A child without a mother longs for one.
When a child with a mother is abandoned by her, some yearn, some resent, and some both resent and yearn.
Wei Rao could not tell anyone she had resented her mother. If she showed even a hint of resentment, her grandmother would be caught in the middle, torn between them. Those who disliked her mother would use her resentment to condemn her mother as heartless and cold for abandoning her child. Wei Rao could resent her mother privately, but she refused to listen to outsiders criticize her.
She did resent her—resented why her mother had left her, why she had gone to that palace she could not enter without a summons, resented that while she lay ill in bed, practicing martial arts with great effort, her mother had another child. She resented that her mother was sent to a palace hundreds of miles away for giving birth to a prince, resented that her mother had abandoned her yet remained by another child’s side.
But this resentment only surfaced when she was wronged and grieving alone. For most of the time, Wei Rao missed her mother. She remembered her mother’s kindness, her meticulous care, the stories she told, how she measured her for clothes as she grew. She remembered her mother emphasizing countless times before leaving that she was only moving to a different place, that she would always be her mother.
Wei Rao missed her mother. She was her mother’s child, so she was also curious about the younger brother who shared half her blood.
That was her brother, a prince. Would the Fourth Prince be happy to acknowledge her as his sister?
So when the Fourth Prince joyfully called her "sister," Wei Rao cried. When Ying Gu said her mother was crying, Wei Rao rushed in to find her.
Bursting into the Hall, Wei Rao saw a woman standing inside, her dress green, but the rest was a blur to her.
The woman ran to her, gathering her into her arms: "Rao Rao, my Rao Rao…"
When Wei Rao lost consciousness, tears streaked her face, yet the corners of her mouth were upturned.
She had finally seen her mother, truly seen her—it wasn’t a dream.
Wei Rao had suffered heatstroke. As she lay unconscious in Little Zhou’s arms, her temples were damp with cold sweat and tears, her small face pale and bloodless, her long lashes wet and clinging together, teardrops still tracing from the corners of her eyes.
Little Zhou was reminded of her final days at the Cheng’an Marquis’s residence.
Her daughter had clung to her, refusing to let her out of sight except when she used the privy. By then, her daughter understood. After Little Zhou told her she was returning to live at her grandmother’s Secluded Manor, her daughter had cried but never pleaded, never begged her mother not to go. On the day Little Zhou truly had to leave, her daughter hid in her room. Though Little Zhou couldn’t see her, she knew her daughter was sobbing under the covers.
At the time, Little Zhou hadn’t imagined she would be separated from her daughter for so long.
She simply couldn’t bear life trapped in the Cheng’an Marquis’s residence anymore—every corner held memories of the Second Master. The old lady, seeing her, would think of him, and her sorrowful gaze made Little Zhou feel even worse. Her sister-in-law, Guo Shi, had never gotten along with her. After the Second Master’s passing, Guo Shi expressed pity for her widowhood, but it was merely veiled mockery.
She felt caged, entangled in a shadow she couldn’t escape. Little Zhou feared that if she stayed trapped any longer, even her daughter would be frightened by her growing gloom.
So Little Zhou wanted to leave, to return to her mother’s side, to go back to the familiar Secluded Manor she knew, to see the Cloud Mist Mountain of her memories.People said she left the Cheng'an Marquis Manor to remarry, but Little Zhou herself didn't know whether she would remarry. At that time, she hadn't thought that far ahead. Then, Emperor Yuanjia went to the Secluded Manor. He gave her no chance to refuse. When the emperor broke into her bedchamber at night, pinned her down and demanded intimacy, Little Zhou resisted. It wasn't until Emperor Yuanjia gripped her hands and promised he would support Rao Rao, granting her an excellent marriage when she came of age, that she relented.
With the second master gone and the eldest brother being mediocre, the Cheng'an Marquis Manor held no power or influence. Her mother's reputation had been deliberately tarnished by the Empress Dowager. If Emperor Yuanjia was willing to support Rao Rao...
