Chapter 198 I Will Always Be With You
After a long time, Xiao Heng took Liu Yuetang's hand and returned to the inner hall.
He held Liu Yuetang in his arms, his chin resting lightly on top of her head.
He murmured hoarsely amidst his sobs, "In fact, I didn't spend much time with my royal grandparents."
"But I will always remember that year when my mother, Empress Wen Yi, passed away. My father was heartbroken, and I felt like a child without a home. It was my grandmother who said that if no one loved me, she would love me. She also said that she would take me to Lingqi Mountain, away from the disputes in the imperial palace."
"But later, my mother took me back into her care. Every year, I thought about going to Lingqi Mountain to pay my respects to my royal grandfather and grandmother when I had some free time. But every year, I was tied up in many affairs and was unable to make the trip. In the end, I was unable to see them one last time. I am truly unfilial."
He lowered his silent eyes and hid the turbid water light in them.
Liu Yuetang pressed her face against Xiao Heng's chest, letting her warmth slowly blend into his cold and hard chest.
"Your Majesty, for the Retired Emperor and the Retired Empress Dowager, your well-being is the greatest filial piety."
"The Emperor and Empress Dowager Retired have passed away peacefully. This is a joyous occasion, and Your Majesty should be filled with joy. I believe that after more than forty years of love and affection, they no longer have any regrets. If Heaven favors them, they can continue their love."
"I know..." Xiao Heng took a deep breath.
"The last time I saw my royal grandfather was when he ascended the throne. He once told me that every day he and my royal grandmother were married was a gift from heaven."
"Through life and death, I will be with you. Holding your hand, growing old with you, this is the promise between my royal grandfather and royal grandmother."
Liu Yuetang's voice was choked with sobs: "If we can be together, why would we refuse death? I would rather be a mandarin duck than be an immortal. The relationship between the Emperor and Empress Dowager is truly moving."
"The same is true for Emperor Father and Queen Mother Wen Yi..."
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but recall what his father once said: After his mother, Queen Wen Yi, passed away, he felt all alone and there was no more spring in the world.
[Seeing the Empress, both charming and charming, Chapter 370 Extra: On the day of the wedding, the late Emperor said to Empress Wen Yi: 'Rou'er, on the day of the Spring Banquet, you stood in the Imperial Garden, where flowers were in full bloom, your colorful dresses fluttering, but I could only see you.']
"Miaomiao...all those who loved me are gone..."
"Even though I know they have no regrets and I should be happy for them, the affection I enjoy in this world is becoming less and less... I feel more and more like a lonely person."
At this moment, the emperor's ruthless and cold mask was completely removed. He was just a person who longed for warmth after the departure of his loved ones.
When Liu Yuetang heard this, she felt very sad. At least Xiao Heng had been loved by so many relatives.
But what about her? The only aunt who loved her died early.
She has never experienced a moment of human love.
Thinking of this, Liu Yuetang pinched her palm. The stinging pain in her palm made her eyes red instantly, and she let the tears fall silently.
"Your Majesty, how could you be alone?"
"You still have me and your unborn child. We will always be with you and love you."
Xiao Heng's heartstrings trembled with a warm current. He hugged Liu Yuetang tighter with his wrist, and his voice became hoarse, which he himself did not even notice.
"Miaomiao, will you really stay with me forever? Never leave me?"
"Yes...I will always accompany Your Majesty, unless Your Majesty doesn't want Miaomiao anymore and becomes disgusted with her..."
Before he could finish his words, Xiao Heng felt a burning sensation in his chest. He lowered his head and looked, only to see that the woman in his arms had burst into tears without him noticing.
The scalding tears pierced his heart, causing it to tighten suddenly and his breathing to stagnate. "Why are you crying?"
Xiao Heng held her tear-stained cheeks with both hands and gently wiped away the tears on her face with his thumb: "I didn't cry, but you did."
Liu Yuetang couldn't help sobbing: "Your Majesty...Your Majesty can't bear to see His Majesty suffer."
"I have never been loved by my family since I was a child. Your Majesty, you are the person I care about most and the most important person in this world. How could I bear to leave you?"
Xiao Heng's heart suddenly softened, and he held her in his arms distressedly, soothing her softly, "Okay, don't cry."
"I am also reluctant to leave Miaomiao."
"Miao Miao will not be left without love. I will love Miao Miao even more in the future."
At this moment, Xiao Heng only felt that they were like two candles that were about to go out. If they could merge into one, perhaps they could rekindle the light of the prairie fire.
Liu Yuetang felt even more sad after hearing this, and she leaned on his chest and sobbed softly.
