Chapter 683: Chapter 684 Extra State Mourning_1 Chapter 683: Chapter 684 Extra State Mourning_1 Nangong Anan felt a pang in her chest; she could not go on like this any longer. Perhaps she could muddle through life, but her father, the Emperor, could not wait. In his final fading moments, she must fulfill her filial duty for the last time, to let her father leave this world peacefully.

Gao Xiang had barely left when Xiao Yu hurried in, unable to contain herself: “Princess, what did the Pingnan Prince Heir say?”

Nangong Anan raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her cheeks and said composedly, “Xiao Yu, give the orders, I need to bathe and change clothes.”

Xiao Yu was taken aback, then burst into joy: “Yes, I’ll give the orders at once!”

Regardless of anything, as long as the Princess didn’t continue to wallow in her past self-neglect, everything else would work out. She immediately forgot to chastise the Pingnan Prince Heir for his brashness.

After Nangong Anan had washed and dressed properly, her face was still a bit pale, so she purposefully took some fine rouge and applied it evenly to her face.

Xiao Yu laughed: “Looking like this, the Princess seems much more spirited, and if His Majesty sees you, he’ll surely be pleased.”

Nangong Anan forced a smile, checked in the mirror to ensure not a single flaw was visible, and then nodded in satisfaction before heading to her father’s chambers.

“Your Majesty, Princess An is here,” the eunuch by the Emperor’s side joyfully announced. The old Emperor, lying on his dragon bed, smiled upon hearing this and said, “Let her in quickly.”

“Father, how are you feeling? I heard you haven’t been well these past few days, have you been eating properly?” Nangong Anan rushed in, the sight of the old Emperor’s pale face aching her heart.

The old Emperor gave a kindly laugh, patted Nangong Anan’s hand: “Who else but my precious daughter could cheer me up? Today is different, as our Princess An has come to see this old chap. I feel so much happier, my health might just improve,” he chuckled.

Nangong Anan’s eyes stung, and she bowed her head in shame: “I’m sorry for being willful these past days. Father, from now on, I’ll be by your side every day.”

“What is that to worry about? Children’s affections are fleeting, don’t let these things sadden you. I think Gao Xiang did something right, in a snap, he got you to step out. Look at this complexion, it’s much better. If you marry him, I’d rest easy,” the old Emperor said earnestly.

Naturally, Nangong Anan agreed: “Whatever Father says.”

“Good child, you should understand your father’s wishes. I may not be able to protect your brothers, but at least, I must protect you.”

Tears instantly rolled down Nangong Anan’s cheeks. Such a simple sentence conveyed how much helplessness of a father?

Among the princes vying for the throne, only one could ascend. The fate of the others was bound to be bleak.

The old Emperor had foreseen such an outcome but was powerless to stop it. He could only watch with open eyes as his sons turned on each other—what greater agony could there be?

Nangong Anan sniffled: “Father…”

“Ah, why the tears? Stop crying. Anan is my joy, I love it when Anan makes me laugh. If you could just make me laugh, I might live another ten years.”

Nangong Anan hurriedly wiped away her tears, “Father Emperor likes to be amused, so Anan will play along. But Father Emperor must keep his promise to live another ten years!”

“Haha, you little tyrant, how can you be so domineering? Alright, Father Emperor promises you that!”

Inside the hall there was a burst of laughter and cheerful voices; outside, Gao Xiang breathed a sigh of relief. He and Nangong Anan had grown up together since they were children; he understood her temperament best. At this time, only a hard hit could wake her up. Fortunately, it didn’t backfire.

“Prince Heir, won’t you go in? Shall I go in first to announce your arrival?”

“There’s no need, just take good care of the Princess. I’ll be leaving the palace first.” With that, he walked away without looking back, a patch of snow on his shoulder, which scattered as the wind blew it away.

That little eunuch shook his head but ultimately didn’t say anything and turned to go back into the sleeping quarters.

These days Nangong Anan had been inseparable from the old emperor, accompanying him constantly. Inside Yangxin Hall, there wasn’t the slightest hint of sickness, but rather, it was filled with laughter and jovial talk. The old emperor was right, Anan was indeed his source of joy. With her presence, even the greatest pain seemed to vanish.

However, such days did not last long. The old emperor’s body had long been drained, and now he was merely counting his days. A month later, the old emperor’s condition suddenly worsened. One second he was joking with Anan, and the next, he violently vomited blood. The Imperial Physicians knelt outside the hall, a picture of helplessness; there was no way to turn the tide.

For the first time, Anan was so panicked, as the person she was closest to was dying before her eyes, little by little. She felt completely powerless and could not stop crying, “Father Emperor, Father Emperor, don’t leave Anan behind. Didn’t you promise Anan another ten years of life? Father Emperor!”

The old emperor grabbed Anan’s hand, the fresh blood at the corner of his mouth not yet wiped clean, his breath already utterly in disarray, struggling to sit up, he said, “Anan, Father Emperor… Father Emperor’s time is short. What Father Emperor worries about the most is you.”

“Father Emperor…”

“Listen to me, I have drafted the edict. Your fourth brother will ascend to the throne. Although he is cunning and shrewd, he is truly sincere towards you and will not mistreat you. Should he enact any ruthless measures against our other brothers, do not question him or turn against him because of it, or you will be implicated,” the old emperor said a great deal in one breath, clearly struggling to maintain himself, and coughed several times.

Weeping, Anan said, “I understand, Father Emperor. I understand.”

“Furthermore, your marriage to Gao Xiang… it will put my mind at ease. That boy takes great care of you. Father Emperor doesn’t want you to be wronged in the future. When Father Emperor is gone, if you are not married well, Father Emperor won’t be able to support you, and it would grieve me even in the netherworld.”

As the old emperor was on his very last breath, he managed a weak smile, “Good child…”

Then, he no longer had any strength and his hands fell limply.

The eunuch standing by cried out with a mournful voice, “The Emperor has passed away!”

Nangong Anan burst into sobs; the person she held dearest in the world had just died right before her eyes. Her heart ached beyond words, a boundless grief overtook her, her pain coming in waves, as if only the endless tears could express the sorrow in her heart. Indeed, apart from crying, she couldn’t do anything else.

The funeral rites were conducted and the new emperor ascended the throne; the nation was in mourning. After Nangong Qian became the emperor, his thunderous methods dealt with the princes who had once vied with him for the throne, resulting in their deaths or imprisonment.

All these happenings; Nangong Anan felt like a walking corpse, getting through one thing after another. In just a few short months, it seemed she had experienced a lifetime’s worth of sorrow.