Dethroned the Crown Princess? Then she became your mother

In the dim light of morning, Eunuch An stood aside, occasionally stealing glances at the silent emperor - Murong Shuo, secretly guessing the emperor's thoughts in his heart, as if he was deciphering a wordless book.

"Your Majesty, perhaps... it's time to let that visitor go back?" Eunuch An's voice was as thin as a thread, for fear of disturbing the tranquility, and even more afraid of touching upon the Majesty's unspoken concerns.

Murong Shuo's eyes finally showed some fluctuations. He slowly raised his eyelids, making people unpredictable.

Seeing this, Eunuch An quickly lowered his head, his heart filled with mixed emotions: to see him, or not to see him? Was the former Crown Princess's sudden visit the unfinished work of fate, or just a trick of destiny?

"She seems to be in good condition?" There was a subtle complex emotion in Murong Shuo's voice, as if he was questioning the subtle feelings in his heart.

"Your Majesty, the former Crown Princess is indeed more energetic than yesterday. She even prepared breakfast herself... oh no, she supervised the preparation, saying it was to atone for her sins." The visitor answered cautiously and respectfully.

Upon hearing this, Murong Shuo waved his hand gently, as if to dispel this sudden emotional entanglement. "Forget it, tell her that this is not necessary. But..." He changed the subject and said, "Let her in."

Eunuch An felt relieved, but then tensed again. His Majesty's sudden decision made it even more difficult for him to understand the emperor's thoughts.

He had no choice but to follow silently, not daring to ask any more questions.

The two walked one in front and one behind, passing through the corridor and arriving at a relatively open courtyard.

At this time, Zhang Tianai and Chunmei were slowly walking in with the guards.

After the ceremony, Zhang Tianai's eyes met Murong Shuo's. At that moment, she seemed to understand something, but also seemed to understand nothing.

Standing here, the air seems to be a little fresher than inside the temple, and the scenery is particularly pleasant.

Zhang Tianai secretly sighed in his heart that it would be a kind of happiness if he could stay by the king's side forever.

However, reason told her that this happiness might just be a luxury for her.

She knew that the purpose of her journey was not to seek the unattainable happiness, but to make up for the mistakes of the past.

Murong Shuo, on the other hand, stared at her quietly. His deep eyes seemed to contain thousands of words, but they eventually returned to calmness.

Chunmei followed closely behind and saluted with the guards.

However, the emperor's silence made the air freeze, and no order to stand up was given.

Zhang Tianai opened her red lips slightly, her voice as thin as a thread: "Your Majesty, I have felt much better since I woke up this morning, and my cough has eased. I am deeply grateful for your kindness yesterday in asking the imperial physician to examine my pulse. I truly do not deserve such a great favor."

"I know my sins are grave, and I dare not ask for Your Majesty's forgiveness. I only wish to use my humble efforts to prepare this breakfast myself. Although it is crude, it is a token of my heart. I hope Your Majesty will do me the honor of tasting it."

After saying this, she lowered her head slightly, a hint of uncertainty flashing in her eyes: "I thought that I might not be able to see your Majesty again in this lifetime, but I didn't expect..."

Murong Shuo's eyes flickered when he heard that, and he asked softly, "Are you not coughing now?" There was a barely perceptible concern in his tone.

Eunuch An also understood what he meant and was about to ask, but Zhang Tianai took the lead and shook her head. Although her face was pale, there was a sense of indomitable spirit in her weakness.

She looked at Chunmei tenderly, motioning her to present the food box in her hand, and whispered, "This breakfast was all prepared by Chunmei. Her cooking skills are far better than mine. She also took good care of me in the past."

Chunmei stepped forward silently, bowed again, and respectfully handed the food box to Eunuch An with both hands. Eunuch An hesitated for a moment, then turned his gaze to Murong Shuo, as if waiting for the emperor's will.

Murong Shuo stared at his former daughter-in-law, his eyes filled with mixed emotions. "Since you're feeling unwell, you should rest well. Why work so hard? I don't take last night's events to heart. You don't need to blame yourself too much."

He sighed softly, and finally nodded, indicating to Eunuch An to accept the food box.

Eunuch An took the food box and glanced at Chunmei again, and then Chunmei quietly retreated.

"Your Majesty, as long as I still have a little strength, I am willing to atone for my sins with actions, even if it is just a tiny effort." Zhang Tianai's words were full of determination, and she even wanted to kneel down again to show her determination.

