The Prodigal Son

The Empress Dowager's dissatisfaction was written all over her face.

"Mother, please don't overthink it."

Zhao Luan stepped forward to support the Empress Dowager, saying, "Your subject is a woman, but also the Empress of Great Ning! Your subject cannot let her great talent go to waste just because she is a woman! Your subject also hopes to nurture Qin Yu and cultivate talents to stabilize and secure the country for Great Ning!"

"So what if you won a battle in Chenzhou by relying on your cleverness? It's not like you wiped out Bei Qi!"

The Empress Dowager glanced at Qin Yu with displeasure, then said to Zhao Luan, "If we're talking about great talent, I think Zhao Yan is the truly talented one! He's virtuous and capable, and a perfect match for me!"

"Mother..."

Zhao Luan gave a rare coquettish laugh, then instructed, "Qin Yu, you and Shangguan accompany the Crown Prince for a stroll! I haven't seen the Empress Dowager for some time, so please keep her company for a while."

"yes!"

Qin Yu accepted the order and gestured, "Your Highness, this way please!"

Zhao Yan frowned.

Zhao Luan chased people away as soon as she arrived?

He won't even give me a chance to talk to her?

In what way can I be inferior to Qin Yu?

Zhao Yan felt very uncomfortable and cast an inquiring glance at the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly, signaling him to leave first.

"Zhao Yan will take his leave now!"

Zhao Yan then bowed to the Empress Dowager and Zhao Luan, and left with Qin Yu and Shangguan Youyi.

Watching Zhao Yan leave, the Empress Dowager immediately scolded him in an annoyed tone: "You really are my good daughter, chasing people away as soon as you arrive, showing no respect for me at all!"

The same thing happened with Yu Jing last time, and it's happening with Zhao Yan this time as well.

What, does she really want to marry Qin Yu?

Didn't she want to be a good emperor?

Wasn't she trying to prove to the world that the late emperor's decision was correct?

Now, just because she doesn't want to marry Zhao Yan, she doesn't even care about the safety of the country?

"Mother, please calm your anger!"

Zhao Luan smiled and lowered her voice, saying, "I have come here today because I have something important to discuss with Mother."

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly.

Seeing that Zhao Luan didn't seem to be lying, she said calmly, "I'm tired too. Come inside and have some tea! This morning I had someone collect some Hundred Flower Dew, which is perfect for brewing peony tea."

"Then your daughter is in for a treat."

Zhao Luan smiled and helped the Empress Dowager walk through the corridor into the house.

Upon entering the room, the Empress Dowager ordered someone to brew tea.

"Let our daughter do it!"

Zhao Luan smiled slightly at the Empress Dowager, "It's been quite a few years since I personally brewed tea. I wonder if my skills have become rusty."

The Empress Dowager paused slightly, a flash of understanding crossing her eyes. "Very well, I'll take this opportunity to try your cooking!"

Then, the Empress Dowager instructed the maids serving in the room, "I have a private conversation with His Majesty. You may all leave!"

"yes!"

Several palace maids quickly bowed and withdrew.

"Guo Yang, stand guard outside! Anyone who dares to approach, kill them without mercy!"

The Empress Dowager issued another order.

The voice wasn't loud, but it was incredibly authoritative.

"yes!"

A voice rang out from where it could not be seen.

As the door closed, Zhao Luan went to the stove, brewed tea, and told the Empress Dowager about her worries and plans.

In order to get the Empress Dowager's help, she even told the Empress Dowager about her grand plan to destroy Yan.

The Empress Dowager's shock never ceased from beginning to end.

She never expected that Zhao Luan would do so many things!

It turns out that the clothes she wore, made of long-staple cotton, were actually part of her grand plan to destroy the Yan state!

Moreover, it was actually Qin Yu's brilliant plan!

Is this Qin Yu really that talented?

Only after Zhao Luan finished speaking did the Empress Dowager pick up the peony tea that had long since cooled and drink it down to calm herself down.

A moment later, the Empress Dowager stood up and paced back and forth in the room.

Sometimes joyful, sometimes worried, sometimes helpless...

Zhao Luan remained silent, simply refilling the Empress Dowager's teacup with tea.

Although she appeared confident in front of Qin Yu, she was still somewhat worried inside.

Qin Yu's plan did indeed require the Empress Dowager's cooperation.

It could even be said that the Empress Dowager's attitude determined the success or failure of the entire plan!

If the Empress Dowager refuses to cooperate, she would absolutely not dare to use Qin Yu's plan.

After about fifteen minutes, the Empress Dowager stopped and, with her back to Zhao Luan, asked in a low voice, "How old were you when you came to serve me?"

"Seven years old!"

Zhao Luan answered without hesitation, a look of reminiscence on her face, "That winter, my mother passed away. In a daze, I fell into the pond and almost drowned. Afterwards, I fell seriously ill. It was my mother who stroked my head and said to me: From today onwards, I am your mother..."

This happened many years ago.

But Zhao Luan remembered it exceptionally clearly.

In her most sorrowful and helpless moment, the Empress Dowager was like a ray of light shining into her life.

The Empress Dowager grabbed her hand and placed it in the Crown Prince's hand, solemnly instructing him to protect her and not let her be bullied.

For many years afterward, the Empress Dowager treated her as her own daughter and taught her with great care.

"Yes! Seven years old! In the blink of an eye, we've been mother and daughter for thirteen years."

The Empress Dowager sighed softly, "Over the years, I have scolded you and resented you, but I have never regretted acknowledging you as my daughter!"

Zhao Luan trembled, her eyes instantly reddening. She lowered her gaze and said, "I have resented Mother over the years, but I have always remembered Mother's kindness! Mother once told me that it would be so much better if my eldest brother were still here. In fact, I have always thought so too..."

If her elder brother Zhao Cheng were still alive, she and her mother would never have had so many conflicts, and she would have been a princess showered with love and affection.

Unfortunately, there aren't that many "what ifs" in this world!

She wanted to be a good emperor and live up to her father's expectations, so she had to wrest power back from the Empress Dowager!

The Empress Dowager slowly turned around, a sudden burst of majesty emanating from her. "I am the Empress Dowager of Da Ning, and also your mother! This concerns the fate and future of Da Ning; I have no reason not to help you!"

Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Zhao Luan felt a great weight lifted from his heart and knelt down heavily: "Your subject thanks Your Majesty!"

Just as she thought!

The Empress Dowager was ultimately willing to stand on the side of the country!

"Don't rush to thank me!"

The Empress Dowager raised her hand to stop Zhao Luan. "Both I and the Lü family are fully willing to cooperate with you! But I must make this clear from the outset: if this plan fails, for the sake of the Great Ning dynasty, you must marry Zhao Yan!"

Zhao Luan paused for a moment, then nodded gently: "I understand! If the plan fails, as the Empress of Great Ning, I must stand up for the safety of the nation! I am first and foremost the Empress of Great Ning, and only secondly a woman!"

"Good that you understand!"

The Empress Dowager exhaled a breath of stale air, and suddenly felt relieved.

That's it!

So be it!

Just as she said, the existence of the Prince of Chengyang was ultimately a threat.

If we can capture the Prince of Chengyang without bloodshed, then when we destroy Yan in the future, Da Ning will have no worries about the rear.

I'm getting on in years, and this girl has grown into a qualified emperor.

If I continue to covet power and fight with her, I will only damage the foundation of Da Ning!

If he could help her accomplish the great task that Emperor Xiaowu and the previous emperor failed to achieve, he could also leave a good name in the history books of future generations.

Even when I'm in the afterlife, I will have no regrets towards Emperor Xiaowu and the late emperor...