CHAPTER 165: THE EMPRESS'S QUIET BLESSING
"You… you two…"
The Prime Minister's wife finally spoke, her voice trembling. The room was empty save for her and Tang Kexin, the air thick with unspoken truths.
But before she could continue—
"Madam, someone from the palace has come to invite Miss Tang into the palace," a maid called from outside.
The Prime Minister's wife fell silent at once.
Tang Kexin's brows drew together.
You two…?
What had she meant to say?
But with the maid waiting outside—and with a summons from the palace—she could not press the matter.
"Xin'er, go to the palace first," the Prime Minister's wife said softly, a sigh escaping her. Her expression was complicated, almost pained.
The Empress must have heard the news. She must have summoned Xin'er in haste. The Empress knew the truth far better than she did. It was best to see how the Empress intended to handle this.
If the Empress did not object to the marriage, then there was only one explanation left—
Xin'er was indeed the Empress's daughter…
but not the Emperor's.
And that truth—
that forbidden, dangerous truth—
must never be spoken aloud.
Not even to Xin'er.
If the Emperor ever discovered it, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Alright," Tang Kexin replied gently. She could see the turmoil in the Prime Minister's wife's eyes, but she did not press her. Whatever the woman did, it was always for her sake.
---
Summoned to the Palace
Upon entering the palace, Tang Kexin was led directly to Kunning Palace. The Empress wished to see her.
But as she stepped into the courtyard, she froze.
Someone inside was crying.
"Your Majesty, you must seek justice for the Crown Prince!"
A woman's voice, thick with grief.
"The imperial physician says his bones are shattered—he cannot move. He may never stand again!"
Tang Kexin remained outside.
It was not the right moment to enter.
"How do you expect me to seek justice?"
The Empress's voice was gentle, but Tang Kexin could hear the impatience beneath it.
"Your Majesty, everyone saw it—the Third Prince injured the Crown Prince!"
Concubine Rong's voice cracked with fury.
"In that chaos, no one recognised the Crown Prince," the Empress replied coolly. "He suddenly molested Miss Feng. Even if the Third Prince had not acted, the guards would have. Had they done so, the Crown Prince might have lost his life."
Concubine Rong's voice rose.
"Others may not have recognised him, but the Third Prince would have. He must have known—and he struck deliberately!"
Tang Kexin's lips twitched.
Concubine Rong was not wrong.
Ye Lanjue had indeed known.
"Concubine Rong," the Empress said sharply, "you speak without evidence. Be careful."
"Your Majesty, with the Third Prince's temperament—and his attitude toward Feng Qingyan—he would never intervene for her sake. He clearly aimed for the Crown Prince. He meant to harm him!"
The Empress's tone turned icy.
"If you believe he deliberately injured the Crown Prince, then take your accusation to the Emperor. I cannot interfere."
She paused, then responded quietly:
"When His Majesty named Yun'er Crown Prince, I was grateful. My own daughter died shortly after birth, and Concubine Huan's daughter perished in the fire. Only I remained, living quietly in Qingyun Palace, fighting for nothing. I only wished for Yun'er to live safely."
Tang Kexin's breath caught.
Concubine Rong's daughter…
died shortly after birth?
Or so everyone believed.
Concubine Rong's voice trembled with suppressed resentment.
Her father was a mere county magistrate. Even after she entered the palace, he remained one. The Emperor had never promoted him. Her only hope had been her son's position as Crown Prince.
But now—
her son lay broken, perhaps crippled for life.
"Concubine Rong," the Empress said coldly, "the Crown Prince's title was granted by the Emperor according to tradition. The eldest son is Crown Prince. That is the rule."
Her meaning was clear.
Concubine Rong was overthinking.
"If you have further complaints, take them to the Emperor. I cannot help you."
Concubine Rong stiffened, bowed, and left.
As she passed Tang Kexin, her eyes narrowed, a flash of ruthlessness glinting within them.
But she said nothing.
Tang Kexin watched her go, frowning.
This woman was dangerous.
---
The Empress's Decision
"Xin'er, you're here," the Empress said warmly, her expression softening the moment she saw her.
Tang Kexin entered.
There were no palace maids present.
The Emperor was not here either.
"I already know about your marriage with the Third Prince," the Empress said directly.
Tang Kexin waited, her heart steady.
If she and Ye Lanjue were truly siblings, the Empress would object.
But—
"His Highness appears cold," the Empress continued, "but he came to me himself. He treats you differently. Since you have agreed, I have no objections."
Tang Kexin stared at her, stunned.
No objections?
None at all?
"I have already prepared your wedding dress," the Empress added with a gentle smile. "And everything else you will need. Even if the wedding is in three days, you will not be rushed."
Tang Kexin's heart trembled.
The Empress…
had prepared everything long ago?
Her affection was unmistakable.
Her care was real.
But then—
why allow her to marry the Third Prince?
Unless—
Unless Tang Kexin truly was her daughter…
but not the Emperor's.
A daughter she could safely marry off without fear of imperial bloodlines.
Tang Kexin's thoughts swirled, but she said nothing.
The Empress reached out and squeezed her hand gently.
"Do not worry, Xin'er. Everything is ready."
Tang Kexin nodded softly.
