The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 536 - 536 268 Mother and Son (First Round)

Chapter 536: 268 Mother and Son (First Round) Chapter 536: 268 Mother and Son (First Round) “Your auntie? Is your auntie in the palace?” Qin Chuyu asked.

Xiao Jingkong nodded, “Yes! I just saw her! They said she lives in the Imperial Palace!”

Qin Chuyu was puzzled.

Living in the Imperial Palace? The ones who truly live in the palace are the royal family, like the Empress Dowager, the empresses, concubines, and their royal children. However, there are many palace maids in the Imperial Palace. Perhaps, one of them is his little friend’s auntie?

“What is your auntie’s name?” Qin Chuyu asked.

“My auntie’s name is… is…” It took Xiao Jingkong a while to remember that he didn’t know his auntie’s name, “I don’t know!”

“This…” Qin Chuyu sighed, “It will be very difficult to find her if you don’t know her name. There are more people in the Imperial Palace than students in the Guozijian.”

Xiao Jingkong pondered for a moment, a sudden flash of light in his mind, “They call her the Empress Dowager!”

“Choke!” Qin Chuyu choked, “Empress Dowager? Your auntie is the Empress Dowager? Are you part of the Zhuang family?”

Xiao Jingkong thought for a moment and answered seriously: “I am a farmer in the countryside, but now we have moved to the Capital City and no longer farm, so I guess I can’t be considered a farmer anymore.”

Qin Chuyu: What does this have to do with farming? Why are you not a member of the Zhuang family once you moved to the Capital City? Can you just change that?

The two children chatted at cross purposes for a while and Qin Chuyu still couldn’t figure out whether Xiao Jingkong was a member of the Zhuang family or not.

He was only eight years old. He was knowledgeable yet ignorant. But he did know that his mother and Concubine Zhuang were on bad terms.

Qin Chuyu said seriously, “If you are part of the Zhuang family, then I cannot play with you in the future.”

Xiao Jingkong widened his eyes and said, “But I am not a farmer anymore! You can play with me!”

“Um, okay then,” He was quite reluctant to part with his little friend, “But I can’t take you into the palace today. My sister-in-law has been ill recently, and my brother is not in a good mood. If I bring a friend into the palace, it would upset him. So, wait for a couple of days, and I will definitely take you into the palace.”

Xiao Jingkong: … I have no other choice then.

Empress Dowager Zhuang returned to the Renshou Palace after an absence of more than a year.

Everything in the Renshou Palace remained the same, even the palace maids were still the same ones when she left.

Empress Dowager Zhuang’s high-profile return to the palace without notifying the emperor beforehand was indeed a “surprise” to him!

Empress Dowager Zhuang sat on the Phoenix throne at the top of the main hall’s steps, dressed in a dark red robe embroidered with golden phoenix patterns. She wore a golden phoenix crown and looked dignified and elegant, yet commanding and forceful.

The emperor stood on the marble floor in front of her, his face filled with respect and filial piety: “The Empress Dowager’s health is indeed the country’s blessing.”

A lukewarm look on Empress Dowager Zhuang’s face gave the emperor a once-over, saying indifferently: “As long as the emperor understands.”

The emperor’s eyes flickered as he smiled at Empress Dowager Zhuang and said: “The journey from the villa is long, and the Empress Dowager must have been exhausted. I have brought Imperial Physician Liang to take your pulse. Imperial Physician Liang!”

“At your service!” The fifty-year-old Imperial Physician Liang walked forward with his medical kit, bowed, and kowtowed to Empress Dowager Zhuang, “Long live the Empress Dowager, long live, long live!”

Empress Dowager Zhuang scoffed, extended her hand, and said nonchalantly: “The emperor is thoughtful, so let me accept his good intentions.”

The emperor signaled to Imperial Physician Liang to take Empress Dowager Zhuang’s pulse.

Imperial Physician Liang crawled up to Empress Dowager Zhuang’s feet, placed his medical kit on the ground, opened it, took out a clean silk cloth and put it on the Empress Dowager’s wrist. Then he took her pulse over the cloth.

Empress Dowager Zhuang smiled faintly at him: “Imperial Physician Liang, how is my pulse?”

Imperial Physician Liang withdrew his hand, folded the silk cloth neatly, and replied respectfully: “The Empress Dowager’s pulse is steady, and seems to be healthier than before by at least a third.”

The corners of the emperor’s eyebrows unconsciously furrowed.

Empress Dowager Zhuang’s lips curled up slightly: “Is the emperor disappointed?”

The emperor quickly replied: “How could that be? I’ve always hoped that the Empress Dowager will recover soon, stay safe and live a long life.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang sneered: “With the emperor’s blessings, I will surely live a long life. I still want to see Zhan Country grow stronger, ensure that the people are well-fed and clothed, and bring peace and prosperity to the world.”

The emperor’s hand hidden under his wide sleeve clenched into a fist.

Empress Dowager Zhuang laughed: “The Empress Dowager already understands the emperor’s filial piety. If there is nothing else, the emperor can leave now. He must be very busy without me.”

