Chapter 928
Chapter 928 Mother’s Final Wish
The troops of the Crown Prince and Long Tianyu, with the other princes as assistants, confronted each other for another day.
When the night fell, Lin Mengya had been at the window for almost two hours.
But the others in the room knew that she was worried at this time, so no one spoke to disturb her meditation.
“Master, the person who delivers the dinner is here.”
Baisu, who went out to check the situation just now, came back and reported to Lin Mengya in a low voice.
The latter immediately understood what she meant and turned around with a look of surprise on her face.
“Who is it?”
Baisu whispered into her ear the name of the person whom she had been waiting for so long.
“Invite her in now. Remember, don’t let anyone find out about her.”
After hearing Lin Mengya’s reminder, Baisu nodded immediately and quietly walked out of the chamber.
“Who is here? You look quite surprised about it.”
Imperial Noble Consort was so anxious that she walked to the back of the desk and started drawing plum blossoms by the window.
Lin Mengya had heard that her mother-in-law was born into a noble family and was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
Seeing Imperial Noble Consort’s drawing today, she found that it was indeed extraordinary.
When other women had nothing better to do, they always liked to embroider flowers and sew soles or something.
But Imperial Noble Consort’s hobby was so elegant and romantic.
The more Lin Mengya observed, the more ashamed she felt. It seemed that as a woman, she really had no stunning ability in this time and space.
“My name is Zhao Ran. Greetings to Your Grace. Greetings to Your Highness.”
The person who followed Baisu into the room was indeed Zhao Ran, the leading maid who helped Lin Mengya in the imperial study.
Imperial Noble Consort probably didn’t have any impression of her, but because the maid was important to her daughter-in-law, her attitude toward her was particularly friendly.
Lin Mengya couldn’t bear to see Zhao Ran kneel, so she immediately helped her up.
“Sister Zhao, I can’t thank you enough for your help earlier on. Now that you’ve come to help us again, I will never forget your great kindness.”
Since Zhao Ran was here, Lin Mengya thought that she must have something to tell her.
Lin Mengya was not stupid. Of course, she knew that with Zhao Ran’s status, the news she brought must be very beneficial to them.
However, Zhao Ran, who had grown up in the Imperial Palace since young, was at a loss when it came to the sincerity of the previous princess consort, the current princess.
She could only rub the corner of her clothes and said cautiously, “I can’t afford to be addressed as your sister, Your Highness, but I’ve received great kindness from Madame Lin. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have lived until now. So I’m even willing to die if I can help you even just a little bit.”
What Zhao Ran said was sincere. What kind of people were Lin Mengya and the Imperial Noble Consort? They could see through whether Zhao Ran meant it with just a few words from her.
Now they all believed in Zhao Ran’s words, but what surprised Lin Mengya more was that it was as if there was a gentle but powerful hand guiding her.
All the good deeds that her mother had done in the past would turn into good karma and return to her.
The corners of her eyes were slightly wet, but she quickly concealed it.
Even though she was moved and wanted to cry, she wanted to wait until everything was over, and then she could do whatever she wanted.
Now, she had to hold it in.
“Madame Lin is really a heroine. As a woman trapped in the palace, I only feel ashamed. I didn’t hear about how she was poisoned to death while I was in the palace. I’m only… so ashamed. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t live a good life now.”
The Imperial Noble Consort’s voice was low. She was really regretting it.
If she had been braver and didn’t just think of ways to protect herself every day, she might have been able to save the madam of the Lin family.
She thought that it had been so many years, and she didn’t even dare to reveal her true colors, but what did she get in return?
She only got the cold position of Imperial Noble Consort, and even her own son was dragged into this hopeless abyss.
Perhaps back then, she should not have allowed herself to marry into this man-eating palace.
“Your Grace, you don’t need to blame yourself. It was not easy for you to be inferior to the Empress while struggling hard. Besides, you can’t stop the enmity between my mother and the Empress. If you had been involved in it at that time, I’m afraid that you and my husband would have died by now. So, as for this matter, you don’t need to take it to heart.”
Lin Mengya turned her head sideways and said those words with a gentle smile and a sincere tone.
She really didn’t blame Imperial Noble Consort, because she knew that there were too many things in the world to interfere in.
In the past, when she read Journey to the West in modern times, she always felt that Tang Monk was too meddlesome.
He had to get involved in bad things, and he had to get involved in good things as well.
He had gone through eighty-one tribulations, and how many of them did he ask for?
It could be said that Journey to the West consisted of four chivalrous people who fought to uphold justice.
But later, she understood that the reason why Tang Monk dared to do this was that he had Monkey King, who was extremely powerful, as well as Marshal Tianpeng and Curtain-lifting General, who were related to the Heavenly Court.
At the very least, the horse Tang Monk rode on was the Crown Prince of the Dragon King, a noble and handsome immortal among the rest.