But as she left Kunning Palace, her heart was beating far too fast.
In three days, she would marry Ye Lanjue—
even if only in name.
And yet, for the first time, she felt a flicker of nerves.
————————————————————
CHAPTER 166: TRUE MARRIAGE
The Empress's gentle insistence that the Third Prince "treated her differently" left Tang Kexin momentarily speechless. Yes—he did treat her differently. In front of others, he was the very picture of a noble prince: valiant, upright, dignified.
But with her?
He was sharp‑tongued, unpredictable, and far too comfortable bullying her.
Perhaps he found her easy to push around.
Perhaps he simply did not care.
After all, the man he liked was Nangong Yi. His heart already belonged elsewhere. Whatever "difference" the Empress saw was certainly not the sort that came from affection for a woman.
Of course, Tang Kexin could never say any of this aloud. The Empress would only worry.
"Just be at ease and be a bride," the Empress murmured, taking her hand. "Do not trouble yourself with anything else. I will arrange everything."
Her smile was tender, tinged with a quiet reluctance.
She did not truly wish for her daughter to marry so soon.
Had circumstances not forced their hand, she would have kept her by her side a little longer.
The Empress was worried—deeply so—but she could only entrust his safety to the Third Prince now.
"Alright," Tang Kexin replied softly, though her heart was full of questions.
Even if the marriage was false, the world would not know that. The rites must be observed. The steps must be followed.
"Yes… Xin'er has grown up," the Empress whispered, her grip tightening. "You are to be married soon."
Tang Kexin sensed something strange in her manner—an emotion too deep to name.
"Your Majesty," she said gently, "after I marry His Highness, I will be able to enter the palace more often. I will see you more frequently. And then… I must follow His Highness in calling you 'Imperial Mother'."
The Empress froze.
Her hand trembled.
Her breath caught.
"Mother…" she echoed, her voice barely audible.
Shock.
Joy.
A fragile, trembling happiness.
"Yes," she whispered at last. "Yes… once you marry the Third Prince, you may call me that."
Her eyes shone with a joy that seemed long‑awaited.
Before Tang Kexin could speak again—
"Your servant greets the Emperor."
A palace maid's voice rang from the courtyard.
The Empress's smile vanished. She released Tang Kexin's hand at once.
The Emperor entered, his gaze sweeping first over the Empress, then settling on Tang Kexin. His eyes darkened.
"I heard the two of you speaking quite happily," he said. "Why did you fall silent the moment I arrived?"
Tang Kexin lowered her gaze.
She could feel the tension in the air—sharp, cold, dangerous.
The Emperor was angry.
And his anger was directed at the Empress.
Tang Kexin had a sudden, chilling thought:
He knows something.
This marriage—this decree—might have been a test.
A test for the Empress.
And the Empress had failed it.
"Xin'er, you may go," the Empress said quickly, sensing the Emperor's mood.
Tang Kexin hesitated, then bowed.
"Xin'er takes her leave."
Remaining would only make matters worse.
---
The Emperor's Accusation
"It seems the Empress has already heard about Jue'er and Kexin's marriage," the Emperor said once Tang Kexin had gone.
"Yes," the Empress replied quietly.
"And it seems the Empress is… very satisfied."
His voice was soft, but the coldness beneath it was unmistakable.
"You knew they would marry in three days, yet you sit here so calmly."
"The Emperor decreed it," the Empress said, lifting her eyes to meet his. "You never asked my opinion."
"What do you mean by that?"
His expression darkened.
He stepped forward and seized her wrist, his grip harsh.
"Mu Wanging," he hissed, "is your heart made of stone?"
After all these years—after everything he had done—she remained unmoved.
Unaffected.
Untouched.
The Empress trembled.
Her instinct was to flee.
The Emperor saw it.
His fury deepened.
He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, possessively.
"Where do you think you can run?" he whispered, voice low and dangerous. "Tell me—where do you want to flee to?"
He held her as though he could crush her into himself, as though he could force her heart to beat for him.
She had never loved him.
He knew it.
But he could not let her go.
"Your Majesty… this concubine does not wish to flee," she whispered.
Her voice was soft, trembling.
But it was the first explanation she had offered him in years.
The Emperor's grip eased.
His expression softened.
"Truly?" he murmured.
The faintest hope flickered in his eyes.
She nodded.
"Qing'er…"
His voice was thick with emotion.
He lowered his head and kissed her.
The Empress stiffened, startled.
"Your Majesty…" she breathed, struggling slightly.
He did not grow angry.
He only held her more gently.
"Do not worry," he whispered against her ear. "I will not force you."
He drew back slightly, his gaze warm.
"But the girl will marry Jue'er in three days. Time is short. You have always loved her. If there is anything you need—anything at all—tell me. I will prepare it."
The Empress stared at him, stunned.
He sighed softly and embraced her again.
"As long as you speak," he murmured, "I will agree to anything."
It was the most tender promise he had ever given her.
Slowly, her rigid posture softened.
She knew he had always treated her well.
But some things… some wounds… could never be undone.
---
Three Days Later
The wedding day of Tang Kexin and the Third Prince dawned—
and the entire capital erupted into a frenzy.
The city had never been so alive.