When she heard this,
all the concubines bowed down together and said in fright,
"This servant (concubine) will obey Empress's teachings!"
Zhao Hua calmly smiled faintly, tilted her chin slightly towards the direction of the palace gate,
The concubines understood her meaning and gradually dispersed.
Among them, Rongyue deliberately lingered and walked the slowest.
After everyone else had walked far away, she said in a low voice to Zhao Hua,
"Zhao'er, persuade the Noble Consort properly. Her feelings for Chenghuan...are too deep."
Zhao Hua nodded in acknowledgement, but she also did not know in her heart how to advise.
The separations and deaths in this world, others have no way to comfort.
No matter how much advice is given, it is futile.
Only the sufferers themselves, after struggling in pain, relying on their own will and the washing away by time, can gradually walk out from the lightless abyss bit by bit.
"Creak—"
The quiet courtyard suddenly opened its main hall door.
Liu Yue respectfully bowed to Zhao Hua and said,
"Empress Mother, Noble Consort Mother said the sun outside is too hot and told this servant to invite you inside."
When Zhao Hua entered, she saw Ning Wanshuang had just walked out from Chenghuan's room.
She wanted to see her child but Ning Wanshuang declined,
"Chenghuan drank medicine and fell asleep. His sleep is light, let him rest properly."
Zhao Hua lightly bowed her head. After sitting down, she still had many words of comfort in her belly, wanting to comfort Ning Wanshuang's heart.
But just as she was about to open her mouth, she was preempted by Ning Wanshuang calling out,
"Zhao'er."
"Hmm?"
"Thank you."
When Ning Wanshuang spoke these words her voice was very light, as soft as silk gauze, unconsciously wrapping around Zhao Hua.
Of course Zhao Hua knew what Ning Wanshuang was thanking her for.
This gratitude was thanking her for not clinging onto Chenghuan and thoroughly investigating Jinghe's death to the end.
It was also thanking her for leaving Chenghuan his last dignity.
At this moment, the two looked at each other quietly. Even with thousands of words, just an indication with the eyes tacitly conveyed it all.
After a long while, Zhao Hua gently said, "Wanshuang Sister, if there is anything you need, just tell me and I will do my utmost."
"No need." Ning Wanshuang sadly shook her head with a sorrowful smile. Then unconsciously she glanced back towards the direction of Chenghuan's inner chamber.
"I just want to quietly, accompany Chenghuan to finish this last stretch of road."
Zhao Hua understood in her heart. The reason Ning Wanshuang did not let her see Chenghuan was because she did not want her to see Chenghuan's terrifying appearance now.
Zhang Imperial Physician said,
Chenghuan's condition sharply deteriorated. In just one month he had wasted into skin and bones. In addition, his cracked skin had sharpened into keratin, layer upon layer, like tree bark seeped with blood, truly horrifying.
So Ning Wanshuang did not let anyone, including Zhao Hua, see Chenghuan, also wanting everyone to remember Chenghuan's most beautiful appearance.
Yet she who took care of Chenghuan every day, every day faced Chenghuan being swallowed bit by bit into a monster by disease. She was different from others.
Because in a mother's eyes, her own child is always the best looking, always the most beautiful.
That day after Zhao Hua returned to the palace, at dusk Xiao Jingheng also came to her palace.
When he came he was filled with grief and sorrow, brows tightly knitted. He did not eat a bite of the meal, only kept gulping down alcohol into his stomach.
Until the wet nurse brought over the milk-fed Cheng Ye,
did Xiao Jingheng's brows slightly relax upon seeing the laughing child.
He took Cheng Ye from the wet nurse's arms,
but the previously laughing child, not knowing if he disliked the pungent alcohol smell on his body, suddenly bawled loudly.
Seeing Cheng Ye cry like this, Zhao Hua's hand under the table unconsciously clenched into a fist, and her heart also ached sharply.
Yet Xiao Jingheng was drunk. He pitifully said to himself,
"Zhao'er, Zhen is going to lose another child..."
"Xiao Lang, don't be like this." Zhao Hua got up and went to his side, first gently persuaded him for two sentences, then quickly took advantage of his injured state to take Cheng Ye from his embrace into her arms, handing the child to the wet nurse to bring away.
She sat by Xiao Jingheng's side, looking at the candlelight's yellow glow projected on his face. The water vapour clouding his eyes reflected a crystal clear brilliance like treasure.
"Chenghuan is Zhen's eldest son. The imperial doctor said if he endured past five years old he could safely grow up. But why..."
Zhao Hua heard his hoarse voice, as if there were dense thorns stuck in his throat, unable to say anything more.
He could only cover his forehead with his palm, bowing his head as tears fell.
Zhao Hua believed his tears now were real.
After all that was also the child he watched grow up, he must have some feelings.
But even if these tears were not false, in Zhao Hua's eyes they still made her utterly disgusted.
Let's not mention how decisive Xiao Jingheng was when he originally ordered Chenghuan killed to protect the royal family's image.
In all these years Chenghuan grew to this age, Xiao Jingheng had not hugged him even once.
Such fatherly love, it was probably better the less there was.
At this time, Xiao Jingheng tightly grasped Zhao Hua's hand, solemnly saying to her
"Zhao'er, Zhen hopes our child will have everything well."
Zhao Hua slowly nodded her head, extremely gently saying,
"With Xiao Lang's blessings and protection, the children will naturally grow up safe and sound."
In the next few days, Zhao Hua could only hear news about Chenghuan from Zhang Imperial Physician.
But on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, Yonghe Palace stopped consulting the Imperial Medical Bureau.
This also meant Ning Wanshuang had completely given up treating Chenghuan.
Zhang Imperial Physician also told Zhao Hua, "Actually the Noble Consort's choice was also most correct. The Crown Prince's illness entered the bones. Continuing treatment would only forcibly keep him in this world, to suffer for more days."
"Zhang Imperial Physician, in your judgement, with Chenghuan stopping the united efforts of the entire Imperial Medical Bureau to hang onto the last breath for him, how many days does he have left?" Zhao Hua asked.
Zhang Imperial Physician bowed with his hands folded, bluntly saying,
"Replying Empress, I'm afraid...he won't live past tomorrow."
"Tomorrow..."
Zhao Hua blankly gazed in Yonghe Palace's direction. She couldn't help recalling a scene that she would remember for the rest of her life.
At that time, when Xiao Consort had just given birth to Chenghuan,
Xiao Jingheng saw the snake-like infant and was greatly shocked. To preserve the royal family's reputation he heartlessly decreed to have Chenghuan killed.
Everyone watched on, nobody daring to anger the dragon's face. Only Ning Wanshuang stepped forward.
She kicked away the eunuch pulling the little prince's arm, opened her splendid robe's sleeve, and shielded Chenghuan behind her back.
When the world was anxious to confer calamities and disasters upon the newly born Chenghuan,
Ning Wanshuang became the first ray of light shone upon him after descending to the mortal world.
At this moment, Zhao Hua crossed her hands together, unconsciously fiddling with the freshly painted cinnabar red nail varnish on her nails.
She was distressed in her heart. After silently pondering for a very long time she finally softly sighed,
"Tomorrow is the sixth day of the sixth month, Chenghuan's birthday."
