Chapter 161 – Closed doors won't see, give birth to slight chills
At dawn the next morning, Chu Qing-Yan appeared in front of Xiao Xu's door.
Because they had to leave for a far away place, Western Xuan Emperor excused him from morning court.
Xiao Xu walked out of his door and saw the little guy anxiously waiting there. Last night, he promised her after returning from the palace that he would accompany her to buy stuff. No wonder today she would impatiently get up so early. He shook his head and helplessly said. "Let's go!"
Before they stepped out of the courtyard came words that almost made Chu Qing-Yan step on air and trip. "Early go and early return ah. Tonight, I want to eat Shanghai style steamed meat buns, pan-fried dumplings, swallow nest and meat soup oh!"
Chu Qing-Yan helplessly turned her head to look at the old urchin waving both hands at her with all his strength. She weakly agreed. "I know!"
Then she lifted her head to complain in a low tone to the person at her side. "Grandpa Emperor is a glutton!"
Xiao Xu hearing this, broke into laughter. "Before when Grandpa Emperor was managing Western Xuan, he was often wrapped up in work that he forgot to eat and didn't sleep. After he pa.s.sed the position to Father Emperor, he traveled the world. Gourmet food became a part of what he sought in life."
Chu Qing-Yan nodded her head in understanding. "So it's to say before things he didn't seriously enjoy, he isn't willing to let them pa.s.s him by again."
"It could be said like this!"
She nodded and immediately smiled to say. "Then tonight, I'll make several pastries that Grandpa Emperor has never tasted, it will be good!"
Xiao Xu lowered his head to look at her. "You are not afraid that Grandpa Emperor would stick to you because of this?"
She rubbed her head and smiled. "Stick to me then stick to me, in any case, the money I spend is yours. Moreover, he is your grandpa, showing respect to elders is what we ought to do. One, I don't have power, two, I don't have talent, so I can only make these little things to make him like me."
The s.p.a.ce between Xiao Xu's brow moved slightly. Helping her get into the carriage, he said. "The you like this is already very good."
Her kind regards in his eyes had already surpa.s.sed those worldly possessions.
The carriage wheels spun, very quickly they arrived at the imperial palace's gates.
The two people got out of the carriage and walked the whole way to Morning Sun Palace freely without anyone blocking them.
Luo Yun was keeping watch at the gate, she looked at His Highness as if expecting him. Only when her gaze landed on Chu Qing-Yan, it flashed a little, as if she hadn't expected to see her.
"His Highness suffered a lot of hardship these days." Luo Yun said with some concern.
"Indebted to Aunt Luo for your concern. Don't know whether Mother Empress has gotten up? Trouble Aunt Luo to let her know." Xiao Xu brought Chu Qing-Yan and stood outside the palace, as he indifferently said this to Luo Yun.
Chu Qing-Yan shook her head in her heart. Big Block of Ice outside always had an atmosphere of "strangers shouldn't approach". Like this, it was no wonder Prince's Manor was always so cold and cheerless. No one dropped by for a visit or wanted to get close. She supposed they were also afraid of being frozen to death by Big Block of Ice's cold air!
Now after Luo Yun heard this, an embarra.s.sed expression appeared on her face. "Your Highness Empress Niang Niang has already ordered that these several days, her doors will be closed and won't see any visitors. Ask that you please return!"
Xiao Xu's eyes flashed slightly, as if some dark color flitted by. But very quickly, his eyes restored its calm and soberness. He lowered his head slightly and was just about to reply when the person at his side already took a step forward and said clearly to Luo Yun.
"Luo Aunt, my family's Highness will set out on a long journey tomorrow. Today, he especially came to say goodbye to Empress Niang Niang. If Empress Niang Niang knew His Highness was about to set out on a long journey, she wouldn't lock us outside the door and refuse to see us. Still ask to trouble Luo Aunt to go in and let her know."
Chu Qing-Yan's face was full of smiles, the words she said were within reason with legs to stand on. Even Luo Aunt who had become seasoned in the palace after staying for so long couldn't find a single fault to retort back. She took a glance at his Highness and saw he was also waiting for her reply, she couldn't help but bite her teeth to reply. "Ask your Highness to please wait a minute, this servant will go in and let her know."
