Chapter 31: The Dark Emperor vs. the Delicate Concubine
A few days after Shen Yan returned to the palace, he was summoned by the Empress Dowager.

"Emperor, you can't be like this. The Imperial Concubine and I are complaining to you that you only favor one concubine when you travel around. How can I save my face? Later, the court will say that you are obsessed with beauty. Even if I have a hundred excuses, I can't save you!"

The Queen Mother had a cold tone and spoke harshly to the Emperor.

Shen Yan did not intend to give in. Instead, he protected Shen Li and his own thoughts, and said in a tough voice: "My Queen Mother, I have never liked anything since I was a child. I have always listened to your arrangements. Now that I have become what you want, why can't I even like the person I like?"

The Queen Mother snorted coldly, treating his words as if they were a joke, with anger in her eyes.

"As an emperor, your duty is to ensure that the harem has children. You only favor one person, which not only caused the death of the prince, but also confined the imperial concubine, making her feel disappointed in you. If so many people in the harem were pregnant, would I still be so anxious? If Concubine Li was pregnant, why is there no movement? It's ridiculous!"

Shen Yan's face also became furious, and even his tone was very disrespectful: "Empress Mother, you don't care about me at all. You are worried that someone else will take my throne. You hope that the bloodline of the Shen family will be passed down from generation to generation. I am not your puppet!"

The moment the Queen Mother was angered by Shen Yan, her face turned pale, and even her body was a little unstable. She immediately asked the palace maid to help her sit down, pointed her finger at Shen Yan and scolded: "You, you are so outrageous! Such rebellious behavior is not suitable for an emperor. I did this for you! For you, the emperor! Do you think I am willing to worry about these? Do you think I don’t feel pain! Get out! Get out!"

Shen Yan looked at the Queen Mother who hated him so much, but still insisted on his original idea, and every word he said made his position clear.

"Empress Mother, I have thought about what I want to be like. You have never valued me since I was a child and never cared about me. When I was sick, you said I was useless and couldn't protect myself. When I went out to play, you said I was not studying hard. No matter how hard I tried, I could not be what you wanted. You always criticized me. You always wanted me to be the son you imagined, but why don't you think about becoming the mother I imagined!"

"I am guilty of angering the Empress Dowager. I will not come to see you these days. Please take a good rest. I will take my leave."

After saying this, he left the Cining Palace.

The empress dowager was left alone there. She fainted from anger, and the palace maids were so scared that they kept calling for the imperial physician.

The imperial physician diagnosed that the empress dowager had caught a cold, and coupled with external stimulation, her body weakened in an instant, and she was also infected with the recent virus, which resulted in repeated relapses of high fever.

She couldn't get out of bed for several days and nights and was served by palace maids. When they heard that it was a virus, none of the concubines in the harem came to visit the empress dowager, except the Imperial Concubine and Concubine Li.

But he couldn't avoid it, and when he saw that the empress dowager was speaking very weakly, he left in a hurry.

When Chuli learned about it, the first thing she did was to run to comfort the emperor.

Shen Yan was so miserable that he hid in the Yangxin Palace and stayed there every day without going out. He didn't eat or drink, and tortured himself. He read memorials like a possessed man. When Chu Li saw him, he looked haggard and had lost his former spirit and nobility.

At this moment, he was like a disfavored child hiding in a corner, biting his fingers and trembling.

Some emperors who used to be so arrogant now seem more pitiful and distressed.

When he saw Chu Li coming over, his expression showed a little ripple. The woman walked over and knelt on the ground and hugged him.

I didn't say anything, just quietly accompanied him to vent.

Shen Yan seemed to finally give up. The toughness he had put on for the past few days suddenly broke at this moment, as if it was shattered. Tears fell one by one. He was hoarse, like a child who had made a mistake, repeating the same sentence over and over again.
"Li'er, I was wrong. I was wrong."

Chuli patted his back, trying to comfort him a little. This was the first time that the man of the highest rank in the world cried in front of her. It is said that men do not shed tears easily, but only when they are heartbroken.

His tears burst out, he had never cried so miserably, as if begging for mercy, his eyes were red, and he spoke bitterly: "I shouldn't have rebelled against the Empress Dowager, I shouldn't have contradicted her, I don't have any relatives anymore, the Queen Mother is my only hope, I was really wrong, no matter what she said, I should have listened to her, she must be blaming me, I was really... wrong!"

Chu Li's eyes turned red unconsciously when she saw him blaming himself. She took a breath to calm herself, suppressed her emotions and said, "No, the Queen Mother loves the Emperor so much, how could she blame the Emperor? Everyone loves in different ways. Maybe the Queen Mother wants you to do that just because she doesn't want you to go through the same path she went through before. The Queen Mother is weak now and collapsed in an instant. As princes, we should take better care of ourselves, accompany her, and apologize to her when she gets better, and then communicate with each other."

After hearing this, Shen Yan's expression finally relaxed. He seemed to have really listened to him. He kissed Chu Li's face, then pressed her face against his, with tears soaking her face.

She choked up and said word by word: "Li'er, you won't leave me, right? You will always be by my side, right?"

He seemed to be grabbing something dear to him, not wanting her to escape, and he repeated the question countless times before making sure of her answer.

Chu Li kissed his lips and said affirmatively: "No, I will never leave Your Majesty in this life. I will always be with Your Majesty."

Chu Li stayed with him in the Yangxin Palace all day, and only left in the evening when she saw that he was in a better mood.

Shen Yan asked her to go back and rest. She nodded in agreement, but was worried that he would fall into self-doubt and darkness, so she stayed with him for a long time before leaving.

Shen Yan needs constant companionship and love that can never be rejected.

Then Chuli came to the Cining Palace again.

The palace maid said that the Queen Mother had already rested, but she wanted to accompany her alone.

It was unclear whether the Queen Mother was really asleep or pretending to sleep. Her breathing was shallow and she looked very peaceful.

Chuli wiped her hands with a towel and wiped her body with warm care.

Didn't say a word, but did everything.

The misunderstanding between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor has not been temporary. The Emperor has long been dissatisfied with the Empress Dowager, and he hopes for the company and recognition of motherly love, but at the same time he hopes that his son will listen to him in everything and follow his plan.

I feel suffocated, and at the same time I feel unsatisfactory and worry every day.

Thinking of this, Hatsuri couldn't help but sigh.

Then I heard a voice suddenly: "What are you doing here?"

Hehe, love needs no words. I really thank my dears for their subscription and support, especially Gang Gangzi, who is really good, and every friend who subscribes to me, thank you for your support!

After resolving the misunderstanding, the hero and the heroine will start the official stage of their marriage!