Chapter 350

Emperor Yong himself couldn’t stand it anymore. His whole body trembled as he wanted to escape, but the dream was so solid that he couldn’t break free.

“Father… Father, what did you say? You actually deluded yourself into thinking that Yuliu could be reborn into mother’s womb?”

“How could you… How could you treat mother like this? How could you do this to Xiao Xi!”

The crown prince’s voice trembled uncontrollably. He clung tightly to Emperor Yong’s robe, the veins on the back of his hands bulging and distinct!

Emperor Yong wished he could keep his mouth shut, but in the dream, he lowered his eyes and said faintly, “That is your mother’s honor.”

“Let’s get back to the point, how do you explain this painting!”

Hearing this, the crown prince abruptly let go of his robe and stared at the painting in front of him for a long time before bursting into laughter.

“A ruler who isn’t like a ruler, a father who isn’t like a father, a husband who isn’t like a husband. Hahaha, ancestors above, look at what this Great Yong dynasty has been turned into by a woman!”

“Impudent!”

Emperor Yong saw himself, eyes red with anger, raising his hand to slap the crown prince.

The crown prince’s face was turned to the side by the blow. When he turned back, his eyes were red, and there was a smile on his lips:

“Started my education at three, learning by your side, looking up to you like a mountain, fearing your majesty, serving you as if you were a god.”

“Decades of walking on thin ice, being self-disciplined and dutiful, studying before dawn and not daring to rest even late at night. In the end… in the end, it’s all just a joke!”

A fierce argument erupted between him and the crown prince. In a fit of rage, he ordered Huang Pei to bring poison wine.

Huang Pei held the tray, crying and begging him to reconsider, and the crown prince was also unwilling to comply.

However, at this moment, someone reported from outside that the empress had received the news and was rushing over.

The crown prince’s face immediately showed panic.

Emperor Yong saw himself sneer. At this point, his heart had completely shifted to the second prince, as the crown prince’s behavior tonight was utterly rebellious!

Seeing that the empress was about to be implicated, the crown prince slowly closed his eyes and finally compromised.

“Father, I beg you… please don’t involve anyone else in tonight’s matter. Mother, Concubine Xiao, and Zhen’er are all innocent.”

“As long as you promise, I… am willing to die. I am willing…”

Emperor Yong saw himself raise his lips, completely devoid of humanity, filled only with the pleasure and pride of conquering the crown prince.

He saw the crown prince slowly take the poison wine and drink it all in one go amidst Huang Pei’s tearful pleas.

A murmur escaped the crown prince’s lips.

He said, “Why be born into the royal family…”

The empress arrived, and the crown prince went out to greet her, smiling, showing no signs of what had transpired.

“Mother, why are you here?”

The empress looked him up and down several times before finally breathing a sigh of relief.

She said, “Just now, Aunt Mei received news that your father had urgently summoned you. I was worried about you.”

Now as an outsider in the dream, Emperor Yong immediately understood that even the empress had been manipulated into coming.

The second prince had calculated that the crown prince would not easily drink the poison wine, so he had drawn the empress here. The empress was the crown prince’s soft spot; he would definitely comply…

Thinking of this, Emperor Yong felt a chill down his spine. However, the scene changed, and he found himself standing at the entrance of the cold palace.

Just a door away, inside was the disheveled and dazed empress.

In the dilapidated courtyard, Aunt Mei was watching over a small pot. She looked much older, with a face full of constant sorrow.

The empress wandered aimlessly, and suddenly, she leaned against a pillar in front of the hall, pressing her face against it, murmuring:

“Zhan’er, have you come to see mother again? Don’t worry, mother is doing very well. Look, the weather is great today.”

“Ah! No, I was mistaken, this is Xiao Xi! Xiao Xi, shall we have bamboo shoots today? Mother knows, you love bamboo shoots the most.”

“Wu wu wu, it’s all fake. They’re dead. My Zhan’er and Xiao Xi are dead. They’ll never come to see me again.”

The empress leaned against the pillar and slowly slid to the ground, burying her head in her knees, sobbing.

But in an instant, she suddenly got up and rushed into the inner hall.

“Crying! It’s little Zhen’er crying! Little Zhen’er, don’t be afraid, Empress Grandmother is here.”

Emperor Yong’s gaze followed her. He saw the empress kneeling by the bed, gently cradling a patched-up pillow with utmost tenderness.

Zhen’er was Zhan’er’s and Concubine Xiao’s child, who had already passed away…

Seeing this, Emperor Yong felt as if his heart was being torn apart. He trembled all over, barely able to breathe.

This dream was too real, as if all of it was truly his doing.

He could no longer bear it and turned to run outside, but the corridor of the cold palace seemed endlessly long.

Full of fear, Emperor Yong couldn’t help but shout, “Huang Pei! Huang Pei!”

“Your Majesty? Your Majesty?”

Emperor Yong felt the entire world shaking. He spun around and suddenly felt himself step into emptiness, jolting awake with a start!

What he saw was the empress’s face, still exquisite, noble, and proud.

In a daze, Emperor Yong raised his hand to touch her face, but the empress abruptly stepped back.

“Your Majesty, you were dreaming.”

“Dreaming?”

Emperor Yong looked around in a daze. He was still in the Yangxin Palace, and Huang Pei was standing by with a worried expression.

His face felt cool. When he touched it, he found it was covered in tears.

That dream, etched deep in his mind like a chiseled engraving.

He had executed Qiao Zhongguo, sentenced the crown prince to death, driven the empress mad, and caused Xiao Xi’s wrongful death…

But that was just a dream, right?

Thinking this, Emperor Yong hurriedly reached out to grab the empress’s hand, but she rose to her feet.

“Huang Pei, if His Majesty has any discomfort next time, summon Doctor Zou immediately. I have no skills in medicine and cannot help His Majesty.”

Huang Pei responded with an awkward “yes.” Only then did Emperor Yong realize that Huang Pei had invited the empress.

Seeing the empress walk away without hesitation, Emperor Yong felt a sudden panic and urgently called out, “Empress! Chan’er!”

The empress stopped.

Seeing this, Emperor Yong couldn’t help but show a glimmer of hope, but she did not turn back. She only said faintly:

“Your Majesty, let’s not mention those youthful nicknames again, lest we tarnish those beautiful memories.”

“Take good care of yourself. I will pray for you day and night.”

After saying this, the empress left without looking back. Emperor Yong, using all his strength to prop himself up, cried hoarsely:

“Empress, it was the curse! The curse controlled me. This was not my true intention!”

The empress pretended not to hear and kept walking out of the Yangxin Palace. When she stepped into the sunlight, she couldn’t help but shed tears.

That young man who had brought the imperial edict and personally came to propose at the Ren residence was handsome and full of joy.

She had watched him from behind a screen, feeling shy and anxious, filled with admiration and anticipation for this young man.

But now, it seemed like a dream that one must eventually wake from. She returned with scars all over, ready to reclaim her pride and live for herself.

As for that once wonderful young man, let him be swept away by the wind—

Emperor Yong watched the empress’s figure grow distant, the light in his eyes dimming as he, too, shed tears.

Too late.

He knew, it was all too late…