As long as he could get in, Mu Changxi was content.
He looked deeply at Ya Ran: "If I can truly rescue my mother this time, this prince will be eternally grateful to you."
Ya Ran's eyes welled up at his words: "This servant also hopes that Her Ladyship can live. Your Highness, please go in quickly. If Her Ladyship is angry, let this servant bear the blame." She had served the Noble Consort for so many years; how could she not wish for her well-being?
Song Zhaoyu's already heavy heart felt even more unsettled.
Fortunately, Mu Changxi took Song Zhaoyu's hand, and in that moment, they seemed to be drawing strength from each other.
—
The Noble Consort could never have imagined that Mu Changxi would still come, even under these circumstances.
Perhaps it could only be said that after such a long separation, she still did not truly understand Mu Changxi.
So when Mu Changxi's voice appeared at the entrance to the sleeping chambers, Song Zhaoyu could hear the Noble Consort inside sounding flustered: "Chang'er? Why are you here?! The servants outside are too unruly. Did I not say that no one is to enter, including you and the Princess Consort!"
It sounded as though the Noble Consort was truly angry.
But Mu Changxi's tone was firm: "It was I who threatened Ya Ran, saying that if I were not allowed in today, I would remain outside the Dengque Hall indefinitely. Mother, I already know what poison you have taken. Let me in, even if it's just to sit before you and look at you from afar!"
"Chang'er... why must you be so persistent about this matter?"
The Noble Consort's tone was filled with helplessness: "My greatest wish is for you and the Princess Consort to live your lives well. As for me... I am willing to bear the consequences of this matter. Please, just leave me be, alright?"
"No!"
But before Mu Changxi could speak, Song Zhaoyu could not help herself.
She had always respected the Noble Consort deeply, but today...
Song Zhaoyu stepped forward, offering a bitter smile to the hall: "Does Mother truly understand Prince Chang? Does she truly know what he desires? Living alone all these years, though he may never have said it, how could he not miss you, Mother? Now that mother and son are finally reunited, you speak of abandoning him for something that happened, something we don't even know about! Mother, aren't you being too cruel to him?"
Mu Changxi had never known that Song Zhaoyu understood him to such an extent.
Her words were like a knife, piercing the Noble Consort's heart and Mu Changxi's as well.
"A'yu, stop talking."
Mu Changxi reached out, taking Song Zhaoyu's hand, and then gently shook his head at her: "There's no need to say these things to Mother. I thought... Mother understood. Besides, Mother gave birth to me and raised me, and in the past, she worried tirelessly for me, which led to where you and I are today. Regardless, we cannot blame Mother."
This was probably... why Song Zhaoyu loved Mu Changxi.
No matter the time, he was always like this.
Towards those he cared about, he could overlook everything, and even if his heart ached more than anyone's, he could completely disregard it.
Hearing their words from outside, the Noble Consort in the sleeping chambers fell silent.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time, Song Zhaoyu heard the sound of the sleeping chamber door finally being unlatched.
The Noble Consort sighed and opened the door: "You children! The Princess Consort is right; I still don't understand you enough."
The grand door to the sleeping chambers finally opened!
Song Zhaoyu looked at Mu Changxi with surprise.
Mu Changxi nodded gratefully at Song Zhaoyu, and then they pushed the chamber door open together—
Upon entering the sleeping chambers, Song Zhaoyu smelled an even more potent aroma of medicinal herbs than the last time she had visited.
The Noble Consort sat behind a golden screen decorated with golden sparrows, looking at Mu Changxi and Song Zhaoyu through it: "You two children! You can't rest easy unless you see this Empress, can you? Sit down. Since you wish to know, this Empress will tell you. What truly happened between me and that person all those years ago!"
The Noble Consort seemed to be as she always was. Even though Song Zhaoyu and Mu Changxi had touched upon a past she did not wish to recall, she did not become overly angry. Instead, she became even more composed and serene.
This was something that happened many, many years ago, before the Noble Consort entered the palace.
In fact, the Noble Consort's background was not particularly high. Her father was merely a minor official of the seventh rank, and her mother was a woman who had been an actress and then reformed.
The Noble Consort's given name was "Li Nishu."
Her family had always lived a very low-key life, and Li Nishu had never thought of entering the palace.
So, when Li Nishu was seventeen, she met someone from the Tan family who had just arrived in the capital.
The eldest son of the Tan family was named "Tan Ye," and he was only a year older than Li Nishu.
Because they lived very close to each other, they were considered neighbors, and thus naturally became acquainted.
Li Nishu and Tan Ye were both at the age of first love. Through their interactions, although no rules were broken, they had grown to like each other.
At that time, Li Nishu's family did not know the Tan family's true identity, only believing them to be an ordinary family of physicians.
Li Nishu's father had already reached an agreement with the Tan family; it would be best if this marriage could be settled.
However, the second son of the Tan family was ill at the time, and the head of the Tan family, Tan Qi, traveled to the southern region of Qin Prefecture to gather herbs, so the matter was delayed.
They intended to finalize things after Tan Qi returned, but unexpectedly, that spring, the imperial selection of concubines also began—
No one could have predicted that Li Nishu would actually be chosen that year!
However, her beauty was indeed too outstanding among the other selected maidens.
Even without making a special effort to adorn herself, the Emperor noticed her at a glance.
This was practically "dire news" for Li Nishu and Tan Ye!
But who could disobey the Son of Heaven's command?
Li Nishu returned home and cried for two full days.
Yet, she could not resist meeting Tan Ye one last time.
Seeing Li Nishu's swollen eyes from crying, Tan Ye understood the Noble Consort's feelings.
So he asked Li Nishu: "If I wanted you to leave with me, would you be willing?"
How could the Noble Consort have imagined at that time that Tan Ye would be so bold?
She instinctively refused Tan Ye; she could not possibly implicate her family!
But Tan Ye did not give up. At the same time, he also revealed his true identity to Li Nishu.
He said that their Tan family were descendants of the royal family of the small Qin Kingdom, and he knew of a place in the current Qin Prefecture, like a paradise, that was unknown to the people of the Great Yue Dynasty.