A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 766 I Can’t Die

He trembled, his hands reaching out to caress her, but he pulled back halfway, as if afraid of hurting her. "So it was you..." His eyes were filled with nothing but heartache; at this moment, that was all he could feel.

The Empress Dowager’s eyes shimmered with tears. "I’ve never betrayed you! During that horse race years ago, someone tampered with your horse, causing you to fall deliberately! I knew about it! But... but I didn’t tell you in time. It’s all my fault! Zongcheng, it’s all my fault; it’s all on me!"

The Empress Dowager hammered her chest fiercely, her heart wracked with torment. Back then, she had already married the Late Emperor. At that time, the Late Emperor was not yet the Crown Prince.

The Late Emperor and Prince Yan were full-blooded brothers, close in age. They grew up together and were very close. Even though the Late Emperor’s literary and martial skills were slightly inferior to Prince Yan’s, it didn’t affect their brotherly bond.

However, the Late Emperor was, after all, the legitimate eldest son. Prince Yan, as the younger brother, was more accomplished than his elder brother; even their imperial grandfather had intended to pass the position of Crown Prince to him. Though the Late Emperor said nothing of this, the countless officials and aides who followed him would never have agreed.

And so, they devised a plan: to ruin him, once and for all. This was the ultimate reason behind the horse race conspiracy.

What caused the Empress Dowager the most heartache was that the Shih Family had also been involved in the conspiracy—they were even the chief planners!

Imagine: your own father, causing your lover to be crippled for life. Who has ever experienced such pain?

The Empress Dowager’s heart had ached for an entire lifetime; she had harbored hatred for an entire lifetime and felt helpless for an entire lifetime!

"Yueshu!" Prince Yan clutched her hand tightly, preventing her from continuing to strike herself. "It’s my fault!" he said, his lips trembling.

Afterward, he shakily reached out his hand. Like one cherishing the most delicate flower, he dressed her properly, then embraced the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager cried uncontrollably. The two held each other and wept bitterly. An unknown amount of time passed before they finally calmed down.

The Empress Dowager sobbed, "The Late Emperor never knew about that conspiracy, from beginning to end! It was all my father’s doing; he was the one who hurt you! Zongcheng, I am so sorry!"

Prince Yan said painfully, "Don’t say that! You’re just a woman; matters between men cannot be blamed on you! It is my fault! I wronged you!"

The Empress Dowager nestled in his arms, her smile intertwined with tears as they gazed into each other’s eyes intimately.

Prince Yan asked again, "Yueshu, after you married him, how did you hide these scars?!" Did the Late Emperor never become suspicious?

The Empress Dowager covered her mouth, a hint of pride in her voice. "You wouldn’t know. Although I married him, I didn’t like him! Apart from our wedding night, it seems... he rarely touched me. Of course, he would never find out!"

Prince Yan was even more astonished. "So all that affection, that perfect marriage... it was all fake?"

The Empress Dowager confirmed with a laugh, "Exactly, it was all an act! He had his Favored Consort, and I had the man of my heart! I wasn’t willing to serve him or bear his children. He ruined my life; I couldn’t hate him enough!" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Prince Yan’s heartache deepened. "Yueshu, you’ve suffered so much!"

The Empress Dowager smiled coyly. "Not at all!" Having said that, she suddenly grew melancholic again. "If only... Zongcheng, what if... we elope!"

For an Empress Dowager of her age to still harbor such thoughts was indeed a sign of great courage.

But Prince Yan shook his head. "No, Yueshu! I must die. Junqi’s matter must be settled! After I die, you must live well! Take good care... of yourself! Junqi is in your hands now!"

This was their only child.

Prince Yan then smiled bitterly. "Who would have thought that one drunken night would lead to his birth! I was once consumed with hatred over this, but now, it seems this is the only thing I have no regrets about. Yueshu, you must live a good life!"

Prince Yan’s words grew increasingly strange. In the end, the Empress Dowager was somewhat at a loss. "Zongcheng, what you’re saying... it’s a bit odd!"

Prince Yan smiled. "It’s nothing!" As he spoke, still smiling, his hand slowly reached out from behind him. With a swift, hard chop to her neck, he knocked the Empress Dowager unconscious. Catching her limp body, Prince Yan smiled, a smile of complete satisfaction.

「The next day.」

The Empress Dowager woke up in her own palace. As always, Sister Qing and her attendants were there to help her with her morning ablutions. The Empress Dowager looked at her surroundings, then at Sister Qing before her, and then around the room again. Her face was etched with utter dejection.

Was all of last night just a dream? If so, it was terribly realistic!

Sister Qing’s eyes were somewhat red, but the Empress Dowager, in her dazed state, didn’t notice. Believing she had dreamt it all, the Empress Dowager paused for a moment, then asked no further questions.

After breakfast, just as she was about to read the Buddhist scriptures as per her routine, a wave of dizziness struck the moment she stood up, and she nearly fell. Luckily, Sister Qing reacted quickly and caught her.

The Empress Dowager clutched her neck, puzzled. "Why does my neck hurt so much? Qingyun, what happened last night?!"

Sister Qing looked alarmed. "Your Majesty, what’s wrong?" Glancing around, she lowered her voice and said, "Last night, didn’t you go to... Prince Yan Mansion?"

"Ah!" The Empress Dowager’s face lit up with excitement. "I didn’t dream? It was all real?"

But Sister Qing found it hard to smile and quickly changed the subject. "Your Majesty, isn’t it time for your prayers? Let me accompany you!"

The Empress Dowager, clutching her head, paid her no mind, desperately trying to recall what had happened later that night. Sister Qing, however, kept interrupting her.

The Empress Dowager was quite frustrated. "Alright, alright, I’ll go, isn’t that enough?"

"Ah, that’s more like it!" Sister Qing said. "I’ll get your prayer beads for you!" She then quickly left.

The Empress Dowager straightened her attire, just as she was about to enter the Buddhist hall. Unexpectedly, she heard the tolling of funeral bells. Moments later, someone came to report, "Prince Yan has passed away!"

He had been found that morning in his mansion. He was supposed to wait three days for the Emperor to administer the poison. Now... perhaps unwilling to live any longer, he had apparently taken poison himself!

The Empress Dowager had not yet stepped into the small Buddhist hall when this news struck her, leaving her completely disoriented. No longer caring if anyone was around or what else might happen, she burst into loud sobs. "Zongcheng! He hanged himself! He actually hanged himself! Zongcheng, how could you be so foolish! Why would you leave me all alone! Without you, what do I have to live for!"

Sister Qing hurried to console her. "Your Majesty, please restrain your grief! No matter what, Master Prince is still alive! Although he will soon be exiled, at least his life is spared! As the saying goes, ’While there’s life, there’s hope.’ In the years to come, surely the Emperor can’t remain this angry forever! Who knows, perhaps one day the Emperor will be in a good mood and grant a general amnesty! By then, Crown Prince Yan... he might just..."

The Empress Dowager’s sobs quieted a little, and she nodded. "You’re right! There’s still Junqi. I cannot die!"