The Empress

"His Majesty has arrived!"

Eunuch Kang shouted the announcement, but the group stood in front of the Fengyi Palace for a long time without anyone coming to greet them.

You Lu was speechless; it seemed that the relationship between his father and the empress was worse than he had imagined.

He peeked out from behind Emperor Wulong and found the Fengyi Palace deserted, with not a single eunuch or maid in sight. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought it was a cold palace.

"Father, have you and Mother always been so distant and cold towards each other?" he asked curiously.

It wasn't that he wanted to stab his own father in the heart; it was just that he had many questions.

Emperor Wulong wasn't angry that the Empress didn't come to greet him, but his youngest son's words struck a nerve. He glared at Youlu and said with a warning, "Take your breath and don't say anything out of line inside!"

After speaking, a resolute glint flashed in Emperor Wulong's eyes. He strode confidently through the gates of Fengyi Palace with his hands behind his back.

A deer followed behind him and asked, "Father, are you here to fight? You look so imposing."

"You unfilial son! Shut up!" Emperor Wulong's temple veins throbbed wildly.

From the palace gate to the inner hall, along the way, there were deer. At the entrance of the inner hall, there was an old nanny. When she saw Emperor Wulong, the nanny bowed and said, "This servant greets Your Majesty. Her Majesty the Empress has just woken up from her afternoon nap and is doing her hair. Please, Your Majesty, proceed to the main hall."

The old woman's attitude was not only unfriendly, but also carried a faint sense of death, and her whole demeanor revealed her unwelcoming attitude towards Emperor Wulong.

You Lu noticed that Emperor Wulong's expression darkened. Just when he thought his father would get angry, Emperor Wulong obediently turned around and went to the main hall.

Some deer were surprised, some were impressed. Could this be the legendary story of one thing subduing another?

The arrogant and irritable emperor is so obedient in front of the empress. Is the rumor that they are only superficially united but actually estranged just a lie?

Out of sheer curiosity, on his way to the main hall, Youlu tried to look into Emperor Wulong's past again. Although it was still fragmented, this time he actually saw something different.

Wow! Father Emperor has had a crush on the Empress since childhood! And it's even a sibling-like relationship!

The deer that discovered the key point is the inner rooster's cry.

"What's going on? What's going on?!" The Pixiu stretched its neck curiously.

【父皇打小就狂，结果第一次见面就被皇后按在地上揍，从此一揍倾心，念念不忘，追在人家小姐姐屁股后面姐姐长姐姐短的，好不容易才让人家记住自己。】

Later, the Empress accompanied her father on a military campaign, becoming the first female general in history, achieving great military exploits and gaining widespread fame. She was gone for two years, and her father, having finally welcomed her back, learned that her parents had died and that she was to observe three years of mourning for them. Left with no other choice, the father had to continue waiting.

[After two years of military campaigns and three years of mourning, the Emperor remained celibate for the Empress, never taking a wife or concubine. He had planned to propose marriage after the Empress's mourning period ended, but the Empress politely declined, citing the need to care for her younger brother.]

"Waaah, your father is really pitiful." Pixiu shed tears of sympathy.

Youlu shook her head and sighed: "The beginning was quite tragic, but the later part was purely contrived. At that time, only the Empress and her brother remained in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. Although they held titles, they had lost their support. The Empress had to support the entire mansion. Her father, knowing her plight, insisted on forcing her into a marriage, threatening her life to force the late Emperor to issue a decree for her to marry him. From then on, the eagle-like Empress was trapped in the deep palace, and the two, once a perfect couple, became a bitter enemy."

The Pixiu shook its head vigorously, [Forced love is unacceptable, unacceptable! A woman like the Empress should soar freely in the world, not be confined within palace walls.]

"Actually, you can't blame Father Emperor." Youlu sighed. "The late Emperor wanted to eliminate the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to consolidate military power, and Father Emperor had no other choice but to come up with this method. I say he's being unreasonable purely because he's arrogant, stubborn, and doesn't know how to talk back. Although his father's orders are paramount, he and the Empress are very clever. If they had discussed it, they might have been able to find another way to resolve the crisis. But he refused to, insisting on bearing the burden alone, enduring the resentment of his beloved while silently enduring the late Emperor's punishment. In the end, he kept his body, but his heart drifted away."

What's most infuriating is that after he ascended the throne, because the empress neglected him, he deliberately expanded his harem to spite her. He deserved to suffer the agonizing prospect of chasing after his wife.

"Serves you right! Serves you right!" the Pixiu raised its two claws in agreement.

Emperor Wulong, who was walking in front, stumbled and roared angrily, "Xiao Yunlu, get over here!"

While enjoying the melon, Youlu suddenly shuddered and hurriedly ran to him, blinking innocently and asking, "Father, what's wrong?"

Emperor Wulong grabbed him by the back of the neck, lifted him up, and gritted his teeth, spitting out each word clearly: "Be—obedient—to—me!"

Feeling wronged, Youlu muttered under his breath, "Father only dares to take his anger out on me. There's a reason for this, so go find the Empress if you dare."

When he looked up and met Emperor Wulong's blazing eyes, he wisely shut his mouth.

But the thought in my head was still nagging: "Men going through menopause are terrifying."

Emperor Wulong, filled with rage, took a deep breath and thought, "Never mind, the child is still young. It's not too late to punish him when we get back."

When the father and son arrived at the main hall, the young palace maid served tea and then withdrew, leaving only Emperor Wulong and Youlu in the vast hall.

Before long, the Empress, supported by the old nanny, entered the palace and curtsied, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."

"Your Majesty, you may rise." Emperor Wulong helped her up, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger.

Youlu, sensing the situation, stood up and bowed, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty." His eyes darted around, scrutinizing the person before him.

To be fair, the Empress's appearance wasn't exactly exquisite, but she was dignified and imposing. Her brows didn't have the gentle charm of a young girl; instead, she exuded a heroic spirit, befitting a renowned female general. She was clearly a decisive and ruthless person.

It seems that the deep palace did not diminish her spirit.

You Lu secretly rejoiced.

The Empress glanced at him, not surprised to see that he was an unfamiliar face, and simply nodded slightly, saying, "No need for formalities."

After the three sat down again, Emperor Wulong explained, "This is Yunlu, the seventh prince I just found."

The Empress nodded, her attitude neither warm nor cold, and said, "According to etiquette, a family banquet should be held as soon as possible to welcome the Seventh Prince. However, the Empress Dowager has taken the Sixth Prince to the mountain to worship Buddha and has not yet returned. Prince Duan and Princess Duan are traveling outside, and the Second Princess has also gone to Jiangnan with her husband. It may be inappropriate to hold a family banquet at this time. In my opinion, it would be better to postpone it for a few days."

"Then so be it, Your Majesty." Emperor Wulong picked up his teacup, speaking casually, but his eyes, hidden behind the teacup, secretly glanced at the person beside him. As soon as the Empress raised her eyes, he immediately sat up straight, putting on an indifferent and uncaring expression.

Youlu took in everything and secretly mocked his father for being cowardly. While the two were talking, he had already dug up the Empress's past.

[Wow~~ So the Empress knew all along that Father Emperor had a crush on her, and she was deliberately playing him for a fool, almost making him fall for her. Sister, you've got some tricks up your sleeve!]

"Pfft—" Emperor Wulong spat out a mouthful of tea.

"Your Majesty?" The Empress looked at him with a puzzled expression, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

Emperor Wulong waved his hand, "It's nothing."

He glared at Youlu secretly, but didn't say anything to stop him. He even secretly hoped that his youngest son would continue to reveal more information.