Chapter 204: Lineage

Return road—Xiande's words—mind unquiet.
Jing "mother and child safe"—Xiande no scandal—seems perfect—Shen felt wrong. Back manor—dawn near—too late sleep—no mood rest.
Jingzhe Guyu ordered sweet soup. Door closed—table—Shen to Xie: "Jing pregnant—Lu clan now what?"
Normally Yongle no other heirs—Jing's child precious—if son—crown prince natural—should be so—yet Xiande's tone dismissive—unless Yongle has other child—why? Lu confident from Jing—Yongle's Lu plan stalled?
Impossible.
Xie cool: "Brother already moved on Lu—child or not—no difference."
Meaning—belly one thing—Lu end another—at most Jing spared for child—Lu still falls as planned.
Brow furrow: "Talked Queen—strange—heard miscarriage—Lu Jing caused—deliberate or not—however magnanimous—watch Jing well all these years?"
Pouring tea—pause.
Stared: "Tell truth—Emperor no heirs—deliberate or forced?"
Too strange—every emperor wants many sons—balance court—Fu Xiuyi never lacked—Yongle outstanding—realm stable—yet court unstable—now clear—no heirs—ministers murmur—ordinary emperor childless—long ago stripped yellow robe.
Long look—strange eyes: "Really want to know?"
"After hunt you coma—I sensed change—new to Longye—couldn't help—only Phoenix Head 'master'—rest useless." Shen: "Hate passive—someday your great task—I won't be useless—know nothing—how help?"
Looked while—sighed—half pleased half teasing—rubbed head: "Our Jiaojiao schemes people—and thoughtful."
Pushed hand: "Can't be rice worm only eating."
"Wouldn't underestimate you." Smile sigh: "Want know—I won't hide. You told dream—tragic—what I tell isn't dream—happened."
"Longye to Dingjing fast horse half year—you always wondered—why Marquis Lin'an's son—knew origin years—didn't return Great Li—not unwilling—couldn't." Eyes sharp.
True name Xie Yuan— courtesy Jingxing—"high mountain admire—great road walk"—hoped noble character—whether fulfilled—name giver's deep love.
Named by father Emperor Xiaowu Xie Yilong— courtesy from mother Empress Jingxian Empress Xiao.
Xiaowu Xie Yilong—finest prince—military power—pacified realm—handsome bold—only flaw—youngest son—Great Li eldest succeeds—ancient rule. Too excellent—either indifferent or ambitious—unfortunately latter—Crown Prince far worse—took succession road.
Smooth succession—born of Empress—merit glorious—framed own full brother Crown Prince—raged mother to death—controlled father—won Xiaowu throne.
Succession sacrifices—kinship—love—for ambition unimportant—married Left Minister Xiao's daughter—literati head—half civil clans—beauty wise—smart beauty never loss—excellent bargain.
After coronation—
After coronation—Xiaowu and Jingxian ice mutual respect—he wise ruler—she famed virtue—fine picture. Soon eldest Xie Chi—Crown Prince—realm expanding—Great Li leading three kingdoms—all seemed perfect.
World's hardest to keep—unchanging.
Shared hardship—not always shared glory.
Xiao Empress married in chaos—couple civil-military—he ambitious—she steady—he scheming—she clever.
Enemies gone—spear turns inward.
Xiaowu ambitious—throne by schemes—desire breeds suspicion—feared Xiao maternal power. Empress more virtuous wise—more suspicious he—widened inner palace—anti-Xiao clans—promoted them—court Xiao fights them—inner palace Empress fights their women.
Xiao Empress clever—wife follows husband—Xiaowu also hero—years not bad—petty women schemed for sons—threatened Xie Chi—finally couldn't sit idle.
Every woman—even softest—becomes beast for child—Xiao no weak rabbit—best Xiao daughter—had mind—fierce counterattack.
Walked chaos with Xiaowu—skill not small—pampered beauties self-humiliation—Xie Chi safe—Empress won streak—intimidated—none dared move.
Clever Empress also erred—more excellent—more sour to Xiaowu.
More guarded—sought faults—first rivals in inner palace—watch fights—later favored opponents—Empress always wrong—direct crush on Xiao clan.
Sad—but husband—everyone foolish sometimes—protect status—raise Xie Chi safe—smooth succession.
Who knew women target Xie Chi?
Period—Xiaowu suddenly tender—Empress puzzled—soon Xiao Chancellor voluntarily resigned.
Xiaowu skilled—Xiao fierce but not enough—centuries one Empress—for her Xiao sacrificed self.
Empress learned too late—nightly tenderness calculated—disgust—unexpectedly pregnant again.
This flesh unlike Xie Chi—born under false calculation. Pregnant often thought—if son—not like father—ambition schemes fine—never exploit true hearts—basest—shameful.
Pregnant—inconvenient fights—someone struck Xie Chi.
Poisoned.
