Chapter 92 The Empress Returns to the Palace "Don't lie to me..."
On the day Gu Xi left the valley, Xiao Heng came to pick her up.
As soon as her senior brother escorted her to the valley entrance, he saw her standing in a vast expanse of white, wearing a dark cloak, the white mist from his breath drifting over his eyebrows and eyes.
She took two steps forward, and Xiao Heng strode up to her, pulling her into his arms. He wrapped his cloak around her, completely encircling her in his embrace.
How could he hug her the moment he arrived? His senior brother is still here!
He feels so warm.
She was starting to miss him.
She snuggled closer to him, looked up at him, and asked, "Where are my brothers?"
He, Yao Yao, and Brother Che had agreed to come and pick her up together.
Xiao Heng took the white fox fur coat that had been prepared from Zhao Fuquan and draped it over her shoulders, saying slowly, "They have something to do today and can't come."
"Um?"
None of them can come?
What a coincidence!
Gu Xi was puzzled, but didn't ask any further questions.
"Where are the children?" Gu Xi asked again.
To my shame, she has barely seen her child, who is three months old, even though the baby is born. They are worried that she will get tired, so when she is at home, they only allow her to play with the baby for a while. In the two months since she came to Medicine King Valley, she has not seen the baby at all.
“My mother-in-law is taking care of her,” Xiao Heng replied.
Gu Xi lowered her head and nodded slightly, her face flushing almost imperceptibly.
Who is his mother-in-law?!
He knows how to say it so naturally!
Shameless!
Xiao Heng stared at his slightly red ear tips, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
Shen Qingchen pretended not to see the two of them being affectionate, and after giving Xiao Heng some careful instructions, they took a carriage back to the capital.
In the carriage, Xiao Heng looked down at Gu Xi, who was sleeping with her head on his shoulder, and thought to himself that her habit of falling asleep as soon as she got into the carriage was quite good.
From now on, he can only let her ride in his carriage.
The carriage drove all the way to the gates of the Forbidden City before stopping. Xiao Heng picked up the still-sleeping Gu Xi and wrapped her up tightly from head to toe before getting off the carriage.
He carried her through the Meridian Gate, and Zhao Fuquan led him toward the carriages. However, Xiao Heng did not get into the carriages, but instead carried her step by step through the palace.
He still can't bear to think back to a year ago, on a winter day just like this, when he almost lost her.
His steps were slow and deliberate, as if afraid of disturbing the person in his arms. Deep footprints were left in the white snow, stretching from the palace gate all the way to Weiyang Palace.
The door was opened, and the underfloor heating inside was burning brightly, filling the room with warmth.
He paused, glanced around the room, and then gently placed her on the bed.
He sat quietly by the bed, watching her and listening to her soft breathing. He placed his large hand on her cheek, his fingertips gently caressing it, his gaze tender and affectionate.
He bent down and kissed her forehead, then moved to her eyelids, and finally to her lips.
Finally, he lay down beside her and gently embraced her.
As Gu Xi slept soundly, she felt a warm and familiar scent enveloping her. She snuggled comfortably against him, letting out a soft moan.
Xiao Heng's Adam's apple bobbed, feeling as if his heart was filled with a sour ache, or as if it had been scorched by flames. He couldn't help but let out a sigh.
All he ever wanted in this life was for her to be with him year after year.
*
Around noon, Gu Xi woke up groggily.
She rubbed her eyes, and through the blurry vision, she saw Xiao Heng's face so close to hers. She mumbled, "Hmm... Am I home yet?"
Xiao Heng hummed in agreement, a smile playing on his lips.
Gu Xi stared at him blankly for a while, then suddenly realized why he was sleeping in her bed.
She was about to shoo him away when she suddenly saw what was behind him. Her eyes darted around quickly, and when she realized where she was, she sat up abruptly.
How did he bring her back to the palace?!
Xiao Heng sat up as well.
Gu Xi immediately realized that Gu Xiao and the others must not have had anything to do, but had been sent away by him!
She glared at him angrily, then threw back the quilt and was about to get out of bed.
She wants to go home!
She had just moved to the edge of the bed when Xiao Heng hugged her from behind, and Gu Xi struggled to break free.
He rested his chin on her shoulder and said in a low, husky voice, "Gu Xi, I missed you... Did you miss me?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Xi paused, fell silent instantly, and lowered her head to give a soft "Mmm".
He pulled her closer, his chin resting against the crook of her neck, the stubble making her shrink back. "Gu Xi, will you come back to me?"
Gu Xi looked confused, thinking to herself, "Isn't she already by his side?"
He'd already moved into her room, and she hadn't kicked him out.
But Xiao Heng wanted more than that.
Not hearing a reply, he continued, "Do you intend for me to follow you like this, without any official title or status?" His voice sounded utterly pitiful.
Gu Xi was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at him with a wry smile.
What do you mean by following her without a name or status?
What nonsense is he talking about?
Why do you make her sound like a heartless man?
As if he had heard what she was thinking, Xiao Heng suddenly said quietly, "Isn't that so?"
Although he had moved into the Gu family home, Bai Xingzhi, Xiao Che, and Mu Yunqi were always trying to curry favor with the Gu family every few days. She wouldn't allow him to send troops to guard them, and Gu Xiao was also looking for opportunities for them to spend time together. He really couldn't guard against them at all.
She was unaware that there were more than just one or two rumors circulating inside and outside the palace.
It is said that Miss Gu is incomparably beautiful, attracting the most noble men in the world to fight tooth and nail for her, but Miss Gu doesn't fancy any of them, and their emperor loves her but cannot have her.
