Chapter 310: The Dowager Empress’s Thoughts

Inside the quiet halls of the Dowager Empress’s palace, the atmosphere was calm and heavy with the faint scent of sandalwood incense.

Soft music played in the background as maids moved silently across the polished floor.

The Dowager Empress sat near the window, lazily turning prayer beads between her fingers while a servant carefully poured warm tea into her cup.

Her expression remained indifferent.

Cold.

Unreadable.

Then—

A maid hurried inside and bowed quickly.

"Dowager Empress."

The older woman did not even lift her gaze.

"What is it?"

The maid spoke carefully.

"Her Majesty the Empress has returned from the shrine."

Only then did the Dowager Empress pause slightly.

The prayer beads stopped moving for a brief moment.

"She returned already?"

"Yes."

"The Emperor personally brought her back after she completed her punishment."

Silence filled the room.

The maid lowered her head further, afraid she might have spoken wrongly.

But after a few seconds—

The Dowager Empress simply gave a faint shrug.

"So she finally returned."

Her tone carried little emotion.

The maid carefully glanced up.

The Dowager Empress picked up her tea calmly.

"She is stubborn."

"She always has been."

The maid remained silent.

The Dowager Empress took a slow sip before continuing.

"I already lessened her punishment earlier."

"Yet she refused to come back."

"She insisted on remaining there until completion."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Now that the Emperor personally went to retrieve her, she finally returned."

The maid quietly listened.

The Dowager Empress sighed faintly.

"She always wants people to beg her."

The words sounded dismissive.

But beneath them—

There was something else.

Something quieter.

More complicated.

The old woman looked outside the window toward the distant palace roofs.

"She could have returned earlier if she wished."

"But instead..."

"She endured everything silently."

Her fingers tightened slightly around the teacup.

"She resembles her mother too much."

The maid blinked slightly in surprise.

Very few people ever heard the Dowager Empress speak about the Empress’s family.

The Dowager Empress noticed the maid’s reaction and frowned faintly.

"What?"

"Nothing, Your Majesty."

The older woman clicked her tongue softly.

Then leaned back against her chair.

For a long moment—

Neither spoke.

Finally the maid gathered courage again.

"Your Majesty..."

"People in the palace have been talking."

The Dowager Empress looked at her lazily.

"About what?"

The maid hesitated carefully.

"They said... the Emperor has been visiting the Empress often lately."

A quiet silence followed.

The Dowager Empress’s gaze lowered slightly.

Then she gave a faint cold laugh.

"Hmph."

"So he finally realized."

The maid froze slightly.

The Dowager Empress closed her eyes briefly.

"At first he hated her."

"He blamed her for everything."

"But that girl..."

"She never once fought back properly."

Her voice grew quieter.

"Even after all the humiliation."

The maid looked down silently.

Because everyone in the palace knew.

The Empress had endured much.

Too much.

Yet she never openly rebelled.

Never created chaos.

Never acted arrogantly despite her status.

The Dowager Empress suddenly spoke again.

"She’s foolish."

The maid blinked.

The older woman continued calmly,

"A smart woman would have cried."

"Complained."

"Used her family."

"But she simply endured."

A strange emotion flickered briefly in her eyes before disappearing again.

Then she scoffed softly.

"No wonder my son finally softened."

The maid remained silent, not daring to respond.

The Dowager Empress slowly turned her prayer beads again.

"But softness in the palace is dangerous."

Her eyes darkened slightly.

"This palace eats kind people alive."

Outside, the wind moved gently through the curtains.

The older woman stared quietly into the distance.

Thinking.

Remembering.

Observing.

Then after a while she finally spoke again.

"Prepare some nourishing soup."

The maid blinked.

"For... the Empress?"

The Dowager Empress immediately frowned.

"Who else?"

The maid quickly bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

As the maid hurried away, the Dowager Empress clicked her tongue softly.

"That stubborn girl..."

"She nearly died once already and still refuses to care for herself."

But despite her harsh words—

The coldness in her eyes had softened slightly.

Far away in another courtyard—

The Empress laughed quietly with Princess Zhi over lunch.

Unaware—

That even the Dowager Empress’s heart was slowly beginning to change.

Morning sunlight filtered softly through the palace corridors as the Empress stood inside the kitchen of her courtyard.

Steam rose from the pots.

The warm fragrance of simmering soup filled the air.

Servants moved quietly around her, but none dared interrupt.

Because today—

The Empress herself was cooking.

Again.

—

Her sleeves were tied neatly.

Her hair loosely pinned back.

And unlike the elegant Empress everyone imagined—

She looked peaceful standing beside the stove.

Almost... ordinary.

—

Fen Yu floated nearby, sniffing dramatically.

"That smells amazing."

Wei Rong crossed his arms.

"You say that every time."

"Because she cooks well every time!"

Li Shen adjusted his sleeves thoughtfully.

"The aroma is balanced."

Lian An rolled her eyes.

"You three are worse than food critics."

—

On the counter sat several dishes already completed.

Lotus soup.

Sweet rice cakes.

Light stir-fried vegetables.

And a carefully prepared herbal chicken broth.

Everything—

Warm.

Comforting.

—

A maid stepped closer hesitantly.

"Your Majesty..."

"Are you truly taking this to the Dowager Empress personally?"

—

Lian An nodded.

