CHAPTER 377: CHAPTER 377: THE EMPRESS DOWAGER PASSES AWAY

"Why dying?" Jun Ning asked.

Jing Shu didn’t answer, just kept crying.

Her crying was not out of grievance, nor was it a sudden outburst after making a mistake, but a cry of helplessness...

Yes, after pinching a dumpling open, crying in confusion.

The little girl even inexplicably said, "Mother, I was wrong, please hit me gently..."

The surrounding maids making dumplings heard this and burst into laughter. The little Commandery Princess Jing Shu was really too cute—cute when she was young, and also cute when she grew up.

Qiong Hua then said, "Jing Shu, your mother is not near you, don’t be afraid, hmm?"

"Not here?"

Upon hearing this, Jing Shu’s expression changed instantly, showing not a trace of sadness but only joy and the excitement of trying something new for the first time.

Jun Ning: "......"

Stubborn girl, she really hasn’t changed a bit over all these years!

...

After the crisis was resolved in the Eastern Chu Kingdom, life entered a brief period of calm.

However, Emperor Yongning, having gone through this, always mindful of dangers in peaceful times, with foresight, began vigorously recruiting military generals, promoting them, raising horses, and training soldiers...

He focused on developing the strength of the military generals.

Military generals are the foundation of the nation’s protection.

Previously, relying too much on Qi Qin led to a dead-end and almost resulted in irreversible paths.

Now, as military generals flourished everywhere, Emperor Yongning was adding pressure to them invisibly, urging them to never stop, to always progress.

Finally, a distinguished military general emerged.

On the eve of the Empress Dowager’s passing, they appeared for the first time to meet Emperor Yongning.

Three years had passed, the Empress Dowager was failing, and no medicine could save her life.

On the verge of her departure, Emperor Yongning, the concubines of the harem, and all the Princes and Princesses, were kneeling in Cining Palace, continuously kneeling.

The Empress Dowager extended her withered hand from the sickbed, calling, "Ah Ning..."

Jun Ning hurriedly knelt forward, placing her hand into the Empress Dowager’s hand. The Empress Dowager said, "In the future, Grand Empress Dowager cannot accompany you as you grow up; I cannot see your coming-of-age ceremony and marriage moment."

What a pity!

Thinking about it felt very sorrowful, and tears were already forming at the corners of the Empress Dowager’s eyes.

Jun Ning choked, "Grand Empress Dowager, please don’t cry..."

"Okay, Grand Empress Dowager won’t cry..." The Empress Dowager tried her best to suppress the urge to cry and continued, "I have already embroidered your wedding dress, it’s not the green you like, but a festive bright red! Ah Ning, I wonder if you’ll like it?"

"Like, of course, like..." Jun Ning said, "Every piece of clothing Grand Empress Dowager makes for Ah Ning is especially liked."

From a young age, most of Jun Ning’s clothes were made by the Empress Dowager herself.

What an honor!

How could Jun Ning possibly not like them?

"That’s good." After the Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief, she called, "Emperor..."

Emperor Yongning hurried forward, "Mother..."

"Before the Empress Dowager passes away, there is one more thing to ask of you."

"Mother, what are you saying?" Emperor Yongning felt a sourness in his nose, "As long as Mother mentions it, your son will agree to it."

At this point, how could Emperor Yongning refuse the Empress Dowager’s request?

The Empress Dowager, of course, took this opportunity to mention it, saying, "Prince Xiao Yao has suffered enough these years, Emperor restore his salary! As for Prince Xiao Yao’s daughter Jun Yang... Previously, her dowry was temporarily entrusted to Ah Ning to keep, as a spur for her to behave well. If she doesn’t behave well, Ah Ning will not give her that dowry..."

"But seeing now, Jun Yang hasn’t done anything right, the hope of behaving well is gone... And with Ah Ning’s temperament, it seems she would rather let that batch of dowry enter the national treasury than give it to Jun Yang."

"Therefore, Emperor, when Jun Yang gets married, please give Jun Yang a batch of dowry on behalf of Empress Dowager!"

As one nears death, all hatred, pain, sadness, anger, resentment dissipate, leaving only reluctance to part with this world, and the beloved ones.

Jun Yang never got better, and the Empress Dowager had been angry for many years, but at this moment, she suddenly couldn’t be angry anymore.

All she thought was, when she’s gone, who will still help Jun Yang solve those difficult issues!

Probably no one.

The Emperor might help once for her sake, but not for a lifetime.

So, after thinking it through, the Empress Dowager decided it was best to leave Jun Yang some money, to protect her peaceful life.

After all, money can move ghosts.

And the best source of this money should not be her private treasury, but from Emperor Yongning.

The dowry bestowed by the Emperor, to a certain extent, is also a protective charm.

The Empress Dowager wanted this dowry from Emperor Yongning.

Heaven knows how displeased Emperor Yongning is with Jun Yang, but at this point, he really couldn’t let the Empress Dowager pass away with regrets and concerns.

He nodded and said, "Your son promises Mother that when Jun Yang marries, a substantial dowry will be given to her."

"Good... good..." The Empress Dowager smiled, reaching out to touch Emperor Yongning’s face, "My darling... Mother is reluctant, reluctant for you..."

Emperor Yongning leaned his face toward the Empress Dowager’s hand, wanting her to caress him, but before her hand could touch his face, it suddenly fell.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes.

The Empress Dowager had passed away.

Everyone kneeling in Cining Palace covered their faces and began to cry. The cries were very shrill, but most were just cries without tears.

Only a few people shed sincere tears for the Empress Dowager’s departure.

Jun Ning had always been in poor health. Ever since the arrow wound, she had never fully recovered. At this moment, overwhelmed with grief, her body couldn’t bear it, and she fainted again.

——

Only heard crying, but no tears were seen.

Only a few people shed sincere tears for the Empress Dowager’s departure.

Jun Ning had always been in poor health. Ever since the arrow wound, she had never fully recovered. At this moment, overwhelmed with grief, her body couldn’t bear it, and she fainted again.

Only heard crying, but no tears were seen.

Only a few people shed sincere tears for the Empress Dowager’s departure.

Jun Ning had always been in poor health. Ever since the arrow wound, she had never fully recovered. At this moment, overwhelmed with grief, her body couldn’t bear it, and she fainted again.

Only heard crying, but no tears were seen.

Only a few people shed sincere tears for the Empress Dowager’s departure.

Jun Ning had always been in poor health. Ever since the arrow wound, she had never fully recovered. At this moment, overwhelmed with grief, her body couldn’t bear it, and she fainted again.

Only heard crying, but no tears were seen.

Only a few people shed sincere tears for the Empress Dowager’s departure.

Jun Ning had always been in poor health. Ever since the arrow wound, she had never fully recovered. At this moment, overwhelmed with grief, her body couldn’t bear it, and she fainted again.

Only heard crying, but no tears were seen.

Only a few people shed sincere tears for the Empress Dowager’s departure.

Jun Ning had always been in poor health. Ever since the arrow wound, she had never fully recovered. At this moment, overwhelmed with grief, her body couldn’t bear it, and she fainted again.

Only heard crying, but no tears were seen.

Only a few people shed sincere tears for the Empress Dowager’s departure.

Jun Ning had always been in poor health. Ever since the arrow wound, she had never fully recovered. At this moment, overwhelmed with grief, her body couldn’t bear it, and she fainted again