Extra 3 – Chapter 22

Chapter 22

On this day, the Regent who had taken the little fox out for a sightseeing trip, finally returned. He only just placed down his luggage when Zhao ZongZheng sent people to summon him to the Palace.

There was no doubt that this was a trap but this pair of husbands weren’t worried at all. They casually washed up and then got onto the carriage. The two of them arrived in the Imperial Gardens and saw Zhao ZongZheng and OuYang MingYue sitting among the hundreds of flowers admiring the scenery. Around them were many other beautiful concubines and n.o.blewomen. They were all laughing and chatting, the scene was very lively. 

Zhao Xuan and Zhou YunSheng didn’t kneel down to make any respects. They just raised their clasped hands and casually made an address, making Zhao ZongZheng so angry his stomach hurt. However the military power was still firmly grasped in his opponent’s hand so he didn’t dare rip faces with him yet. He got only pretend not to care and waved his hands, telling the eunuchs to seat the two of them.

“What is this?” Zhou YunSheng pointed at a golden cylinder held in the hand of one of the concubines. There were several other similar cylinders, all in the hands of various concubines. They raised them high in the air and were using them to gaze at the scenery, from their mouths they made joyful and surprised noises. 

He didn’t need any introductions nor did he need to take a closer look for Zhou YunSheng to know that this was a primitive telescope. He didn’t really have any curiosity but because he found the little Emperor so boring, he would rather play with it for a bit rather than make pretend conversation with the others.

OuYang MingYue’s expression changed slightly but she handed the primitive telescope in her hand over. Then with a numb feeling she watched him dismantle the telescope, take out the gla.s.s piece and hold it up to the sun to gaze it left and right. Without any instructions from those around him he had already gotten the gist of the telescope. He even realized that this thing could be used to concentrate sunlight into one small area to create a fire. How could there be this type of terrifying intelligence?

She really hated the Zhong Yi Marquis. She wanted to eliminate this person who had demon-like intelligence so that’s why she had arranged this meeting today. She had already discussed with Zhao ZongZheng that they would put a slow-acting poison into the food of the Zhong Yi Marquis and Zhao Xuan, so that they would grow weaker steadily and then die.

OuYang MingYue couldn’t help but admit that towards these two people she felt fear and terror. That’s why she could only use this kind of shadowy method to harm them, she didn’t dare confront them face to face. To be completely honest, if it wasn’t for the fact that after his marriage Zhao Xuan had showed signs of wanting to retire from politics, then Zhao ZongZheng would never hope to make any waves in his lifetime. Right now it was important to tightly grasp the opportunity of when Zhao Xuan was weakened by being distracted and enamored with beauty, to get rid of these two people. Otherwise who knows what might happen in the future? She felt restless in her heart however on her face she gave an immortal-like smile and explained to the Zhong Yi Marquis the uses of the telescope.　

“This Marquis knows how it works, you don’t need to waste your breath.” Zhou YunSheng refused to play along with her even the slightest and gave her an impatient look. Then he replaced the dismantled pieces of the telescope back until it was as good as new. He cuddled closer to this lover and said smiling, “Look, on the tree there are two squirrels fighting and they’re about to fall off.”

Zhao Xuan stopped smiling. He lifted him up from his chair and held him in his arms. He looked over while holding him from behind. His thin lips brushed by the little fox’s rounded earlobe, both looking like he was sucking and kissing. The movement was very intimate.

The gaggle of concubines used their handkerchiefs to cover their visages, their faces appeared contemptful but actually their hearts filled with envy. Even Zhao ZongZheng couldn’t help but take a few peeks.

“Oh! It’s really falling off!” Whenever Zhou YunSheng saw a moving small animal, he wanted to catch it and gnaw at it and play with it.

His face was focused and his nails scratched the table making a piercing squeaky noise. He ignored the telescope that had been placed down and gazed imploringly at this lover with his dewy peach eyes. “I want to go catch squirrels.”

“Go on then. When you’ve caught it, come straight back. Don’t run around carelessly.” Zhao Xuan kissed the side of his face then very reluctantly let go. Even when he had run far away, his gaze still lingered greedily on his body.

At this time, a concubine accidentally broke a gla.s.s in one of the telescopes. The sound of shattering gla.s.s broke the harmonious atmosphere of the garden.

The originally already on edge Zhao ZongZheng immediately reacted. He ordered people to drag her away and beheaded. The other concubines all knelt down to beg his forgiveness. Only OuYang MingYue sat to one side and continued to drink tea, the corner of her lips raised in cruel and cold smile.

“It’s just a telescope and two pieces of gla.s.s. Even if it’s broken it can reforged. Why make her pay for it with her life?” Zhao Xuan asked slowly.

Zhao ZongZheng didn’t give him face at all, instead began telling him about all the miraculous uses of telescopes of the battlefield. He turned this concubine into someone who could potentially cause the downfall of a nation, however beneath that there was another meaning. This was “killing the chicken to intimidate the monkey”. Using this kind of action he wanted to let Zhao Xuan know that he wasn’t the Regent anymore, and no matter if it was in the Palace or outside it there wasn’t any place for him to speak.

Zhao Xuan lightly raised his eyebrow. He sighed and said, “Nephew, it appears that you are blaming this lord for being short-sighted. Other than trying to intimidate this Lord, is there any other purpose for this visit? If it’s a.s.sasination, then since you no longer have any more hidden guards in your hands, probably you will choose poison this time?”

Zhao ZongZheng and OuYang MingYue froze.

