Chapter 175 (1/2)
Chapter 175
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
”Princess, please take care. Leave everything to me.” Finishing his words, he turned to leave; his shadow appearing lonely and pale under the moonlight.
When she got back to the palace, she heard the loud cries of the baby. The nanny was carrying Qing'er in an attempt to pacify him, but he continued to cry, his face turning red. In the space of two days, he had lost both of his parents. Furthermore, his mother was personally killed at the hands of his own aunt. Would the child grow up to hate her once he knew of everything that had happened?
Nalan Hongye sat under the long window, thinking to herself. The moonlight was bright, like a jade plate. It shone on the ground, illuminating it.
Aunt Yun carried Qing'er over, laughed, and said carefully, ”Princess, Your Majesty is smiling.”
Nalan Hongye carried the child in her arms. He looked at her with his black eyes and let out a joyful smile. In an instant, the frustration in her heart dissipated. She looked at his familiar pair of eyes, remembering her own brother. When he was alive, she felt resentment towards him for their fates. He was male, but mentally handicapped. He did not know how to experience hardships and handle the country's affairs, affecting the Song Empire's hard work over hundreds of years. As for herself, she was talented but female. She had slogged her guts out for years, but had been labeled as a power-hungry character. However, it was only after he passed away that she realized that they were one, destined to suffer through thick and thin together. Only when he was around, she could stabilize the Song Empire and preserve the lineage of the Nalan family. Luckily, she still had Qing'er.
She looked down at the small child wrapped up in the swaddle, feeling tears in her eyes. Luckily, he was still alive. They were the only two members of the Nalan family left.
”Princess, look at His Majesty. He's so cute!” Aunt Yun caressed the small emperor's cheeks as she laughed. Qing'er seemed to be happy, waving his small, fair and fat hands around while laughing in reciprocation. He looked at Nalan Hongye with his pitch-black eyes, seemingly understanding her thoughts.
Smash! Nalan Hongye and Aunt Yun were startled and turned back, seeing that a palace maid had broken a teapot.
Aunt Yun raged, ”Useless creature! You scared Your Majesty and the princess! Watch out for your life!”
Nalan Hongye frowned slightly and patted Qing'er's swaddle, fearing that he had been shocked. However, his expression did not change. He was still laughing, as if he had not been scared.
Aunt Yun smiled and remarked, ”Princess, look at how brave Your Majesty is. When he grows up, he will be a good emperor who is smart and valiant.”
Nalan Hongye smiled slightly. However, in that instant, she froze and her face turned pale.
Aunt Yun was perplexed. ”Princess, what's wrong?”
Nalan Hongye's hands and feet turned cold as she tried to console herself from within. She handed the child over to Aunt Yun swiftly and stood at the side, clapping loudly with her hands.
Smack! A loud sound echoed out beside the child's ears, but he did not seem to hear anything. He reached out his small, fat hands and grabbed onto Aunt Yun's shirt button.
Nalan Hongye was getting more desperate. She clapped a few more times, her eyes turning red. As she clapped, she exclaimed, ”Qing'er! Qing'er! Look here! Aunt is here!”
However, the child did not turn around. He yawned and leaned on Aunt Yun, drifting back to sleep.
”Qing'er, don't sleep! Qing'er, Aunt is here!”
”Princess!” Tears were streaming down Aunt Yun's face. She knelt on the ground, pleading, ”Don't call out anymore. Don't call out anymore.”
Nalan Hongye was agitated. She grabbed Aunt Yun's shoulders and shouted, ”What's going on? What's going on here?”
Aunt Yun was crying. She replied, ”As the child was brought back here, I realized this. I summoned the physician from the empress's palace and only managed to get the answer from him after beating him up. The empress has known about this all along, but kept it a secret. She was scared that once she revealed this, this child would not be able to become the Crown Prince. All these years, they tried to treat the child, but it did not work. This illness is hereditary.”
That instant, Nalan Hongye felt the entire world spinning. Qing'er was deaf. Qing'er was deaf! The news shattered her completely. The sorrow in her heart over a long time erupted like a big flash flood. She felt a sweet sensation in her throat as she spat out a large mouthful of blood all over her clothes!
”Princess! Princess!” Aunt Yun was shocked. She put the emperor down and went over to support her.
Having been put on the ground suddenly, Qing'er opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings suspiciously. Subsequently, he started to cry out loud. The maidservants streamed into the house in neat rows, causing the house to break out in chaos. Aunt Yun shouted, ”Call the physician! Call the physician!”
Nalan Hongye was dazed. She repeated the same sentence in her mind: You reap what you sow.
Yes, she had killed Cui Wanru, but this empress had left her with a mega disaster. If she had known, she would have disregarded Hongyu's objections and the fact that his condition would have been revealed. She would have arranged for him to get more concubines, in order for him to give birth to more offspring. However, it was all too late.