I punctured his fantasy and told him,
"Your Majesty, the imperial physician said that it's very likely that this baby of mine will be a boy. What if it is?"
His expression visibly turned more dejected. He sat up straight, adjusted his robe, and said, "Then I'll give the world to him."
This remark made me gasp in shock. What on earth was this madman up to?
He stroked my belly, but his eyes were unfocused. I had no idea what was going on in his mind. After a long while, he finally spoke.
"I once told her that between the world and her, I'd choose her. This was my promise, but I couldn't fulfill it for her."
So you're dragging my child into this? Damn it!
If my child were to become an emperor as selfish and cold - blooded as him, I'd rather he be a carefree little princess who could get married when she grew up and no one would dare to bully.
But obviously, God didn't side with me. In the end, my child couldn't be a carefree little princess.
Everyone came to congratulate me on giving birth to the emperor's first son. Only I knew how much pain I was in.
Why did I have to give birth to a son of all things!
What, are we going to have another anti - social psychopath?
With the birth of this son, Song Jiaye had his attention somewhat diverted. Maybe after becoming a father, one's true nature would gradually be tamed and become gentle. But his gentleness was just an illusion, an illusion that would turn into hysteria and sinister coldness the moment he mentioned Li Qiyu.
I watched him stroking Ting'er's head while his eyes seemed to go through Ting'er's body and look into the void.
"If the child between me and Xiaoyu could have been born safely, he/she should be about this old now."
When I heard this, my legs almost gave way.
Every time Song Jiaye mentioned Li Qiyu, it was when he went crazy.
Thankfully, this time someone helped save my son.
Concubine Yu went crazy too.
Yes, that Concubine Yu who, relying on her slight resemblance to Li Qiyu, had been throwing her weight around in the palace. Her favor from the emperor finally came to an end.
I don't know where she got the nerve. She actually refused to admit that she was just a substitute. Being spoiled by the emperor, she even dared to tear up the portrait of Li Qiyu that Song Jiaye had treasured.
I didn't even need to think to know what would happen to Concubine Yu.
Ting'er watched Song Jiaye's back as he rushed away in a hurry. He looked up at me and asked, "Mom, who is Xiaoyu?"
I didn't want Ting'er to call me imperial concubine mother or mother. I preferred him to call me mom. This could remind me that I was a modern person and shouldn't be assimilated by the cruel hierarchical system of the ancient times.
Since Ting'er was born, he had always heard this name, but this person was a taboo. No one in the palace dared to mention her casually.
"She was a very nice person." I thought of her heroic figure under the pear tree and suddenly missed her very much.
"Does Xiaoting want to go with mom to see her?"
"Okay." The child's eyes lit up, shining brightly like stars.
I took Xiaoting to the imperial mausoleum. Although there were special people to clean and repair it regularly, Li Qiyu's tomb must be the cleanest and tidiest one.
The empress left this world decently. There was only one person who understood her so well - Zhou Donglin.
It was really sad. Song Jiaye kept saying that he loved Li Qiyu every day, but he had never come to see her once. On the contrary, Zhou Donglin, who was just Li Qiyu's childhood friend, was willing to give up his family and everything to be a lonely tomb - keeper here.
After the sacrifice, I went to see Zhou Donglin. Xiaoting rarely got out of the palace and was having a great time playing with Xiaoyu, the adopted son that Zhou Donglin had picked up. Looking at the two children, I actually felt the warmth of humanity in this place that should have been the coldest and chilliest.
"Xiaoyu? This child is quite lively."
I thought of Song Jiaye. Since Li Qiyu left, he seemed to have developed a collecting addiction. The concubines who entered the palace later not only had to look like Li Qiyu but also had names with the pronunciation of "yu".
Yu, Yu, Yu, Yu and so on. He had almost used up all the characters.
I never thought that Zhou Donglin would also miss someone through the name.
"This child doesn't have a household registration yet. I'll help you handle this. It'll be convenient for the child to take the imperial examinations and become an official in the future."
I had no doubts about this child's future. How could the person taught by Zhou Donglin be bad? I had talked to Xiaoyu a few times. This child knew how to behave appropriately and was very knowledgeable, just like his father.
"Is his name Zhou Yu?" I asked Zhou Donglin naturally.
Zhou Donglin shook his head and replied, "Li Yu."
"Li Yu?"
This surname was a taboo. I suddenly regretted making the promise. I tried to persuade him to change his mind.
"Why don't you leave a descendant for yourself?" After all, he was now "disabled".
"If the Li family has a descendant, then I have a descendant."
Sometimes the ancient people really made me both love and hate them. On the one hand, I hated their stubbornness and pedantry; on the other hand, I admired their loyalty.
For example, I really disliked Song Jiaye.
For example, I only had admiration for Zhou Donglin.
In modern times, a love that was so dedicated and unswerving until death would probably not even be shown in movies.
Maybe influenced by him, I, who always tried to stay out of trouble, rarely wanted to be impulsive once.
I nodded and agreed.
"Okay, I promise I'll handle it properly for you."
Zhou Donglin thanked me.
"Empress Xiang, thank you."
"This is just a small thing. It's not worth mentioning."
"Not only about Li Yu, but also thank you for being willing to come here to see Xiaoyu. She loved excitement. For so many years, I've been the only one accompanying her. She must have been bored. Now that she sees you come, I don't know how happy she is."
Yes, the entire Li family was executed, and Li Qiyu had become a taboo both inside and outside the court. Now fewer and fewer people remembered her.
I thought of my indifference to what Li Qiyu had gone through back then and felt a bit ashamed.
"I'm not as noble as you think. I just wanted my son to go out and see the people and the world outside. I don't want him to become like his father."
Cold - blooded, cruel and tyrannical, like a child who would never grow up, like a great demon king who always only knew how to demand love from others but didn't know how to give in return.
"Empress Xiang, the young prince is smart, and with you by his side, he will surely achieve great things."
"Okay, I'll take your kind words. If there's a chance in the future, I'd like to invite you to come out of seclusion."
Zhou Donglin waved his hand with a smile. Although he looked like a middle - aged man, his heart seemed to be that of an old and world - weary person.
"Where she is, I'll be. She can't move, and I won't leave. From now on, it's the world of the children. Let the children go and explore."
I knew what he meant.