After being exiled with her husband and children, she returned with great power to rule the world

The Golden Eagle King flapped its wings vigorously, and the strong wind whistled under its wings. It carried Zhao Hao and Zhao Wei all the way to Kyoto. Its huge body cut through the sky, leaving a striking mark in the clouds, as if it was the arrow of fate, pointing straight to the center of power and dispute.

The city of Kyoto was now in a state of panic and anxiety due to the mysterious disappearance of Crown Prince Zhao Hao.

Every corner of the palace was filled with tension. In the court, ministers were whispering to each other, and all kinds of speculations and rumors were surging like a tide. In the harem, the maids and eunuchs were all cautious, fearing that they would accidentally anger the emperor.

Inside Kunning Palace, the Empress was dressed in a plain brocade robe, her face serene. She was devoutly chanting scriptures and praying in the small Buddhist temple. The curls of incense smoke lingered around her, as if covering her with a layer of tranquil veil. Her lips opened and closed gently, and the sound of her chanting echoed softly in the temple, each word filled with deep prayers for the Prince's safe return.

When Emperor Zhao hurried over, the entire Kunning Palace was silent, with only the faint sound of chanting coming.

"Your Majesty..." Eunuch Zhao was about to announce loudly, but was stopped by Emperor Zhao with a gesture.

Emperor Zhao stood with his hands behind his back, his tall figure facing the palace gate. He raised his head slightly, gazing at the palace ceiling with its carved beams and painted rafters, and said in a low and majestic voice, "You too, may withdraw!"

"Yes." Eunuch Zhao responded respectfully, bowed and slowly retreated. The footsteps gradually faded away in the silent corridor until they disappeared.

Emperor Zhao stood alone in the hall for a while, until there was no sound around him. Then he sighed softly and slowly walked to the couch and sat down.

His eyes casually scanned the surroundings and finally landed on a book on the small table. He picked it up and flipped through it. After reading only a few lines, his expression changed slightly. It turned out to be a Buddhist scripture.

A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and his brows slowly frowned, as if he was thinking about something. Was he wondering why the queen was reciting Buddhist scriptures, or was he recalling some fragments of his past with the queen?

After the Empress finished reciting the sutra, she walked out of the Buddhist hall with light lotus steps. When she saw the figure of Emperor Zhao, her steps stopped instantly. She seemed to be frozen in place, staring blankly at the profile of Emperor Zhao. The familiar yet slightly unfamiliar outline made her feel mixed emotions.

Emperor Zhao seemed to sense something and turned his head to look, just in time to meet the Queen's complicated and emotional eyes.

At this moment, time seemed to freeze, and their eyes met, as if there were thousands of words flowing in them, but they didn't know where to start.

A sense of strangeness surged in the hearts of both of them at the same time, and they seemed to realize that they had not been alone together like this for a long time.

The last time they met was during Concubine Rong’s grand and luxurious birthday celebration.

At that time, the entire palace was immersed in laughter and joy, but there was already a subtle rift between the Queen and Emperor Zhao.

This time, if the Crown Prince had not been in trouble, Emperor Zhao probably would not have thought of stepping into the Kunning Palace.

"Queen..." In the end, it was Emperor Zhao who spoke first, breaking the awkward silence.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." The Queen quickly collected her thoughts and performed a standard court salute towards Emperor Zhao who was lying on the couch. Her posture was elegant and dignified. She waited until Emperor Zhao gently asked her to stand up before she slowly stood up.

The atmosphere fell into silence again. Emperor Zhao sat on the couch, and the Queen stood quietly beside him. One sat and the other stood, facing each other in silence.

Emperor Zhao sighed deeply in his heart. Ever since Concubine Rong entered the palace, he was attracted by her beauty and talent. Regardless of many obstacles from the previous dynasty and the harem, he insisted on granting her the position of Concubine.

Since then, the relationship between him and the queen has become increasingly cold and distant. The days of mutual support and discussion of state and family affairs in the past seemed to be ruthlessly washed away by the torrent of time, leaving only some vague fragments of memory buried deep in their hearts.