Some say that Miss Gu was in love with the Left Prime Minister, and the two had already secretly pledged their lives to each other, but the Emperor abused his power and separated the lovers.
There are also stories that Miss Gu and the Sixth Prince were childhood sweethearts, a match made in heaven, but the Emperor wanted to take his brother's wife away, breaking up the destined couple.
These were all things that the reckless Lu Xiao told him. Every time he said them to him, he would give him a beating!
She was clearly his wife, but now everyone in the world thought she was in love with someone else, and he had become the villain who had forcibly taken her.
Although he did use some tricks to get her in the past.
He used to not care about those so-called rumors, but these sounds really grating!
Especially in the imperial court, the ministers' probing gazes, which went back and forth between him, Bai Xingzhi, and Xiao Che, made him wish he could gouge out their eyes!
Gu Xi ignored his strange words and after a while, she continued to pry his hands open, her only thought was to go back to the Gu family.
She didn't want to stay in the palace. What if he bullied her again?
What should she do if she misses her parents?
There are children too, the children are still at home!
Xiao Heng was too strong; Gu Xi tried her best but couldn't pry his hands off. Her voice began to sound anxious, "I want to go home!"
Xiao Heng suddenly turned his head, his lips almost touching her earlobe, and said in a husky voice, "Gu Xi... this is also your home," he paused, "If you want to go back to the Gu family, you can go back anytime, I will not stop you."
He must bring her back to the palace as soon as possible and restore her to her status as empress. He cannot allow those men to come and go so freely and openly see her anymore!
Gu Xi trembled at the warmth of his breath, her body went limp, and she unconsciously leaned into his arms, her grip loosening.
Xiao Heng noticed her reaction, his lips curled slightly, and his eyes darkened.
Gu Xi lowered her eyes and stared at his arms wrapped around her, asking uncertainly, "Really?"
Can she really go home anytime?
"A promise is a promise." His nose landed just below her ear, his warm lips lightly touching her fair neck, greedily inhaling her fragrance, his hot breath spraying onto her neck.
Gu Xi trembled, her head involuntarily tilting to one side, her voice incredibly soft and whiny as she said, "Don't lie to me..."
"I'm not lying to you," Xiao Heng continued to coax, his voice hoarse, his eyes darkening further.
Once she's settled in the palace, he'll bring their child and her parents in, so she won't be thinking about going back all the time.
As for Gu Xiao, his mind is now entirely focused on Xin Yao. He will create some obstacles for the two of them so that he has no time to pay attention to him.
In this way, those wild men outside would no longer be able to covet her so brazenly under his nose!
Gu Xi hummed in agreement, her eyes glazed over.
She was thus tricked back into the palace, unaware of the man's wicked intentions behind her.
*
The Empress has returned to the palace!
The news shocked the entire nation.
What's even more shocking is that the Empress not only returned to the palace, but also brought back a little prince and a little princess.
But everyone knows that the Empress has passed away, so how could this person possibly come back to life?
Rumors spread like wildfire that Gu Xi was a reincarnated demon who would bring disaster to the country and its people.
This caused a huge uproar in the imperial court.
A minister requested that Gu Xi be executed immediately, along with the two children, stating that they were ominous people who would bring chaos to the palace and endanger the fate of the nation.
On his throne, Xiao Heng's face was as dark as ink, his gaze sweeping over the silent crowd below, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
Two ministers had just been demoted three ranks, had their salaries reduced for three years, and were also flogged by the emperor for their remonstrances. They were now kneeling outside the palace in a sorry state.
No one doubted that if they dared to say another word, they would be beheaded immediately.
The Emperor has just issued an order that anyone who dares to utter any words that slander the Empress and the Emperor's children will be executed along with their entire family, regardless of the reason!
Now, the court officials are all terrified by the emperor's thunderous wrath and dare not utter another word.
After all, they all knew how deeply their king loved his queen.
The pressure from the imperial court had subsided, but unexpectedly, the rumors circulating among the common people took a turn for the better the very next day.
It is said that when the Empress was still a young lady in her boudoir, she traveled around and saved countless lives with her medical skills, which moved the heavens. As a result, she was saved by a virtuous monk and brought back to life.
There is also a rumor that the Empress was a compassionate and virtuous woman who saved countless lives when she accompanied the Emperor on his journey to the south of the Yangtze River. That is why she was protected by the Bodhisattva and brought back to life.
Immediately, those who had received his kindness and help came forward to testify, their words resolute and confirming the rumors, and the original doubts gradually subsided.
Today, people firmly believe that their Empress has received a divine decree to protect their Great Prosperity, and that the little prince and princess who returned with her are auspicious omens, ensuring the longevity of the Great Prosperity Kingdom.
As Zhao Fuquan bowed to report these news from outside, Xiao Heng was sitting at his desk in the Qianqing Palace, handling state affairs for the day.
He paused, his gaze fixed on the ink spreading across the rice paper.
He didn't need to guess to know who was behind these things; Bai Xingzhi was the best at inciting and manipulating public opinion.
However, he should still thank him.
Just as Xiao Heng picked up his pen to continue reviewing memorials, a eunuch rushed in from outside the door to report: "Your Majesty, the Empress has just left Kunning Palace with the young prince and princess, and is now preparing to leave the palace!"
Before he finished speaking, Xiao Heng had already disappeared from the Qianqing Palace.
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Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait [laughing and crying emoji], the cunning man [doge emoji]
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