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The Unstoppable Lady: Fortune Meets Power (Web Novel) - Chapter 2007: Epilogue 4
Chapter 2007: Epilogue 4
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Zhuang Yuheng held back his sobs and crawled forward on his knees.Empress Dowager Zhuang clutched a handkerchief and punched his shoulder with a fist.
She punched again and again, her eyes red, throat swelling with pain: "You just came back... you just came back..."
...
In May, Xiao Hen handled a particularly egregious bribery case, involving half of the Hanlin Academy.
Although clear waters have no fish, there must be limits to everything. Involving more than half the officials of the Hanlin Academy is an extremely alarming matter.
When the results of the investigation were revealed, Xiao Hen never expected that the mastermind behind it would be the current Hanlin Academy scholar.
Inside the prison cell.
The Hanlin Academy scholar confessed his crimes without any dispute.
He accepted bribes, manipulated the bureaucrats’ exams, admitted those with low scores into Hanlin, and falsified their credentials and achievements to facilitate their entry into the six ministries.
In the interrogation room, Xiao Hen, dressed in a purple official robe, sat on a chair, looking at the Hanlin Academy scholar across from him with a complex expression: "Why?"
Ning Zhiyuan smiled bitterly: "Liu Lang, not everyone is born on the clouds. People like me, from humble origins, have to put in so much effort to climb up slowly. I’m not afraid of hardship, but sometimes, hardship doesn’t pay off. I know you want to say that you’ve reached today by your own efforts. I admit that, no matter how the world misunderstands you, I firmly believe you relied on your own abilities to succeed. But Liu Lang, I don’t possess your kind of abilities."
"I was born with ambitions unmatched by talents."
"I... did not hold onto my true self."
Xiao Hen walked out of the Ministry of Justice Prison casually.
Many years ago, in a certain duty room at Hanlin Academy, Ning Zhiyuan patted his shoulder and passionately said: "Don’t look down on me because I come from humble origins, lack background and connections. But occasionally, I dream, thinking perhaps one day I’ll climb up... not too high, the fifth-rank Hanlin scholar is my lifelong dream!"
He clenched his fist as if to force out every slight he had received through his bones: "I’m thinking, when that day comes, when I oversee the Hanlin Academy, I will never favor money, never favor kinship, never favor circles, never favor servility, never favor noise!"
A bolt of lightning flashed across, as if tearing open the horizon, pouring rain down heavily.
He stared fixedly at the endless rain, and after a while, his eyes regained steadfastness.
He opened his umbrella and walked into the rain without looking back.
...
This year, Empress Dowager Zhuang’s health has been fluctuating, sometimes good, sometimes bad.
Gu Jiao and the old priest made candied fruit and small milk dates for her, but she couldn’t eat them.
A lot had accumulated all at once.
Xuanyuan Xi sat by her bedside, speaking softly: "Aunt, please eat some candied fruit, eat freely, I won’t tell Jiaojiao."
Empress Dowager Zhuang smiled: "Where is my little granddaughter-in-law?"
Xuanyuan Xi’s ears turned slightly red.
Empress Dowager Zhuang pursed her lips and hummed: "Just like your brother-in-law! Don’t learn from him! Married for so many years before eating it!"
In August, Gu Jiao brought Xue Ningxiang and Gouwa from the countryside.
Gouwa is a year and a half younger than Jingkong, fourteen this year, and is quite a handsome young man.
Empress Dowager Zhuang lay on the soft Phoenix Bed, looking at the silhouette walking towards her in the light and shadows, and weakly asked: "Is it Xiangxiang?"
Xue Ningxiang knelt on the ground with a thud, holding onto her aunt’s hand, choking with sobs: "It’s me, aunt, it’s me..."
"Where is Gouwa?" Empress Dowager Zhuang asked.
Gouwa was right beside Xue Ningxiang, but her eyesight was failing.
Xue Ningxiang felt as if her heart was being cut, she pulled her son over: "Gouwa! Bow to the Empress Dowager quickly!"
Gouwa knelt down and deeply bowed three times.
"Why bow so much? You’ll hurt the child." Empress Dowager Zhuang pulled out a piece of Sesame Candy she had privately hidden under the pillow and handed it to him, "Gouwa, eat."
Gouwa loved eating Sesame Candy when he was little.
Xue Ningxiang covered her mouth, crying uncontrollably.
...
Gu Jiao moved into Renshou Palace with her three little ones.
"You don’t make noise." Empress Dowager Zhuang occasionally said to the little ones, "Your uncle Jingkong was quite noisy when he was little."
The three little ones weren’t quiet; they were just very calm in her presence.
Even Xiao Yang, who is quite the chatterbox, understood to suppress her nature and her rambunctiousness.
Xiao Hen, Xuanyuan Xi, along with Gu Xiaoshun, Gu Yan, and Gu Xiaobao, visited the palace daily to see her, with Gu Changqing and Gu Chengfeng often coming as well.
It’s worth mentioning that Gu Changqing and Yuan Baolin had a daughter, but Gu Changqing still believes he is fulfilling a pact.
