A storm swept through the entire capital city.
The Ministry of Works had left people in the palace well in advance. As soon as the rain started, they led their men to patrol and inspect the various palaces, fearing that any of the masters in the palace might be flooded.
Yuan Yao was kneeling when a group of people walked towards them.
She opened her mouth and asked with difficulty, "Can you see who it is?"
She was so cold and hungry!
Danqing wiped the water off her face, but couldn't dry it no matter what she did: "Princess, it's from the Ministry of Works."
Ministry of Works?
What was the Ministry of Works for again?
Yuan Yao was already somewhat delirious from the cold.
She gritted her teeth and clenched her small fists: "Just bear with it a little longer."
Why hasn't the Emperor arrived yet?
So much time has passed!
The Vice Minister of Works, accompanied by a group of people and carrying umbrellas, froze as soon as he approached.
Through the thick, foggy rain, the Vice Minister of Works asked, "Excuse me, is that the little princess kneeling on the ground?"
As soon as he spoke, a young palace maid said with a sob in her voice, "Your Excellency, the one kneeling here is the daughter of the Ninth Prince of Qianhua Palace, Princess Yuanyao."
Princess Yuan Yao of Qianhua Palace?
The Vice Minister of Works was greatly shocked.
He stood three meters away from Yuan Yao, wanting to ask someone to get an umbrella for her, but he was afraid of angering the Empress Dowager.
After some hesitation, before the Vice Minister of Works could speak, Yuan Yao spoke first.
She turned her head and looked at the Vice Minister of Works.
Under the dim palace lanterns, her face was pale, devoid of any color, and her lips were frozen purple, losing their original pinkness.
Her lips trembled for a moment, and her childish voice rasped, "Your Excellency, please go ahead and attend to your business. The Empress Dowager has instructed Yao'er to kneel here and pray to Buddha."
After the Empress Dowager finished striking the wooden fish and worshipping Buddha, Yao'er returned to Qianhua Palace after paying her respects...
Worshiping Buddha?
Sure enough, amidst the torrential rain, a very faint sound of a wooden fish could be heard coming from Huining Palace…
The group fell silent.
This is the imperial palace!
Moreover, it was raining heavily!
This worship of Buddha is probably just an excuse from the Empress Dowager.
Her true intention was nothing more than to make things difficult for Princess Yuan Yao while the Ninth Prince was away from the palace to provide disaster relief!
The group was furious.
Princess Yuan Yao is so lovely, how could the Empress Dowager bear to make things difficult for her?
Over the years, has the Empress Dowager's Buddhist practice turned into this?
It's unbecoming of an empress dowager to make things difficult for a little baby!
That's outrageous!
The Vice Minister of Works shouted, "Princess, I'll go find the Emperor right now and ask him to come and save you!"
Suddenly, an angry voice came from behind: "No need to look for me, I'm here!"
A young eunuch immediately knelt down and exclaimed, "Your Majesty?"
In the torrential rain, the person at the head of the group, dressed in bright yellow, was none other than the emperor!
It's finally here...
Yuan Yao spat out a mouthful of cold rainwater.
She whispered, "Danqing, I can't hold on much longer. It's up to you now."
Danqing, suppressing a sob, said, "Princess, rest assured, I know what to do."
The rain was so heavy that no one heard footsteps.
Upon seeing the emperor, everyone knelt down and kowtowed: "Greetings, Your Majesty..."
The emperor impatiently raised his hand and looked towards the gate of Huining Palace.
The once soft and cuddly little dumpling was now soaked through, her face pale, and her once bright and dark eyes were now unfocused.
She knelt obediently and smiled at him: "Yao'er... greets Your Majesty..."
Before he could finish speaking, he had already fallen to the ground.
The little face was wiped on the ground.
"hiss……"
Even though her body was numb from the cold, she still seemed to feel a little pain.
Before losing consciousness, Yuan Yao thought: I hope I'm not disfigured.
