Chapter 102

Chapter 102: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

Water and Sky as One.

“She wants me, the Sixth Prince, and Wen Ning to return to the palace at once?” Li Si Qi raised her eyebrows. “Tell me what the Empress Dowager is planning.”

Zhu Xi replied respectfully, “Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager means for the dragon-phoenix twins to be recorded under Her Majesty the Empress’s name.”

“Oh, I understand.” Li Si Qi’s face turned cold at once. “For the reputation of her Wu Ya clan again?”

“Yes.” Zhu Xi lowered her voice. “Her Majesty’s meaning is that it doesn’t matter if the Empress dies. If the twins are recorded under the Empress’s name, it will undo the fallout from the Empress giving birth to a monster.”

“She really dreams big.” Li Si Qi sneered again and again. “She wants to use my dragon-phoenix twins to prop up the Empress’s reputation. She should look in the mirror and ask herself if she deserves it.”

“…”

Zhu Xi did not dare say another word. Senior Maid Ruo Lan and Lu He, along with the others, were indignant. No matter what, no one dared resist the Empress Dowager’s decree. Li Si Qi could only take the children and prepare to set off back to the palace.

She also sent word to Noble Lady Tian and Noble Lady Jing. As for whether they returned together, that was their own choice. In the end, the two of them still chose to return together. After all, their things were almost packed.

Leaving today or tomorrow made no real difference. It so happened that Noble Consort Hua was also returning today. So they became the first group of consorts to go back to the palace. Li Si Qi had not even climbed into her own carriage yet.

Noble Consort Hua sent someone to fetch her and the three of them. The mother and her two children got into Noble Consort Hua’s personal carriage. The carriage was luxurious and spacious, easily able to seat seven or eight people.

“What’s going on?” Noble Consort Hua looked puzzled. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t go back until tomorrow?”

“Your Highness, Zhu Xi came.” Li Si Qi answered gloomily. “How would I dare not go back today?”

“Zhu Xi? The Empress Dowager?” Noble Consort Hua understood at once. “The Empress Dowager summoned you back?”

She immediately realized something was wrong. Noble Consort Hua’s expression slowly turned serious. “If I remember right, the Empress probably won’t make it through today. Yet the Empress Dowager insists on making you return at this time.

Could it be…” Her gaze fell on the dragon-phoenix twins. Her face also cooled.

“Your Highness guessed it.” Li Si Qi curled her lip. “The Empress Dowager still wants to record the twins under the Empress’s name.”

“No!” Noble Consort Hua reacted fiercely. “We absolutely cannot let Hong Zhao and Wen Ning be recorded under her name. Why should the most blessed dragon-phoenix twins in the royal family add honor to the Wu La Na La clan?”

“I don’t want that either!” Li Si Qi said darkly. “I don’t care about some ‘legitimate son’ status. It’s only a title. Right now, it would bring Hong Zhao nothing good at all – it would be humiliation, understand? I just don’t know whether His Majesty is willing to stand up for me and Hong Zhao.”

“What are you afraid of?” Noble Consort Hua widened her eyes, her aura flaring as she spoke with domineering certainty. “I’ll take you to see His Majesty. This isn’t something the Empress Dowager can decide just because she wants to. Before she issues a decree outright, we’ll go to His Majesty and settle it. Only if His Majesty personally goes to the Empress Dowager can this be stopped for good.”

“Thank you, Noble Consort,” Li Si Qi said.

“I’m not helping you. I’m helping my Hong Zhao and Wen Ning.”

“No matter what, I still have to thank Your Highness for your help.”

… Four hours later. The carriage finally returned to the capital. After entering the palace gates. They went straight to the Imperial Study.

Led by Noble Consort Hua, they all appeared before the Emperor. Zhu Xi was there as well. At Li Si Qi’s signal. Zhu Xi told the Emperor the Empress Dowager’s plan.

