The First Auxiliary Road from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 1199: The Emperor and Empress of Qingyuan Palace Talk about the Inside Story
It took Sheng Ran about quarter of an hour to walk from Lanzheng Hall to Qingyuan Palace.

Without using the Phoenix Chariot, she walked slowly along the corridor.

The palace seemed particularly deserted near dusk.

The wind that came rushing all the way from the high pavilions of Langyuan and the branches and bushes, carrying with it the cold air, played a majestic and grand melody in every gap between the imperial city's buildings.

However, the sound of the wind seemed quite sad in the gradually misty palace complex.

Sheng Ran did not accept Zhiyu and the eunuch's advice to change to a sedan chair.

It was windy and foggy at the moment, making it difficult to walk; but the palace lanterns on both sides were bright, and there were palace servants carrying heaters around to accompany her.

This atmosphere, with chaos in the quietness and loneliness in the noise, can help her sort out those contradictory and pretentious thoughts.

She walked in silence all the way, and the palace servants and eunuchs around her saw that she was in deep thought and did not dare to disturb her easily.

Until the warm light pouring out from Qingyuan Palace came into view.

……

"Zi Tong came a little late today." Sitting on a specially made rocking chair, Emperor Yanping looked at Sheng Ran with a smile.

"I walked back by myself today." Sheng Ran's eyes swept across his face lightly, secretly hiding her hidden worry, and responded with a relaxed smile.

"Haha, it's rare that Zi Tong is so leisurely, very good." Emperor Yanping stretched out his hand to her and said with a smile, "It's windy outside, it must be very cold. Come, I will warm you up."

Hearing this, Sheng Ran glanced at him with a smile, "Your Majesty knows that I am cold, how can I approach you right away? Wait for me to warm myself up by the warm stove."

"I'm not a baby, why should I care so much?" Emperor Yanping muttered a few words, turned around and told the eunuchs to prepare dinner, and then muttered to Sheng Ran who had changed into casual clothes, "Today I asked someone to warm up the fruit wine, Zi Tong can't stop me from having a drink!"

Sheng Ran didn't respond, but asked curiously, "Why is the emperor so interested today?"

Emperor Yanping thought she had no objection and became childishly happy: "I haven't had the energy to have a good chat with Zi Tong for a long time. I want to drink some warm wine and talk to Zi Tong."

Since he said so, Sheng Ran naturally couldn't object and could only remind him not to drink too much.

……

"Zi Tong, do I keep my word? Since I promised you a small drink, I will just have a small cup." After dinner, Emperor Yanping sat on the warm bed, leaning against the thick pillow, and proudly asked Sheng Ran for credit.

"Yes, yes, the emperor's words are the most trustworthy." Sheng Ran responded twice as if coaxing a child.

Hearing her agreement, Emperor Yanping seemed to have heard the happiest thing, with joy on his face and in his eyes.

When Sheng Ran saw this, all the depression she had felt throughout the day disappeared. She picked up an orange from the fruit plate and began to peel it slowly.

Smelling the unique fragrance of citrus, Emperor Yanping seemed to feel a little sleepy.

Sheng Ran originally wanted to push the jade plate with orange flesh over, but seeing this, she immediately stopped, took the handkerchief from Er Zhiyu next to her, and gently wiped off the orange color left by the peel on her fingertips.

"Sister Ran." Emperor Yanping suddenly murmured this name that he had not called to her face for a long time, which made Sheng Ran slightly stunned.

She originally thought that these were just words spoken in a dream, but when Sheng Ran looked over, she found that Emperor Yanping was looking at her awake, and his eyes, which reflected her reflection, were clear and bright.

"We have been married for more than eight years, right?"

He suddenly brought up this topic, which made Sheng Ran suddenly feel worried.

"Why did Your Majesty think of this today?"

Emperor Yanping looked at Sheng Ran's face and smiled: "I've heard that when a couple lives together for a long time, their relationship will experience some twists and turns, which people often describe as the 'seven-year itch'. But we have been together day and night for so long, and I only regret that I can't be with you forever."

"…What are you talking about, Your Majesty?! Just because we've been together for eight years, can that be considered as deep love? I don't believe it and I won't admit it! Unless you wait 50 or 60 years before you say that."

When Emperor Yanping saw Sheng An pretending to be dissatisfied, he burst into laughter and said, "Sister An is still the same as before."

His hearty laughter made Sheng Ran feel uneasy.

Sure enough, after laughing, Emperor Yanping sighed softly: "I'm afraid it will be hard for you, Sister An, to take care of the little bear alone until he grows up."

Sheng Ran was startled and quickly put her hand on Emperor Yanping's lips: "Your Majesty, don't talk nonsense!"

"...Sister Ran." Emperor Yanping grabbed Sheng Ran's wrist helplessly, gently took her hand away from her mouth, and then placed it in his own palm, gently stroking it to comfort her.

"You are the smartest one, how can you not see the meaning of what I did before? I am just deceiving myself."

Emperor Yanping sighed and shook his head: "If I could protect you and Xiongwa, why would I have cleared away the thorns at the cost of being criticized? Now, the imperial city is quiet and lonely in the cold winter, just like the withered and desolate Jiang Chu royal family... Sister An, I am afraid that I will become a sinner of the Jiang family."

"How can Your Majesty take the blame? People often say that those who do evil will eventually perish. If we really want to find out who is the culprit, Yongping is the first one to bear the brunt! If she hadn't colluded with the villain, how could the late emperor fall into Lu's scheme? How could the royal family have no successor?! If she hadn't been unkind, unjust, unfaithful, unfilial, unfriendly, and unfraternal, how could Princess Yuanning die childless and early? And how could Your Majesty suffer from the legacy?"

As Sheng Ran spoke, her eyes were filled with tears: "Grand Princess Hong'an did not teach her daughter well, Concubine Cen fanned the flames, and who cares about the royal family? If one of them had disciplined her daughter and taught her how to behave, and one of them had avenged her son in an upright manner, they would not have gone to this extent! However, they brought this upon themselves, but they want Your Majesty to bear the blame. How can this be justified?!"

Emperor Yanping shook his head and said, "I have often dreamed of my grandfather and father sighing these days, saying that the bloodline of the Chen Dynasty was not preserved after all."

Sheng Ran's eyes dimmed when she heard this, and she asked in a hoarse voice, "Your Majesty, are you blaming me for being cruel and allowing Concubine Cen to poison all the men and women of Yongping?"

Emperor Yanping waved his hands, looked at her seriously, and said in a deep voice: "Queen, don't say such things again in the future! What does Concubine Cen do have to do with you?! If you want to be serious, it is my intention."

Seeing Sheng Ran's lips moving slightly as if to speak, he immediately spoke first: "Don't argue with me. I'm not making excuses for you. I really think so... If you weren't so kind, I wouldn't let the prince of Zhao leave the capital like this."

Sheng Ran was startled when she heard this. She looked up at Emperor Yanping's serious eyes. For a moment, she had a lot of thoughts and wanted to say a lot, but she didn't know where to start.

"I am afraid that the little boy is still young and cannot win the support of the people. The ministers in the cabinet will fight for power and the relatives of the royal family will take advantage of the situation..."

When talking about the future that he could not control, Emperor Yanping's calm eyes were actually covered with tears.

He choked up and held Sheng Ran's hand, asking her to look into his eyes. He earnestly and word by word warned her: "Sister Ran, my queen, you must remember... If one day, the young emperor cannot sit firmly on the throne, you, the queen... can take his place!"