“This has nothing to do with Fengguang,” Wang Ci said with a gentle smile. “Right now, the only thing I still worry about is your future. At your age, I had already entered the palace and become empress. If you can find a good husband, then there will be nothing left in this life for me to worry about.”
“Mother… have you ever thought that maybe Father, he…”
“Enough. Whatever goes on between your father and me is none of your concern, little girl.” Wang Ci tapped Fengguang’s forehead, her smile full of calm resignation.
From the very first day she entered the palace, she had never planned to love Xia Chao, nor to win his affection. Wang Ci was a smart woman. She knew her family background was strong enough to make the emperor wary. With that kind of connection, how could Xia Chao possibly have genuine feelings for her?
Even when she found out she was pregnant, her heart was filled with anxiety. She had even considered ending the pregnancy. She understood that giving birth to a prince would disrupt the fragile balance that currently existed—perhaps even spark a coup within the palace. Wang Ci had already prepared an abortion decoction for herself, but something strange happened: the kitchen in Fengyi Palace caught fire, and the medicine was destroyed in the blaze.
Soon after, the palace staff in Fengyi Palace were replaced—all of them became Xia Chao’s people. Wang Ci saw this as surveillance. They were there to ensure she gave birth to the child. Because Xia Chao needed this child, he needed an excuse to provoke the Wang family into making a move—or perhaps, he needed a justification to purge them from power.
No one knew how Wang Ci had endured those ten months of anxiety. When she learned she had given birth to a daughter, the weight in her heart was finally lifted. Even though she understood well that being an empress without a son would eventually lead to hardship, she had always expected that her time as empress would not last long anyway. For the past sixteen years, Xia Chao had been slowly chipping away at the Wang family’s power. She knew this, and she had waited and waited for the day he would finally depose her.
But that day never came.
Stirred by her daughter’s questions, Wang Ci was lost in memories when she suddenly heard Fengguang ask again, “Mother… do you love Father?”
Wang Ci paused—she had never really considered that question. But soon she answered,
“Your father is the ruler of a nation, and I am his empress. Love… that’s not something we’ve ever needed.”
“But I think… both you and Father actually…”
“You silly girl,” Wang Ci cut her off, pulling her down to sit on the couch beside her. “Didn’t you come here today to talk about your problems? That man Sijia—what kind of charm does he have that’s made my daughter fall for him so completely? I’m very curious.”
Fengguang slumped her shoulders, looking tired and defeated. Her troubles were already a mess—how could she have the energy to worry about her parents’ issues?
She politely declined her mother’s offer to stay the night at Fengyi Palace and wandered slowly down the long corridor. Along the way, she absentmindedly tugged at the plants and flowers lining the path. Anyone could tell she was in a bad mood. The palace maids kept a respectful five-pace distance behind her, too afraid to disturb her.
At this moment, the only person bold enough to approach her was Xia Fengxue—the man who had just been named Crown Prince.
“Fengguang.”
A warm voice called out. Fengguang looked up and saw him walking toward her.
“Brother Crown Prince,” she said.
Lucien On ABRWF Chapter 34.1