“Your Majesty is still angry, isn’t he?”
The current Xuanzheng Hall was even worse than the small, shabby room where Xiao Pingyi once lived as a prince.
He didn’t want to stay here at all.
“You know I’m not thinking that way,” Feng Zhao said this time, but unlike before, she didn’t immediately satisfy his wish even under the system’s prompt.
“Xiao Pingyi, you are now the emperor. No one cares whether you are only five years old or not. There are some things I can help you with, but there are some things you must do yourself. Living alone in Xuanzheng Hall is your first step.”
She would raise him, but not like a chick kept safely under her wings.
Xiao Pingyi seemed to understand but not fully. Feng Zhao didn’t give him time to hesitate, turning to leave and abandoning him in place.
Lianqiao asked, “Your Majesty, aren’t you worried the Consort Wen might harm His Majesty if you leave him alone in Xuanzheng Hall?”
“She won’t,” Feng Zhao said as she walked.
Only after leaving the hall did she stop and glance back at the palace building.
“Wen Meier is foolish, but not completely brainless. She just clashed with me over the throne, and if Xiao Pingyi dies right after that, not only will I not be able to escape blame, even Wen Chenglin won’t let her off.”
Wen Chenglin didn’t want to usurp power openly—at least not now. He wanted to be a “virtuous minister” recorded in history. That meant some things the Wen family could not do yet. At the very least, Xiao Pingyi could not die now.
If he died, the first to suffer would be the Wen family.
“There must be many of Wen Meier’s eyes and ears in Xuanzheng Hall. I remember the little eunuch Xiao Li beside Xiao Pingyi is still usable. Go test him. If he passes, leave him a few antidote pills in case of emergency.”
Lianqiao nodded and left to carry out the order. Feng Zhao returned to Fengming Palace.
At night, the palace was quiet. The maids hurried to greet her, and even the black cat she had raised struggled in its cage.
“The emperor’s coronation today must have excited even the cat!” a maid flattered.
The black cat: “……”
It had been sleeping all day and had no idea what it was excited about.
Feng Zhao didn’t respond, but picked up the cage and observed the cat through the bars.
Then she suddenly said, “If I send you to Xuanzheng Hall… then he won’t be alone, right?”
The cat instantly bristled in anger—but the cage shook again, and it was tossed so hard it went dizzy and limp.
At that moment Lianqiao returned from Xuanzheng Hall.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, Xiao Li is trustworthy. He did not yield when tested with poison.”
Feng Zhao nodded slightly. “A loyal servant.”
Then Lianqiao asked carefully, “Your Majesty… are you planning to send the cat to His Majesty?”
Feng Zhao didn’t answer directly.
Instead, she asked, “How was he when you left?”
“He… kept staring in the direction Your Majesty left,” Lianqiao said hesitantly. “It looked like… he was about to cry.”
Feng Zhao could almost picture it—the small child, eyes red, tears trembling.
After a long pause, she finally set the cage down.
“Forget it. Don’t leave him any attachment. If it is to be broken, it must be completely broken.”
She turned and left.
In Xuanzheng Hall, Xiao Pingyi stood there for a long time. His legs were numb, but he still didn’t leave.
Xiao Li tried several times to persuade him to rest, but he refused.
“Mother… will come back. I’ll wait for her,” he said, gripping his clothes tightly.
But deep down, he already knew she might not return.
He waited until night turned into dawn.
She still didn’t come.
“Why… why did Mother leave me here?” his voice broke. “Did I do something wrong?”
“…Or is it because I’m no longer useful now that I’m emperor?”
He finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears fell like broken beads.
Xiao Li, who had followed him since childhood, hesitated—but said nothing. Some things, he couldn’t explain.
Then suddenly, Xiao Pingyi sniffed.
A familiar scent.
Phoenix flower incense.
His eyes sharpened.
“Xiao Li… you met Mother, didn’t you?”
He spotted something hidden in Xiao Li’s sleeve.
“Show me.”
Xiao Li’s heart sank. He could only present the medicine pills and explain everything.
After hearing it, Xiao Pingyi first felt joy—she hadn’t abandoned him.
But then came confusion.
If she didn’t abandon him… why did she leave him alone?
And so, he turned silently and stared at the dragon throne behind him.
His gaze grew dark.
The next day, Feng Zhao noticed something wrong.
Xiao Pingyi ignored her. Even when he greeted her, he seemed distracted.
Was he angry?
Angry that she left him alone?
Feng Zhao felt a faint tightness in her chest but said nothing.
On the throne behind the bead curtain, she looked down at the court.
“Yesterday, His Majesty and I reviewed the memorials submitted by the ministers. They were well written.”
“Bring them all forward.”
Later, Xiao Pingyi was summoned again.
But this time, he didn’t smile.
He looked like a seedling battered by wind and rain—his spirit drained away.