The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 661 - 661 312 Valued (First update)_2

Chapter 661: 312 Valued (First update)_2 Chapter 661: 312 Valued (First update)_2 “The Empress Dowager has ordered not to see anyone.” Said the palace guard.

The emperor laughed coldly: “Does this include me, the ruler of this kingdom? I’d like to know when there are places in this palace that I can’t go?”

The palace guard looked at him hesitantly, Isn’t there always been places like this, Your Majesty, are you only discovering this now?

The emperor: “…”

The emperor’s teeth ached!

The poisonous consort had too much power, even he, the August was not able to forcibly intrude!

Just as the emperor’s face was about to turn into coal-black, Eunuch Qin came out with a dust whisk.

He bowed to the emperor and said, “Your Majesty, please forgive us. The Empress Dowager is your mother, even if she doesn’t want to see anyone else, she should see you. Please.”

Eunuch Qin made a gesture of invitation.

Eunuch Qin is Empress Dowager Zhuang’s confidant, his every move represents Empress Dowager Zhuang’s will. The palace guard thought Empress Dowager Zhuang had really awakened and wanted to see the emperor, so he stepped aside to make way.

With Eunuch Qin leading the way, he took the emperor to the sleeping palace of Empress Dowager Zhuang.

The emperor thought Empress Dowager Zhuang was fine and was just faking it. But when he saw the tightly drawn curtain of the Phoenix Bed, a sense of foreboding welled up from the bottom of his heart.

Eunuch Qin came to the bed, gently pulled open the curtain, revealing the pale face of Empress Dowager Zhuang lying on the Phoenix Bed.

This Empress Dowager Zhuang seemed like a stranger.

She always appeared before people with great dignity, even in Bishui Alley dressed in coarse cloth, one could not hide the sharpness in her eyes.

But now, she lay there quietly, her breath floating like a thread, indeed she was seriously ill.

“How could… this happen?” The emperor was taken aback.

Eunuch Qin sighed, “Your Majesty, do you really have no idea why the Empress Dowager is like this?”

These words sounded rather disrespectful.

But the emperor was too shocked, he was lost for words. What Eunuch Qin meant was…Empress Dowager Zhuang’s illness was related to him?

How was that possible?

He had done nothing recently!

…Is it because of…that night?

The emperor believed it was impossible.

This poisonous woman would rather get rid of him quickly than care for him all night. She wouldn’t call him in the voice of Empress Dowager Jing.

What he heard was only a voice in the dreamland.

But this could not explain the word “Hong’er” that came out of Xiao Jingkong’s mouth.

How could Xiao Jingkong imitate adults and hold his hand, calling him Honghong, if he had not heard or seen it?

The emperor’s mind was a little chaotic.

He refused to accept this reality in his heart, not only because he refused to believe Empress Dowager Zhuang’s kindness, but also because he felt the warmth he had not felt for a long time that night.

In a fuzzy way, he seemed to feel that Empress Dowager Jing had come back.

If it was really Empress Dowager Zhuang, was it not saying that she had the aura of Empress Dowager Jing? This was a blasphemy to Empress Dowager Jing!

He wouldn’t accept!

He wouldn’t admit!

“Eunuch Qin, the Empress Dowager’s medicine is ready.” A palace maid entered with a bowl of medicine, saw the emperor inside the hall, and quickly bowed, “Your Majesty!”

The emperor waved his hand impatiently.

The palace maid placed the bowl of medicine on the bedside table.

The emperor’s gaze involuntarily followed the medicine bowl, and by chance, he saw a familiar little iron box on the bedside table.

He did not let himself think about it further.

At this moment, Empress Dowager Zhuang was also woken up by the noise in the sleeping palace. As someone who had seen all kinds of formidable things, her expression didn’t change much when she saw the emperor standing by her bed.

“Empress Dowager, it’s time for your medicine.” Eunuch Qin said with a smile.

“Take it away, I won’t take it.” Empress Dowager Zhuang said faintly.

She was very weak, even her eyes and tone had lost their usual sharpness.

Eunuch Qin smiled, “His Majesty is here to see you.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang said calmly: “I don’t want him to see.”

Ever since the metaphorical cat was out of the bag, the two of them hardly bothered to feign motherly love and filial piety, as long as they were not in the Jinluan Hall.

