CHAPTER 406: CHAPTER 374: EMPATHY FOR MY BIRTH MOTHER (SECOND UPDATE)

Before the Empress Dowager passed away, Emperor Guangxi did summon Old Marquis Lu, but the latter kept his mouth tight. He didn’t reveal a word about his conversation with the Empress Dowager, only repeatedly admitting his guilt.

Emperor Guangxi’s longstanding grievances against the Lu Family weren’t formed overnight; they couldn’t be reversed simply by his mother’s forceful persuasion.

Over the years, if not for Fanghua’s sake, he would have acted against the Lu Family long ago.

Seeing her brother’s anger wasn’t subsiding, Fanghua advised, "Mother’s body is still warm; Brother, you must not act recklessly. If you find it difficult to confront them, let me, as the daughter-in-law, ask. Perhaps I can get something out."

Emperor Guangxi, dressed in mourning from head to toe, didn’t want to bring up the Lu Family and changed the subject directly, "Has my little nephew arrived?"

"He has," Fanghua nodded.

"Bring him here for me to see."

Fanghua turned around and went out, returning shortly with her son.

At a glance, she saw the exquisitely carved little child standing next to Fanghua, and Emperor Guangxi’s somber expression suddenly relaxed, showing a smile as he called out, "Yan Li?"

The little fellow’s round eyes stared at Emperor Guangxi.

Fanghua said, "That’s uncle. Uncle’s house has lots of candy. Call him, and you’ll get candy."

Upon hearing there was candy, the little fellow immediately perked up, sweetly calling out to the man opposite, "Uncle~"

In the palace, there was a soft and fair Second Prince Zhao Nuo. Emperor Guangxi recently particularly liked little children, and upon hearing Lu Yanli’s voice, his heart melted, immediately instructing Mr. Cui to bring sweets.

The sweets in the palace came in many varieties. When Mr. Cui gave the order, little palace maids directly brought over a dozen plates, all soft candies digestible for someone Lu Yanli’s age.

Fanghua, fearing he’d have a toothache from eating too much, didn’t allow him to take too many and only allowed him to choose one.

The little fellow stood before the table, wanting this and that, dazzled by the choices.

Emperor Guangxi watched amused, "Your son is nothing like Yanqing at all."

At the mention of her eldest son, a trace of desolation appeared in Fanghua’s eyes, and her voice carried a note of regret, "I wasn’t competent enough, ruining that child’s life."

One sentence touched his sister’s scar, leaving Emperor Guangxi feeling uneasy inside.

As the Emperor, there were some things he couldn’t directly say, so he sat down, casually pulling Little Yanli into his arms to tease his nephew.

After leaving Qianqing Palace, Fanghua found Lu Xingzhou in the Imperial Garden. He was standing with Old Marquis Lu, the father and son speaking in low tones, but Fanghua couldn’t hear from a distance.

She walked over and greeted them lightly.

The father and son stopped their conversation abruptly, and Old Marquis Lu’s gaze fell directly on the little one.

Due to social obligations, Fanghua patiently told her son, "This is grandpa."

Perhaps the pronunciation was simple, and the little guy sweetly called him grandpa.

Old Marquis Lu was warmed, squatting down and looking at him gently, "My little grandson suddenly came over. Grandpa didn’t prepare a gift for you. How about this, later you come with Grandpa, and whatever you fancy at Grandpa’s house, I’ll give it to you, okay?"

"..." The little fellow was a bit confused but couldn’t avoid replying out of politeness, so he nodded and softly responded, "Okay~"

Lu Xingzhou couldn’t help but remark, "Greedy little thing."

Old Marquis Lu laughed heartily, patting his head, "Not bad, he is my grandson after all."

The little fellow giggled along.

Fanghua could tell Old Marquis Lu really liked this grandson.

In fact, he also liked Lu Yanqing very much.

It’s just that Lu Yanqing had become a tool for the Empress Dowager’s revenge against him, and to spare his grandson some hardship, Old Marquis Lu intentionally distanced himself, making the grandfather-grandson relationship appear somewhat distant to outsiders.

After coaxing his grandson, Old Marquis Lu looked at Lu Xingzhou, "Second son, since you’re here, why not come home for a visit?"

Lu Xingzhou hesitated, "I’ve been expelled from the family, and strictly speaking, I’m not even a member of the Lu Family anymore. Returning to Beijing for the mourning is already unavoidable. Just going like that will certainly provoke gossip, which wouldn’t be good for Ah Yin, me, or the Lu Family."

Old Marquis Lu snorted coldly, "Even if you’re not of the Lu Family, can’t I invite you over as a guest?"

Seeing Lu Xingzhou inclined to refuse, Fanghua suddenly interjected, "Go ahead. Even I, a princess expelled by the Imperial Family, came back for the mourning. There’s no reason to restrict you from going home."

