Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Perhaps feeling dissatisfied with the "stupidity" of the Emperor and Empress regarding this matter, the Empress Dowager sarcastically remarked:
"If it weren't for the Duchess of the Duke of E's Residence, Seventh Sister, the Crown Prince would still insist on becoming a monk."
The Emperor and Empress were both taken aback, looking at each other in astonishment before exclaiming in unison, "Duchess of the Duke of E's Residence, Seventh Sister?!"
"Yes!" The Empress Dowager responded tersely.
"Mother, what does the Crown Prince's change of heart about becoming a monk have to do with the Duchess of the Duke of E's Residence, Seventh Sister?" The Empress looked at the Empress Dowager in confusion.
"Could it be that this Seventh Sister persuaded the Crown Prince?" The Emperor's eyes brightened.
"I really didn't expect that you two as parents care less about your child than I do as a grandmother," seeing the Emperor and Empress look as if they had heard something extraordinary, she felt increasingly dissatisfied. "Ke'er has undergone such a significant change, and you were completely unaware. Truly..." The Empress Dowager sighed and shook her head repeatedly.
"It is all my son's fault," the Emperor said anxiously, nodding. "Please enlighten us, Mother."
Seeing the Emperor "admit his mistake," the Empress Dowager refrained from reprimanding him further and recounted the events of the past few days. The Emperor listened with varying expressions—sometimes solemn, sometimes smiling broadly—especially when he learned that this so-called "Seventh Sister" was Yun Yang's legitimate eldest daughter; it seemed he had already understood everything from the Empress Dowager. Meanwhile, the Empress grew increasingly troubled as she listened, her delicate oval face becoming longer.
"Mother, based on what you said, does that mean the Crown Prince has taken a liking to Seventh Sister?" The Emperor mused aloud with a smile. "I think so too; I just wonder how this Seventh Sister feels about it."
"Is that even a question?!" The Empress Dowager pretended to glare at the Emperor. "If she had no interest in the Crown Prince, why would she go to such lengths to persuade him and openly meet him in the Imperial Garden? I understand this girl's feelings better than you do," she paused for effect and turned to smile at the Empress as if seeking support. "Empress, don't you agree?"
At that moment, the Empress was feeling indignant: she already had someone in mind for the position of Consort Qin—her niece Nalan Lan—only because the Crown Prince was infatuated with Zhen'er. Stubbornly refusing to compromise, the position of Consort Qin remained unfilled. She had brought this up several times with both the Emperor and Empress Dowager, but neither had responded; only the young Crown Prince was easily swayed by his emotions. In a few years, he would understand things better and wouldn't be so stubborn. The Empress could only temporarily set this matter aside; just when she thought she had finally "looked forward" to Zhen'er's demise, along came Seventh Sister. What was worse was that both the Empress Dowager and Emperor seemed to agree on this matter; how could that not infuriate her?!
"Mother is right; that Seventh Sister being favored by the Crown Prince is indeed her good fortune accumulated over several lifetimes." The Empress forced a smile to hide her gloomy expression while her eyes darted around. "But children can be fickle; Mother, do you think it might just be a passing fancy for the Crown Prince?"
"I don't think so," the Empress Dowager retorted sharply, displeased with the Empress's ambiguity. "I know my grandson well; initially, both you and His Majesty thought Ke'er was just 'a passing fancy' for Zhen'er. But what was the outcome?" The Empress Dowager paused before concluding decisively, "In any case, I believe this matter will succeed!"
"But Mother..." The Empress felt uneasy about how firmly the Empress Dowager had made her decision, making her feel as if her position as Empress was insignificant. If one were to act hastily when anxious, it would be hard to conceal one's feelings. "If the Crown Prince truly has feelings for Seventh Sister, why has he not mentioned it even after such a long time? He has never brought Seventh Sister to meet his father and mother."
The face of the Empress Dowager suddenly darkened, her eyes widened as she spoke in a low but unceremonious tone:
"The meaning of 'Empress' is that this old woman is confused and rambling here, being overly sentimental." The Empress Dowager frowned and turned to the Empress, speaking sharply, "Empress, Ke'er often can't help but seek out Seventh Sister. This is due to his longing. As his mother, your reaction is even slower than mine!"
The Empress lowered her head as if she had been slapped, hurriedly saying, "Mother, please do not be angry. I have no intention of blaming you; I just find it strange that the Crown Prince was previously so close to Zhen'er, even willing to renounce everything for her death. How could he suddenly move on and become close to another person called Seventh Sister? Therefore, I wanted to talk to him."
"Yes, if you believe Seventh Sister is suitable, then after I meet with the Empress, we will discuss it further," the Emperor said, seeing the Empress Dowager getting angry and secretly blaming the Empress for being insensitive. "But Mother must not let this affect your health."
"There's no rush," the Empress Dowager said, seeing things developing in a direction she could control, her anger subsiding significantly. Remembering her agreement with the Crown Prince, she gave the Empress a way out. "I spoke with the Crown Prince about this matter the other day; he needs to consider it further. I promised him... Empress, you can handle this."
Upon hearing this, the Empress felt a sense of relief and smiled, "I understand; I will go talk to the Crown Prince shortly."
The Empress indeed went to find the Crown Prince, but it was not to have a heart-to-heart talk; it was more of a test. However, due to Zhen'er, Qin Ke always harbored resentment towards the Empress. He was well aware of what his mother was planning and became even more resistant because of it. He even believed that his mother had caused Zhen'er's death, leading to a strained relationship between mother and son.
