Lu Wanning accompanied the Empress Dowager for lunch. After attending to the Empress Dowager's rest, she left the palace. She mused to herself that the Empress Dowager's health had truly declined. Even if she wouldn't pass away immediately after being stimulated as described in the book, she probably didn't have much time left. After this matter was accomplished, she should enter the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager through her last days.
What she didn't know was that as soon as she left the Shoukang Palace, the Empress Dowager's complexion changed, and she vomited up all the lunch she had eaten.
Nanny Gui was extremely distressed. "Your Majesty, the princess dotes on you the most. Why do you have to put on a brave face in front of her? If you can't eat, just don't."
The Empress Dowager leaned back weakly for a while before saying, "I've watched that child grow up. Even though she's become a bit more intelligent and shrewd now, she's still innocent and doesn't know how to be on guard. She didn't say anything, but can't you tell?"
Nanny Gui hesitated for a moment and then asked, "Your Majesty, do you mean that the princess has feelings for Prince Yu? Actually, if that's really the case, Prince Yu has also grown up under your watchful eyes. They are quite a match."
The Empress Dowager waved her hand. "No, no. My Ning'er is too naive. How could she compete with the scheming Jin Yu? Back then, I agreed to the match with the Fu family only because the Fu family was a minor clan. As long as the Lu family existed, the Fu family would have to treat Ning'er with respect. But if it's Jin Yu, it's different."
Tears welled up in Nanny Gui's eyes. "Your Majesty, at this time, are you still calculating all these? For a couple, the most important thing is the affection between them."
The Empress Dowager felt bitter in her heart. "That's true, but Ning'er values affection too much. But Jin Yu... Jin Yu... Go again and summon Jin Yu to the palace. Tell him that I'm about to pass away and only wish to see him one last time before I die."
"Your Majesty, don't talk nonsense. You still have a long and happy life ahead."
"Go quickly..."
This time, Sheng Jinyu came quickly. With a straight face, he rushed into the inner hall of the Shoukang Palace. There was not a trace of concern in his eyes. He sized up the Empress Dowager from head to toe. Seeing that although she looked in poor spirits, she didn't seem to be on the verge of death, he breathed a slight sigh of relief and bowed.
"Grandson pays respects to the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager let out a bitter smile. "Finally... willing to see me?"
Sheng Jinyu regained his cold expression and said indifferently, "Grandmother, I dare not speculate on Father Emperor's intentions. I've been extremely busy with affairs. Whenever I'm free, I'll surely enter the palace to pay my respects to you."
The Empress Dowager didn't bother to engage in small talk with him. She just asked, "Lu Hongxi was assigned by the Emperor to assist the Supreme Court in investigating a case. Was it you who did this?"
Sheng Jinyu chuckled. "Grandmother, I dare not fathom Father Emperor's thoughts."
The Empress Dowager grew a bit anxious and struggled to sit up. "Don't deny it. It was clearly you. You did it on purpose. Sheng Jinyu, you know that Father Emperor is wary of the Lu family's great influence, yet you still did this. You're just eager for the downfall of the Lu family..."
She couldn't catch her breath. Nanny Gui panicked and quickly patted her back, intending to summon the imperial physician.
But the Empress Dowager waved her away and continued, "You even used Lu Wanning as a pawn. Sheng Jinyu, you know that Ning'er is the dearest to me. You..."
Sheng Jinyu knelt on the ground, saying nothing.
Tears welled up in the Empress Dowager's eyes. "You hate me, don't you?"
"Grandmother, grandson wouldn't dare."
"You wouldn't dare? What is it that you wouldn't dare?" The Empress Dowager picked up a pillow and threw it at Sheng Jinyu. "You hate me for not saving your mother back then. You resent me for letting your mother die. Now, you won't even spare my relatives?"
Sheng Jinyu just reached out to catch the pillow. He stood up and gently placed it under the Empress Dowager's waist. Holding her hand, he smiled. "Since the Empress Dowager knows, why do you have to say it so bluntly?"
"You..."
