Both Huang Yiming and the emperor pivoted abruptly, their attention captivated by the figure standing in the shadows behind the stately pillar.
Meanwhile, only Huang Yiming discerned Li Jie’s slight trembling and the subtle signs of his hands shaking, carefully concealed beneath the billowing sleeves of his pristine white attire.
“Li Jie…” the emperor called out, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
“Imperial Father,” Li Jie echoed, a simmering rage within him tempered by the realization that this was neither the time nor the place for an overt display of emotions. Despite his inner turmoil, he wrestled to divert his gaze from his father, his eyes betraying a delicate quiver. “Yiming-ge… Can you accompany me to my chambers now that you’re free?”
Huang Yiming bowed respectfully to the emperor and promptly moved to Li Jie’s side, eschewing the need for explicit permission to depart from the emperor. At this moment, the emperor lacked the authority to instigate discord between himself and the formidable Huang household.
Seizing the opportunity presented by the emperor’s stunned state, Huang Yiming excused himself with a graceful bow, leaving the emperor to absentmindedly wave his hand.
In the mere seconds following Huang Yiming and Li Jie’s departure, the emperor found himself collapsing to his knees, his eyes widened, and his mouth agape in profound shock.
“Please gather yourself,” a voice resounded from above, snapping the emperor out of his stupor. “Get up.”
Looking skyward, Emperor Li Xian Jun was met with the unexpected sight of his displeased wife—the empress of the Li Kingdom, Yang Mei.
“Empress,” the emperor exclaimed, his astonishment deepening. It had been over a month since he last laid eyes on the empress.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Despite her busy schedule and far-reaching travels, Yang Mei had always yearned to embody the mother she envisioned. It was only upon witnessing the Empress of one of the Western kingdoms with her son that she recognized the errors of her ways. Determined to rectify matters before it was too late, she hastened back to the palace.
Before all else, she had intended to pay respects to their ancestors; however, what she hadn’t foreseen was stumbling upon her son eavesdropping on a distressing conversation.
“Yang Mei,” the emperor finally spoke, rising to his feet with deliberate slowness. “You have returned earlier than expected.”
“Yes,” the empress responded, her brow furrowing as she maintained a regal posture. “And you have reverted to your previous state earlier than expected.”
The emperor frowned but chose not to offer further retort to his wife’s pointed observation.
Despite the constraints of their arranged marriage and the absence of romantic sentiments, the emperor and empress had always shared an intimate friendship.
This close connection granted Empress Yang Mei a unique degree of autonomy compared to her predecessors, allowing her to remain true to herself without feeling the oppressive weight of the crown.
Nevertheless, even the strongest friendships faced challenges, and for Yang Mei and Li Xian Jun, this particular dispute seemed to linger, casting a shadow of uncertainty over whether it would resolve as seamlessly as their previous disagreements.
“I was wrong,” the emperor finally broke the lingering silence.
Both stood in the ancestral hall, their eyes avoiding each other for divergent reasons.
“Should I be the one hearing this apology?” Yang Mei responded after an agonizing minute for the emperor.
“No,” he replied, acknowledging that even if he were to convey his remorse to their son, its significance would likely be diminished.
Not every wound could mend, and not every transgression could find absolution.
“Li Jie is to be granted a harem,” the empress declared, her gaze fixing upon the emperor, her frown etched deeply on her face. “Why, Your Majesty?”
The emperor would have flinched at the empress addressing him as ‘Your Majesty’ had he not perfected the art of concealing his emotions long ago.
“Presently, we must divert public attention, and it appears to be the most strategic choice,” the emperor evaded meeting his wife’s eyes. “Li Jie’s personal affairs as the crown prince and the rumors surrounding them will shift focus from the kingdom’s current predicament.”
“Only six weeks,” the empress’s voice turned cold yet pulsated with emotion. “I was absent for just six weeks, attempting to forge an alliance that you failed to establish, and you have already subjected our child to countless forms of torment.”
A disquieting unrest nudged at the core of the emperor’s being, yet he brushed it aside with a measured response, declaring, “It is a sacrifice Li Jie must bear, and we are cognizant that, for the prosperity of his realm, he must part ways with much.”
“He ought not to,” countered the empress, her words laden with conviction. “Li Jie should not shoulder any burdens. If the governance of the kingdom birthed this predicament, then the onus should be on you to endure the sacrifice, not our son.”
Throughout the exchange, their gazes steadfastly avoided convergence, heightening the palpable strain between them.
“He ought not to,” Li Xian Jun conceded, his tone a solemn acknowledgment. “But necessity dictates otherwise. There exists no superior alternative.”
“I am profoundly disheartened by this,” the empress murmured, a somber shake of her head accompanying her words. “In truth, my disappointment extends to us both. We have failed our son on multiple fronts. He still harbors affection for us; I discern it within the depths of his heart, just as I did from the very beginning. But what transpires when he concludes that enduring anymore is no longer tenable?”
“My empress, Yang Mei…” The emperor’s voice wavered imperceptibly, though the empress remained oblivious. “I am not content with subjecting my own son to such treatment, manipulating him in this way, coercing him into a role that contradicts his essence, uttering words that should never cross his lips. Yet, if not me, another would deliver these truths before abruptly severing his existence.”
Yang Mei lapsed into silence, a contemplative pause that stretched for minutes as she carefully weighed the emperor’s words and her impending response.
“If you believe this epitomizes the conduct of a virtuous emperor, then you must acknowledge that you are the epitome of the deplorable,” declared Empress Yang Mei with unwavering resolve. “Even in the twilight of the day, an individual’s innate instinct compels them to shield their own kin, yet you spill that kinship upon the ground without a moment’s hesitation.”
With those cutting words, Empress Yang Mei turned on her heel and departed without lingering for the emperor’s rejoinder.
“Your Majesty,” a servant entered and bowed, a mere thirty minutes feeling like the blink of an eye to the emperor. “Eunuch Lang conveys that the preparations for the harem are now complete.”
