Oops! The Black Lotus Can’t Be a Female Supporting Character

CHAPTER 34

“……” Gao An’s lips trembled, opening and closing wordlessly.

Though he had long intended to curry favor with the Empress and the Crown Prince, keeping a way out for himself in the future, he hadn’t planned to follow the Crown Prince just yet.

He was currently the Chief Eunuch serving directly before the Emperor, a genuine fourth grade official—the highest-ranking eunuch in the inner palace.

If he were to transfer to the Crown Prince’s residence, the most senior eunuch there was only a sixth-rank steward. The difference in status was like night and day.

Why would he willingly give up his prestigious position as Chief Eunuch to become a mere steward?

He quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said respectfully, “Your Majesty, this servant has followed you since your days in the Eastern Palace. It’s been more than twenty years. I only wish to remain at Your Majesty’s side in service…”

Putting on a look of utmost loyalty, he tried to invoke the past they shared before the emperor’s ascension, hoping to move him.

But the Emperor lightly flicked his sleeve and said flatly, “Gao An, having the Crown Prince take you is a blessing for you.”

The emperor’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an unmistakable imperial authority—an aloof arrogance that looked down upon all beneath him.

Gao An, who knew the emperor well, instantly realized his mind was made up. To serve the ruler was like walking a tightrope beside a tiger—one had no choice but to comply. He bowed deeply with great reluctance and replied, “This servant obeys.”

Each word felt like it weighed a thousand catties.

Then he turned and took two steps in the direction of the Crown Prince, Tang Yueze, and bowed once more.

Well then, the future was long. Once the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he would once again be the top eunuch in the inner court. Those like Liang Zheng would still be trampled beneath his feet.

But just as he was about to raise his head, he heard the Crown Prince’s calm voice above him:

“Men, drag him out. Give him a beating.”

Gao An looked up in shock, the blood draining from his face in an instant. He couldn’t believe his ears.

The Crown Prince had asked for him… just to have him beaten?

What kind of scene was this?!

Gao An turned his head in panic toward the emperor.

The emperor merely raised an eyebrow, still reclining lazily on the short couch, his posture unchanged in the slightest.

Though a little surprised, he didn’t interfere.

Just a servant—now that he’d been handed over to the Crown Prince, he belonged to the Crown Prince. Whether beaten or killed was no longer his concern.

Not far away, Liang Zheng smirked faintly, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He gave a subtle signal to two trusted eunuchs nearby.

The two eunuchs immediately stepped forward, swiftly and roughly restraining Gao An and dragging him out. One of them, a narrow-eyed man, even gave a mock-polite smile and said, “Apologies, Lord Gao.”

“Your Highness…” Gao An cried out in a trembling voice, trying to plead for mercy. But as soon as he opened his mouth, it was promptly gagged.

“Once the beating’s done, send him to Xiefang Hall,” Tang Yueze added, inwardly thinking: If Second Sister Xiao still isn’t satisfied, we can beat him three times a day if needed.

As he thought this, Tang Yueze eagerly turned his gaze toward the neighboring Tianyi Waterside Pavilion, searching hopefully for the elegant figure of Xiao Luanfei.

He had handled this matter so beautifully—surely Luan’er would be pleased. Surely she wouldn’t doubt his sincerity anymore.

Xiao Yanfei watched as Gao An, now limp like a dead pig, was dragged out of the waterside pavilion. She curled her lips into a smile and subtly gave a thumbs-up. The Crown Prince’s move was clean, ruthless, and precise!

Princess Ning Shu was equally satisfied. After thanking the emperor for his favor, she happily took Xiao Yanfei’s arm and left Tianyi Pavilion with a spring in her step.

The emperor paid no attention to the others. His gaze remained fixed and thoughtful on Tang Yueze as he said, “Gao An is yours now—he’s your responsibility.”

“Serve well from now on.”

“Yes, Father. I will,” Tang Yueze replied with ease, his expression relaxed, eyes bright and sharp.

A harmonious moment between father and son.

Off to the side, Empress Liu watched them quietly, opening her mouth several times as if to speak—but stopped herself each time.

Before coming to the imperial villa, she and the emperor had already discussed the plan—today, they were supposed to choose a consort for the Crown Prince. Even if not a principal wife, a secondary consort would do.

But after everything that happened today, the plan had been completely disrupted.

“Your Majesty…” Empress Liu called softly, deliberately turning the gold-and-jade bracelet on her wrist as a subtle reminder to the emperor.

This bracelet had been prepared as a gift for the Crown Prince’s future bride. She had intended to bestow it the moment His Majesty announced the marriage.

