Chapter 287: Volume 1, Chapter 287: Mother and Son Argue

Han Xinglan was in the Imperial Study discussing state affairs with court officials. Those present were all trusted confidants. Upon hearing Shi An's words, the emperor frowned slightly and looked at everyone, saying, "Let's stop here. Think it over carefully after you return, and we'll continue the discussion tomorrow."

"We obey Your Majesty's decree." Everyone bowed in unison and took their leave.

Han Xinglan looked at Shi An. "Did the Empress Dowager say anything?"

Shi An hurriedly replied, "Replying to Your Majesty, no. The people from Funing Palace only said that Her Majesty the Empress Dowager invites Your Majesty to come over."

Han Xinglan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let's go."

He had not gone to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager in a long time; it was time to go and see her.

Han Xinglan brought Shi An along, with a string of eunuchs following behind. Knowing that His Majesty disliked encountering unimportant people, someone went ahead to clear the way.

Thus Han Xinglan passed through unhindered all the way to Funing Palace. It was absolutely impossible for the consorts of the Hou Gong to arrange a chance encounter.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." The people of Funing Palace immediately stepped forward to bow upon seeing the emperor.

Han Xinglan strode in. Yan Yin was coming out to welcome him and immediately paid her respects upon seeing His Majesty. "This servant greets Your Majesty."

Han Xinglan paused his steps and looked at Yan Yin. "Rise."

Yan Yin rose to her feet and looked at His Majesty, trying her best to make her expression appear normal. "Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is waiting for you in the inner hall."

Han Xinglan nodded and strode into the inner hall.

In the inner hall, the Empress Dowager sat on the warm couch by the bed, her expression displeased, her face dark and cold.

Han Xinglan had long since grown accustomed to this. "Your son greets you, Mother Empress. Has Mother Empress been well lately?"

Only then did the Empress Dowager raise her eyes to look at the emperor. "Whether I am well or not, I imagine His Majesty is too busy with state affairs to spare a thought, so there is no need to ask."

Han Xinglan's expression also darkened upon hearing this. The current him was no longer the Crown Prince of the past who had to be careful and cautious in everything, deliberating thrice before every step. He immediately said, "Since the Empress Dowager is so unwilling to see me, then I shall take my leave."

The Empress Dowager had not expected the emperor to actually leave the moment he said he would. She trembled with rage at her chest and said angrily, "Stop! Look at yourself right now — this is sheer unfilial conduct!"

Han Xinglan turned to look at the Empress Dowager. "A mother must be kind before a son can be filial."

A surge of anger rushed straight to the Empress Dowager's head. She pointed at Han Xinglan, trembling all over with rage, and said, "Good, good, I have indeed raised a fine son!"

Han Xinglan did not, as in the past, slightly lower his eyes upon hearing these words — it was not that he feared the Empress Dowager, but that he wanted to conceal the fury in his eyes. But now there was no need.

Now he was the Emperor of Xiao State, and so his eyes stared straight at the Empress Dowager. "Mother Empress, whatever you want to say, say it directly. I am very busy right now."

The Empress Dowager could no longer see any look of concession on her son. Her heart seized, and she fought down her anger as she asked, "I ask you: you want to relocate the government office outside the West Palace Gate, all to build some Weaving Workshop for the Rong woman? Is there such a thing?"

Hearing the Empress Dowager say "the Rong woman" at every turn, Han Xinglan's expression grew ever uglier. He looked at the Empress Dowager and said word by word, "Mother Empress, she is my empress, the woman who bore my eldest imperial son, the person I love most in this life. Did you ever consider your son's feelings when you address her like that?"

"I see she has bewitched you out of your mind!" The Empress Dowager slapped the table. "I should never have listened to you back then and let her enter the Dong Gong! Look at what she has turned you into now. Do you want to be a foolish ruler enslaved by lust?"

Han Xinglan's eyes narrowed slightly, his hostility nearly beyond control. He took a deep breath before saying, "Mother Empress, I will say this to you one last time: Rong Luoge is the woman I love most in this life. In this life, she alone is enough for me. No matter who has been whispering in your ear, you had best make them give up. Back then you insisted that I hold a draft, and I agreed. But once the women enter the Hou Gong, whether I favor them or not is my affair. You would do well not to meddle too much."

These words all but directly pointed at Su Ying. The Empress Dowager looked at her son — at this moment, it was more than unfamiliarity; it was as though he had seen through her true face at last.

"Good, you are truly my good son. Now that you are emperor, you no longer take this mother empress seriously." The Empress Dowager smiled bitterly.

"Mother Empress, you need not put on an act before me. I know you have always wanted the Su family to produce another empress, and I will absolutely never agree. You placed a member of the Su family beside me — do you intend to keep controlling me? I tell you, that is impossible. Allowing Su Ying to enter the palace and giving her the rank of one of the Four Consorts is the last shred of dignity I grant the Su family. If the Su family does not cherish it, then do not blame me for disregarding our old ties."

Upon hearing these words, the Empress Dowager nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. She braced herself against the table and slowly sat down, seeming to have aged many years in this moment. She softened her tone, coughed lightly, and only then said, "I know you still resent me for failing to take proper care of you in your early years. But in those years your imperial father was absurd, and Noble Consort Ming pressed hard. If I had lost favor and my position as empress could not be secured, how could your position as Crown Prince have been preserved?"

Hearing the Empress Dowager speak thus, Han Xinglan said coldly, "Indeed, you always have many reasons. Noble Consort Ming vied for favor with you back then, but I see she did not neglect her own son while doing so. Prince Qi lived far more happily under Noble Consort Ming's care than your son did."

The Empress Dowager's chest clogged up, blocked by these words. She said angrily, "Are you still resenting me? Fine, let us not speak of these things. Let us speak of this current matter. I only wish to tell you that doing this will truly tarnish your reputation as emperor. How could you make such a foolish decision? Relocating a government office is no small matter — doing it just to build a Weaving Workshop for the empress, once word gets out, others will only call you a foolish ruler!"

Han Xinglan could not hold back a cold laugh upon hearing this. "Everything the empress does pleases me. In this matter of the Weaving Workshop, you all concluded without even asking that the empress must have whispered slander — why did it never occur to you that it might be my decision? Mother Empress, I tell you the truth: this matter was never the empress's idea at all, but mine."

The Empress Dowager did not believe it. "You think I will believe you just because you say so?"

"Mother Empress, I took over Xiao State. Do you know how much silver remains in the national treasury? Do you know where all the tax silver has gone? The court needs money everywhere, yet the Ministry of Revenue has none — every one of them comes crying poverty to me. These old accounts all date back to the Late Emperor's time. I cannot disregard the Late Emperor's dignity by dragging up old accounts again. But this nation must keep running, and I can only think of ways to earn money myself. Is that not laughable?"

The Empress Dowager was startled.

Han Xinglan met the Empress Dowager's gaze and laughed self-deprecatingly in his heart. "Do you know about the glazed tile kiln? That kiln also came from a formula the empress gave me. You never would have guessed, would you? Do you know how much money this glaze can earn for me? With so much money, how many things can I accomplish? You know nothing at all. Your eyes only see this palm-sized Hou Gong, and you never once stop to think whether it is hard for your son to sit on the emperor's throne."

After saying these words, Han Xinglan let out a long sigh. "Mother Empress, Luoge and I — she is not only my wife, she is my comrade-in-arms, my inseparable right-hand arm. I give you one last piece of advice: stop meddling in the Su family's affairs. Otherwise, do not blame me for being discourteous!"