"You?"
"Lady Xiao, there's no need to look at me like that. I've always been this straightforward. Speaking of which, I've done quite a favor for Gu Hanxun. Back then, I exhausted all my efforts to treat his legs. Although our relationship was based on a deal, he failed to keep his promise to me."
"Miss—"
"He knew my identity from the very beginning. Everything was his plan. Lady Xiao, stay out of the matter between Gu Hanxun and me. Your son is not as simple as you think."
Seeing that Zhao Shuning showed no sign of relenting, Lady Xiao got up from the ground. Her body swayed slightly.
Lady Xiao was neither an alchemist nor a person with great power. Without the support of spiritual energy and the nourishment of beauty pills, wrinkles were already visible at the corners of her eyes.
It was too late for her to start planning for her son at this age. By now, Gu Hanxun had grown strong enough. Lady Xiao's care at this moment meant little to him. She should have understood this.
"Miss, I know you're not an ordinary person. I realized that during the Flower - Seeking Festival. I also know that my son is no longer the innocent child he used to be. He can live well even without me. But as a mother, I really don't know what I can do for him."
"I'm like a floating duckweed in the harem, with no power or influence. I can't even protect myself, let alone him."
"My son doesn't understand me and blames me. I have no way to change that."
"Sigh—"
Lady Xiao heaved a long sigh. Looking dejected, she walked towards the door.
Zhao Shuning couldn't hold back and spoke up. After all, Lady Xiao still thought that she had done nothing wrong all along. It was the harem and Gu Hanxun's lack of understanding that were at fault.
"Lady Xiao, please wait. I have something to tell you today."
"You said you were like a floating duckweed in the harem. Then why did you give birth to Gu Hanxun? Was it for power and status? I remember the old servants in the palace saying that the King doted on Gu Hanxun very much in the early days. If the Qin family hadn't intervened later, your position in the palace would have been even higher."
"You said you were helpless. But after you knew that the Qin family was targeting Gu Hanxun, as his mother, did you ever stand by his side? Yes, you said you had no power or influence. But have you ever thought that as a young child in the palace, besides you, who else could Gu Hanxun rely on? If the Princess hadn't stepped in, Gu Hanxun might have suffered more than just losing the use of his legs."
"You always say you were helpless. If you really wanted what was best for him, knowing the whirlpool you would be in, you shouldn't have brought him into this world. Since you did, you shouldn't have left him alone to face the dangers of the harem."
"So, Lady Xiao, it's not that Gu Hanxun doesn't understand you. It's that you've never really stood by his side and considered things from his perspective."
Zhao Shuning said a lot in one breath.
Lady Xiao seemed to be deeply shocked. She stood still on the spot, staring fixedly at Zhao Shuning. For so many years, she was the first person to dare to say such things to her.
"You—"
"Of course, what I said is just my opinion. Lady Xiao, if you take it to heart, that's good. If not, it has nothing to do with me."
"You—if you don't like Hanxun, why do you understand his state of mind so well? And why do you speak on his behalf? Miss, you—"
"Gu Hanxun and I have nothing to do with each other. But during the time I spent with him, I could catch a glimpse of his character."
"Lady Xiao, please leave. I won't see you off."
Zhao Shuning opened the door. Lady Xiao walked out of the Chengxun Hall. With a group of maids, she headed back to her own palace.
Walking on the main road in the palace, Lady Xiao's mind was filled with what Zhao Shuning had just said. Maybe she had been too selfish all these years and had never considered things from her son's perspective.
"Your Ladyship, are we going back now?"
Lady Xiao shook her head. "Let's take a walk around with me."
At this moment, Gu Hanxun was standing in a corner of the pear orchard, staring blankly at the trees. Shadow was standing beside him. His master had been in a daze for an hour.
"Your Majesty, since your wife has finally returned, why don't you go back and accompany her?"
Hearing this, a bitter look appeared on Gu Hanxun's face.
"Shadow, do you think she'll be happy to see me if I go back?"
Shadow fell silent. The Lady of the King had appeared, disappeared, appeared again, disappeared again, and now appeared once more. Every time, she could stir up a huge wave in his master's heart.
"Shadow, what do you think brought her back this time? Sigh—No matter what it is, it must not be because of me."
"I've imagined countless times in the night how happy I would be when we reunited. I even thought about what I would say to her in apology and what I would give her—the best things in the Cangwu Kingdom. But when she came back and opened her mouth, my excited heart seemed to fall into an ice - cold cave in an instant."
What kind of woman was she? What kind of concessions did he have to make for her to take a step towards him?
Gu Hanxun shook his head and smiled bitterly. Now that she looked at him with such coldness in her eyes, how could he even meet her gaze?
"Let's go to the imperial study."
"Your Majesty, aren't you going back to the Chengxun Hall tonight?"
Gu Hanxun shook his head. Looking in the direction where Zhao Shuning was, he said, "She must be exhausted from the long journey. I'll rest in the imperial study tonight and let her have a good sleep."
If he was in the Chengxun Hall, she probably wouldn't be able to sleep well.
Gu Hanxun arrived at the imperial study. In front of him, the memorials were filled with the name "Ningning". When the palace steward reported earlier, Gu Hanxun had remained calm on the surface, but his hand had already been trembling.
"Your Majesty, let me put these away for you." Out of sight, out of mind.
Gu Hanxun covered his eyes wearily and waved his hand. In a short while, the desk was filled with brand - new rice paper.
"Your Majesty, all the memorials have been reviewed. There's no more official business to handle for now."
"I see. You can leave."
"Yes."
Gu Hanxun looked at the clean rice paper in front of him, and a pang of sadness welled up in his heart. Actually, he should have had a chance, right? After all, at the very beginning, Ningning had been completely honest with him.
Gu Hanxun picked up his brush, trying to write a poem. But his mind was in a mess, and the words on the paper were all jumbled up.