The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 85

The Empress Dowager clutched her fists tightly. These people were really good at twisting the truth. It was clearly she who was pregnant at the temporary palace back then, but now it had become Consort Liu. Furthermore, the late emperor could never have favored her; others might not know, but having walked the path with the late emperor, she naturally knew why.

At that time, she and the late emperor had finally conceived a child. To ensure her peace of mind, the late emperor had accompanied her to the temporary palace. Originally, it was only meant to be the two of them, but Consort Liu insisted on going along. The late emperor, feeling he owed her, agreed. He never expected…

…that these two would start plotting against her right then.

If she remembered correctly, Lady Song, the prime minister’s wife, had also accompanied them. Later, they were separated after encountering bandits on the road, followed by the news of Lady Song’s death in childbirth.

Thinking back now…

…it was possible that Lady Song’s death was also their doing.

The Empress Dowager’s eyes darkened. “What if I insist on stopping this?”

Song Yunzhou waved his hand, and the soldiers continued to close in. Just as they were a step away, thirty imperial guards suddenly appeared from nowhere, blocking them. With swift strikes, the soldiers were instantly killed, their blood splattering on the ground before they could even fight back.

This…

The court officials gasped in shock. Moments ago, they were still watching, but now their legs were trembling.

These thirty-odd guards were clearly the royal secret guards. It was rumored they could fight ten men at once. They had thought that these guards had been disbanded after the late emperor’s death, as no one had seen them for a long time. They never expected them to be in the Empress Dowager’s hands.

Xiao Yu was also startled by the sudden appearance of these people. Although she had known about the secret guards, their sudden materialization still made her heart pound.

These were the people the Grand Princess had sent her for a rainy day. She never expected to need them so soon.

Wait.

Weren’t there only ten of them?

Where did the other twenty come from?

She instinctively looked at the Empress Dowager, wondering if these people belonged to her.

Although she was curious, she knew this wasn’t the right time. She stood quietly on the side, observing.

Song Yunzhou also hadn’t expected the Empress Dowager to have such a contingency plan. He had thought that by moving the imperial army away, the mere five hundred palace guards would be no threat. He hadn’t counted on the secret guards. He clenched his fists, a vicious look in his eyes. So what if she had secret guards?

He had a thousand Golden Feather Guards and even suicide squads. He wasn’t afraid of them.

It would just be a bit more troublesome. Killing one was the same as killing a hundred. If they wanted to die, he would grant their wish.

A ruthless glint flashed in Song Yunzhou’s eyes. His gaze fell on Song Luoning, and he said in a low voice, “Ning’er, come here. Come to your father.”

Song Luoning’s body stiffened. She frowned at the man who used to be her upright and great father. She couldn’t understand what had changed him. How did the person who once dedicated himself to the welfare of the people become so unrecognizable?

She wouldn’t go to him. She would rather be with the fool who had shared life and death with her, the one whose heart and eyes were filled only with her.

Song Luoning shook her head. “Father, don’t be so stubborn.”

“I’m stubborn? I’m thinking of the people of this world. Look for yourself! Ever since she ascended the throne, her actions have been shocking and unorthodox. A woman official? It’s unheard of in history. Now even heaven can’t stand it and has sent down disaster. Ning’er, listen to your father and come here, or don’t blame me for being heartless.”

Heartless?

Song Luoning lowered her eyes. That bond must have been broken the moment he decided to kill her. She felt a profound sadness. After a moment of silence, she looked up, her eyes filled with determination. “If Father is determined to do this, Luoning has nothing to say. But leaving His Majesty is impossible.”

Her attitude was unusually firm, even resolute.

“My wife,” Xiao Yu said, moved.

She had actually doubted the Eldest Miss before. She felt ashamed of her past actions.

“In that case, don’t blame me for not cherishing our father-daughter bond. Arrest them all!”

With a command, Song Yunzhou and the others stepped aside, and the soldiers from outside the hall rushed in.

Xiao Yu instinctively shielded the Eldest Miss, retreating to the stairs with the Empress Dowager and Jiang Wanrou. A battle broke out below, and in a few moments, the great hall was filled with the wounded and dead. The air was thick with the smell of blood.

Xiao Yu’s brows were tightly furrowed. The enemy had far more people than they did. If the fight continued, they would be exhausted, even if they weren’t killed.