The emperor understood her intent but merely shook his head slightly.

The Crown Prince had already lost face when he was rejected in public today. If the Emperor were to force a marriage on him now, it would only stir up more resentment.

The Crown Prince was the heir to the throne—how could he be publicly rebuked again and again, his dignity as the future sovereign stripped away?

If things escalated too far, it might even provoke thoughts and ambitions in others that should never be entertained. That would be dangerous.

“……” Empress Liu hesitated, her vibrant red lips pressing together. In the end, she remained silent.

Still, her mention of a royal marriage stirred a new thought in the emperor’s mind.

He hadn’t come to the Qianfang Banquet solely for the Crown Prince. There was… another reason.

A flicker of something stirred in his eyes as he turned to look at Gu Feichi, who sat alone by the eastern window. A wine cup rested lightly in his hand as he drank in a relaxed, unhurried manner. His posture was straight and upright, like pine and bamboo standing tall.

For a fleeting moment, the emperor was dazed—Gu Feichi’s bearing reminded him of the late Duke Wei in his youth. And those captivating fox-like eyes… they were so much like Gu Mingjing’s.

Unconsciously, the Emperor tightened his grip on the base of his tea cup and, as if casually, asked the Empress, “I heard Chaoyun recently acquired an exceptional qin?”

“It truly is a remarkable instrument,” Empress Liu replied with a smile and a nod.

Not far off, Liu Chaoyun rose upon hearing her name and addressed the emperor with poise and grace. “Your Majesty Uncle, it was merely good fortune on my part. I came upon a famed zither by chance—its name is Lüqi.”

“Lüqi truly lives up to its reputation,” she continued. “Its tone is bright and clear, the sound exquisite—lingering like echoes in a grand hall. It’s no wonder it’s counted among the legendary instruments of the ages.”

Liu Chaoyun smiled gracefully, the vivid cinnabar mole between her brows highlighting her poise and elegance. Her hairstyle, attire, and jewelry were all meticulously arranged—flawless in every detail.

“Chaoyun, did you bring your qin?” the emperor set down his teacup with a smile and suggested, “Why don’t you play a tune for Us?”

Liu Chaoyun’s eyes lit up. “Then I shall humbly do so,” she replied eagerly.

She had brought Lüqi to the palace specifically for this moment—to display her musical talents before the Emperor and Empress.

Two palace maids swiftly brought in a qin table and placed it at the center of the waterside pavilion.

Beside it, a three-legged incense burner was set, sending delicate curls of fragrant smoke into the air.

Liu Chaoyun personally placed the Lüqi qin on the table. She washed her hands, lit the incense, then placed her hands lightly over the strings, testing their tension.

Before long, a melodious and flowing tune began to drift gently through the air.

Her fingers danced fluidly across the strings with practiced grace, every motion refined and poised. An indescribable elegance radiated from her as she played, her presence almost ethereal.

The notes were as pure as a mountain spring and as soft as a spring breeze brushing across one’s skin—washing away the weariness of those listening, as though revealing vivid scenes of spring in bloom.

The audience was entranced by the music, and the atmosphere within the pavilion gradually eased into one of quiet comfort and delight.

The crystalline tones journeyed through the seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—before circling back to spring once more. Life renewed, the world awakening in vibrant harmony.

When the final note faded, silence fell.

Though the music had stopped, it felt as if the strings of the heart continued to quiver in its wake.

The lingering resonance of the melody still echoed in their ears.

Liu Chaoyun withdrew her hands with composure, the smile on her lips deepening in satisfaction.

Such a magnificent instrument was meant for someone like her. Had it fallen into Ning Shu’s hands, it would’ve been like a pearl cast into the dust.

Still smiling, Liu Chaoyun glanced over at Princess Ning Shu, the pride in her eyes barely concealed.

As it turned out, Princess Ning Shu didn’t even glance in her direction. She was leaning in close to Xiao Yanfei, whispering with her head nearly touching hers, while Xiao Yanfei stuffed a piece of pastry into her mouth.

Liu Chaoyun was momentarily dazed, and in that instant, she heard the emperor clap his hands in praise.

“Excellent!” he said, clearly pleased.

His gaze landed approvingly on Liu Chaoyun.

In terms of appearance and character, she had few flaws—certainly nothing the Duke of Wei could object to.

More importantly, Liu Chaoyun was the Empress’s own niece.

“Xiang Lan,” the emperor turned to Gu Feichi seated off to the side, asking meaningfully, “What did you think of Chaoyun’s performance?”

