Chapter 112 The truth (2)
The uproar at Tingsong building disturbed the others. After everyone searched for the person in black, it seemed like he had disappeared from the earth. Once again, he had left without a trace.
“Not only is this person very familiar with Fengyu villa, he’s also very familiar with wangfu.”1
Murong Qi Qi said her opinion with certainty. Feng Cang also supported that opinion. That person was not only a bit familiar with wangfu. He even knew where the secret guards were posted and was able to escape smoothly. Who was he? He’s so familiar with the wangfu; if he’s his enemy, then wouldn’t it be very bad? Besides, just now Feng Cang exchanged attacks with the person in black, the two were equally strong. Who was he?
“Strengthen the defense of wangfu!” Feng Cang’s expression was serious. Soon, it’ll be the wedding. If that person in black was Wanyan Lie’s people, didn’t that mean that Murong Qi Qi would be in danger?
Feng Cang didn’t dare to continue to think about it. In the past, he didn’t bother about those many accidents, because they weren’t the person in his heart. But this time, it’s different. Murong Qi Qi was the treasure he’d finally found. If something happened to her, then what should he do?
After Murong Qi Qi fell asleep, Feng Cang went to the study.
“Ruyi, during my wedding, the defense of the wangfu would be handed over to you! You need to guard very well. Not even a fly should you allow to come in! Nalan Xin, let Fo Sheng Men’s people monitor everyone suspicious in the capital! If you catch them, then be decisive! Jixiang, bring my tiger tally. Let the eagle troop stand by!”
Issuing three commands at the same time, made Jixiang, Ruyi and Nalan Xin become aware of the seriousness of the matter.
Feng Cang’s black eyes flashed a quiet cold light. Who was that person in black? What’s his motive for coming to the wangfu? Why is he so familiar with the wangfu? Could he be Wanyan Lie’s people? Countless of questions appeared in Feng Cang’s mind. Not finding the answers made his heart feel impatient.
Calm down! Feng Cang tried his best to calm his heart. This matter was related to Murong Qi Qi’s safety. He couldn’t not be nervous! Although he had enough confidence to protect Murong Qi Qi, but he still needed to be careful. If truly nothing could be done, then he could only let Bei Zhou change heavens (emperor)! If Wanyan Lie dared to harm Murong Qi Qi, he wouldn’t mind moving his plan ahead of time!
It was getting close to the twenty-eight. They still had no news of the person in black. Feng Cang’s expression seemed calm, but his heart was like a surging sea. There was no news of the person in black; the wedding was getting near; he didn’t know what kind of thing Wanyan Lie would do this time.
On the twenty seventh, Feng Cang sent Murong Qi Qi into the palace. According to the etiquette of the two countries, he would come at the twenty-eight to escort Murong Qi Qi to the wedding ceremony. “Be careful!” Before Feng Cang left, he repeatedly reminded Murong Qi Qi. He wasn’t assured about Murong Qi Qi being elsewhere. He specifically asked empress dowager Dongfang Lan to let Murong Qi Qi stay at her palace.
After Feng Cang left, Murong Qi Qi walked into Jinxuan palace. The moment she crossed the entrance, she saw Dongfang Lan.
Dongfang Lan had long known that Bei Zhou won this time’s tournament. Although before she was a bit unwilling, but since it was a bet and Murong Qi Qi had won, she accepted the outcome. So, although her heart was a bit uncomfortable, she still acquiesced to this marriage.
Now, a day before the marriage, Feng Cang sending Murong Qi Qi to her Jinxuan palace, let this old empress dowager be a bit gratified. It seemed that in Feng Cang’s heart, she, this imperial grandmother was still a person he could trust. At the same time, Dongfang Lan also clearly saw the position Murong Qi Qi stood in Feng Cang’s heart. Otherwise, why would he entrust his bride to her?!
“Take a seat!” Dongfang Lan pointed to a chair beside her. The moment Murong Qi Qi went over, the poodle Little Snow jumped from Dongfang Lan’s arms. It swaggered to Murong Qi Qi’s feet. “Woof, woof, woof!” Little Snow wagged its tail and rubbed at Murong Qi Qi’s feet.
“It seemed that Little Snow likes you!” Dongfang Lan was a bit surprised. She had many grandsons and granddaughters, but she hadn’t seen Little Snow be so intimate with any of them. It’s the first time Murong Qi Qi came here and Little Snow already liked her so much. Maybe, this girl truly had something special.
Murong Qi Qi didn’t know that because of this snowball-like poodle, Dongfang Lan’s good feelings for her enhanced a lot. She squatted and gently touched Little Snow’s head. Little Snow seemed to enjoy it. It narrowed its eyes and rubbed on Murong Qi Qi as if it wanted her to hold it.
