Her guards

Chapter 163 Let’s end it here

Yang Tong.

He secretly murmured this name since he was a child, and thought about it day and night when he was away from home, but in the end, it became a name he dared not even think about, nor could he mention.

How did things turn out this way?

A poor boy secretly squatted in the corner of the wall, and his greatest satisfaction each day was seeing the young lady next door sway by and give him a slight smile.

He never imagined he would actually marry this lady.

He never expected that not long after his marriage, a three-day escort mission would lead him away from his hometown, and they would be separated until they met again ten years later.

He never imagined that he would actually achieve all the ambitions he had boasted about in the village when he was young, and become the ruler of the world, but he couldn't even keep his wife.

He dared not recall what happened back then.

Tears of anger, a horrifying, mangled fetus, a carriage resolutely disappearing into the night.

"We will never meet again in this life."

"Deng Shan, don't want to see me again."

"And do not use your imperial power to spy on me."

"Stop humiliating me, Yang Tong."

How could he humiliate her!
He listened to her, didn't see her, didn't disturb her, and didn't want her to be sad and angry anymore. He listened to her and did everything she said.

……

.......
The emperor covered his eyes with his hand to prevent the stinging tears from flowing, but his breath still caught in his throat and he let out a muffled groan.

The young lady who was telling the story inside the hall was so frightened that she stopped speaking and was at a loss for words.

Everyone else also looked at the emperor.

The emperor pressed one hand to his eyebrow and waved the other: "Continue speaking, explain everything clearly."

The companion girl quickly continued.

The emperor pressed his hand to his eyebrows and eyes, remaining in a daze.

Although Yang Tong said he would never see her again and that he should not pry into her life, he actually did pry into some things.

He knew where she was staying and that she ran a grocery store.

And I even secretly took a look.

That was in the third year after he ascended the throne, when a local governor rebelled.

This prefect was his former comrade-in-arms, and he wanted to go and ask him personally.

This was a private trip, unknown to the world.

After quelling the rebellion, he should have returned to the capital immediately, but he suddenly realized that he was not far from Baima Town, where Yang Tong was living in seclusion...

Unable to restrain himself, he took only one bodyguard and set off overnight, arriving at Baima Town at daybreak.

He hid on the street corner of the general store, watching the shop assistant open the door, watching customers come in one after another, then a carriage stopped, and a woman got off...

It's Ah Tong.

Ah Tong has lost weight, but she looks well and has a smile on her face. She is holding a baby who is about one year old in her arms...

A child! His and Atong's child?

He almost rushed out, but the next moment a man rushed out of the grocery store and reached out to catch the child.

"I'll do it, I'll do it," he said with a smile.

The baby was babbling incoherently to the man, but it was clear that he was calling out "Daddy".

Father—

He stood there watching the man embrace the baby, watching Ah Tong smile at the man, watching them walk inside side by side...

Yes, he and Atong had a child, but the child was aborted three years ago.

"This accountant is truly blessed..."

"Indeed, to have met such a wonderful widow like Widow Yang..."

……

.......
The emperor suddenly stood up.

The person speaking in the hall stopped again, and the hall fell silent instantly as everyone looked at the emperor once more.

The emperor looked into the hall, but his gaze went past everyone else.

Ah Tong and the accountant's child have grown up so much...

"His Majesty."

Seeing the emperor stand up without speaking, his face also dark, the empress also stood up and spoke.

"You can't just listen to what others say; you have to ask the person involved."

"Ask the parties involved?" Wang Zaitian also stood up. "How is the Empress supposed to question them? They each have their own version of events. Which one will the Empress believe? And if she doesn't believe them, what will she do? Will she resort to torture and forced confessions like last time?"

The Empress looked at the old man and sneered, "Scholars really hold grudges."

Before she could say anything, the emperor's voice rang out.

"Alright!" he snapped. "No need to ask anymore."

His gaze was fixed on the Queen and Wang Zaitian.

"Riding horses and shooting arrows inevitably involves bumps and injuries. Since you've come to this martial arts banquet, you should be prepared and there's no need to make a fuss about it."

"Let's leave it at that."

That's it, meaning we'll stop here?

Wang Zaitian bowed swiftly and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"

The Empress looked at the Emperor. The Emperor looked at her: "Empress, I still want to go hunting. So many people have come; we can't just give up now."

In other words, we cannot let this child delay things.

Hunting is still more important.

