roccoschili Chapter 317 Zhu Kui's Sudden Change
Chapter 317 Zhu Kui's Sudden Change
After confirming that Lan Zhi had been admitted to the hospital, she swallowed hard, sat back in her seat, and straightened her posture.
She didn't want anyone to notice her unusual behavior, nor did she want to lose her dignity in front of Lan Zhi.
After Lan Zhi entered, she curtsied to her.
"May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings."
She gracefully raised her hand and nodded, saying:
"sit down!"
Zhu Kui reminded them at the door:
"Consort Liang, I am waiting outside. His Majesty is waiting for the Empress to return for dinner."
Consort Liang understood the meaning behind his words; he was reminding her not to make things difficult for Lan Zhi.
Now that things have come to this, does she still have a reason to make things difficult for her?
She nodded slightly, and Zhu Kui withdrew. Then, Consort Liang spoke.
"Lin Lanzhi, this name suits you very well."
"Mother is joking. I just recognized my biological parents and haven't had time to change my name yet."
Consort Liang paused, then gave a helpless, bitter smile.
"I called you here today because there are some things I want to talk to you about. We've known each other for many years, but it seems like we've never really sat down and had a proper conversation."
At this point, she looked up at her.
Do you hate me a lot in your heart?
Lan Zhi shook her head.
"I don't hate you. You are the Emperor's mother, and I am the Emperor's wife. How could I hate you?"
Ah!
Consort Liang gave a bitter smile.
"I wanted to do what was best for Ning'er, but I almost killed him in the end. In the end, I found that what I thought was for his own good was just wishful thinking on my part."
"Mother..."
Lan Zhi was about to say something when she was interrupted by her raising her hand.
"I'm sorry, I've been too presumptuous all this time. This is for you, and I'd also like you to pass this on to Ning'er and say sorry to him for me."
"Mother..."
Lan Zhi stood up from her seat and looked at her with gentle eyes. She hadn't expected that this woman, who was always so proud, would lower her head and apologize to her.
She wanted to ask her to return to the palace, but she was interrupted.
“You don’t need to say anything. I know who I am and how I should live.”
As she spoke, she got up and went to her dressing table, took out a jewelry box and handed it to her.
"Here are a few pieces of jewelry; if you don't mind, consider them a gift from me. Also, my grandson is very cute..."
Her eyes were brimming with tears, and Lan Zhi, unable to bear it, advised her:
"Mother, please come back to the palace with me and help me take care of Zhuangzhuang."
Consort Liang smiled faintly, then shook her head.
“I’m not going back. I’ve had enough of the palace after decades. I’m fed up with it. It’s nice here. It’s quiet and there aren’t so many formalities. I like it.”
"But……"
"I've made my decision, there's no need to persuade me anymore. I've said what I needed to say. I wish you and Ning'er a lifetime of happiness!"
Lan Zhi found her a bit strange and wanted to ask her a few more questions, but she had already looked towards the door.
"Lord Zhu, please escort Her Majesty the Empress back!"
Zhu Kui responded and walked in. After glancing at her, he extended his hand and said:
"Your Majesty, please."
Lan Zhi turned to look at her.
"Mother, please come back to the palace with me!"
Consort Liang rarely showed a gentle smile, but then shook her head.
"No, go back and tell Ning'er that I was wrong, that I know I was wrong, and tell him not to hate me."
"He won't hate you..."
"Let's go back!"
Consort Liang raised her hand to stop her from continuing, "Take good care of Ning'er and Zhuangzhuang."
Her eyes held a hint of melancholy, which made Lan Zhi feel a pang of sadness.
She was about to say something more to persuade her to return to the palace, but Zhu Kui quickly interrupted her.
"Your Majesty, it's getting late. I'll escort you back..."
Lan Zhi nodded, suggesting that it would be more appropriate for Wei Jianning to persuade her to return to the palace.
She glanced back at Consort Liang one last time, only to find that she had already turned and left.
As she followed Zhu Kui out, Consort Liang reappeared there.
She watched her retreating figure, uttering a few words that only she could hear.
'Lan Zhi, I'm sorry...'
She had made up her mind to leave, and at that moment she let go of everything.
Lan Zhi truthfully recounted Consort Liang's unusual behavior to Wei Jianning, who only said that she felt guilty after learning Lan Zhi's true identity.
The next day, at the Grand Commandant's residence
For the past year, Zhu Fangfei has been at odds with Zhu Kui because she has taken a liking to Sun Wei and wants to marry him, but Zhu Kui has firmly rejected her.
Although Sun Wei was the emperor's personal bodyguard and held a high official position, it was all in name only. Apart from protecting the emperor, he had no real power, and none of his ancestors had held official positions. He was not a good match for the daughter of a first-rank Grand Commandant.
Therefore, he imprisoned Zhu Fangfei in the Grand Commandant's mansion and forbade her to come out.
Zhu Fangfei hasn't spoken to him for almost a month, and she even glares at him fiercely when she sees him.
Although Zhu Kui felt sorry for her, he was unwilling to give in.
But today, he suddenly changed his mind.
He invited Sun Wei directly to his home.
Sun Wei was a little nervous when he was facing him.
He knew Zhu Fangfei's feelings for him; he liked Zhu Fangfei too. But he knew that his family background was not a good match for hers. He didn't even dare to face Zhu Kui. He asked in an evasive tone:
"Lord Zhu, what brings you here? I'm busy over there."
After looking him up and down, Zhu Kui let out a long sigh of relief.
“Sun Wei, although we’ve never worked together, we’ve known each other for over ten years. What impressions have you had of me, Zhu Kui, over these ten years?”
This……
His sudden question left Sun Wei speechless for a moment.
After much deliberation, he concluded that this matter must be related to Zhu Fangfei.
He replied hastily:
"Lord Zhu, I truly had no intention of concerning Miss Zhu. Please, Lord Zhu..."
"You really don't like Fangfei?"
Sun Wei hesitated for a moment, then shook his head twice against his will.
Zhu Kui squinted at him, scrutinizing him, and asked suspiciously,
"So all along, it was just her wishful thinking?"
Sun Wei didn't know how to answer this question.
During their time at the Crown Prince's residence, they were always bickering, but neither of them disliked the other; in fact, the more they argued, the more interesting they found each other.
Later, when the Crown Prince resigned from his post and left the capital, he returned to the palace. After not seeing Zhu Fangfei for several days, he realized that he had also fallen for the chattering girl who liked to fight and bicker with him all day long.
However, knowing that he and she were of different statuses, he stubbornly buried this thought in his heart.
Therefore, he always avoided seeing Zhu Fangfei whenever she went to see him.
They lived peacefully like this for three years until last year, when Zhu Fangfei found him again and told him that she was going to marry someone from another country.
He panicked immediately and, in his haste, confessed his longing for her. Later, the two of them secretly pledged their lives to each other.
However, when Zhu Fangfei returned and mentioned it to Zhu Kui, she was met with strong opposition from Zhu Kui, who even locked her up in a fit of anger.
Sun Wei later repeatedly jumped over the wall at night to come to her bedroom door to talk to her. The two of them, separated by a door, would express their longing for each other.
Zhu Fangfei once asked him to take her away to a distant place, but he refused. He dared not, and he could not.
When Zhu Kui sent someone to invite him today, he guessed that Zhu Kui must want him to leave Zhu Fangfei. Although he was reluctant, he did not want the father and daughter to become enemies because of him.