681 Doting Grandchildren, Slap in the Face (2)
After Dabao left, tears streamed down the doctor of the Censorate’s face. He turned around on his knees and kowtowed in the direction where Dabao left. “Goodbye, Your Highness—”
Everyone turned around with him and kowtowed. “Goodbye, Your Highness—”
The Emperor shuddered!
What Highness? Have I conferred him the title? Did I agree? How could you guys arrange it just like that?!!
The Emperor had passed the most depressing court meeting in history. From the beginning to the end, he did not have a chance to speak at all. When he could finally speak, no one believed a word he said.
“I have no intention of appointing a successor.”
Yet you gave him the heirloom seal.
“I didn’t say which prince he would be conferred.”
However, you gave him the throne.
“That was just a child playing. My dear ministers, don’t take it to heart.”
You’ve already played in the throne room. Do you think we’re blind???
The Emperor fiercely experienced the feeling of internal injuries from holding it in and went to court. He swore that he would never talk to this brat again!
This matter quickly reached the Empress’s ears.
Previously, when Nangong Yan was firmly in the position of the Queen, the Empress had never cared about politics because no matter what happened, Nangong Yan would inherit the throne. What was there for her to worry about? However, ever since the Eldest Princess’s family defeated the Queen Manor, the Empress had no choice but to plant a pair of ears in the court.
When the eunuch reported everything that had happened in the throne room to her, her expression changed in shock. “What did you say? His Majesty brought him to court? He even gave him the heirloom seal and let him sit on his throne?”
This, this…
How exactly did this happen? He had only entered the palace for two days, and he was already so popular with His Majesty? Then what were Xi’er and Li’er, whom she had raised for many years?
The Empress was so angry that her chest was tight and she was short of breath.
The eunuch quickly told the Empress what he had heard from the imperial study. “His Majesty didn’t give him the heirloom seal. He took it himself. Yesterday, in order to get the phoenix seal back for Your Highness, His Majesty brought him to the imperial study. In the end, he got the phoenix seal back. That child took a fancy to the heirloom seal again.”
“Ridiculous!” The Empress slapped the table. “Can the heirloom seal be touched casually? He took it just like that! Why didn’t His Majesty control him!”
The eunuch thought to himself, How could he control? Did you control him when he took your phoenix seal? His Majesty has already been charmed by those little fellows.
The Empress’s impression of the Emperor was still about the Emperor abandoning the Eldest Princess. In the Empress’s opinion, the Emperor could even abandon his biological daughter. The great-grandchildren who were two generations apart were naturally not that important to him.
However, the Empress ignored something. The Emperor had sent the Eldest Princess away because he believed the old State Preceptor’s prophecy. In terms of the rise and fall of his children and the entire Nanzhao Nation, he had chosen the latter.
Of course, it was also true that he was hard-hearted when he was young. He wanted to revitalize Nanzhao and be a good Emperor. His ambition and hot-bloodedness had all appeared at that high-spirited age.
Now, the Emperor was old. He had already unleashed his ambition. He could not do it again like when he was young, rampaging around without care and wholeheartedly for his country. On countless nights, he would think of those innocent eyes, the baby girl he had sent away on a snowy day.
He had never mentioned this to the Empress.
The Empress’s years of self-paralysis had not made her think of this. She felt that the Emperor’s kindness to the little fellows came out of nowhere, and there was no need for the Emperor to be soft-hearted.
“Where’s His Majesty?” In the past, the Emperor would come to the Central Palace for breakfast after court. Yesterday, he went to the Vermilion Bird Palace. Could it be that he also went today?
The eunuch said, “His Majesty has returned to his bedchamber.”
It was fine as long as he did not go to see Consort Yun. The Empress’s expression softened slightly, but she was not happy for long. After all, the Emperor had not stepped foot here for two days in a row, which made her a little worried.
“Prepare the palanquin. I’ll go see His Majesty.”
“Yes!”
The Empress got into the carriage and set off for the Emperor’s bedchamber. Halfway there, she met Consort Yun, who had returned from picking tangerines.
There was an orchard in the palace, and the tangerines planted inside were ripe. Consort Yun planned to pick a few for the little fellows to try, but who knew that she would meet the Empress the moment she came out.
Consort Yun bowed indifferently. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
The Empress was angry when she saw her perfunctory appearance, but she did not show it on her face. She only asked someone to stop the carriage. She sat in the carriage and glanced at Consort Yun from above. “Consort Yun is really good. In order to fight for favor, you even used a few innocent children.”