If Tang Monk could do whatever he wanted with such incredible strength even in the immortal world, what kind of crappy mess would he not dare to interfere in?
Therefore, she was determined to be a powerful boss behind the scenes like Tang Monk.
No matter what it was, as long as she waved her hand, someone would step out and settle it for her.
But before she could run amuck in the world, she had to keep a low profile.
Therefore, she knew very well how the Imperial Noble Consort felt helpless at that time.
“Good girl, you are always so forgiving and generous. In the future, I will absolutely protect you with my life. Even if that stinky boy offends you, I will definitely take your side!”
Imperial Noble Consort did not expect Lin Mengya to be so sensible. The guilt in her heart gradually turned into a deeper affection for the girl.
She knew her own son better than anyone else.
In the past, because of the Emperor’s education, Yu’er looked calm on the surface, but he was too gloomy.
Not to mention the ladies from well-known families in the Capital City, even Imperial Noble Consort, as his mother, felt that she could not get close to him.
Although Jinyue was also familiar with him, she always felt that they were too distant from each other.
“However, since Lin Mengya entered the mansion, the child’s guard against others has gradually melted.
“All of this is thanks to Ya’er.”
Seeing the harmonious relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Zhao Ran also smiled.
There was both gratification and shame in her eyes.
Ever since she was saved by Madame Lin, she had wholeheartedly thought about how to repay her kindness.
However, due to her status, she had not had many opportunities to do that in recent years.
After seeing that Lin Mengya’s mother-in-law also adored the lady so much, she felt her nervous heart gradually calm down a lot.
The Imperial Noble Consort wiped away her tears and said with some embarrassment, “Look at me. I’m getting old and talk too much. Your name is Zhao Ran, right? Do you have anything to tell Ya’er?”
As Zhao Ran became relieved, she smiled more.
“I’m sorry for my negligence. I almost forgot the business. Your Grace, Your Highness, actually, it’s not the Crown Prince’s idea to dispatch troops this time. It’s Princess Tiancheng’s idea. It’s she who instigated the Empress to participate in this matter.”
“What? “Princess Tiancheng?”
This news stunned Lin Mengya.
She had never thought that it was not the Crown Prince’s idea to rebel but Princess Tiancheng’s.
Lin Mengya grabbed Zhao Ran’s hand and asked in a low voice, “How did you obtain this information? Is it accurate?”
Zhao Ran thought for a while and said, “I’ve been working hard in the palace these years, and I don’t like to form cliques. The Empress trusts me very much, so she lets me take charge of the imperial kitchen. Princess Tiancheng looks innocent, but in fact, she is very cruel. In the past, there were several low palace maids in the kitchen who were not aware of her temper, and later, they were beaten to death. In order not to let those little girls be harmed, I personally sent food to her every time. Over time, the people around Princess Tiancheng became less on guard against me, so I heard these things.”
What Zhao Ran said made sense. She had pretended to be ignorant of everything in the Imperial Palace for so many years. In the eyes of Princess Tiancheng and the Empress, people like Zhao Ran were just dead people who were still alive.
Therefore, they might be less on guard against Zhao Ran.
However, the news was so stunning that Lin Mengya did not know what to do for a moment.
“I’ve long known that Princess Tiancheng is not a well-behaved woman, but she actually tried to instigate her mother to rebel with her brother.
“This is not a wise decision, is it?”
“Didn’t they tell you why Princess Tiancheng did this?”
There were some things that Lin Mengya did not think made sense.
Not to mention that it was dangerous to force the Emperor to abdicate and rebel, if Princess Tiancheng really wanted to help the Crown Prince to take the throne, she could disguise herself and then assassinate her other brothers.
“By the way, after the accident, where is Princess Tiancheng?”
Although Zhao Ran was not good at analyzing people’s minds, it was not difficult for her to inquire about such a thing.
“I heard from the servants that after the accident, Princess Tiancheng has been in the Empress’s palace and hasn’t come out for a while. And… and the Empress’s diet is a little strange recently. In the past, we sent the meals directly to a maid who serves the Empress. But recently, the meals are handed over to an unfamiliar madam outside the palace. I seem to have seen this madam several times in the princess’s sleeping chamber, but the princess hasn’t eaten with the Empress in recent days, so I think it’s strange.”
Zhao Ran was very scrupulous. Therefore, although she did not say some things, she kept them in her heart.
Lin Mengya found the matter strange as well. After exchanging looks with the Imperial Noble Consort, she found that there was the same puzzlement in the latter’s eyes.
“Normally, it would not be strange for the princess to have someone whom she thinks serves her well deliver the food to her mother. However, I’ve been in the palace for many years and I know that food is the most important thing. The Empress would never have a newcomer handle it, even if the one was sent by her own daughter.”