nashuaworldcup Chapter 291 Compromise
Chapter 291 Compromise
"Empress Huang's mother!"
A loud and clear voice rang out.
The Empress Dowager and An Lingrong looked in the direction of the voice at the same time, and Yongzheng and Shen Meizhuang had already strode in.
Shen Meizhuang didn't have time to greet the Empress Dowager. Anxious, she was at An Lingrong's side in a flash. With a single, delicate hand, she snatched the gleaming dagger from An Lingrong's grasp with incredible swiftness. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed it back onto the tray with a clang.
Then, she held An Lingrong's hands, and the anxiety on her face faded a little.
An Lingrong clenched her hands, raised her eyebrows slightly, and gave her a reassuring look.
Yongzheng's gaze passed over the gleaming dagger, then returned to the Empress Dowager. His tone was cold and emotionless: "Since the Empress Dowager wants to sentence Concubine Wen to death, will she also sentence her son to death?"
Listening to Yongzheng's words, the Empress Dowager showed an expression of disbelief: "What are you talking about!"
"It was my son's idea for Concubine Wan to return to the palace. It has nothing to do with Concubine Wen. If you want to blame someone, blame my son and don't implicate the innocent!"
The Queen Mother's tone was also a little cold and hard: "Emperor, this Concubine Wen is not as innocent as you see on the surface. She is bold and reckless, and her words are rude. How can I tolerate her?"
"Whether it was going to Ganlu Temple the day before yesterday or offending the Empress Dowager today, everything she did was for me. If the Empress Dowager is to blame, your son is willing to take it on her behalf." After Yongzheng finished speaking, he lifted up his clothes and knelt on the ground.
On the other side, Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong also knelt down.
Seeing Yongzheng's expression, the Empress Dowager knew that she couldn't touch An Lingrong today, so she said helplessly, "Get up!"
The three of them stood up.
"Aijia..."
Without waiting for the Empress Dowager to speak, Yongzheng spoke resolutely, his voice as cold as iron, leaving no room for maneuver: "Empress Dowager, Wanpin is now pregnant. This is the royal bloodline, which concerns the foundation of the country. My son has made up his mind. No matter what, Wanpin must return to the palace, and no one can stop her."
As soon as these words were spoken, the Queen Mother was struck by lightning. Her body froze and her face showed an unpredictable expression. There was shock, resentment, but more of it was the pain of being hurt by her son's tough attitude.
Yongzheng seemed oblivious and continued, "I understand the concerns of the Empress Dowager. I will handle them thoroughly to preserve the Empress' dignity and honor, and to prevent the harem from being disrupted."
After saying this, Yongzheng slowly stepped forward, approaching the Empress Dowager's side. His posture was upright, yet a hint of loneliness could not be concealed. His voice was deep and sobbing, "Empress Dowager, I am almost at the age of knowing my destiny. Since childhood, I have followed the imperial rules, restrained myself and upheld propriety. I have always acted in accordance with the laws of our ancestors and the dignity of the imperial family, never acting arbitrarily. Please allow me to be selfish for once! If you cannot understand my feelings, then treat it as following the decision of an emperor!"
Listening to Yongzheng's words, the empress dowager raised her head and her gaze stayed on Yongzheng's face for a long time. Time was like a knife, carving deep and shallow grooves on the once young and tender face.
A trace of trance flashed in her eyes. The child who timidly called "mother" beside her seemed to be just yesterday in her memory. But in the blink of an eye, the person in front of her has reached middle age, and she has missed too much of his growth and mental journey in the trivialities of the palace and the pursuit of power.
An Lingrong's words still echoed in her ears, like questions, knocking at the door of her heart. She suddenly realized that although she held a high position, she had lost her way in the path of family affection. Beyond the polite interactions between the monarch and her subjects, she rarely showed any genuine concern or deep understanding for her son.
"That's all!"
This helpless sigh was like letting go of the past, but also like a compromise with the future. She knew that in this game about the fate of the women in the harem and the affection of the royal family, she could no longer be stubborn.
The slowly waving hand also let go of all its persistence and majesty, leaving only a mother's slight guilt and silent concession towards her son at the end of her life.
After hearing the Queen Mother's words, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong looked at each other quickly, then lowered their heads.
She had passed this hurdle today, luckily without any danger, and had achieved her intended goal.
Arriving at the Cining Palace, Yongzheng looked around and said, "Princess Wen, you have been disrespectful to the Empress Dowager. As a punishment, you will never be allowed to set foot in the Cining Palace again."
He was also afraid that the empress dowager would remember this matter in the future and do it again.
Upon hearing this, An Lingrong couldn't help but feel secretly delighted, knowing that this was the greatest protection the Emperor could offer. However, she didn't dare show it on her face. Instead, she pretended to be deeply terrified, knelt in greeting, and said softly, "Your Majesty's will."
Back at Yonghe Palace, the three of them sat together for dinner, and the atmosphere became a little warmer.
An Lingrong patted her chest pretentiously and said, "Your Majesty, Sister, you have arrived just in time today. If you had been any later, I would have been afraid that I would never have seen you again today!"
Shen Meizhuang was amused by her actions: "The Emperor and I arrived a long time ago, we were just listening to you and the Queen Mother talking at the door!"
An Lingrong stood up quickly in shock, and the stool behind her was kicked over by her movement.
Seeing her like this, Yongzheng's eyes and eyebrows were filled with smiles, and he joked, "Are you scared now? I saw that you were not afraid at all when you were talking to the Queen Mother. Even with a dagger and poison in front of you, you remained calm. Where did your courage just now go?"
An Lingrong waved her hands hastily, her face filled with panic. "How could that be? I was terrified at the time, but I was just holding on! I was thinking, what a shame I won't be able to see Sister Zhen for the last time. Fortunately, the Emperor showed up in time to save me. I offer a toast to the Emperor!"
After saying this, she picked up the wine glass, stood up and toasted Yongzheng.
Yongzheng took the wine glass and smiled even more: "Good! This time you have been wronged because of the matter between me and Huanhuan. When she returns, I will make sure she thanks you."
"Yes! By the way, Your Majesty, is it true that Sister Zhen is pregnant?"
"Of course it's true." Yongzheng smiled, "Wei Lin came here in person to report it today!"
"Congratulations, Your Majesty." An Lingrong and Shen Meizhuang smiled at each other and said in unison, then raised their glasses at the same time to congratulate Yongzheng.
"it is good!"
Setting down his wine glass, a gentle glow crossed Yongzheng's features, like a spring breeze caressing a frozen lake, instantly warming his stern features. He gazed at An Lingrong and spoke softly, "I'm deeply moved by what you and the Queen Mother said today. I know you're someone who values friendship and loyalty above all else. Such a pure heart is truly rare in this palace. You've been wronged today, and I will make amends to you in the future!"
An Lingrong lowered her head slightly, her eyes fixed on the golden bricks at her feet, avoiding Yongzheng's fiery and meaningful gaze: "I dare not. I hope Your Majesty does not think that I have offended you and the Empress Dowager!"
Shen Meizhuang, who was standing by, noticed her awkwardness and put a piece of duck with green onions and peppers on An Lingrong's plate with her chopsticks. "Rong'er is the most thoughtful."
An Lingrong then raised her head and smiled at Shen Meizhuang.
"You've spoken my true feelings. How could I possibly blame you? I'm the ruler of this world. Before the people, I'm the Son of Heaven. But before the Queen Mother, I'm just an ordinary son. I long to enjoy the happiness of family life like an ordinary mother and son, but that's ultimately just wishful thinking."