Ji Lingxue's mind flashed back to every detail of her past with Mo Xiang. She was the last gift her biological mother left her. She accompanied her through her youth, her marriage, the most difficult years in Prince Chen's Mansion, and all the calculations of Ji Yuqing and her daughter. Without her, she would not be who she is today.
She had promised Mo Xiang that she would find a good marriage for her when she returned from Dayan, but she broke her promise.
"Xue'er?" Seeing that Ji Lingxue had been silent, Xiao Yichen called her softly.
Ji Lingxue murmured, "You know, I have already prepared a dowry for Mo Xiang... I wanted to personally arrange her marriage and wait for her to have children and become a mother, so that we can become in-laws in the future... But I didn't expect... I waited and waited... but I received the news of her death..."
Xiao Yichen gently embraced Ji Lingxue, patted her shoulder and comforted her, "You and I never expected such a thing to happen. Life is unpredictable, and we can't predict such variables. As the "True Dharma Eye" said: 'Flowers wither when they are cherished, and weeds grow when they are abandoned.' We hope that flowers will always bloom, but they always fall with the wind; we hope that weeds will not grow, but they are always everywhere. Many things in this world are hard to come by and can only be owned once. Once you miss the opportunity, they will never appear in front of you again. Xue'er... Don't be sad, you still have me and our child. By the way, we haven't named the child yet..."
Ji Lingxue nodded, her eyes fell on the two children at hand, the sadness in her eyes gradually faded and replaced by kindness, "Yes, what do you think we should name these two children?"
Xiao Yichen thought for a moment and said, "The princess will be named Xiao Xiang, and the prince will be named Xiao Mo. What do you think?"
Ji Lingxue nodded, "This is a good name. Mo Xiang will definitely be very happy when she knows it..."
At this time, Chi Feng's voice rang out from the door, "Your Majesty!"
Xiao Yichen turned around and said, "Come in."
Chi Feng acted in a businesslike manner, bowed to Ji Lingxue and Xiao Yichen and said, "Your humble servant greets the emperor, the queen, the little princess, and the little prince!"
Ji Lingxue twitched her lips. Chi Feng was so sweet-mouthed that he even greeted the newborn prince and princess who were still asleep.
Xiao Yichen said: "Since you have already paid your respects, have you prepared the red envelope for our first meeting?"
Chi Feng's mouth twitched and he touched his pocket, "Um... I am short of money, please forgive me, Your Majesty... Um, I am not here for this matter..." He was busy with urgent business and wanted to take a look at the newborn prince and princess, but he forgot to prepare a red envelope.
Xiao Yichen nodded, "When was that for? Have you found out the identity of the assassin?"
Chi Feng nodded, "We found out that it was the remnants of the former queen who stayed in the palace. They had been patient until now and chose the right time when the queen gave birth to attack. Originally, they wanted to kidnap the prince to negotiate with you, Your Majesty, but they didn't expect the queen to give birth to twins, and they didn't expect Mo Xiang to be so desperate... By the way, speaking of Mo Xiang, there is something you may not know..."
Ji Lingxue turned her head and looked at Chi Feng with confusion, "What's the matter?" Mo Xiang and she are like sisters, what could she not know
Chi Feng said: "Ever since the feud between you, the Queen, and the former uncle, the former Queen tried to bribe Mo Xiang who was beside the Queen, but Mo Xiang has always been grateful to you, the Queen, and never took action against you."
Ji Lingxue shook her head and said, "Now that she is dead, any mistakes she made in her life will be forgiven. No matter whether Mo Xiang has done anything to offend me or not, I forgive her." Ji Lingxue turned her head to look at Xiao Xiang who was lying quietly beside her, and touched her little face with her fingers.
Chi Feng cupped his hands, "The Queen is magnanimous, I admire you!"
The tenth day after Ji Lingxue gave birth was the day of Mo Xiang's burial. Ji Lingxue asked Rong Mama to wrap a thick bandage around her belly, put on a white plain dress, and personally send Mo Xiang off.
Although the weather was hot, Mo Xiang's body was frozen in the crystal coffin and was still intact after ten days.
Ji Lingxue, supported by Rong Mama, said to Mo Xiang across the crystal coffin: "Mo Xiang, I'm here to see you off!"
Madam Rong sighed and said, "Mo Xiang, this old servant and the Madam are here to see you off. Mo Xiang, you've had such a hard life... I think the happiest thing in her life was to live with the Madam, and what she wanted to do most was to help the Madam take care of the little prince and princess. Unfortunately... Don't worry, I will help you fulfill your wish, you can go with peace of mind. I hope you can be reborn into a good family in your next life, so that you won't have so many hardships in your future life."
Ji Lingxue turned her head to look at the nagging Rong Mama beside her, "Mama..."
Madam Rong wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "My Lady, I have said too much!"
Ji Lingxue shook her head, "Mammy, take care of Mo Xiang for me."
"I obey your command!" Madam Rong bowed and held up the wedding dress and phoenix crown to dress Mo Xiang up again. Mo Xiang was dressed in them and lay quietly in the crystal coffin. After Madam Rong finished tidying up, she stepped back two steps. Then the master of ceremonies ordered people to put the burial objects into the crystal coffin, and finally covered the coffin and buried her.
Xiao Yichen, wearing a white dragon robe, walked into the palace carrying a pot of wine. In front of the lotus pond, Xiao Yimo was leisurely fishing with a fishing rod. Hearing the footsteps, Xiao Yimo was not surprised at all and asked, "What day is today? You actually came to see me?"
