Outside the window, peach blossoms had carpeted the ground. When the wind blew, they fluttered in the air. The Queen snapped out of her reverie and curled her lips slightly. "Send someone to Shoukang Palace to invite Princess Zhaoyang here."
Inside the inner chamber of Shoukang Palace, no sound from outside could be heard.
Lu Hongxi knelt on the bed, not daring to raise his head. "Your Majesty, how have you been feeling these days?"
The Empress Dowager waved him over. "Hongxi, come and let me have a good look at you."
Lu Hongxi raised his head and stole a quick glance at the Empress Dowager. He saw that her eyes were cloudy and her whole being exuded an aura of approaching death. He quickly lowered his head again, a pang of grief welling up in his heart. His aunt, the one he had rarely seen since he was born, was about to leave him.
His voice was low as he couldn't help but call out, "Aunt..."
The Empress Dowager was also touched. She reached out her hand. "Hongxi, come... stay with me..."
This was against the rules.
But Lu Hongxi just couldn't bring himself to say it.
Seeing this, Nanny Gui quickly advised, "Your Highness, His Majesty has given special permission. And there is no one else here. Please don't be so formal."
Only then did Lu Hongxi stand up, walk forward, and sit on the edge of the couch, leaning slightly. Only then did he dare to take a good look at the Empress Dowager. "Your Majesty should take good care of yourself. Ning'er is a bit naughty. I wonder if she has caused you any trouble these days."
The Empress Dowager waved her hand. "I've watched Ning'er grow up. She has become much more steady now. With her around, I feel much more at ease."
Lu Hongxi nodded. "That's good, that's good."
The Empress Dowager sized Lu Hongxi up and down. "You've got gray hair at your temples. You've aged, Hongxi."
Lu Hongxi quickly said, "Your Majesty, I'm doing fine. My hair has turned gray only because the climate in Luocheng is not as good as that in the capital."
"If the climate is bad, then don't go there anymore."
Lu Hongxi was taken aback and looked at the Empress Dowager in surprise.
The Empress Dowager coughed a few times. "Hongxi, you're not young anymore. For many things, you can let Han Chi and Han Nian do them. Chengcheng is over three years old. The eldest grandson of the family can't be lacking in proper upbringing. There are only women in the family. How can the boys be brave and strong?"
Lu Hongxi quickly said, "Your Majesty, don't worry. Chengcheng has a martial arts teacher."
"Among all the men in the world, who can be more skilled in martial arts than you?"
Lu Hongxi was speechless. He looked at the Empress Dowager, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
The Empress Dowager reached out her hand, signaling Lu Hongxi to hold it. Then she said, "Hongxi, listen to your aunt. Hand over the tiger tally and the military power."
Lu Hongxi took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, you don't need to worry about the affairs of the court. His Majesty will make the arrangements."
The Empress Dowager shook her head. "Why should I worry about those things? The only thing I'm worried about is you, Hongxi. Hongxi, I'm too old. I'm about to go. But the thing I'm most worried about in my heart is you, Hongxi. A dying person can always see things more clearly than others. Please listen to your aunt's advice and hand over the tiger tally, okay?"
Lu Hongxi quickly knelt down, still holding the Empress Dowager's hand. "Your Majesty will live a long life. Please don't say such things. Your Majesty, I..."
The Empress Dowager struggled to sit up and tried to touch Lu Hongxi's face. "You don't need to call yourself a subject. Hongxi, you're my nephew and the hope of the Lu family. Listen to me..."
Maybe she was too excited. The Empress Dowager couldn't catch her breath. Lu Hongxi and Nanny Gui were so scared that they patted her on the back and fed her some water. Only then did she feel a little better.
Lu Hongxi was heart - broken. He quickly knelt down again and said, "Your Majesty, it's not that I'm reluctant to hand over the tiger tally. It's just that the Great Zhou is not in peace now. The people in the Northern Desert are cunning. They claim to surrender on the surface, but they've been making a lot of moves secretly. The supervisor of the army only reports good news but hides the bad. I'm really worried. In my opinion, there will be a tough battle between the Great Zhou and the Northern Desert this year."
The Empress Dowager was exhausted. Her face was sallow and looked terrible. She really didn't have the energy to persuade him anymore. She just looked at him sadly.
Lu Hongxi quickly added, "Your Majesty, don't worry. I already have a plan this time. I will surely drive the Northern Desert out of the territory of the Great Zhou and make them not dare to invade us for several years! In my opinion, within less than ten months, I will surely stabilize the country. By then, I will surely go to see His Majesty and resign. I will never go on an expedition again."
After leaving the inner chamber, Lu Hongxi's eyes were completely red and his hands were tightly clenched. He was used to seeing life and death. On the battlefield, who wasn't fighting bravely in blood? Life and death were just a moment's matter. But looking at the Empress Dowager's condition, he felt extremely uncomfortable. Maybe there was nothing more torturous than a lingering illness.
He paused at the entrance of Shoukang Palace and turned back to ask the eunuch, "I wonder if Princess Zhaoyang is here?"
The eunuch bowed respectfully. "Your Highness, the princess was here originally, but... she was summoned by the Queen to Guanjü Palace."
Lu Hongxi was a little disappointed, but he didn't say much and left the palace directly.
Lu Wanning was out of breath as she took a sedan chair to Guanjü Palace. Just as she got off the sedan chair, she saw a girl in plain clothes being led inside by a palace maid.
It was Shi Aohan.
Why did she enter the palace?
Lu Wanning frowned. In the book, at this time, just like Shi Aohan, she had already married Fu Rongxuan. At that time, she didn't quite understand why Fu Rongxuan always asked her to bring Shi Aohan with her whenever she entered the palace to meet the Queen.
Actually, she was just an excuse. For example, without her now, Shi Aohan still entered the palace gracefully. And judging from the situation, it seemed that she was going to live in Guanjü Palace?
Because Lu Wanning had just argued and cried, when she saw Shi Aohan, she didn't show any sign of saluting. She just rushed into the inner hall. Without waiting for the palace maid's help, she lifted the curtain and ran in. She threw herself into the Queen's arms and cried.
The Queen gently stroked Lu Wanning's hair. Seeing Shi Aohan standing awkwardly at the door, she waved her hand, signaling her to go out first.
"What's wrong with my Ning'er? You look like a little kitten. Let me have a look."
Lu Wanning didn't want to talk at all. She just kept crying. At first, it was just a slight sobbing, but later it turned into a howl.
The palace maids in Guanjü Palace came up with all kinds of ways. They put out one delicate trinket after another and finally managed to make Lu Wanning change her expression and show a slight smile.
The Queen asked the palace maid to take her down to wash up. When she came back, the Queen touched her little face. "Ning'er, if you've suffered any grievances, just tell me."
Lu Wanning pouted and was angry for a long time. Then she shook her head. "It's nothing..."
Her voice was hoarse. How could it be nothing?
The Queen laughed. "Silly girl, you're my niece. I love you the most. Someone, go and get the hairpin with phoenix - in - flight and emerald inlay that I just got."
Lu Wanning was extremely happy when she got the nice thing. Leaning in the Queen's arms, she asked, "Auntie loves Ning'er the most. Auntie, will you always love Ning'er in the future?"
"Of course."
"Then, if Ning'er wants something, will auntie give it to Ning'er?"
The Queen's eyelids twitched. She gently stroked her hair. "I don't have a daughter. You're just like my own daughter. Whatever I have, I will give it to you."
Lu Wanning smiled like a flower. "Then... if auntie has a daughter in the future?"