Chapter 1117: The Return of an Old Friend (25)
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“You’re probably different from me.” Without waiting for Shen Miao to answer, Empress Xiande continued, “In the past, His Majesty asked people to gather information about you. As I listened to him telling me about you, I knew that you were a smart person. You dealt with the royal family of Ming Qi alone and protected the Shen family. As for meeting Jingxing and marrying him, it was all a coincidence. If you didn’t meet Jingxing, you could also live a life you wanted, because you neve aspired to be someone’s wife.”
“But I’m different.” She looked at the ruby on her necklace and said, “When I met His Majesty, I felt that the most important thing in my life was to become his wife and be with him for the rest of my life.” She rested her head on her elbow and spoke slowly, as if she was about to fall asleep in the next moment, but she was still talking.
“Perhaps it’s precisely because my life since I was young was so smooth-sailing that I didn’t know that being a wife was such a difficult thing.”
Shen Miao did not comment.
Empress Xiande had been suffering too much. Over the past few days, she had not said anything, but Shen Miao understood that feeling. This was because talking could not change anything, but sometimes, it was always good to be able to speak it. At least it was better for Empress Xiande to say it now than to keep it to herself.
“With His Majesty gone, I don’t know what to do now. The women in the harem have all been dismissed. The palace was originally noisy, but now it’s cold and desolate, making me feel a little lonely. I thought that if I hadn’t met His Majesty in the beginning, it would probably be better. I would rather fight with the royal family like you and protect my family than throw myself into a marriage I knew would not end well.”
Shen Miao could feel her despair and hopelessness. She comforted her. “It’s the same for me. Ever since I was born, apart from the time when my parents and brother were around, there had never been a moment when life was easy, so I’ve gradually learned to believe in myself. It’s my blessing to meet His Highness, but without His Highness, no matter how difficult my path is, I will continue.” After a pause, she said, “It’s the same for you. Even if His Majesty leaves first, you have to think about yourself and live for yourself. No matter how difficult the path is, you have to face it.”
Empress Xiande was silent for a long time. It was so long that Shen Miao thought that she did not hear her at all. Then, she suddenly said, “Princess
Consort, thank you.”
“I understand what you mean.”
“It’s just that this is too difficult.”
That night, Shen Miao and Empress Xiande sat for a long time. They didn’t talk much, but they seemed to have said a lot.
After Shen Miao left, Empress Xiande sat there alone for a long time. It was not until Nanny Tao came to urge her to sleep that Empress Xiande stood up and went to wash up. After Empress Xiande went to bed, Nanny Tao left.
After the door was closed, the person on the bed sat up again.
She lit the lamp and rummaged through the cabinets to find clothes. It was not the empress’s court dress, but a moon-white plain dress. She loved such a simple and refreshing color. However, after becoming the empress, she could no longer wear these clothes. If the dress was not exquisite and grand, she would “not be able to suppress” the other consorts.
She looked mature and calm, but in fact, she was just a quiet and reserved girl.
She put on a simple dress. She sat in front of the mirror and brushed her eyebrows lightly. With light rouge, she looked extremely beautiful..
Visit freewe𝑏n(o)vel.𝑐𝘰𝑚 for the best novel reading experience