The Empress's expression softened slightly: "It was my fault for handling this improperly. Your Majesty, please go hunting immediately. This place..."

Before she could finish saying, "I will take care of this place," the emperor had already looked at Wang Zaitian.

“Wang Zaitian, Yang Luo is your disciple. You said you would teach her well…” he shouted.

Before the emperor could finish speaking, Wang Zaitian bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will definitely teach her a good lesson and keep an eye on her."

The emperor then looked at the empress and said, "I'll leave this to the empress."

The Empress bowed and said, "Respectfully seeing Your Majesty off."

Princess Heisei looked at the emperor as if she was about to say something, but the emperor had already started walking out.

The people inside the hall also hurriedly bowed and respectfully saw them off.

The emperor went outside, and a commotion arose outside, followed by the clatter of horses' hooves quickly fading into the distance.

……

.......
"Teacher, are we just going to let it go like this?"

Wang Zaitian followed closely behind the emperor as he walked out, with Ling Yu chasing after him, still indignant.

“Ah Sheng…”

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Zaitian turned around and interrupted him, giving him a warning look: "Don't call her by that name."

Ling Yu stopped speaking and quickly said, "I know."

He knew that Asheng was not the real young lady of the Ding'an Duke's Mansion; she was impersonating someone else.

If this matter is exposed, it will be a big problem for Ah Sheng.

Therefore, he never shouts in front of others.

It was only because there was no one else around, only the teacher, that he blurted it out.

"She's having a hard time making a living, so be careful," Wang Zaitian said softly.

Ling Yu nodded, but no matter how hard it is to make a living, she couldn't let herself be bullied for nothing.

"It must have been Miss Chai who bullied her," he said angrily. "His Majesty is not only not investigating, but just letting it go like this."

Wang Zaitian glanced at him: "It's better not to pursue it."

She has had a tough life, and it's not easy for anyone to bully her now that she's survived.

It’s not certain who bullies whom.

……

.......
"Aunt, it really was her who hit me, she hit me—"

Inside the Empress's palace, Chai Wan'er lay on the bed, weeping bitterly.

The imperial physicians have finished treating and bandaging her wounds. Although she didn't break any arms or legs, Chai Wan'er looks very pitiful.

His head and back were covered in bloody welts from being whipped and stabbed, and his hands, feet and body were covered in bruises from the jolting of the frightened horse, as if he had been beaten all over with a cane.

"How did she hit you? She wasn't even armed," a woman from the Chai family said helplessly. "That whip was yours..."

“She took it away,” Chai Wan’er cried. “She did this, with one kick…”

She tried to recreate the scene from that time while in bed, but as soon as she lifted her leg, she screamed in pain, which drew the attention of the women who surrounded her again, wanting to summon the imperial physician once more...

"No need to say anything more," said the Empress, who was sitting to the side. "Let's leave it at that. Blame it on your inferior skills."

The Empress spoke, and Chai Wan'er dared not cry anymore, lying on the bed and weeping.

At this moment, she felt as if she were still riding a frightened horse.

That vile maid almost killed her! She was almost killed because of her!

She was both scared and in pain.

It hurts so much——

……

.......
"Does Your Majesty have anything to say?"

The Empress came out, and Old Madam Chai saw her off and asked her in a low voice.

"That child..."

"His Majesty ignored the child," the Queen said. "He went on his hunting trip."

Madam Chai breathed a sigh of relief and then instructed the Empress, "Don't mention it to His Majesty again. Let's leave it at that. It will all be over after the banquet."

The Empress hummed in agreement, then left without saying another word.

"Mother." Princess Heisei was waiting for her outside the palace.

The Queen frowned at her: "Why are you standing outside? Where's your cloak?"

Princess Heicheng quickly said, "I'm not cold. I just settled the young ladies who were supposed to be studying with me." Then, with an apologetic expression, she said, "Mother, it's my fault for not doing this properly."

"This matter has nothing to do with you," the Empress said, draping her cloak over the maid's shoulders. "Your father didn't blame you either. He said that bumps and scrapes are inevitable at martial arts banquets, and it was their own choice to bear the consequences."

However, her father did not comfort her. Princess Heicheng thought to herself that if it were in the past, her father would definitely have nervously comforted her, fearing that she would blame herself.

But just now, her father didn't even glance at her in the palace, nor did he say anything about continuing the hunting and entertainment in Heisei; he simply left.

It was as if they had forgotten she existed.

(End of this chapter)