The daily life of a max-level immortal cultivator

Chapter 186 A Dream of Yellow Millet

My hands, folded in front of my abdomen, tightened unconsciously. I glanced at the two people at the head of the table before turning my gaze back to the floor in front of me.

Wei Qing seemed somewhat surprised to see the emperor there as well. Due to his leg injury, he could only bow and offer a slight greeting.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress."

Thirteen was not allowed to come into the palace with us, so only Wei Qing and I came.

Since Wei Qing had already paid his respects, I could not remain standing any longer. I knelt down, placed my hands on my forehead, and kowtowed, performing a proper salute: "This commoner, Yunzhi, greets Your Majesty and the Empress."

"No need for formalities, Zian. It's rare for you to come to the palace today, so why did you bring a woman back with you? Who is she?"

It was just a normal inquiry, but when the emperor said it, it sounded like a reprimand for someone who had already committed a crime.

Having not entered the palace for months, and now finally making a trip, only to bring a strange woman with him, it's hard not to wonder what's going on.

The Empress smiled and said to the Emperor, "Oh, Your Majesty, it was my fault. I was so happy to see you that I forgot about this."

“Some time ago, my brother sent a letter saying that he had found an old friend. I haven’t had anything important to do lately, and I thought that it had been a long time since I had seen my brother, so I invited them both to come and meet me today.”

The Empress paused, glanced at the Emperor beside her, and continued, "Speaking of this old friend... she also has some connection with Sister Huayi."

Luo Huayi was the Consort Duan who died in childbirth.

Upon hearing that name again, a flash of pain crossed the emperor's eyes.

Empress Wei Xiruo and Consort Luo Huayi were classmates with the emperor, who was once a prince, for two years.

When the late emperor was alive, he established academies to recruit talented people. Even the princes and princesses in the palace were sent to study there. However, they were just studying with the children of powerful families in the capital and a few children sent by the Tianhan aristocratic families. Wei Xiruo and Luo Huayi were among them.

It was at that time that the emperor fell in love with Luo Huayi at first sight. Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick on him. Not long after, the entire Luo family was wiped out. After returning to her hometown, Luo Huayi was never heard from again. In the end, the emperor married Wei Xiruo as his principal wife.

One year after the emperor ascended the throne, he went on a southern inspection tour and encountered the down-on-her-luck Luo Huayi again. He recognized her at a glance, and from then on, another extremely favored concubine appeared in the palace.

However, two years ago, Consort Duan died in childbirth.

Luo Huayi had suffered a lot during those years away from home. After the emperor brought her back, her health became extremely weak. She had to use countless rare medicinal herbs to nourish her and her health improved somewhat, but it was difficult for her to conceive again.

Two years ago, she finally became pregnant after much difficulty. The emperor cherished her like a precious jewel, protecting her with utmost care and hoping she would give birth to a prince, or even a princess would be wonderful. But...

The child was not born, and Luo Huayi died. The emperor was depressed for a long time and stopped attending to state affairs. The ministers in the court had no choice but to submit petitions to the emperor every day, asking him to resume his duties.

It took him several months to recover from his depression, and even now, hearing that name again still breaks his heart.

The joys of youth, the things lost and regained, are lost again; it turns out that even an emperor cannot keep everything.

Empress Wei Xiruo saw all of this and couldn't bear to see him so depressed, so she gladly agreed to Luo Huayi's dying wish.

The person has now been brought here, which can be considered a surprise for the emperor.

"This person is from the fourth branch of the Luo family and is now the only surviving descendant of the Luo family."

The emperor looked down at the veiled woman beside the Imperial Guard below, a hint of doubt in his mind:

"A fourth branch? Why have I never heard of the Luo family having a fourth branch?"

"Because she was born out of wedlock and had poor health, she was sent to the estate to be raised from a young age. Later, due to some reasons, she was separated from her family. But... alas, life is unpredictable. Now, only her child has been found."

The emperor stared at her, looking at those familiar features, and his hand involuntarily twitched.