Murong Shuo glanced at her lightly without asking her to bend her knees: "Forget it, get up."

"What's in this cup?" There was a hint of curiosity in his words.

Eunuch An secretly speculated that since he mentioned the courtyard, perhaps...

"Your Majesty," Zhang Tianai's voice was gentle and delicate, "It's chicken soup. It's made by slow-cooking the chickens raised in the courtyard, and seasoned with seasonal vegetables. It's not greasy, and it's both nourishing and soothing to the stomach."

"As for the bamboo shoots, Chunmei and I carefully dug them from behind the courtyard. Each one is fresh and tender, as white as first snow. They come in two types: bitter and sweet. The bitter ones are used in soups, while the sweet ones are stir-fried. Both are seasonal delicacies, especially the bitter ones, which are most suitable for consumption at this time of year."

Having said that, she inadvertently glanced at her hands, then quickly retracted them. As if she remembered something, she clenched her hands, looking a little nervous, and shook her head gently: "It's just..."

"Just what?" Murong Shuo keenly noticed her strangeness, and his tone was calm but revealed a concern that could not be ignored.

Eunuch An was standing aside, muttering to himself, what exactly is this former Crown Princess up to?

Chunmei saw it and was worried. The girl's hand was clearly injured, but she hesitated to speak.

Zhang Tianai took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound more stable: "I just accidentally scratched the skin while digging bamboo shoots. It's nothing serious."

"I understand your intention."

Zhang Tianai was speechless when he heard this, and could only call out softly: "Your Majesty..."

Murong Shuo waved his hand gently, signaling everyone else to leave, leaving only the two of them.

When they were alone in the room, Zhang Tianai seemed even more at a loss, with both fear and the desire to escape in her heart: "Your Majesty, I..." She tried to speak, but didn't know where to start.

Murong Shuo slowly approached, his eyes gentle but firm: "Why are you standing so far away?"

Facing Murong Shuo's approach, Zhang Tianai involuntarily stepped back, her eyes flashing with panic and confusion: "Your Majesty, I am ill..."

Murong Shuo reached out and gently grasped her wrist, pulling her closer.

At this moment, it was as if a stone was thrown into the lake of Zhang Tianai's heart, causing ripples and unprecedented waves.

She suddenly covered her mouth and stepped back repeatedly, with a bit of panic and anxiety in her steps.

Seeing this, Murong Shuo did not retreat. Instead, he stepped forward lightly, quickly and gently grasped her wrist, and with a light pull, the distance between them was instantly shortened, as if even a subtle fluctuation filled the air.

He stopped immediately, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, as if he was examining and hesitating.

Zhang Tianai's heart also trembled violently with this sudden action. She almost couldn't control herself and wanted to throw herself into that warmth.

However, Murong Shuo spoke first, his eyes fixed on her slightly disheveled hands: "Did you hurt yourself while digging for fresh bamboo shoots in the bamboo forest?"

After saying that, he gently pried open her clenched fists without saying anything. In his eyes, those hands seemed extremely slender and white, almost transparent, as if they would break at the slightest touch.

Zhang Tianai was caught off guard and subconsciously wanted to pull her hand back, but was stopped by Murong Shuo's gentle yet firm strength.

"Relax." He whispered softly, with an irresistible gentle power in his voice, which made her body relax unconsciously, and even her hands were no longer so stiff.

Murong Shuo carefully examined her injuries, a hint of heartache and confusion flashing in his eyes.

"Why do you have to do this? You don't have to work so hard." Although his words were light, they revealed deep concern and blame, as if he was blaming her for not knowing how to take care of herself.

Zhang Tianai felt a warm feeling in his heart, but also a bit bitter.

"Your Majesty, I came here to ask for a favor."

She lowered her eyes slightly, avoiding Murong Shuo's gaze. "I have never been able to let go of what happened that day. My second sister was accidentally injured because I was careless for a moment and didn't expect her to suddenly avoid me."

"I feel deep regret, but I can't make amends. I can only place my hopes on Your Majesty, and perhaps I can find some solace."

There was a hint of sob in her voice, but she tried to maintain her composure and bowed to apologize.

Seeing this, Murong Shuo quickly raised his hand to stop her, and his impression of her became even more complicated.

"So that's how it is. You are a man of affection and righteousness." He said slowly.

Murong Shuo wanted to know more and more about what kind of person she was.

Apart from the face, what else is good about it!