Pampered Consort's Acting Awards - Chapter 63

Suddenly, Qin Ling lifted her hand and pressed her index finger against his lower leftmost tooth, raising her eyebrows at him and saying, “Does it still hurt?”

Although the toothache was minor, it hindered eating and sleeping. At the age of twenty, Su Huai’an had been troubled by this tooth. Not only did it confine him to his room for three days, but it also nearly reached the level of “calling for his sister to brew medicine and his maidservant to assist.”

The elder brother grimaced in pain while the younger sister playfully poked his tooth with her finger as if she had encountered something delightful.

Su Huai’an waved her hand away, stepped back, and whispered, “This is impossible…”

Qin Ling looked at him mournfully and said, “Brother, don’t you recognize me anymore?”

Su Huai’an stared into her eyes and asked, “In the 28th year of Yongchang era, when our grandmother came to the capital, what did she bring as a gift?”

“A pair of jade pendants, one for each of us.” Qin Ling looked up and said, “Also, you misspoke earlier. Our grandmother came in the 29th year of Yongchang era.”

Su Huai’an couldn’t help clenching his left hand into a fist. “What happened to those jade pendants?”

“They broke…” Qin Ling said, “They shattered on the day I was bestowed marriage.”

To talk about the day when the imperial edict was bestowed—

Xiao Yu had achieved great military exploits, pleasing the emperor. When the emperor asked what reward he desired in front of the civil and military officials, he directly expressed his desire to marry the daughter of the Duke of Zhen. At that time, the He family had already sent someone to be the matchmaker of their family, but Su Jingbei still agreed to this marriage.

When the imperial edict was read aloud, her heart trembled, and in that instant, the jade pendant at her waist fell to the ground, directly breaking into two halves…

Qin Ling continued, “I told you it was an ominous sign, not the traditional ‘peaceful and prosperous every year.'”

Only the two knew these whispered words, and there would never be a third person in this world who would understand.

Su Huai’an furrowed his brow. “How is this possible…”

“Do you want to ask anything else? Just ask everything at once.”

Su Huai’an looked at her incredulously. “Are you truly… Ah Ling?”

Qin Ling’s nose tingled at being called that, her eyes shimmering with tears. She endured and endured, but a tear eventually fell from the corner of her eye.

Her pitiful appearance was just like before.

Su Huai’an immediately softened his gaze. He stepped forward, pressing her head against his chest, his palm trembling slightly. He whispered, “Am I… not dreaming?”

Qin Ling hit him, her voice filled with a sob. “Su Jingming, how dare you not recognize me…”

This punch felt too real, and Su Huai’an suddenly burst into laughter. He patted her back and said, “I’m sorry, I was wrong. Can you forgive me?”

“Ah Ling, what happened…?” He was sure that Su Ling wouldn’t wear a mask that looked the same as her true face, but this face… and her age didn’t match.

As siblings who had grown up together, they had only spoken for less than half an hour, but Su Huai’an completely believed that the person in front of him was indeed Su Ling. Even though her words were perplexing, he had unwavering faith in her.

Qin Ling took the skin mask from beside her and weighed it in her hand. “I transmigrated, but what about you? Where did this come from? It doesn’t seem like an ordinary mask that you can easily find.”

Su Huai’an looked at her, his gaze darkening. There were some things he didn’t know how to tell her. After contemplating for a while, Su Huai’an said, “This mask is indeed different from the ones you’ve seen. It’s a secret technique of the Western Tomb Sect called ‘Person-Skin Mask.’ Not many people are aware of it, and the material is rare and hard to find. It is impervious to water and fire, and when worn, it completely conceals any flaws.”

Qin Ling nodded. “No wonder I didn’t recognize you earlier. You also sounded different.”

Su Huai’an replied, “Voice change is just a simple skill, many actors can do it.”

Qin Ling held the mask up to her face and was about to wear it. Su Huai’an quickly grabbed her wrist. “Don’t touch it, once it sticks, only alum sand can remove it.”

Qin Ling quickly put it down.

She looked at his increasingly grim expression and couldn’t help but freeze. “Why are you suddenly so serious?”

Su Huai’an probed, “Do you still remember what happened in the 28th year of Yongchang era?”

In the 28th year of Yongchang era, Su Ling was nine years old, and Su Huai’an was twelve. Although they were still young, no one would forget what happened that year.

Qin Ling nodded. “I remember. Mother left in the autumn of that year…”

As she mentioned their mother, Su Huai’an’s expression grew even darker. “Do you remember anything when the Qi army attacked at the beginning of that year, and Father led the troops to fight?”

Qin Ling thought for a moment and nodded. “I only remember some… I remember that Father returned after winning the battle and received many rewards. The storerooms were overflowing and couldn’t contain them all.”

At that time, the whole city was spreading a saying—the Su family’s army in the hands of the Duke of Zhen was the backbone of the Great Zhou.

Su Huai’an remained silent for a long time.

When Su Jingbei was mentioned, Qin Ling’s expression became serious involuntarily. She gripped the skin mask anxiously. “Why are you bringing up this matter all of a sudden?”

Su Huai’an held her hand tightly. “Ah Ling, the military achievements of the Duke of Zhen back then were fake, and the Su family’s act of treason was also fake.”

The words “act of treason” immediately made Qin Ling’s breathing become rapid.

Su Huai’an spoke each word deliberately, “The Su family has been loyal and righteous for generations, never turning into traitors. The Great General of Zhen, Su Jingbei, sacrificed himself for the country on the battlefield eleven years ago.

“The person who returned victorious that year was not him, but the imperial preceptor of the Qi State, Dantai Yi.

“The soldier recruitment and training, the struggle for the three kingdoms, and the lives of those sixty thousand soldiers were all part of Dantai Yi’s long-planned scheme.”