"You, come up to the front."

It is obvious who that "you" refers to.

While I was still lost in thought, I was suddenly called upon by someone above, which snapped me back to reality. I took a few steps forward and knelt down again, but I kept my head down and dared not look up.

"You said your name is Yunzhi?"

"Your Majesty, I am Yunzhi."

I bowed in response, lowering my head slightly.

"Keep your head up."

The emperor's words could not be disobeyed, so I had no choice but to raise my head and look up at those two people of high status and wealth.

The emperor was still staring at her, as if trying to see right through her: "Is what the empress said true?"

I spoke the truth: "Your Majesty, I only learned of this matter not long ago."

"But as far back as I can remember, I have never seen the person who gave birth to me. However, Young Master Wei has already investigated the matter and told me about it, so I only found out then."

Wei Qing, standing behind, bowed and replied, "What Miss Yunzhi said is true. I was afraid of looking for the wrong person, so I checked several times. Miss Yunzhi is indeed a descendant of the Luo family."

After hearing this, the emperor turned his gaze back to the person who was still kneeling, his words carrying a hint of emotion.

Why are you covering your face?

"Your Majesty, I am plain-looking and fear that I might offend Your Majesty, so I wore a veil."

"It's alright. Since she is... a relative of Hua Yi and a descendant of the Luo family, I will naturally meet her in person."

I stood there stunned for a moment before nodding, lowering my head, and slowly removing the veil from my face.

I didn't see the expression on the person's face, but I did see that the bright yellow robe straightened up instantly, and the hall became eerily silent.

The empress, still seated, watched as the emperor's expression shifted from disbelief to determination, and a warm smile brought her comfort.

But why were those delicate hands clenched so tightly beneath the gorgeous dress embroidered with phoenixes and peonies, even bleeding from the sharp nails?

Seeing the woman kneeling below remove her veil to reveal a face that bore an uncanny resemblance to Luo Huayi, her heart trembled violently.

It seems... it seems... that woman has come back!

……

In the forty-seventh year of the Tianhan era, Wei Xiruo and Luo Huayi went to the capital to study. They were both members of aristocratic families who had been selected by their clans to attend the newly established academy by Emperor Jing.

They had no choice, but at least they were willing to go to the capital.

The family's intentions were clear, so on her first day at the academy, Wei Xiruo chose the most handsome prince among all the princes. However, he treated Luo Huayi, who had come to the capital with her, differently.

Wei Xiruo didn't like this, but she had to pretend that she knew nothing and stay by Luo Huayi's side so that she could have a chance to chat with him and get close to him.

Whether Luo Huayi was truly stupid or pretending to be, after deliberately letting her know her feelings for that person, Luo Huayi began to avoid that person's attempts to win her favor.

That's good, it saves her from having to pretend to feel guilty again and again.

But that person not only didn't know how to restrain himself, he even went so far as to ask the emperor to grant them a marriage.

Anything that Wei Xiruo sets her sights on, she will never give up to someone else, especially not that woman Luo Huayi.

She absolutely will not allow such a thing to happen!

So she came up with a solution, a solution that was unprecedented and unparalleled.

Without the support of their families, the emperor would not grant them marriages.

Royal marriages have always been based on matching social status, and an orphan girl who has lost the support of her family is not worthy of being a concubine. I am the one who is most suitable for him!

The plan succeeded, and the woman slunk away, never to be seen again.

If Wei Xiruo wins her gamble, all the things she's done will have been worthwhile.

That man stood out among all the princes and became the most supreme man, while she became the most honored woman in the Tianhan Kingdom.

Wei Xiruo thought that her life would be smooth sailing from then on.

However, since that person ascended the throne, he rarely visited her in her palace. New people moved into the harem year after year, and each one of them was younger and more beautiful than her.

But what does it matter? As long as she doesn't commit any heinous crimes, she will always be the most esteemed woman.

But one day, several years later, Wei Xiruo saw the woman named Luo Huayi again.