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墨書 Inktalez
"You don't need to worry about that. You're just a commoner, and if I wanted you dead, Consort Chen only needs to lift a finger. What I want to tell you is that the Emperor has many consorts, and that is a fact. You may choose not to compete for favor, but you must always be on guard. You can choose not to harm others, but do you at least have the means to protect yourself? In fact, there are many people out there like Consort Chen. I will tell you this: if you cannot become someone of importance, you will only be at the mercy of others! You may allow yourself to be manipulated, but my grandson cannot!"
When Mei Shuang came out of Empress Dowager Mingxi's meditation hall, her face was pale as if she had been beaten, and she stumbled as she walked, her mind filled with the Empress Dowager's words. She looked as if she had lost her soul. She didn't even notice Xiao Luo, who was standing not far away in the shadows, let alone the meaningful gaze directed at her.
Mei Shuang made her way back to her residence, taking unsteady steps until she reached the room where her two children were sleeping soundly.
Under the flickering candlelight, the two rosy children were fast asleep. Perhaps due to the hot weather, the eldest was restless and had rolled over, pressing his small blanket beneath him and exposing his delicate back.
As Mei Shuang reached out, she inadvertently touched a hand reaching from beside her. Startled, she froze in place and dared not look up.
After a moment of tension, it was Xiao Luo who carefully pulled up the blanket to wrap the child snugly.
Mei Shuang quickly withdrew her hand, feeling Xiao Luo's penetrating gaze like an X-ray illuminating her completely. Her heart raced; she didn't know where to place her withdrawn hand and felt flustered.
He had come again, silently as ever.
Xiao Luo looked at Mei Shuang from such a close distance. Her face was illuminated by the candlelight, long lashes casting shadows; though he couldn't see the expression in her eyes clearly, her slightly stiff posture betrayed her.
"Let's go for a walk," Xiao Luo said.
Mei Shuang slowly rose from in front of the cradle and followed Xiao Luo into the courtyard.
The moonlight was like water; the night air on the mountains was cool and pleasant, carrying a refreshing floral scent that cleared her mind.
Mei Shuang followed behind Xiao Luo with her head lowered, not daring to breathe loudly.
After a long silence, Xiao Luo spoke again. "The hundredth day for these two children is coming soon. Having missed the full moon banquet, I cannot let them miss this one as well."
Mei Shuang remained silent, recalling how she had led the children to escape before their full moon celebration. She wondered how chaotic the banquet prepared in advance would be due to their disappearance and how awkward it would be for this emperor!
"Additionally, with the central palace vacant, the Empress Dowager has repeatedly stated that it cannot be without a master. At that time, I will drink with my officials while the newly appointed Empress stands by my side. If you wish, you may also come..."
Mei Shuang lay in bed, gazing outside, tossing and turning as Xiao Luo's words echoed repeatedly in her ears.
"The newly appointed Empress is by my side." This meant he already had an Empress?
Since Xiao Luo left, Mei Shuang felt as if her chest had been struck hard by a Colossal Creature. The phrase kept resonating in her mind throughout the night.
Suddenly, a line from a comedy popped into her head: "If you don't go to hell, I will." In this moment, it transformed into "If you don't become the Empress, someone else will." Xiao Luo's words were so clear; he didn't cherish the position of Empress, yet how many women coveted it? That position could not be reserved for her forever.
Mei Shuang felt a chill run through her body, and a self-mocking smile appeared on her lips.
The words of Empress Dowager Mingxi were like a revelation: where there are people, there is a world of intrigue. The kind of seclusion she imagined was merely an escape, one that was impossible to achieve. "Whether you return to the palace or remain outside, this world will not operate according to your wishes. Unexpected events abound. But there is a saying: 'When two evils meet, choose the lesser.' Since both choices have their drawbacks, you must weigh them yourself."
The Empress Dowager urged her to make her own decision. Just as she began to understand, she realized that when she turned around, the place she once stood had already vanished.
In just a few months, everything in the world had changed.
He was now with the new Empress and invited her; what did it matter if she went?
Mei Shuang tossed and turned all night, her thoughts in turmoil. Inevitably, when she woke up the next day, she bore two dark circles under her eyes.
While feeding the children, she often lost focus. When Xiang Cao entered, she saw that the two children were not lying side by side in their cradles as usual; instead, the elder child's head was against the younger one's feet. At that moment, the elder child was trying to grab the younger one's foot and seemed about to put it in his mouth, completely oblivious to Mei Shuang.
She sighed, "Oh dear, miss, look at how you've placed the children incorrectly."
Only then did Mei Shuang snap back to reality and hurriedly switch the children around. As a result, the elder child's sense of accomplishment from grabbing the younger one's foot vanished instantly, leading him to wail loudly. The younger child also became uncomfortable due to his older sibling's crying and began to cry as well.
Goodness! As the duet began, Mei Shuang tried to soothe them but couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with sadness and started crying along with them.
The scene left Vanilla stunned.
Through the long window, Yun Kong complained to the frowning Xiao Luo, "Are you satisfied now?"
Xiao Luo pressed her thin lips together and remained silent.