"Yes."

—

The maid looked nervous.

"But... after everything before..."

—

Lian An paused briefly.

Then smiled faintly.

"That’s exactly why I should go."

—

The maid lowered her head.

"...This servant understands."

—

Truthfully—

Lian An herself didn’t know why she felt nervous.

Perhaps because her relationship with the Dowager Empress had always been complicated.

Cold.

Restrained.

Sometimes openly hostile.

—

Punishments.

Criticism.

Distance.

—

Yet after waking from death—

Something had shifted.

The Dowager had changed slightly.

And so had she.

—

Soon, the food was packed carefully into elegant containers.

The maids carried them behind her as she walked through the palace.

—

The corridors were calm this morning.

Servants bowed respectfully as she passed.

Whispers followed quietly.

But Lian An ignored them.

—

Eventually—

She reached the familiar courtyard.

The Dowager Empress’s residence.

—

The guards bowed immediately.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

—

"I wish to see Mother."

—

The maid quickly entered to announce her.

A moment later—

The doors opened.

—

The Dowager Empress sat near the window drinking tea when Lian An entered.

Sunlight fell across the older woman’s face, softening her usually sharp expression.

—

The Dowager looked slightly surprised.

"...You came."

—

Lian An bowed politely.

"Greetings, Mother."

—

The Dowager’s eyes shifted toward the servants carrying food.

"...What is this?"

—

"I prepared breakfast."

—

Silence.

—

The Dowager blinked once.

As if genuinely caught off guard.

"...You cooked?"

—

"Yes."

—

The Dowager stared at her for a moment.

Then suddenly—

She laughed.

Softly.

Unexpectedly.

—

Lian An blinked in surprise.

The maids behind her froze.

Even the ghosts looked shocked.

—

"...What’s funny?" Lian An asked carefully.

—

The Dowager shook her head slightly, amusement still lingering in her eyes.

"Nothing."

"I just suddenly remembered..."

—

Her gaze softened faintly.

"...when you first entered the palace."

—

Lian An stayed quiet.

—

The Dowager gestured toward the table.

"Sit."

—

The food was arranged carefully.

Warm steam rose between them.

—

For the first few moments—

Neither spoke.

—

Then Lian An quietly said,

"...I came to apologize."

—

The Dowager paused.

"...For what?"

—

Lian An lowered her gaze slightly.

"For many things."

"For causing conflict."

"For arguing with Mother before."

"For making you worry..."

—

The Dowager watched her silently.

Then—

She laughed again.

This time softer.

Warmer.

—

"You really changed after nearly dying."

—

Lian An looked up slightly.

—

The Dowager picked up the soup spoon calmly.

"...I forgave you already."

—

The words startled her.

—

"...You did?"

—

The Dowager nodded.

"Yes."

—

Then she took a sip of soup.

Her brows lifted slightly.

"...This is good."

—

Lian An couldn’t help smiling faintly.

"I’m glad."

—

The Dowager placed the spoon down.

"You think I truly hated you?"

—

Lian An didn’t answer immediately.

Because once—

She truly believed that.

—

The Dowager sighed softly.

"I disliked your stubbornness."

"Your temper."

"And how you fought with my son every time you met."

—

Lian An looked awkward.

"...That happened often."

—

"Very often."

—

For the first time—

The atmosphere between them felt strangely natural.

—

Then the Dowager looked at her carefully.

"...But you were never a bad person."

—

Lian An’s eyes flickered slightly.

—

The Dowager continued quietly,

"And after what happened..."

"...I realized many things too."

—

Silence settled again.

But this silence no longer felt cold.

—

Then suddenly—

The Dowager asked,

"How is the restaurant?"

—

Lian An blinked.

"...The restaurant?"

—

"Yes."

"You looked happier whenever you talked about it."

—

Lian An relaxed slightly.

"It’s doing well."

"We’re preparing for the banquet now."

—

The Dowager nodded.

"I heard."

Then—

Unexpectedly—

She added,

"If you want to continue working there..."

"...you may."

—

Lian An froze.

"...What?"

—

The Dowager sipped her tea calmly.

"You asked before."

"I refused."

—

Back then—

The Dowager believed it improper for an Empress to involve herself in business.

—

But now—

She looked at Lian An differently.

—

"You may go out for the restaurant if necessary."

—

Lian An stared at her.

Surprised.

Genuinely surprised.

—

"...Mother..."

—

The Dowager waved her hand dismissively.

"As long as palace dignity is maintained."

—

A small smile slowly appeared on Lian An’s face.

"...Thank you."

—

The Dowager looked at her quietly.

Then thought silently—

—

I am not forgiving you because of you.

I am doing this because my son finally learned to love someone properly.

—

She had eyes.

She saw everything.

The way the Emperor looked at the Empress now.

The way he stayed at the Duke residence.

The way he panicked after the ambush.

—

The Dowager sighed inwardly.

—

That foolish son of mine finally understands his own heart.

—

And because of that—

She was willing to try.

—

The Empress didn’t know her thoughts.

She simply sat there quietly.

Eating breakfast together.

—

Like family.

—

Outside—

The palace remained filled with hidden schemes and unseen danger.

But inside this courtyard—

For one peaceful morning—

There was warmth.

Understanding.

And the quiet beginning—

Of reconciliation.