Little Zhou followed Emperor Yuanjia into the palace.
The Empress Dowager wished for her death. If she endured the humiliation silently, the Empress Dowager would only become more ruthless. So Little Zhou openly opposed the Empress Dowager, hoping to anger her into an early grave. But Little Zhou never expected that when the Empress Dowager couldn't find any leverage against her, she would cruelly harm her eleven-year-old daughter, nearly costing the girl her life.
Little Zhou had a major confrontation with Emperor Yuanjia. The emperor promised to cure their daughter's illness, and Little Zhou began refusing to see him until their daughter fully recovered.
True to his word, Emperor Yuanjia invited a master to teach their daughter martial arts and even took her to Cloud Mist Mountain. Only after seeing their daughter diligently training with the master did Little Zhou reconcile with the emperor.
When she gave birth to their son, the Empress Dowager caused trouble again, trying every means to drive her out of the palace. Weak after childbirth, Little Zhou had no energy to continue fighting the Empress Dowager. When Emperor Yuanjia suggested she move to the temporary palace, Little Zhou agreed, only demanding that the emperor not forget their daughter's marriage arrangements. Though reluctant to part with her daughter, Little Zhou wasn't anxious. The Empress Dowager was old—how many years could she have left? Once Little Zhou returned to the capital, she could pamper her daughter as much as she wanted.
While living in the temporary palace, the emperor wrote to her every month, updating her about her mother and daughter.
Little Zhou cared for her young son while hoping the Empress Dowager would die soon.
This Lantern Festival, Emperor Yuanjia secretly brought her to the capital for the celebrations. Only when they met did he tell her their daughter had married Lu Zhuo.
Upon learning her daughter had married Lu Zhuo through a Marriage to ward off misfortune, Little Zhou vented her anger at Emperor Yuanjia. But after personally witnessing Lu Zhuo's exceptional demeanor, considering the prestigious status of the Duke of Yingguo's Manor, and seeing Lu Zhuo's gentleness toward her daughter, Little Zhou began to feel the marriage wasn't so bad—though the manner of her daughter's wedding had wronged her daughter.
In Little Zhou's imagination, her daughter should have been living sweet, harmonious days with Lu Zhuo. But the daughter now before her appeared so haggard and pitiful that Little Zhou's heart ached as if pierced by needles.
No matter how well her daughter's married life might be, Little Zhou owed her greatly. She hadn't been there when her daughter needed her most, nor had she witnessed her daughter's wedding day.
After the imperial physician withdrew, Little Zhou asked Ying Gu to care for the fourth prince. She closed the inner chamber door, removed her shoes, and sat cross-legged beside her daughter.
The breeze gently swayed the half-drawn light bed curtains as the mother gazed tenderly at her long-separated daughter.
After what seemed like an eternity, Wei Rao regained a sliver of consciousness.
A faint breeze drifted over, then ceased, only to return moments later—soothing and gentle.Wei Rao opened her eyes to find a beauty in a green dress sitting beside her, gently waving a round fan. When their gazes met, the woman set aside the fan and leaned closer, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears: "Rao Rao."
Wei Rao recognized her mother—the very same mother from her memories. After five years apart, her mother remained unchanged, not a day older than she remembered.
"Mother." Wei Rao threw herself into her mother's lap, sobbing uncontrollably. "I missed you so much."
Little Zhou's tears fell in streams. Afraid of dampening her daughter's clothes, she hastily grabbed a handkerchief to cover her eyes.
Mother and daughter held each other, weeping for a long while.
Little Zhou was the first to compose herself. With swollen eyes, she said, "Enough now. Our reunion is a joyous occasion. No more tears, alright?"
She helped her daughter up, wiping away her tears while speaking with heartfelt concern: "How did you end up with heatstroke? I heard you came on horseback—why didn't you take a carriage?"