Were they really going to die here?

In the midst of the danger, a soldier suddenly burst into the hall. “Report! A team of men has broken into the palace and is heading this way.”

Hmm?

Someone was coming. Who could it be?

Xiao Yu was stunned. She saw Song Yunzhou’s face turn grim as he met her gaze. “Don’t worry about the outside. Take them down first!”

“Yes!” The soldiers charged at Xiao Yu, ready to strike.

“…”

He knew her reinforcements were coming and wanted to take her down with him.

Xiao Yu’s heart tightened. She gripped the Eldest Miss’s hand, thinking that this old man was trying to drag her down with him. The great hall was a chaotic battlefield. As the soldiers closed in, Song Luoning suddenly pulled her hand free and blocked Xiao Yu.

“My husband, don’t mind me,” Song Luoning said.

Xiao Yu froze for a moment before immediately pulling her back.

The Eldest Miss wasn’t trying to save her; she was trying to get herself killed.

If anything happened to her, Xiao Yu would go mad.

She had no time to lecture her. Xiao Yu said sternly, “Stay put behind me.” The two of them retreated a few steps.

The Empress Dowager couldn’t help but look at them, her expression unreadable. She glanced at Jiang Wanrou, who was also watching, and in the end, opened her mouth but said nothing.

Just then, another team of soldiers rushed in from outside the hall, surrounding everyone.

Xiao Yu’s heart soared with excitement when she saw Liang Chengqiu emerge from the crowd.

The imperial army was back!

She was not going to die!

As soon as Song Yunzhou saw the newcomers, he laughed heartily before his face turned cold. “Liang Chengqiu, what are you waiting for? Go and capture them!”

“…”

What did Song Yunzhou mean?

Xiao Yu looked at Liang Chengqiu in confusion, but Liang Chengqiu’s face was expressionless. He raised his long blade and walked step by step toward the stairs.

“Liang Chengqiu, have you gone mad? Why are you listening to him?” Chen Yu shouted.

“Because she is one of Song Yunzhou’s people,” Xiao Yu said calmly.

In this moment, she was perfectly clear. Liang Chengqiu must have played a huge part in getting her to the capital. The case of Chen Ziyi was handled by Liang Chengqiu, which was why she was convicted even with insufficient evidence.

No wonder she had tried so hard to get her into the capital. No wonder Song Yunzhou knew her so well.

What did it feel like to be betrayed by someone you trusted? At this moment, Xiao Yu couldn’t describe it.

She couldn’t bring herself to hate Liang Chengqiu. She looked at the person approaching with a complicated expression.

Suddenly, Liang Chengqiu spun around, and with a swift move of her blade, the soldier behind her fell to the ground, a trickle of blood on his forehead.

“Liang Chengqiu, you…” Song Yunzhou roared, “Are you defying my orders?”

What was going on?

Xiao Yu pulled Song Luoning back.

Liang Chengqiu said, “You saved my life, that’s true, and I have killed many people for you over the years. That debt has long been repaid. Now, I only want to protect the people I want to protect.”

Song Yunzhou snorted. “The people you want to protect? So, today, you’re going to fight against me?”

This damn Liang Chengqiu was turning against him at the last minute. Song Yunzhou gritted his teeth. These secret guards were already difficult enough, and now Liang Chengqiu was here too. Song Yunzhou said furiously, “Think carefully. You have more than one life on your hands. Killing Xiao Chengze and framing the emperor—that’s a capital crime. Do you think she will let you go?”

Liang Chengqiu was silent for a moment. Without a word, she walked past him, knelt before Xiao Yu, and said, “Your subordinate is late in coming to your aid. Please punish me.”

Xiao Yu’s brow furrowed. Her heart was a jumble of emotions at this turn of events. She said with a serious expression, “Rise. Your timing is perfect. Capture all the rebels.”

“Yes!”

The court officials were all in a panic. They had not come here to be rebels! Once labeled a rebel, they would not only lose their positions but also face execution for treason, a crime that would wipe out their entire clan. Many of them were from prestigious families.

If they were found guilty, they would implicate their whole family. The emperor had the imperial army in her hands. Even though they were from powerful families and had some influence at court, they were no match for the army. And if they ran into an unreasonable emperor, who would kill them on a whim, wouldn’t they be doomed?