Without waiting for them to react, Zhao Xuan continued, “At the time of getting married, this Lord was thinking that if you decided to show kindness and mercy to this Lord, and was willing to allow this Lord and Li’Er to retire to the mountains and live a carefree life, then it isn’t a big deal to return the Tian Yuan Country to you. However unfortunately all your focus is on wanting me dead, forcing this Lord to have no choice but to retaliate. These couple of days you’ve fussed around enough and it’s about time to take a rest.”

“You must be joking. You say take a rest so I should just take a rest? Do you still think you are the Regent that has the power of the heavens in your hands?” Without waiting for Zhao ZongZheng, who had been frightened into muteness, to speak, OuYang MingYue had already started laughing. “Haven’t you heard the saying in one mountain there can’t be two tigers? You and the Emperor, from the very beginning only one of you can survive. Today you entered the Palace so don’t think about leaving alive!” Since her shadowy methods didn’t work, OuYang MingYue had no choice but to confront in the light. She waved her hand at the guard who were waiting not far away.

Without waiting for the guards to come closer, w.a.n.g Bao appeared from nowhere. He bowed and said, “Your Lordship, the Empress has just successfully given birth to a male infant.”

“What did you say? How come zhen didn’t know the Empress is giving birth?” Zhao ZongZheng was shocked silly. Just as he wanted to get up, he clutched his chest and slowly toppled down. Not long after he began to froth white foam from his mouth. His face went green and his entire body began spasming.

The concubines were sent into a chaotic mess. OuYang MingYue hurried to kneel down to a.s.sess the situation, calling for the guards and the imperial doctor. The guards expressionlessly stood their ground as though they were all deaf and dumb, only the gaggle fo concubines tried to flee out of the garden but they were stopped by blades and forced back.

OuYang MingYue held her finger against Zhao ZongZheng’s nose and felt his breathing become weaker and weaker. On her face a despairing expression appeared.

Zhao Xuan stood up. He said, “Since this one is not obedient then this Lord will change to another, there is nothing difficult about it. Did you really think that the babe the Empress carried was just your di son? No, that’s your death knell. Also you (OYMY), you’re also a disobedient one. If you obediently stayed in the countryside, this Lord would not bother with a woman such as yourself. Both of you, originally you could have lead peaceful lives, but instead you wanted to rush to seek death…” After speaking he looked at a tall tree nearby and opened his arms with a warm and tender laugh. “Hurry up and come down so you can accompany me to go to the Empress’ Palace to meet the little Emperor.”

Zhou YunSheng had already predicted that Zhao Xuan would change puppets. He jumped down from the tree and leapt into his arms. His two legs tightly clasped his waist, he laughed and said, “Everyone says that the Regent is made of steel and the Emperor of flowing water. These words are really true.”

Zhao Xuan laughed with him. He licked his honeyed mouth and slowly walked towards the Empress’ Palace. His spoiling and tender voice slowly faded within the fragrance of the flowers, “If it wasn’t to protect you for an entire lifetime, then I really don’t care if I’m the Regent or not….”

OuYang MingYue discovered Zhao ZongZheng had already drawn his last breath. She immediately flopped down bonelessly.

She knew she had missed her last opportunity to change her fate. The Regent only decided to get married after determining that the Empress was pregnant with a son. Then he decided to forsake politics and go travelling. He may have had the intention to retire but he left himself a back path. If Zhao ZongZheng obediently did his job, then the Regent wouldn’t touch him. However if Zhao ZongZheng decided to proceed with murder, then he would give a tooth for a tooth and repay blood with blood.

He had been Regent for 10 years, this job wasn’t something that came easily.

She was wrong! From the very beginning, she had been wrong! If she obediently kept to her duties after being sent to the countryside, she would be living well now and wouldn’t have fallen to this state.

When she received the imperial order to be buried along with the Emperor, OuYang MingYue rued the day everything began. The she who had never cried before finally realized that the taste of tears was salty, bitter, wet, the sensation was difficult to describe. If she could do over everything again, she definitely wouldn’t pursue ambition and self gain. She would change her way of living. She would live harmoniously and peacefully; accompanying just one person, one home, one child. But the her who had already wasted two lifetimes, would she really have another chance for rebirth? Probably waiting in front of her was only h.e.l.l….

Zhao Xuan was originally someone who powerful and intimidating. When Zhao ZongZheng died, the entire court of ministers supported him to be Regent again.

Right now in the entire country, who else was more worthy than him? This time even the Emperor’s faction were silent and didn’t dare voice their opinion. As for those ministers who had betrayed the Regent and changed to Zhao ZongZheng’s side, they all became like quails after a heavy downpour, they only wished they could bury their heads underneath their armpits.

Although being the Regent made him very busy, however Zhao Xuan would still find time every few months to take the little fox out to play.

He guided and taught the little Emperor very well. After he got married at the age of fifteen, Zhao Xuan retired to Jiangnan and was never heard from again.

The two people died in March, in the autumn when flowers flew in the air. They lay down on the pre-prepared double person coffin. They held each others hands and pressed their heads against each other. Their bodies were tightly wound together as though they were one person.

Zhao Xuan used his final bit of energy to likc the lt.i.tle fox’s jade-like ear and transmitted a string of data to 008.

“Take me back, back to your world.” These were his last words, and the deep and abiding love in his eyes made Zhou YunSheng’s eyes fill with wet and hot tears.

{T/N: Last chapter! I thought there was 23, but actually really only 22 sorry. The supposed next chapter i in the arc “Chapter 23” is when ZYS is trying to wake up ZX in the real world, ie. Chapter 169 that Kez has already translated. However due to the new order of arcs in the published ver (whereby this is now the final arc, rather than Cuckold Emperor), “Chapter 23” starts with the line: “The nurses noticed that the boy in the restoration cabin was silently crying…” from Chapter 169