Upon hearing the final words, Yang Yi pursed his lips and looked down at the ground. After a moment, he said, "If I could, I wouldn’t necessarily have to be a Yang."
"Yi Yi, hold your tongue." The Empress gently stopped him, "I’ve yet to forgive your father for what happened in Huzhou, but setting that aside, his contributions to the world and to the Great Zhou cannot be denied. We don’t have to speak like this."
Yang Yi took a deep breath, "Had I been truly this willful, I would have stopped being a Yang long ago. But if you want me to acknowledge him again, that is utterly impossible."
The Empress tightly held his hands, nodding sympathetically, "I know, I understand you. I would never force you. Are you comfortable staying with the Ning Family? It’s probably not good to impose on them for too long. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone find a house in the city for you to live in. You shouldn’t leave. I’m getting old and may not last much longer. If you stay, I might still be able to see you a few more times."
Yang Yi said with tears, "Why say such things when everything is fine? I’ve never really blamed you. You carried me for ten months and endured so much pain; this bond can’t compare to that with him. Even if you truly treated me like that, I would always remember you."
The Empress smiled and cried, "As a mother, I am grateful for your words and could die peacefully now. I’m ashamed, though, that I want to love you more and make it up to you, but it might be too late."
"Things are quite good as they are now." Yang Yi, being a resolute man, quickly calmed his emotions, "I won’t leave for now. Ming Zhi might still have some use for me. But don’t trouble yourself about me. I’m very comfortable living with the Ning Family. The eldest sister there treats me very well, and everything is well arranged."
"The Ning Family is truly our benefactor." The Empress remarked emotionally, "First Ning Pochi, and then his daughter and granddaughter—do you know if it weren’t for Zhen Er, that girl, uncovering the Baiyu Lane case, your father and I would still be blinded."
At this point, she reached to remove the hairpin from her head, the bracelet from her wrist, and the Jade Pendant pressing on her skirt at her waist, and handed them all to him, "Your mother is old and didn’t think to bring anything for you when I came out. Take these first.
"Use them to find a satisfactory house; they should at least cover the deposit. I’ll send Silver Tael to you tomorrow. I must provide you with a place of your own. You’re not getting any younger; how can you wander without a home?
"Oh, by the way, are you married?"
Yang Yi looked down at the jewelry, still warm from the Empress, and said with tears, "Your son has been wandering for years, with no home to call his own, and wouldn’t dare to hold someone else back."
The Empress’s eyes flashed with a bit of pain again, "It’s alright. Before, you didn’t have mother by your side to arrange things for you; from now on, you do, and all these matters will be taken care of by me."
"Mother..."
"Enough!"
The Empress wiped her tears and stood up, "I have to return to the palace. There are matters waiting for me to handle on the other side. Heed your mother’s words, quickly find a place to live, and don’t let your mother worry.
"You can rest assured, if you don’t want your father to know, I will certainly not tell him."
Yang Yi stared at the ground, then took a deep breath, stood up, and nodded, "Your son will do his best to obey. But you, won’t you stay a little longer?"
"No, there’s enough time in the future." The Empress cast a determined glance towards the direction of the palace, "Those who stand in the way of us mother and son meeting, I will settle accounts with them. Some things need to be settled."
Yang Yi was surprised, "Mother, what do you mean by this?"
The Empress patted the back of his hand, "You needn’t concern yourself with these matters. The affairs of the nation are pressing; you should cooperate with Ming Zhi in dealing with the affairs beyond the borders. This is what you, as a man of honor, should be doing."
Yang Yi pursed his lips and remained silent, then slowly nodded after a moment.
The Empress untied the sword tassel from him, carefully looked it over, and said, "You didn’t lie; you truly have been thinking of your mother."
She tightly held the sword tassel, gave him a deep look, and said, "I’ll take this. I’ll see you again through it."
After saying this, she turned decisively and stepped out over the threshold.
That resolute demeanor was still the same as the unyielding and fearless woman who once followed the great army east and west.