Xiao Yichen sat down next to Xiao Yimo, looked at the fishing rod and said, "You seem to be in a leisurely mood. I see you have gained a lot of weight after living in the palace for a year. You are getting fat in middle age!"
Xiao Yimo turned his head to look at Xiao Yichen who was teasing him, "Why are you teasing me like this? Do you have something to do with me? By the way, why are you wearing all white? It's like you're attending a funeral."
The despised Xiao Yichen shrugged, "You are absolutely right, there is indeed a funeral in the palace."
Xiao Yimo was startled and looked at Xiao Yichen's face. "I heard that the queen gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. You are so lucky to have children at once."
Xiao Yichen raised his head, opened his mouth, poured a sip of wine and said, "I finally understand the truth of revenge. I have been thinking about many things recently. Being an emperor is the most boring thing. I came here today to tell you that I will not be the emperor anymore."
Hearing this, Xiao Yimo's hands trembled, and the fish that was about to be hooked was scared away without a trace. He didn't quite believe his ears and asked, "What did you just say?" Could he be drunk and started talking nonsense
It was he who forced the emperor to abdicate in the first place, and it was also he who was holding a pot of wine and saying that he didn't want to be the emperor. He treated this as a child's game and said that he could become the emperor whenever he wanted
Xiao Yichen said: "You heard me right, I'm not drunk, please don't look at me like a madman."
Xiao Yimo twitched his lips, "Can you tell me the reason? Are you suddenly depressed?"
Xiao Yichen chuckled twice, picked up the fish food at hand and threw it into the lotus pond. Ripples instantly appeared on the surface of the pond, and many fish came from all directions and swallowed the fish food.
Xiao Yichen said, "A year ago, I avenged Ji Lingxue and took your throne so that you wouldn't have to be caught in a dilemma. Now the former uncle and the former queen's followers have been cleared out, and I have dealt with many corrupt officials for you. It's time for me to die. I will issue an imperial decree and you can announce it to the world."
Xiao Yimo looked at Xiao Yichen as if he were a madman, "Are you serious?"
Xiao Yichen nodded, patted Xiao Yimo's shoulder and said: "This is the throne that your father left for you. I'm giving it back to you. You don't have to miss me too much after I die."
Xiao Yimo asked: "Where are you going after you die? Can you tell me?"
Xiao Yichen smiled and said, "What do you want to do by asking this... You don't hold a grudge and want revenge, do you..."
Xiao Yimo smiled openly, "You are the only one who judges others by your own standards. I care about the world and I won't be as petty as you."
Xiao Yichen: "It's okay to tell you. My beloved wife doesn't like to be locked up in the palace. She has accompanied me to rule the world, so I will give her the life she wants, monogamy, one son and one daughter. The world is so big, and everywhere is her home..."
Xiao Yimo looked at Xiao Yichen as if he were a madman again, "I think you are a madman."
Xiao Yichen spread his hands, "Life is only a few decades long, how can you be worthy of yourself if you just go a little crazy? You can fish slowly, I will make arrangements, and when the time comes, someone will come to invite you out..."
Xiao Yimo watched Xiao Yichen's back gradually disappearing and shook his head, "You said it so coolly and left so cleanly, how enviable!"
Xiao Yichen walked to the corner and suddenly turned around and said, "Xiao Yimo, be nice to my powerful minister. Don't take all my people away as soon as you return to that position. You will regret it." After saying that, he waved his hand, and disappeared over the wall.
Xiao Yimo twitched his lips, "Is this a threat?"
Three months later, Emperor Xiao Yichen and the Queen of Dayan passed away. He reigned for one and a half years, becoming the shortest-lived emperor in history. All the ministers knelt in the palace and asked the retired emperor Xiao Yimo to ascend the throne.
On the same day of the same year, on an ordinary carriage heading to Beiling, Ji Lingxue, holding Xiao Xiang in her arms, asked Xiao Yichen, who was holding Xiao Mo beside her, "You left so abruptly, don't you regret it?"
Xiao Xiang was seriously poisoned, and Ji Lingxue had already planned to take her to visit famous doctors all over the world. She just didn't expect that Xiao Yichen would directly give the throne to Xiao Yimo and take her out of the palace.
Xiao Yichen held Ji Lingxue's hand and said, "You accompanied me to rule the world, and I promised you that the whole world would be your home. Now I have nothing to worry about, and I will accompany you to wander around the world. Madam, are you happy?"
Ji Lingxue nodded, looking at the pair of children sucking their fingers in her arms with full of happiness.
Xiao Yimo walked out of the palace. He looked up at the sun in the sky and covered his eyes with his hands. Although only a year or two had passed, he felt like he had spent half his life.
Xiao Yichen really did what he said and returned the throne to him. The country remained the same, the court officials were replaced, and the dragon throne was still shining with gold, but there were no concubines in the harem.
Chi Feng was still wearing the prime minister's court robes. He saluted towards Xiao Yimo with a smile on his face. Xiao Yimo walked over and helped him up.
"Did he leave any message when he left?" Xiao Yimo asked.
Chi Feng shook his head, then nodded, and bowed to Xiao Yimo and said, "He told me to serve the wise king well!"
Xiao Yimo smiled and patted Chi Feng on the shoulder, "Prime Minister, walk with me." As he said that, he walked towards the Golden Palace.
Chi Feng followed behind him slowly, his golden dragon robe shining in the sunlight.
(End of this chapter)