Huahua: "Not exactly. Anyway, thanks to your father-in-law's tireless nudging, the Late Emperor always believed the Empress Dowager loved him deep down, and that she only gave him the cold shoulder because she was jealous of his many consorts but too proud to admit it. He died without ever knowing she had mistaken someone else for her lifesaver."
"With the Late Emperor trying to win her over day after day, the Empress Dowager did come to see him differently toward the end. Think about it: throughout all the dynasties, how many women took the champion's throne without fighting through palace intrigue? That alone should have earned him some affection from her, right?"
"Then there was Count Yungui. Although he passed away peacefully three years after the Late Emperor, your father-in-law explained everything to the Late Emperor before he died. After decades together, even a straight man of steel like the Late Emperor had sensed something, so he wrote him a letter before departing."
"It basically said that although he couldn't return his feelings, he had long considered him family, and that both he and the Empress were indispensable parts of his life. Before Count Yungui passed away, he even asked to have that letter buried with him, taking it into the grave."
Huahua: "Let me look. The letter starts with, 'My friend Rong Jia...' Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong? Did chili splash into your eyes?"
Jiang Shuyue's eyes were damp, tears shimmering on her lashes.
Huahua: "Host, don't cry! Never mind getting your backside beaten for improper conduct before the throne-if you suddenly burst into tears, you might give the game away!"
Jiang Shuyue: "I don't want to either, but those three are so moving! All three loved without realizing it, and loved without ever getting what they wanted. I