“This child likes you!” The way Dongfang Lan looked at Little Snow was very gentle like the way she looked at her children.
Seeing Dongfang Lan’s expression, Murong Qi Qi felt some sympathy for the old woman in front of her. Don’t know how sad she was when the news of the tragedy came fifteen years ago. A white-haired person sending a black-haired person away, how great should the psychological endurance be?
A white-haired person sending a black-haired person away: to see one’s child die before oneself
She heard that Bei Zhou’s empress dowager believed in Buddhism. Since her daughter and son-in-law passed away, she spent her days in the temple. Presumably, Dongfang Lan liked the quietness of the Buddha temple. Perhaps, whenever, she saw the bustling capital, it would make her sadder and miss her daughter and son-in-law even more. Presumably, fasting in the Buddha temple and praying for her daughter, son-in-law and her unborn granddaughter would let her have a peace of mind!
Murong Qi Qi hugged Little Snow and sat in front of Dongfang Lan.
Since getting to know that the culprit of the tragedy of fifteen years ago was Wanyan Lie, looking at Dongfang Lan again, Murong Qi Qi pitied this old woman very much. Presumably, Feng Cang didn’t tell his imperial grandmother the truth! If an elder person got to know the truth, she feared that she (DL) wouldn’t be able to take it even more!
Murong Qi Qi didn’t speak and only slowly rubbed Little Snow. Dongfang Lan had been looking at Murong Qi Qi. When Qing Gu brought the dessert and tea, Dongfang Lan suddenly said, “Alike!”
“Miss, what did you say are alike?” Qing Gu poured tea for Dongfang Lan.
“Qing Gu, before, didn’t aijia2 say that princess Zhao Yang’s eyes were like someone’s? Today, seeing her holding Little Snow, aijia remembered. In the past, Ming Yue also held Big Snow like that!”
The Big Snow Dongfang Lan was talking about was the grandmother of Little Snow in Murong Qi Qi’s arms. She was also a snow-white poodle dog.
After listening to Dongfang Lan, Qing Gu also looked carefully at Murong Qi Qi. She also nodded, “That’s right, ah! After miss said it, this slave also feels that princess Zhao Yang’s demeanor, especially that pair of eyes, is very much similar to that of our princess Ming Yue! So alike!”
The words of this master and servant reached Murong Qi Qi’s ears, making her startled. Her eyes looked like princess Ming Yue’s? At this time, Murong Qi Qi thought about how that night, when the person in black saw her, he called her ‘Ming Yue’ once. Could he also be referring that her eyes looked like princess Ming Yue’s?
Dongfang Lan stared at Murong Qi Qi. Her eyes slowly filled with tears.
“Aijia only had one daughter, Ming Yue. Since young, she was the treasure of aijia’s palm. It was truly like, keeping her, fearing that she would damage; touching her, fearing that she would break! Aijia’s Ming Yue was particularly sensible. From a very young age, she knew how to be concerned about another. In this world, the person aijia misses the most is not the former emperor but Ming Yue…”
Don’t know why, but Dongfang Lan suddenly felt like talking. She looked at Murong Qi Qi and slowly talked about Wanyan Ming Yue’s story.
“Aijia was exceptionally happy when Ming Yue married Feng Xie. They were childhood sweethearts and grew up together. Feng Xie had a good personality and strong ability. Aijia liked this son-in-law very much. I wished from the bottom of my heart for them to be together for a whole lifetime, be happy and grow old together.”
“But fate was playing with people! Aijia didn’t think they would die at Yandang mountain!” Talking till here, in Dongfang Lan’s eyes appeared hate.
“Aijia knows this matter has nothing to do with you, but just the thought of you being Murong Tai’s daughter, makes aijia be unhappy. Even now, a breath is stuck in aijia!” Dongfang Lan touched her chest and said, “But, Cang er3 likes you! Aijia can see it! It’s unfortunate enough that the child has lost his parents. If aijia continues to object, then it’s too miserable for Cang er! Aijia doesn’t want to separate you two!”
Dongfang Lan’s tears fell when speaking about such emotional things. Murong Qi Qi don’t know why, but seeing the old woman in front of her crying, made Murong Qi Qi’s heart feel very uncomfortable. She stood up and walked to Dongfang Lan. She took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears off Dongfang Lan’s face.
“Grandmother, don’t be sad! I, together with wangye,4 will be filial to you!”
