AWB Chapter 347 The Cannon Fodder Who Suffered the Massacre of His Family (54)
Chapter 347 The Cannon Fodder Who Suffered the Massacre of His Family (54)
Why leave?
Qi Ning was nominally a concubine of Emperor Gao Yan's father. If people knew that she had an affair with Gao Yan, the imperial relatives, officials and civil and military officials would definitely not accept it, and it would be a laughing stock for the people.
More importantly, if Qi Ning stays, how will she face Gao Yan's mother in the future? How will she handle the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law?
Gao Yan's mother would definitely not accept her either.
"I don't want to bother dealing with the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship anymore."
There are many reasons why Qi Ning decided to leave, but this is definitely one of the main reasons.
"Put yourself in Consort Shu's shoes. If I were her, my son would be with one of my husband's concubines. The sky would fall. I would never accept it."
"If I stay, do I have to go to great lengths to please Consort Shu and get her to accept me, or force Gao Yan to choose between me and his mother? That would be too troublesome."
Upon hearing this, the system finally understood: "That makes sense."
"So, I think I'll just leave and wander the world. How free that would be!"
Qi Ning took off her ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and took out the men's brocade robe she had made for herself from the closet and put it on.
"But Gao Yan is about to become emperor. Don't you want to stay and be empress? You can even become empress dowager later. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" the system said regretfully.
Qi Ning, however, didn't care.
"I've done so many missions in so many worlds. I've been a concubine, an empress, and even an empress dowager ruling from behind the curtain. I don't have any particular attachment to the palace."
"Moreover, after Gao Yan becomes emperor, under the pressure from his mother and ministers, he will definitely have a harem. How could they agree to let a concubine of the late emperor, who is also the adopted daughter of the traitor Jiang family, become Gao Yan's concubine, let alone an empress? Even if it were possible, would I have to compete for favor, engage in palace intrigue, and give birth to sons to compete for the throne with other women in the harem?"
"It would be fine to fight if it were just to complete a system task, but I've already completed all the tasks in this world. Why would I fight? Would I just be looking for trouble?"
Qi Ning felt annoyed and tired just thinking about it.
"Yes, but it's unnecessary, really unnecessary!"
The system was convinced again: "That...makes sense."
After a pause, the system asked again, "So you're leaving and abandoning Gao Yan?"
"Gao Zhen..."
Qi Ning was silent for a moment, then said confidently, "Gao Yan didn't lose out. If it weren't for me, would he have gotten the throne? Originally, the throne should have belonged to Gao Yun. He should be thanking me."
"Besides, with me gone, he'll have one less problem. He won't have to think about how to reveal my identity, or how to deal with the ministers and his mother. Isn't that a good thing?"
The system was almost speechless after hearing Qi Ning's words.
"But Gao Yan loves you. He would definitely be willing to solve those problems for you. Even if you leave, he will definitely come looking for you."
Qi Ning chuckled: "You don't understand. So what if Gao Yan loves me now? Love is not something that lasts forever. It requires time and effort to maintain, otherwise it will slowly fade away over time."
"If Gao Yan ascends the throne, he will be too busy to look for me, let alone go to me in person. At most, he can send some people to look for me."
"If he can't find me for a long time, his love will gradually fade away, and he will give up the search. His mother and the civil and military officials will urge him to choose a concubine. He will have a harem and come into contact with other women. Then he will forget me."
The system doesn't quite understand human emotions, but it felt that Qi Ning's analysis was a bit too rational.
"Is that so? Although most men in the world are not very reliable, what if Gao Yan is an exception?"
"It's pretty close, but I don't want to gamble my future on whether a man is an exception."
While talking to the system, Qi Ning changed into men's clothing, removed her head full of jewels, and styled her hair into a man's bun.
Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, she indeed looked like a handsome young man.
Qi Ning nodded in satisfaction, then went to pack up her banknotes, some gold and silver jewelry, as well as the fake household registration documents and travel permits she had prepared beforehand.
