Emperatriz viuda Xiaoxuan

Capítulo 215

A hint of sadness flashed in Madam Yu's eyes as she said in a deep voice, "If you want this key, then you must admit that this child is Lin'er's!"

Zi Jin stared at Madam Yu in astonishment for a long time before asking, "Madam, what is this...?"

Madam Yu walked slowly behind Zi Jin, took her hand in one hand, and gave a bitter smile: "Back then, I wholeheartedly wanted you two to be together, but after Jun Ying left... I gradually understood that if only one person is giving their heart, the one giving will be exhausted, and the one receiving will also be exhausted. If you insist on being bound together for life, it will only add to the torment. But Jun Lin has been so stubborn since he was little. Back then, I was afraid that if he didn't have you, I didn't know what he would become. Now it's all right, you have this child. As long as Lin'er considers him his own, then even if you really leave in the future, Lin'er will have something to remember him by, something to care about. That way, he won't do anything foolish..."

Madam Yu gradually tightened her grip on Zi Jin's hand, her body trembling with increasing agitation. "Think about all the things he did for you. Even if you never appreciate it, can you really be so heartless as to watch him go mad for you? ... Even if it's not for this key, just repay the kindness I showed you back then, repay the kindness he showed when he saved your life on the banks of the Huai River, repay the kindness he showed you with such deep affection, isn't that enough? ... It's just a child... As long as he knows that the child is his, that's enough... Lin'er and I don't ask for much. We don't dare to hope to take this child away from you. We just want a title... No, we don't even dare to ask for a title... As long as Jin'er acknowledges that the child is Lin'er's, that's enough... Isn't that enough?"

Zi Jin stared blankly at Madam Yu's tearful eyes: "If I tell Jun Lin that this child is his, will you... let me go?"

Madam Yu placed the key in Zi Jin's hand, nodding with tears in her eyes: "How can I not let you go? Do you really think I can just stand by and watch you be forced to your death?" Raising her thin, bony hand, Madam Yu gently stroked Zi Jin's face, smiling with relief, "...That Si Kou Xun Xiang is a good man, Jin'er won't suffer if she follows him."

"But he and Yu Luo are already..."

"Wasn't he a clever child before? Why does he become so clueless?... Sikou Xunle was poisoned at the time, and only the Jun family had the antidote. Sikou Xunxiang cherished his younger brother dearly, so how could he watch him suffer? That's when I gave Jun Lin an idea: have Sikou Xunxiang announce to the world that he would marry Yuluo in exchange for the antidote." Madam Yu smiled and tapped Zi Jin's forehead.

Zi Jin glanced sideways and pondered for a moment, a sudden realization flashing in her eyes: "So it's a double-edged sword... Madam, you've truly outmaneuvered me. Firstly, you've created a misunderstanding about Sikou Xunxiang, allowing Jun Lin to seize the opportunity to abduct someone; secondly, the grand ceremony announcing the coronation of the empress makes Yu Luo and her son the legitimate heirs of Chen Kingdom. If Sikou Xunxiang abdicates, his offspring will naturally be the first priority, thus placing Sikou Xunle second..." At this point, Zi Jin couldn't help but sneer, "Madam, you still can't let go of this empire..."

A hint of sadness flashed across Madam Yu's eyes as she glanced at Zi Jin and nodded with a smile: "Jin'er is finally insightful... Now that I've told you everything, I'm not afraid to tell you everything. Although Si Kou Xun Xiang agreed at the time, he had other intentions. So after their wedding, I had Yu Luo reveal her background and past in detail, hoping that Si Kou Xun Xiang would consider whether to repay your debt of gratitude or keep his feelings to himself... Guess what Si Kou Xiang did?"

Zi Jin gave a bitter smile: "I misunderstood him so much back then, I don't know how heartbroken he must have been... How could he..."

Madam Yu smiled and said, "Jin'er, don't belittle yourself. To think like that... is to trample on Sikou Xunxiang's sincerity towards you. Think back to the past and think back to the present... how has Sikou Xunxiang treated you?... When I sent Yuluo to test him, I didn't have much hope. But this Sikou Xunxiang has truly impressed this old woman..." Madam Yu patted Zi Jin's hand and sighed softly, "It seems what the Empress said wasn't entirely absolute... not everyone in the Sikou family is ambitious and treacherous... Yuluo's child has been made Crown Prince of Chen by Sikou Xunxiang... do you know that?"

