Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Not allowed?"
Lu Zhi stood before Weiyang Palace, her eyes wide in disbelief, almost suspecting that her ears had deceived her.
"Yes!" The young eunuch responsible for delivering the message knelt on the ground, his face pale. "His Majesty has specifically ordered that you are not to enter Weiyang Palace!"
"Preposterous!" In a fit of rage, she kicked the eunuch aside. "The imperial physician said he is gravely ill and unconscious; how can such words be spoken? I am his mother..."
"I dare not! It was the Emperor's explicit instruction before he fell unconscious..."
The eunuch explained through gritted teeth, too afraid to step forward again.
Lu Zhi's body stiffened, and she stood frozen for several minutes before rushing into Weiyang Palace.
Just then, the imperial physician had just finished administering acupuncture to Liu Ying. His face was as pale as paper, devoid of any vitality. Upon seeing Lu Zhi burst in, he merely let out a soft grunt.
"What... do you think?"
"Very good!"
Liu Ying replied, his eyes wide open but refusing to look at Lu Zhi. "I miss Father and my brothers greatly; I believe I will see them soon!"
Lu Zhi's face alternated between red and white with anger, yet she held back her fury.
After a moment, he suddenly stepped forward and sat down by the bed. "Do you truly hate me this much?"
"I dare not!" Liu Ying replied, bewildered, tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I am just afraid..."
"Afraid?"
Liu Ying finally turned his face towards her, his eyes filled with resentment. "Consort Qi served the Former Emperor for many years and received his favor and protection. Even if she had no achievements, she still endured hardships. Even if Mother is jealous and cannot tolerate her, how could she... how could she turn her into a human puppet? Ruyi and I have always been close as brothers, yet Mother, because of her grudge against Consort Qi, knowing that I do not wish to harm him, still took advantage of my unawareness to poison him."
"I am a son of heaven, yet I cannot even protect my own brother. What meaning does it hold for me to be an emperor? Have you ever regarded me as your son? In this world, which mother would support her son to ascend the throne while still monopolizing power..."
Lu Zhi's complexion shifted from red to white, then from white to green. By the end, she could no longer hold back and finally spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsing onto the side of the bed.
In this life, she had given her beautiful youth in the first half to her man and devoted her efforts in the latter half to her son.
She recalled the times when she was exhausted under the scorching sun in the countryside, unable to straighten her back but hurried home to cook for her son; she remembered being in prison, going three days without food or water, saving the only bun she could eat for her son while starving herself into unconsciousness, ultimately waking up frozen in the cold of the cell; she thought of being ill in bed but taking out the only cotton from her bedding to make a coat for her son.
Liu Bang betrayed her; she could resent him, hate him because he was merely her husband.
But now, her own flesh and blood—the son whom she had exhausted half her life’s efforts to support to the throne—was also hating her.
"Empress Dowager!"
The voices of palace maids and eunuchs echoed distantly in her ears, yet they felt as distant as smoke from a past life.
She slowly opened her eyes and suddenly laughed heartily, "Good, this is the good son raised by me, Lu Zhi! Go, find your father, find your brother Ruyi. Hate me fiercely, fear me, let the whole world remember your righteousness and filial piety, and forget my years of love!"
She stood up, straightened her back, and walked out of Weiyang Palace with her head held high. In that moment, it seemed as if she could see herself taking her own heart in hand and crushing it into powder!
In the year 179 BC, on a sunny afternoon in July, she lay heavily on the couch, a soft gurgling sound escaping her throat.
Her half-closed eyes occasionally revealed the movement of her pupils.
In a daze, she faintly heard the sound of galloping hooves drawing near. The person approaching wore a bright smile, his eyes filled with wonder as he reached out to her from his horse. " Zhi'er, I have come to take you home!"
"Home?" she opened her mouth. "Yes, home! Our home!"
He pointed from his horse to the distance where a golden rice field stretched out. In the distance, she could vaguely see three children running and laughing.
Her eyes suddenly widened as she slowly raised her hand, reaching for a warmth in the void... but then it fell heavily.
Comment 0 Comment Count