A ‘grandmother’ made Dongfang Lan’s heart full with emotions. And Murong Qi Qi wiping away her tears, made the last straw of this old empress dowager melt down, “That year, when the former emperor passed away, Ming Yue was also like this at aijia’s side; wiping away aijia’s tears and comforting aijia. She said, ‘Empress mother, Feng Xie and I will be filial to you, don’t be sad anymore’…”
Recalling the memories of the past, all sadness and loneliness emerged in Dongfang Lan’s heart. Murong Qi Qi had opened her memories of the past. That beautiful and unforgettable past appeared in front of Dongfang Lan’s eyes. When Wanyan Ming Yue’s and Murong Qi Qi’s figures overlaid each other, it made Dongfang Lan dazed.
“Ming Yue! Ming Yue!” Dongfang Lan’s trembling hands touched Murong Qi Qi’s face, “Ming Yue, do you know how much empress mother misses you?! My Ming Yue…”
Dongfang Lan held Murong Qi Qi. Tears fell. Her toughness of all these years collapsed in front of Murong Qi Qi, leaving only the mournful heart of a loving mother who missed her daughter.
Knowing that Dongfang Lan was sad, Murong Qi Qi didn’t move. She let the elder hold her. She gently patted Dongfang Lan’s back. This elder was truly too pitiful! Till now, she was kept in the dark!
Dongfang Lan’s sadness made Murong Qi Qi feel heartache for her. However, she hated Wanyan Lie, who’d caused these consequences, even more. How could this person be so cruel and caused a family to fall apart?! Why did he do it?
Dongfang Lan cried for a long time. So long, she forgot the time. In the end, the elder was tired and fell in Murong Qi Qi’s arms. When Murong Qi Qi and Qing Gu moved Dongfang Lan to the bed, there were still tears in the old empress dowager’s eyes.
“Princess, it was hard on you!” Qing Gu looked somewhat apologetic at Murong Qi Qi’s shoulder, where her clothes had become wet because of Dongfang Lan’s tears, “Tomorrow is your wedding to wangye, today…”
“Aunt Qing, you don’t need to be so polite! The empress dowager just evoked deep feelings of the past! Besides, she’s wangye’s grandmother. In the future, she’ll also be my elder. This is what I should do…,” Murong Qi Qi once again wiped away the tears for Dongfang Lan and looked once deeply at this elder, “Aunt Qing, trouble you to look after elder empress dowager!”
Murong Qi Qi retreated and closed the door. Dongfang Lan opened her eyes. Her eyes were red. “Qing Gu!”
“Miss, I’m here!”
“Qing Gu, find the phoenix crown and red cape Ming Yue used when she married! Give it to this child! Let her marry tomorrow in Ming Yue’s clothes!”
“Miss…,” Qing Gu knew the importance of Wanyan Ming Yue’s phoenix crown and red cape in Dongfang Lan’s heart. Now, she gave it to Murong Qi Qi; could she had recognized her (MQQ) identity (granddaughter-in-law)?
“Aijia is already old. My heart shouldn’t be so small. She’s a good girl! A good girl!” After ordering these, Dongfang Lan was a bit tired. She slowly closed her eyes.
This was the first time Murong Qi Qi had left Feng Cang. Although the two of them didn’t have any inappropriate behavior and didn’t sleep in the same bed, but they had seen each other every day. Moreover, at night, the two’s places were not far from each other.
Today was the last day that she’ll be single. Murong Qi Qi needed to stay in the unfamiliar Jinxuan palace alone. She needed to wait for Feng Cang to come pick her up tomorrow. Murong Qi Qi was somewhat unused to this.
Murong Qi Qi opened the wooden box in front of her. Inside the box was the wedding dress Li Qiu Shui had sewn for her before she left Xi Qi. Tomorrow, she would be able to wear it…
When she unfolded the dress, she smelled a trace of a strange fragrance. It smelled like lilies. She smelled carefully. This fragrance seemed to come from the red wedding dress. No! It’s not lilies, it’s some kind of love drug. If it wasn’t because she had an understanding of these drugs, she wouldn’t have noticed the difference.
Murong Qi Qi was very surprised that Li Qiu Shui had actually put fragrance on the dress. Why? Why did she do it? Could it be to boost her and Feng Cang’s wedding night? But why go through so much trouble? Moreover, this fragrance was different from the ordinary aphrodisiac fragrances. It’s harmful to the human body! Could it be that Li Qiu Shui didn’t know this?
Recalling those strange words Li Qiu Shui said before she (MQQ) left, the more Murong Qi Qi felt that there’s something strange about Li Qiu Shui. She immediately put this wedding dress away.
Just as Murong Qi Qi was about to go find Su Mei and Su Yue, a person in black appeared in front of her. It was that person with the doll mask again.
