Chapter 83. The Empress is truly unforgettable. ...

She raised her hand and picked up the scroll of Buddhist scripture.

"The handwriting is extremely neat, showing great care, but it doesn't seem to be the hand of my elder sister," Empress Dowager Lu said with a meaningful smile. "Could it be written by the Princess of Yiyang, and my elder sister specially sent someone to deliver it?"

As she turned the pages of the scriptures, a piece of plain paper suddenly fell to the ground. She picked it up with two fingers and held it up to the sunlight.

It turned out to be half a love poem, "Partridge Sky," written from a woman's perspective, expressing her longing for her husband, with every word tender and poignant.

Empress Dowager Lu put the paper back and said, "Send it in."

Unexpectedly, the guard said, "Your Majesty, this was written by Her Majesty herself. Her Majesty was praying for the imperial heir at the Buddhist temple and was also thinking of His Majesty. She had been copying Buddhist scriptures for days and praying sincerely for His Majesty."

Empress Dowager Lu's hand hovered in the air for a moment, then she picked up the Buddhist scripture again, held it in both hands, and looked at it repeatedly for a while before saying, "It was made by the Empress."

"In that case, I will help the Empress take it in."

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager?" The guard was taken aback, seemingly thinking it best to deliver it himself. Empress Dowager Lu tapped the rolled-up Buddhist scripture with her fingertips, her phoenix eyes filled with imposing majesty.

Since the Empress Dowager has spoken...

The guards, naturally, dared not suspect anything and bowed to step aside.

Empress Dowager Lu lifted her robe and entered, placing the scroll of Buddhist scriptures inside her sleeve, and walked straight into the inner hall.

Empress Dowager Lu came to plead with the Emperor for the release of her two nephews and nieces.

She had previously pleaded with the emperor to temporarily release Changli from prison, considering his upcoming birthday.

After the emperor relented, Lu Runlan was the next to arrive.

"She is, after all, my own daughter. I cannot sit idly by. The Emperor has already given the Helan family enough face by allowing them to make such a fuss for so long. In the end, Helan Wei is just a son of a concubine in his family."

When Empress Dowager Lu said this, the emperor was leaning lazily back in his chair, one hand supporting his forehead, his eyelids closed, as he had just finished court and had not yet taken off his crown.

Xiao Zhuo raised his eyelids, his expression indifferent: "I arranged for Changli to accompany Empress Dowager Chang on her birthday, but Empress Dowager still doesn't like it?"

Empress Dowager Lu's breath hitched slightly.

The emperor's words were sharp and merciless, piercing straight to her, his dark eyes fixed on her silently.

In fact, from the period since the Empress left the palace, it can be seen that the Emperor has been in a very bad mood lately, whether it is the Emperor's extremely strict demands on his ministers at court meetings, the rumors circulating in Xuande Hall, or the Emperor's newfound reliance on cruel officials.

The atmosphere inside the Xuande Hall was extremely oppressive, and anyone who entered could feel it.

"I am grateful that Your Majesty's birthday is approaching, so I hereby grant Lu Changli a special pardon. I will temporarily set aside the memorial from the Helan family to punish Lu Runlan. If Your Majesty feels there is anything wrong, you may speak to me."

Xiao Zhuo changed his posture, looking through the pearl on his crown. His voice was very gentle, but it made people feel extremely cold.

It has been a long time since the Empress Dowager led people to expose the Empress's false pregnancy, but it seems that the matter has not been resolved for the Emperor, and he makes almost no attempt to hide his coldness towards the Empress Dowager.

Both of them knew perfectly well that they were not biological mother and son, but they were still connected by blood. They had maintained a facade of peace for so many years, but this was the first time they had reached this point.

Empress Dowager Lu said, "Your Majesty is not displeased in the slightest."

"Then please return, Mother."

When Empress Dowager Lu left Xuande Hall, a chill filled her chest. She stood there for a long time before remembering the Buddhist prayer beads on her other wrist and hurriedly stroking them with trembling hands.

"Runlan..." she murmured.

The emperor supported Lady Lu and demoted Changli; she was well aware of the court's checks and balances, yet she didn't care.

But she only had this one daughter… She insisted on giving birth to her and raised her herself for over twenty years. She loved and cherished her even more than the Prince of Yan.

No one can separate the mother and daughter.

Empress Dowager Lu suddenly felt a pang of heart palpitation, gripped her Buddhist prayer beads tightly, and strode outside.

**

As the Empress Dowager's procession gradually faded into the distance, the Xuande Hall fell silent.

"His Majesty--"

Zhong Changjun walked quietly to the emperor's side. "Your Majesty has finished the court assembly. You have not yet taken off your court robes. This servant will help you change."

Xiao Zhuo stood up and was helped to change his clothes by palace maids.

The emperor removed his crown, court robes, and belt and placed them on a jade plate. Then he changed into a casual outfit.

As Zhong Changjun fastened the jade belt around the emperor's waist, he saw the emperor gazing intently at the scenery outside the window.

The window frame frames an autumn scene, with lush green trees planted in the courtyard, and fallen leaves fluttering in the wind, drifting into the shallow pond below.

