While the Wei family celebrated their homecoming, the palace was anything but joyful.
Yue Heng had accompanied Emperor Changde back to his chambers. With no outsiders present, neither father nor son felt compelled to maintain pretenses. The emperor pointed a shaking finger at Yue Heng and roared, "If I’d known you were such a treacherous beast, I would never have elevated you to rival the Crown Prince! You vile, ungrateful white eyed wolf! I should have had you executed!"
Yue Heng remained unruffled, even seating himself beside the emperor and echoing his words. "True, what a pity you didn’t."
Emperor Changde’s wariness spiked. "What schemes are you plotting now? I haven’t even settled today’s accounts. You, colluding with Wei Yunzhao and those officials! If you dare stir more trouble, don’t expect any mercy from me!"
Yue Heng smiled faintly. "Since when have you ever shown mercy? Weren’t you just lamenting not killing me earlier?"
"But don’t worry. I’m a filial son. I won’t make you suffer the loss of another child. I’ll simply have them mourn you in sackcloth and send you off properly."
Emperor Changde recoiled instinctively, his fingers trembling. "You wouldn’t dare!"
Yue Heng stood, spreading his hands. "I dared to threaten you before the entire court. What wouldn’t I dare?"
"Patricide and regicide, even if you seized the throne, your reign would be illegitimate! The people won’t accept you, nor will the officials! You’re courting death!"
Yue Heng: "Who said I want the throne?"
Emperor Changde was stunned, then scoffed. "Impossible! After all your scheming, how could you not covet it?"
"Want to know why I don’t?"
Without waiting for an answer, Yue Heng supplied it himself. "Because you sat on it. And that disgusts me."
Emperor Changde’s expression twisted, but he still sought to put distance between them. Yet Yue Heng’s hand, resting lightly on his shoulder, rendered him immobile.
"Enough chatter. Let’s discuss serious matters. You knew about what happened back then, even encouraged Empress Cao, didn’t you?"
It wasn’t a question but a statement.
"Ridiculous! How could I have known? Had I known, I would never have allowed that vicious woman to—Concubine Li was my concubine! Why would I let her be murdered?!"
"Oh? Have you forgotten how you sent my mother to the cold palace without letting her defend herself?"
Emperor Changde cut in, justifying himself. "She gave birth an object of ill omen (stillborn child)! I acted out of caution! Besides, it was her midwife and maids who testified against her, what defense was needed?!"
His tone was almost righteous.
"Is that so? Well, I choose to believe you knew. And now, I’ll hold you accountable. What will you do about it?"
Seeing the danger in Yue Heng’s eyes, the emperor’s fear grew. No longer did he bluster about what Yue Heng dared. He frantically denied involvement, even offering to execute Cao Lan'er and her accomplices immediately.
Yue Heng laughed at his terror, but the laughter soon twisted into something darker. He gripped the emperor’s neck. "My mother begged you just like this. She pleaded her innocence, begged you to investigate. And what did you do?"
"You think I’ve only hated the deposed empress all these years? No, I’ve hated you just as much. I’d gladly tear you and Cao Lan'er limb from limb for her!"
"You can’t! This is regic-" The emperor’s protests were cut short as Yue Heng released him with a dismissive pat.
"Relax, I won’t kill you yet. I’ll just make you wish you were dead."
From a small vial, Yue Heng produced a pill and forced it down the emperor’s throat. "How long you live depends on how obedient you are. Cause any more trouble, and you’ll be holding your funeral."
"Don’t bother summoning the physicians. This poison was crafted especially for you over the years. You won't be able to find antidote for this poison, but I still have one." He dangled a second pill before the emperor’s eyes. "Unless you’d prefer it go to waste."
The emperor’s fury peaked, but before he could spew curses, a searing pain lanced through his gut, draining the color from his face.
Yue Heng smiled kindly. "Don’t get agitated. The angrier you are, the worse it hurts."
With that, he strode from the chambers, ignoring the emperor’s enraged bellows for Gan Yongfu. The eunuch’s frantic cries for the imperial physicians soon followed.
Yue Heng glanced back at the chaos of scurrying servants and smiled.
He didn’t leave the palace immediately. First, he visited Changning Palace to retrieve an item, then made his way out, but not to his estate. Instead, he headed for the Ministry of Justice’s dungeon to see its newest inmate: the deposed empress, raving and screaming for release.
Cao Lan'er’s reaction to Yue Heng was violent. She clawed at the air, hurling curses. He waited patiently outside her cell until her tantrum subsided, then had the jailer unlock the door.
"You vile spawn of that whore," she hissed. "I should’ve strangled you at birth!"
Yue Heng remained unruffled. "The man in the palace said the same thing - regrets, regrets for not killing me sooner."
"Then why don’t you die?!" she shrieked.
"Wrong, you’re the one who’ll die." From his sleeve, he produced a small lacquered box. "Recognize this? Oh, you must. It’s an old friend."
Cao Lan'er recoiled in horror. "Stay back! Don’t come near me!"
Swallowing hard, she spat, "I implanted the child half of a mother-child gu in you years ago! If I die, you die with me! Don’t even think—"
"Have years without rivals made you naive?" Yue Heng’s smile was icy. "Did you think I’d bring the Bloodbone Worm here unprepared?"
"Don’t worry. Long after you’re bones, I’ll still be thriving."
He beckoned. "Come, it's time to taste it for yourself."
"No! Stay away! I won’t!" She scrambled for the cell door, screaming for help. But the Bloodbone Worm needed only a drop of blood to burrow in. A tiny scratch, and the larva slithered beneath her skin.
Collapsing to the floor, Cao Lan'er turned ashen.
"Hold on, now," Yue Heng murmured, placing the box beside her. "It’d be a shame if you died before your execution."
As he stepped out, her hoarse curses followed: "You heartless monster! May you die wretchedly in this life and every next!"
Yue Heng paused at the threshold, smiling. "Likewise, Your Majesty."
The drought had passed, and the evening breeze carried a hint of coolness. The setting sun painted the sky in gold.
Gazing into the distance, Yue Heng whispered to the wind, "Mother… your son has avenged you."
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