No one in the imperial palace slept peacefully either.
Haoyue opened her eyes, weakly propping herself up from the ground. It took her a moment to adjust to the darkness; she didn't even know when she had fainted.
"Someone come."
Deathly silence. Haoyue wasn't surprised. This was how the palace worked—those in power commanded the wind and rain, while those who fell from grace were considered fortunate if others didn't kick them while they were down.
Reaching out, her fingertips barely visible in the gloom, Haoyue let out a soft, bitter laugh and forced herself to stand. Groping her way forward, she found the wall and felt slightly reassured. Moving further, she touched the door and pulled—unsurprisingly, it didn't open.
After standing still for a moment, Haoyue turned and walked toward the center of the room. Based on the palace's architectural layout, there should be an octagonal table ahead—she was rather thirsty.
She did find something, but the height didn't feel like an octagonal table...
Wait!
Haoyue suddenly remembered something and instinctively retreated several steps until her back hit the door with nowhere left to go. She turned around, clinging tightly to the door as if seeking some semblance of security. This place... this was...
How could it be!
But then again, why couldn't it be!
Haoyue closed her eyes, her already weak body sliding down the door to collapse on the floor. In this palace, the unimaginable was always possible. That old devout woman had spent her entire life here and knew exactly how to strike at a person's weakest point.
I'm not afraid, Haoyue told herself inwardly. I'm not afraid at all. They died by my hands when they were alive, and even in death, they can't come back to haunt me!
A faceless face suddenly flashed through her mind. Haoyue let out a muffled scream. That child... it was her child. No, no, it wasn't. She wouldn't give birth to such a monster. She wouldn't. She had clearly ordered others to handle everything, never getting her own hands dirty. She had kept anything that could potentially harm the child far away. Why did this still happen? Why!
Wrapping her arms around her knees, Haoyue sat pressed tightly against the door, as if only this could provide her with a sliver of security.
The wind picked up, rustling the leaves outside. The sound drifted in, faint and elusive—sometimes seeming to come from outside, other times feeling as if it originated within the room itself. Haoyue covered her ears and buried her head in her knees, not wanting to listen, yet unable to stop herself from straining to catch every slight noise.
The more she listened, the more it seemed to be right within reach... behind her... beside her ear.
Curling into a ball, Haoyue whimpered softly, waving her hands as if to drive away any possible ghosts or spirits. But they remained, entangling her and crawling onto her...
"Ah! Get away, get away!"
Haoyue screamed and scrambled away, unintentionally stumbling back to the center of the room where she collided with the waist-high bed. The moment she touched it, her screams grew even more piercing as she frantically crawled away.
Outside, the Empress Dowager stood in plain clothes, listening expressionlessly to the commotion inside. So she's scared already? I'm afraid it's still too early. What she took from others amounts to far more than this! These are all debts—to be repaid day by day until her death.
"Keep watch. Don't let her die easily. This family hopes she outlives me."
"Yes, this servant has already summoned the imperial physician to remain on standby."
The Empress Dowager nodded slightly and turned to leave. After exiting Like Moon Hall, she glanced back and said, "Take down this plaque. It's an eyesore."
"Yes."Unable to vent her frustration, the Empress Dowager lightly patted her chest. "Has someone been arranged to attend to the Crown Prince?"
"Yes, I personally selected some reliable ones to go."
"Reliability alone isn't enough. They must be clever. Give them proper warnings—those with ulterior motives should tread carefully. The Crown Prince is young, and if anyone harbors ill intentions, I won't just deal with that person alone."
"Understood."
"And also..." The Empress Dowager suddenly fell silent, pausing in her steps. After a moment of deep thought, she said, "Tomorrow, summon Hua Zhi to the palace. You go personally."
"Yes."
The Empress Dowager's decree came abruptly, causing the senior maids to instinctively feel anxious. Her injuries hadn't even healed yet, and she had to enter the palace again?
However, Hua Zhi showed no hesitation. Now that the palace was filled with her own people, she no longer needed to enter with the resolve of bidding her family farewell each time.
"Wet nurse Yu Xiang, please wait a moment. Allow me to change my clothes."
Yu Xiang naturally had no objections. With an extremely polite attitude, she took a seat nearby and accepted the tea offered by Nian Qiu. Her demeanor somewhat put everyone at ease.
Hua Zhi proceeded unimpeded to the Empress Dowager's Palace of Blessings and Longevity. Seeing that the Empress Dowager was already waiting, she hurried forward to pay her respects.
The Empress Dowager waved her hand. "No need for such formalities. Come sit with me."
No matter how well Hua Zhi pretended, deep down she lacked the innate reverence for imperial authority that locals possessed. To others, the Empress Dowager was so exalted that even an extra glance could be considered a crime, but to Hua Zhi, she was first and foremost Yan Xi's grandmother. One should respect their boyfriend's grandmother, but there was no need to enshrine her on an altar.
So she sat down as instructed.
The Empress Dowager found the girl refreshingly poised and straightforward, her demeanor naturally inspiring affection. Even amidst the fresh grief of losing her son, a faint smile appeared on her face. "Has your family been settled?"
"Yes, they don't require much effort from me."
"With you shielding them from storms outside, they live quite comfortably." The Empress Dowager gently twisted her jade ring. "I have old ties with the Hua family and have always wished them well. But people—wherever they sit, they become confined by that position. Helplessly, that position dictates what they can and cannot do. It's not as free as being a commoner."
"The Hua family has received much care from you."
"Only to a limited extent. I'm aware of that." The Empress Dowager looked at the girl whose expression showed no trace of emotion. "I know you're anxious to have your family return, but this matter cannot be rushed. You must keep in mind that the Crown Prince is young. You are someone he trusts and is close to, as well as the Grand Tutor appointed by the late emperor. Precisely because of this, you must be even more cautious. Don't give others any leverage, and certainly don't..."
Hua Zhi stood and bowed in gratitude for the Empress Dowager's guidance. She understood the unspoken meaning—it was one thing for others to talk, but if Little Six grew up and developed more thoughts, he might find countless faults when looking back on this matter.
This was the difference between a ruler and a prince.
"It's good that you understand. I'm just afraid you might be too impatient. When loved ones are involved, even the most rational person might make wrong decisions."
"Yes, I will wait for the right opportunity." Hua Zhi lowered her head, revealing a pale sliver of her neck. "There's no need to worry. I cherish the mutual support between the Crown Prince and myself, and I harbor no intention of exploiting him. I will maintain proper boundaries so that everyone benefits.""It seems I was worrying needlessly." The Empress Dowager completely set her mind at ease. "Let me ask you this—do you know when Yan Xi will return?"
"It should still take a few days. I've sent someone to meet with him. He should be able to make it back in time for the seventh-day memorial ceremony."
"I do hope he makes it in time."
PS: The illness struck fiercely, and I slept through the day. Feeling slightly better today and should recover fully by tomorrow. My apologies for the long wait, ladies.
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