Wei Rao gazed intently at her mother, feeling as if they had never been apart. Her mother still cared for her so deeply, still cherished her so tenderly.
A gentle stream seemed to flow through her heart, soothing and comforting.
Wei Rao stopped crying and said softly, "The Emperor secretly issued an imperial decree. How could we dare travel ostentatiously by carriage?"
Little Zhou wanted to complain about Emperor Yuanjia, but the Empress Dowager was his mother—could he truly anger his own mother to death for her sake?
"Look how pale you are. Are you dizzy? Are you hungry?" Setting aside thoughts of the Emperor, Little Zhou focused entirely on her daughter.
Wei Rao wasn't dizzy, just felt weak all over. Her stomach was empty—she should be hungry—yet she had little appetite.
Little Zhou placed a soft cushion behind her daughter. Once Wei Rao was settled, she called a maid to bring a bowl of mung bean soup.
When the soup arrived, Little Zhou took it and prepared to feed her daughter herself.
Wei Rao blushed. "I'm grown up now. I can manage."
Little Zhou looked at her tenderly. "Even when you're seventy or eighty, as long as I'm alive, I'll still feed you."
Wei Rao's eyes stung. "Mother will surely live a hundred years."
Little Zhou smiled, lifting a spoonful of soup to her daughter's lips.
The cool mung bean soup relieved the summer heat. After several spoonfuls, Wei Rao's mind gradually cleared, and her appetite returned.
The kitchen had naturally kept meals ready.
"Shall we eat in bed or outside?" Little Zhou asked gently, pleased to see some color returning to her daughter's cheeks.
That tender gaze enveloped Wei Rao like a net.
Forgetting the weariness of the journey and her disagreements with Lu Zhuo, Wei Rao smiled. "Let's eat outside."
Little Zhou helped her daughter out of bed, bending down to personally slip embroidered shoes onto her feet.
The dining table in the outer room was already set with two place settings. Little Zhou had only taken a few bites when Wei Rao arrived.
Sitting at the table, Wei Rao looked carefully and realized every dish was her favorite.
So her mother remembered everything.
She knew it—her mother wouldn't lie to her, wouldn't abandon her.
"Where is His Highness?" Afraid she might cry again, Wei Rao quickly changed the subject.
Little Zhou smiled. "You call him 'Your Highness' outside, but there are no outsiders here. You're closest siblings—just call him by his childhood name, Brother Yan."
Only then did Wei Rao learn her brother's childhood name.
"You've been unconscious for a while. I asked Ying Gu to put him to bed. You two can properly get acquainted after he wakes up."Little Zhou placed a piece of sweet and sour fish in her daughter's bowl. "Eat quickly. You'll need energy to talk after you're full."
Wei Rao smiled and lowered her head to eat. After finishing the fish, she suddenly thought of Lu Zhuo.
Little Zhou explained, "This is the inner palace, not a suitable place for him to stay long. I had someone take him to the outer garden to settle in first. Seeing how travel-worn he looked, I thought it best to let him rest awhile before coming over."
Wei Rao nodded.
Little Zhou's attention remained entirely on her daughter. For every three bites Wei Rao took, she would only take one. Whenever Wei Rao glanced over, Little Zhou would beam at her daughter.
After the meal, Little Zhou led her daughter inside to chat, asking about her journey and why Emperor Yuanjia had suddenly issued an imperial decree.
Wei Rao repeated the story she and Lu Zhuo had agreed upon. Not knowing how long her mother would remain at the traveling palace, Wei Rao didn't want her to worry.
Little Zhou believed it completely.
"Mother, I'd like to bathe. I've been riding all morning and am soaked in sweat."
"Of course, I'll have water prepared for you."
When the water was ready, Little Zhou wanted to scrub her daughter's back herself.
Wei Rao blushed deeply. "I can manage on my own."
"What are you being shy about? There's not an inch of you I haven't seen before."
Wei Rao could no longer refuse.
Her heart felt sweet.
OpenNovel