Finest Servant

Chapter 360 Paying a Visit

"What, what, what does this mean?" Lin Wanrong stuttered, his heart pounding in his chest, his face flushed red. He felt as if he had lost control of himself. The Emperor had gone mad!

"Whatever you're thinking, that's what it means," the old Emperor coughed lightly, his pale face tinged with a faint blush. He spoke in a deep voice, "Gao Ping, bring the portrait!"

The Eunuch Gao, who had been waiting outside the door, hurried in, holding a scroll in both hands. He respectfully handed it to Lin Wanrong, then hastily retreated. Lin Wanrong held the scroll in his hands, full of questions. The old man hadn't made his intentions clear yet, why bring up a portrait?

"Open it and take a look," the Old Emperor commanded, covering his mouth and nose as he coughed lightly. He looked at Lin Wanrong before speaking.

"What is this?" Lin Wanrong asked cautiously. The Emperor was acting oddly today; it was best to ask before proceeding.

"If I tell you to open it, you open it. Stop dawdling," the Emperor huffed, a sharp gleam in his eyes as he spoke impatiently.

Trying to appease himself by considering the Emperor's illness, Lin Wanrong slowly unrolled the scroll, revealing the portrait of a beautiful woman. He gasped in surprise, "Xian'er?!"

The Emperor slightly closed his eyes, "Look closer, who is she really?!" Lin Wanrong scrutinized the woman in the portrait. She greatly resembled Xian'er, even her demeanor was similar, but she appeared older. Recalling the painting he had seen at Xian'er's home in Hangzhou's Longhong Village, he had a sudden realization, "It's not Xian'er, it's her mother, it's Consort Qin!"

The Emperor nodded slightly, sighed, and said, "You're correct. It is Consort Qin. In my life, even though I am a revered Emperor, Heaven has been harsh with me, granting me two sons and three daughters. The princes were tragically killed at a young age, and among the princesses, Nishang suffered the most hardships—"

‘So Princess Nishang is Xian'er.’ Lin Wanrong thought with disdain about how the Emperor had once used Consort Qin as a human shield against an assassin. But from the perspective of the Emperor of Great Hua, the lives of everyone else could be sacrificed, only he must survive. Unsure of what to say, Lin Wanrong let out a faint sigh.

"Things are not as you imagine." The Emperor seemed to see through his thoughts, a hint of anger on his face, "There are people intentionally defaming me, trying to turn me into a heartless, cruel sovereign. I am the Emperor of Great Hua, who wouldn't blink in the face of a ten-thousand-strong army. Consort Qin gave birth to Princess Nishang, she is my family. Would I use her to block a sword?"

Watching the Emperor's beard tremble with rage, Lin Wanrong was confused. The Emperor didn't seem to be lying. Could Xian'er have been mistaken? That wasn't right either; Xian'er had said she saw it with her own eyes. Being the child of an Emperor would have been an honor, had there not been a deep-seated hatred, Xian'er would have never left with Sister An.

"Old man, the more you say, the more confused I become." Lin Wanrong forced a bitter smile. "Both you and Xian'er seem to be telling the truth. I simply can't distinguish who's right. Did Consort Qin really die for you?"

"Indeed, Consort Qin died for me, but she chose to do so of her own accord." The Emperor, his face flushed crimson from a fit of violent coughing, declared with clear eyes, "On the day when the former Emperor passed and Prince Cheng rebelled, I was seriously injured from an assassination attempt. Several years after my ascension, my interest in the imperial consorts started to fade. Nishang was my youngest daughter at that time, just a few years old, as delicate and beautiful as a porcelain doll. I may not have had interest in the beauties of the harem, but I loved my two youngest daughters beyond measure."

The two youngest daughters, one was Xian'er, who was the other? As Lin Wanrong was about to voice his confusion, the old Emperor sternly commanded, "Do not interrupt, let me finish." He paused, steadied his breath, then continued, "Because of Nishang, I often spent time with Consort Qin. Initially, she was delighted, thinking I held her in special favor. But as time passed, she realized I no longer showed her favor, and resentment grew in her heart. Coupled with the constant strife and intrigue amongst the concubines, she, a delicate woman raised in the water towns of Jiangnan, was ill-equipped to navigate such treacherous waters. Her mental state began to deteriorate."

Lin Wanrong nodded in understanding. This was plausible. The mother of Xian'er, born and raised by the lake in Jiangnan, would naturally possess a temperament as gentle as water. The scheming nature of the court would have been alien to her. It was entirely possible that the oppressive atmosphere had led her into a state of depression.

"That day, the three of us were enjoying the garden when assassins suddenly attacked. In the chaos, Consort Qin used her own body to shield me. By the time Nishang turned around, all she saw was the assassin's blade piercing through her mother's body." The Emperor's eyes welled with unshed tears, his expression solemn. He seemed to be lost in the memory of that day.