Zi Jin paused, a tender, bittersweet feeling welling up from the depths of her heart. A sweet glint appeared in her dark eyes, and joy flickered between her brows. After a long while, her brows furrowed again: "What about Sikou Xunle?"

Madam Yu paused, glancing awkwardly into the distance. After a moment of silence, she spoke slowly, "The poison that Sikou Xunle suffered from has no complete antidote; it can only be suppressed with medicine… To prevent his younger brother from suffering that daily, agonizing pain, Sikou Xunxiang has sought help from the wandering immortal physician to cure Sikou Xunle. The immortal said that Sikou Xunle possesses exceptional wisdom and that the poison is extremely vicious, so he took Sikou Xunle as his disciple and traveled far and wide to find a good antidote."

A hint of melancholy flashed in Zi Jin's eyes: "The throne has never been what he wanted. Perhaps wandering around is much better for him than sitting alone in that position."

Madam Yu slowly took out a bottle from her waist, put it in Zi Jin's hand, and said with a smile, "Jin'er is right, not everyone wants to sit in that high position."

Zi Jin looked at the bottle in her hand with a puzzled expression: "What is this...?"

Madam Yu turned around, her back to Zi Jin, and said, "Jin'er, don't you want to regain your martial arts? This is the antidote. Si Kou Xun Xiang should arrive in a few days. After you save your master, you should leave quickly... go far away, so that Lin'er doesn't find you..."

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Zi Jin's heart. Her initial suspicion and annoyance were gradually being replaced by an unknown feeling: "Madam..."

Madam Yu looked up and chuckled twice: "Jin'er, don't overthink it. I'm only willing to release you in exchange for the empire in Sikou Xunxiang's hands... You, go."

Zi Jin felt a pang of sorrow in her heart and said softly, "I have no way to repay Madam for the kindness of bringing me back to life. Please accept my three kowtows."

Madam Yu turned abruptly, tears welling in her eyes, and reached out to stop Zi Jin, who was about to bow: "Jin'er... you must know that with this bow, we... we will have no future. Jin'er... do you know how much I miss you?... It's a pity your heart isn't with Lin'er... If you truly want to thank me... I only beg you, I only beg you to treat Lin'er well before you leave... at least, at least let him have some memories..."

Jin'er, you once said that was our Lin'er, and you also said that it was his and your Lin'er. Now he's gone, and you don't want Lin'er anymore... So, let me, let me do my last bit of strength to protect our Lin'er, the one we all cherished...

With red eyes, Zi Jin nodded with difficulty: "Don't worry, Madam. Even if it's not for you... even if it's for the life-saving grace on the banks of the Huaiyin River, Zi Jin will not... will not hurt him again."

Madam Yu turned around, subtly wiping away her tears, and choked out, "Alright, alright, that's good... I'll be going now. If he finds out I met with you, he'll start overthinking again."

As the setting sun cast its glow on Madam Yu's faltering figure, Zi Jin's tears flowed even more fiercely: "Madam!"

Lady Yu stopped in her tracks, grabbing a tree beside her for support.

"Is Baoxian... alright?"

Madam Yu, with her back to Zi Jin, nodded: "Good, Bao Xian is very well."

Zi Jin choked up and said, "What about Yu Luo?... If this matter is over, how will Madam treat her? She was already like that before... Madam, can you treat her well in the future and help Jin'er... help Jin'er make it up to her?"

“Jin’er, there’s no need to feel guilty. What Yu Luo did and suffered back then wasn’t all for you… At that time, Consort Li and the Second Prince were ambitious… Jun Ying had no time to guard against them… so I sent Yu Luo to secretly protect Lin’er. Over the years, Yu Luo had already fallen for Lin’er… Jin’er, rest assured, no matter what… Lin’er will eventually take her as his wife… that will be a way of repaying her.” Madam Yu slowly turned around, glanced at Zi Jin, and then quickly walked away into the distance.

Zi Jin's tears fell uncontrollably as she shouted loudly at Madam Yu's ever-shrinking figure, "Take care, Madam!"

Madam Yu's small figure paused for a moment in the setting sun, then slowly disappeared around the corner...

