Upon hearing the empress’s words, the emperor also took a deep breath.
Where would he not wish to issue an edict for Sui Zimo to go rescue Lin’er at White Blind Mountain? But given the temperament of Sui Zimo, would he do it simply because an edict commanded him to?
If he were to provoke Sui Zimo, who might turn around and leave Wei State on a whim, then there would truly be no one left who could reach the summit of White Blind Mountain.
"Don’t worry, let us think on it some more," he said to the empress.
The empress pursed her lips, looking at the emperor with a face full of grievance.
Don’t worry, don’t worry, how could she not worry? The one in danger was her own son, the legitimate crown prince of Wei State, the hope of her latter years.
If something indeed happened, on whom could she rely afterward? Was she expected to allow the lowly mother of Prince Mo to ascend above her? But similarly, she knew she couldn’t press the emperor too hard, lest he become angry and start to neglect her.
"Then your consort shall wait a while longer."
Although she was resentful, she still suppressed her feelings.
Her son was important, but so was her hard-won position as the empress. If she lost that status, it was uncertain whether her son could become the future emperor of Wei State.
Thus, she had to preserve both.
"Your consort seeks leave."
She left the imperial study.
When only the emperor remained in the imperial study, he let out a heavy sigh and turned to venture out the door.
"Your Majesty, do you wish to summon anyone?"
The eunuch standing by the door hurried forward to ask upon seeing him.
He waved his hand at the eunuch, "I am going to visit the Empress Dowager’s palace, there’s no need for others to follow."
"Yes, this servant obeys," the eunuch promptly withdrew.
Shortly thereafter, the emperor appeared in the Empress Dowager’s palace, taking a seat in front of her phoenix bed.
"Mother, the matter concerning Mo’er now relies solely on your wisdom. Lin’er is trapped in the depths of White Blind Mountain, surely beset by perils. If Zimo does not go to him, I fear there may only be his brother’s corpse to retrieve."
"Emperor, you... ah."
The Empress Dowager gazed at her son with her deep eyes and sighed deeply.
"Being both your sons, can’t you treat Zimo a bit more fairly? You’ve said yourself how dangerous White Blind Mountain is. With Lin’er already entrapped there, how can you still send Zimo?"
"How can Zimo be compared to Lin’er? Lin’er is my legitimate son, whereas Mo’er... Mother, you mustn’t forget that he is destined to be a calamitous lone star," the emperor reminded the Empress Dowager.
At his words, the Empress Dowager choked on her frustration.
"Zimo may be destined to be a calamitous lone star, but he is still your son. How can you just..." disregard family bonds so completely?
The latter words, the Empress Dowager ultimately did not utter, since the man before her, no matter how indifferent to kinship, remained her son.
"When Zimo was first calculated to be born under the calamitous lone star, you were determined to abandon him. It was I who fought with all my might to keep Zimo by my side for five years, after which you... ah, as his father, you have never looked after Zimo for a single day, how can you expect him to serve your purposes?"
"Emperor, heed my advice, stop your obstinacy. Zimo now is beyond your control," the Empress Dowager cut in before the emperor could speak.
Hearing this, the emperor took a deep breath, stood up without another word, and left directly.
As she watched the emperor’s retreating figure, the Empress Dowager sighed once again.