Chapter 274
**Chapter 272: The Great Fire**
In the deep of night, the inner palace was eerily quiet.
Li Chengzhen lay in bed, his eyes wide open, staring at the dark bed curtains for a long time. He was afraid of the dark, so the palace lanterns were lit with candles that burned steadily.
He couldn’t sleep.
Earlier that evening, Li Yao and Li Chengyou had crawled in through the dog hole to keep him company for a while. Li Yao even handed him a fishing rod, suggesting they go fishing in the pond together the next day.
Li Chengyou, grinning from ear to ear, boasted about his fishing skills.
“What’s so fun about fishing?” Li Chengzhen murmured to himself in the stillness of the night, the small fishing rod left by his sister resting beside his pillow.
It had been years since he last fished.
Back when his brother, Li Chengke, was still alive, he had secretly taken him to the garden of the palace to catch fish. They had managed to catch a tiny red carp, but before they could celebrate, the old matron in charge had called them back to their studies.
Now, Li Yao was sneaking him out to fish...
Suddenly, Li Chengzhen found himself eagerly anticipating the dawn, longing to see his sister again.
His heart felt like it was split in two. One part was dark and decayed, cruelly harming those beneath him; the other sought to escape the shadows, yearning to bask in the sunlight.
Li Yao and Li Chengyou, crawling in through the dog hole, felt like two rays of sunshine breaking into Li Chengzhen’s stifled life.
Not warm enough to truly comfort him, but he cherished them nonetheless.
Li Chengzhen clutched the small fishing rod by his pillow, its short, slender bamboo form carrying a faint scent of bamboo. A long-lost smile slowly crept onto his face.
He held the rod close, hoping to fall asleep soon. Perhaps when he opened his eyes again, the sun would be shining.
He might not be as good at studying as Li Chengtai, nor as skilled at archery as Li Chengzhen, but he was sure his fishing skills surpassed those of the two brothers.
Clang—
The wooden door of the chamber was pushed open, and a cold wind rushed in. Li Chengzhen, just drifting off, jolted awake, confused as he lifted the bed curtain, thinking a palace maid had forgotten to close the door.
It was dark outside.
A pale light floated in, and Li Chengzhen saw a figure wrapped in darkness approaching. As it drew near, the queen’s pale, gaunt face came into view.
The queen had lost a lot of weight; her skin was tightly stretched over her bones, making her dark eyes stand out starkly, with high cheekbones accentuating her features. She held a palace lantern, coldly staring at her son in bed.
Li Chengzhen froze, stammering, “Mother... Mother...”
He hadn’t expected to see her here.
He was afraid of the queen. Every time he went to Kun Ning Palace to pay his respects, he had to prepare himself mentally for a long time. Talking to her made him feel anxious, suffocated, and ready to explode.
An instinctive aversion.
Just hearing the queen’s voice made Li Chengzhen feel uneasy all over.
“You fool!” the queen snapped, lowering her voice as she set the lantern down. “You harm the palace servants and still can’t handle the aftermath well enough to keep your father from finding out.”
Li Chengzhen opened his mouth, but it felt as if an invisible hand was choking him, rendering him speechless.
He mustered the courage to step out of the darkness, to bask in the sunlight. But with just a few words from the queen, he was forced back into the shadows, tormented by pain and helplessness.
The queen approached the bedside, coldly scrutinizing her inept son. “You’re worse than a four-year-old in your studies, utterly useless.”
Li Chengzhen opened his mouth, murmuring, “Mother... Eighth brother is more talented than I am.”
Eighth brother Li Chengtai was indeed talented and hardworking.
Li Chengzhen felt ashamed in comparison.
The queen, hearing his words, was instantly enraged. “I gave you life and raised you; do you think you’re living up to that? A four-year-old has no real talent; it’s just that you don’t put in the effort. Stop making excuses and think about your own shortcomings.”
Li Chengzhen lowered his head, his heart twisting in pain.
Seeing her son silent, the queen assumed he had given in. She took his hand, speaking earnestly, “I won’t harm you. Just listen to me, don’t upset your father again. Work a little harder, and when you grow up, the family will find a way to support you in ascending the throne.”
The queen continued to speak at length.
Li Chengzhen listened numbly.
Until he heard a sharp “crack.” He looked over to see the bamboo fishing rod by his pillow snap in two, broken by the queen.
In that moment, a sharp pain shot through his heart, spreading from his chest to his entire being, making him feel as if he were being burned to ashes.
Outside, the voices of the guards could be heard; they had discovered the queen’s intrusion and coldly urged her to return to Kun Ning Palace.
As the queen was led away, lantern in hand, she didn’t forget to remind him, “Study hard, and stop playing with fishing rods. Don’t let me down. Your mother and the family are counting on you.”
The door to the chamber closed.
Inside, the palace lantern shone brightly. Li Chengzhen threw off the covers and walked step by step to the edge of the carpet, bending down to pick up the broken fishing rod.
The small rod lay in two pieces.
Li Chengzhen tried to piece it back together, but the broken bamboo wouldn’t mend. His nose tinged with bitterness, tears streamed down his face as he clutched the rod and returned to the bed.
In a daze, he knocked over the palace lantern on the desk.
The glass lantern shattered, the candle inside toppled, and the bright red flames ignited the bed curtains, the unfinished ancient texts, and the old bows and arrows hanging on the wall.
Li Chengzhen seemed oblivious, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the broken fishing rod in his hands, murmuring, “How did it break...”
He had planned to go fishing with his sister tomorrow.
He was sure he could catch a big fish that would impress that little brat, Li Chengyou.
With the rod broken, he couldn’t fish.
Li Chengzhen lifted his head, gazing at the flames that were beginning to blaze. In the flickering firelight, he could faintly see the slender figure of his elder brother, Li Chengke. Standing amidst the flames, his brother’s familiar smile radiated warmth.
Li Chengzhen’s tears flowed freely as he said, “Brother, I’m so tired…”
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In the next chapter, there’s more to uncover. Click to continue reading; the story only gets more exciting!
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