"What? It was like that? He doted on an adopted daughter so much?
Why insist it was the Futu family?
The Consort then recounted events after the sisters entered the palace. Nothing particularly noteworthy occurred. The Emperor was diligent and not one for beauty. Apart from the servants of the late First Prince, there were only the two of them, the Empress and herself.
"At first, the Emperor treated me and my sister the same. Later..." The Consort sighed sadly. "One day, I don't remember how I ended up arguing with my sister. She slipped and fell, and then, then she was in labor prematurely. The child was born before full term, and it was stillborn... After that, the Emperor began to neglect me, thinking I was malicious."
"Was that before you and the Second Brother?" Ling Yao asked in surprise.
"Yes, the former Emperor had just passed away, and the Emperor valued propriety. It was only on the wedding night... My sister was lucky to conceive so quickly, but alas... I can't even recall what we argued about. It was probably something trivial; I held no major grudges against her."
As they spoke, the Emperor suddenly made a few guttural sounds and looked towards them.
"Luo... Hua..."
He mumbled two indistinct words, but the Consort's face turned deathly pale.
"Even like this, you still remember your sister... Why!" She covered her face and wept. "I liked you the moment I saw you. It's unfair, so unfair..."
"Father, do you recognize me? I am Ling Yao." Ling Yao leaned forward, her heart filled with excitement. She thought there might be a turning point, but upon closer inspection, she saw no change in his eyes.
"Yao... good girl..."
He remained listless. Those were just words he uttered unconsciously, likely the most important things in his mind, a residual memory even without thought.
Ling Yao thought sadly: It's good he's foolish; he won't know about that woman's betrayal, won't be sad or hurt.
She couldn't understand. Her father had loved her for so many years, why did she turn to someone else? When did it start?
Although Prince Runan was cleared of involvement in harming the Emperor, and Xiao Shan found no trace of his participation, she still felt he must have been involved. Or perhaps it was because of the Empress Mother?
She had to find out.
Leaving the Taiyi Palace, Ling Yao went to the Fengluan Palace.
After she had damaged a corner of the Fengluan Palace, it was left as it was. She refused to allow repairs, wanting the Empress to remember her moral failings and unworthiness to be Empress.
The palace servants feared the divine maiden. When Ling Yao entered, they all knelt, not daring to make a sound.
The Empress was in the Buddhist hall. Ling Yao sneered. Madam Zhou and a palace maid guarded outside. Upon seeing her, they quickly bowed.
"Get away!"
"Princess..."
Madam Zhou was about to say more when Yu Liu drew her sword and drove them away without mercy.
The Empress was prostrating herself at the desk, copying scriptures. Hearing the commotion, she remained unmoved. In just a few days, she had withered like a flower, with dark circles under her eyes and white hairs appearing on her head.
Ling Yao glanced at her swollen belly, her eyes full of cold light.
"This bastard child, it's about to be born!"
The Empress's brush paused, and the ink dripped onto the white paper, spreading. She clutched her belly and looked at Ling Yao with a pleading expression.
Her current state only made Ling Yao more disdainful.
She had always been graceful, elegant, and noble, enjoying earthly riches and singular favor from the Emperor. But it turned out that was not composure, but indifference. Her current expression was humble and pitiful.
It was the first time Ling Yao had seen her exhibit such an expression, the first time she had something she cared about, and it was for a bastard child that should not exist!
To what extent had she trampled on her father?
"I really don't understand why?"
Ling Yao looked deeply into her eyes. The Empress was a weak person, perhaps too well protected by her father. Her life had been smooth sailing, and she remained as innocent and ignorant as in her youth. She offered no resistance and soon fell into a deep vortex.
"Futu Luohua, who do you love?"
"I love... Feng Chaochen."
It was indeed Prince Runan!
But a conflicted expression appeared on the Empress's face. "Or, Feng Nianhong?" She seemed lost, unable to clarify for herself.
Ling Yao almost wanted to slap her.
This woman was more disgusting than she had imagined. Don't insult her father!
"The Emperor was driven mad. Was Prince Runan involved? Were you involved?" This was what she wanted to know most. If they were involved, she would make them suffer a fate worse than death.
The Empress burst into tears. "No, no. Zhaoran discovered the Emperor had a strange illness. He told me, then investigated the Lanruo Palace, and then Grand Tutor Lu. He also sought many people to examine the Emperor, but they all said the Emperor was beyond saving."
"This matter could not be spread, so he concealed it. The palace was filled with Grand Tutor Lu's people. He feared I would also be harmed, so he brought me to Prince Runan's manor."
"Brought you to Prince Runan's bed?"
"...I don't know how I got drunk, so I owe him. I caused him to remain unmarried his entire life. Even though I bore him Lingyin, Lingyin is also dead. I delayed him... I, I want to compensate him."
"Lingyin, you bore her?" Ling Yao's eyes widened again.
She could not imagine such an absurd thing existing in the world.
So, from so early on, her father had been wearing a cuckold's hat. How could such a shameless woman exist? How could she enjoy her father's love with a clear conscience?
And this person was her Empress Mother.
Disgusting. She felt disgusted even by her own body. This was flesh that had fallen from this woman!
"Yes, Lingyin was my first child, and she was Zhaoran's child. On the day of my delivery, I deliberately argued with Luohua. Others thought it was premature labor, but it was actually full term. It was just difficult labor, and she was trapped in my womb for a long time, damaging her health. Madam Zhou replaced her with a stillborn infant and secretly sent Lingyin to Prince Runan's manor."
The Empress seemed to have an internal switch flipped, pouring out everything she had held in her heart, detailing her entanglements with two men.
The gist was that the former Emperor had a total of three princes. Prince Runan was his most beloved youngest son, whom he had always intended to be the Crown Prince.
However, Prince Runan, still a third prince, was naturally unrestrained and unwilling to be confined to the capital, preferring to travel the world.
During his last journey, he met Futu Luohua and fell in love with her. However, she did not know the Third Prince's identity, believing him to be a wealthy young man from the capital.
She knew she was destined for the palace, as it was an ancient bond between the Futu family and the imperial family. Thus, she wanted to leave him with a heavy heart, but the Third Prince stopped her. Upon learning the reason, he revealed his identity.
For Futu Luohua, the Third Prince intended to agree to return to the palace and become Crown Prince. However, on the way back to the capital, he was ambushed, severely injured, and fell into a secluded mountain village.
Later, he discovered that the First Prince, Prince An, was responsible.
This was because the former Emperor's health was failing, and he was searching everywhere for his beloved son to return and ascend the throne. Thus, Prince An harbored thoughts of usurpation.
It was also at this time that the royal family sent a betrothal gift to the Futu family, to marry Futu Luohua and Futu Lanruo into the palace. If the former Emperor passed away, imperial family members were forbidden to marry for three years. Therefore, he wanted to marry the Empress for his son before his death.
Prince An rebelled, but the former Emperor, one step ahead, had Prince An killed before his own deathbed. Prince An, on his deathbed, claimed the Third Prince had been killed by his men. The former Emperor was grief-stricken and his strength utterly depleted.
He did not live to see his youngest son return. He had no choice but to alter the imperial decree, appointing the Second Prince to succeed him, who was the current Emperor Feng Nianhong.
The Empress wept and laughed. "On our wedding night, I thought I was marrying Zhaoran... But, but fate played a cruel trick. It wasn't until two months later that he returned to the capital, injured. But it was too late, all too late. I wronged him, I wronged the Emperor... I am guilty, I am guilty!"