Consort of a Thousand Faces

Empress Mother had passed away, and Father Emperor had passed away as well. War had erupted in Nanzhao, and unrest spread both in and outside the palace compounds. I remember that Imperial Elder Sister’s brows were always knitted together.

 

In the end, Imperial Elder Sister single-handedly demoted several officials. She then headed for the battlefield with Yun Ruofeng to plan for battles. Back then, I had always waited for Imperial Elder Sister in the imperial palace; but when I began to miss her too much, I would disregard everything, and go visit her at the military camp.

 

Whenever Imperial Elder Sister saw him, she would reprimand him with eyes full of happiness. She didn’t allow him to be there, saying that he was the future ー the hope of Nanzhao.

 

The future and hope is still here, but Imperial Elder Sister, where have you gone? How can you leave Lianchen all alone? Nanzhao was no longer in a state of unrest, but without his Imperial Elder Sister, everything meant nothing to him.

 

His only emotional attachment was gone. Completely gone. Ning Lianchen felt a surge of sadness welling in his heart. As he looked at the pavilion in the distance, tears were unknowingly brimming in his eyes, threatening to trickle down his face.

 

Ning Lianchen lifted his head up and looked at the blue sky, his tears immediately falling back into his eyes. Even as an Emperor, the most cherished yet simple desire in his empty heart was to see the most important person in his life again. But she’s no longer here.

 

He so loathed accepting her death that even now, he was still in denial. Imperial Elder Sister loves me so much, how could she forsake me? Imperial Elder Sister is so powerful, there’s no way she’s dead. She wouldn’t...

 

Sensing the miserable aura surrounding his master, the little eunuch standing in the distance couldn’t help but furrow his eyebrows. He had waited upon the Emperor ever since the Eldest Imperial Princess was still around.

 

He knew of the deep sibling love between the previous Eldest Imperial Princess and the Emperor. His Majesty isn’t able to accept the fact that his sister was gone, and would even cry out for her in the middle of the night.

 

Every time he stood guard outside the chambers his heart would ache. His Majesty is so pitiful. When the previous Eldest Imperial Princess died, His Majesty was trapped in his repose palace and guarded by the Imperial Guard Army. There was no way for him to get out at all.

 

His Majesty handed over the imperial seal, thinking that Prince Yun would let Ning Rulan off. Who knew that Prince Yun would lie to His Majesty and ruthlessly kill Ning Rulan anyways.

 

The little eunuch couldn’t forget the sorrow on the Emperor’s visage that night. When he heard the news of Ning Rulan’s death, he didn’t even cry. He only stood there coldly, as if he had lost his soul.

 

The little eunuch didn’t want to see the Emperor in such a state again. It was too tragic. Too pitiful.

 

At that moment, the wind blew and the little eunuch sighed. I can’t let His Majesty can’t stand there for too long.

 

Hence, he boldly stepped forward and bowed with respect, “Your Majesty, it’s time to head back to your repose palace.”

 

Ning Lianchen answered with a wry smile. “Yes, it’s time to go back, or Grand Tutor Liu will nag this Emperor again.”

 

Grand Tutor Liu had helped him prevent Yun Ruofeng from marrying Ning Anlian, becoming implicated in the process.

 

From then on, his duty was to educate the Emperor in the Imperial Palace, not being allowed to return home. It was nothing less than imprisonment.

 

Despite his old age, Grand Tutor Liu had a daughter who was currently ten years old. She had been waiting for her father to return all this time, but how many days and nights had passed without any sign of him?

 

Ning Lianchen found Grand Tutor Liu pitiful, but was envious of him too. At least his daughter is still waiting for him at home. What about me? Where is Imperial Elder Sister? Is she waiting for me?

 

“Return to my repose palace.” Ning Lianchen spoke softly and went on his way.

 

The little eunuch immediately followed. He felt that every step the Emperor took was heavy. How great would it be if the previous Eldest Imperial Princess was still alive? At the very least, His Majesty wouldn’t be in such a state.

 

However, what the little eunuch did not know was that his bold hypothesis was true. The Imperial Elder Sister whom Ning Lianchen was missing dearly was currently in Moon County.