If she were disfigured, her father would be heartbroken and feel guilty...
Danqing exclaimed in surprise, "Princess!"
Danqing hurriedly reached out and caught the ice-cold little figure.
Her hands trembled as she tried to hold the little one in her arms to warm him.
Unfortunately, her body was also ice-cold.
Every part of his body was neither dry nor warm.
Suddenly, a figure loomed over her.
Danqing, her eyes red, looked up and said, "This servant greets Your Majesty..."
The emperor had no time to concern himself with such etiquette.
He reached out his hand: "Give Yuan Yao to me."
Although his robes were partially wet from the journey, his body remained dry.
"Your Majesty..." Danqing cried, her eyes blurred with tears, her lips trembling, "Your Majesty...please save the princess!"
The people around the Ninth Prince were all exceptionally good-looking.
Looking at Danqing, who was crying with tears streaming down her face, the Emperor frowned and said, "Don't cry, wipe your tears."
"You are A-Yuan's head maid, how can you be so unrefined?"
Danqing paused for a moment, then raised her dripping sleeve to wipe her face: "Your Majesty is right. I was too hasty and lost my composure."
The emperor nodded and held Yuan Yao firmly in his arms.
The little one in my arms was as cold as a block of ice.
The emperor frowned, his already gloomy expression growing even more somber.
He said, "If A-Yuan sees you like this, he'll probably kill you."
Recalling the Ninth Prince's face, he gave a self-deprecating laugh and added in a hoarse voice, "It's not just about killing people, I'm afraid I even want to kill myself..."
Li Deshan said, "Your Majesty, shall this old servant carry the little princess?"
"You're not feeling well, what if the dampness she carries passes to you..."
"I'm not that delicate!" the emperor said coldly.
He turned his head and glanced at the people kneeling on the ground: "Go about your business. Vice Minister of Works, it's raining heavily tonight, so leave the palace early to spend time with your family."
"Your subject obeys the decree." The Vice Minister of Works, along with his entourage, rose, bowed, and hurriedly left the palace.
The emperor raised his hand and touched Yuan Yao's burning forehead, his eyes darkening: "Let's go to Huining Palace first and take shelter from the rain!"
Li Deshan responded and personally pushed open the gate of Huining Palace, announcing in a shrill voice, "His Majesty has arrived..."
Hearing that the Emperor had arrived, the wooden fish in Huining Palace finally stopped being struck.
The palace servants knelt on the ground in the main hall.
The emperor held Yuan Yao in his arms with one hand, and with the other hand raised, he used his wide sleeve to cover her completely.
An old woman stepped forward: "Your Majesty, please take a seat. The Empress Dowager will be here soon."
Jiang Lanyue knelt on the ground: "Your subject Lanyue greets Your Majesty."
"It's been two months since we last met. Is Father well?"
The emperor sat in his chair with his eyes half-closed.
When he lowered his eyes, his eye bags became particularly large, making him look especially gloomy.
Jiang Lanyue raised her head and met the emperor's gaze. She shrank back and quickly lay down again.
As she lay there, she noticed that the emperor's robes were strangely wet, and water was dripping from his arms...
Jiang Lanyue's eyes dimmed slightly. She bit her lip and looked up: "Father, your clothes..."
Upon looking, she caught sight of a corner of the emperor's robe that wasn't fully covered.
The pale yellow substance, as thin as a cicada's wing, clung damply to the emperor's dragon robe.
That dress belongs to Yuan Yao!
Yuan Yao is in the emperor's arms!
Jiang Lanyue shifted her body slightly, her small hands curling up under her wide sleeves, tightening them and making a very soft "creaking" sound.
At that moment, the crisp sound of the beaded curtain being moved came from the side room.
The dignified and elegant Empress Dowager, supported by Tan Xin, slowly walked through the beaded curtain, her voice weary: "Why has my son come so late?"
My son?
Upon hearing this ridiculous title, the emperor said in a hoarse voice, "I have come to save my mother's life."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com