Zhao Yao had a sullen face and said nothing.
He Lianfang knew that Pan Cairen was a very important elder to Zhao Yao. Her death was a heavy blow to him. Seeing Zhao Yao’s cold face and silence, he did not speak for a while either.
After a long silence, Zhao Yao finally spoke: "My third mother concubine came from a humble background, her appearance was average, and she had a timid nature. Even a small disturbance could frighten her half to death. After entering the palace, she was only favored by the Emperor once, after which he left her to fend for herself in the side palace of Kunde Hall." There were many such concubines in the harem who were not favored. "Fortunately, she met my mother concubine who protected her, allowing her to live decently in the palace. Later, when my mother concubine gave birth to me, she devoted herself entirely to me, treating me as her own child. Before I left the capital, she was very reluctant, often hiding under the covers to cry alone. After I left, my mother concubine told me she cried until her eyes were swollen..." At this point, Zhao Yao’s eyes turned red, and his voice choked with emotion.
He Lianfang did not interrupt Zhao Yao, quietly listening to him speak.
"If the concubines in the harem have no hope, they bee like withered wood, dying silently in the palace within a short time. To my third mother concubine, I was her hope for living. Before leaving, I told her to live well in the palace and that after she grew old, I would take her and my mother concubine to live in my Prince Mansion, providing for them till the end. When she heard this, she both laughed and cried." Zhao Yao would never forget her moved and excited expression when he said this to Pan Cairen. "She treated me as her own, and I regarded her as my own mother. When I was young, I always felt fortunate because I had three mother concubines, all of whom loved me dearly, especially my third mother concubine..." By this time, Zhao Yao’s face was covered with tears.
He continued: "Not long ago, my mother concubine wrote to me saying that my third mother concubine always missed me, constantly worrying about whether I was eating, drinking, or sleeping well in Lingnan, and whether I was suffering or being wronged there." Pan Cairen was even more doting on Zhao Yao pared to Lady Liang. "It was my fault that she died."
Seeing Zhao Yao full of self-blame, He Lianfang gently forted him: "Pan Cairen hanged herself, it had nothing to do with you."
"Uncle, do you really believe my third mother concubine took her own life?" Zhao Yao did not believe it, "She was waiting for me to return to the capital, to see me marry and have children, and to take her out of the palace to live with me. How could she possibly hang herself?"
He Lianfang pointed to the secret letter on the table and said calmly, "Sun Kui wouldn’t make a mistake."
"Yes, my third mother concubine hanged herself, but she was forced to." Zhao Yao’s eyes turned blood red, his voice filled with anger, "If she hadn’t been forced, she would never have hanged herself."
"You suspect Prince Dai or Prince Jing, but do you have any evidence?" He Lianfang asked, "Even if it was really them, what can you do? Start off for the capital now and seek revenge?"
Zhao Yao said angrily, "Why not?"
"How would you seek revenge on them?" He Lianfang smirked sarcastically, "Go directly back to the capital and kill them, to fort your third mother concubine in heaven?"
"They killed my third mother concubine, shouldn’t I avenge her by killing them?"
Seeing Zhao Yao full of uncontrollable rage, He Lianfang was not angry, and said indifferently: "If you want to return to the capital and kill Prince Dai and Prince Jing, you can start now, I won’t stop you."
Zhao Yao, hearing this, was first stunned, then looked at He Lianfang with surprise and suspicion: "Uncle, you really won’t stop me?"
"Pan Cairen is like your mother, avenging a mother’s death is a matter of life and death for a child, why should I stop you?" He Lianfang asked back, "Even if I tried, could I even stop you?"
Zhao Yao’s originally angry mood became somewhat calmer because of He Lianfang’s words.
"Uncle, you really are a Yin Yang Master." He Lianfang’s earlier words were full of sarcasm.
"Why haven’t you left yet?" He Lianfang urged, "Leave quickly, that way you can kill Prince Dai and Prince Jing by the Lantern Festival, and avenge your third mother concubine."
Zhao Yao was about to say something when he heard He Lianfang continue: "Next year’s Lantern Festival, I will send someone to your grave to pay respects."
"..." Zhao Yao’s mouth twitched hard, in terms of sarcasm, there was definitely no one in the world who could match Uncle, "Uncle, I really must thank you."
"What are you still sitting here for?" He Lianfang urged Zhao Yao again, "The sooner you return to the capital, the sooner you can avenge your third mother concubine."
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