The Empress frowned slightly. "Ning'er."
Lu Wanning stuck out her tongue, hugged the Empress, and buried her head in the Empress's shoulder. "Auntie, Her Highness the Empress Dowager is seriously ill. Ning'er is so sad. From now on, there will be no one to protect Ning'er."
The Empress's eyes flickered. So, what made this girl sad was not the impending death of the Grand Imperial Aunt, but the fact that there would be no one to protect her anymore? It seemed that, no matter how much she had changed on the surface, she was still a stupid girl at heart.
The Empress tightened her embrace. "Ning'er, don't be afraid. From now on, this Palace will surely protect you."
Outside, Shi Aohan's eyes glinted with cold light. The Empress's tenderness, no, the tenderness of everyone around her, was always reserved for Lu Wanning. Lu Wanning was born domineering and selfish, yet she was also born to be doted on by everyone.
What about herself? After all her efforts, she could only obtain a little bit of love. Was it love, or just a pitying charity? She knew it clearly in her heart.
Even if she was just a pawn to them, she had it much harder than Lu Wanning.
After receiving a lot of nice gifts and having some snacks with the Empress, Lu Wanning happily returned to the Palace of Longevity and Health.
Just overnight, the Empress suddenly suffered from a headache. Since it was late at night and no one noticed, she almost died. Fortunately, Shi Aohan, who served her, found out in time and used her family's silver needles to save the Empress.
Early the next morning, the Empress led Shi Aohan to the Emperor and expressed her intention to adopt Shi Aohan as her god - daughter and arrange a marriage for her.
The Emperor had been indulging in cultivating Taoism for half a year. He had delegated most of the court affairs to the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yu, so he didn't care much about the Empress's decision to adopt a god - daughter.
He just glanced up. The girl in front of him looked a bit familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen her. So he just waved his hand. "I grant it."
Shi Aohan was a bit disappointed. She bit her lips and stared at the Emperor for a long time, but still didn't receive a single glance from him.
The Empress glared at her. "Han'er, why don't you thank His Majesty?"
Shi Aohan then lowered her head to express her gratitude, but the Emperor just snorted and didn't pay much attention.
Just as they were about to leave, the Emperor spoke again. "Wait. Did you say... she is going to be your god - daughter? Let her come closer for a look."
Shi Aohan was overjoyed. She quickly stepped forward, softly raised her head, and looked at the Emperor with admiration in her eyes.
The Emperor frowned. "Oh, she's from the He family."
The Empress nodded. "Yes, she's the niece of my sister - in - law. Your Majesty, do you find her familiar?"
The Emperor said unhappily. "Isn't she the one who competed with Princess Zhaoyang for a fiancé? I have some impression of her."
Shi Aohan felt even more disappointed. So, the Emperor's only impression of her was that she had competed with Lu Wanning for a fiancé?
"You're really an ignorant girl. How dare you stare at me like this when you see me? If you weren't from the Empress's family, I would have had your eyes dug out long ago."
The Taoist priest beside him immediately advised. "Your Majesty, if you want to cultivate immortality, how can you commit killings?"
The Emperor nodded. "You're right. I was careless. By the way, who is the Empress planning to marry her to?"
The Empress frowned. "Your Majesty, it's... the young master of the Duke of Loyalty and Valor, the Heir of the Duke."
The Emperor was silent for a long time after hearing this. His eyes sized up Shi Aohan from head to toe.
The Empress and Shi Aohan knelt below, feeling extremely uneasy. Usually, the Emperor didn't care about such things. Why did he want to know the details today?
The Emperor twirled the jade ring on his finger and sneered. "Fu Rongxuan? Isn't he the one Princess Zhaoyang fancied? Aren't you afraid that Princess Zhaoyang will make a fuss, Empress?"
The Empress's face turned even uglier, and beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.
Shi Aohan bowed deeply and said gracefully. "Your Majesty, Princess Zhaoyang has already forgotten about the Heir of the Duke. She even blessed the Heir and this subject."
The Emperor laughed. "Oh? Is that girl so generous?"
Shi Aohan quickly agreed. "Your Majesty, Princess Zhaoyang is magnanimous. This subject is extremely grateful. Moreover, Her Majesty the Empress is the mother of the nation. Even if Princess Zhaoyang is ignorant, she shouldn't override the imperial power."
The Emperor's eyes immediately turned cold. He looked at Shi Aohan deeply. "Someone, reward her. Since this girl is the Empress's god - daughter, I will reward her with a hundred taels of gold."
Shi Aohan's face turned embarrassing. The Emperor's words meant that she was only worthy of being the Empress's daughter, not his. And usually, when rewarding a girl, jade ornaments were given. Who would give gold? Did he mean to let everyone know that she was in straitened circumstances?
But this was not the time to worry about this. Obviously, her words about not overriding the imperial power had won the Emperor's heart. It seemed that the Emperor's suspicion of the Lu family had reached its peak and was on the verge of breaking out.
The Emperor added. "However, since she has snatched Princess Zhaoyang's fiancé, the Empress should also find a suitable fiancé for Princess Zhaoyang, right?"
The Empress rolled her eyes slightly. "Your Majesty, Princess Zhaoyang was very sad yesterday because the Prince of Yu rejected her."
The Emperor asked. "Really?"
The Empress was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Your Majesty. Princess Zhaoyang even broke into this Palace to cry yesterday."
The Emperor's eyes turned sinister, but he didn't respond.
The Empress pressed on. "Alas, Your Majesty knows that Princess Zhaoyang has been spoiled by the Empress Dowager. She always wants what she wants... Making such a fuss in the palace only makes people laugh at her. It would be better if..."
"I have my own plans. You may leave."
The Emperor waved his hand and interrupted the Empress.
The Empress led Shi Aohan out. Her eyebrows lifted slightly. The Emperor was wary of the Lu family. She had thought of many ways to separate the He family from the Lu family and also prevented the Crown Prince from getting too close to Lu Wanning. Now that Lu Wanning herself had taken a fancy to the Prince of Yu, it was really a stroke of luck.
As long as Lu Wanning married the Prince of Yu, the Emperor's guilt towards the Prince of Yu might disappear, and instead, all that would be left was suspicion. In the future, let's see what Sheng Jinyu could use to compete with Yi'er!
There was chaos in the Palace of Longevity and Health. The Empress Dowager had been in a bad condition last night, and this morning, she was only breathing out but not in.
Lu Wanning knelt in front of the couch, looking dazed. She didn't even feel the sadness or joy in her heart. Since she had traveled to this world, she had found that this old woman was terminally ill. She had just been holding on for so long because she was worried about Lu Hongxi.
It was so hard to hold on. Perhaps, Lu Hongxi had disappointed her yesterday.
How painful it must be to leave this world with disappointment!
The imperial physicians were kneeling on the ground. The Emperor was furious. He was on the verge of spitting out blood and roared that if they couldn't save the Empress Dowager, they would lose their heads.
The Empress Dowager was on her deathbed. She pulled the Emperor's hand weakly and mumbled. "Your Majesty... Your Majesty... Spare the Lu family... Spare the Lu family..."
The Emperor's face was wet with tears. "Mother, look at your son, look at your son... Mother, you always think about them. Think about your son for once. Your son is your own flesh and blood!"
The Empress Dowager couldn't hear him. She just tried to reach out and touch the Emperor's face. "You've all grown old... Promise me... Promise me..."
The Emperor cried out in despair. "I promise you, son promises you. Mother, as long as you get better, son will promise you anything..."
The Empress Dowager managed to squeeze out a faint smile, and then her hand drooped softly.