In Murong Qi Qi’s hand appeared two golden threads. She was about to attack the person, but unexpectedly, the person turned and ran away. This time, she shouldn’t let him run away so easily! Murong Qi Qi chased right behind him.
This person seemed to deliberately keep a distance from Murong Qi Qi, but also didn’t let Murong Qi Qi lose sight of him. Murong Qi Qi chased the person in black. They flew in the quiet night. The person in black turned a lot of corners with Murong Qi Qi. In the end, he jumped over a wall of a courtyard. Murong Qi Qi didn’t even think and also jumped.
Here was a side palace chamber of Jinxuan palace. Murong Qi Qi saw the person in black enter the side chamber, so she also entered.
The chamber was very clean. A long silk formed a curtain which hung in the chamber. Like before, the person in black disappeared again without a trace. In the whole chamber, not even a shadow of the person in black could be seen.
Who is this person in black? Murong Qi Qi touched the golden threads in her hands. She carefully looked at everything in the chamber. When she turned, she saw a painting on the wall.
“Beloved daughter Ming Yue…” In front was a black tablet. Murong Qi Qi first read the words on the tablet. Then she raised her head and looked at the painting.
When she saw the woman in the painting, Murong Qi Qi was stunned. This person is Wanyan Ming Yue? Why, why did Wanyan Ming Yue look so much like her? It’s exactly the same!
Murong Qi Qi couldn’t help but reach out her hand to touch the person in the painting. That woman was sitting smilingly at the window while reading a book. Her expression was graceful. Her facial features were perfect. The painting carried the name ‘Beloved wife Ming Yue’ and with the inscription ‘Feng Xie’.
“Wanyan Ming Yue! If you’re Wanyan Ming Yue, then who am I?” Murong Qi Qi took down the Water Moon Mirror while looking at the woman in the painting. A thought appeared in Murong Qi Qi’s mind, but she didn’t dare to think any further nor did she dare to verify it.
If she’s Wanyan Ming Yue’s and Feng Xie’s daughter, then why did she appear in Murong fu5 and live as Murong Tai’s daughter? When Wanyan Ming Yue died, the child in her belly was already seven months old. If Wanyan Ming Yue truly died, then how did she (MQQ) survive?
No wonder when Li Qiu Shui saw her face, she said alike. Was she (LQS) saying that she (MQQ) looked like Wanyan Ming Yue? Who is that person in black? Did he know something? That’s why he called ‘Ming Yue’ and also brought her (MQQ) here?
C61 was the conversation between LQS and MQQ
No wonder she felt Dongfang Lan was familiar when she first saw her and Dongfang Lan also thought her demeanor and eyes looked like Wanyan Ming Yue! If her true identity is Feng Xie’s and Wanyan Ming Yue’s daughter, then could all of these be explained?
Murong Qi Qi’s legs went soft. Full of sadness, she sat on the ground. Looking at the beauty in the painting, Murong Qi Qi’s tears fell.
If everything was true, she found her biological parents. She should be happy, but if everything was true, then what should happen to her and Feng Cang? They just pledged their undying love and vowed to love for eternity; now, why did such a change appear?
The chamber was cold and deserted. The two candles beside the tablet were silently crying. The orange light elongated Murong Qi Qi’s shadow.
What to do? The always self-proclaimed clever Murong Qi Qi also didn’t know how to deal with such a problem. Return to Nan Lin wangfu, find Feng Cang and get to know the truth clearly? However, what could she do after getting everything clear? If she clarifies her identity, then it also meant she would need to separate from him forever. In the future, they couldn’t be together anymore!
At this time, Murong Qi Qi wished she was an ostrich, bury her head in the wide wings and forget about all troubles. At this moment, she hated that person with the doll mask who brought her over earlier. Why did he open this cruel truth? Could it be when after seeing her heart-piercing sad, he would be happy?
Since he’s someone who knew everything, then why didn’t he appear sooner? Why did he tell her the truth after she had fallen head over heels in love? Why was this person so ruthless?!
A sense of helplessness appeared in Murong Qi Qi’s heart. How she wished she could cry in Feng Cang’s arms! However, what’s the use of crying? If Feng Cang was her biological big brother, their love could only go till here and no longer continue.
Whether it was the past or present life, even when encountering many difficulties, Murong Qi Qi had always been strong and faced everything smilingly. However, the thing had happened too suddenly today. So sudden that she simply couldn’t accept this result.
What to do? Murong Qi Qi’s mind was a mess. Retreat or leave?
Feng Cang was in close proximity, but she was unable to cross the sea between them. The day when the truth comes out, they would be ruined and fall from grace!
Should she leave? Leave here and hide far away. Leave Feng Cang, leave this love? How could she be able to do that? How would she be willing to cut these feelings and give up on this love?