amaotonovel Chapter 266 Lan Qingwu's Speculation
Chapter 266 Lan Qingwu's Speculation
Marquis Wujing responded to the emperor's inquiries normally. Lan Qingwu sat quietly until Marquis Wujing Lan Youchen and her brother were about to leave the palace. She did not say a word. Many times, there was no need for extra words between each other.
But when Lan Youchen was leaving, he couldn't help but looked up at Lan Qingwu who was in the higher position. His eyes were calm, tolerant and reassuring.
So Lan Qingwu felt relieved and just gave her father and brother a gentle smile.
After Lan Youchen and Lan Yingrong left Qianzheng Hall, Emperor Shenwu turned to Lan Qingwu and asked, "How is it? Are you happy?"
Lan Qingwu took the initiative to lean into the arms of the Shenwu Emperor, with a smile on his face: "Happy! Thank you, Brother Heng - if possible, I would like to go back to the Lan Mansion to visit, I miss my grandfather."
Emperor Shenwu paused, then said, "Okay! But we have to wait until Ruo Ruo gives birth to our little princess. Ruo Ruo, don't worry, it's only a few months."
The smile on Lan Qingwu's lips gradually disappeared, her eyes wandering, and she only said softly: "Oh, okay!"
Emperor Shenwu stroked Lan Qingwu's long hair with his large hand and said, "Stay in Qianzheng Palace. Go to your bedroom and rest for a while. I will review some memorials."
Lan Qingwu nodded silently.
When Lan Qingwu entered the dormitory, the last trace of smile in her eyes disappeared. Ruping was confused and looked at Ruhan in confusion.
Ru Ping whispered, "Madam, what's wrong with you? Are you unhappy to see General Lan and the eldest son?"
Lan Qingwu lowered his eyes slightly: "Ruhan, you have been back to the Lan Mansion recently. Have you seen your grandfather in person?"
Ru Han was stunned for a moment. "This... let me think about it. I haven't seen General Lan in recent times, but I think that's normal. The general is either discussing things with the Third Master, or they're just behind the curtain. I'll pay my respects and then take my leave. Your Majesty, is there something wrong?"
Lan Qingwu shook his head. "I hope I'm overthinking it. You haven't seen Grandfather recently. When Mother mentioned him, she just brushed him off. And just now, when His Majesty inquired about the Lan family's situation, he didn't ask about Grandfather at all, and Father didn't mention him either. This isn't normal!"
Ru Ping hesitated and consoled him, "Perhaps His Majesty knew about General Lan's health condition and therefore didn't ask. Master, aren't you overthinking it?"
Lan Qingwu replied, "You don't understand! This is customary practice, something everyone knows. When facing a minister who has been guarding the border for over a decade before returning to the imperial city, the emperor must also greet his father and mother. Never mind, I hope I'm overthinking it—please be more careful at the banquet the day after tomorrow!"
Ruping and Ruhan quickly responded.
Lan Qingwu gently stroked her lower abdomen with her bare hands, hoping that her guesses and worries would not come true.
Later, Emperor Shenwu finally finished his work. He quietly walked into the bedroom of Qianzheng Hall and saw Lan Qingwu writing or drawing something at the table. After a while, Lan Qingwu put down the pen.
"what is this?"
Lan Qingwu suddenly heard the voice of Emperor Shenwu, and looked back with wide eyes.
Emperor Shenwu hugged Lan Qingwu and said, "Did you get scared? I saw you were concentrating on painting, so I didn't say anything. Let me take a look!"
Lan Qingwu said hurriedly: "Wei Ruo was just drawing it casually."
The Shenwu Emperor's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly: "It's the Human Emperor and Empress Zhaoyan."
Lan Qingwu nodded: "Yes! I thought of their separation and decided to draw a picture."
Emperor Shenwu put down the rice paper in his hand and said, "Wei Ruo Ruo, do you know that when Empress Zhaoyan lost her soul, she had not yet become the empress of the Human Emperor?"
Lan Qingwu was extremely surprised: "Really? But... after that, the Human Emperor kept Empress Zhaoyan by his side. They never separated again. I thought..."
Emperor Shenwu said helplessly, "Future generations will naturally know that it was Empress Zhaoyan, and won't address her by any other name. However, at that time, the Human Emperor had only half-broken off his engagement with Princess Jingguang, and Empress Zhaoyan was still unsure of her future. The two hadn't truly reconciled. When Wu Ri arrived unexpectedly, the two, without consulting each other, decided to sacrifice themselves and give up their souls to resolve Wu Ri's disaster. Therefore, the Human Emperor was so devastated in the end! He only wanted Empress Zhaoyan to live well in the Three Realms he ruled, but he never imagined..."
Lan Qingwu continued, "But I never thought that the person who should have been the most selfish and tried every possible way to stay alive would ultimately fulfill the responsibilities of a disciple of an immortal sect and selflessly sacrifice his three souls and seven spirits!"
The Shenwu Emperor was silent. Indeed, everything was going against his will. What was the mood of the Human Emperor back then?
Lan Qingwu asked curiously again, "Brother Heng, why did you say that the Human Emperor only broke off half of the engagement?"
The Shenwu Emperor glanced at Lan Qingwu. "Because this engagement was arranged by the Human Emperor's mother. In ancient times, cultivators held their promises especially firmly. Those who broke their promises had to pass through the Thorn Tower, kneeling with each step and enduring the pain of the thorns within the tower, in order to break their promise. At that time, the Human Emperor had already promised to move Princess Jingguang's family away from the two sides of the Ice and Stone Bank. Her family had already agreed to cancel the engagement, and all that was missing was the consent of the Human Emperor's mother. However... the Human Emperor's mother didn't agree to the cancellation of the engagement and kept delaying it, so that when the Human Emperor lost Empress Zhaoyan, he still had a fiancée. Afterwards, the Human Emperor was heartbroken and placed Empress Zhaoyan in an icy jade coffin, forbidding anyone to touch it, and also forbidding Empress Zhaoyan's master to take her away for burial. The Human Emperor was then extremely insane, and his mother finally realized that he and Princess Jingguang could never be together. She took the initiative to go to the Thorn Tower to endure the pain of the thorns and cancel their engagement."