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墨書 Inktalez
Liu Che furrowed his brow and asked softly, "Who are you?"
The woman slowly knelt down. "Chu Fu."
"Oh." Liu Che suddenly realized. Chu Fu was the maidservant of Empress Chen. Ever since Empress Chen moved to Changmen Palace, she had seemingly vanished from the palace.
"How did you end up here?"
"Is it not strange that the Emperor is here as well?"
Chu Fu raised her gaze to Liu Che and smiled gently. "Your Majesty need not be angry. I know I am destined to die today; my appearance here is merely to inform you of something."
Liu Che stared at her for a moment before sighing softly, "Go on."
"Empress Chen comes from a distinguished background and has been pampered since childhood, making her somewhat willful and unskilled in flattery. However, she has always been devoted to you, unwavering in her feelings. Over the years, she and I have supported each other, relying on one another without ever crossing any boundaries. If Your Majesty would deign to bring her back to the palace, I would willingly die."
Liu Che looked at her and suddenly revealed a bitter smile. "It is rare for you to be so loyal to Ajiao, but do you truly think I am completely unaware?"
Chu Fu was taken aback, momentarily speechless.
"As you know, I am neither the legitimate nor the eldest son; I owe my ascension to this supreme throne entirely to Ajiao's family influence. The power dynamics in court are intricate and entangled; I must tread carefully, living in constant fear as if walking on thin ice."
Liu Che continued, "The precedent of Lü Hou's interference in politics is still fresh in our minds. The Han Dynasty's foundation cannot allow for external families to meddle freely; do you understand? Therefore, Empress Chen will inevitably be deposed, regardless of whether she loves me or I love her."
"Are you saying this was all premeditated?" Chu Fu gasped, her face showing panic.
Liu Che smiled wryly and nodded. "The matter of witchcraft can be spoken of or dismissed at will; it is inherently unclear. When Zifu framed Ajiao, I merely took advantage of the situation and fanned the flames. Besides, her absence from my side might even be a blessing for her. Just look at Zifu and the Crown Prince; do you really think they have the courage to rebel? And look at this."
No one could have guessed that the puppet in the Crown Prince's chamber was secretly placed there by Liu Che through Jiang Chong's covert actions.
Years ago, the eunuch who tampered with the imperial records fled in secret, fearing that his misdeeds would be exposed.
Chen Ajiao had sensed something amiss from the start and sent people to investigate secretly for over a decade before finally locating him.
The eunuch had been foresighted; before altering the records, he had discreetly copied them for himself.
Chen Ajiao handed over the eunuch's confession along with the original records to Liu Che.
This matter concerned the royal family's reputation and was a family disgrace, so Liu Che naturally could not make it public. After much contemplation, he devised a plan to pit Jiang Chong against Liu Ju, leading to their mutual destruction, while Wei Zifu would also meet her tragic end.
After hearing all this, Chu Fu sighed with a bitter smile, "The heart of an emperor is indeed unfathomable, but it is also too ruthless."
Liu Che remained silent, slowly turning to walk out of the palace. He stepped into the blood-red glow of the setting sun as he ascended the city walls of Weiyang Palace. Chu Fu closely followed him.
In the distance, Chang'an City bustled with life and vibrancy. After the turmoil caused by the Crown Prince's rebellion, it gradually returned to its former glory.
"Look at Chang'an beneath our feet, so many citizens living in peace and prosperity; it brings me great comfort," Liu Che said softly.
His expression shifted slightly, revealing a hint of complex emotions. "I am the emperor of all under heaven, yet I am not my own emperor. If I were to abandon this vast empire for the sake of affection, how many people would be displaced? How many lovers would be torn apart? You will never understand the heart of an emperor."
After a long silence, Chu Fu spoke gently, "Your Majesty, I have no authority to meddle in court affairs, but please go see the Empress. Her time is running short."
"What?" Liu Che felt a sudden jolt in his heart as if he understood something. But then he saw Chu Fu's body go limp and blood trickling from her mouth—she had evidently ingested poison.
