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The Unstoppable Lady: Fortune Meets Power (Web Novel) - Chapter 2008: Epilogue 5
Chapter 2008: Epilogue 5
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
Yuan Baolin told him, "A woman must have a son to rely on in order to live a stable life through her later years."Gu Changqing, being single-minded, began again to fulfill the agreement to give Yuan Baolin a son.
Gu Jiao was completely shocked when she found out about this; she never expected Gu Changqing to be so determined.
She asked Yuan Baolin, "What if you already have a son? How will you lure him to bed again?"
Yuan Baolin raised her chin and said, "Then I’ll tell him, one son is too lonely. If something happens in the future, there’s no brother to support him. Look, you brothers each have five!"
Gu Jiao silently gave her a thumbs-up.
Empress Dowager Zhuang was surrounded by people expressing care and concern, humming and complaining, "Every day they come, don’t they have real work to do?"
The old wine server came too.
However, he always quietly stayed there without saying a word. Empress Dowager Zhuang’s eyes couldn’t see anymore, so naturally she didn’t know he had been there.
In the twelfth lunar month, Empress Dowager Zhuang’s memory regressed, and she often called people by the wrong names.
She would call out to Little Xiao Xuan, calling him Qingkong, and address Gu Xiaobao as Gu Yan, even asking Gu Jiao where Xiaoshun had gone, had Liu Lang gone to Prefecture City for exams again?
Listening to the snow outside the window, she said, "It’s cold. Did Liu Lang bring enough clothes? The examination room in Youzhou is cold, not like in the Capital City."
"He brought enough." Gu Jiao replied, "Don’t worry, Aunt. Xiaoshun went to the Academy for classes."
Aunt grasped the silver ticket in her hand and felt Gu Jiao’s hand: "Give this to him for me. He had a falling out with the Gu Family and went to live at the Academy. That stomach of his is not easily filled."
Gu Jiao received the silver ticket: "Alright, I’ll go to town to give it to him later. Do you want to eat candied fruits today? You can have as many pieces as you want..."
Empress Dowager Zhuang closed her eyes and fell asleep.
...
On New Year’s Eve, Xuanyuan Xi celebrated his sixteenth birthday, and Xiao Hen also reached his thirtieth year.
Empress Dowager Zhuang was in a good mood and finished six candied fruits in one go, amusing Eunuch Qin greatly.
The birthday banquet was originally to be held in Renshou Palace, but Empress Dowager Zhuang wanted to play leaf cards, so the family returned to Bishui Alley.
Empress Dowager Zhuang, Aunt Liu, Granny Zhou, and Aunt Lu gathered around a table.
Ever since Aunt’s eyesight deteriorated, Gu Jiao made leaf cards into mahjong tiles so they could be felt with the hand.
The old wine server stood behind Aunt, dutifully serving tea, and handing over pocket money.
Empress Dowager Zhuang raised her eyebrows and hummed, "I’m in a good mood today, I’ll let you lose less!"
Actually, the neighbors intended to go easy on her, but found it wasn’t necessary at all; even in her current state, the old lady still dominated all of Bishui Alley.
The neighbors lost quite miserably.
The Yao Family was making snacks in the kitchen; Princess Xinyang went to learn the craft from them.
Gu Xiaobao and Xiao Yi, the two older children, led a group of younger ones to set off firecrackers in the alley.
Xuanyuan Xi didn’t join the fun; he moved a chair to sit behind Empress Dowager Zhuang, resting his delicate chin gently on her shoulder.
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked disgusted and said, "What? Sticky and annoying?"
"Exactly, sticky and annoying, little child, go away," Gu Yan came over and pushed Xuanyuan Xi aside, then leaned on Aunt’s shoulder himself.
Empress Dowager Zhuang bristled: "You’re twenty-seven! What’s this nonsense! How come you haven’t found a wife! Xiaoshun’s son can even buy soy sauce now!"
The unborn Xiaoshunbao: "...???"
Gu Yan clung to her, saying, "Then tell my mother that I want to marry Yu Yaya."
Empress Dowager Zhuang rolled her eyes, thinking to herself that he was just talking nonsense.
Such matters depend on fate; not everything can go as desired. At the time, all she wished was for him to survive, which he did; she feels satisfied.
She slammed down the tiles in front of her: "Self-drawn win!"
...
In the afternoon, Empress Dowager Zhuang took a nap in her small room.
Xuanyuan Xi also lay down beside Aunt, "Aunt, when I was little, did you particularly want to sleep with me? You always brought me to your room."
Empress Dowager Zhuang coolly replied, "That was because I wanted a little great-grandchild!"
Xuanyuan Xi said, "I don’t care, you just liked me."
Empress Dowager Zhuang:...such a shameless person.
Xiao Ji, give me back that shy little monk.
Xuanyuan Xi originally intended to tease Aunt, but unexpectedly, he actually fell asleep, awakening to find it dark. He called to Aunt beside him.
Aunt didn’t respond, and he was startled, his face changing dramatically: "Aunt!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang calmly said, "What are you shouting for? Do you think I’m gone?"
Xuanyuan Xi hurriedly answered, "That’s not what I meant!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang lazily said, "Relax, today is New Year’s Eve, I wouldn’t leave on New Year’s Eve."
Don’t turn your birthday and Xiao Hen’s into my death anniversary; how sad would that be?
On New Year’s Day, the large family from Bishui Alley went to the palace to offer her New Year’s greetings.
She held Gu Jiao’s hand, asking her to take care of Eunuch Qin.
...
Empress Dowager Zhuang passed away on the third day of the lunar new year.
She was in high spirits these past few days, her memory not confused at all. Everyone thought she was improving, never expecting that she would fall asleep and never wake up.
She died in her sleep, it was very peaceful.
She left no final words, just per Eunuch Qin’s report, she took out her anthology from before she married and looked through it the night before.
Empress Dowager Zhuang wielded power at court for decades, known to the world only for her fierce and authoritarian ways, forgetting that she was once a cultured and gracious young lady filled with poetic charm.
She dedicated her life to Zhan Country, had countless opportunities to leave the royal family altogether, and live freely outside.
But she didn’t do so.
It was both for the country and also so her children would not bear her disgrace.
The Imperial Palace is a cage that imprisoned her for life.
With her passing, according to ancestral custom, she was to be buried in the Imperial Mausoleum, to lie with the late emperor.
Xiao Hen submitted a request, asking that a separate tomb be built for Empress Dowager Zhuang.
Not in the name of Empress Dowager Zhuang, but in the name of Zhuang Jinse.
In life she was imprisoned, in death she should be granted freedom.
On the day the tomb was completed, Gu Jiao, Xiao Hen, Qingkong, Gu Yan, Gu Xiaoshun, Gu Xiaobao, Gu Changqing, and Gu Chengfeng came to bear Aunt’s coffin.
Aunt left no bloodline in the world.
But they are all Aunt’s children.
...
If there is a next life, may you not enter the Royal Family again.