Thinking of this, he felt a trace of guilt in his heart. He reached out his hand to the Queen and called out in a slightly gentler voice, "Queen..."

The Empress's eyes briefly glanced at the hand Emperor Zhao extended, then turned away as if she hadn't seen it. Then, she bowed gracefully once more, her red lips parting softly: "Your Majesty, I wonder what brings you here today?"

Emperor Zhao's hand froze in mid-air, a trace of loneliness flashed in his eyes. He slowly withdrew his hand, his gaze lingering on the empress who was standing a foot away from him with her brows lowered and her eyes closed.

The person who was once familiar and close to him now seemed to be separated by an invisible chasm. He sighed again in his heart. Time and changes had eventually made them estranged.

Thinking of the purpose of his visit, he felt a heavy weight in his throat, and struggled to move his words. After a long hesitation, he finally spoke in a serious tone, "The Crown Prince was assassinated... and has disappeared."

Unexpectedly, the Queen's face was as calm as the depths of the abyss when she heard this, as if she had already seen through it. As expected, she said slowly, "Noble Concubine Rong already knew it before me."

When the Queen recalled the look of pity but actually smugness in Concubine Rong's eyes when she told her about this matter, she felt as if her heart was pierced by a sharp thorn.

Her son, as the crown prince, has been caught in the vortex of power since his birth and has been the target of constant covetous eyes from various forces. In order to ensure the safe growth of the crown prince, she has been walking on thin ice in this deep palace and has devoted countless efforts.

She was not as favored as Concubine Rong, who gave birth to two princes in succession and enjoyed the emperor's favor.

She had only one son, the prince, in her life. However, she had gone through countless hardships along the way and escaped death several times. When the prince was born, he did not win the emperor's favor, because at that time Emperor Zhao's joy was poured into the two princes born to him by Concubine Rong.

The events of the past passed through the queen's mind like a passing cloud. Those times when she was treated coldly and the hardships she had gone through while worrying about the prince all turned into an indescribable feeling of despair in her heart at this moment.

The love of an emperor is like the moon in the water and the flower in the mirror, which is within reach but out of reach. It is better to abandon it decisively.

Her only hope now is that her son can return safely. Even if she is trapped in this palace for the rest of her life, eating vegetarian food and chanting scriptures all day long, accompanied by the ancient Buddha and the green lamp, she will have no regrets.

When Emperor Zhao heard the Queen mention Concubine Rong, he was stunned for a moment, and the scene of himself discussing this matter in Concubine Rong's palace flashed through his mind.

He was worried at that time, but he didn't expect that Concubine Rong would pass the news to the Queen so quickly.

Well, knowing this already would have prepared her for it. Thinking this way, Emperor Zhao spoke soothingly, "I have sent people to search everywhere. The Crown Prince is protected by the leader of the secret guards, Zhao Wei. He is a skilled and loyal man, so I believe he is safe."

"Perhaps this disappearance is just a temporary measure taken by the Crown Prince to conceal his tracks and temporarily avoid attention. You can just wait in the palace with peace of mind. When the Crown Prince returns safely, I will send someone to inform you as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The Queen bowed slightly. These words really touched her heart. The reason she had been able to remain calm and not lose her composure was precisely because she knew that the Crown Prince was protected by Zhao Wei.

In her heart, as long as Zhao Wei is safe, the prince will be safe.

The reason why Zhao Wei did not report the news of the prince's safety to the palace was actually a cautious decision made after careful consideration.

He knew very well that the enemy was hiding in the dark, watching closely and waiting for an opportunity to strike. Once the news leaked, the enemy would surely launch a frenzied counterattack.

Most of their forces were previously concentrated on the prince's substitute, but now that the substitute is dead, it can be seen how powerful the other party is and how cruel their methods are.

In this crisis-ridden situation, only by acting cautiously and responding prudently can we ensure the prince's safety and wait for the right time to return to Kyoto.