This treacherous Song prime minister!

The officials felt they had a mouthful of bitter words they couldn’t spit out. As the imperial army closed in, they panicked, kneeling on the ground, begging for mercy and claiming innocence.

Xiao Yu glanced at them indifferently. “We’ll find out whether you’re innocent or not after the trial.”

A trial?

Just thinking about the torture instruments, the faces of those few officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Dali instantly turned pale.

Despite all their pleas, they were taken away. The great hall returned to silence, and a farcical rebellion came to an end.

Xiao Yu’s gaze fell on Song Luoning. She pursed her lips. “My wife…”

Even though the Eldest Miss didn’t show it, Xiao Yu knew that those were the most important relatives to her. She held the Eldest Miss’s hand, hoping to offer some comfort.

Song Luoning was stunned for a moment. She hid the sorrow in her eyes well and smiled slightly.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunion, the palace was especially desolate. Soldiers pushed open the prison gate. A foul, decaying smell wafted out. Xiao Yu walked in and stopped in front of the cell.

Sitting in the cell was Song Yunzhou, in a white prisoner’s uniform, his hair slightly disheveled. He looked incredibly worn out.

He was a completely different person from the once-profound Prime Minister Song.

Xiao Yu waved her hand, and the palace servants behind her tactfully retreated to the entrance.

Song Yunzhou had his head bowed, lost in thought.

Xiao Yu said, “Is there anything you want to say?”

After a long pause, Song Yunzhou looked up, closed his eyes, and sighed. “Why have you come? To enjoy my downfall?”

Xiao Yu said, “Was this position worth it?”

Song Yunzhou remained silent.

Xiao Yu continued, “For your own selfish desires, you killed innocent people and disregarded the safety of the world. The people were already suffering from the disaster, yet you incited a war just to get the imperial army to move. How many people will be displaced or lose their families because of your selfishness?”

Song Yunzhou laughed. “You are truly like that dog emperor. You people from the Xiao family are all hypocrites.”

What did he mean?

Xiao Yu frowned. Then she heard Song Yunzhou say, “Back then, Liu Yan and I were childhood sweethearts. We were about to get married, but we were forced to separate because of an imperial edict. Just because he was the emperor, he could arbitrarily break up other people’s marriages?”

Xiao Yu didn’t say anything. The emperor did indeed have that power. If he saw a woman he liked, a single decree could summon her to the palace. But was this a reason to disregard the lives of others?

This grand drama must have started more than twenty years ago.

Sure enough, the next moment, Song Yunzhou suddenly “haha”-ed and laughed. “He took my woman, so I will have my son take his empire…”

“So, you killed my daughter?” A highly authoritative voice rang out from behind.

The Empress Dowager walked in, with Song Luoning beside her.

Xiao Yu hurried forward to hold Song Luoning’s hand, saying gently, “Why did you come?”

Song Luoning’s gaze was on the prison cell. She shook her head.

Xiao Yu had come alone precisely because she was afraid the Eldest Miss would be sad. She never expected them to follow her. She was worried that Song Yunzhou might say something even more heartbreaking.

She tightened her grip on Song Luoning’s hand, as if to give the Eldest Miss strength.

With everyone present, Song Yunzhou looked a little deranged. The words he spoke were filled with obsession and hatred. “So what if I killed her? Her daughter deserved to die. I not only wanted to kill her daughter, but I wanted to kill her as well. Do you know why she died so early?”

Xiao Yu’s heart skipped a beat. She instinctively looked at the Empress Dowager, who appeared very calm.

“I had already bribed the chief eunuch next to her. I put a poison in her daily meals. This poison was the same one that killed her son and daughter back then. They died from the same poison. Don’t you think that’s karma?”

The Empress Dowager clenched her fists, her eyes filled with hatred.

“You hate her so much? Could she have chosen that? If it wasn’t for Consort Liu’s father, who, relying on his achievements and coveting power, sent his daughter to the palace, do you think she would have married Liu Yan?”

“Impossible!” Song Yunzhou’s eyes widened in disbelief. He loudly refuted, “Liu Yan is his daughter. How could he do that?”

“Why not? Do you know why I knew at a glance that Consort Liu’s bastard son was yours?”

“Why?” Song Yunzhou stared at the Empress Dowager.