"Poor girl," Lin Wanrong murmured. He tried to imagine a naive and innocent young girl witnessing her mother's brutal demise in her father's arms. No wonder Xian'er was so different from her mother. Who could endure such trauma and still retain their original innocence and purity? His understanding of Xian'er's willfulness deepened, and he felt an even greater urge to protect and cherish her.

"You probably know the rest. Consort Qin died to save me, and Nishang disappeared that very night. In the span of a single day, I lost two more loved ones. I mobilized every resource to find Princess Nishang, but all in vain. It wasn't until years later, when the White Lotus Sect caused trouble, that I found a woman called Qin Xian'er among their ranks. Then I knew that she was my Nishang." Tears streamed down the Emperor's face, but his expression was one of resilience. Despite his outward strength, he looked so solitary and desolate. He no longer resembled the ruler of the vast Empire but an aging man approaching the end of his life.

Lin Wanrong looked on with a touch of sorrow. Despite the old man's many faults, his genuine care for Xian'er was undeniable. He sighed softly, asking in a low voice, "Old man, how did you determine that Xian'er is your daughter?"

"You may not know this. Xian'er's mother's surname is Qin. When I met her in Jiangnan, she had a maiden name, called Xianling! Qin Xianling, Qin Xian'er, considering her age and appearance, she is the spitting image of Consort Qin reincarnated. How could I, even in my confusion, fail to recognize my own daughter?" A faint smile surfaced on the old Emperor's withered face, as if he was reminiscing about the past.

Indeed, just by looking at the portrait, one could tell how similar the mother and daughter were. It was not difficult for the old Emperor to recognize his own daughter at first glance. However, since the old Emperor recognized Xian'er, why didn't he acknowledge her immediately, but instead waited for so long?

The old Emperor had a keen eye, and from his expression, it was clear what he was thinking. He couldn't help but sigh lightly, "I know what you're thinking. But at that time, Xian'er had a deep misunderstanding of me. If I had rashly acknowledged her, it would have caused her great resentment. I had already lost her once, and I absolutely could not lose her a second time. Moreover, she was in the White Lotus Sect. If her identity was exposed, coupled with her misunderstanding of me, it would certainly provide an opportunity for those with ulterior motives. Therefore, I never revealed Xian'er's identity to anyone, but secretly sent people to protect her. When you attacked Jinan City that day, putting Xian'er in the midst of thousands of cannons, I wished I could have beheaded you when the news came."

Lin Wanrong felt a chill run down his spine. After the great victory, he wondered why the Emperor didn't mention his merits at all. "Old man, you can't blame me for this. Blame that insidious Tong Cheng, who almost got me and Xian'er killed."

"So, after your subordinate Xu Zhen shot and killed Tong Cheng on the way, when Prince Cheng sent a letter to pursue the responsibility, I didn't mention a word." The Emperor snorted coldly, a thick murderous intent flashing in his eyes. His gaze fell on the scroll in Lin Wanrong's hand, and seeing the gentle and water-like appearance of Consort Qin, his eyes gradually softened. "After Consort Qin's death, I sealed her palace, and no one was allowed to step in. When I was picking up her relics, I accidentally found a letter."

"What does the letter say?" Lin Wanrong hurriedly asked, "Is it for Xian'er?"

"You're quite smart, but my Consort Qin is not bad either." The Emperor showed a bitter smile and sighed, "She was born in the water town of Jiangnan, originally a talented and beautiful woman. But trapped in the palace, her worries grew day by day. She loved me so much that she didn't hesitate to block the sword for me. She was worried that her actions would cause Xian'er to turn against me, so she left a letter to enlighten her. Who knew that Xian'er disappeared that night without even seeing the shadow of this letter. It wasn't until decades later that the letter fell into Xian'er's hands."

Lin Wanrong was silent for a while. It's better late than never. He believed that after Xian'er read her mother's letter, her hatred for the old Emperor would lessen. But whether she could forgive him was uncertain. "Old man, where is Xian'er now?" Lin Wanrong asked anxiously.

"Promise me one thing first, then I'll tell you," the old Emperor said solemnly.

"I agree, I agree to it all. Old man, please speak quickly," Lin Wanrong, thinking of Xian'er, spoke in an agitated rush.

"You must promise me that you will love and take care of Xian'er for the rest of your life. Can you do that?" The old Emperor, a glimmer of spirit flashing in his eyes, asked in an elevated voice.

"I can, I certainly can," he responded.

The Emperor smiled faintly, saying, "Very well. Then, you shall bow to Xian'er."

‘Is the old man asking me to perform the ritual bow with Xian'er? Really, what's the rush? It wouldn't be late even if we wait until I find Xian'er!’ Seeing the Emperor's eyes blazing like torches and his face full of determination, he could only hold onto Xian'er's portrait, slowly kneeling down.

The Emperor began, "I will say a phrase, and you will repeat it after me. I, Lin Wanrong, willingly— to form a union with Princess Nishang—"

"I, Lin Wanrong, willingly— to form a union with Princess Nishang—" Lin Wanrong obediently echoed.

The old Emperor's eyes flashed with a hint of severity as he softly added, "—to become brother and sister!"

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