Gu Feichi casually tapped his fingers twice on the tea table, then replied with an indifferent tone, “Your Majesty, I do not understand the qin.”

A beat of silence passed before the emperor chuckled heartily. “Xiang Lan is being modest. To nurtured scholars with the Dao, one must teach him the six arts.”

Since the Zhou Dynasty, the Six Arts had been essential studies for noble sons. Gu Feichi, heir to the Duke of Wei, had been raised under his grandfather’s careful guidance—how could he not know music?

But Gu Feichi remained calm and unbothered. “My grandfather always said that a Gu family son need only know how to ride a horse, wield a spear, and read military texts.”

He paused briefly, then added with a more measured tone, “My aunt didn’t understand the qin either.”

He was referring, of course, to the late Empress, Gu Mingjing.

Gu Feichi met the emperor’s gaze steadily, neither cold nor deferential—just distant.

For a moment, the emperor’s expression froze as his pupils contracted slightly.

Gu Mingjing.

That name stirred up a storm in the emperor’s heart, accompanied by the vivid image of a proud, dazzling woman in all her glory.

Gu Mingjing could wield a spear, command an army, and her archery was legendary—able to shoot down a target from a hundred paces. Once, she led tens of thousands of troops into battle and, with a single arrow from two hundred paces, killed the enemy general. The opposing army’s morale collapsed on the spot, scattering like leaves in the wind.

Yet when it came to the traditional accomplishments expected of women—music, chess, calligraphy, and embroidery—she was woefully lacking. She couldn’t even play a full tune on the qin, let alone stitch a single flower.

Such a woman—brash, overbearing, and domineering—had none of the grace and gentleness a lady was supposed to possess.

The waterside pavilion fell into a brief silence.

The name “Gu Mingjing” wasn’t just a thorn in the emperor’s heart—it was also deeply embedded in the Empress’s, one that could never quite be pulled free.

The Empress’s face turned cold, her heart tightening with displeasure.

Gu Mingjing had been the emperor’s first wife. Even now, though she herself held the title of Empress, she was merely the second—the Empress by succession. In the records of the court and the eyes of the world, Gu Mingjing would always outrank her. One day, when the emperor passed, it would be Gu Mingjing who lay beside him in the imperial tomb.

Even in death, Gu Mingjing stood between them—her ghost lingering like a shadow that refused to fade.

The emperor quickly came back to his senses. Noticing the Empress’s shift in mood, he gently patted the back of her hand, and his middle finger lingered between her fingers in a tender caress, quietly trying to soothe her.

At last, the Empress smiled again, her lips curving as she cast the emperor a coy glance, her eyes soft with affection.

A beauty like jade—she made the emperor’s heart flutter.

Gu Mingjing had been too proud, always pressing her advantage as the daughter of the Duke of Wei and boasting of her battlefield merits. She had to argue every point, always needing to be right—never yielding, never soft. Not like his dear Lian’er, gentle and sweet, attentive to his every need.

Around the pavilion, gazes shifted back and forth between the imperial couple and Gu Feichi, as if everyone had forgotten about Liu Chaoyun, still seated behind the qin in the center.

The once lively atmosphere had grown awkward again.

Even the guests in the neighboring Tianyi Pavilion could sense the tension. Conversations dwindled into hushed whispers, and most people held their tongues.

Princess Ning Shu leaned in close to whisper in Xiao Yanfei’s ear. “I’ve heard my mother mention this before—the late Empress was not only stunning but incredibly capable. When she was just sixteen, she followed the old Duke to the northwest. Once, while he was leading troops on a campaign, the Xirong launched a surprise siege. It was the late Empress who rallied the old and the weak left in the city and managed to drive them back!”

“And another time, the old Duke was wounded on the battlefield. She personally led the troops into combat!”

“Wow!” Xiao Yanfei’s eyes widened in awe. She couldn’t help but be impressed—So the late Empress was that formidable? Truly a general’s daughter through and through!

She couldn’t help wondering just how dazzlingly beautiful and heroic the late Empress must have been in her prime.

“We were born in the wrong time,” Princess Ning Shu sighed wistfully, her voice drifting into Xiao Yanfei’s ear. “What a pity we’ll never get to witness her brilliance ourselves.”

Xiao Yanfei’s gaze shifted toward the Empress sitting beside the Emperor. At thirty-five or thirty-six, she was a graceful, delicate beauty, gentle and demure—like a lotus blooming by still waters.

The Empress was beautiful, yes, but in a soft, fragile way that stood in stark contrast to the bold, gallant image of the former Empress.

