Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 1542 - 1537: Softhearted

All these royal relatives... so-called elders, had to come to him at this time, using this matter to sow discord between him and Uncle Jiu. Murong Li couldn’t bear it anymore.

Wang Jiuzhou looked at Murong Li for a long time without speaking. After all, His Majesty is still a child and can’t be expected to endure too harshly. The fact that His Majesty has endured until now is already remarkable.

Murong Li raised his hand to catch the snow pellets carried by the wind, feeling the gust growing stronger. However, he couldn’t soften his heart. He had already acceded to the request of the royal family by allowing his mother to stay for the New Year, which was the last and greatest grace he could afford her. He could not relent further.

He clenched the snow pellets in his palm, their coolness clearing his mind.

Just as Uncle Jiu said, this was his empire, and he must make his own decisions and hold firm.

·

An elderly group of royal relatives exited the main hall, shaking their heads one after another.

"Who knows how the Regent Prince manipulates the Young Emperor, to trust him so implicitly..."

One elder was startled by the flickering lamplight upon hearing this and quickly stopped his younger clan brother. He glanced around, seeing no imperial loyalists, and then spoke in a lowered voice: "We’re in the Imperial Palace, mind your tongue!"

"But... it’s true, the Regent Prince has so captivated His Majesty that he won’t heed any of our loyalty." The eldest clan elder struck the reflective golden brick floor with his cane in disappointment, showing a bitter expression, "How frustrating!"

"The Empress Dowager is still waiting outside the palace. Let’s go and report back to her! Perhaps... she might still have a plan!" someone suggested.

"If the Empress Dowager had a plan, she wouldn’t have been exiled from the palace!"

"Alas... let’s go!"

Outside the palace gates, the Empress Dowager of Yan, accompanied by Murong’s royal family elders, peered out from the carriage, frequently glancing toward the brightly lit Imperial Palace. She hoped the advice of royal relatives might soften Ah Li’s heart, allowing her to return to the palace.

In these recent days, she had regretted countless times and had wanted several times to meet Ah Li, to beg for his forgiveness, confessing her wrongs. She only hoped that Ah Li would allow her to stay in Dadu, staying by his side to watch him marry and have children...

He was, after all, her biological son. Now her eldest son was in Dadu City, and if she went to the estate, she would be out of reach there, leaving only Ah Li as her child. How could she bear to leave?

She understood that if she stepped into that estate today, apart from the holidays, she might not see Ah Li again, and how could she bear it?

Soon, the Empress Dowager of Yan saw the clan elders draped in large cloaks exiting the palace, hastily urging the personal maid to support her off the carriage.

"They’re back; the uncles are all back!" shouted the royal clan members stationed to guard the Empress Dowager’s carriage, not allowing the imperial guards to send her away.

The maid quickly bundled the Empress Dowager of Yan’s cloak and opened an umbrella: "Be careful, Your Majesty."

The Empress Dowager of Yan tightly clutched the hand warmer, eagerly watching the rapidly approaching Murong royal relatives, hoping they brought good news. Her palms were sweaty, her voice filled with sobs: "Ah Li... Ah Li will surely listen to the elders of the clan, right?"

"Certainly, Your Majesty, His Majesty has always held the Empress Dowager in the highest regard. It was only after the Regent Prince’s return that matters were uncovered, compelling His Majesty to explain to the officials, giving account to the Regent Prince’s faction. Now that the Yan Kingdom’s royal clan has intervened, His Majesty has a way out. There’s no reason to send you to the estate amidst this snowstorm!" The Empress Dowager’s personal maid also gently reassured her, "Besides, it’s not like a mother and son bear overnight grudges!"

The Empress Dowager of Yan nodded: "Exactly, Ah Li has the softest heart!"

Filled with hope, the Empress Dowager of Yan thought that with the Murong royal clan intervening, especially the elders Murong Li had respected in the past, they would surely persuade Ah Li. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Why didn’t His Majesty personally come to greet the Empress Dowager?" someone grumbled.

"It’s enough that she’s allowed to stay!"

Upon hearing the discussions of the royal relatives, a deeper smile appeared on the Empress Dowager of Yan’s face, as if convinced the arrival of the royal clan elders was to escort her back to the palace. Turning back to those royal relatives, she said: "The snow is so heavy, and Ah Li is still not completely well. Whether he comes out to greet or not doesn’t matter!"

As the Empress Dowager of Yan approached to greet the elders of the royal family, escorted by the royal clan, she was stopped by the imperial guards.

"How dare you!" A royal relative scolded, stepping forward in anger, "This is the Empress Dowager of Yan Kingdom; how could you dare stop her!"

"Forgive me, Empress Dowager!" the imperial guard immediately kneeled on one knee to apologize, "I am just following orders. Without His Majesty’s command... I truly cannot allow you to pass, please pardon me, Empress Dowager!"

As long as she didn’t have to leave, and could stay in the Imperial Palace of Yan, the Empress Dowager of Yan didn’t want to argue with an imperial guard.

She didn’t instruct the imperial guard to rise but continued to watch the royal relatives approach ever closer, her joyful expression barely contained, her eyes wet and red.

Yet, the closer they got, the clearer it became... the faces of the elders of the royal clan seemed less than welcoming.

The Empress Dowager of Yan’s heart sank, clutching her handkerchief tightly.

"Uncle, did His Majesty agree to let the Empress Dowager stay?" Before the Empress Dowager of Yan could ask, a royal relative couldn’t help but step forward to inquire of the more senior clan elders.

The gray-haired elder, leaning on his cane, slammed it hard on the ground in indignation upon hearing the question: "I don’t know how the Regent Prince so captivated His Majesty’s heart. We only suggested the Emperor remain wary of the Regent Prince usurping power and urged that the Empress Dowager should stay in Yan to stabilize the situation; yet His Majesty had the gall to say we are unworthy of calling ourselves elders before him! The Emperor is young... were it not for the Regent Prince’s instigations misleading him, how did once such a courteous and filial child now turn into someone who ignores his elders, even going so far as to expel his own mother from the palace!"

These words said by the oldest and most seasoned royal elder were phrases others dared not speak, but in their hearts, they were of a like mind, nodding in agreement.

Especially when the Emperor referred to them as unworthy to call themselves elders before him... that was particularly harsh. If not for him being the Emperor... given their rank, even a slap would be a minor punishment! That expression "unworthy"... what child dares speak like this to their elders, utterly arrogant and rude.

As the Empress Dowager of Yan heard this, her face turned pale, her mind buzzing, only able to hear the subtle rustling of snow falling on the oil-paper umbrella, her body grew limp, leaning into the arms of her personal maid.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty..."

The royal relatives were her last hope!

"Were it not for some instructions the Regent Prince gave His Majesty before leaving, how could His Majesty treat the Empress Dowager so heartlessly!" a royal relative remarked, glancing at the Empress Dowager, "The Empress Dowager is, after all, His Majesty’s biological mother; even if she has no merits, she’s endured hardships. Besides, haven’t we watched His Majesty grow up, how could he possibly treat the Empress Dowager so!"