bookcurios Chapter 280 Figure it out
Chapter 280 Figure it out
The sky gradually brightened, the falling snow gradually fading. An Lingrong gently raised her bare hand, slowly parted the brocade curtains covering the carriage window, and peered out. All she saw was an endless expanse of white, as if this single, plain painting remained the only thing in the world. Amidst the vast expanse of heaven and earth, their carriage was the only thing, a tiny drop in the ocean, slowly moving through this silvery world.
After entering the Forbidden City, she went straight to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Yongzheng was discussing matters with his ministers in the Grand Council. Su Peisheng led An Lingrong into the hall, then brought a cup of steaming hot tea and placed it on the table in front of An Lingrong.
An Lingrong took a sip, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing a gentle and moving smile, and said softly, "Thank you, Steward Su."
Su Peisheng quickly bowed and humbly responded, "Your Majesty, you are so kind! It is my blessing to serve you."
This Concubine Wen is now the head of a palace, but she is always so humble and polite in her dealings with others, which makes Su Peisheng secretly praise her in his heart.
He noticed that whether she was dealing with a high-ranking eunuch like himself, or facing the lowest eunuch in the palace, Concubine Wen was always polite and courteous, and never showed any arrogance.
Thinking of this, Su Peisheng couldn't help but take a step forward, lowering his voice slightly, and approached An Lingrong and said, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has had a hard time these past two years, and he misses Concubine Wan very much. If Concubine Wan is willing to give the Emperor a way out, the Emperor will surely be very happy!"
Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in the world!
An Lingrong's expression remained calm upon hearing this, maintaining her dignified smile as she spoke softly, "Your Majesty's love and loyalty are profound, and I am deeply moved. If the day comes when His Majesty is able to fulfill his wish, I'm sure Steward Su will be delighted too!"
Now that Zhen Huan is back, Jing Xi is also back. How can Su Peisheng not be happy!
Su Peisheng was startled, then understood what she meant. He raised his head slightly, but only saw a gentle look in her eyes. Only then did he feel relieved and said, "Your Majesty is right. My happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy are all dependent on the Emperor!"
"Steward Su is loyal and devoted. With Steward Su here, I feel at ease!"
"Your Majesty, thank you for the prize!"
The two exchanged a few words, and then Yongzheng finished the meeting and strode back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
"Concubine, please pay your respects to the Emperor!"
Without waiting for her to finish her greeting, Yongzheng waved his hand and said crisply, "No need to bow, sit down."
After saying that, he took a few steps with his long legs and walked to An Lingrong's side, sitting on the chair next to her.
An Lingrong sat down as she was told.
Yongzheng then asked, "What happened?"
His words were brief and powerful, and at the same time, his fingers tapped unconsciously on the armrest, again and again, with a disordered rhythm, just like his disordered mood at the moment.
"Alas!" An Lingrong sighed softly, her voice lingering and melodious, "Your Majesty!"
After saying this, he stopped talking and turned to look at Yongzheng's expression.
There was a flash of anxiety in Yongzheng's eyes, but when he saw her looking at him, he quickly lowered his eyes, then reached out to pick up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and his brows inadvertently frowned slightly.
Pretend, what are you pretending for!
But she also understands the principle of knowing when to stop.
Then she continued, "Your Majesty, Sister Zhen is not feeling well. When I visited her, she was already bedridden!"
Yongzheng's expression, which had been calming down, turned anxious again. He asked several questions in a row: "You're not feeling well? Why is that? Are the people at Ganlu Temple not serving you well?"
An Lingrong secretly complained in her heart, but did not dare to show it at all. She just thought silently in her heart: She went to Ganlu Temple to practice asceticism, not to enjoy herself, how could she be taken care of so well.
She remained respectful on the surface, replying, "Your Majesty, since she entered Ganlu Temple, she has become an ordinary nun there, naturally spending her days in the company of the Buddha, surrounded by the ancient lamps. However, it's freezing cold today, and she... she left the palace after Longyue was born, and she didn't take good care of herself during the confinement period, leaving her with a host of postpartum illnesses. When I saw her, she had lost a lot of weight, and her face looked pale and haggard."
Every word was like a sharp blade, stabbing accurately into the depths of Yongzheng's heart.
Yongzheng felt as if his heart was being pierced by countless tiny silver needles. The dense tingling sensation spread from his chest to his whole body, almost suffocating him.
His eyes were filled with pain and self-blame, and the voice, appearance and smile of Zhen Huan in the past emerged involuntarily in his mind. That gentle smile and intelligent eyes were intertwined with the haggard and bedridden appearance described by An Lingrong, like a blunt knife slowly cutting into the depths of his soul.
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his arms trembling slightly, and he wished he could fly to Ganlu Temple immediately and bring Zhen Huan back from that abject place. However, his pride as an emperor bound him like a rope.
After a moment, he asked, "Then, is she willing to return to the palace?"
"I told her how much Concubine Hui and I missed her, and also told her many details about Princess Longyue. I even told her about how we celebrated her birthday at Suiyuxuan last year!"
Yongzheng couldn't contain himself anymore and looked straight at An Lingrong's face, not wanting to miss a single expression on her face. "How did she react?"
"She just said that she hopes the emperor can live up to his wish and live in peace forever." An Lingrong spoke in a calm tone, as if she was stating an insignificant matter.
But these words were like a huge rock smashing into Yongzheng's heart, rippling a thousand layers of despair. Yongzheng's face was full of disappointment, and that lonely look made him instantly age a few years: This means she doesn't want to come back!
An Lingrong sneered. Who was she showing this expression to? In her eyes, this was nothing more than the emperor's love and hypocrisy.
However, in an instant, she put on an affectionate expression, like a diligent messenger: "But I saw clearly that a tear flowed from her eyes when she said this." She deliberately emphasized the tone of the words "a tear" to deeply imprint this subtle detail in Yongzheng's heart.
Hearing this, Yongzheng instantly perked up, his eyes gleaming with hope, a light that nearly illuminated the entire Yangxin Palace. His body tensed again, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.
She is still thinking about herself!
Yongzheng sighed in relief, drank a few more sips of tea, and calmed his chaotic mood before saying, "I will go see her!"
Don’t go now, or you’ll be mad to death!
An Lingrong pondered this inwardly, but remained expressionless, remaining respectful. "Your Majesty, if you leave the palace rashly, it will arouse speculation from those with ulterior motives, potentially leading to complications. It would be better if Your Majesty chose a day when you can leave the palace with a legitimate reason."
Her eyes were sincere, as if she was only thinking about Yongzheng.
Yongzheng frowned slightly and repeated in a low voice: "The day when I can leave the palace legitimately?"
An Lingrong quietly shifted her gaze to Su Peisheng next to her.
Su Peisheng was so clever that he immediately understood what he meant. He stepped forward, bowed his waist and said, "Your Majesty, it's almost the second day of the second lunar month, the day when the dragon raises its head. According to tradition, you should leave the palace to go out for an outing and pray for blessings!"
Smart! An Lingrong secretly praised.
Yongzheng nodded in satisfaction, then said to An Lingrong, "You've worked hard this time. Go back and have a good rest!"