August 8th marked the day Princess Cuiwei would marry into Xiliang.
Despite all the days filled with scheming and fighting, regardless of the Old Emperor and the Empress’s ploys, and no matter how deeply Su Tianyou confessed his feelings, Princess Cuiwei’s heart remained unchanged.
She was determined to marry into that distant land of Xiliang.
The night before the wedding, the Empress could no longer hold back and personally visited Princess Cuiwei’s palace, hoping for one final eting with her daughter.
Since her daughter’s marriage was now an unchangeable fact, this last eting was essential. If this could unravel the knot that had lingered between mother and daughter for years, it would be all the better.
However, the Empress was disappointed once again this ti.
"Your Majesty, Her Highness the Princess has been very tired today and has retired early. We hope Your Majesty understands."
This was the usual response. Whenever she ca to see Cuiwei, whether day or night, the palace maids always replied in the sa way.
"Can’t you co up with a fresher excuse? Every ti I visit, it’s always ’retired early.’ Does it an you’re too lazy to even think of reasons to brush off?"
The Empress was furious. Her recently aged face was more lined with deep wrinkles and, because of her daughter’s wedding, she had no heart to apply makeup to cover them, making her appear old.
"Oh, so the Empress knows these are just excuses. If that’s the case, why bother seeking disappointnt?"
A sharp voice echoed from within the chamber.
So cold!
The Empress shivered instinctively. This was her daughter, her daughter speaking to her!
Yet, the voice and tone remained as indifferent as ever.
The Empress felt a slight pain in her heart, and she unconsciously grasped her collar: "Weier, you’re going to marry tomorrow. Mother ca to see you."
"See ? See for what? To see if I’m knocked out by your drugs? Or to see if I’ve been killed by the people you arranged?"
The voice grew colder, but the person still didn’t co out. The Empress, slightly anxious, took two hurried steps forward but was halted by her daughter’s stern voice.
"If the Empress moves any further, don’t bla for being discourteous!"
She was the Empress; she was the Princess. Even though they were mother and daughter, their statuses were clear. What discourteous act could she commit towards the Empress?
But even so, the Empress stopped herself. She had already caused her daughter so much pain and didn’t want to deepen the dislike.
"Weier, those people, they’re not here to harm you. I, I just can’t bear the thought of you suffering far away..."
"Suffering?"
Before the Empress could finish, Princess Cuiwei’s cold laugh interrupted her: "You said the sa back then. You said you couldn’t bear for to suffer with a re guard. And then, and then you found an excuse to kill him! Empress, even today you say so. Dare I ask, have you secretly sent people to Xiliang to assassinate that high-ranking Crown Prince of Xiliang?"
Assassinate the Crown Prince of Xiliang?
The Empress shivered abruptly. Where did she have the courage for that? Or rather, where did she have the capability?
No, that’s not the point; she did not find an excuse to kill Mingwei. She indeed suggested he go find the beast skin, genuinely just testing the boy.
It’s just, who could have known the boy would be so unlucky to enter deep mountains and encounter a black bear!
At this thought, the Empress’s heart ached even more. That accident cost Cuiwei her beloved, and she lost her son too. Wasn’t such a punishnt enough?
Thinking this way, the Empress couldn’t help but voice her thoughts.
In the dim chamber, a laughter worse than crying suddenly broke out, and Cuiwei scread hoarsely: "Punishnt? They died because of you, yet you speak to of punishnt? Haha, Empress, are you so naive? You lost your son, but what about ? I lost my lover and my brother! Both were the most important n in my life, yet they’re dead, both dead!"
Two n, one was her lifelong love, the other the most important in her life—who could understand Cuiwei’s pain? Not even the Empress, her mother!
Taking a deep breath, the Empress knew they couldn’t continue on this topic, or today’s visit would be futile.
"Weier, let’s not ntion the past. Tomorrow you will marry, and Mother hasn’t seen you for three months. Once you marry into Xiliang, Mother will, will not see you again. Weier, let Mother see you, alright? Even if it’s just once!"
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