The fool has become a spirit, and she can speak

Chapter 1680 The Long-Awaited Voice

Zhong Siyu did not covet fame, fortune, or power; what she craved was the status of Empress. Only as Empress could she stand with Wan Lianxing and prove that they were a devoted couple.

For Wan Lianxing, she abandoned her family and traveled thousands of miles to Fengying. If she could not stay with Wan Lianxing forever, how could she live her life?

Wan Lianxing is a man of his word. If he says he will let Han Muran enter the palace tomorrow, then he will. It seems that she will have to hand over the Phoenix Seal tomorrow. Such a change cannot be comforted by a little maid like Zhu'er with just a few words.

Zhong Siyu hated her own weakness, hated that she dared not show her selfishness. She asked herself countless times why she had angered Wan Lianxing, why she had to stay alone in an empty room, why she always cried and made Wan Lianxing angry. She hated her own cowardice and lack of ambition, hated that she had brought trouble upon herself.

"Zhu'er, go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and ask if the Emperor has calmed down!"

Zhu'er was troubled. Was there even a need to look? Could the Emperor's anger subside so quickly? Didn't he even consider how he left? "Your Majesty," she said, "the Emperor left barefoot. I think he's definitely not calm yet!"

What the mistress and servant didn't know was that Wan Lianxing was playing with the lanterns that Cheng Youning had brought back in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and he seemed to have never been angry.

Suiying, however, was quite dissatisfied, carrying a lantern. Although the shrimp lantern in his hand was incredibly lifelike, he just didn't like it. "Your Highness," he said, "I am the Emperor's right-hand man. How did I become a shrimp soldier? There are so many beautiful lanterns on the street. Couldn't you have chosen a mighty tiger or a majestic leopard for me? You gave me a shrimp. This is extremely inconsistent with my status."

Cheng Youning made up a story with an air of seriousness, "Hey! Suiying, I think you really don't understand! This shrimp lantern was carefully selected for you by this Crown Prince. 'Shrimp' sounds like 'hero' in Chinese, so this shrimp lantern has a very good meaning. You look very imposing carrying it!"

After listening to Cheng Youning's nonsense, Suiying stroked his chin and looked at the lamp in his hand again. Sure enough, it was different. "You know what, the more I look at this lamp, the more wonderful it becomes! The more I look at it, the more different it is!"

The old steward gestured with the lantern in his hand and asked Cheng Youning, "Your Highness, what is the meaning of the lantern in this old servant's hand?"

"Old Steward, this lamp is extraordinary! This crab lamp represents wealth. Look at the crab's eight claws; they represent wealth coming from all directions!" Cheng Youning exclaimed, her little hands gesturing wildly as she talked nonsense, looking just like a little crab with its claws outstretched.

Although the old steward was old, he was the least likely to be fooled. "At this age, money is nothing but fleeting clouds to me, the least worth mentioning... Your Highness, doesn't this crab lantern symbolize tyranny and domineering behavior?"

Cheng Youning immediately denied it, and even sweetly replied, "Absolutely not. If you're going to act arrogantly, you're going to act arrogantly throughout the world, not tyrannically. The old steward is very particular about etiquette!"

After saying that, Cheng Youning grinned and chuckled.

The old butler found the crab lantern in his hand quite unusual. Cheng Youning would often give him strange little gadgets, none of which were practical, but they were all unique and could catch his eye, including this crab lantern.

Suiying asked curiously, "Whose toad lamp is this?"

Before Cheng Youning could speak, Wan Lianxing looked at the toad-shaped lamp and laughed, "This isn't a toad, it's a toad. It's obviously a servant."

Cheng Youning's eyes widened: "Grandpa, how did you know?"

Wan Lianxing said with a smile, "This toad is an auspicious beast that can ward off evil spirits and bring wealth. It is the perfect match for your master."

Cheng Youning took two steps toward Wan Lianxing. He wanted to say that his master was very poor and it would be difficult to find two taels of silver from him. Besides, he bought the lamp as a toad, so his great-uncle only guessed half of it correctly.

Wan Lianxing seemed to have seen through Cheng Youning's thoughts. He pointed to the lantern on the table and said, "Grandson, look, the one with three legs is a toad, and the one with four legs is a frog!"

Upon closer inspection, Cheng Youning immediately exclaimed, "How come this toad is missing a leg? The lantern shop owner cheated me; he cut corners!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room burst into laughter, and to this day he still insists that the lantern is a toad.

Sui Ying laughed so hard she almost fell over, "Your Highness, you really bought this as a toad!"

Cheng Youning exclaimed, "Of course! This frog is amphibious, otherwise I wouldn't have bought it. Now that it's missing a leg, how am I supposed to give it to my master!"

The next day, a lantern appeared on the eaves of many houses; they were all gifts from Cheng Youning.

Zhong Siyu sat blankly on the carved wooden chair, with her maid Zhu'er standing beside her. Neither of them seemed to be in a good mental state.

Zhu'er was worried. She had tried everything to comfort her mistress last night, but to no avail. Now she was racking her brains to make Zhong Siyu happy. "Your Majesty, you've been spacing out all morning. Let me accompany you for a walk in the garden. I heard that some winter plum trees are in full bloom."

"Winter plum blossoms brave frost and snow, unafraid of the bitter cold, but it's a pity we have no heavy snow." Zhong Siyu was sentimental and melancholy, and even the little maid who had served her since childhood couldn't understand her thoughts.

"Your Majesty, shall we go and see the winter plum blossoms? Even without snow as a backdrop, the winter plum blossoms are still beautiful, fiery red, which is quite rare."

Zhong Siyu shook her head, "Let's wait for the Emperor to summon me!"

Zhong Siyu sat there blankly, like a prisoner awaiting a death sentence. No one, except Wan Lianxing, could move her in the slightest.

The words Wan Lianxing left behind when he departed Wankang Palace last night were like a heavy hammer that plunged Zhong Siyu into an abyss. Those suffocating words still pierced Zhong Siyu's fragile heart, unable to be healed.

"Your Majesty, Han Muran shouldn't have entered the palace so quickly." Zhu'er glanced at Wankang Palace, where they had lived for several years, feeling reluctant to leave. If the Emperor really deposed the Empress, they would have to move out of here. Zhu'er prayed in her heart that the Emperor would not be fickle and would not be cold-hearted.

At this moment, someone from the Hall of Mental Cultivation came to deliver a message: "Your Majesty, the Emperor requests your presence at the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

Zhong Siyu stood up and said to herself, "What was bound to happen has finally happened... Pearl, take my seal with you."

Although Pearl was reluctant, she obediently took the Empress's seal with her.

There were many people in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Wan Lianxing, whose divine might was unpredictable, sat on his dragon throne with great spirit. When he saw Zhong Siyu, who had come as if she were going to her death, he knew that she had not slept well last night, as her eyes were still red. However, the great gift that Wan Lianxing had given her should make Zhong Siyu grateful to him.

Just as Zhong Siyu bent down halfway, a long-lost, familiar voice trembled beside her: "Yu'er—"