Xiao Yanfei was still lost in thought when the emperor suddenly spoke again. “Xiang Lan, you’ve already come of age. Shall I grant you a marriage?”

The words were clear, and both pavilions heard them without question.

The atmosphere shifted instantly. Several people froze mid-sip, their teacups hanging in the air like time itself had been paused by some unseen spell.

“Whoa.” Princess Ning Shu’s mouth opened slightly, eyes wide, her expression too complex for words.

She nudged her chin in Gu Feichi’s direction and leaned back in to whisper, “Gu Feichi has a terrible temper. No noble girl in the capital wants to marry him.”

“Besides, he’s not even good-looking!”

“He got his face ruined in battle when he was thirteen. There’s a huge scar under that mask of his—like a big, red centipede. It’s terrifying!”

“Yanyan,” she said solemnly, clasping her hands in front of her like she was making a vow, “when choosing a husband, looks matter. You’re going to be staring at that face day and night. If it’s ugly, how are you supposed to eat well or sleep soundly?”

Not good-looking?

Xiao Yanfei couldn’t help but recall Gu Feichi’s face—strikingly handsome, like a painting come to life. His features were sharply defined, his skin fair as polished jade, and his obsidian eyes gleamed with a mysterious light.

“He’s actually quite good-looking,” Xiao Yanfei said earnestly.

If someone like Gu Feichi is considered ugly, then there must be no such thing as beauty in this world!

Princess Ning Shu: “…”

She stared in shock, blinking once, then again, clearly at a loss for words.

Is there something wrong with my best friend’s taste?

But what could she say?

Xiao Yanfei half-squinted as she looked toward the other pavilion, where Gu Feichi sat. Still…

“He’s kind of pitiful too.”

Having even your marriage treated like a tool for political leverage—it must feel suffocating.

With a faint sigh, Xiao Yanfei looked at Gu Feichi with a trace of sympathy. Just then, she thought he might’ve glanced in her direction—their eyes seemed to meet for a fleeting moment.

Gu Feichi’s thin lips parted slightly as he turned to the emperor and said calmly, “I’m in no hurry, Your Majesty.”

Behind the dark mask, his fox-like eyes were deep and unreadable. Even when facing the supreme ruler of the land, his demeanor remained composed, neither servile nor arrogant—serene and at ease… or perhaps, utterly fearless.

Their tones were both calm, yet the subtle tension in the air crackled like sparks waiting to ignite.

The emperor spoke again. “Xiang Lan, marriage is a major milestone in life. How can you not be concerned?”

Gu Feichi slowly set down his wine cup. His voice was cool and crisp: “There’s no one I find worthy.”

The emperor’s expression shifted slightly, a flicker of coldness passing through his eyes.

Gu Feichi’s casual “No one I find worthy” might have sounded like he simply hadn’t found a suitable match yet—but the real implication was clear: He found none of the Emperor’s choices worthy.

It was practically a slap in the face.

How dare he show such blatant disregard for his sovereign’s will!

The air thickened with silence.

At this point, even Empress Liu could see through the emperor’s intentions.

He wanted to marry her niece to Gu Feichi.

Her niece, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Duke of Cheng’en, was elegant, refined, and accomplished in every traditional art. How could someone like Gu Feichi—a cold, violent man with blood on his hands and a notoriously rebellious nature—possibly be worthy of her?

Someone like him was destined to bring ruin upon his house!

These Gu family men—every single one of them is insufferably proud!

Not wishing to openly contradict the Emperor, Empress Liu redirected her displeasure toward Gu Feichi, speaking gently, her tone laced with concern:

“Lord Gu, the Duke of Wei is getting on in years, and I’ve heard his health has not been well of late.”

“The Gu family has never had many heirs. In your generation, you’re the only son.”

“You’ve spent years on campaign, enduring hardships on the battlefield—it hasn’t been easy. But you must think of your lineage. You should leave behind an heir, at the very least. Don’t let your family end up like the Xie clan—without a single descendant to carry on the ancestral rites.”

Her words made more than a few people in the pavilion flinch inwardly. They exchanged discreet glances, unsettled.

Leave behind an heir?

What exactly was the Empress implying?

Gu Feichi was barely past the age of twenty, having just come of age. Yet the Empress spoke as if his death on the battlefield were inevitable, as though the Duke of Wei’s lineage would end with him, leaving the family name to die out.

Even the Emperor found her words inappropriate. His brow furrowed slightly, though he said nothing.

He sighed inwardly: Lian’er has always been simple-hearted, but when it comes to Gu Mingjing, she can’t let go. The Duke of Wei’s household… they’ve always been too proud, too difficult.

Clack!

