Chapter 18: The Amulet for Seeking Children
“Your Majesty?” Zhao Yiyi turned her head, looking at him in astonishment, then her gaze fell on the desk, on their tightly clasped hands.
His palm was warm, with a few calluses. The force of his grip made her bones ache slightly.
Noticing her slightly furrowed brow, Gu Zhen loosened his grip slightly and softly said, “Don’t speak.” Then, he looked up and gave the Prince Yan a look.
Somehow, his casual words calmed her, and her mind became peaceful.
Before Prince Yan could act, Zhao Duanduan said, “This was sought by this servant for my mother. If it’s removed, it will lose its efficacy. I hope the Seventh Prince will return it to this servant.”
Her calm and composed manner stunned everyone, even the Empress Dowager didn’t react in time.
“You sought it for your mother?” The Empress Dowager frowned, her voice tinged with authority.
To her knowledge, Madam Xu’s background was questionable, and her relationship with the Empress was not like that of a mother and daughter, but more like enemies.
Moreover… The Empress Dowager glanced at Madam Xu. Madam Xu herself already had a child, and at her age, what did she need to pray for?
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager’s expression darkened. “Is what you said true?”
Imperial Concubine He also looked serious and chimed in, “Miss Zhao, this is in front of the Empress Dowager, His Majesty, and the Empress. You must think carefully. Deceiving the Emperor is punishable by death.”
Zhao Yiyi’s hand, clenched in her sleeve, suddenly tightened. Duanduan hadn’t been through much, and the Empress Dowager was one thing, but how could she stand up to Imperial Concubine He… Thinking this, she held Gu Zhen’s hand, slightly turning her head to look at him with a pleading gaze.
The beauty’s eyes were filled with sadness, with tears welling up. Gu Zhen’s heart softened instantly, unable to bear to watch her cry again.
Zhao Duanduan’s expression didn’t change, but her eyes suddenly reddened. “For this amulet, this servant walked up the mountain every three days, devoutly practicing Buddhism in the temple for dozens of days, copying hundreds of volumes of scriptures. Besides my mother, who else in this world could make this servant make such an effort?”
Gu Zhen looked down at Zhao Yiyi, but saw that she was still looking at him, their eyes meeting.
Putting aside the turmoil in his heart, he thought that Zhao Duanduan’s words were earnest and sorrowful, and the Empress Dowager should be moved. He estimated it would be fine.
As he expected, the Empress Dowager’s expression was indeed moved, but Imperial Concubine He persisted, “Your mother already has a child, why do you need to pray for one?”
“It’s a family matter, I didn’t want to talk about it, but at this point, if this servant doesn’t make it clear, the Imperial Concubine probably won’t believe it.” After saying this, Zhao Duanduan suddenly started to cry. She turned to look at Madam Xu, her gaze seemingly accidentally glancing over Zuo Lianzhi.
No one else had seen it, but since she deliberately said it, don’t blame her for dragging them down. Everyone would have a hard time.
“Although Mother didn’t say it, this servant knew that she lost a younger sibling last year,” Zhao Duanduan sobbed, “Because I didn’t want to make Mother sad again, I had the idea of seeking this amulet, hoping that future younger siblings would be able to stay.”
Madam Xu’s heart beat rapidly, wanting to ask this girl how she knew about her miscarriage, but then remembered that when she miscarried last year, the Marquis had summoned a court physician to treat her.
If so, it wouldn’t be difficult for the Empress to find out.
It was quite natural that Zhao Duanduan would know.
There were records of the medical case, so she couldn’t lie. Although unwilling, she had to come forward and say, “Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant did indeed have a pregnancy last year…”
Her stepmother wasn’t kind, yet she had gone to such lengths for her stepmother. It was clearly worthy of the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars.
Even the Empress Dowager, who had quite a prejudice against the Zhao family, exclaimed, “You are a filial child.”
Zhao Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief, her slender white hand gradually loosening its grip, her pale fingertips regaining their rosy color. She gently separated her hand from his.
As if noticing something, Gu Zhen lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze fixed on her jade-like hand.
Slowly, a cold smile curved his lips. Fine, she uses him tightly when she needs to, but now that she doesn’t, she doesn’t even look at him again.
She’s becoming increasingly less respectful of him.
Gu Zhen turned his head, smiling somewhat maliciously, looking at the amulet and saying, “It’s just a deceptive tactic. What use is it, even if you pray for it?”