"Your Majesty, Empress Chen has lived with pride; please grant her dignity in her final moments."
At that moment, Liu Che was filled with urgency and disregarded everything else. He hurried down the stairs, mounted his horse, and raced toward the palace gates.
Chen Ajiao lay on the bed, her face as pale as paper, yet she was still dressed neatly and meticulously.
Seeing her in such a state, Liu Che felt a sharp pain in his heart.
In truth, after calming down that day, he quickly realized that there could not possibly be any man in Ajiao's room.
After all these years of marriage, he understood her character better than anyone else.
When the eunuch who recorded Liu Che's daily activities was found, Chen Ajiao intended to hand him and his testimony over to Liu Che. However, Wei Zifu had secretly placed spies outside Changmen Palace.
Not only was the eunuch silenced, but even the well water that Chen Ajiao and Chu Fu drank was secretly poisoned.
Fortunately, she managed to deliver the records and testimony to Liu Che in time.
“Chu Fu, Chu Fu, where have you gone?” Ajiao murmured softly. “Water… water…”
Liu Che gently wiped away the tears from his eyes, poured a glass of water, and sat at the head of the bed, tenderly lifting her up.
At this moment, Ajiao's mind was somewhat hazy, yet she still sensed something unusual: “Who are you? Clumsy and awkward, you don't know how to serve at all.”
“It’s me,” Liu Che replied softly.
“It’s you, it’s you…”
Ajiao mumbled a few words before suddenly sitting up in bed. With all her strength, she pounded on his chest. “Why did it take you so long to come? Do you know how exhausting and painful it has been for me all these years alone? Why did you wrong me? Why did you humiliate me? Though I despise Wei Zifu, I never used any sorcery! Your Majesty, why can’t you just comfort me? You have so many consorts, but I only have you as my Emperor…”
Liu Che tightly embraced her. Finally, after exhausting herself with her outburst, she slowly leaned into his arms and began to weep softly.
"Ajiao, do you still remember when I was very small, I promised that if one day you married me, I would build you a grand golden house to live in?"
"You’re lying," Ajiao said, tears in her eyes.
"Look," Liu Che said as he gently helped her walk to the wall. He drew his sword from his waist and swung it forcefully. With a sound of metal striking stone, the paint on the wall began to peel away, revealing not earth or wood beneath, but shining gold.
"This Changmen Palace is a design I crafted myself, built specifically for you. I had hoped that when I grew old, I could pass the throne to the Crown Prince and share a peaceful life with you here, enjoying our twilight years together. But who would have thought that the affairs of this world are endlessly tumultuous? I have waited and waited, yet never imagined that before I could see that day, our time would be so limited."
Ajiao's eyes sparkled once more with brilliance.
When designing Changmen Palace, Liu Che had instructed skilled craftsmen to cleverly set mechanisms beneath the golden surface. Once triggered, all the paint would peel away simultaneously, transforming the palace into something even more magnificent than the imperial palace itself.
On that day, Ajiao laughed and cried at the same time. She was happy that despite all the storms they had weathered over the years, Liu Che still kept his childhood promise. Yet she was also saddened by the fact that even though their love ran deep as the sea, it could not overcome the vast barriers of this world.
As Liu Che stepped out of Changmen Palace, he realized his steps had become somewhat unsteady. He knew he was aging and that time was running short.
From a small feudal lord, he had fought his way to the throne, spending his life in relentless battles—competing with brothers both openly and secretly, balancing power with relatives by marriage, maneuvering through political intrigues with officials, and even clashing swords with his own flesh and blood.
He ruled the nation with an iron fist, never showing any softness or retreat. Yet at this moment, he suddenly felt utterly exhausted.
Perhaps it was time to let go; the Han Dynasty had already achieved a prosperous era, and his descendants had grown up.
More importantly, someone was quietly waiting for him in that grand golden house. If he arrived too late, it would be cold and lonely there.
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