Gu Feichi placed his white porcelain cup on the low table with a crisp sound, making his voice seem all the colder by contrast.

“Even the most fertile line will die out if it’s meant to. No heir can defy fate.”

“I’ve heard the second, fourth, and fifth sons of the Liu family have all fallen gravely ill. Likely beyond saving.”

“What a pity.”

A few casual remarks, yet each word was like a dagger, stabbing deep into Empress Liu’s heart.

Though the Liu family had many sons, most were frail and sickly—an unspoken grief that she never dared voice aloud.

“Gu Feichi, mind your tongue!” the emperor thundered, heart aching for the Empress. His fury exploded in an instant, his expression turning stormy.

But Gu Feichi met the emperor’s wrath with calm indifference, his voice still as smooth as polished ice.

“Your Majesty, the Duke of Cheng’en abandoned the field in fear. Desertion is a capital offense. What punishment does that deserve?”

“The Xie family consorted with the enemy and were wiped out to the last. And the Liu family?”

The Duke of Cheng’en was still hiding behind illness within his estate, untouched. The Liu family had not suffered in the slightest for his crimes—still living in luxury, untouched by disgrace.

Every word Gu Feichi uttered was sharp as a blade, stripping away the veil of propriety that cloaked the imperial couple—exposing the rot and favoritism festering beneath for all to see.

“…” Empress Liu’s face went pale, her cherry-red lips trembling violently, tears welling in her eyes.

What was Gu Feichi implying? Was he trying to force the emperor into wiping out the entire Liu family?

Liu Chaoyun sat rigidly, feeling the sharp, contemptuous, and suspicious gazes of those around her focused on her and her elder brother. Her cheeks burned painfully. She glanced toward the Duke of Cheng’en’s heir not far off—his expression was cold and even darker than Empress Liu’s.

Gu Feichi’s “Duke of Cheng’en” was none other than her own father, Liu Chuan.

The silence was suffocating, so still one could hear a pin drop.

Even Xiao Yanfei unconsciously held her breath and whispered softly to Princess Ning Shu, “What’s the matter with the Liu family?”

Princess Ning Shu, ever the know-it-all, pressed her forehead against Xiao Yanfei’s and whispered back, “The Empress has long sought to elevate the Liu family to replace the Duke of Wei’s house and the Xie family’s standing in the military.”

“Her eldest brother, Liu Chuan, was ordered to defend Lanshan City in the northern border. But he was defeated by enemy forces and abandoned the city’s elderly, women, and children—he opened the gates and fled. He escaped back to the capital, leaving the entire city’s population to perish at the enemy’s hands.”

“But even now, the emperor has not dealt with this matter—no statement, no action…”

Princess Ning Shu sighed, shaking her head regretfully.

Last year, when the news of Liu Chuan’s desertion reached the capital, it caused an uproar in court. Officials petitioned the emperor to severely punish the Liu family as a warning to others, but the emperor stormed out of the court and then refused to hold morning sessions for an entire month…

The fate of the Liu family remained unresolved, hanging in the balance.

Scanning the restless crowd, the Duke of Cheng’en’s heir was so enraged his face flickered through shades of blue, white, and red, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Gu Feichi sneered coldly and asked, “Your Majesty, how do you intend to deal with the Liu family to appease the countless vengeful souls of Lanshan City?”

“Gu—Fei—Chi!” The Duke of Cheng’en’s heir suddenly sprang up from his chair, pointing a fiery finger straight at Gu Feichi, eyes blazing with fury. “You’re slandering us with lies!”

“It was clearly Xie Yimo and his father Xie Wuduan who were cowardly and selfish, terrified by the Beidi people, that they defected and betrayed the country. The Xie family has committed a crime so heinous it deserves the extermination of their entire clan and eternal disgrace. The Xie’s deserve nothing less than to be utterly destroyed.”

“And now you want to twist the truth and clear their name?!”

Gu Feichi cast a cold sideways glance at the Duke of Cheng’en’s heir, calm and indifferent.

Beneath the black mask, his eyes were deep and icy, like blades of frozen steel shimmering with a deadly chill.

Just one look from him made the Duke of Cheng’en’s heir feel like a wild beast was locking onto him. He was certain that if he dared utter another word, those razor-sharp claws would tear him apart right then and there.

His heart sank; his legs went weak. Staggering, he collapsed to his knees, sweat beading on his forehead in humiliation.

Gu Feichi let out a faint, amused chuckle. “Cowardly and selfish?”

“Gu Feichi!” The emperor slammed his right palm heavily on the table, veins throbbing at his temple.

***