bioinnovel Chapter 839 - 31: The Slacker Empress
Chapter 839 - 31: The Slacker Empress
"Do not worry, Empress Dowager, I know," the Emperor said, casting a loving glance at the Empress, unable to express the excitement in his heart. On the journey back, he heard that the rebels had breached the Imperial Palace, so he hurried back with ten thousand elite soldiers.
Prince Ten’s rebellion seemed not to be premeditated, more like a sudden impulse, so the number of rebels was not large. (Prince Ten wanted to control the harem first and use the Emperor’s wives, children, and mother to threaten him, but caught none, which was indeed tragic.)
The Emperor returned unharmed, thanks to the guard given to him by the Empress. His anxiousness to get back left him sleepless, and he encountered assassins sent by Prince Ten. It was the guard from the Empress who discovered the assassins and protected him safely.
The Emperor had no idea before that there could be such talented individuals around the Empress.
The concubines, including Consort Xian and Consort Mei, stared at the Emperor, their eyes full of excitement. At this moment, the Emperor was their sky, their only support. Never before had this realization been so profound.
The Emperor quickly quelled the rebellion, cleared out the remnants, brought everything back on track, and then went to see the Empress.
The Empress was smiling warmly, waiting for him, having prepared a large meal.
"You’ve worked hard, Emperor," Tianmiao said, gesturing for the Emperor to sit down and dine.
"It is you who truly worked hard." The Emperor gazed deeply at the Empress, "If it weren’t for you this time, I would dare not imagine the consequences."
"Everything is over now," the Empress said softly, "Things will only get better from now on."
Yes, things will only get better.
As long as you are by my side.
...
Half a month later, Consort Xian gave birth to the eldest Prince. A few days later, Consort Mei gave birth to the second Prince. Consort Rong gave birth to the third Prince a month and a half later.
The Empress Dowager was overjoyed, urging the Emperor to be more indiscriminately generous, and rewarded the concubines who bore Princes, hoping for more of them to propagate the royal lineage.
In the following days, the Emperor and Empress continued to be harmonious, but the Empress never became pregnant. Gradually, she faded from view, reportedly devoted to worship like the Empress Dowager, without interfering in palace affairs.
Time flew by, and over ten years passed in the blink of an eye.
Later on, the Eldest Prince and the Second Prince grew up, and in their struggle for the title of Crown Prince, they became adversaries, resorting to any means. The Emperor, enraged, placed both Princes under house arrest, capturing their aides and exiling officials who schemed for potential dragon-following merit.
The son of Consort Rong, benefiting from the circumstances, was appointed Crown Prince.
Consort Rong was astonished; this kind of good fortune, how did it suddenly fall upon her?
Before Consort Rong could seek out the long-absent Empress to catch up, she heard shocking news.
The Emperor was gravely ill.
At just over forty, the Emperor suddenly fell sick, unable to recover.
The Emperor drove away the concubines wanting to attend his ill health, even sent away the Crown Prince, refused to see the sorrowful Empress Dowager, and only summoned the Empress.
Tianmiao sat at the Emperor’s bedside, looking quietly at the one lying there with a gray face.
"Actually, I have long known you are not my Empress," the Emperor said with some effort, but there was a gentle smile on his face.
Tianmiao slightly raised her eyebrows; knew long ago? When exactly did he know?
"Thank you for always being by my side, staying with me until the end of my life." The Emperor, using all his strength, reached out, held Tianmiao’s sleeve, and slowly, gently spoke.