After returning from Prince Chen’s Mansion, Empress Dowager went to the emperor’s imperial study first. The most distinguished mother and son in the country drove the others out of the imperial study. After talking for a long time, Empress Dowager left the emperor’s imperial study with a serious face.
When she returned to Palace of Benevolent Peace, she immediately sent people to reward a lot of precious medicinal materials to Prince Chen’s Mansion.
After the reward of Empress Dowager, the Emperor immediately rewarded him as well. The Empress’ reward was not much later than theirs. As for the other imperial concubines, although they were not qualified, they all looked very sad. No one laughed wantonly in the whole palace. At this time, they knew that the Emperor was in a bad mood, and no one dared to annoy the Emperor at this time.
A palace maid came to the imperial study silently and handed a letter to the Emperor.
After reading it, the Emperor kept silent for a long time. But then, he went out from the back door of the imperial study with his trusted subordinates and turned to a remote palace. There were two guards guarding the door. When they saw the Emperor coming over, they bowed respectfully and then stood aside.
The Emperor walked into it.
The tall palace looked very deserted. It was almost the same as the Cold Palace. But no one could expect that the one who lived in it was not the concubine who was demoted in the Cold Palace, but Consort Lan who had once been favored.
It was said that she had once doted so much that no one could compare with her. But it was unknown that why she had annoyed the Emperor. Then, she was watched over by the Emperor. Even the Empress could not enter here at will.
Few people knew this since no one was allowed to come in here. But there was no restriction on the people inside to go out!
In the bedchamber, a beautiful woman with long hair, dressed in an extremely simple plain-colored dress. The dress made her more beautiful and attractive. Even though her eyes were red and swollen, she still made people feel sorry for her.
“Your Majesty, I want to see Chen’er!” Hearing the voice at the door, the woman sitting on the couch immediately raised her head and said excitedly with tears on her face.
The Emperor came over and sat on the couch. He reached out to pull her, but she shook off his hand. “Your Majesty, I want to see Chen’er. How is he? Is he all right?”
“Lan’er…” The Emperor’s voice was very hoarse.
“I want to see Chen’er. I want to see Chen’er. Why do you stop me… You said that you would not stop me…” The woman wailed, raised her red and swollen eyes, and cried.
The Emperor reached out his hands to rub his eyebrows and said, “Lan’er, it’s not appropriate now. There… are many people watching him…”
Now almost everyone’s eyes were fixed on Prince Chen’s Mansion. If someone noticed something, it would be a very big deal.
“That’s my son… I’m going to see him. I’m going to see him!” The woman said stubbornly. It seemed that she had never been so stubborn before. Tears kept falling from her snow-white cheeks.
The Emperor sighed softly and reached out to hold her in his arms. “Don’t worry. I will try my best to cure him. He would definitely get well!”
“What if something happens?” The woman’s voice sounded muffled and cold in his arms.
The Emperor pushed her away slowly. He looked at her as she shed tears, but her eyes were cold and sharp. Such a woman should have been weak, but at this moment, she was strangely determined, just like the charming girl many years ago.
“If something happens… I’m going to find out the culprit. I’m going to cut him into pieces!” The woman gritted her teeth and let her tears fall from the corner of her mouth. She was full of bitterness!
Maybe she was really wrong. She thought that by hiding in a corner, she could make Chen’er live safe and sound, and no one would be afraid of him. It was good to be an idle king in her life, but now she realized that she was wrong. Others had never intended to let him go, and they had never intended to let him live.
It used to be like this, but now it was still like this!
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen!” The Emperor sighed, and his heart felt so heavy that he almost couldn’t breathe.
“Your Majesty, you’ve told me so many times… But what’s the fact? Who can tolerate him, right?” The woman curled her lips contemptuously, and her voice was so low that it almost sounded like she was talking to herself, but it made the Emperor quite ashamed.
He reached out and touched the woman’s black hair. The Emperor’s voice was almost low and soft. “Don’t worry… Chen’er will be fine!”
This was not only a promise to the woman but also a promise to himself!
“Your Majesty, if something really happened to Chen’er this time, I must kill them…When the time comes, don’t use other things as excuses…If Chen’er is fine, then I’ll forget it… If…” The woman’s voice was sad, or even desperate. Her eyes were fixed on the Emperor, and her tears were still falling.
She was almost choked with sobs, but she still insisted on finishing her words. She didn’t even know how crazy her words were.
“Okay, don’t worry… I will promise you… It will be all right, it will be all right!” The Emperor comforted her and reached out to hold the woman tightly.
The woman lowered her head and leaned on the Emperor’s knees weakly. There was a trace of pain and despair in her voice. “Your Majesty, I only have Chen’er now. I only have Chen’er…”
That painful and struggling voice made the Emperor feel more painful. He reached out and patted her head to comfort her. “It’s okay. You still have me. You still have me!”