Mei Shuang had not slept a wink, and he himself had not rested well either. There is a saying, "Put one in a desperate situation to force them to survive." He wanted to see how long this woman's stubbornness could last without a way out. To put it simply, the Empress Dowager had given her a lesson in ideology, and she had already changed significantly. His words were like practical training; if he didn't thoroughly crush her self-righteousness, who knows what trouble she might cause in the future.
A day passed in a daze, exhausted by the two children and a sleepless night, leaving Mei Shuang extremely fatigued.
In the early hours of the morning, she was unexpectedly awakened by Vanilla.
"Is the child crying again?" she asked groggily, barely opening her eyes.
"No, it's time for you to get up and get ready..." Vanilla replied.
"What for?" Mei Shuang didn't quite catch it and turned over, ready to go back to sleep.
"Isn't today the hundred-day banquet for the child? Aren't you going to the palace as the mother? Hurry up..."
Mei Shuang jolted awake but felt completely disheartened at the thought of Xiao Luo's words. Was she really expected to go as a wet nurse?
Forget it! Whatever! As long as she wasn't separated from her child, being a wet nurse would have to do.
Mei Shuang sat in front of the vanity mirror, staring blankly at the woman reflected within. The mirror showed that several people had entered behind her.
She turned around in surprise to see palace maids filing in, each holding a brocade box. They knelt before Mei Shuang, revealing neatly stacked clothes, jewelry, and even shoes that were prepared.
"Does entering the palace really need to be this complicated?" she frowned. If she dressed too formally, how would she hold her child?
"Today is a big day, so you naturally need to dress up nicely," Xiangcao said as she helped Mei Shuang apply her makeup.
Looking at the reflection of the woman in the mirror, with her hair styled high and her features beautifully defined, Mei Shuang suddenly felt a bit unfamiliar. She was used to seeing herself with long hair and no makeup, and this version of herself was quite uncomfortable.
"Forget it, today I'm entering the palace; the main focus should be on my two children. I can't even hold them dressed like this..."
Removing all the hairpins from her head, she simply tied her long hair loosely at the back. Xiangcao said, "Actually, even without much adornment, you look great..."
Sitting in the carriage, Mei Shuang glanced at her two freshly dressed children while randomly imagining what the Empress would look like. She felt restless and nearly twisted her ankle when getting off the carriage.
The sky had brightened significantly, and according to protocol, they first took the children to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.
Seeing the two adorable children, Empress Dowager Mingxi rarely showed a loving expression, holding them close and unable to let go. "They really resemble each other; the eldest looks just like Luo Er, while the second one resembles you more, Mei Shuang..."
After playing with her grandchildren for a while, Empress Dowager Mingxi finally allowed them to be taken away. She then turned to Mei Shuang with a serious expression and said, "You look somewhat haggard; haven't you rested well?"
"Um..." Mei Shuang replied with her head down.
"Well, since you've agreed to enter the palace, it shows you've come to terms with things. I was thinking about what position would be suitable for you."
"Your Majesty," Shuang'er said softly, "I don't need any title; I just want to be able to stay by Eldest Son and Second Child's side..."
"Eldest Son and Second Child?" Empress Dowager Mingxi nearly spat out her tea and looked at Mei Shuang disapprovingly. "What kind of names are those? How can my royal grandchildren be called such names? They don't suit their noble status at all. I think we should have the Ministry of Rites come up with proper names."
Empress Dowager Mingxi changed the subject with a hint of teasing in her tone. "Oh, how straightforward you are! Previously you refused to enter the palace and didn't even want the title of Empress; now you're asking for so little that you don't even want a name. It's truly a world apart..."
Her words were sharp and hit home; Mei Shuang felt as if she had been slapped in the face, a burning pain spreading across her cheeks.
Empress Dowager Mingxi's meaning was clear: when she had been elevated before, Mei Shuang had not appreciated it; now any embarrassment she faced was self-inflicted.
Empress Dowager Mingxi had more to say when she raised her eyes and saw Xiao Luo entering.
Empress Dowager Mingxi snorted, "What? Can't bear to hear me teach your wife a lesson, so you rush in? I haven't summoned you yet."
Wife? Mei Shuang's heart trembled; what kind of title was that?
After Xiao Luo came over to pay his respects, he noticed Mei Shuang kneeling with a flushed face. He knew that the Empress Dowager's reprimands had made her uncomfortable, and his heart softened as he glanced at her.
Empress Dowager Mingxi noticed his expression and took the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, today is the hundredth day celebration for the two children. Their mother has said she doesn't care about the title anymore. What do you think should be done?"
Empress Dowager Mingxi's gaze swept over Mei Shuang as she said lightly, "Logically speaking, the mother of the Crown Prince should be honored, but since she is unwilling, then she can either be a consort or just an insignificant Palace Maid..."
Xiao Luo glanced at Mei Shuang and replied indifferently, "She has always only believed in herself; this time, let her choose for herself... I have prepared the lots as per the Empress Dowager's wishes."
Soon after, a Palace Maid entered holding a tray. Upon seeing three neatly stacked slips of paper on it, Mei Shuang widened her eyes. "Drawing lots?"
Oh my! What a formal occasion this was, yet they were using such an informal method to determine her title?!
She looked up at the Sovereign before her, whose expression was serious—there was no hint of jest at all.
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