Zhao Yiyi was suddenly stunned. A moment ago, wasn’t he going to help her? Why had he suddenly changed his mind?
Her heart pounding, she turned her head slightly, nervously, only to meet a pair of stern and cold eyes. This imperial majesty was completely different from the gentle way he had just comforted her.
Perhaps she had urged him too much, and had somehow displeased him, Zhao Yiyi thought blankly. The more she thought, the faster her heart sank, eventually falling into a bottomless abyss.
Gradually, a slight chill settled in her chest.
She had forgotten that he was not only her husband, but also the Emperor of Da Chu, a man whose actions could determine the life and death of millions. How could she easily guess the Emperor’s likes and dislikes?
Zhao Yiyi frowned and didn’t want to speak, even slightly turning her head away, wondering if moving away from him would make it better?
Gu Zhen glanced to the side, but saw her move further away. Instantly, his expression darkened further, his hand holding the wine cup tightening slightly, causing veins to bulge on the back of his hand.
The Empress Dowager saw Gu Zhen refute her words and was clearly unhappy, but she also knew that not only did he not believe in gods and Buddhas, but he was quite averse to these things, so she said softly, “She’s just a young lady, what can she do? It’s enough that she has this kind of heart.”
Speaking, the Empress Dowager waved her hand at Zhao Duanduan. “Alright, she’s crying pitifully. Empress, quickly take your sister to freshen up.”
Zhao Yiyi didn’t know what was wrong with the man beside her, it seemed like nothing she did was right. Hearing the Empress Dowager’s words, she got up with relief. “Thank you, Mother. This concubine will take Duanduan to the back hall.”
A few female officials came to take Zhao Duanduan away. Zuo Lianzhi, on the side, clenched her fists and looked at her departing figure, her face practically red with anger.
In order to see Zhao Duanduan disgraced, she had deliberately spoken out. Unexpectedly, not only did she not achieve her goal, but she was also outmaneuvered, and in the end, the Empress Dowager even praised her!
In the back hall, palace maids brought a copper basin, jade comb, and cosmetics. After washing Zhao Duanduan’s face, they re-applied her makeup.
Zhao Yiyi watched coldly from the side. After she was made up and the palace maids were dismissed, she said, “You’ve become quite resourceful. Tell me, what’s really going on?”
“Sister…” Zhao Duanduan’s eyes reddened, timidly looking at her, not daring to speak.
Zhao Yiyi’s expression darkened further, suppressing her anger. “Think carefully before you speak.”
Zhao Duanduan’s breathing was slightly rapid, and after calming down, she insisted, “I really prayed for Mother. Sister, don’t ask!”
Zhao Yiyi knew her worries all too well, and the clearer she was, the more uncomfortable she felt.
Closing her eyes, she said gravely, “Do you know how anxious I was just now? You found a way out today, but will you always be able to in the future? Remember this, you must think carefully before acting in the future, and never put yourself in danger.”
Zhao Duanduan nodded with red eyes, whispering, “Sister, I was wrong. I won’t dare to do it again. Don’t be angry.”
“Aside from that, have you ever considered what would happen if you were discovered?” Zhao Yiyi asked.
Zhao Duanduan said, “I’ve already thought about it. If someone sees it, I’ll say I prayed for her.”
Looking at her pitiful appearance, Zhao Yiyi felt a little soft-hearted. She remembered that last year she only mentioned Madam Xu’s miscarriage, and yet she had silently remembered it until now, and was able to come up with a countermeasure so quickly.
She sighed softly and got up. “Wipe your tears. It’s time to go.”
The two of them lingered in the back hall for a long time, and when they came out, the seat beside her was already empty.
Mancao whispered, “It seems he has some political matters to attend to. His Majesty has gone to Zi Chen Palace.”
Zhao Yiyi slightly raised her head, looking towards Zi Chen Palace through the many palace halls, and her heart became troubled. Once, she had asked her mother what it was like to love someone, and her mother said that if you love someone, you will think of everything for them, and want to give them the best.
She asked, would that make you happy?
Her mother replied, it should be happy.
But now, she suddenly felt that loving someone was so bitter… so bitter.
The anxiety and uncertainty, and having to bear his unpredictable moods and his inscrutable thoughts.
She had a little, a tiny bit, of not wanting to love him anymore.
_______________