Chapter 162 Replacement
Fengyi Palace.
As usual, three incense sticks were burning under the portrait of Empress Wen Yi.
Looking at the woman in the portrait, Xiao Heng's expression was soft and sad.
"Mother, I have now broken free from the constraints of others and can act independently without any further constraints. If you know this, you can rest assured."
"But every time I think of how my mother, the Queen Mother, spared no effort to protect me from danger, yet I was unable to fulfill my filial duty by her side, I feel even more guilty. Now, I only wish that you, in that ethereal and netherworldly realm, live in harmony with my father, enjoying a peaceful life, free from the troubles of this world."
Xiao Heng turned around and was about to leave, but his eyes suddenly caught sight of the peony painting on the wall.
He walked slowly to the peony painting.
Liu Yuetang's words suddenly came to mind: "Your Majesty, look, as long as you stop before this painting, the peony will bloom forever. Whether Empress Wen Yi was alive or dead, she has always blossomed for me. Her passion will never fade, and her love will never fade."
A smile crossed Xiao Heng's sad face. "Mother, I think she is right. You are always in full bloom."
Water droplets kept dripping from the vermilion eaves, like a crystal bead curtain.
As Xiao Heng stepped out of Fengyi Palace, he saw a woman holding an umbrella standing in the picturesque rain.
The oil umbrella with the magnolia picture on a goose yellow background just covered her face.
"Jiao..." Xiao Heng was about to call out.
When his eyes fell on the woman's light purple clothes and slender waist, he knew he had made a mistake.
On the other side, the woman in the rain also noticed him and raised her umbrella.
In the misty rain, the woman smiled lightly, her almond-shaped eyes were like clear autumn water, so beautiful that people could not take their eyes away.
She walked slowly, her skirt blooming like a white lotus under the moist rain.
The melancholy and sadness in Xiao Heng's eyes gradually faded away, and he looked at the woman in front of him in surprise: "Why is Miaomiao here?"
Liu Yuetang stood under the umbrella, and the falling raindrops passed through their sight.
"When I saw it was raining, I couldn't bear for His Majesty to brave the rain and go to the Yaoyue Palace, so I thought of going to the Chengming Palace to have dinner with His Majesty. When I arrived here, I saw Eunuch Zhou there. I knew His Majesty was inside, so I waited here."
This was naturally what Liu Yuetang said to Xiao Heng.
He said last night that he would come over for lunch, but when he woke up in the morning he found out that today was the anniversary of Empress Wen Yi's death, so he came with an umbrella.
She wanted to be by Xiao Heng's side at every important moment, even when he was sad.
In this way, year after year, it will become a habit.
Human habits are the most terrifying.
After hearing this, Xiao Heng's heart warmed up. He reached out and gently smoothed her wet hair. "Your dress is wet. Come with me back to Chengming Palace."
After saying that, he took the umbrella from Liu Yuetang's hand and walked towards Chengming Palace step by step.
The umbrella above his head involuntarily tilted towards Liu Yuetang.
When Concubine Zhao rushed over, she saw a scene that made her heart stop.
She saw with her own eyes Xiao Heng's hand around Liu Yuetang's waist, and how affectionate the two of them were under the umbrella.
At this moment, Concubine Zhao felt a fear she had never felt before.
Every year in the past, the person standing next to Xiao Heng was clearly her.
Why did it become another woman this year?
In the past, he doted on Ruan, Mingpin, and Meipin, but it was just doting, or more like a show.
But the woman in front of her made her feel uneasy and frightened.
She was afraid! She was afraid that her position would be replaced by her step by step.
Concubine Zhao raised her hand and knocked the umbrella to the ground, letting the raindrops hit her cheeks and body.
"Your Majesty..."
Xia Ying called out worriedly and quickly picked up the umbrella. When she stood up, she found that Concubine Zhao had collapsed and was running into the rain.
She was horrified: "My lady, you are not in good health, you must not get wet in the rain."
But Concubine Zhao ran in the rain as if she was possessed by a demon.
…
When Concubine Zhao returned to Yaohua Palace, she was soaked, her hair was disheveled, and it was hard to tell whether the water on her face was tears or rain.
Nanny Kong was immediately startled and took the cloak to wrap tightly around the shivering Concubine Zhao.
"My queen, how could you...how could you get yourself like this?" She was so distressed that she started to cry.
When the distraught Concubine Zhao saw the tears in Madam Kong's eyes, she couldn't hold back any more and threw herself into her arms, crying bitterly, "Madam, what's wrong with me? He abandoned me and made Concubine Xie his empress. Now he's letting Concubine Xi take my place."
Madam Kong stroked Concubine Zhao's back and said softly, "No, my lady. You are the emperor's childhood sweetheart and the apple of his eye. No one in the harem can replace you."
Concubine Zhao fell into her arms and cried bitterly, "Mammy, you don't know, I just saw with my own eyes that the Emperor took Concubine Xi to Fengyi Palace."
Nanny Kong gasped in shock. On this day in previous years, the emperor would bring Concubine Zhao to Fengyi Palace to pay homage to Empress Wenyi.
It was only last year that Concubine Zhao fell ill, so the Emperor went there alone.
And this year... he actually brought Concubine Xi with him.
No wonder the Empress is so heartbroken. She is so devoted to the Emperor that her heart must have been broken in two by now.
Concubine Zhao hugged Madam Kong tightly, sobbing uncontrollably: "Madam, after she raises the child, will the emperor really make her a concubine, and will he no longer need me from then on?"
"No, no!"
While wiping Concubine Zhao's hair with a clean handkerchief, the nanny said, "Your Majesty! I will not let anyone threaten you."
Concubine Zhao was slightly startled, then raised her tearful eyes and looked at Madam Kong: "Madam, do you have any solution?"
Nanny caressed Concubine Zhao's cheek lovingly. "Your Highness, I have been by your side since you were born. In my eyes, you are my own daughter. I don't want to see you so distressed and heartbroken. Don't worry, I will always protect you, like my own daughter."
As Madam Kong finished speaking, a few crystal tears rolled down her cheeks. Concubine Zhao finally felt a hint of warmth and embraced her with emotion: "Madam!"
"I lost my mother when I was little! To me, you are my mother!"
Nanny Kong raised her sleeve to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and her gentle eyes were gradually replaced by a hint of darkness.
*****
"Princess, the rain has just stopped, please walk slower."
Today is the anniversary of Empress Wenyi's death, so Princess Duanrou wore an apricot-colored gauze dress. The string of jade pendants hanging from her waist made a cold sound as she moved with her lotus steps.
She said nothing, but walked towards the Qinzheng Hall with her skirt lifted.
The palace maid stopped talking, knowing that the princess was grieving over the deceased Empress Wen Yi.
Duan Rou raised her wrist and her eyes fell on the Baibao turquoise Ruyi bracelet on her wrist.
That was the bracelet made for her by her mother, the Queen Mother, and her father, the Emperor, when she came of age.
There are hundreds of precious and rare gemstones on the bracelet, which symbolizes all blessings and good luck.
She grew up in love and pampering all her life, and was treated like a treasure both as a daughter and as a wife.
The only misfortune is that both my father and mother passed away.
Thinking of this, Duan Rou didn't realize that the next step forward was a step, and she missed a step and fell forward.
"Princess!" the maid exclaimed.
Duan Rou was so frightened that her face turned pale. She thought she was going to fall, but a strong arm grabbed her waist and stopped her from falling.
After standing firmly, Duan Rou looked up and found that the person in front of her was the imperial guard whom she had known since childhood.
She clutched her chest with lingering fear: "It's you, He Yunzheng."
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