IDWBE -Chapter 500 Face

He was running out of patience with his mother!

A little willfulness, a bit of temper—he could tolerate that, after all, she was his real mother. Besides his daughter, she was the woman he loved most in this life.

Even when she played the “sacrificing for the family” game, always favoring the Yuan clan, he had endured it.

But crossing the line completely—now that was truly excessive.

Trampling on her son’s dignity to protect her father, brothers, or siblings—what kind of spirit was that?

Did she not value their mother-son bond at all? Sometimes he couldn’t think about it. The more he pondered, the more he feared that the past twenty-plus years of mother-son affection might have been a lie.

“Hmph,” Empress Yuan, supported by palace maids, dragged her long skirt and walked up to Lin Yi, speaking irritably, “You, the Prince Regent, are now so powerful, how could you possibly care about me?”

Lin Yi was taken aback. “Mother, what do you mean by that? How have I treated you? If you don’t know yourself, outsiders surely see it clearly.”

Empress Yuan said, “Even if they see it, who dares speak out?”

Lin Yi was speechless. “You’re being completely unreasonable.”

Empress Yuan sighed. “We are mother and son. Do you think we need to reason now?”

…

Lin Yi was at a loss, so he looked at Hong Ying, silently thinking: what’s going on? Intelligence work clearly failed!

Seeing this, Hong Ying quickly knelt before Empress Yuan. “Your Highness, the matter regarding General Yuan Cheng was my own decision, unrelated to the Prince. Please calm your anger.”

Empress Yuan pointed at Hong Ying, voice stern. “I knew it! My son is pure-hearted. How could he not recognize his own nephew? Turns out you insolent servants fooled him! Who gave you such audacity? Are you trying to become the next He Jin?!”

Hong Ying looked terrified. “I dare not, Your Highness. Please forgive me.”

Yet his tone was calm, without a hint of nervousness.

Lin Yi suddenly laughed and waved at Hong Ying. “Go down. This has nothing to do with you.”

Then he approached Empress Yuan, helped her to a chair, and explained, “If you had just said it was Yuan Cheng’s doing, wouldn’t that have sufficed? Why take such a roundabout way?”

Empress Yuan still fumed. “Such insolent servants! Are you going to spoil them too?”

“Calm down, Mother,” Seeing his mother angry, Lin Yi actually felt a little pleased, though he did not show it. He sighed, “Yuan Cheng is my uncle’s grandson, your grandnephew, my nephew. By rights, I should look after him a little. But this guy, though a royal, not only failed to set an example, he broke the law, riding recklessly in the street, treating the law as a joke. If I don’t punish him properly, how will others respect authority in the future?”

Empress Yuan cast him a sidelong glance. “Children of military families are skilled in archery and riding; a bit of recklessness is normal. A few admonishments would have sufficed. Why publicly strike him, damaging his face? I hear you even let those foreign merchants from Ayu ride through the streets, but treat your own kin so harshly. People might think you’re heartless.”

Lin Yi shook his head. “Mother, when Father was emperor, the Yuan family was never this reckless.”

Even his grandfather Yuan Ang trembled in front of Emperor Delong. He never dared behave like this, shouting at the court as if scolding a grandson!

He himself had a temper. If not for your sake, Mother, I would have sent the entire Yuan family to guard the northern frontier!

Empress Yuan said, “That’s because they considered you part of their family. Should family members restrain themselves? If you don’t respect my position, at least respect your uncles. Yuan Zhen is risking life and death in Chuanzhou for you. Yuan Ang guards the northern borders. Even without achievements, their contributions matter.”

Lin Yi said, “I haven’t restrained them. I just don’t want them to drag me down. These Ayu merchants, knowing my food shortage, delivered ship after ship of supplies across thousands of miles. If I don’t reward them, that’s unreasonable. Yuan Cheng, contributing nothing, rides recklessly in the street, injuring several pedestrians, including an eight-year-old child. If I were not mindful of family ties and your face, Mother, I might have agreed with He Jixiang’s suggestion to send him to Yueyang or Jinzhou for official discipline—then it wouldn’t just be a few dozen strikes.”

Empress Yuan said, “So… I should thank you?”

“Not at all,” Lin Yi smiled. “As long as you understand my intention, that’s enough.”

“I’m not that old yet, and you’re calling me old,” Empress Yuan pouted. “Stop speaking nonsense all day; one day you will…”

“Mother, be careful with your words,” Lin Yi interrupted, knowing what she meant. “As long as Father reigns, he is the ruler of this nation.”

If anyone truly wished for him to ascend the throne, it would certainly be his mother!

According to Xiao Xizi, she had already started preparing to fill the harem for him!

When that time comes, she would rule the harem—truly a matriarch of the realm!

Thinking of this gave him a headache.

Thankfully, Mother is not a man. Otherwise, she would be obsessed with power!

“What nonsense are you spouting!”

Empress Yuan blurted, “If you don’t become emperor, who will? Your father is old. You relieve him of worries, and naturally he will agree.”

Even if she was unreasonable, she knew no mother would advise her son to kill his father.

Lin Yi held her hand gently. “If the palace life is boring, go out more often. You should be happy, and then I’ve fulfilled my filial duty.”

Empress Yuan snapped, “Earlier you spoke of rules and law, and now you tell me to leave the palace? If I act so casually, it would seem I don’t respect your face. In this deep palace, I must set an example, uphold order—otherwise, if everyone follows me, the palace would be in chaos!”

Lin Yi thought: that chaos would make me happy!

He said undeterred, “You’re overthinking. If it’s unpleasant in the palace, why stay? My suggestion is that the weather will soon heat up. You should take Grand Concubine Tang and the others to leave the palace for summer relief—also a way to relax.”

Moreover, why should women make life difficult for other women?

Must one endure misery to old age, shedding tears over palace walls?

“You, again speaking nonsense,” Empress Yuan stood up, waving impatiently. “Fine, leave. I’m tired.”

Lin Yi said helplessly, “Then I’ll go ahead. Whenever you feel like strolling outside, just give the order.”

The stifling air of the Great Liang Kingdom must first be changed from within the palace.