After hearing it, the Emperor’s face looked terrible. Then he looked at the two adorable, quick-witted twins, and he could only force down the anger in his chest.

“Consort Xian, take Hong Zhao and Wen Ning back to rest,” the Emperor instructed. “You don’t need to worry. I will go to Kang Shou Palace.”

“Yes. I take my leave!”

“Imperial Father, your son takes his leave!”

“Imperial Father, Wen Ning takes her leave!”

Hearing the two little ones’ clear, innocent voices. The Emperor rarely showed a smile. He nodded at them and said, “Go back and rest well first. When I have time, I will come see you again.”

“Yes, Imperial Father!”

“Imperial Father, goodbye!”

Before the two little ones turned to leave, they looked at Noble Consort Hua again.

“Honored Mother, goodbye!”

“Honored Mother, hold me!” Hong Zhao waved as he said goodbye.

Wen Ning, on the other hand, rushed straight toward Noble Consort Hua. Noble Consort Hua happily hugged Wen Ning. Stroking her little head, she told her, “Wen Ning, go back first. When Honored Mother has time, I’ll come see you.

Be good. Go back to Yong Shou Palace with your mother first, all right?”

“Honored Mother, Wen Ning missed you.” Wen Ning clung to her and acted spoiled.

Noble Consort Hua smiled and coaxed Wen Ning gently. Seeing this scene. The Emperor suddenly felt dazed. It was as if he had returned to childhood, when his foster mother, Mother Tong, had coaxed him with the same tenderness.

The Noble Consort before him overlapped with Mother Tong in his heart. As if they were the same person. The way Noble Consort Hua watched Hong Zhao and Wen Ning leave, unwilling to part. Even that felt exactly like Mother Tong.

This was a woman who truly loved children. At the very least, he had never seen that side of the Empress.

“Your Majesty.” Noble Consort Hua’s voice snapped the Emperor out of his thoughts.

Noble Consort Hua looked unhappy. “I beg Your Majesty not to record the Sixth Prince and Wen Ning under the Empress’s name. I’m afraid the Empress will damage the twins’ blessings and bring them misfortune. Please agree to this.”

By the end, Noble Consort Hua knelt before the Emperor. She looked like she would not rise unless he agreed.

“My beloved consort, get up.” The Emperor’s heart softened into a mess.

He hurried over, bent down, and helped her up. “I agree. The dragon-phoenix twins are your children and Consort Xian’s children. No one can take them away.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Noble Consort Hua beamed. “With Your Majesty’s words, I can finally feel at ease.”

“You…” The Emperor showed an indulgent smile. “I’m going to Kang Shou Palace. You should go back and tidy up too.”

As he said this, the Emperor’s smile faded. He frowned, then added, “Rest a little, then go keep watch at Jing Ren Palace. Over there… the time may be short.”

“Yes.” Noble Consort Hua also put away her smile. “I’ll go change, then head to Jing Ren Palace. I take my leave!”

“Go.”

After watching Noble Consort Hua leave. The Emperor’s gaze landed on Zhu Xi. The air around him grew colder and colder, and his voice turned icy. “Speak.

What else is the Empress Dowager planning?”

“Replying to Your Majesty.” Zhu Xi did not want to betray the Empress Dowager.

But after taking the Puppet Pill, she obeyed her master’s orders. So she could only tell the Empress Dowager’s plans honestly. After the Emperor heard it all. He stared in shock.

“First kill Consort Xian to bury her with the Empress?” the Emperor murmured. “Record the dragon-phoenix twins under the Empress’s name. When Nian Geng Yao returns from war, deal with Noble Consort Hua. The remaining consorts aren’t qualified to raise the dragon-phoenix twins, so the Empress Dowager plans to raise them in Kang Shou Palace.”

After saying it out loud. The Emperor drew a deep breath. Staring at Zhu Xi, he asked, “Imperial Mother is also planning to bring another woman from the Wu Ya clan, or the Wu La Na La clan, into the palace as a consort, isn’t she?”