"Be good, don't cry, be careful..."
The word "child" was on the tip of his tongue, but Xiao Heng paused again and said, "Take care of yourself."
Liu Yuetang gradually stopped crying, and her eyes suddenly darkened.
Xiao Heng followed the dying wishes of the retired emperor and did not hold a funeral ceremony or have the whole country go into mourning. He simply knelt before the spirit tablet with the empress and the queen mother to show his final filial duty.
All the concubines wanted to keep vigil and show filial piety, but Xiao Heng refused one by one.
My great-grandfather only wished to die peacefully, so how could he allow the noise to disturb his peace?
Concubine Zhao stood outside the mourning hall and waited for Xiao Heng for a long time but he didn't come out.
Zhou Defu advised, "Your Majesty, you should go back. The Emperor said that concubines don't need to keep vigil. It's useless for you to wait any longer."
Concubine Zhao insisted, "Eunuch Zhou, there's no need to say more. I need to see the emperor before I can feel at ease."
Seeing this, Zhou Defu stepped aside.
After a long time, Xiao Heng finally walked out of the mourning hall.
He looked listless, his eyes bloodshot. Concubine Zhao approached him distressedly, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
Xiao Heng gave her a tired look: "Zhao Fei, why are you here?"
"Your Majesty, the dragon's body is important. Please allow me to keep vigil for you."
Xiao Heng waved his hand: "No need, the Queen and Mother are chanting scriptures and praying for blessings inside."
Concubine Zhao frowned slightly: "Your Majesty, why won't you let me in? I just want to share your worries."
Xiao Heng patted her shoulder and said in a gentle voice, "I know your intentions, but my grandfather loved peace and quiet when he was alive and didn't want to be disturbed too much after his death. It's enough for the Empress and the Queen Mother to be here."
Concubine Zhao wanted to say something, but Xiao Heng rubbed his head, which was sore from fatigue and said, "Okay, I'm tired. I'll go back to the palace first."
After saying this, he slowly got into the sedan chair.
Looking at Xiao Heng's departing back, Concubine Zhao felt sad.
She understood that because she was only a concubine, she was not worthy of entering the mourning hall.
In a trance, she saw the dragon chariot turn right, and her heart suddenly sank: "That's not the direction back to Chengming Palace."
Madam Kong raised her eyes and saw that the palace road led directly to the Yaoyue Palace. She frowned slightly and said, "Your Majesty, the Emperor must have gone to the Yaoyue Palace again."
Concubine Zhao clutched the handkerchief tightly in her hand and took a deep breath: "Return to the palace."
When Xiao Heng arrived at Yaoyue Palace, Liu Yuetang was copying the Diamond Sutra.
She lowered her eyes and focused on the rice paper. She was completely unaware that Xiao Heng had come until he sat down next to her.
"Your Majesty, you are here."
Xiao Heng looked at the thick Diamond Sutra on the table and said, "I told you that you don't need to copy the scriptures every day while you are pregnant."
Liu Yuetang folded the scriptures together, her lowered brows filled with tenderness like spring water.
"Since I was unable to perform my filial duties before the coffin, Your Majesty, please allow me to copy more scriptures. This will be considered as the child in my womb performing filial duties on behalf of his great-grandfather and great-great-grandmother."
Xiao Heng nodded slightly, and felt very comfortable as he gazed at her gentle face.
All the concubines in the palace begged to go to the coffin to show their filial piety, but filial piety is more than just keeping vigil.
If you really want to, there are many ways to show filial piety, just like the woman in front of you silently copying scriptures.
Liu Yuetang turned around and looked at the stunned Xiao Heng. Seeing that his dark circles were bloodshot and even his breathing was filled with weariness, she walked behind him and put her hand on his forehead, massaging it gently.
"Your Majesty has had trouble eating and sleeping these past few days. Please take a rest here with me later."
Xiao Heng held her soft, boneless hand and held her in his arms. "Your hand is still injured, so you don't have to worry about me."
"My injury is almost healed, I will..."
"If I say no, then no!" Xiao Heng interrupted Liu Yuetang, his tone tolerant of objection.
He raised his hand, grasped the jade fingers on his forehead, and pulled Liu Yuetang back to him.
"I can sleep peacefully when you accompany me."
After saying that, he picked up Liu Yuetang and carried her sideways, walking towards the inner hall.
The wide black sleeves fell like flowing clouds, wrapping her petite body in his arms.
As soon as he touched the bed, Xiao Heng fell into a deep sleep.
He held Liu Yuetang in his arms with one hand and gently placed the other hand on her lower abdomen, his breaths filled with tenderness and affection.
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