Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

Chapter 846: Chapter 846 Heart-pounding

“Don’t hit me… don’t hit me…”

Empress Yang desperately waved her hands, her eyes continuously dodging, her state of mind appearing extremely abnormal.

“It seems she has been driven mad by torture. No matter what we say now, she won’t listen or be able to answer,” Di Yelei said in a grave voice.

“No! I don’t believe she went mad so easily.”

Liu Sisi clenched her teeth and yanked Empress Yang over, “Tell me, do you know who I am? Do you still remember the rooster that heralds the dawn? Do you still remember you said, ‘Those not of our kind must have a different heart’? Didn’t you still want to kill me; have you forgotten that too?”

With one question after another, Empress Yang became more and more frightened, suddenly screaming shrilly.

...

“I didn’t! It wasn’t me, the rooster that heralds the dawn… it wasn’t me! You bastard, how dare you slander me, I will kill you, kill you…”

She suddenly broke free from Liu Sisi’s grasp and lunged at her, her face twisted with ferocity.

How could Di Yelei let her get close to Liu Sisi?

Almost the instant the other party reached out, Di Yelei struck the back of Empress Yang’s head with a backward hand dagger.

Empress Yang still glared with her mad eyes, her arm stuck around Liu Sisi’s neck; the next moment her body went limp and she lay on the ground.

Liu Sisi looked down at Empress Yang, unable to let go, kicking her twice, “Hey, wake up, wake up!”

“It’s no use; my hit was right on the back of her head. Even if she were to wake up, it would be at least two hours from now.”

Di Yelei gently lifted her up, “It looks like she’s gone mad and can’t make any sense. However, she has been living in the deep palace for years, the news she gets must be from outside. If you want to know the true identity of your mother, we could look for those who knew the situation back then. Such as the old women who served Empress Yang or your aunt, Ms. Yao!”

Ms. Yao? How did she forget about her?

After all, Ms. Yao was the maid who accompanied her mother on her marriage; she definitely was someone who knew.

Thinking for a moment, Liu Sisi hesitated and shook her head, “It’s just that my aunt is in Gongzhou, and it’s not convenient for us to go there now. This path doesn’t seem viable to me.”

“Hmm, let’s leave this place first.”

Proposing, Di Yelei helped Liu Sisi out of the cold palace.

Liu Sisi felt somewhat dispirited, and a cold breeze outside made her shiver involuntarily. She couldn’t help but look back at Empress Yang, who was still lying in the darkness of the cold palace, and silently clenched her teeth, the idea of uncovering her mother’s identity growing stronger.

“Let’s go! If we delay any longer, it will get dark,” she said, then walked on without looking back again.

The main entrance of the cold palace closed slowly, and at the moment the door shut, Empress Yang’s eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she were about to wake up.

The gradually departing group noticed none of this.

Having obtained not a single clue, Liu Sisi was extremely disappointed. She originally intended to leave the palace directly but was stopped by Eunuch Xiao, sent by Zhao Yuanlang.

“Princess Ruyu, His Majesty summons you.”

Liu Sisi looked at Di Yelei in surprise and also saw astonishment in his eyes, so she had to gather her spirits to deal with the situation.

“If that’s the case, please lead the way, Eunuch Xiao.”

“This way, please, Your Highness.”

Eunuch Xiao bent even lower at the waist, and when he saw Di Yelei intending to follow, his face bloomed like a flower, “Old Master Marquis, His Majesty favors Princess Ruyu and wishes to speak with the Princess alone, so that father and daughter may have a heart-to-heart talk.”

That was a clear sign that Di Yelei was not to follow.

Di Yelei nodded at Liu Sisi subtly and quickly said with a smile, “Eunuch Xiao, indeed, Ruyu rarely comes to the palace, and some rules may not be clear to her. If there’s anything she does wrong, I ask you to kindly advise her.” While speaking, he secretly slipped something into Eunuch Xiao’s hand.

Eunuch Xiao’s face was full of smiles, and with a slight movement of his hand, he had already tucked the item away, “Old Master Marquis, rest assured. Given His Majesty’s affection for the Princess, you needn’t worry so much. Should there ever be a need for this servant, I will surely do my utmost to serve the Princess.”

“I’m grateful for your assistance, Eunuch Xiao.”

Di Yelei once again gave Eunuch Xiao a fist greeting, exchanging a serious look with Liu Sisi.

Liu Sisi, preoccupied with her own thoughts, did not ponder further and soon arrived at Zhao Yuanlang’s sleeping palace under Eunuch Xiao’s guidance.

Zhao Yuanlang was still engrossed in the mountain of petitions; upon hearing Eunuch Xiao’s report, he hurriedly put down his brush-pen and waved affectionately at Liu Sisi.

“Has Ruyu come? Come in quickly, come sit by Father Emperor.”

“Father Emperor, do you have to deal with so many petitions every day? Sitting for so long isn’t good for your health. You need to balance work and rest.”

“Silly child, the court’s situation is far more complex than you can imagine.”

Zhao Yuanlang smiled, “Father Emperor does not ask for much, just to clear the path for my Ruyu during my lifetime. As long as I am here for one day, I will not allow my Ruyu to suffer again…” His voice trailed off suddenly as if he had thought of something, and he let out a deep sigh.

Liu Sisi quickly tugged at his sleeve, “Father Emperor, there’s no need to dwell on the past. We must look forward to live a good life.”

“You! You really do resemble your Concubine Princess Mother; even the tone of your speech is exactly the same.”

At the mention of Lin Xiner, the smile on Zhao Yuanlang’s face disappeared.

Liu Sisi’s eyes briefly flickered before she lowered her head, “Father Emperor, Ruyu visited the cold palace today to inquire about my mother’s past…”

She had considered whether to tell Zhao Yuanlang about this. But they had just left the cold palace when His Majesty sent Eunuch Xiao to find her, implying His Majesty was unaware of their motives, which was simply self-deception.

Sure enough, as soon as Liu Sisi finished speaking, Zhao Yuanlang’s expression remained calm.

“What made you think of looking into your mother’s past? Haven’t I told you? She was a singing courtesan. Her parents died early, and she and her younger sister were sold into a brothel… Alas! If it weren’t for her background, a series of later events wouldn’t have happened. If you don’t believe it, you can ask the Brothel Owner of Chunyue House. There are also clear records with the historians that you can examine.”

“Really? Thank you, Father Emperor, for your affection for Ruyu. Ruyu is grateful to you,” Liu Sisi’s face beamed with joy.

Zhao Yuanlang’s smile stiffened for a moment before he waved his hand, “Just go to Lord Li of the Ministry of Personnel; he has detailed information. In the future, should you encounter anything like this, come directly to Father Emperor, don’t go about it on your own. Empress Yang has lost her mind. If Marquis Yongping hadn’t been so skilled in martial arts, how could you have coped if she had harmed you?”

Liu Sisi’s gaze darkened slightly, but her smile did not wane, “Father Emperor, as a child, one naturally has a duty to fulfill. By the way, Father Emperor, where is my mother’s graveyard now? Ruyu wishes to pay respects at her grave; is that acceptable?”