“Because the late emperor was a woman. She could never have had a son with Consort Liu.”

What?

Xiao Yu was just as shocked as Song Yunzhou. The late emperor was a woman, just like her? Then… was the Empress Dowager’s daughter not the late emperor’s either?

What a tangled mess!

The old emperor had been cuckolded twice, and the Empress Dowager had willingly worn her horns.

Song Yunzhou was clearly stunned. He murmured, “How is that possible…”

The Empress Dowager said, “You schemed and schemed, even poisoning your own wife and daughter. Do you think that your bastard son could have sat on the throne?”

Killed his wife and daughter?

Xiao Yu’s eyes suddenly went to Song Luoning. The Eldest Miss had been frail since childhood, and Dr. Jiang had also said it was due to poisoning. Could it be…

A pang of sorrow hit Xiao Yu. She felt her breathing tighten, and her heart felt as if it were being tightly squeezed by a large hand. She resisted the urge to sob and pulled the Eldest Miss into her arms.

How sad the Eldest Miss must be, to know her mother was poisoned by her revered father. Xiao Yu tightened her embrace.

The Empress Dowager didn’t give Song Yunzhou any more chances to speak. She waved her hand, and two palace servants entered from outside. “Since Lord Song enjoys poisoning people, let him taste the poison himself.” She didn’t look at him again and turned to leave.

Xiao Yu watched the Empress Dowager’s figure disappear through the prison gate. She looked at Song Yunzhou and sighed. This was all his own doing. Even if she could forgive him, the Empress Dowager couldn’t possibly let him go.

She felt even more sorry for the Eldest Miss. “My wife, let’s go.”

In the eighth month of the 223rd year of Baisheng, a plot that had been brewing for twenty years came to an end. All officials involved were stripped of their positions and imprisoned. The families were not implicated. In late October of the same year, after a month of work, the victims of the disaster in Jiangnan were settled. In March of the following year, Lin Qingyue returned to the capital with the topographical maps of the Jiangnan region.

At the same time, the first women’s academy in Baisheng history was established. All women could enroll and, later, take the imperial examinations and become officials, just like men.

In the same year, the court issued a decree that all land in Baisheng belonged to the state. Each household was allocated land based on the number of people and would pay taxes to the state based on their harvests. The people were overjoyed at this decree.

After a year of reform, the country was finally stable. One day, Xiao Yu finally had some free time and decided to spend it with the Eldest Miss. Her steps were light. As soon as she entered the Fu Ning Palace, the system, which had been silent for over a year, suddenly displayed a line of text in her mind: [Congratulations, host, for completing the task of eliminating traitors and stabilizing the empire. The system will now reward you with a child.]

Xiao Yu: “…”

Who told her this was a reward? Why would there be such a reward?

A child? Was she supposed to give birth to one?

She didn’t want to…

Xiao Yu’s heart plummeted. She was currently a cross-dressing emperor. Was she supposed to run the country with a big belly?

Suddenly, she had no desire to accompany the Eldest Miss. She looked listless.

“Your Majesty, what’s wrong? Is something troubling you with the state affairs? Or has an official been difficult again?” Song Luoning came out to greet her.

What was wrong?

Xiao Yu looked up and forced a smile. She didn’t want the Eldest Miss to worry and didn’t know how to tell her. She kept it bottled up, and a few days passed. She felt more and more anxious. She knew she couldn’t hide it for long. If she told the Eldest Miss about this bizarre matter, would she believe her?

Would she see her as a monster?

Even if the world knew she was a woman, it wouldn’t matter. She could just give up being emperor. They still had their home in Chen Village. The main thing was that she was worried about the Eldest Miss…

The more she worried, the more likely it was to happen. Her period, which had always been on time, was strangely late this month. She didn’t dare to have a doctor check her pulse and was completely consumed by anxiety.

Her unease did not escape Song Luoning’s notice.

Song Luoning saw her worry and secretly sent a servant to inquire. Nothing major had happened at court, nor had any official troubled His Majesty. So what was the matter? Song Luoning pursed her lips, her face etched with a frown.

A few more days passed, and the emperor was still listless. She even deliberately avoided her, sometimes not returning to the Fu Ning Palace for a whole day, only coming back late at night. And at night, she no longer held her in her arms as before.

Song Luoning’s heart sank, and her appetite also worsened.