There's one more thing she needs when leaving the city gate, which is the token she asked Gao Yan for.
Qi Ning held Gao Yan's token, lowered her eyes, and stroked Gao Yan's name on it.
She thought about it and decided that she should leave a letter for Gao Yan to make him give up and prevent him from thinking that she hadn't left willingly.
But what should be written in this letter?
Just as Qi Ning was pondering how to write the letter, the emperor woke up in the palace.
Or perhaps it was a final burst of energy before death.
The emperor, barely holding on, glanced around at the people in the bedchamber.
They all knelt on the ground with their heads down, crying incessantly.
Knowing he was nearing his end, the emperor's most pressing concern was deciding who would inherit the throne.
The emperor never imagined that he would die so soon. He always thought he was still young, refused to accept old age, and was unwilling to appoint a crown prince.
But now, with Gao Yun and the Third Prince beheaded, and the other princes still too young, the emperor seems to have few options, with Gao Yan being the most suitable.
However, the emperor was still fairly satisfied with Gao Yan.
"After I leave, I will pass the throne to the Fifth Prince, Gao Yan. You must all assist the new emperor well."
Although the emperor's voice was weak, it could be clearly heard in the quiet bedchamber.
Gao Yan knelt before the emperor's bed, and upon hearing the emperor's words, the weight in his heart finally lifted.
There was a moment of silence in the bedchamber, then everyone responded in unison, "Your subjects obey the decree."
Immediately afterwards, the emperor went on and on about many things to do after his death.
As he finished speaking, the emperor's breath grew weaker.
He glanced at the people in the bedchamber again and finally realized who he was looking for.
The emperor beckoned to Gao Yan: "Yan'er, come here."
Gao Yan approached the emperor: "Father, what are your orders?"
The emperor grabbed Gao Yan's wrist and stared at him.
"Although Consort Qi is the adopted daughter of the Jiang family, her background is pitiful and she is truly innocent. Please do not... do not harm her life. Let her spend the rest of her life in the palace in peace."
Gao Yan never expected that the emperor would still remember Qi Ning at this time.
His feelings were somewhat complicated, with a hint of irony.
On the very night Qi Ning was imprisoned, someone poisoned her. If he hadn't taken her out of the palace early, she might have already perished.
It's a bit too late for his father to remember her now.
Seeing that Gao Yan had not agreed for a long time, the emperor stared intently into Gao Yan's eyes and clenched his hand.
"Did you hear that?"
Gao Yan then lowered his eyes and replied in a low voice, "Your subject obeys the decree."
Seeing that Gao Yan agreed, the emperor's anger dissipated. After giving his last instructions, he let his hand that was holding Gao Yan fall to his sides and closed his eyes.
The emperor passed away.
The people kneeling in the hall, regardless of their true feelings or whether they were willing or not, all shouted "Long live the Emperor!" to the new emperor, Gao Yan.
After Gao Yan finished explaining the late emperor's funeral arrangements, it was already quite late.
He left the bedchamber filled with weeping and went outside.
Gao Yan asked Cao Dong beside him, "How is the situation in the manor? Is Ning'er safe?"
Cao Dong already knew about the relationship between his master and Consort Qi, and he replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, everything is fine in the manor."
"Ah."
Gao Yan responded.
He had no idea that at this moment, Qi Ning had already packed his things, left a letter, and was preparing to sneak out of the palace.
Gao Yan recalled the late emperor's instructions. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly ordered, "Announce to the outside world that Consort Qi has hanged herself in the palace. From now on, there will be no more Consort Qi in the palace."
Cao Dong was taken aback for a moment, then quickly replied, "Yes."
After Gao Yan finished giving his instructions, he started to leave.
"Your Majesty, where are you going?"
Cao Dong was puzzled. At this time, Gao Yan should have been in the palace.
Now that Gao Yan was the emperor, he had no other concerns and was eager to personally escort Qi Ning into the palace.
"I will go and fetch Ning'er to the palace."
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