Chapter 162 Strange Loss of Control

Zhao Ke'er sighed softly, unable to hide her regret:

"Your Majesty is a great ruler, and my sister is a heroine. It is only natural that they admire each other. However... my sister's ambition lies on the battlefield, and her heart is with her country. Her world is on the frontier, in the vast land, not within these four palace walls."

"That's why His Majesty overruled all objections and bestowed upon her the title of Marquis of Yongjia, a title of the highest rank. Moreover, in an unprecedented move, he allowed her title to be inherited by her descendants. What an immense favor and trust this is!"

Shen Yiqiu remained unmoved and continued to ask:

"Then why did my maternal grandmother stay on the frontier for a long time until she gave birth to my mother before returning to Beijing to settle down?"

Zhao Ke'er tilted her head slightly, her smile becoming even more amiable:

"Everyone has their own ambitions. My sister is an eagle soaring through the sky. Although the capital is nice, it can't hold her back. Even after she got married, she still cared about the border defense and often went back to guard it."

"Until Ruyi was born, Ruyi was often in poor health and needed someone to take care of her. As a mother, how could she not worry about her child? She lived a peaceful life in the capital for a few years."

"Unfortunately, fate was unkind. Later, bandits invaded again on the frontier, and the country was in peril. How could she sit idly by? That's why she once again donned her armor and went to war. The lady had given birth to several grown children, but who would have thought..."

She picked up a handkerchief and pressed it to the corner of her eye again, her voice choked with sobs, "...the whole family went, but only one person came back."

All the timelines and motivations were explained logically and without any flaws.

Shen Yiqiu watched her performance quietly, then suddenly changed the subject, getting straight to the point:

"Then... what about Consort Zhao? And her maid Zhao Xuan. Does Your Majesty know that Zhao Xuan is Song Sangyu's birth mother? And it seems that the two of them, mistress and maid, are inextricably linked to the death of my maternal grandmother."

Upon hearing Zhao Jieyu and Zhao Xuan's names, Zhao Ke'er's hand, which was stroking her handkerchief, subconsciously clenched.

The sorrowful expression on his face subsided slightly, and he remained silent for a moment, as if recalling something or weighing his options.

Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she slowly spoke:

"Since you've asked... Alas, I didn't want to bring this up again. Zhao Mengrou... She was entrusted to me by your maternal grandmother to be well taken care of."

She looked up:

"I am not entirely clear on the specific reasons. I only know that Sister Zhaohua felt great pity for her, perhaps out of compassion for her plight. Before leaving the capital, she specifically asked me to take good care of her. What a pity..."

She sighed heavily.

"I never expected so many troubles to follow. I never imagined that my sister, such a good person, so wise throughout her life, would ultimately... fall victim to the bandits!"

She spoke with heartfelt emotion, tears welling in her eyes, perfectly portraying the image of guilt.

Shen Yiqiu watched her cry quietly, but her heart remained as still as a frozen lake, without a ripple.

A story that is too perfect, so seamless and without any flaws, seems contrived and unrealistic.

She caught a fleeting emotion deep in Zhao Ke'er's eyes. It wasn't deep sorrow, but rather more like... a sense of relief and relief.

Are we relieved that all those who knew the truth have passed away? Are we relieved that this past event is about to be completely buried?

Zhao Ke'er wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, and a gentle smile returned to her face. She reached out and gently patted Shen Yiqiu's hand, her gesture full of love and comfort.

"Look at me, I've brought up so many old stories with you again. Yiqiu, listen to my advice, let bygones be bygones."

"Clinging to the past only brings suffering to yourself. The most important thing is to let your grandmother's spirit rest in peace, isn't it?"

Shen Yiqiu lowered her eyes, concealing the murderous intent surging within them.

She nodded obediently and responded meekly:

"Your Majesty is right... Yiqiu understands. It will allow Grandmother... to rest in peace."

Rest in peace? Only when all the demons and monsters who plotted against Grandmother are all dead and have gone down to apologize to her can Grandmother truly rest in peace in the afterlife!

A moment of tranquility descended upon the bedchamber, broken only by the soft rustling of the beaded curtains in the breeze.

Shen Yiqiu suddenly raised her head, her tone abruptly changing, a hint of shyness appearing on her face:

"Your Highness, the deep bond between you and His Highness is known throughout the palace. Yiqiu... Yiqiu harbors feelings for His Highness, and now that we are engaged, she wishes to learn more about him. Your Highness... would you be so kind as to tell Yiqiu about His Highness's past?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ke'er frowned slightly, her slender eyebrows furrowing, and a hint of surprise appeared in her eyes.

She clearly hadn't expected that Shen Yiqiu, who had just been pressing for answers about her grandmother's cause of death, would suddenly steer the conversation toward the Crown Prince.

Shen Yiqiu noticed her hesitation and immediately retreated, responding dejectedly:

"If... if it's inconvenient, Your Highness may choose not to speak. However, His Highness is usually taciturn and has a cold temperament, and I know very little about his past..."

She raised her eyes and looked sincerely at Zhao Ke'er:

"We are about to get married and will be the mistress of this Eastern Palace from now on. Yiqiu thought that on our wedding day, it would be best if we could ask Your Highness, who is so noble and cherishes His Highness, to be our witness. After all... in His Highness's heart, you are a very important person."

These words were spoken so beautifully that Zhao Ke'er's slight doubts gradually dissipated, and she smiled gently and gracefully.

She gently patted Shen Yiqiu's hand, her tone kind and gentle:

"Silly child, what's wrong with saying this? You'll soon be Jing'er's Crown Princess, so it's perfectly normal for you to want to know about him."

She tilted her head slightly and began to speak in a gentle voice:

"Jing'er's birth mother was Consort Jia back then. It's a pity, but later... she violated some palace rules. As time has passed, I can't remember the specifics. In short, she disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only the young Crown Prince."

Zhao Ke'er sighed and said with pity:

“When I saw him, he was so young and had lost his mother, it was really pitiful. In addition... I had just lost a son myself and was heartbroken, so I poured all my maternal love into Jing’er.”

"Later, with His Majesty's permission, I adopted him into my family. I raised him as my own son, watching him grow up step by step into such an outstanding crown prince and future emperor."

Shen Yiqiu listened attentively, catching every word.

After Zhao Ke'er finished speaking, she spoke apologetically and asked softly:

"I see... I'm so sorry that Yiqiu's unintentional mention brought up such a painful memory for Your Highness. Your Highness just said... that you had a prince before you?"

"My poor child—!"

Almost as soon as Shen Yiqiu finished speaking, Zhao Ke'er lost control of her emotions and burst into tears on the spot.