Chapter 228

"Why are you here? Your Imperial Father let you see me? Why did you come tonight? Why are you dressed like this?" At the Empress Dowager’s questioning, Long Xuan thought about which to reply to first. "No," the Empress Dowager did not wait for an answer. She realized, "Wearing these clothes, it must not be your Imperial Father who let you come. Did you sneak in?"

"This grandson wished to see you." 

"You!" The Empress Dowager turned to look at the closed door of the temple, and then at the locked window. "Leave," she said to Long Xuan. "You can't let your father know about this. He will not spare you."

“Imperial Grandmother,” Long Xuan said: “Today your two grandchildren got married, did you know?”

"I know," the Empress Dowager carefully looked at Long Xuan. "You and Long Xing both married today. Your father would not fail to tell me about such an important event [1]. Go now, grandmother knows your heart. Don't let people find out you came."

"It's not a problem," Long Xuan helped lift the Empress Dowager up from the prayer mat. "Naturally, it's because everything was properly arranged that I'm here. Imperial Father is holding a grand feast with a flock of ministers at the Joyful Night Pavillion. No one will be paying attention to this place."

"How is the Chang family's girl?" After the Empress Dowager was seated by Long Xuan, she couldn't wait to ask.

“Emperor Father personally appointed her to me, how can she be bad?” Long Xuan said with a smile: “Imperial Grandmother, rest assured, she is a very good woman. You would like her very much.”

"Lingnan Chang," the Empress Dowager shook her head and said: "Chang Ling, with the most powerful military of the capital, is still in the hands of Luo Shiyi [2]. Can he help you, Xuan’er?"

"Imperial Grandmother should not worry about this grandchild," Long Xuan said, "Seeing her today, grandmother's body is still tough, I can rest assured."

"What about your mother? How is she now?"

"She is sick, so there was no way for her to come see you with this grandchild."

"She is sick?" said the Empress Dowager. "You should not mourn the heart of this old woman. Is she also shunned by your father?"

Long Xuan said: "Imperial Grandmother, this grandson never understood, what happened? For what reason is Emperor Father so angry with you?"

"For a little bastard," the Empress Dowager sneered.

"A little bastard?" Long Xuan did not understand what Empress Dowager was referring to. 

"Xuan’er, I ask you, what is that Luo Wei doing now?"

"Luo Wei?" Long Xuan did not know why the Empress Dowager would suddenly ask about Luo Wei, but still answered her honestly: "He has been conferred as Marquis; Imperial Father personally bestowed him the title 'Marquis of Brocade,' saying that he would protect his ‘lifetime of brocade comfort.’”

The Empress Dowager laughed, and the laughter echoed in this small Buddhist temple. It was laughter, but it sounded like a horrible wail.

"What happened to you?" Listening to the sob-like laughter, Long Xuan’s scalp was numb. He asked hurriedly.

"Xuan’er," the Empress Dowager took Long Xuan's hand and said: "There is something that I have long wanted to tell you. You will find it funny after listening."

"What is grandmother saying?"

The Empress Dowager said: "Luo is not his surname."

"His name is not Luo?" Long Xuan still did not respond, saying: "Then what can it be?"

"He is also surnamed Long," the Empress Dowager lowered her voice and spoke to Long Xuan.

Long Xuan stood motionless. His brain seemed to be frozen by something, and he couldn’t think of anything. He only listened to the Empress Dowager’s story as she told him about that year's affair.

"Your father sealed him as the Marquis of Jinyi?" The Empress Dowager said with a smile: "He wants to protect his brocade? It’s all for that slut!"

"Imperial Grandmother," Long Xuan said with difficulty: "What are you talking about? This grandchild doesn’t understand a sentence. Who is a slut?"

"Still can't understand?" The Empress Dowager said, "Luo Wei is the illegitimate son of your father and the third miss Luo Zhijin. Marquis of Jinyi; he simply took the word jin of Luo Zhijin’s name."

"How is this possible?" Long Xuan could not believe this kind of thing.

“Your father treats that vile spawn so well, have you not seen it?” The Empress Dowager said, “Foolish child, when has your father ever treated anyone other than Luo Wei this well? That's because he is Luo Zhijin’s son! Back then, for the sake of that slut, my Duanmu clan was buried because of her! Your imperial father no longer treats me as his mother. That slut has bewitched your father into a blind obsession!"

"If this is true, why does father not recognize Luo Wei?" Long Xuan tried gathering his thoughts and asked the Empress Dowager.

"Letting him stay in the Luo family, it is better for that pest," the Empress Dowager had already guessed the mind of the Xingwu Emperor. "In the royal family, your brothers will fight and kill each other for the dragon chair. He has the favor of your father, and the full support of the Luo family – Xuan’er, when the day comes, who do you think will sit in your father’s dragon throne?"

Long Xuan suddenly let go of Empress Dowager’s hands. He retreated a few steps: "How can you be sure that Luo Wei is also a prince? Is it just because father treats him well? Can father not treat others well? People are not grass, who can be so ruthless?"

"He looks the same as his miscreant mother [3]. Can he be born to Fu Hua?" The Empress Dowager sneered again and again: "What do you want me to say? Just let your father kill me!"

"Kill you?" Long Xuan's mind was in chaos, "What have you done? Is it Luo Wei?"

The Empress Dowager sneered and did not answer.

Long Xuan recalled for a moment the events leading up to the Empress Dowager’s relocation to the East Buddha Palace. Some things are not difficult to figure out. Long Xuan took a moment to think about it and asked: "Luo Wei was kidnapped by the remainder of my uncle’s party and was severely injured. He hasn’t been in good health since. Is this Imperial Grandmother's work?"

"Yes," the Empress Dowager did not conceal the facts from Long Xuan. "It was me who ordered his kidnapping. It is a pity that this breed of insect is hard to kill and that he actually escaped with his life!"

"What did you do to him?" Long Xuan asked subconsciously.

"A whore should stay in the place they belong" said the Empress Dowager. "I do not want him to die. It is too cheap of a fate for him."

"The place they belong?" Long Xuan asked: "Where is that?"

"You don't have to know," said the Empress Dowager. "I don't want to dirty Xuan'er's ears."

"What did you do to Luo Wei?" Long Xuan had an idea, but couldn't believe it.

"The pavillion on Huajie Street," the Empress Dowager looked at Long Xuan. At his constant questioning, she didn't hide anything and continued: "I found the best master to teach that bastard. The pest that came out of Luo Zhijin’s belly cannot be human!"

Long Xuan’s eyes darkned. “How can we choose our biological parents?” He said to the Empress Dowager. His voice trembled. “You have a grudge against Luo Zhijin, but what is wrong with Luo Wei? How can you harm him? Even if he is not a prince, he is the son of royalty, and cannot be harmed. How can you insult and destroy him like this?"

Empress Dowager realized that something was wrong with Long Xuan, and she looked at him blankly.

Long Xuan said: "Was my mother also involved in this?"

"You," the Empress Dowager looked at Long Xuan, with real pain showing in his face. The Empress Dowager, who had spent all her life fighting in the Emperor's harem, suddenly understood something. "You fool!" She immediately stood up, and a sharp slap was delivered to Long Xuan’s face.