A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 1556 - 1554: I Love You
Previously on A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace...
Chapter 1554
Eleventh day of the winter month, heavy snow descends from the sky.
The north wind howls through the night, and large flurries of goose feathers fall with it, quickly piling thick layers on the eaves and the ground.
Initially looking at this weather, it seemed it would stay gloomy for several days.
But perhaps the heavens have opened their eyes, for the snow stopped by the next morning, and... the winter sun shone, everything wore a silver coat, as if newly born.
"Look, Zhao Junyao!"
"Even the heavens pity us!"
Zhao Junyao’s smile was radiant.
He endured for a year, soon he would be released.
Finally... the day he awaited has come.
This snowfall truly bestowed a lifetime of completeness upon him.
"Good!"
He replied, allowing the maids to help with dressing.
Layer upon layer, set after set, if it were before, he would have refused, but now, he needed to wear more to stay warm, so he could stay with Qingqing a little longer.
...
Preparations were complete.
The servants used a carriage to take them to Plum Garden in the Capital City.
Merely entering Plum Garden was not enough, they also chose the pavilion at the highest point of the garden.
Firstly, this pavilion is too high and visited by few.
Secondly, it’s too cold for writing poetry and painting, scholars do not prefer coming in winter.
Thirdly, here one cannot closely admire the plums, but instead can look afar at the grand spectacle of the capital, lacking the idle elegance of Plum Garden.
So come winter, this highest pavilion is mostly unoccupied.
Now chosen by Zhao Junyao and companion, they were quite pleased.
Here, they could both enjoy the plum blossoms and gaze afar at the capital, truly the best place for viewing scenery.
It was no waste of their long yearning for the winter spectacle.
The servants had come early to tidy and arrange everything satisfactorily.
A charcoal brazier was placed in the pavilion, along with a scroll, some warmth gathered.
Additionally, on the table were a copper stove, incense burner, snacks, and tea, and most conspicuous was the plum blossom vase.
There were plum blossoms of every color, even those yet to bloom in Plum Garden.
No matter where the flowers were from or how they bloomed, almost all blooming plum blossoms were arranged around them.
Although most were forced to bloom by the palace’s gardeners, at this time who cares about such trivial matters?
...
The servants withdrew completely.
Leaving only the two of them in the pavilion, with the scroll down, the scenery outside grew more indistinct.
Xia Ruqing leaned against Zhao Junyao, looking at the table and floor covered with plum blossoms, smiling contentedly.
"Zhao Junyao, I want to ask you a question!"
Zhao Junyao spoke with great difficulty, but still nodded.
"Ask!"
"If... there were a place, where a man could only have one wife, no concubines, and marrying many would violate the law, leading to punishment!"
"Would you be willing to go?"
Zhao Junyao squinted slightly, his expression unclear and dark.
After what seemed a very long time, he finally slightly opened his eyes, softly uttering a few words.
"Why not willing?"
Is there such a good place in the world? Without forcing a man to marry a heap of women for glory? How wonderful!
His voice was very small, yet she heard it clearly.
Her smile was brighter than a spring flower bud, even the white hair and wrinkles seemed to disappear, as if she returned to the age of eighteen overnight.
"Then who do you want to marry?"
Zhao Junyao said nothing, just stared steadily at her.
Xia Ruqing laughed and cried.
"You are the Emperor, yet you fell in love with me, I never dared to believe it before!"
"But between us, it seems it truly is love!"
Zhao Junyao seeing her cry felt a bit heartbroken, yet also somewhat puzzled.
"Love... is it?"
What is that thing? He has never heard of it!
"Yes! Love! It’s the most beautiful thing in the world!"
"What is love in this world, making one vow life and death!"
For the first time, she looked at him so boldly and intensely, without any guard or obstruction.
Zhao Junyao was still puzzled.
He recited the poem she read in his heart three times and then shook his head in confusion.
"Never heard of it!"
"You know so much!"
He was born into the Imperial Family, lived his entire life for the ancestors, for the Royal Family, and the kingdom.
The education he received since childhood was to learn more to protect Great Chu’s kingdom, to marry more women to have more sons and grandsons, continuing Great Chu Dynasty forever.
He never knew what love was.
But he simply liked her, wanted to be with her.
If he could only choose one woman, he would willingly choose her.
Burdened by other things all his life, he wanted to live for himself once.
"Alright!"
"I just realized you are a fool!"
"I love you!"
Xia Ruqing’s face was full of tears.
Zhao Junyao gradually closed his eyes, his breathing growing weaker.
His last words were.
"Qingqing, hold me tight, I am warmly dressed, and you fear the cold, let me warm you!"
He used all his strength, slowly and intermittently, finally completing the sentence.
Even so, it exhausted all his energy.
With the word falling, his breathing ceased concurrently.
Xia Ruqing held him tightly.
First stunned for a long time, suddenly began to cry and laugh, eventually ’wah’ spat out a mouthful of blood, tightly embracing Zhao Junyao’s thin and gaunt waist.
Slowly rested her head on his shoulder, finally with a satisfied smile on her face, her breath ceased.
...
"Taishang Huang has passed! Empress Dowager has passed!"
Zi Ning mournfully knelt on the ground, loudly announcing the shockingly expected sad news.
The news rapidly reached the Imperial Palace, spread throughout every corner of Capital City.
For a time, national mourning, especially inside the palace.
Crying rose and fell, continuous and unceasing.
...
On the eleventh day of the winter month of Jiachen Fifth Year, the Taishang Huang passed, the Empress Dowager passed.
The Emperor was deeply saddened, ordering the court to cease for ten days to mourn his parents.
He further decreed the capital to hold national mourning, prohibiting marriages, ceasing all musical entertainment, observing mourning for three months for Taishang Huang and the Empress Dowager!
The ministers, royal relatives, and family members must observe mourning for nine months, while the direct relatives and younger generation in the royal lineage must observe mourning for a year.
And the Emperor himself had decreed his resolve to mourn his parents for twenty-seven months to demonstrate filial piety.
With the imperial edict issued, the nation praised the Emperor’s benevolence, ruling the world with compassion and filial piety, setting an example for the nation.
However, Zhao Qichen at this moment couldn’t care about these.
He was already deeply grieving, his entire self sunk in a state between dream and reality.
He always felt his father and mother hadn’t left but were still beside him.
Yet in a blink, they left hand in hand smiling.
Clearly mentally prepared, yet upon occurrence, he found himself utterly devastated by overwhelming grief, powerless to counterattack.
...
It was already very complete.
They departed peacefully and beautifully, becoming a model of envy for the world.
Though he did not understand love, he loved her all his life.
Though she claimed not to be moved, she loved him all her life.
They accompanied each other, living through this life completely.
From life to death, never apart, unwavering until death.
’What is love in this world, making one vow life and death’.
(End of text)