This newly created pond was commissioned by the Empress half a month ago because she felt the Xuande Hall was too monotonous. She wanted the Emperor and his ministers to relax and unwind in this beautiful scenery after their meetings.

Not only were koi carp brought in, but the emperor also insisted on feeding them personally every day, forbidding anyone else to do it for him. He also planted crabapple trees, which the empress loved, by the pond. Now, the flowers are reflected in the water, creating a beautiful scene.

However, after the Empress moved to Chanxu Temple, the Emperor never inquired about the carp pond again.

"How many days has it been since the fish outside the palace have been fed?"

"Your Majesty, rest assured, although the Empress is not in the palace, the palace servants have not forgotten to feed her every day."

Unexpectedly, Xiao Zhuo questioned, "Didn't the Empress say that no outsider, except for herself and me, is allowed to handle this?"

Zhong Changjun was taken aback and said, "That's what was said, but..."

Xiao Zhuo stared intently at the fish swimming in the pond and sneered, "She left so easily, leaving behind such a mess that I need to clean up for her."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Changjun quickly gave a wink to his subordinates, who then went to serve fish food.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the emperor stood tall by the pond in the courtyard, holding a small celadon bowl in his palm, scattering some bait into the pond.

The fish swayed its tail, creating ripples.

He lowered his eyes and saw the fish, drawn by the bait, surging in from all directions, only to scatter again after devouring the bait. Just like the people who gathered around him for power.

Xiao Zhuo found it all rather boring.

Soon after, Zhong Changjun came to report that His Highness the Prince of Yan's homework from yesterday had been delivered.

Xiao Zhuo's bowl of fish food was empty. He placed it in the hands of a palace maid and took the few thin sheets of paper filled with policy notes handed to him by Zhong Changjun.

Xiao Zhuo raised an eyebrow and said, "Summon him here this afternoon."

Meanwhile, the Prince of Yan's sudden despondency and haggard appearance due to his love affair had privately aroused much discussion among the people.

Unexpectedly, in the past two or three days, something happened, and His Highness the Prince of Yan seemed to have suddenly come to his senses. Not only did he straighten his appearance and sweep away his previous dejection, but he also went in and out of the military camp and regained his leading position.

Afternoon, Xuande Hall.

Prince Xiao Luozhi, dressed in a dark purple military robe with a jade belt around his waist, was quite the elegant man. He stood before the emperor's desk, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Luozhi greets Your Majesty. I just came down from the horse farm and heard Your Majesty call for me, so I came immediately."

Xiao Zhuo's gaze slowly fell on him.

His Highness the Prince of Yan has indeed changed a lot. The gloomy atmosphere around him has been swept away, and his previously thin face has become much fuller. He came here today with light steps and was more composed than when he met the Emperor in the past. Even Zhong Changjun was surprised.

The Prince of Yan said, "Your Majesty, I neglected my studies because of my romantic feelings and failed to live up to your teachings. Now I realize how absurd it was and I deeply regret it." Xiao Luozhi kept his head down the whole time. "I have made too many fools of myself. I apologize to Your Majesty."

He lifted his robe and knelt down, saying, "I beg Your Majesty to punish me, and I will accept it all."

"Why should I punish you?" the emperor asked indifferently.

The Prince of Yan raised his head: "Your Majesty, will you not blame your humble brother for his utter arrogance?"

"If I cared, would I have let you stay here and talk to me? I should have punished you long ago," he replied with a smile, his tone lazy, truly not caring much.

The King of Yan was slightly taken aback.

Xiao Zhuo said, "But how did you suddenly come to this realization?"

“Your Majesty… has come to a sudden realization. Our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents, how can we squander them like this, drowning our sorrows in alcohol every day? We should not disappoint the expectations of those who care about us.”

The setting sun outside the palace was shining brightly, bathing the Prince of Yan, who was kneeling on the blue bricks, in golden light, making him appear even more radiant.

Xiao Zhuo asked, "Who are they?"

"Of course it is my elder brother and my mother. If I were to remain depressed and unchanged, I would be unworthy of being a human being and would be ashamed of all the years of my elder brother's teachings to me, which taught me how a ruler should control his own mind."

Xiao Zhuo said, "I am very pleased that you can think so positively."

The Prince of Yan smiled and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The two brothers talked for a while longer, and then, remembering that the time for the Prince of Yan's evening lesson was approaching, the emperor ordered them to leave.

Silence fell over the hall.

Zhong Changjun dared not speak. As soon as the Prince of Yan left, the Emperor's face immediately fell. The expression was subtle, but it was enough to show that the Emperor was clearly displeased, or even harboring a hidden anger.

After a long while, the emperor's smiling voice rang out in the hall.

"That sounds nice, as if I didn't know that a trip to Chanxu Temple can transform one's entire being." Xiao Zhuo gritted his teeth. "It seems my Empress is indeed quite capable, making her unforgettable."

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The author's note: Xiao Zhuo's resentment towards her husband is building up.

It appears that the emperor is confined to the Chanxu Temple to reflect on his mistakes, but in reality, everyone can visit the empress except for the emperor himself.

Red envelopes will be dropped in this chapter!