All races revere me as the Heavenly Emperor, solely because of my nine disciples!

"Zifu, you...can you please let me explain!"

At this moment, Xu Zifu had no mind to pay attention to the woman. She stared intently at Zhou Cheng, her eyes filled with an unprecedented coldness.

It was so cold that even Zhou Cheng felt a chill run down his spine.

This was the first time in Zhou Cheng's life that he had ever felt such coldness from Xu Zifu.

He wanted to explain, but for a moment he didn't know where to begin.

Furthermore, since Xu Zifu ignored him, he had no way to speak.

Finally, he couldn't help but look at Zhou Baoyu beside him, and his eyes lit up as if he had found a way to start the conversation.

"Baoyu, you're finally awake!"

"What's wrong with you all these years? Why have you been like that all this time?"

"Do you know how worried your mother is?"

"Come, come, let your father see how you are feeling, whether you are alright!"

Zhou Chengqiang put on a smile, trying his best to present a scene of filial piety between father and son, in order to ease the atmosphere.

He grabbed Zhou Baoyu's shoulders with both hands, looking him up and down and left and right, but his eyes kept stealing glances at Xu Zifu.

"Father, I am alright!"

"You are concerned about the world and shoulder the great affairs of the nation, so there is no need for you to worry about your son. These years have indeed been tough for the Empress Dowager. You two should have a good get-together!"

Zhou Baoyu changed his tune very quickly, without any hesitation, speaking fluently and adapting well to the changing environment.

"Yes, your mother has really suffered these past years!"

"Alright, Zifu, we can talk about this later. We've finally reunited as a family, come on, let's spend some time with you!"

With Zhou Baoyu's words, Zhou Cheng seemed to have found a way out. He stepped forward, grabbed Xu Zifu's hand, and led the group toward the other palaces on the other side.

He knew that Xu Zifu was probably very unwilling to see other women at this moment, so he wanted to find another place.

Xu Zifu's body was stiff, and he let him drag her along.

On the way, Xu Zifu couldn't help but glance at Zhou Baoyu. Seeing that Zhou Baoyu remained calm, and feeling the intense anger and murderous intent within himself, Xu Zifu was terrified.

She recalled Zhou Baoyu's prophecy.

In the future, she will have no one to care for her, no one to love her. She will be separated from her husband and children, and will be estranged from all her relatives, until she has no one to turn to.

She might even kill her own family and children, ultimately ending up alone and helpless, unable to live or die!

She had been completely skeptical of this before, but at this moment, she seemed to believe it.

Because her husband had betrayed her, she felt a strong urge to kill him.

She dared not think about how she would end up if things continued like this.

Am I really going to end up like that?

No...no, absolutely not...

Thinking it over, Xu Zifu quickly suppressed his anger and murderous intent.

She had to turn things around and couldn't allow what happened next to occur.

However, some things become more glaring the more they are suppressed.

Like a broken mirror, no matter how hard you try to glue it back together, the cracks will always form a thorn, constantly pricking you.

Who can truly ignore it if they want to?

When they arrived at another palace, Xu Zifu's expression had softened considerably. She tried her best to calm herself down and not appear so angry and cold.

She did it, but the thorn in her heart was also completely buried from that moment on!

"Zifu, come, come... sit down quickly, please sit down!"

"Let me take a good look at you..."

"Still as beautiful as ever, but it's a pity you've lost weight!"

In the palace garden, Zhou Cheng led everyone to a waterside pavilion and sat down. Seeing that Xu Zifu's expression had softened, Zhou Cheng took the opportunity to press his advantage, using a combination of coaxing and deception.

"Your Majesty has been so kind to us all these years!"

Xu Zifu forced a smile and responded softly.

Seeing this, Zhou Cheng finally felt relieved.

He was afraid that Xu Zifu would look at him with that same gaze as before. If things could calm down, there would still be a chance to explain everything.

"Zifu, I have wronged you all these years!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhou Cheng immediately apologized, making his attitude very clear.

"Your Majesty, what do you mean?"

"You are the emperor, how can you apologize to others?"

"Besides, even ordinary men have three wives and four concubines, let alone the supreme ruler of a country, the emperor?"

"Not to mention that I have been too busy protecting my son all these years to keep Your Majesty company, leaving you lonely. Even if I were by your side, a new emperor cannot have only one woman!"

"Even if Your Majesty were willing, the entire court would not agree. Although I find it difficult to accept at the moment, it is not incomprehensible. Your Majesty need not take it to heart!"

Xu Zifu quickly grabbed Zhou Cheng's hand, trying her best to keep her tone calm. Her words were meant for Zhou Cheng, but also for herself.

She was trying to convince herself.

However, even she herself did not realize the distance and estrangement hidden in these seemingly gentle words.

But Zhou Cheng noticed it.

Zhou Chen felt a pang of sadness. She glanced at Xu Zifu, then at Zhou Baoyu standing to the side.

Previously, Xu Zifu always called him Zhou Lang, even after he became king and emperor.

But now, he addresses you as "Your Majesty" repeatedly, seemingly gentle and respectful, but this respect itself is a form of alienation.

At the same time, he thought of what Zhou Baoyu had just said.

I didn't think much of it at the time, but now, thinking back on it carefully, it makes my heart ache.

father...

The last time I saw my son speak was six or seven years ago.

At that time, the word he heard most often was "father," and even when he was most unfamiliar with someone, he was still just "father."

But now, it has become the Emperor.

The change of heart was so swift, seemingly in line with the changing environment, but isn't it also a form of alienation?

Finally, he looked at Zhou Lin'er.

Although he had never taken care of Zhou Lin'er from childhood to adulthood, and had only seen the child a few times, he recognized the child at a glance.

He thought of Zhou Lin'er's instinctive cry of "Dad!" during the dangerous moment, and his heart finally felt a lot warmer.

Perhaps right now, the only person who is close to me is this child?

At this moment, Zhou Lin'er also opened her big, round eyes and looked at him with a deep sense of curiosity.

He remembered that every time he saw his father, the whole family was very happy.

And his father would always give him lots and lots of good things, so much to eat, drink, and play with!

But today, not only was he almost bullied, his father didn't give him anything either.

The key issue was the oppressive atmosphere, so oppressive that even a child like him felt suffocated and dared not interrupt, only able to stand there blankly watching his father.

"Hehe... Lin'er, let Daddy hug you!"

Suddenly, Zhou Cheng smiled, hugged Zhou Lin'er tightly, sat down beside her, and then said with emotion, "Zifu, you are right about some things, but not entirely!"

"If it's just the court officials pressuring me to fill in the palace gardens, I can simply ignore them for your sake!"

"But some things are far more complicated than they seem!"

"As the saying goes, dynasties last for a hundred years, and noble families for a thousand. To ascend to the throne, one cannot simply overthrow the previous dynasty!"

"Without the approval of those ancient families, the world could descend into chaos at any moment. If the first Zhou Cheng appears today, they can cultivate ten, a hundred, or even a thousand Zhou Chengs tomorrow!"

"The people of the world have it tough, and the Zhou dynasty's rule is not easy either. So, you should understand my predicament, right?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zifu's breathing became rapid.

If she hadn't heard those words, she might not have been so upset.

But these words sounded very harsh to Xu Zifu.

What do you mean?

Could it be that the Zhou family's empire was acquired through the charity of those powerful clans?

So what about Zhou Cheng's efforts over the years?

What does it matter if I secretly help someone?