Seeing Luo Yun turn around to enter the palace, only then did the smile on Chu Qing-Yan's face slowly disappear.
Empress Liang, you really could bear to lock your son outside the door and refuse to see him?
Tomorrow he will leave on a long journey, maybe three years, maybe five, maybe the return period would be far in the future. Are you really not willing to even see him once?
She turned around to look at that tall and long figure. Big Block of Ice, did your heart become ice-cold once again?
She secretly fisted the hand hidden in her sleeves tightly. She didn't talk and disturb Big Block of Ice. The her right now unwaveringly stared at the tightly closed palace gates. Waiting with expectation and also worried that it would open again.
Waiting would always seem endless.
Clearly only a quarter of an hour had pa.s.sed, but it made one feel as if a season had pa.s.sed.
The palace gates with a groan opened, Luo Yun's figure appeared.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw Big Block of Ice's face move slightly. Chu Qing-Yan sighed softly. Although Big Block of Ice always seemed cold and cheerless as if he didn't have any feelings for anything in his surrounding, she knew he cared about it.
Blood is thicker than water, there isn't anyone that would be aloof to their close kin.
Chu Qing-Yan stared fixedly at Luo Yun, but when she saw the expression on her face, her heart suddenly had a bad premonition.
As expected.
"Your Highness Empress Niang Niang's body is not well, still inconvenient to see you." Luo Yun wore a "finding things difficult expression" to look at him.
No one saw Xiao Xu's pair of eyes suddenly sink down. He nodded slightly. "Thank you for your trouble Luo Aunt. It's likely to catch a cold in autumn, still best to go to the imperial hospital to search for an imperial physician to treat Mother Empress. So that medicine will be given to cure the illness sooner."
Luo Yun nodded, then continued to say. "Your Highness master had several sentences she wanted this servant to pa.s.s on to you."
"No harm in saying it." Xiao Xu lifted up his eyes, looked at the person on the steps and agreed.
"Empress Niang Niang said this road is the one you chose yourself. This palace has no authority to get involved in it. Almost twenty years of heart blood was wasted on your body. It is already a wasted effort. Liang family's responsibilities, you are unwilling to shoulder. Mother Empress's wish you are unwilling to bring about. My so called wishful thinking let you grow up to be powerful. You have never accepted it. Then no matter what, this time when you go, whether you live or die, obtain riches and honor or be in dire straits, hope you will fend for yourself. This palace would no longer get involved in it. Liang family would help you with a bit of their powers."
Luo Yun finished speaking this in one breath. But her eyes dared not to look at the people below the steps, that Highness whose whole body gave off cold air.
Chu Qing-Yan was full of anger when she finished listening to these words. What's called this road is the one you chose yourself? Wasn't it the Emperor's command?
What's called heart blood was wasted and a wasted effort? Excuse me, may I ask, have you ever been concerned about your son? Do you know what he liked the most and loathed the most?
What was called one's wishful thinking and after growing up unwilling to accept? Do you know what he needed the most? What he doesn't need? He was already strong enough. He only wanted the warmth from close kin. Such a simple wish you are unwilling to fulfill, then are you qualified to be called a mother?
When he was helpless, suffering alone, drifting and homeless, you decided to cut off his route of retreat because of all kinds of reasons from before.
Empress Niang Niang, are you really worthy of "mother", this word?
Chu Qing-Yan clenched her fist tightly, veins exploded out. Unwilling to remain silent, she wanted to open her mouth to attack but her wrist was gripped by a strong strength. She turned her head in astonishment to look at the person at her side.
She only saw him nod, not sad nor happy as he complied. "Ask you pa.s.s to this on to Mother Empress. Mother Empress's instruction, this son will bear in mind. Still ask that in the days this son is not here, you will take care of your body. This son asks to be excused."
Chu Qing-Yan bit her lips to swallow the words that were about to rush up as well as that raging fury.
She forced herself to lower her head, no longer looking at those three golden words shining brightly.
Morning Sun Palace?
Why couldn't she feel the sunshine or warm wind. She only felt a thick cold.
Big Block of Ice, how could my heart not ache for you?