Chapter 232: Want to See Ling
「Capital City.」
Pei Yan wrote to Mei Wanying every day, and even just recounting trivial matters brought him a sense of happiness.
He suddenly understood what Mei Wanying must have felt during the first bloom of her love—where did she find so much energy to send him letter after letter?
She had told him every little detail of her day.
When you loved someone, you had an endless supply of things to say, and not being able to see them didn’t change that.
Pei Yan hated his past self for not cherishing what he had. Time couldn’t be turned back; all he could do was hold on to the present.
He noticed that Mei Wanying’s replies were arriving faster and faster, yet the delivery route hadn’t changed, nor had the couriers. They were all still riding between the two locations with the greatest possible speed.
The travel time couldn’t possibly vary by that much.
The man lowered his gaze, his expression thoughtful.
Every time a letter arrived, Ah Yin would reply to him immediately.
The letters used to be slow, but the delay had never been on Ah Yin’s end.
Nothing had changed, yet the time it took for her letters to reach him had shortened.
An idea flashed through his mind, and his heart hammered in his chest.
’Ah Yin... could she have come to the Capital City to see me?’
This was the place where she had grown up, but it also held so many painful memories for her.
’Would Ah Yin really come back?’
Pei Yan wasn’t sure.
After all, when she left, she had been determined never to return to the Capital City.
Even after they had reconciled, Ah Yin hadn’t changed her mind.
"Someone..."
He had arranged for more than enough men to protect Ah Yin and Ling.
Wherever Ah Yin went, those men would follow.
’All I have to do is ask and I’ll know.’
"Emperor, what are your orders?" an Imperial Eunuch asked, hurrying in from outside.
Pei Yan opened his mouth, but in the end, he swallowed his words.
’Wei Jue reports back on all of Ah Yin’s affairs, big or small.’
’He didn’t mention this, so I wonder what he’s up to.’
’Wei Jue wouldn’t dare act on his own initiative. This must be Ah Yin’s doing.’
The corners of Pei Yan’s lips curled into a smile.
’If Ah Yin wants to play, then I’ll play along with her.’
’The fact that she’s willing to put this much thought into something for me is a wonderful thing.’
’I can’t ruin this. I can’t let Ah Yin’s "kind intentions" go to waste.’
’Whatever she does, I have to cooperate obediently.’
’As long as Ah Yin doesn’t leave me, I won’t object to anything she does.’
He methodically folded the letter and put it away. "It’s nothing. You may leave."
Pei Yan was an authoritative figure; no one dared to question whatever he said.
The eunuch said no more, bowing before he retreated from the room.
Once a thought like that took root, it was hard to suppress. Pei Yan’s heart filled with anticipation.
His intuition told him that he would see Mei Wanying very soon.
Even earlier than planned!
Pei Yan pressed a hand to his chest and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
’It’s alright if Ah Yin doesn’t come. Once I’ve handled the state affairs, I’ll go to Jiangnan to see her myself.’
’Regardless of who takes the initiative, it won’t be long before we see each other.’
Pei Yan longed for Mei Wanying.
He thought of her day and night.
This life, living apart in two different places, was truly difficult to bear.
And he was the sole person to blame for it all... Pei Yan wanted to slap himself across the face.
’I deserve it!’
Pei Yan was usually completely absorbed when handling state affairs, but today he was particularly restless.
’I really want to ride out of the city and see for myself.’
’If Ah Yin isn’t there, I’ll just ride back.’
Pei Yan never denied himself anything. He put down the Imperial Brush, rose, and went to his bedchambers. After changing his clothes, he slipped out of the palace discreetly.
Empress Dowager Gu’s period of confinement was over, but the ordeal had worn away her fighting spirit.
’What kind of mother gets put under house arrest by her own son?’
’And I’m the Empress Dowager, no less!’
But that’s exactly what Ah Yan had done.
It was both humiliating and heartbreaking, a severe blow to Empress Dowager Gu.
She no longer wanted to interfere in Pei Yan’s marital affairs, nor did she summon any more noble ladies of suitable age to the palace.
