Ping Zhao Lu

Chapter 106 Love and Madness

The originally graceful and elegant face of Queen Mother Jiang was now shrouded in gloom. Her delicate brows were tightly furrowed, and her eyes flashed with anger and dissatisfaction.

"This emperor is truly capricious!" Queen Mother Jiang grumbled, her voice filled with anger and disappointment. "He dismisses the concubines at will, completely disregarding the ancestral etiquette and laws! Now, he has completely disregarded the feelings of the various factions within the court. Does he really think he can act so recklessly without any constraints?"

Thinking of this, Queen Mother Jiang felt more and more absurd and ridiculous. She couldn't help but stretch out a hand and slammed the armrest beside her, making a dull sound.

"Hmph! These father and son are truly worlds apart! The late emperor was obsessed with sensual pleasures, surrounded by countless beauties, while this emperor, on the other hand, can favor only one among three thousand beauties... Haha, this actually makes me feel a little envious."

Nanny Liu, who was standing nearby, heard Empress Dowager Jiang's words and quickly whispered to comfort her, "Empress Dowager, calm down. After all, Your Majesty was adopted from the royal family and has no true blood relationship with the late emperor. It's inevitable that there will be some differences."

However, upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Jiang's eyes darkened and she laughed coldly, "Is it really just a matter of royal family adoption? Liu Jia, you've been with me for so many years, so you've naturally seen the Emperor quite a few times. Don't you notice that the Emperor's appearance is becoming more and more similar to the late Emperor?"

Hearing this, Nanny Liu was stunned at first, but then a glimmer of clarity flashed in her eyes, as if she suddenly understood something. She looked astonished, her lips trembling slightly as she said, "But... if it's really as you said, that the child is the late emperor's biological child, why hasn't it been announced to the public? Instead, it's been kept secret..."

At this point, Madam Liu seemed to have thought of something even more shocking. Her face turned pale instantly, and her voice unconsciously rose an octave. "Could it be... could it be that he's an illegitimate child who's been living among the people?"

Hearing Madam Liu's speculation, Empress Dowager Jiang couldn't help but sneer, as if she found Madam Liu's imagination a little ridiculous. She shook her head slightly and said slowly, "Your thinking is still too limited after all."

Upon hearing this, Matron Liu's face showed a look of confusion and bewilderment, and it was obvious that she had no idea what Empress Dowager Jiang said.

Seeing this, Empress Dowager Jiang sighed softly and went on to explain, "The Lian family actually treated an adopted son of the imperial family like a treasure and doted on him. This behavior is truly incredible. Now that I think about it carefully, I can see some of the Lian family's shadow in the current emperor."

After hearing what Empress Dowager Jiang said, Aunt Liu suddenly understood. Her eyes widened, a look of disbelief on her face as she stammered, "This...this...this is simply beyond common sense!"

However, in the face of Madam Liu's shocked reaction, Empress Dowager Jiang remained unfazed, as if she was already accustomed to this. She simply said, "As the saying goes, a big forest has all sorts of birds. There are countless strange and bizarre things in this world, so why make such a fuss about it?"

Nanny Liu took a deep breath, as if to absorb this incredible news and digest it thoroughly. She closed her eyes slightly, and after a pause, a look of relief appeared on her face. She slowly said, "Thank goodness that Lian is dead. Otherwise, if she had stayed until now, she would have become a hindrance to you, Your Majesty!"

Hearing this, Queen Mother Jiang snorted coldly, her face full of disdain. She raised her chin and sneered, "Hmph, what can a mere infatuated man do to me? What qualifications does he have to fight with me?"

At this point, a glint of disdain flashed in her eyes, and she continued, "Talking about love in the deep palace is nothing but wishful thinking! Even more so with the ruler of a nation. The so-called imperial love is but a fleeting cloud, fleeting and ephemeral. And the imperial affections are even more cold and heartless. He thought of the late emperor until his death, unaware that if the late emperor hadn't indulged that lowly male concubine, allowing her to repeatedly trouble him and upset him, how could he have suffered such an incurable heartache and ultimately died? Even if a man like him were to be blessed by heaven and given a chance at rebirth, he would probably have plunged headfirst into the illusory abyss of love, unable to extricate himself."

Matron Liu nodded repeatedly, expressing her approval of the Empress Dowager's words, secretly admiring her wisdom and decisiveness. She quickly echoed her flattering words, "Your Majesty, your heart is as firm as a rock, unperturbed by love and affection. You've chosen a path others wouldn't dare to pursue!"

Hearing Madam Liu's words, Empress Dowager Jiang twitched the corners of her mouth, revealing a bitter smile. She shook her head slightly, sighed, and said, "Alas, if I had seen through it sooner... Yu'er wouldn't have perished in the sea of ​​fire..."

Before she finished speaking, Empress Dowager Jiang's eyes were already red, and tears were swirling in them, as if they would roll down at any moment. She bit her lip tightly, suppressing her grief and continued, "He was just a three-year-old child. How could the palace maids be so cruel... and how cruel was that bitch!"

When Queen Mother Jiang thought of the misfortune that her poor child had suffered, she could no longer control the surging sadness in her heart.

She no longer cared about her former dignified and majestic image as the queen mother. Tears poured down her face like a flood, and her body trembled constantly because of sobbing.

"Poor my Yu'er... He was burned to pieces in that fire, not even a piece of intact skin and flesh was left..." Queen Mother Jiang burst into tears, and her cries were so moving that everyone was moved.

Seeing that Empress Dowager Jiang was so heartbroken, Nanny Liu, who was standing by, couldn't help but look solemn as well.

She looked at the Queen Mother with heartache and opened her mouth several times to offer words of comfort, but every time the words came to her lips, she hesitated and swallowed them back, fearing that she would accidentally say something wrong and touch the Queen Mother's already wounded heart again.

After a long time, Queen Mother Jiang slowly came back to her senses from the endless grief. With trembling hands, she gently picked up the handkerchief beside her and wiped away the tears that rolled down her eyes like pearls from a broken string.

After her tears were wiped away, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her broken heart. After a brief pause, Queen Mother Jiang spoke in a slightly hoarse but still majestic voice, "The annual Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet will be held in a few days. I wonder if the King of Yue will be able to return in time for the banquet this time."

Hearing the Queen Mother's question, Nanny Liu, who had been standing respectfully by her side, hurried forward and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, we've received news that the King of Yue is on his way and will arrive in the capital soon."

Queen Mother Jiang nodded slightly, indicating understanding, and then asked, "Have the other princes and princesses arrived one after another?"

Madam Liu nodded again and said, "Yes."

After receiving a positive answer, Empress Dowager Jiang suddenly turned her gaze elsewhere, a look of deep concern in her eyes, and she murmured to herself, "How is Kexin? She's suffered a lot in the laundry department. It makes me feel sad to see her like that."

Seeing this, Nanny Liu hurriedly comforted her, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. Ever since Miss Kexin returned to the palace, we have immediately arranged for someone to take good care of her. We will take good care of her food, clothing, housing and transportation. We will definitely not let her suffer any grievances or harm in the slightest."

Upon hearing this, Queen Mother Jiang finally showed a hint of relief on her face. She nodded with satisfaction and said softly, "That's very good. With Kexin's gentle and docile nature, if she could be betrothed to the King of Yue as a concubine, it would be a blessing she earned in her previous life."

Nanny Liu naturally understood the Queen Mother's thoughts. She smiled knowingly and agreed, "Your Majesty, what you said is absolutely right. The King of Yue would certainly be delighted."