The Beauties of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 127

"Isn't there anything in the palace to keep you warm?" Zhao Jiong glared at her listless face with slight annoyance. "Deqing, what's wrong with you? What have you been doing these past few months?"

Ha! He should just mind his own business and not interfere with what Zehua is doing.

She was merely a member of the imperial family and did not hold an official position in the court.

Wanlan lowered her head and stared at the thermos in her hands, then said softly, "I will enter the palace tomorrow."

Perhaps her attitude angered the royal uncle, who had come happily but left with an angry expression.

Wanlan curled up in the chair, raising her eyes to quietly watch him leave. Her gaze was slowly intercepted by another figure. The man who approached her reached out and took her still cold hand, gently rubbing it.

"Why is it still so cold?"

Wanlan didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on the soft belt around his waist. She opened her lips, somewhat hesitantly, and said, "Zehua, do you know how Mother is? Has she broken off her relationship with the Imperial Uncle? A couple who have overcome countless obstacles and setbacks, what problem can't they resolve by speaking it out? How can you bear to torture yourself and each other any longer?"

"Wanlan, don't overthink it. You seem very tired lately."

She slowly withdrew her hand from his grasp, reached out to hug him at his waist, and snuggled close to him. "No, I wasn't thinking anything, Zehua. I suddenly realized that I've been living without any purpose all along. It seems that the only thing I depend on is you."

He paused for a moment, then chuckled softly, "If you don't rely on me, who will you rely on? Are you so bored in the capital that you're overthinking things? I'll take you out for a walk sometime."

"No, I'm afraid of the cold."

Zhao Defang tightened his arms and said softly, "Wanlan, you seem very depressed these past two months. What's on your mind? Can't you tell me? I may be very busy, but your matter... is more important than anything else. I've been waiting for you to tell me, but you've become more and more silent."

Wanlan snuggled against him and asked softly, "Zehua, if you were to go to a completely unfamiliar world, where everything and everyone is someone you've never seen or heard of before, would you... be afraid? Would you feel repulsed?"

Zhao Defang paused for a moment, then sat down in the chair next to her, pulled her onto his lap, and said with a smile, "With you by my side, it doesn't matter where I go."

"What if you're all alone?" she asked, looking up from her arms.

"Am I alone? What about you? Where are you going?"

She pursed her lips. "I was just being hypothetical. Imagine if I wasn't by your side and could never be with you again. In that situation, would you stick to the status quo, or would you be willing to accept a new world?"

Although he couldn't figure out why she would ask such a question, he still thought about it seriously and said slowly and thoughtfully, "I think... if I can't be with you anymore, then there's no point in being there for me. Maybe... everything I have will become meaningless, and I'll lose my purpose in life."

Wanlan was startled: Could it be that Zhao Dezhao also had such thoughts?

Is there no meaning to living?

After Princess Deqing disappeared, he devoted all his energy to Zehua. So after failing in everything he did, he had no goal to stick to?

"Wanlan? Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

She gave a bitter smile, closed her eyes in his arms, and said, "If your brother's thoughts are the same as yours, do you think... we still have a chance to save him?"

Moreover, it seems pointless now.

Zhao Defang was suddenly jolted, as if she had instantly snapped out of her daze, her mind gradually going blank because of her reminder.

Chapter 111, Evening Breeze and Wild Rice Leaves Evoke Autumn Thoughts

The next day, Wanlan cheered herself up and went to the palace with Zehua.

Having promised her uncle to visit her mother today, she naturally couldn't break her promise.

Ping hadn't seen her mother for over a month, and all she remembered was that the last time she saw her, her mother completely ignored everyone. Wanlan had considered trying to cheer her up, but her mother wouldn't say anything, and Wanlan had no energy left to pester her for an answer.

Unexpectedly, her royal uncle personally came to the Prince of Qin's residence to find her.

well.

If the Imperial Uncle is really so worried, why doesn't he find out what's going on himself?

Inside Baoci Palace, Wanlan sat quietly in the outer hall, smiling as she watched Xu'er, who was clearly restless but afraid of disturbing her "uncomfortable" grandmother, gaze longingly at the screen that blocked Wu Niang's figure.

“Xu’er, if you want to see your grandmother so much, you can go in with Wu Niang.”

Wei Xu shook his head, "Grandmother is not well, Xu'er can wait for her here slowly."

Wanlan chuckled.

This child is incredibly sensible. Although he can be a little mischievous at times, sometimes falling behind in his studies because he's playing and then hiding away for fear of being punished, most of the time he's very caring. A month ago, because his royal grandmother was unwell and in a bad mood and couldn't take care of him, he obediently followed her out of the palace. Although he wanted to go back to the palace to see his royal grandmother several times, he held back for fear of disturbing her rest.

"Lan'er".

Wanlan looked up and saw Song Huining, dressed in a deep purple soft robe, stepping out from behind the screen with a smile.

She stood up and went to greet her, "Mother, are you alright?"

"Grandmother!"

Wei Xu rushed over with a shout, hugged Song Huining's legs with both arms, looked up at her with a worried expression, "Grandma, are you feeling better? Xu'er missed you so much."

“My dear Xu’er.”

Song Huining bent down and picked him up, walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, holding the little boy on her lap. "Grandma missed you too."

Looking up at Wanlan who was still standing, she beckoned, "Lan'er, come and sit down."

Wanlan obediently walked over and sat down. Both of them lowered their eyes and remained silent. Little Weixu, sitting on the Empress Dowager's lap, looked back and forth between the two of them, as if he couldn't bear their silence, and called out, "Empress Dowager, Mother, what's wrong?"

Wanlan lifted him off Song Huining's lap. "Xu'er, your mother and grandmother have something to discuss. Why don't you go play with Wuniang for a while?" Little Weixu looked at the two of them with some difficulty, pouted, and nodded. "Okay!"

"Good boy!" Smiling, Wanlan stroked his hair and handed him to Wuniang, who had stepped forward. Seeing them leave the hall, she turned back to the person behind her and asked directly:

"Mother, what happened between you and Imperial Uncle?"