At Changchun Palace, Noble Consort Yan was already waiting for Chen Zhihao with her throne pushed to the edge of the door facing the main courtyard. Servants and guards lined the inside perimeter, holding their breaths.. A sudden chill rippled through the soul-turning, sandalwood air and a maid sprinted past. He hesitated slightly before entering her palace and the heavy doors slammed shut behind him with an echo vibrating like a verdict.
He walked towards the towering throne like he was trying to not slip on ice. He bowed stiffly, "Greetings your highness."
A glistening imperial decree was in her hand as she raised her eyebrow, "His majesty has just sent someone over to deliver this decree to promote me to Noble Consort."
He kept his eyes glued on the ground, "Congraluations your highness."
Yan Mingze threw the decree at his head and he didn't even bother to dodge it, jaw clenched. It fell to the ground with a clatter, leaving a cut on his forehead with a mark of betrayel. The gold seal gleamed like an accusation as she leaned in closer, mask slipping for half a second, "Do you know what this means, Zhihao?"
She did not bother to hear him respond, it was not like he was going. He was already slipping away from her. She leaned back onto her throne, crossing her legs, "Wang Xiaoxin is going to see this as a threat while his majesty is testing me," she scoffed, "Heck, even that nobody girl, Zhao Lian, will even be watching me!"
Eyes red, she pointed at herself, "Right at this most vulnerable time, you leave me and go join that Liang Yue?" she shook her head, the person she regretted the most returning from the dead, "Are you forgetting who raised you?"
He unconsciously kneeled and refused to defend himself, jaw tight and fists clenched as she yelled, "How dare you disrespect me like that? Disobeying me by favoring the wrong people!"
She clenched her fists and pressed her eyes shut while she ordered, voice cracking, "Ten lashes for him."
It wasn't enough to kill but it was definitely enough to scar. Chen Zhihao accepted the punishment without resisting. This was the consequence of his reckless actions. With each lash, he didn't cry out or beg. He only whispered one thing under his breath, "I'm sorry Liang Yue."
Noble Consort Yan heard her daughter's name and the courtyard froze. Her breath hitchened. It was the one name she tried to erase, whispered like a prayer. She watched further for his reaction, wanting to see any signs of pain, regret, or submission, eyes shining. All the servants in Changchun Palace were forced to watch the display of Yan Mingze's punishment. The courtyard echoed with each strike but his silence was the real rebellion.
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Zhenyuan Residence felt emptier without the liveliness of Zhao Lian or the subtle warmth from Qiao Taiping. The air felt colder without their presences. Qin Xun sat with the same feeling in his study, not even bothering to try and be productive. He sighed and clicked his tongue, hands shaking, "Chen Zhihao should be back by now already..."
A tea set that Zhao Lian once used was untouched on his desk. Qin Xun had already heard about what happened at Jingyang Palace. Zhao Lian was moving pieces around again. He clapsed his hands together, she was too sharp. Liang Yue was framed for poisoning. It almost mirrored Zhao Lian's past suffering...which he caused. The walls of the room felt like they were closing in as he kept spiraling. Zhao Lian's sudden revival. Her refusal to see him. The marriage decree. He kept repeating to himself, pressing his palms to his forehead, "She cannot know."
"She would have confronted me."
"She would have killed me."
"She would have exposed me."
But her actions were not aligning up with his hopes. She was acting exactly like Zhao Dao would have if he knew the truth, "She speaks just like him now."
She even cared more for Liang Yue than him. Out of all people, that random princess? He had to protect the princess. If Liang Yue got hurt, Zhao Lian would retaliate. If Zhao Lian retaliated, the truth would come out. If the truth came out, he would lose everything. His breath went still as he stared at the empty seat where she used to sit, "If she does not know, she will learn it soon."
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Likewise, Zhao Lian sat in her dark room with Ashfang in one hand and the vial of poison in the other. Her only source of light, a candle, burnt low, wax pooling like time running out. With Wang Xiaoxin's defeat, she would only try to accelerate the marriage quicker. The vial of poison trembled in her hand, not from fear but from resolve. On the other hand, for the past few days, Qiao Taiping had heard everything from the other side of the wall. A visit from Yan Muchen and the decree from the Empress. She sat against the wall on the cold floor, hands in her hair. As soon as Zhao Lian was healthy again, she would be sent back to Hua Ligen. She couldn't go back to him again. She would never see daylight again if that happened!
Her breathing quickened as her mind started to spiral. The countless beatings and daily torments she had to go through were unbearable. And yet she couldn't hope that Zhao Lian would fall ill again. Zhao Lian was the one who rescued her out of that hell. She couldn't bear to lose the person that who protected her. She clenched her fists, she had to go see if she was okay. Qiao Taiping got up and walked over to Zhao Lian's neighboring room. Zhao Lian was still sitting on bed with Ashfang, reflecting the moonlight onto her face like a cold eye watching her. Qiao Taiping pushed the doors open without knocking and shrieked, "Oh my gosh Zhao Lian! What are you doing!"
Zhao Lian's eyes widened and immediately leaped over to shush Qiao Taiping, "Shhhh! His majesty is sleeping!"
Qiao Taiping quickly shut the doors behind her and walked over to the Ashfang and poison on Zhao Lian's bed. She pointed to the evidence, "What is this? Are you trying to end your life already?"
Zhao Lian clenched her fists, breath catching and trying to explain herself, "I-"
Qiao Taiping pointed a trembling finger towards Zhao Lian, "Don't you dare kill yourself with me here, over my dead body."
Zhao Lian walked towards Qiao Taiping and sat her down on the bed. Her eyes darted away, voice cracking, "I wasn't going to."
"What else could you do with a vial of poison and a dagger?"
Zhao Lian swallowed and stared at the dagger like an old friend and old enemy. Ashfang was the one who tied her and Qin Xun's fates together. It saved her yet ruined her at the same time. If not for the dagger, would Zhao Lian still be alive? Would she still have to live through this agony?
A faint knock was heard on the door and Zhao Lian hissed to Qiao Taiping, "Look what you did, now his majesty probably got startled awake."
"Consort Hao is awake."
YOU ARE READING
The Phoenix Split
Historical FictionZhao Lian's entire family is brutally purged under the orders of Emperor Yanxu. She watches as a masked commander leads the troops to kill every member of her clan including her father. Rising from the ashes, she is the sole survivor and is bound t...