The emperor stood upright in front of the bed, high and mighty, looking down at her.

At this moment, he truly felt she had aged, maybe she wouldn’t live much longer. Once she departs for the west (dies), all the power of the court would naturally return to his hands.

While thinking this, he said sarcastically, “If Mother leaves, Jinluan Hall would be eerily quiet, and I wouldn’t have anyone to discuss the affairs of the court.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang stared at him coldly, “Unfilial son. Stop daydreaming, I’ll definitely outlive you.”

The emperor looked at her leisurely.

Empress Dowager Zhuang struggled to sit up.

Eunuch Qin quickly stepped forward to support her, bringing her a bowl of medicinal soup.

Empress Dowager Zhuang drained the bowl of bitter medicinal soup in one breath, not leaving a single drop.

After the Empress Dowager had finished her medicine, the emperor left the Renshou Palace.

Instead of rushing back to his own sleeping quarters, he headed to the Imperial Study Room, where he had the Crown Prince’s recent homework summoned and reviewed.

The emperor noticed a significant improvement in the Crown Prince’s arithmetic: “Who taught you these?”

The Crown Prince hesitated, then answered, “Hanlin Academy.”

The emperor looked at the Crown Prince, saying, “I know Hanlin Academy taught you arithmetic. My question was, which official from the academy?”

The Crown Prince reluctantly opened his mouth, “Xiao Xiuzhuan.”

“Him?” The emperor’s eyes sparkled, and then he laughed with delight, “So I wasn’t wrong about him. I thought your stagnant progress in arithmetic was due to your dullness, but it seems you can learn efficiently with a good tutor.”

How could the Crown Prince respond to this?

Couldn’t he just plainly rebut that? Of course not!

It certainly can’t be said, “Father, you are wrong, I indeed lack talent.”

Truth be told, the Crown Prince isn’t that dull. Although he doesn’t compare to the emperor’s eldest son, Prince Ning, he’s much more capable than the other princes.

But the Crown Prince tends to underperform in certain fields. He simply doesn’t care for arithmetic, but the emperor places great importance on it.

The emperor was just testing the waters, but unexpectedly, it worked. The Emperor nodded in satisfaction, “Not bad. Next time we’ll have him come to teach you again.”

The Crown Prince’s expression darkened, “Father!”

The emperor looked at him faintly, “What? You have objections?”

The Crown Prince realized his mistake and made a bow, “Your heir… just wonders why Father chose a proof-reader to teach me? Does Father no longer regard me highly?”

Appointing a newly appointed academy official to teach the Crown Prince seemed to be an afterthought.

The emperor put down the memorandum in his hand, looking at the Crown Prince with knitted eyebrows, “If I didn’t regard you highly, would I go to such lengths to educate you? You are the heir to this country, can you stop caring about other people’s opinions?”

The Crown Prince stammered, “I… I don’t care what others think…”

“Then what is it?” the emperor asked forcefully.

The Crown Prince was about to say something but stopped himself.

The emperor frowned, “If you have nothing to say, you may leave.”

The Crown Prince said in a quiet voice, “He looks too much like my cousin, who passed away too soon. Every time I see him, I can’t help but feel heartbroken.”

The emperor seemed contemplative, “So you only learn well when you’re sad?”

The Crown Prince was taken aback.

Wait, Father, I think you’ve misunderstood my meaning!

The emperor grunted, “Your history is also lackluster, have Xiao Xiuzhuan teach you that as well.”

The Crown Prince felt like he was losing his mind!

Seeing him once every ten days wasn’t enough, now it would be twice in ten days?!

He didn’t want to confront that face of Xiao Liulang’s!

The Crown Prince clenched his fists, “Father!”

The emperor made up his mind and waved his hand, “It’s settled, now go. Have Xiaoqi come to me tonight.”

He hadn’t seen the Little Fat in a couple of days and strangely missed him.

The emperor is not an ordinary father. He is first a ruler, then a father. But during the days he spent recuperating in Bishui Alley, seeing the constant presence of Little Jinkong always made him long to be a father.

Of course, not to be a father to Little Jinkong. That boy was too devilishly ingenious for his liking.

He wanted to regain his sense of fatherly achievement through his own Little Fat.

After the Crown Prince left the Imperial Study Room, the emperor had someone call Prince Ning.

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