The Beauties of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 70

Opening his oil-paper umbrella, Zhao Defang tugged at his wife's collar to keep out the cold wind before leading his wife and children down the wet steps, carefully avoiding the snow shoveled aside by the servants, and boarding the carriage at the bottom of the steps.

After the two were seated, Lan Wu, who was driving the carriage, urged his horse to tread through the snow towards the palace.

Inside the carriage, the couple, who had been silent the whole way, watched their child babbling at them. As the carriage passed through Yuxing Street and was about to enter the palace, Zhao Defang suddenly spoke:

"After I've seen the Empress Dowager, I'll go find my Imperial Uncle."

Wanlan looked up at him, her eyebrows arching gently as she smiled, "Mm." No matter where she was, as long as she followed this man, anywhere would be her home.

However… it's unlikely that the Imperial Uncle will let them leave so easily. But if Zehua's attitude is firm, the Imperial Uncle can't do anything about it; he can only hope that nothing goes wrong or any complications arise.

As I thought this, my heart actually started to panic, as if... something had gone wrong... "Zehua."

"What's wrong?"

Wanlan hugged the child in her arms tightly, turned her head to look at the snow-covered houses and streets outside the window, and said softly, "Before we leave, let's stay in the palace with Mother for a while, okay?"

"……good."

Wanlan pursed her lips, and after a long pause, she opened her mouth, "If... if we can't leave—" Don't be too disappointed... "Your Highness, Madam, we've arrived."

Lan Wuyang's loud voice outside the carriage easily drowned out Wan Lanru's soft whispers. She paused, sighed silently, and stepped out of the carriage with Zhao Defang.

"The snow inside Anfu Palace has not been swept away yet, so we will have to trouble Your Highness and Madam to go there."

"It's alright." Zhao Defang jumped out of the car, turned around and helped Wanlan out of the car as well.

As soon as she landed and looked up, Wanlan's gaze was drawn to someone on the other side before she could even look at Anfu Palace. The person was facing away from them, seemingly having just come out of Wansui Hall and heading towards Wende Hall, as if they were leaving the palace.

Wanlan's pupils dilated instantly, and the person who clenched his fist and took a big step forward was Zhao Dezhao!

Why did he come out of the Wansui Palace? What did he want to see the Imperial Uncle for so early? If it was about court affairs, that would be one thing, but if he had some kind of scheme, wouldn't they be caught off guard?

"Zehua, wait for me." After placing the child in her husband's arms, Wanlan lifted her skirt and chased after the man who was about to turn the corner.

Ignoring Zehua's shouts, Wanlan strode towards the Wende Hall, the snow on the ground crunching under her feet. The remaining snow on her embroidered shoes gradually melted and seeped into them, and her feet gradually became numb with cold.

After rounding the corner, she saw the man not far ahead, raising his right foot as he prepared to get into the car. In a panic, Wanlan ran while shouting:

"Zhao Dezhao! You stop right there!"

Zhao Dezhao, who had one foot on a low stool, was taken aback when he heard this. He probably did not expect that someone in the palace would be so bold as to call him by his name and be so arrogant.

He pulled his foot back and turned around, just in time to meet the woman who had run up to him, clutching her chest and panting heavily. Her face, slightly damp with sweat, was unusually pale, and judging from the way she was clutching her chest, it was probably because her running had triggered heart discomfort.

This woman, who was exactly like Lan'er but whose personality was completely different, had an illness that was unfamiliar to him, as well as a temperament and magnanimity that were unfamiliar to him. He could never understand why this woman would help Zhao Guangyi instead of her own husband.

"Oh, it's your sister-in-law. Why are you in such a hurry to find me? Is there something you need?"

Sister-in-law… Wanlan was stunned. This person actually called her sister-in-law. It was the first time she had ever heard him call her that… It was really strange… Taking several deep breaths to calm her rapidly beating heart, Wanlan didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly, “I just saw you coming out of the Wansui Hall. What were you looking for, Uncle? Is there something you can’t say in court but have to come to the Emperor’s bedchamber? What are you up to?”

