"Is it for my own good? I don't think so! Isn't it for your own benefit, Mother Consort?"
Consort Yan trembled all over, "Changjun, what... what are you talking about?"
"Mother Consort, Changjun has already spoken very clearly, what else do you want me to say?"
Consort Yan retreated several steps, "So, so in your heart, I am actually so worthless?"
Hearing this, Xue Changjun said slowly, "Mother Consort, you are being too humble. Your son has never said you are worthless; everything you said was from yourself."
"Changjun, you... you actually..."
"Mother Consort, you have the opportunity to learn more from the Empress Dowager. Fantasizing about things you shouldn't have is not difficult at all."
"Xue Changjun, are you calling me a fool dreaming? Didn't I do all this for you, for Changan, for the entire Shu Palace?"
"Mother Consort, you know better than me what it is all for."
"You..."
"Mother Consort, I advise you to be careful. Don't end up like drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain."
Consort Yan was so angry she couldn't speak. Knowing Xue Changjun had already left, she finally began to cry with a sense of grievance, "What was all this for? Isn't it all for him? Why doesn't he understand my hardships? If Changan doesn't care for him, and I don't care for him, how can he compete with Prince Jing?
All he sees is my unscrupulous methods to achieve my goals, but if I hadn't planned ahead for him, how could he contend for the throne?"
"Your Highness Consort, please calm your anger. His Highness the Third Prince is just speaking rashly in the heat of the moment; he absolutely meant no disrespect or to disobey you."
Consort Yan sighed, "No matter how much he criticizes me, I must still plan for him. I cannot just watch him be surpassed by Prince Jing."
"Your Highness Consort, what do you intend to do?"
"Help me get ready. I'm going to see His Majesty."
Upon hearing that the Consort wished to see him, Huang Ze, the Emperor, was quite surprised. In his memory, the Consort rarely visited him, let alone sought an audience.
"Let her in!" Emperor Huang Ze said.
Consort Yan entered, her deep crimson palace attire exuding her supreme nobility. Though time had left its mark, the breathtaking beauty was naturally and clearly visible.
Emperor Huang Ze recalled the first time he met Consort Yan.
Back then, Consort Yan was a lively, clever, and spirited young girl. It was this girl who attracted him, leading him to bring her into the harem without hesitation.
If the Empress was his confidante, then Consort Yan had once been the proof of his wild and vibrant youth.
"Do you need something from me?" Emperor Huang Ze asked.
Consort Yan waved her hand, and the palace maids following her brought forward a wine pot. "Your Majesty, your humble consort chanced upon a fine pot of wine. Thinking Your Majesty might not have drunk wine in a long time, I specifically came to share a few cups with Your Majesty."
Emperor Huang Ze felt a sense of déjà vu, as if he had returned to the day he first met Consort Yan, drinking wine and composing poetry together, a time of great joy.
But for some reason, after entering the palace, she changed. She became deep-scheming and learned to employ stratagems. If not for her, their first child, his and the Empress's, would not have died.
From then on, he ordered her confinement to the harem, forbidding her from stepping outside the Shu Palace.
Only after the birth of the Third Prince was she allowed out, but from then on, she had reined in all her sharpness, and even showed no regard for him, the most noble ruler of Huang Ze.
It was as if all their emotions had vanished with that confinement.
"Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?" Consort Yan asked with a smile.
Emperor Huang Ze looked at her and said after a long pause, "It feels like a very long time since you last smiled at me."
Consort Yan startled, a hint of panic in her voice, "Your Majesty, why do you remember everything? That was when your humble consort was young and foolish, causing great harm to Her Highness the Empress. Your humble consort is guilty. I toast Your Majesty."
Emperor Huang Ze snatched the wine cup from Consort Yan's hand, "I'll drink it."
Consort Yan watched Emperor Huang Ze drink the wine, then poured another cup, "Your Majesty..."
"My dear consort, from today onwards, can we return to how we were?"
Consort Yan trembled all over. She looked up at the handsome and dashing youth she once knew, her heart filled with sorrow. How had they reached this point?
Perhaps it all stemmed from the allure of high position.
Human hearts are greedy.
"Your Majesty, your humble consort toasts you." Consort Yan poured herself a cup and brought it to her lips. Emperor Huang Ze struck it away with his hand.
Consort Yan froze, looking at Emperor Huang Ze, "Your Majesty, you..."
"Do you wish to share life and death with me so much?"
Consort Yan was utterly shocked, taking a long moment to react, her voice trembling, "Your... Your Majesty, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
Emperor Huang Ze smiled, "A'Yan, you are not suited for lying. You might not know that I know every time you lie."
Consort Yan frowned tightly, staring at Emperor Huang Ze. Emperor Huang Ze picked up the wine cup and drank again, "So, Consort, you are lying this time too."
Consort Yan's hand wavered, and the wine cup in her grasp fell to the ground. Her face turned pale, and she knelt down with a thud, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Your humble consort is guilty."
Emperor Huang Ze sighed, "What guilt do you have? For yourself, for Changjun, what guilt is there? For this realm, for the Empress, I have also done nothing wrong. A'Yan, the mistake is that we were not for each other."
Consort Yan remained kneeling, saying nothing.
Emperor Huang Ze drove out the palace servants who were about to enter and reprimanded them, "Without my permission, no one is allowed to enter."
The servants withdrew. Emperor Huang Ze stood up from the couch, came to Consort Yan's side, and sat down. He said slowly, "In my life, there have been three women: the Empress, you, and Consort Yi.
It is regrettable that the Empress could not give birth to a legitimate son, which led you and Consort Yi to harbor such ambitions. If the Empress had given birth to a legitimate son, you and Consort Yi would have tried every means to have him killed."
"Your Majesty..."
"Do not speak, listen to me finish."
As Consort Yan listened to Emperor Huang Ze's words, her face lost all color.
"This realm, you and Consort Yi have always wanted a share, but do either of you know that this realm was built by the Empress and me, bit by bit? By bringing you and Consort Yi back into the palace, I have already broken my previous promise to the Empress.
Therefore, I will not give this realm to Changjun, nor to Changjing. It belongs to Changning."
"Your Majesty..." Consort Yan was astonished. She never expected His Majesty to think this way. In retrospect, she felt more disappointment than anything else, and more absurdity.
So, all the scheming and planning, and the opponent wasn't Prince Jing, but Princess Changning.
What a ridiculous matter. How utterly ridiculous...