Love and hate leave no trace, deep affection is hard to wait for; the descendants of the gods, three generations of marriage and resentment fill the river, watching the tide rise amidst wind and rain (12)

Watching the Tide Rise Amidst Wind and Rain (12) After wandering halfway through the palace, Zi Jin finally found a relatively secluded corner. She buried the key in the soil of the grass, lit a bee pollen, and inserted it into the key. After doing everything, gazing at the gradually darkening sky, Zi Jin walked back to Chaofeng Palace step by step.

I walked these corridors for four years. Although I felt imprisoned, I was unusually carefree and happy on ordinary days. Back then, I spent most of my time passing those monotonous days like this. When I was extremely bored, I always liked to tease Xiao Xibao. Whenever I saw him biting his lip with a pitiful look of anger that he dared not express, I felt an indescribable enjoyment.

Yu Luo was always so kind to me, always thinking of me in every way. In winter, she would sew me a fur coat, and in summer, she would always find a way to steal the little ice I had stored to cool me down. She had shielded me from so many attacks, both open and hidden, without complaint. Without her, I could never have lived such a carefree life.

She never imagined that the person Yu Luo liked was Jun Lin, but now that she knew, she wasn't surprised. She had grown up in darkness, entering the palace at eleven to secretly protect Jun Lin. Leaving aside their childhood friendship and budding romance, Jun Lin, having been unruly and reckless since childhood, possessed the same unbridled freedom, carefree spirit, and innocence that Yu Luo longed for. Jun Lin was like the blazing sun, extinguishing the darkness that had once enveloped Yu Luo.

Jun Chi had always been obedient and well-behaved. Although he later became a little old man who only knew how to scold him, his concern was genuine. He might have been using or scheming against him, but after so many years together, perhaps even he himself didn't realize that he had given his heart and soul and had truly come to regard him as family.

Things have changed, and I don't even dare to go back to Taiping Pavilion anymore, for fear that I will burst into tears.

I regretted leaving with west Le back then, but after meeting Xiao Bai, that regret gradually faded. It wasn't until leaving with Xiao Bai that I realized what I had been searching for when I insisted on leaving the palace. Though I wouldn't admit it, the first time I saw Xiao Bai in the Chen Kingdom's palace, I felt an indescribable familiarity and a strange intimacy… Perhaps even earlier, much earlier, I had already decided on Xiao Bai—was it on the Mid-Autumn Festival night in the Moon Kingdom, or the night we embraced… Fate always seems to ordain many things; you can't escape them, and you can't forget them…

Madam Yu, who had schemed her whole life, could not escape the allure of love. Today, she looked much older than when she last saw her. Although she spoke lightly of Jun Ying's death, how could she hide the deep pain and despair in her eyes?

Lady Yu was a proud woman. She always knew that Jun Ying's heart wasn't with her, but out of pride, she didn't force it. Perhaps knowing she would soon grow old, or perhaps knowing Jun Ying would never give her the throne, she distanced herself from the Yue Kingdom. Even from so far away, she still wholeheartedly protected her and Jun Ying's child. She loved Jun Lin so much, simply because he was her and her beloved's child. Having already borne her lover's child, she no longer demanded his heart. She was so content, so wise, yet resentment still lingered in her heart.

When Madam Yu sent herself to Zi Yingfeng's side, it seemed to be to fulfill her wish from her past life. But why did she hide the fact that she was still alive from Jun Ying? Who can say for sure whether she did this out of selfishness or revenge?

Madam Yu allowed herself to live under Jun Ying's watchful eye, yet kept it a secret from him. She wanted to witness Jun Ying torment her, to see him suffer in regret and remorse. Madam Yu used the harm Jun Ying inflicted upon her to soothe the resentment and hatred buried deep within her for years.

Even now, Madam Yu still regrets it… Today, when she spoke of Jun Ying's death, a flash of regret and deep heartache clearly crossed her eyes, fleeting yet so profound. Since she chose to love him in the first place, why torment him? Was it simply because he couldn't reciprocate her love?

Aren't people ridiculous?

Zi Jin stood outside the Chaofeng Palace, gazing at the three powerful yet subtly gentle characters on the plaque, lost in thought, a bitter smile appearing on her lips.

Chaofeng Palace, where the phoenix comes to roost. How many thoughts and longings are buried in this palace? Knowing that there is no hope in this life, he still silently prays, silently waits, and silently preserves them in his heart.