Only by returning to the Lu Family could she have the chance to privately ask Old Marquis Lu about what was said with the Empress Dowager.

Even Fanghua personally spoke, Lu Xingzhou had no words of refusal anymore.

In the evening, Empress Su came personally to arrange accommodations for them.

Fanghua declined politely, "I ran into the Old Marquis earlier, and he said the old madam wanted to see Yan Li. He asked Second Master and me to take him for a visit. So for the next few days, Second Master and I will be staying at the Lu Family."

From her words, it was clear that she regarded herself and Lu Xingzhou as guests of the Lu Family, not as family members.

Empress Su found no fault in her response and smiled to let it slide.

...

That night, as promised, they returned to the Lu Family.

Upon seeing his younger brother, Lu Pingzhou smiled with delight and invited him for a chat in his own courtyard after dinner.

Yan Li went to the old madam’s courtyard, and taking this opportunity, Fanghua learned that the Old Marquis was in the study and went to find him personally.

The Old Marquis seemed unsurprised by her visit. After being informed by the servants, he asked them to invite her in.

In a courteous manner befitting a younger person, Fanghua saluted simply, not calling him father like she used to.

Old Marquis Lu sensed the detachment in her tone, but he didn’t mind and invited her to sit.

Once seated, Fanghua looked up at him, "I came today to ask the Old Marquis about something."

Old Marquis Lu held his tea and moved the cup lid around, "You want to ask about the Empress Dowager, don’t you?"

"Yes." Identified by him, Fanghua spoke bluntly, "I want to know what exactly you said to my mother. Why, after you left, did she wither away so quickly?"

Old Marquis Lu did not deny that he was indirectly responsible for the Empress Dowager’s death, but he could not directly state the reason. Such words as ’the country’s ruin’ were taboo. Any rumor could cause unrest and fear among the people even before disaster strikes.

"I deeply regret the sudden passing of the Empress Dowager," he said. "Regarding the conversation we had that day, I do not wish to make up a reason to deceive you, yet I cannot fully disclose it. I hope you understand."

Old Marquis Lu indeed, as the elder brother said, kept a tight lip, not a single word could be pried out.

Fanghua frowned, "My mother and the Old Marquis have contended in secret for so many years, their opposition needs no further explanation. I’m just curious, since she disliked you so much, why did she ask the Emperor to grant you the title of Duke Zhongguo on her deathbed?"

Old Marquis Lu hadn’t expected this himself and was momentarily stunned. Then he recollected, "The person isn’t here anymore. Just take it as she was speaking nonsense in a muddled state."

Still nothing could be pried out.

Fanghua sighed in frustration, "If you won’t say, that’s fine. Answer me just one last question: was there a misunderstanding between you two that got resolved after you met my mother in the palace?"

Old Marquis Lu remained silent for a long while before nodding his head.

Fanghua’s heart trembled. Could it be that the matters from over forty years ago were all just a misunderstanding?

To put her at ease, Old Marquis Lu said, "Back then, your mother hated me to the core. It was this hatred that pushed her step by step to the exalted position as Empress. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that for those decades, hatred was her everything. When I requested a painting in the palace, I had to offer the truth of long ago as an exchange.

When the misunderstanding was cleared, your mother lost her hatred, which equated to losing the will to live overnight. At her age, it’s hard to bear such mental shock. This great rise and fall inevitably destroyed her."

Fanghua heard this and murmured, "No wonder..."

No wonder her mother had shown that incomprehensible appearance, looking emaciated like a dried corpse, yet departed so peacefully.

Having received an answer, Fanghua stood up and left the study.

The old madam had already arranged for a separate courtyard for the two of them.

A servant was waiting for Fanghua outside the study to lead the way.

Arriving at the courtyard, Fanghua saw that Lu Xingzhou had already returned.

Fanghua asked him, "Why didn’t you stay longer in Eldest Courtyard?"

Lu Xingzhou replied, "Afraid something might happen on your side, so I came back early." Saying this, he then inquired about her visit with the Old Marquis.

Fanghua didn’t speak outside. She let Lu Xingzhou into the room, and once the door was closed and they were seated by the table, she began, "The Old Marquis himself said there was a misunderstanding between them. When he went to the palace to request a painting, he revealed the whole truth, and my mother found it unbearable, which sapped her vitality within a short time."

Seeing Lu Xingzhou silent, Fanghua murmured again, "Come to think of it, I can quite understand."

Back then, she fled to Ningzhou, and with Wen Guangping’s help, gave birth to Wanwan smoothly. Afterwards, she waited another year for Lu Xingzhou with the last bit of hope, but he never came looking for her. So when Wanwan turned one, she resolved to completely abandon her princess status, abandoning the past, and planned to live a good life with that man.

Later, being forcibly brought back to the capital by her birth mother, she learned the whole truth on her wedding night. The collapse of that moment took more than ten years to recover from.