Qin Ling seemed to have not understood a single word. “Brother, what are you talking about?”

“I failed to protect you, mistook the enemy for our father for a whole eleven years, and caused you to lose your life.” Qin Ling had no knowledge that news of the empress’ passing had nearly cost Su Huai’an’s life as well.

As soon as the words fell, Qin Ling became as if her soul had left her body, unable to stand steadily. She raised her hand to cover her mouth, and the skin mask fell.

She looked down, and there was a buzz in her mind.

She bent down to pick up the mask instantly, and the answer almost called out to her. Trembling, she said, “Could it be… that the Imperial Preceptor of the Qi State also used this?”

Su Huai’an nodded. “Yes.”

Qin Ling shook her head and again denied, “It’s impossible. No matter how powerful this mask is, it’s just a mask. Father was so tall and skilled in martial arts. How could he be imitated?”

“Ah Ling, that Imperial Preceptor of the Qi State is no ordinary person. He is cunning and treacherous, and he possesses formidable skills.” Su Huai’an paused momentarily before continuing, “He didn’t target the Su family first before planning all this. It was the other way around. He had a plan first and then selected the Su family based on his own features and physique.”

“But how could he deceive everyone? I may be young, but how many close friends did Father have, not to mention Mother? Mother had a deep bond with Father…” Qin Ling couldn’t continue her words. Her lips quivered, and her legs grew weak.

In the spring of the 28th year of Yongchang era, the “Duke of Zhen” returned triumphantly, but in the same year’s autumn, the duchess passed away due to heart disease.

The past reappeared before her eyes—

It was a stormy day with lightning and thunder. Su Jingbei was training troops and didn’t have time to stay at the mansion. Nine-year-old Su Ling, feeling uneasy, ran from the warm pavilion to her mother’s Shulan Hall.

The duchess slept unusually early that day, and even the maidservants in the courtyard seemed quieter than usual. Su Ling paid no attention, pushed open the door, and walked in. The ground was wet, causing her to stumble.

She crawled into the bed, embracing the duchess’ arm, and fell asleep.

It wasn’t until dawn the next day, when the stench of decay reached her nose, that she realized something was wrong. Seeing her mother’s face turning purple, she screamed in terror, running around the duke’s mansion, calling for help. It was Su Huai’an who finally held her in his arms.

Their mother’s body had already stiffened, and the physician could only shake his head.

At noon, the coroner examined the body and bowed with regret, “Madam’s death was due to a sudden heart attack… Please accept my condolences, Duke.”

Su Jingbei knelt in front of the bed and suddenly burst into tears. That day, he seemed to have gone mad… Lost and disoriented for a long time.

As her thoughts gathered, Qin Ling breathed heavily and looked up at Su Huai’an. “If Mother was killed, then why did he often speak to Mother’s portrait?”

Su Huai’an clenched his jaw tightly. “Dantai Yi is an arrogant person. He could spend half a year with Mother and thoroughly understand every member of the Su family. The reason he thought of murder must be…” The rest of the words were stuck on Su Huai’an’s lips, unable to be spoken.

But Qin Ling understood… His father had always spoken to her mother’s portrait in the past, asking why? Why? Initially, she thought it was a profound expression of her father’s love, but it turned out… It wasn’t a question of why her mother had chosen to leave him behind but why she had recognized him.

Qin Ling’s figure swayed, and Su Huai’an quickly supported her. Afraid that she wouldn’t be able to handle it, he hadn’t planned on mentioning their mother, but he couldn’t keep it from her in the end.

“I could never understand why Father would betray the country, but now it all makes sense.” Qin Ling’s eyes turned red, and her lips lost their color. “Sixty thousand soldiers died on the battlefield, the duke’s mansion was ransacked, and our title stripped. That note left behind wasn’t meant to make us leave the capital. He knew we wouldn’t leave. That note was meant to make us confess, to imprison the future pillars of the Great Zhou in the Ministry of Justice. And inside my womb… was the only child of the emperor…” After speaking, Qin Ling’s complexion turned faintly dark, and her fingertips tightly gripped the table’s edge.

Eleven years, from beginning to end, were all calculations.

Su Huai’an held her as he had when they were young and whispered, “Ah Ling, it’s all in the past. I’m here now…” He continued, “Don’t overthink. You were only nine years old back then. It’s all my fault.”

Qin Ling buried her head in his neck, her voice growing weaker. “But you’re only three years older than me.”

“An elder brother is like a father, you know.” Su Huai’an gently patted her shoulder. “Why don’t you cry it out like you used to when we were little?”

“Or you can tell me about these past three years.” Qin Ling suddenly remembered something and became anxious. “When you were imprisoned that year, did you suffer any injuries from Xue Xiangyang in the Ministry of Justice? Don’t hide anything from me.”

“It healed long ago. When His Majesty sent me away from the capital, he left a physician for me.” Su Huai’an certainly wouldn’t tell her it had taken a whole year just to heal the injuries. If Lu Ze hadn’t arrived a few days later, Xue Xiangyang would have branded the word “traitor” on his face. But it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Even if the Su family hadn’t been traitors, such a situation would still happen to their family.

Qin Ling asked again, “And where is he now?”

The two siblings had never been shy in their conversations. Qin Ling asked, and Su Huai’an answered, “When I left the capital, I had no clue. I searched everywhere, first for Su Jingbei’s whereabouts, and then for the cause of Mother’s death.”

“I went to the Western Tomb Sect, and I went to Great Qi…”

As they spoke, night fell, and the man in the study furrowed his brow, throwing down his brush. He couldn’t sit still anymore. He wondered how two people who were usually so frugal with their words could talk for a full two hours.