Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 279 The Door of Death

Qin Jiu counted: "Why are there only seven hexagrams? The Kun hexagram is missing?"

Nianyao said, "I noticed that too."

Qin Jiu speculated, "Qian Tian Kun Di? Shao Kun means Shao Di? Did the late emperor mean that Nan Yue lacked land? That doesn't make sense. The late emperor didn't have such great ambitions, and besides, she had already stopped interfering in politics at that time."

Nianyao said, "When Luo An took me to Taiwei Mountain to pay respects to his father, we passed through a Bagua Reverse Battle and exited through the Death Gate."

The eight trigrams are associated with the eight gates: Qian (☰) - Open Gate, Kan (☵) - Rest Gate, Gen (☶) - Life Gate, Zhen (☳) - Injury Gate, Xun (☴) - Block Gate, Li (☲) - View Gate, Kun (☷) - Death Gate, and Dui (☱) - Shock Gate.

Qin Jiu continued, "The Eight Gates have no gate of death?"

Nianyao murmured, "The Gate of No Death? No Death? There is no death?"

Qin Jiu asked, "Who hasn't died? The late emperor?"

Nianyao looked at the picture and then at Tang Jiu: "I didn't say that."

Qin Jiu solemnly said, "Absolutely impossible. Chief, you are young and don't know many things. The late emperor... to put it this way, if the current emperor hadn't been so young, the late emperor would have passed away much earlier."

Although Your Majesty is young, having experienced the fall of the nation and the loss of your family, and having been personally instructed by the late Emperor, you possess remarkable intelligence and ability. When Your Majesty was thirteen, the late Emperor planned to abdicate, and the date was set; we were awaiting the abdication ceremony.

As a result, the emperor went to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and threw the girl serving him off the building, killing her. She was naked, her brains splattered everywhere, a truly gruesome scene. Later, the emperor did a series of absurd things, which displeased both the court and the people.

The ministers submitted a memorial arguing that the Crown Prince was too young to shoulder such a heavy responsibility and that the abdication should be postponed. The late emperor was forced to cancel the ceremony. However, her health was truly failing, and the imperial physicians attended to her day and night.

The emperor's actions became increasingly unrestrained, and gossip grew more frequent. At the age of fourteen, the late emperor decreed his marriage, and the empress soon became pregnant. With this double joy, the late emperor seemed to be feeling better.

The following year, shortly after the child was born, the late emperor passed away. To describe his condition as utterly exhausted would be no exaggeration.

How could someone who is on the verge of death, someone who was already destined to die, possibly not be dead?

Nianyao said, "Your Majesty doesn't seem like a foolish person. So, was his absurd behavior at the age of thirteen or fourteen intentional?"

Qin Jiu said, "My sister is like a mother. Although the emperor is my brother, the late emperor always raised him as his son."

If Your Majesty were to ascend the throne smoothly at the age of thirteen, the late Emperor might have passed away shortly after his accession. Your Majesty's deliberate antics to delay her, his marriage to bring her good fortune, and his eagerness to have a child are all attempts to prolong the late Emperor's life.

Nianyao exclaimed with emotion, "What a deep bond between siblings!"

Qin Jiu said, "I guess if the young master truly desires the throne, His Majesty will grant it to him."

Nianyao exclaimed in surprise, "How could Ninth Brother think like that? Where did he get the ambition to become emperor? He's been neglecting his duties as a manor lord for years. If he really became emperor, wouldn't the empire his mother built be ruined in his hands?"

Besides, I could never be empress. I think it's good enough that the emperor is diligent in governing and cares for the people, and I've heard the empress has a good reputation, much better than either of us.”

Qin Jiu laughed and said, "Men, they get promoted, get rich, and their wives die..."

Nianyao's eyes flashed with a fierce light: "What does Ninth Brother mean?"

Qin Jiu said, "Don't get agitated. I was just saying. Young Master is not that kind of person at all."

Nianyao stared at the painting in front of her: "Xu Sheng and the Emperor are both intelligent people. Neither of them knows what the late Emperor left behind. Could it really be a mountain full of medicinal herbs?"