Nanny Gui was extremely anxious. She stepped forward and pushed Sheng Jinyu away. "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager's health is already very poor. Why do you have to say such heart - wrenching words?"
Tears streamed down the Empress Dowager's face. "I don't want to argue about the rights and wrongs of the past. But it has nothing to do with Lu Hongxi or the Lu family. You shouldn't involve others, let alone take advantage of Ning'er's feelings for you."
Sheng Jinyu's eyes flickered. He tightened his lips and said nothing.
The Empress Dowager choked with sobs and continued, "Your mother came to plead with me. On one hand, there was the troubled Emperor, and on the other hand, there was an unsolvable knot. What else could I do but agree?"
Sheng Jinyu took a deep breath and said, "I once hated you, but I never intended to do anything. Your Majesty, please rest assured."
He turned to leave, but the Empress Dowager quickly called out to him.
"Jinyu... Jinyu, promise me to spare Ning'er. Promise me not to accept her feelings."
Sheng Jinyu stopped in his tracks and looked back at her.
"Ning'er is a single - minded child. Once she falls in love with someone, she's willing to give everything. Jinyu, I know you're a good child. Consider it as a favor to me, a repayment for all these years of my protection. Since you have no feelings for her, don't hurt or use her."
Sheng Jinyu turned back. After a long while, he said, "The Lu family will be fine. Your Majesty, don't worry."
The Empress Dowager watched Sheng Jinyu's back and vomited again, until she had emptied all the bile in her stomach.
Nanny Gui wiped away her tears as she said, "Your Majesty has done so much for the Lu family. If the prince hadn't been so stubborn, so many things wouldn't have happened."
The Empress Dowager shook her head. "Hongxi is just like that. All the people in the Lu family are like that. The elder brother, Hongxi, Han Chi, Han Nian, and even Ning'er. I'm no different. It was only after I entered the palace that I realized that straightforwardness is just a double - edged sword for oneself."
Nanny Gui helped her lie down. "Your Majesty, don't worry. Prince Yu is not an unreasonable person. You were not wrong in the matter back then. It was the imperial concubine who pleaded to leave in order to protect Prince Yu."
"But my Ning'er... Since he intends to deal with her elder brother, the Lu family is the best tool. He refused to promise to spare Ning'er, which means he wants to use Ning'er..."
Sheng Jinyu stood in front of the Shoukang Palace for a full quarter of an hour before he lifted his feet and walked out. His hands were slightly curled, and his eyes were cold. Just a moment ago, if he had been a bit more determined, he could have avenged his mother's death for which the Empress Dowager had done nothing. But he just couldn't bring himself to be cruel. In the end, he could only follow his heart and say those comforting words.
No matter how the Empress Dowager had treated his mother, she had always been kind to him.
Sheng Jinyu pursed his lips and walked out with a heavy heart. When he reached the South Gate, he saw Lu Wanning walking out too.
When Lu Wanning saw Sheng Jinyu, she immediately beamed with a smile. "Your Highness, where have you been?"
Sheng Jinyu replied casually, "I went to visit the Empress Dowager."
Lu Wanning turned to the maid of the Guanjv Palace and said, "Auntie, you don't need to see me off. I'll just go out with Prince Yu."
Then she walked to Sheng Jinyu's side and said with a big smile, "I also came to the palace after hearing that the Empress Dowager was not in good health. I came this morning. After lunch, I went to visit the Empress."
Sheng Jinyu didn't say a word and just walked on his own.
Lu Wanning thought for a while and then said, "Your Highness, don't worry. I just saw that the Empress Dowager is much better."
Sheng Jinyu looked at Lu Wanning in confusion. The Empress Dowager's condition was not good. Why did she say that the Empress Dowager was much better? Immediately, he understood that the Empress Dowager had deliberately hidden the truth from her.
She really doted on this grand - niece.
Sheng Jinyu narrowed his eyes and stared at Lu Wanning. The Empress Dowager didn't like him getting too close to Lu Wanning for fear that he would hurt her. What if he deliberately got closer to her?