Cui Zhu said, “Your Highness, you look pale. Why don’t we have a doctor check your pulse?”

She had been overly worried recently and felt very tired. Song Luoning nodded, and Cui Zhu stood up to send a servant to call for a doctor. Soon, the doctor arrived and happened to meet Fu Shun, who informed Xiao Yu.

“What?”

Casting aside all imperial decorum, Xiao Yu ran back to the Fu Ning Palace and grabbed the doctor. “How is the empress?”

Although the Eldest Miss was almost like a normal person now after taking the system’s medicine, who knew for sure…

The old doctor was flustered. “Reporting to Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress is not ill. Rather…”

“Rather what? Hurry up and speak!” Xiao Yu’s heart was in her throat.

“She is pregnant,” the doctor said.

Pregnant?

Xiao Yu was stunned. She went over the doctor’s words countless times in her mind, looking dazed.

So…

It wasn’t her who was pregnant, but the Eldest Miss… If it was the Eldest Miss, she was even more worried. Song Luoning had always been in poor health. Could she endure a pregnancy?

What should she do about all this?

“How is the empress’s health? Can she handle the torment of pregnancy?” she desperately needed to know.

Having been a royal physician for so many years, this was the first time he had heard a husband ask not about the child’s health but whether the wife would be okay upon hearing she was pregnant. And this person was the emperor. It seemed the rumors were true; the emperor and empress’s love was deep.

The doctor replied respectfully, “The empress’s health is fine, but during her pregnancy, she must take care of herself and not overexert herself…”

As the doctor spoke, Xiao Yu listened intently, not daring to miss a single word.

After the doctor left and the palace servants were dismissed, Xiao Yu sat on the edge of the bed, holding the Eldest Miss’s hand to her cheek, and whispered, “My wife…” She treated her like a precious treasure.

“My husband, do you believe Luoning?” Song Luoning asked, her brow furrowed.

“Of course,” Xiao Yu answered without hesitation.

“Let’s find another doctor to confirm the pregnancy,” Song Luoning said, lowering her gaze. She had only been intimate with the person in front of her, but this person was a woman…

Song Luoning’s expression was downcast.

If she was truly pregnant, it would be difficult to explain.

“There’s no need for that. Although it may sound absurd for two women to have a child, I’m certain this child is mine. My wife, just listen to the doctor and take good care of yourself.” Xiao Yu’s face was filled with joy, and the gloom of the past few days vanished.

“Does Your Majesty truly believe Luoning?”

“Of course. The child in my wife’s belly is unquestionably my own flesh and blood,” Xiao Yu said with conviction.

Seeing her certainty, Song Luoning didn’t say anything more. Perhaps after some time, she would realize it was a misunderstanding. She wondered if this person would be disappointed then.

She curved her lips, a shy smile on her face.

It had been a long time since the two of them had a moment of such affection. The palace was serene, and a ray of afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, peaceful and harmonious.

Days passed. Xiao Yu handled state affairs every day and then rushed back to the Fu Ning Palace to be with Song Luoning, afraid that the Eldest Miss might trip or get hurt. She treated her like a precious jewel.

Originally, Song Luoning thought the pregnancy was a misunderstanding and didn’t think much of it. But as time went on, her belly really did grow bigger. Song Luoning felt hesitant inside, but when the person in front of her insisted so firmly that the child was hers, her heart felt more at ease.

By the time she gave birth, she had delivered a little girl with a delicate, angelic face. The child’s eyes looked exactly like the person in front of her. Although she had her doubts, she slowly accepted the fact.

She had only been intimate with her. How could she be carrying someone else’s child?

Having figured it out, Song Luoning’s face glowed with a mother’s radiance.

As the little one grew, her facial features became more defined. Her peach blossom eyes were identical to Xiao Yu’s, and her nose and mouth were a perfect match for Song Luoning.

“I thought Ling’er was already cute enough, but I never expected our daughter to be even cuter,” Xiao Yu said, holding her daughter and grinning foolishly.

Song Luoning glanced at her. “Yes, yes, our daughter is the cutest,” she said, her smile widening.

Xiao Yu held her hand and pulled her into her arms. With one arm around their daughter and the other around Song Luoning, her eyes were filled with deep affection. “My wife, thank you. With you and our daughter, I am content.”