Novel Full Chapter 393: You Are My Reason
After bidding farewell to the Qin Kingdom’s ruler, Xiao Mo was about to leave the palace. However, the maid leading the way gave Xiao Mo a token,
“Frost Prince, the princess is currently in the empress’s bedchamber. His Majesty instructed this servant to inform the Frost Prince that he may enter and exit the palace at any time, even the rear palace.”
“Understood.” Xiao Mo accepted the jade token. Recalling what the Qin Kingdom’s ruler had said to him, he hesitated for a moment before saying, “Miss, could you take me to the empress’s bedchamber?”
“Naturally. Please follow me, Frost Prince.”
Inside the empress’s bedchamber, Empress Shi lay on the bed, her complexion pale with illness. Qin Siyao was holding a bowl of medicinal herbs, feeding her mother empress.
After finishing the medicine, Empress Shi patted the back of her daughter’s hand, “Siyao, you don’t need to keep me company today. Xiao Mo finally returned, and you haven’t seen him in so long. Go spend some good time with him.”
Qin Siyao shook her head, “It’s fine, Mother Empress. There’s no rush. I’ll keep you company first.”
“Silly child, you’ve been with me for so many days already. One more day won’t make a difference.” Empress Shi said with a smile, “In the future, if Mother is no longer here, if anything happens, tell Xiao Mo. Mother can tell that boy Xiao Mo really likes you. It’s just that Mother won’t be able to see your children…”
“Mother Empress… don’t say such things. You will definitely get better soon.”
Qin Siyao’s eyes brimmed with tears, as if she would cry the next moment.
Empress Shi reached out her hand and wiped the tears from the corners of Qin Siyao’s eyes,
“Silly child, why are you crying? Mother’s time was nearly up anyway. This is just a few years earlier than expected.
Moreover, Mother is just going to see your two brothers a bit earlier.
After Mother leaves, you must take good care of yourself.
You must remember, you absolutely cannot act like a little girl anymore.
Mother will watch over you well from heaven.”
“Mother, please don’t say anymore. You will truly get better.” Qin Siyao sniffled.
“Empress, Your Highness, the Frost Prince has come to visit.”
Just as the mother and daughter were talking, a maid’s voice came from outside the door.
“We’re all family. Let the Frost Prince come in,” Empress Shi said with a smile.
“Yes.” The maid outside responded, then said to Xiao Mo beside her, “Frost Prince, please come in.”
Xiao Mo entered the bedroom and bowed to Empress Shi lying on the bed, “Subject Xiao Mo pays respects to Empress.”
“Frost Prince need not be so formal.” Empress Shi looked at her daughter beside her, “Siyao, go wait outside for a bit. Mother has some words she wants to say to Xiao Mo.”
Qin Siyao bit her thin lips and looked at Xiao Mo gently.
Xiao Mo nodded. Only then did Qin Siyao stand up, curtsy to her mother empress, and withdraw from the room.
“Come, sit here.”
Empress Shi patted the stool beside her.
“Thank you, Empress.”
Xiao Mo didn’t decline and sat beside Empress Shi.
Sensing Empress Shi’s life flame, Xiao Mo couldn’t help but feel a trace of sorrow in his heart.
Empress Shi’s life flame was even weaker than the Qin Kingdom’s ruler’s. She didn’t have many days left.
“Come to think of it, this is the first time I’m properly looking at you.” Looking at Xiao Mo sitting beside her, Empress Shi sized him up and said with a smile, “I never imagined that the little child from back then has already grown so much.”
“Yet Empress still looks just as she did when this subject first saw you,” Xiao Mo said.
“Still talking about ‘back then.'” Empress Shi smiled and shook her head, “I’ve already grown old like this and don’t have many years left to live.”
“Empress has deep fortune and blessings. Your lifespan will naturally be long.”
“You, this boy, don’t need to say these pretty words to make me happy.”
Empress Shi said peacefully.
“I didn’t have many years left to begin with. Now that Jingsu and Jingyuan have departed, my spirit has been damaged. I probably have only a few months left to live.
I know all of this.
Regarding life and death, I have long accepted it but now, what I’m most worried about is my Siyao… Xiao Mo, can you promise me one thing?”
Xiao Mo stood up and bowed in salute, “Please speak, Empress. This subject will certainly do his utmost!”
“No need to be so serious.”
Empress Shi smiled and pulled Xiao Mo to sit beside her, glancing toward outside the room.
“Siyao, although we’ve spoiled and pampered her, and her temperament is somewhat willful, she is an extremely kind person. It’s just that she’s a bit stubborn.
Whatever she decides on, she won’t change for her entire life. It’s the same with people she likes.
I can sense that Siyao truly likes you very much. The person she constantly mentions in front of me is also you and I also know that men, how can they not have three or four wives?
In the future, if you meet other women you appreciate, it’s fine to marry them but Xiao Mo, can you promise me that you’ll like Siyao for your whole life and never despise her?”
At the end, Empress Shi’s voice trembled slightly, “Siyao… truly only has you left…”
An incense stick’s time later, Xiao Mo walked out of the room.
Qin Siyao, who had been waiting not far away, immediately walked over and asked nervously, “Husband, Mother Empress, she…”
“The empress said she’s a bit tired and wants to rest for a while,” Xiao Mo said.
Qin Siyao glanced into the room, her eyes full of worry, “Husband, these days, I probably can’t return to the Frost Prince Manor. I want to stay by Mother Empress’s side.”
“As it should be.” Xiao Mo agreed, “After I handle some matters, I’ll come see you and the empress.”
“Mm.” Qin Siyao responded, looking at Xiao Mo reluctantly, “Then I’ll see you out of the palace.”
“Alright.”
Xiao Mo nodded.
The two walked on the palace’s blue stone bricks, along the red high walls step by step forward, as if walking through a tranquil town.
“Husband, did Mother Empress say anything to you?” Qin Siyao raised her head, looking at the man’s profile.
Xiao Mo reached out his hand and gently stroked Qin Siyao’s head, “The empress said to take good care of you.”
Qin Siyao lowered her head, her small hands gripping her dress, her brows slightly furrowed.
“What’s wrong?” Xiao Mo asked.
“Husband.” Qin Siyao raised her head and looked at Xiao Mo earnestly, “I don’t want you to take care of me anymore!”
Xiao Mo paused for a moment, then smiled, “Why?”
“Since I was little, I’ve always hidden behind Father Emperor, Mother Empress, and my two elder brothers. After growing up, you’ve also always protected me. But I don’t want this anymore.”
Qin Siyao looked into Xiao Mo’s eyes, as if afraid that in the next great battle, Xiao Mo would leave like her elder brothers had.
“I don’t want to hide behind you anymore. I want to cultivate diligently! I want to stand together with you! Share everything with you! I also want to protect you!”
“Silly girl.” Xiao Mo gently tapped Qin Siyao’s nose, “Where is the reason for a wife to protect her husband?”
“Why can’t there be?”
Qin Siyao looked straight into Xiao Mo’s eyes.
“You are my reason.”