Fierce toxin—if not Gao clan head old tie with Xiao Chancellor—Gao personally—Xie Chi dead then. Survived—Gao said toxin in gut—delay only—won't pass thirty-five—affects offspring—congenital weak or toxin—nothing good.
Gao rare divine doctor—Xie Chi's fate sealed. Aimed at life—or ruin life.
Empress never thought—best Xiao daughter—peak Jingxian—world virtue—fallen so. Clan quit court for her—one son incomplete won't pass forty—one fruit of poison plot.
Poisoner found—Xiaowu's new favorite. Empress bound in imperial garden—carved flesh piece by piece—watched last breath—maids eunuchs nearly fainted—Empress found it dull.
Xiaowu scolded favorite—sentenced—comforted Empress. Gentle words—heart ice—guard and alert.
Did Xiaowu know? Years husband—must re-see. Even if ignorant—favorite raised against her—"I didn't kill Bo Ren—Bo Ren died for me."
Guard on one hand—pretend listless from son's disaster.
Listless.
Xie Chi poison secret—not spread—might leak later—Empress feared future—belly near term. Xiaowu grudged Xiao over Xie Chi—if son trouble—if belly son—replaces Crown Prince—next Xie Chi? If daughter—won't leave her in palace—controlled fate.
Most—Empress would counterattack—after birth—return pain double to Xiao clan Xie Chi self—newborn inconvenient—restrained—must plan.
Cat for prince—swapped prince loses all—cat gains unowned.
Gave infant in swaddling to trusted: "High mountain admire—great road walk—courtesy name Jingxing. If grows upright man—may scheme—never exploit hearts." Hardened heart last look: "Send him away."
Two months half year road—Longye to Dingjing—dead horses—Xie Yuan first touch world—met flight. Fleeing days—wide eyes—babble—learned world hand to hand.
Dingjing Marquis Lin'an—Princess Yuqing birthing.
Trusted meant ordinary rich family—away court strife. That day scouting street—heard Yuqing also birthing—child name chosen—Jingxing.
Trusted thought—what coincidence.
That night bitter rain—Dingjing storm—blood diluted—moans faded—infant cry weak.
Child surnamed Xie named Jingxing—kindred to Xie Yuan— died unborn. Trusted holding swaddling infant—hesitated—instant—lifetime-grateful choice.
Made Xie Yuan into Xie Jingxing—henceforth name only no courtesy—Lin'an heir—Xiao Empress hope—Yuqing hope—live well.
Soon chosen rich family exterminated overnight—Xiaowu found clue—sent killers miles. Lucky or not—trusted's whim—Jingxing escaped death.
Seemed fated.
Lin'an house filth—Fang and sons trouble—only Xie Ding's favor—favor not always good—Xie Ding campaigns away—young son—wolves survival hard—without Xiao's trusted secret aid—yellow dust—meet true heir underground. Ming Qi emperor suppressed Xie secretly.
Such environment—Jingxing grew. Thank trusted for cruelty—future rough road familiar—playful lazy smile—horse in Dingjing alleys—wild headache—yet as Xiao hoped—upright man—hold alone—never exploited feelings—teased surface—respected every sincerity—Princess Rongxin—Su Mingfeng—Marquis—Shen Miao—lived well Dingjing—alone—secret power match enemies.
And Xiao Empress?
Those years—missed young son—grieved elder—decided counter.
Afraid realm in Xiao hands? Care most? I'll seize—trample—regret today?
Xiao daughter—clever as men—anger sharpened spirit—Xiaowu aging—concubines divided mind—ambition faded after false security.
Born worry die ease.
Xiaowu died—only Xiao beside. Xiao said: "Rest easy—couple years—I won't let you lonely on yellow spring road—all favored women consorts I'll send—your children except Crown Prince—none missed."
Eyes wide.
"Also—" leaned ear: "Young son lives well—you sent killers Ming Qi—wrong people. Years settle—I'll bring him home—realm needs heir. Soft heart—brothers still surnamed Xiao—hard as you—dynasty would change."
"Safe journey—realm I'll hold first." Bedside—soft smile.
Xiaowu died unclosed eyes.
Jingxian Empress became Jingxian Dowager.
Xie Chi became Yongle Emperor.
Xie Jingxing still Dingjing Ming Qi—groping dark—vaguely learned origin—warned father hunting—mother trapped killed father—peak wind—don't move rashly.
World's twists—Dowager cleaned inner palace clean as promised—arrogant against them—companions on Xiaowu's yellow spring road. Told Yongle Xie Chi: "I'm old—outside can't manage—clean inner palace I can give—promise one thing—hold realm—never let decay."
Lu and Ye—Xiaowu's trusted—cunning—centipede dead stiff—complex roots—hard uproot—Yongle schemed years against both.
Dowager died two years later—reading Lu memorial—collapsed—never woke—Gao said heart exhausted—oil spent—day before bright—told Yongle new ceremony style—maybe bring Xie Yuan home once.
World unpredictable—lifetime—never reunion with Xie Yuan.
Heaven and man parted forever.