Chapter 15 The Battered-Body Trick (Part 2)
You Hu took his daughter to come towards them. But this girl called Qingcheng was too flushed by shyness to look at Xu Linghe. Seeing his daughter so timid, You Hu said nothing more and was quite favorably impressed with Di Qing. After all, Di Qing was a descendant of Di Zhan, and his moral standing was not bad accordingly. It was clear that You Hu showed a preference for Di Qing. A chilly look flashed in Xu Yinchang’s eyes while Xu Linghe felt secretly delighted, because Xu Linghe thought that the “hot potato” had been shifted and taken finally. However, the eldest brother and the second elder brother of Xu’s looked sad with hidden bitterness, showing more jealousy to their youngest brother’s match. The second elder brother took a glance at You’s daughter and felt much more reluctant at the thought that he was not Mr. right for his loved girl.
“Elder brother, as for the things I mentioned to you last time, could you do me a favor? I have to marry You’s daughter. No matter what father thinks, I will marry You Qingcheng.”
“My second younger brother, Miss Han is also lovely. If I were you, I would prefer to choose her. Look at her small chewing mouth, so cute. What’s more, the Han family is the wealthiest in the south. It is so tempting.”
A gust of wind blew out all the lanterns in a flash. In the darkness, a beam of spirit light dashed towards the imperial court, and Di Qing on the soft couch fell to the ground silently. Xu Linghe followed and darted up to the light. But the figure twisted and turned to avoid being caught and then disappeared suddenly. In the candlelight, blood gushed from Di Qing’s mouth and he gazed at Holy Mother Empress in the imperial court, too desperate to say a word. Holy Mother Empress never expected that it was her grandson who got injured, and then staggered toward him. Di Li had never thought that her brother would suffer such an unexpected misfortune and was choked with sobs with her brother in her arms. Holy Mother Empress could not hold back her tears, thinking that before her grandson would marry a girl, he would... At the thought, Holy Mother Empress wept more bitterly. How miserable the dead Di Zhan was! Did it mean the Di family would end up without offspring?
“My grandson, wake up! I haven’t had a chance to hold a great-grandson. Who do you like? I will call the shots for you. No matter who she is, I will have her to marry you.”
“Grandma, I have been hurt like this and do not want to ruin other girls.”
With those words, Di Qing spat out blood again, which made Holy Mother Empress feel more miserable for her grandson. She was afraid that her grandson would not survive this time.
“My grandson, whose girl do you like?”
“Grandma, the youngest daughter of Assistant Minister You’s, You Qingcheng.”
“Agreed! I will decide for you and send betrothal gifts to the You family now.”
Xu Linghe understood that Di Qing was playing the battered-body trick. It seemed that people from the imperial family were born actors. Convinced! Looking at the blood on the corner of Di Qing’s mouth, Xu Linghe wondered what blood this guy used to dye.
“Emperor, send a decree to the You family now! To accomplish the match for Qing’er. He is dying.”
Holy Mother Empress was quite impatient with her superior son. And Xu Linghe became worried about Di Qing. As for what had happened, any observant person was able to figure it out in a breeze. He wished that the Emperor would not see through it.
“Mother, Let me have a look.”
Xu Linghe thought something terrible would happen, because the Emperor could not tolerate any cheat. Such little trick would be contrived merely to make matters worse. Watching the Emperor approaching closer, Xu Linghe got nervous for Di Qing.
There was dead silence in the main hall. Di Qing could only hear his heart beating. For this step, he had utilized all of his connections in the palace. If he would die in the imperial hall today, he had nothing to regret.
Lin Xiaosa thought Di Qing was injured by the black figure, so he became worried about his brother, his brow knitted. Xu Linghe’s face stiffened when the Emperor pressed his hands lightly on Di Qing’s chest acupoints, as if stanching bleeding for Di Qing. But only Xu Linghe knew that it was a deadly blow, because it would seal up Di Qing’s chest acupoints and block oxygen to flow into all Di Qing’s windpipes. No more than two hours, Di Qing would die without clear causes.
Xu Yinchang showed no wonder at the Emperor’s cruelty.
Emperor’s one-side account deprived his wife’s life. Xu Yinchang would never forget that his wife and his youngest son knelt on the imperial court with wrenched hopelessness, and he knew that the so-called betrayal and collaboration evidence was fabricated by the Emperor himself, merely because his wife could practice witchcraft. For the sake of securing the throne, the Emperor would clear out all the threats, even including his nephew now.
“Hum! Good to see people of the Di family die. One day, I will let him know what is living death and avenge for my dead wife!”
“Emperor, what’s wrong with Qing’er? He looked frighteningly pale. Ask an Imperial Physician to come here now!”
“Imperial Physician is required!”
Lying in holy grandmother’s arms, Di Qing had an increasingly difficulty in breathing. In order to deceive everyone, Di Qing dared not to lightly use the spell that could save his life. It seemed that he lost completely today. It was destiny anyway. He felt his heartbeat slowing down. There was a moment when Di Qing saw his childhood—he held his father by the arms, saying that, “Father, I did not listen to you. I failed to bear to the end. And no one can look after Xiaoli any longer.”
“Brother Xiaosa, please take good care of Li’er. My sister, you should not be so unruly any longer. I’m leaving now.”
Looking at her brother, Di Li wailed with a sorrow-stricken heart. She wanted to hold her brother’s hand but was too frightened to touch it. Xu Linghe condensed the Spirit Power secretly to brush him gently. Only Xu Linghe knew that King of Jiangdu would not die but fall into a coma. Di Qing risked his life to stay in the imperial court. So Xu Linghe would not let his brother end up in this way.
“Your Majesty, King of Jiangdu slips into a coma because of suffocation. I have retained his heartbeat and vein temporarily. It all depends on his fate. He will wake up within three days at least and three years at most.”
“Emperor, why haven’t you conferred the marriage? Do you want me to beg for you on bended knees?”
“Mother, please not! I will decree now!”
The Seneschal, Tian Shen, beside the Emperor announced the imperial edict loudly.
.
“By the grace of Heavenly Emperor, it is the Emperor’s decree. You Qingcheng, the daughter of an assistant minister of the Ministry of War, is virtuous and generous, cordial and honest, elegant and beautiful. Both Holy Mother Empress and the Emperor are gratified at her. Nowadays, King of Jiangdu has reached twenty years old at a marriageable age. It is appropriate to select a match for him. Since You Qingcheng has not betrothed, You Qingcheng and King of Jiangdu are a perfect match created by nature. For the sake of fulfilling a good deed, betroth You Qingcheng to King of Jiangdu. All the ceremonies are jointly arranged by the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Astronomer. An auspicious day should be selected to accomplish it.
“Notify home and abroad and declare publicly.
“The end of the imperial edict.”
When the imperial edict was read out in the main hall, Xu Linghe felt assured. This movement was dangerous but ingenious. He achieved three things at one stroke: one was to get the girl of assistant minister of the Ministry of War; one was to heal himself in the palace; another was to keep a closer eye on the Emperor. But Brother Di had to undergo many sufferings of flesh. Fortunately, he got paid anyway.
Di Hu was still muddled at how he was entangled into the struggle for imperial power just because of the birthday banquet for Holy Mother Empress. You Qingcheng was more confused that she liked Xu Linghe, but had to marry King of Jiangdu in the end. How ironic and strange fate was!