl of boiling hot medicine in her hand. The brown and black medicine splashed everywhere, all pouring onto the emperor's frail body.

“Ah…ah…ah…ah…”

The emperor was caught off guard and was instantly shocked by the scorching medicine, trembling all over and shouting incoherently.

He glared fiercely at Yan Wan, the instigator.

"Is Master Ling all right? Be careful not to hurt your hand!"

Jinzhong saw it clearly from the side and his heart suddenly tightened. Without thinking, he reached out to check Yanwan's hands. In his anxiety, his arms were already half stretched out.

But just when his fingertips were about to touch Yan Wan, he suddenly came to his senses and realized that this action was extremely inappropriate. His expression changed abruptly and he was about to withdraw his hand in panic.

However, just as he had withdrawn his hand halfway, a soft hand quickly wrapped around it like a nimble snake, tightly grasping his wrist, not allowing him to struggle even a little.

Jinzhong was horrified and subconsciously tried to pull his hand back.

But Yan Wan seemed to be determined. She held his hand tightly, making him unable to move. He could only stand there frozen with a look of panic on his face.

Yan Wan's bold, extraordinary and extremely ambiguous behavior was like a heavy hammer, which not only almost shook Jin Zhong's soul and spirit out of his body, but also directly hit the emperor's already fragile mind.

The emperor opened his eyes wide and stared at the two people's intertwined hands.

Then he looked at the unconcealable undercurrent of emotions between their eyebrows, and in an instant, he completely understood the dirty meaning hidden behind it.

The expression on that distorted face became increasingly gloomy and terrifying.

It turns out that they hid so deeply.

The emperor twitched his body in anger and drooled.

"Let... Ugh..."

The emperor was eager to stop the farce, but his throat seemed to be tightly gripped by an invisible iron clamp. The harder he tried to squeeze out the words, the more the words got stuck in his throat.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not utter even just two words smoothly.

Veins bulged on his neck, and his face was red as a cooked shrimp from the extreme effort. Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead, mixing with the medicine stains that had just splashed on him, making him look in a miserable state.

Every difficult attempt to swallow was met with sharp pain.

Wherever the medicinal juice flowed, it burned and gnawed at his fragile throat and esophagus, sending the pain straight to his internal organs.

poisonous!