He did not use the high and mighty “sovereign”, but a “me”. He expressed explicitly that the person in front of him was so different from others.
The woman did not talk this time. She just held the Emperor’s legs tightly and cried in a low and painful voice…
The entire capital city, even to Huaguang Temple, was also strictly guarded.
As the person who saw this scene at that time and even pushed Chu Liuchen at the critical moment so that he could avoid the last sword strike, Fifth Miss Shao played a very important role. According to the guards at that time, fortunately, Fifth Miss Shao was there. The sword almost stabbed Chu Liuchen, and if so, Chu Liuchen would have been killed in one shot!
In this way, Shao Wanru was the savior of Chu Liuchen!
Now, she was sitting in Empress Dowager’s Palace of Benevolent Peace and waiting for Empress Dowager’s summon. How could she become Chu Liuchen’s savior for no reason? Shao Wanru still felt confused. She did nothing at that time. She slipped and fell heavily on Chu Liuchen.
Chu Liuchen fell to the ground and fainted, but she was fine!
Outside the palace gate, a eunuch screamed, “The Empress Dowager is coming!”
Shao Wanru stood up quickly and knelt down respectfully to the Empress Dowager who came from a distance.
Empress Dowager walked up to Shao Wanru, looked down at her, and then said softly, “Get up! Give her a seat!”
A palace maid came over to help Shao Wanru. She helped her sit down on a stool on one side and then retreated to stand behind her.
Empress Dowager also sat on the chair and observed Shao Wanru up and down carefully. She hadn’t seen Shao Wanru for three years. At this time, when she saw Shao Wanru again, she found that the little girl had grown into an extremely beautiful girl. Her appearance was elegant and there was a coldness in it. Even though there was some charm in the corners of her eyes, she became more dignified because of her elegance.
Empress Dowager nodded repeatedly and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. When Chu Liuchen was engaged with Shao Wanru, Empress Dowager didn’t take it seriously. She just wanted to make Chu Liuchen satisfied.
This matter had not been publicized at that time, so few people knew about it. If something really happened in the future, it did not matter. Chu Liuchen was young at that time, and his temper was uncertain. Who knew when he wanted to marry someone else? Empress Dowager thought that the statement at that time was just aimed at satisfying Chu Liuchen’s childish wish.
Since he was childish, she didn’t know when he will fall in love with other women.
However, after such an accident and seeing Shao Wanru’s appearance in front of her, Empress Dowager felt very satisfied. Of course, what she was most satisfied with was that Shao Wanru rushed to save Chu Liuchen regardless of her own safety. This was what Empress Dowager liked most and appreciated most.
For Empress Dowager, it was good for Shao Wanru to have a beautiful face. But this kind of intention was the most important.
“I heard that you rushed over to save Chen’er at that time. I am really grateful to you in my heart!” Empress Dowager said slowly.
“Empress Dowager, this is what I should do!” Shao Wanru lowered her head and held the handkerchief in her hand. For no reason, she became his savior, but she could not refuse this. She had to accept it!
“You are a good child. In the future, you will be with Chen’er, and I will be relieved!” The Empress Dowager said with a sigh, and her heart became softer and softer. This child did not fight for anything. It seemed that she had a calm and peaceful character. She was really a good person.
She suddenly remembered what Old Madam of Duke Xing had said implicitly in front of her, and couldn’t help frowning. She felt that Old Madam of Duke Xing was too partial.
How could such a good girl become the one in her words? She was really malicious.
Old Madam of Duke Xing always said that she was dissatisfied with Shao Wanru. She repeatedly said that this child was not filial. She deliberately competed with others and caused so many accidents. She deliberately talked about a small thing in a big way. She was really not a magnanimous woman. She really came from a small place…
Old Madam of Duke Xing’s Mansion spoke ill of Shao Wanru many times in front of the Empress Dowager Queen. Although she said it implicitly, the Empress Dowager Queen could understand the deep displeasure in Old Madam of Duke Xing’s words. After listening to Old Madam of Duke Xing’s words, the Empress Dowager Queen also felt that Shao Wanru might not be a good match for her grandson, so she had doubts in her heart.
But at the moment, her doubts were all gone, and she felt that Old Madam’s words were not true.
The original good one was said as a bad one by her because of her partiality. So the bad one might be said as a good one by her. Thinking of the recent rumors of First Miss Shao of Duke Xing’s Mansion, she did not look like a good Miss from an aristocratic family. Instead, she seemed to be a vicious but dignified person on the surface.
It was better not to marry such a woman into the royal family. A few days ago, Consort of Virtue even asked about her, which meant that she liked her. That’s unacceptable!
In the past, these things had little to do with the Empress Dowager Queen. But this time, the Empress Dowager Queen felt that she had to support Shao Wanru. Even for her grandson, she had to support her…