At that moment, Qin Ke was preparing to change clothes before leaving the palace when he heard Chen Gonggong report that the Empress had arrived. Instantly displeased, he realized the Empress's intentions and was shocked: Grandmother Empress had actually brought this matter to Father Emperor and Mother! What should he do now?
"...So what the Empress Dowager 'saw and heard' and the rumors outside are true," the Crown Prince was momentarily stunned into silence. The Empress guessed almost correctly but still feigned reluctance to hear Qin Ke's response. She pretended to support him by saying, "Ke'er, if that's the case, in a few days Mother will have your father draft an edict to establish Consort Qin so that this position won't remain vacant and cause distress..." The Empress kept her gaze fixed on the Crown Prince's face. "Rest assured, this time Mother will definitely support you."
Just then, she pretended to turn away but was urgently called back by Qin Ke.
"No, Mother! I... Seventh Sister is just a confidante to me; my feelings for her...," Qin Ke suddenly became flustered for some reason, his words lacking confidence as he stammered. "It's nothing." However, the Empress noticed every bit of his embarrassment: what the Empress Dowager said was spot on; this child was just deceiving himself. Before this moment, had she ever seen him so anxious about any girl?
Yet the Empress still felt unsatisfied and deliberately repeated what the Empress Dowager had said with embellishments, making Qin Ke even more flustered.
"Mother! I haven't made up my mind yet," forced into a corner, Qin Ke could only think of a way to leave. "Let me think it through clearly before reporting back to Father Emperor and Mother. Is that alright?"
"It is indeed very good. The establishment of Consort Qin is a significant matter and should not be taken lightly or impulsively," the Crown Prince's response brought great joy to the Empress. She smiled, which she had longed for, and said, " Ke'er has grown up and understands how to weigh the pros and cons. That's wonderful."
Seeing the Empress's face filled with obvious concerns, the Crown Prince's expression darkened. He had initially thought she was here to care for him, but it turned out that her mind was still occupied with consolidating her position. He offered a cold remark: "Mother, I have been feeling a bit fatigued lately. If you have no other matters—"
The Empress's smile froze, and she awkwardly chuckled, pretending to tidy her hair: "Then... I won't disturb Ke'er any longer. Rest well, and I will talk to you another day."
Once the Empress disappeared beyond the threshold, Crown Prince Qin Ke quickly changed his clothes. He needed to leave the palace swiftly to find Yun Kexin and gauge her thoughts.
This time, the Crown Prince only brought along Feng Yinxiao, instructing him to relay a message and bring Yun Kexin to a place known only to three people. Although Yun Kexin initially planned to feign illness and not attend, she heard from Feng Yinxiao that the Crown Prince seemed somewhat off, as if he were troubled, and he specifically insisted that she must come.
In a secluded bamboo grove, the Crown Prince once again met with his Seventh Sister, whom he had been thinking about since their last encounter just a day prior.
His hand halted in mid-air upon meeting Yun Kexin's rejecting gaze. After a moment of surprise, he regained his composure and turned to Feng Yinxiao: " Commander, step aside for a moment. I have something important to discuss with Seventh Sister."
"Yes." Feng Yinxiao cast a quick glance at Yun Kexin before obediently stepping back several meters.
"Crown Prince, what is so urgent that you need to see me?" Yun Kexin asked. "Do we need to avoid Young Lord?"
"Must I only seek you out when there is something urgent?" The Crown Prince's question was light but carried an inexplicable hint of melancholy.
Yun Kexin was taken aback, her face turning red: "Crown Prince, you..."
He led her toward a stone table where they sat facing each other.
"Yun Kexin, I have something I want to ask you," the Crown Prince said as he fixed his gaze on her for a moment before throwing out a shocking question: "Do you want to become Consort Qin?"
Yun Kexin widened her eyes in shock and replied coldly, "No."
Just a single word, yet it sounded like a copper pea, resonating on the ground.
"Why?" Qin Ke asked without hesitation.
"Why did the Crown Prince suddenly bring this up with me?" Yun Kexin adjusted her thoughts and retorted without changing her expression.
"Is it really sudden?" The Crown Prince appeared somewhat confused, realizing that none of the 'draft' he had prepared in his mind before coming was useful. After thinking for a while, he brought up the Empress Dowager, "Grandmother Empress has noticed you, and you are the best choice for Consort Qin..."
Yun Kexin was taken aback again and exclaimed, "Empress Dowager?!"
"Yes! Our meeting and heart-to-heart talks have already caught Grandmother Empress's attention," Qin Ke nodded, looking at Yun Kexin's shocked expression and inexplicably feeling a bit of anticipation. "She thinks you are very considerate and understanding towards me, and I—"
"No, this is a misunderstanding from the Empress Dowager!" Yun Kexin interrupted before the Crown Prince could finish. "My relationship with the Crown Prince does not involve any romantic feelings; it is solely based on our past friendship."
"Just a misunderstanding?" The Crown Prince's hurt gaze searched Yun Kexin's face, hoping to find even a hint of embarrassment from lying. However, there was none. He murmured as if to himself, "For me, is it really just because of friendship?"
"Yes!" Yun Kexin answered without hesitation. (To be continued)
Comment 0 Comment Count