These words contain a profound meaning. What was the emperor busy with? Was he busy handling state affairs or trying to cut off the Empress Dowager’s supporters? No one knew.

The emperor replied: “I will take my leave now. The Empress Dowager should take care of herself. I will come to visit another day.”

“No need,” Empress Dowager Zhuang said.

The emperor was taken aback.

In the next moment, the Empress Dowager Zhuang spoke, “Why make another trip when you can see me during the court meeting tomorrow morning?”

She was implying another reign behind the curtain.

The emperor didn’t know what kind of mood he had when he left Renshou Palace.

He asked Eunuch Wei to dismiss the servants and then asked Doctor Liang: “Is the pulse of the Empress Dowager truly unobstructed?”

Doctor Liang replied: “Yes, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager’s pulse is indeed better than before she left the palace. Her physique has become much stronger.”

The emperor asked with suspicion: “After living amongst the commoners for so long, how could she become robust? What about her leprosy?”

Doctor Liang shook his head: “She does not have leprosy.”

The emperor’s brow furrowed: “By saying she doesn’t have leprosy, do you mean she is cured, or she was never afflicted with it?”

“Uh…..” Doctor Liang really didn’t know how to answer. After all, he was the one who diagnosed the Empress Dowager with leprosy. He was sure his diagnosis was correct. But leprosy is incurable, and yet the Empress Dowager seemed to have recovered, with no difference from a normal person—

Could there be a divine healer who cured the Empress Dowager’s leprosy?

Impossible, only Yan Country could cure leprosy.

Forget it, it’s pointless to look further into this matter now. The Dowager Empress Zhuang has safely returned.

The situation is worse than the Emperor had anticipated. He thought that in the year or so when the Empress Dowager Zhuang was away, he had discreetly eliminated or taken control of many of her supporters. But, merely hours after her return to the Palace, the political landscape of the Imperial City was reshuffled.

The emperor urgently summoned several elders, but half of them declined the invitation, claiming illness. Among those who did come, most were merely paying him lip service.

Just yesterday, they had all sworn their loyalty to him!

The emperor was furious, yet he could not execute them. If he did, the Empress Dowager Zhuang would no doubt save them, and they would then be even more loyal to her.

The emperor was so angry that he felt a pain in his chest. He summoned the old Ritual Wine in the middle of the night.

The old Ritual Wine had left a servant in the shabby room he had rented. When the emperor sent someone to summon him, his servant would come to Bishui Alley to inform him.

In fact, the emperor had summoned him several times before. But when the emperor was at the height of his power, he had not come; he only appeared when the emperor’s power was on the wane.

The emperor was naturally greatly moved. He emerged from behind his desk, grasping the old man’s hand: “I knew it, you are indeed the only one I can trust!”

The old Ritual Wine was filled with mixed emotions. He knew that the time he had been waiting for had finally arrived. If he returned to court now, he would surely gain the emperor’s absolute trust and appreciation. But strangely, he couldn’t bring himself to feel happy.

This wasn’t just for himself. It was also for Liulang.

If Liulang joined the court, it meant he would have to confront the entire Zhuang family. He couldn’t possibly leave Liulang to fend for himself.

But could he still regard Zhuang Jinse as the old Empress Dowager Zhuang?

Overwhelmed, the emperor declared: “From this day forth, I shall appoint you as the Ritual Wine of the Guozijian. The decree will be announced to the world tomorrow!”

The old Ritual Wine knelt down and solemnly bowed, replying, “Your… Your servant… thanks Your Majesty for your kindness!”

Eunuch Wei escorted the old Ritual Wine out of the palace.

On their way out they encountered the Empress Dowager Zhuang’s carriage as they passed the Imperial Garden.

The Empress Dowager Zhuang had little appetite, and was feeling somewhat irritated. Even though the palace was just as before, for some reason, Empress Dowager Zhuang felt lonely.

The depths of the Forbidden City weren’t typically lonely but this time an additional layer of desolation had crept in.

“Your Majesty, would you like some more desserts? You didn’t eat much at dinner.” A petit palace maid said as she held a tray of exquisite rose cakes.

Empress Dowager Zhuang had no appetite.

The old Ritual Wine stood behind a flower bush, gazing at her intently.

The Empress Dowager Zhuang, dressed in her phoenix gown, exuded a sharp aura. Her gaze was sharp like a knife. Even without speaking, she was like a drawn treasure sword, daring anyone to cross her path.

Eunuch Wei stopped beside the old Ritual Wine. He looked at the old Ritual Wine and then the Empress Dowager, whispering: “Is Lord Huo going to meet the Empress Dowager?”

The Old Ritual Wine shook his head.

What’s the point of seeing her? She doesn’t remember.

She will not rob him with a knife against his neck for his private money, nor will she force him to go to the kitchen to make Brown Sugar Glutinous Rice Cake for her, let alone hide the half-eaten sweets in his room, or ask him to serve tea while she played round card games.

“Let’s go.” the old Ritual Wine said dejectedly.

Eunuch Wei looked at the old Ritual Wine’s retreating figure. Why did he feel that Lord Huo and the Empress Dowager had both seemed somewhat melancholic?