Qin Jiu asked curiously, "How do you know His Majesty doesn't know?"

Nianyao said, "If he really knew, Xu Sheng would have found out. Besides, even if His Majesty didn't tell Xu Sheng, he would have told Luo An. His Majesty and Luo An are only a few years apart in age, and the way he looks at Luo An seems very...kind."

Qin Jiu said, "Your Majesty should only be four or five years older than the young master."

Nianyao said, "It's that...elderly feeling. And that old woman, the one in Xu Sheng's courtyard, does Ninth Brother know who she is?"

Qin Jiu shook his head: "I've never heard of that."

Nianyao said, "It seems she's quite familiar with the late emperor. How about we go to Qinzhou again?"

Qin Jiuyi said listlessly, "If even Xu Sheng, the young master, and the emperor can't handle this, let's not meddle. We might end up doing more harm than good without even realizing it."

Nianyao said, "But aren't you surprised? Luo An went to Qinzhou so easily?"

After a long pause, Qin Jiu asked, "Where did you see that it was easy?"

Nianyao said, "He didn't seem to hesitate at all; he just went. He used to get angry whenever the topic of going to Qinzhou came up."

Qin Jiu changed his mind before he could finish speaking: "Going to see him won't hurt, it'll put my mind at ease."

Nianyao said, "That's true. He may seem cold on the surface, but he still cares a lot about his family."

Qin Jiu stood up: "It's getting late, Chief, you should get some rest."

Nianyao walked towards the backyard with Qin Jiu: "Ninth Brother, you didn't see me in Bianjing last time, aren't you curious about where I went?"

Qin Jiu said, "As long as everyone is safe and nothing has happened, that's fine."

Nianyao said, "Luo An didn't ask either?"

Qin Jiu misunderstood Nian Yao and comforted her, "Young Master may seem cold on the outside, but he is warm on the inside. Not asking doesn't mean he doesn't care. Everyone has their own things to do and arrangements. Young Master is just respecting you."

Nianyao shook her head: "That's not what I meant. If he really asks, I don't know what to say."

Qin Jiu said, "Just tell the truth."

Nianyao said solemnly, "He cares a lot about his family."

Qin Jiu joked, "Could it be that you killed his family? Xu Lai? Xu Lai doesn't count either."

Nianyao said, "It's not Uncle Xu Lai, it's An Jingchen."

Qin Jiu paused, her voice rising slightly: "You killed An Jingchen?!"

"No, no." Nianyao realized she had spoken too quickly: "Ninth Brother, how could you think I killed Uncle Xu Lai?"

Because the only person who died recently was Xu Lai, and Xu Lai was from Dongyang.

"Uncle Xu isn't important, no, Uncle Xu isn't the point." Qin Jiu was unusually anxious: "Tell me about An Jingchen, what exactly happened?"

Nianyao told An Jingchen everything, and concluded by saying, "...After the Shipyard Conference ends, I will take Chenxi back and settle down in Heaven and Earth. I plan to tell him after I've settled down."

But the longer it went on, the more timid I became, and the less I dared to speak up. Now I'm even starting to doubt whether I'll have the courage to tell anyone when I get back.

The two stood under the moonlit door, the light of the yellow lanterns reflecting on Nianyao's face, making her look completely pale.

Nianyao struggled daily between speaking and remaining silent, growing more disheartened with each struggle. She looked down at her shadow on the ground, her voice lowering.

“He really cares about his family, and he really cares about An Jingchen. He told me that he and An Jingchen had been together for over ten years, and he even risked his life for An Jingchen. He and I have only been together for a short time…”

Nianyao intended to let Luo An punish her, but what if Luo An flew into a rage and told her to get out? She couldn't exactly cling to Luo An's leg, crying and begging for forgiveness, could she?

Qin Jiu decisively said, "Then don't tell him."

Nianyao sighed: "I have thought about this path. But it won't work. Even if I can't be upright and honest, I can't be despicable and shameless."

I'm afraid to admit it, but I can't keep it a secret. What's the path between being upright and honest, and being despicable and shameless?