jdhmnovel Chapter 108 Even Concern is a Pretense
Chapter 108 Even Concern is a Pretense
"What is the purpose of Your Majesty keeping me here?" Prince Rui was completely bewildered, his mind a jumble of thoughts, utterly unable to fathom the Emperor's intention in summoning him alone.
Is it not enough that setting a trap for the Crown Prince before? Now they want to drag him into this bottomless game of power struggles as well?
Thinking of this, Prince Rui frowned, and a fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.
The Emperor gazed silently at Yuan Qian, whose expression was solemn, and slowly said, "Qian'er, you have been busy with many affairs lately, but don't forget to take some time to visit your mother. She misses you very much!"
After saying this, the emperor sighed softly, seemingly filled with worry.
It turns out that recently, the emperor has been staying at Consort Xiao's residence every night.
However, everyone could see that this favored imperial concubine was becoming increasingly haggard, as if she were being tormented by an invisible pressure.
All of this, of course, did not escape the emperor's keen eyes.
Yuan Qian suddenly realized that he had not stepped into the palace where his mother lived for a very long time.
However, this was not because he was unwilling to visit her; on the contrary, he was always concerned about his mother, but she had explicitly forbidden him from entering!
In particular, when the emperor arrived, he was strictly forbidden from going to pay his respects.
Yuan Qian had once asked his mother, full of doubt, about the reason, but no matter how much he pressed her, she always remained silent and refused to reveal anything.
This left Yuan Qian feeling extremely distressed and helpless, and he could only bury this question deep in his heart.
Upon hearing the emperor's words, Yuan Qian quickly and obediently lowered his head and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will obey your decree! I will visit my mother shortly, please rest assured, Your Majesty."
After saying that, Yuan Qian slightly raised his head and glanced at the emperor out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that the emperor's expression was normal, he breathed a sigh of relief.
But the mystery of why his mother acted this way still weighed heavily on his heart like a boulder.
Surprisingly, the emperor treated him in a very strange way.
That indescribable sense of alienation and indifference seemed to be an invisible barrier between them.
What's even more puzzling is the peculiar way his mother and his high-ranking father interacted, sometimes intimately close, sometimes as distant as strangers.
At this moment, the emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, which symbolized supreme power, his brows furrowed, one hand unconsciously rubbing his brow, as if he was overwhelmed by endless official duties.
Finally, he waved his hand impatiently and shouted at the person in front of him, "Enough! You may leave now! I have a mountain of official business to attend to!"
His voice revealed a clear hint of irritation.
When Yuan Qian heard the emperor say these words, the tension that had been pressing on his heart finally eased a little.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then quickly bowed to the emperor and said respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will follow your teachings. I will take my leave now! I hope Your Majesty is in good health and will take good care of yourself, avoid overworking, and get plenty of rest!"
After speaking, Yuan Qian dared not delay for a moment and hurriedly left the Imperial Study.
The moment he stepped out of the room, he felt a cool breeze rush towards him, which instantly calmed his restless mind.
At this moment, Yuan Qian walked alone on that quiet and long passageway.
The surroundings were quiet, with only the faint echo of his footsteps on the stone path.
As he walked, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Over the years, he believed he had come to know the emperor, who stood high above him, quite well.
However, whenever he recalled the emperor's attitude towards him, he always vaguely felt that there seemed to be something strange about it.
Sometimes, the emperor would show him fatherly care and affection;
But sometimes, it's as if there's an invisible veil between them, making it impossible for people to truly understand their innermost thoughts.
This feeling of being neither close nor distant, hot and cold, truly perplexed Yuan Qian.
You know, there's a jaw-dropping rumor circulating in the palace, and even among the common people outside, that the current emperor has actually left the entire harem idle for the sake of Consort Xiao alone.
Hmph, don't listen to their nonsense. These rumors are utterly absurd!
Take himself for example. As the son of Consort Xiao, he knows all too well what's going on.
In his eyes, although his mother appeared to be incredibly glamorous on the surface, after all, the emperor had granted her the power to manage the vast harem, a privilege that many women dreamed of.
However, only he could perceive that even though his mother often wore a smile, the subtle sadness hidden behind that smile could not be concealed.
When the night was deep and quiet, and everyone else was asleep, he often saw his mother sitting alone by the window, staring blankly at the cold moonlight.
Those eyes, which should have been full of liveliness and joy, were now shrouded in a faint sadness.
Perhaps, in the eyes of outsiders, the mother has a supreme status and endless wealth and glory, but who can truly understand the pain and helplessness deep in her heart?
Unbeknownst to him, Yuan Qian's footsteps had already led him to the front of Guanju Palace.
He slowly raised his head and gazed at the plaque hanging high above, on which were engraved several large characters that exuded an aura of majesty and solemnity—"Guanju Palace".
Those three big characters seemed to possess some kind of magic, causing Yuan Qian to feel an indescribable and complex emotion, even finding it extremely ironic!
The palace's name comes from a famous line in the Book of Songs: "The ospreys cry 'guan guan' on the islet in the river."
Back then, his mother told him that his father had once said to her with deep affection that the two of them would be like the ospreys, inseparable and loving each other for a lifetime.
However, Yuan Qian, who is currently in this place, is filled with doubt and confusion.
Because in the eyes of outsiders, being able to live in such a magnificent palace, which symbolizes supreme favor, is undoubtedly a supreme honor.
After all, everyone in the Forbidden City knows that the current emperor dotes on Consort Xiao to the extreme!
If he was truly so favored, why would his mother so solemnly and sadly warn him never to easily trust anyone in the Forbidden City?
She also described everyone here, including those seemingly glamorous and powerful people, as terrifying devils who devour people without spitting out their bones!