tallest building

"And then what?" The Emperor was eager to know what they had gone through after leaving Consort Shen.

"Lady Wen was framed and had no choice but to go to Shuangxi to reflect on the past. The Gong family ignored her and seemed to be letting her fend for herself."

However, this is for the best, because having had little contact with the Gong family over the years has helped us avoid their notice.

We learned skills there, figured out how to make money, and made friends with all sorts of people, all while thinking about how to return to Beijing at the right opportunity.

In addition, there is another important matter, which is how to raise the young master well, so that he is healthy and well-educated.

They stayed there for seven years, and during those seven years, both Lady Wen and the old servant were making plans to return to the capital.

"Thanks to His Majesty, the journey has been easier than we anticipated. Putting everything else aside, the most important thing is that our young master is exceptionally talented, becoming Master Zhuge's last disciple through his own abilities. Otherwise, we were planning to have him take the imperial examinations, first entering the court, and then recognizing His Majesty!"

Zhang Ma is right. He and Wen Mingqian originally planned to use twenty years, or even longer.

After all, this matter is extraordinary.

"Does that child know about his origins?" The Emperor's mind flashed to Gong Chang'an's small face.

“Young Master knows that before returning to the capital, Madam Wen and I had already told him everything,” said Zhang Ma. “If he were just as ignorant as an ordinary child, we naturally wouldn’t dare to say it. But Young Master has been intelligent and steady since childhood, more reliable than most adults. Besides, we are also afraid that after he returns to the Gong family, he might mistake the Gong family members for relatives because he doesn’t know the truth, which would cause trouble when they separate later, since Madam Wen will eventually leave the Gong family.”

"This child is indeed shrewd; he has never revealed the slightest bit of his true feelings in front of me." The Emperor carefully recalled the scenes of his interactions with Gong Chang'an. At all times, he was very proper and polite, and the Emperor had never noticed any genuine emotion in him.

“Yes, not only has His Majesty never seen the young master show any affection, but the Empress has also never seen him show any disgust or hatred towards her.” Zhang Ma couldn’t help but feel proud as she said this, “The young master can still show affection and respect to the enemy who killed his mother. It can be said that he can endure what others cannot.”

"You have raised this child exceptionally well; you and Wen Mingqian are both deserving of recognition." The Emperor had previously felt that it was no exaggeration to call Gong Chang'an a dragon among men.

If a family has such a child, it is truly a source of pride and honor for the family.

Now that he has learned that this is his own son, the emperor is overjoyed.

“That’s because the young master possesses both the talent, virtue, and beauty of His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine,” Zhang Ma said. “Otherwise, no matter how much he is trained, he could never reach this level.”

"So I've always had a biological son living in this world," the Emperor said with deep emotion. "It must be Afu protecting me from heaven..."

Shen Fu was the emperor's beloved concubine. Back then, he was away from the capital on an autumn hunt, leaving Shen Fu, who was already seven or eight months pregnant, behind.

To the Emperor's surprise, the Empress became extremely jealous and wanted to kill Consort Shen and her son.

By the time the emperor returned to the palace, everything had been settled.

The Emperor was well aware that Consort Shen was innocent, but he had too many things to consider and could not help but weigh the pros and cons.

Therefore, even though they were unwilling, they acquiesced to the Empress and others' statements to the outside world.

"For so many years, she has frequently appeared in my dreams, yet she has never uttered a single word to me. I often think that she must still blame me, blame me for not protecting her, blame me for not speaking a word of justice for her..." The Emperor's tone was filled with self-reproach. "Your Majesty, when this old servant parted from the Imperial Concubine, she personally instructed me that if this old servant was fortunate enough to survive and see Your Majesty again, I should convey a message to Your Majesty on her behalf." Recalling that scene, Zhang Ma couldn't help but feel a surge of sorrow.

He still can't forget the scene of Shen Fu speaking those words to him, her face pale and her breath weak.

"What is it?" For many years, Consort Shen had become an untouchable hidden pain in the Emperor's heart. He thought that they were separated by death forever and that there would never be any news of her again.

Unexpectedly, ten years later, he was able to see Wei Fu again and learn the words that Consort Shen had left for him before her death. It was like a dream.

"Her Majesty said she doesn't blame His Majesty for not clearing her name, but only feels sorry for His Majesty's hard work and loneliness. She will never blame you, knowing that His Majesty is often powerless to do what he wants." After saying this, Zhang Ma lowered her head and prostrated herself on the ground.

The Emperor's tears fell instantly. Over the years, the only one who had truly cared for him was Consort Shen. But that person was long gone…

Zhang Ma and the Emperor wept together, their emotions having been suppressed for too long, and once they erupted, they could not be stopped for a long time.

The candle wax dripped and the wisps of smoke curled upwards, as if time had stood still for a long time.

"Weifu, get up! We've suffered so much from you all these years." The Emperor left his seat and personally helped Zhang Ma up. "You are a great benefactor to the Ying family, and you deserve my bow."

"Your Majesty, please don't say that. You're making me feel terrible. If I have done anything of merit, it's all thanks to Your Majesty and the Imperial Concubine." Zhang Ma quickly said, "Now that Your Majesty can finally know the truth, I can die without regrets."

"You can't die. The road ahead is crucial. How can you manage without me?" The Emperor said, holding his hand. "Next, we must plan carefully to wipe out the Dong family in one fell swoop and let my son return the Pearl of Hepu."

Ten years have passed, and it's time for the truth of some things to come to light.

“Your Majesty, there is something this old servant must say. My entry into the palace this time was by no means a coincidence. Rather, it was Consort Hui’s deliberate act,” Zhang Ma said. “She has become suspicious of this old servant, and by extension, of Lady Wen and the young master. She has always been close to the Empress, so she had no choice but to make plans in advance.”

"In the harem, Consort Hui has always been the most protective of the Empress," the Emperor said. "She even served as a witness in Consort Shen's affair, and it was because of this that the Empress was able to secure her promotion to the rank of Consort. Since she has become suspicious of you, you cannot be allowed to live."

"Your Majesty, this old servant and Lady Wen have already devised a plan. With Your Majesty's assistance, we are confident that we can strike with greater success." Zhang Ma had not expected to be able to reveal the truth to the Emperor so quickly.

Therefore, the plan he and Wen Mingqian devised did not include the Emperor.

Now it seems that getting rid of Consort Hui will be even faster.

"Very well, tell me your plan." The Emperor had not taken any action against the Dong family before, firstly because the Dong family was powerful and had rendered meritorious service.

Moreover, since he had no children of his own, he could only adopt other people's children no matter what.

The Dong family is certainly despicable, but at least they can ensure the stability of the imperial court.

Things are different now. Gong Chang'an is his biological son, the son of Shen Fu. The Dong family won't protect him; they'll only harm him. (End of Chapter)