Duanning Palace

Returning from Ningshou Palace, Xia Ruqing changed into her casual clothes and sat on the kang, staring silently at the scene outside the window.

Zi Yue stepped forward to comfort her.

"Empress, the Empress Dowager is getting on in years. You shouldn’t take her words too seriously!"

"The matter of the royal selection should still listen to the Emperor!"

Xia Ruqing turned over lazily and lay down, sneering.

"I wouldn’t even bother with it!"

"The harem already has so many people, what difference would adding another hundred make?"

When it comes to concubines, whether there’s one or a hundred, it’s all the same. It’s nothing new.

I’ve endured all these years; why should I not bear this?

"My only worry now is that the Empress Dowager is up to her tricks again!"

She snorted coldly as she spoke.

"The Empress Dowager still has the nerve to claim she carried the Emperor for ten months!"

"Saying such nice things now, but what did she do back then?"

"The Emperor had just returned from Guangnan and was injured. Did the Empress Dowager care to inquire even once?"

"When the Emperor had a headache or a cold, did the Empress Dowager ever show any concern?"

"It’s needless to mention his daily meals and rest; she never even thought of it!"

"Back then, why didn’t she say she was the Emperor’s real mother?"

"Now that the Emperor has to select consorts, she suddenly storms in, causing a scene, claiming she is the Emperor’s true mother and wants to make decisions!"

"Ha! What kind of real mother is that!"

The more Xia Ruqing talked, the angrier she became.

Zi Yue was terrified.

"Empress, please lower your voice. There are ears everywhere in the palace..."

Infuriated, Xia Ruqing stood up with a snort.

"What am I afraid of?"

"I couldn’t say a word in Ningshou Palace, but can’t I speak freely in my own palace?"

"I’m just feeling aggrieved for the Emperor..."

Zi Yue quickly knelt down and kowtowed.

"Empress..."

According to palace rules, gossiping about the Empress Dowager in private is highly disrespectful.

If others hear it or if the Emperor finds out, it would be a big issue!

Xia Ruqing was silent for a moment, then suddenly closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

"Stand up!"

Zi Yue hesitated to stand.

Xia Ruqing said again, "I won’t say any more of this!"

Hearing this, Zi Yue kowtowed and stood up.

Xia Ruqing lay back on the soft couch again.

Zi Yue covered her with a blanket.

"Empress, please rest for a while!"

"The small kitchen has made your favorite preserved egg and lean meat congee. I’ll go get you a bowl!"

"Alright!"

Zi Yue retreated.

Xia Ruqing turned over and closed her eyes, about to take a nap.

Suddenly, a loud announcement from a eunuch sounded outside.

"The Emperor is here!"

Following that was a chorus of palace maids and eunuchs paying respects.

Helpless, Xia Ruqing had to get up again.

Inside the chamber, there was a flurry of greetings and courtesies.

Finally.

Wearing a Gemstone Blue Robe, Zhao Junyao sat on the other side of the kang.

He took a sip of tea and casually asked.

"What’s wrong? Who upset you?"

Xia Ruqing handed his changed clothes to Zi Ning to organize, then sat down herself.

"Nothing much!"

Zhao Junyao’s deep eyes flickered, and he smiled slightly.

"Do you think you can hide it from me?"

Xia Ruqing glared at him helplessly.

"When did I ever hide things from you?"

"I just... don’t know how to say it!"

Zhao Junyao put down the teacup and leaned back lazily, teasingly looking at her.

"If you won’t say, let me guess!"

"Is it... the Empress Dowager?"

Xia Ruqing remained silent.

Zhao Junyao chuckled, "Seems I guessed right!"

Xia Ruqing was speechless.

"That’s considered a guess?"

"I only went to Ningshou Palace today; isn’t it obvious?"

"If you must guess, guess what the Empress Dowager said?"

Zhao Junyao was taken aback by her anger, his expression darkened, and he spoke slowly.

"Then let me guess"

He squinted, pondering for a while, then suddenly opened his eyes with sharp gaze.

"This year... the royal selection is due!"

Xia Ruqing’s heart skipped a beat.

"So you knew..."

Zhao Junyao smirked with a cold snort.

"For so many years, my dear mother has done nothing but send people to my side!"

"In her eyes, I’m just a puppet, a marionette!"

"I’m supposed to listen to her, marry those she likes, catering to her family’s needs"

"If I resist even a bit, I’m being unfilial!"

"But she doesn’t understand, I’m an emperor, how can I completely follow her orders?"

Even if he wasn’t an emperor but just a commoner, he couldn’t fully obey her.

He couldn’t understand how ’obedience’ and ’filial piety’ got intertwined.

Nor could he comprehend why the degree of obedience was used to measure filial piety!

Isn’t it absurd and laughable?

"Your Majesty..."

Xia Ruqing called him softly, her anger dissipated, leaving only heartache.

She hesitated for a moment, then continued.

"You guessed right, it’s about the royal selection..."

She then recounted the whole story at Ningshou Palace in detail.

Even without exaggeration, Zhao Junyao was furious.

"Is the Empress Dowager truly like this?!"

Xia Ruqing was frightened.

Oh no, did she make a mistake by saying all this?

Now, the strained relationship between mother and son is even worse because of her.

But then again, what does the self-destructive old witch have to do with her?

Would hiding the truth improve their relationship? Unlikely!

Besides, she didn’t want to play the saint.

Whatever, there’s nothing to fear.

Xia Ruqing nodded justifiably.

"That’s right!"

"I even got scolded by the Empress Dowager, utterly disgracing me!"

Zhao Junyao’s gaze was sharp, his fists clenched.

He stood in silence, moved to the window, lifted his head, closed his eyes, and showed a painful expression.

After a while, he suddenly turned around.

"Someone, prepare to go to Ningshou Palace!"

Xia Ruqing wanted to stop him, but he had already left in strides.

She hurriedly chased to the door.

"Your Majesty!"

The Little Eunuch quickly blocked her.

"Empress, you can’t go!"

Xia Ruqing was anxious but could do nothing.

"Zi Yue, did I cause a big trouble?!"

Zi Yue supported her hand.

"Don’t worry, even if you didn’t speak, this couldn’t be hidden, the entire palace knows!"

Thinking this, Xia Ruqing bit her lip, deciding not to care.

"The tension between them has been so long, it’s time to clear things up!"

She’s merely a tool used by the Empress Dowager against the Emperor, always caught in between is an awkward position!

"No need to care!"

"I’m heading to the small garden in the backyard for some air!"

"Yes!"

Zi Yue turned around to fetch a thick woven cloak, and the master and servant dressed warmly to go out.

Halfway there, Xia Ruqing suddenly halted. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Tell Xiao Xizi to keep an ear out secretly!"

"Even if we’re not involved, at least we should be informed!"

"Alright!"

Zi Yue turned and conveyed the message.

...

In Ningshou Palace

The Empress Dowager was kneeling before the Buddha, fingering prayer beads, chanting incessantly.

"Zongcheng, Junqi..."

"Rest assured, I will soon join you!"

"But before that, I must avenge you first!"

"Wait for me in the afterlife!"