Zhao Dezhao chuckled, glancing at her with a half-smile. "I don't think I need to report to you what I want to discuss with the Emperor. Even if I'm up to something, what can you do about it? You don't think I'd tell you, do you?"

"you--"

"Why don't you have Defang report me to the Emperor and see how he judges me, starting from the beginning when I kidnapped you to Jiangling and ending with my secret report to the late Emperor about the Emperor and Empress Dowager's affair? What do you think?"

Wanlan stared at him in disbelief. "What exactly do you want to do? You don't want to seize that position you never even considered. Zehua has always respected you greatly, and your uncle has never intended to fight you. So what is your purpose in repeatedly provoking trouble and doing all this? Are you crazy?"

Zhao Dezhao's gaze sharpened as he stared intently at her furious face. This face... was so familiar, but this person... was so unfamiliar. Lan'er... could never be so indignant.

With a slight flicker in his eyes, Zhao Dezhao suddenly leaned closer to her, his lips barely an inch from her ear, his voice both amused and feigned, "How do you know I don't want that position? After all, it was originally mine, wasn't it? Sister-in-law, don't you think... it's inappropriate to keep something we all know from the Emperor alone? Isn't that deceiving the Emperor?"

Wanlan's expression changed drastically. She shoved him away, staring in shock. "What...what do you mean?!" He knew? He actually knew!

Yes...yes!

He even knew about the affair between the Imperial Uncle and the Empress Dowager, so he probably knew about that matter too! So... so what he was talking about with the Imperial Uncle in the Hall of Ten Thousand Years just now... could it be this?

"Zhao Dezhao! You've really gone mad!"

Zhao Dezhao smiled at her, but his eyes remained calm and lifeless. He slightly raised his gaze to look behind her and said very softly:

"...Trying to get away like this? I won't let you have your way."

Before Zhao Defang, who was approaching, could get close, he turned around, jumped onto the carriage, and ordered the servants waiting nearby to drive away immediately.

Amidst the swirling snowflakes, Wanlan trembled uncontrollably—that man… Zhao Dezhao, has he not given up yet? Her father is already dead, and her uncle has ascended the throne, so why is he still pressuring Zehua? What is his purpose?

Why…? “Wanlan?” Zhao Defang held the child in one arm and brushed the snowflakes off her shoulders with the other. “What’s wrong? What did your brother say to you? What happened—”

"Zehua!" She grabbed him and hurried back, Wanlan biting her lip tightly to suppress her barely suppressed trembling. "We must go find Mother!"

Hopefully, it's not too late...

Chapter 75, The Moon Shines Brightly Over the Sea, Pearls Weep (2)

It's too late.

Even though Wanlan's throat was dry and painful from running, and her heart was so tight that she had the illusion of hearing the slow flow of blood in her cardiovascular system, and her face was deathly pale, none of this was as terrifying as seeing Wang Ji'en waiting outside the Funing Palace and Yuan Niang pacing anxiously.

"Is the Emperor... inside?" she asked urgently, grabbing Yuan Niang, unwilling to believe it.

When Yuan Niang saw her, it was like seeing a lifeline. "Madam! Madam, go see the Empress! The Emperor suddenly appeared with a furious look on his face and drove us all out of the palace as soon as he entered. He is the Emperor now... He's showing up here so openly... Madam! What should we do? What should we do?"

"Don't panic, don't panic..." Wanlan said comforting words, but her own heart was in turmoil. If her uncle knew that the child was his, if he knew that the child he had killed was his own... she couldn't even imagine the consequences... Zhao Defang walked over, handed the child in his arms to Yuanniang, and said, "Yuanniang, you take care of Xu'er. I'll go in with Wanlan."

After saying that, he pulled Wanlan and was about to pass them, but Wang Ji'en suddenly moved and blocked their way.