Last time it was house arrest; who knew what he might do next time.
Empress Dowager Gu was finally forced to admit that she held very little importance in her son’s eyes.
’For all I know, even Mei Wanying’s mother ranks higher than me in his heart.’
This realization left Empress Dowager Gu deeply disheartened.
She had thought that the bonds of blood could overcome anything—that even though she hadn’t raised Ah Yan, she would still hold a special place in his heart.
After all, like Ah Yan, she too had been a victim.
She never expected Ah Yan to value the Mei family more.
When all was said and done, he had simply been so bewitched by Mei Wanying that he would do such heartless things.
When she learned that Pei Yan had left the palace, Empress Dowager Gu assumed he was going to see Mei Wanying again.
This time, she didn’t even entertain the thought of stopping him.
"I helped him ascend the throne and reclaim everything that was rightfully his. My conscience is clear. If he wants to create a stir, then let him. It’s not like he listens to a word I say anyway."
"If chaos erupts in the imperial court, he’d better be able to handle it himself. It will be his own doing."
No one dared to respond to her words.
There are no overnight grudges between a mother and her son. No matter how angry the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were with each other, there would come a day of reconciliation.
But it was different for them, the servants.
One slip of the tongue and the consequences would be unimaginable.
Empress Dowager Gu, lost in her own thoughts, paid no mind to the others’ reactions.
They were mother and son, yet the relationship between her and Ah Yan was unnaturally cold.
It truly made her heart ache.
She had even considered extending an olive branch to Mei Wanying so they could try to get along.
That way, her relationship with Ah Yan might also improve.
But with Mei Wanying not returning to the Capital City, her letters couldn’t reach her. Even if she was willing to yield, there was no opportunity to do so.
Empress Dowager Gu was finally getting a taste of what it felt like to have one’s letters intercepted.
The moment she thought about these things, Empress Dowager Gu grew vexed.
She pressed her temples and instructed Mrs. Feng, "Go and bring the gift list. Ling is about to turn two, it’s time to send her a birthday present."
"Last year Ling was seriously ill and couldn’t even celebrate her birthday properly. This year must be grander, to make her happy."
That was her own granddaughter. Even though they had never met, Empress Dowager Gu thought of her constantly.
Sometimes, she would dream of a clever, mischievous little toddler.
The little girl was truly beautiful, with big, round eyes and fair skin—a very endearing face.
She could run and jump, and she was a little chatterbox, with a lively personality so unlike Ah Yan’s.
But Empress Dowager Gu adored her all the same.
Perhaps Ling was really like that.
Empress Dowager Gu didn’t want to take out the adults’ conflicts on her young granddaughter.
It didn’t matter who Ling took after; as long as she was her own granddaughter, she would love her.
Empress Dowager Gu sighed. "I wonder if I’ll ever get to see Ling?"
When it came to Mei Wanying and Ling, it was impossible for Ah Yan not to be involved.
Whether she summoned them to the Capital or went to Jiangnan herself, she couldn’t get past Ah Yan.
Ah Yan wouldn’t allow her to see Mei Wanying and Ling.
He would only stop interfering if one day he grew tired of Mei Wanying.
But that was impossible.
For Mei Wanying’s sake, he was mad to the core.
He would probably give his life for her if she asked.
The Gu Family had produced deeply devoted men before—men who would do anything for their beloved.
Ah Yan hadn’t inherited the Royal Family’s fickle heart, and she didn’t know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Mrs. Feng looked at her with pity. "Empress, you will certainly get to see the Little Prince. The Emperor is already softening; he even came to pay his respects two days ago."
Whether it was from the heart or just for show for the court officials, the fact was that the Emperor had come to see the Empress.
Empress Dowager Gu’s expression softened slightly.
’As long as Ah Yan still understands the meaning of filial piety, it proves he hasn’t completely lost his mind.’
"I will no longer interfere in his affairs! If he still recognizes me as his birth mother, then he shouldn’t stop me and Ling from meeting!"