Chapter 41: Meeting of Love Rivals As Xuanye expected, the warmth between him and Xiaozhuang...

Just as Xuanye had thought, when he and Xiaozhuang's sedan chairs entered the Forbidden City one after another, Nianhulu Yanlan was indeed waiting for him with several important figures.

This was of course a smaller ceremony than the one in the TV series "My Fair Princess II" where Empress Dowager Cixi was welcomed back to the palace, but it was probably about the same.

Xiu Yu was thinking this as she stepped out of the sedan chair. Xiao Tao had already caught up with her, holding her arm and whispering in her ear, "What's coming has finally come. Princess will meet her 'enemy' sooner or later."

Xiu Yu pursed her cherry lips and smiled sweetly. The cunning look in her eyes disappeared in an instant, and then she said: "Maybe, not all of them are 'enemies'." She blinked at Xiao Tao, as if she wanted to turn a few 'enemies' into 'friends'.

Xiao Tao stuck out his tongue, thinking that his master's idea was really "different". There were no real "friends" in the palace. Even if there were, they were probably only "temporary"!

It was a "secret" known to almost everyone in the harem that Yan Lan of the Nianhulu clan would soon become the Empress. From now on, everyone in the palace would follow Yan Lan's lead, no matter if it was sincere or fake, at least they had to look good on the surface.

After exchanging the necessary greetings, Nianhulu Yanlan's eyes darted from head to toe as she surveyed Xiuyu. Then, with a smile, she said to Xuanye, "I've long heard that Sister Xiuyu is incredibly beautiful, and there's no one like her in this harem. Seeing her today, I realize she's truly divine. No wonder those Eight Banners men outside the Great Wall are so full of praise for her."

"Your Majesty, you're so kind." Xiu Yu was certainly not someone to be trifled with. After all, in a past life, she'd worked on a construction site, so she could handle any coworker, let alone the Empress in the palace. "Yu'er is simply a skilled whipper, having 'taught' a few unlearned peers a lesson. If any of those people were your brothers, please forgive my youthful ignorance."

Xiao Tao stood behind Xiu Yu and really had to secretly pinch the flesh on his hand to force himself not to laugh out loud.

Xuanye, the boss of the Forbidden City, certainly didn't have to endure it, but his years of self-cultivation allowed him to just smile, without making any sound that would embarrass Nianhulu Yanlan.

Niuhulu Yanlan clenched the handkerchief in her hand, still wearing that gentle smile on her face. She turned to Xuanye and said, "Sister Xiuyu had just entered the palace when you took her to the southern suburbs to hunt. I guess she hasn't settled down yet. I..."

"You don't have to worry about Yu'er's accommodation." Xuanye held Xiuyu's hand, deliberately showing a tired look, and said, "I will make my own arrangements."

Nianhulu Yanlan was of course jealous, but as the future empress of the Qing Dynasty, she had to pretend to be gentle and virtuous. So the smile on her face not only did not fade, but became even gentler. She bowed and said, "Your Majesty means, I understand. You have been tired all the way, you should rest."

Xuanye nodded and said, "All of you kneel down and pay your respects. Yu'er and I will accompany the old ancestor back to the Cining Palace."

In Nianhulu Yanlan's eyes, Xuanye had always been like this, not too close to you, but not too far away either. She thought this was probably a common problem among emperors, always being somewhat distant from their concubines.

In the past, everyone was the same, and she had nothing to say. But today, there really was an "exception" like Guo Luoluo! It was so exceptional that the emperor, the supreme ruler, actually disregarded his dignity and held the hand of a princess in public!

In an ordinary family, this would be considered a loving relationship between a married couple, nothing special. However, in the Forbidden City, with its strict rules and clear hierarchy, it was inappropriate in any way.

What was even more infuriating was that this "inappropriateness" actually happened to a princess who had just entered the palace not long ago and didn't even have a rank yet! How could she not be angry and annoyed!

Before her warm sedan chair entered the palace, she had fantasized about how she and Xuanye would get along, and now this fantasy was actually cast on someone else... Niu Hulu Yanlan scratched the silk in her hand with her nails, and the silk was actually torn by her.

In the Cining Palace, after getting off the warm sedan chair, Empress Xiaozhuang was supported by Xuanye into the warm room. She didn't say a word to her grandson, and of course she didn't look happy either.

Xiu Yu had been following Xuan Ye when Su Moer stopped her and said, "The Empress Dowager really liked the snacks Princess Yu made a few days ago. Since there's nothing important going on right now, could Princess Yu teach me a lesson?"

Xiu Yu knew that Xiao Zhuang must have something to say to Xuan Ye that no one else could hear, so she happily agreed: "Madam, you're joking. If the old ancestor likes it, Yu Er can use the small kitchen in the Cining Palace to cook. Madam, you can just be there to guide me."

Su Moer actually liked Xiu Yu very much. She held Xiu Yu's hand and said with a smile, "Princess, you are very clever and skillful. Let me help you."

Xiu Yu's eyes flashed with cunning, her eyebrows curved, and she said sweetly: "Maybe, by then, I will become Yu'er to help Madam."

In the warm room of the Cining Palace, Xuanye took the hot tea offered by the palace maid and handed it to Xiaozhuang himself, a gentle smile on his face. "Even Mama Su has been left outside the warm room by Mama. Do you have anything to tell your grandson?"

"Yes." Xiaozhuang nodded, motioning Xuanye to sit across from her, and then said, "Yanlan and the others came to welcome you back to the palace just now. What did you do?"

"So that's what Mama was talking about." Xuanye lowered his eyelids and continued, "They didn't come here to greet us before, and the scene was not much different from today."

Xiaozhuang knew Xuanye was joking with her. She shook her head and sighed, "Is it the same as today? In the past, you also had a princess standing beside you who had not yet been crowned? And you ignored the soon-to-be-crowned empress?"

Xuanye's smile grew even wider: "Ma, please be honest and ask yourself, is Yu'er the most suitable person to stand by my grandson's side?"

"What about Hesheli, the person you always thought about?" There was really no other way, so Xiaozhuang had to invite this deceased person out to reason with him.

Hearing the name Hesheli, the smile on Xuanye's face immediately disappeared. "Ma Ma, he is gone, why do you still mention him?"

"Grandson..." Empress Xiaozhuang became serious. "You have always been able to keep things to yourself. You acted this way when facing ministers from the previous dynasty, and you should act the same way when facing the empress and concubines. The empress and concubines have always been one and the same with the previous dynasty. You know this very well."

"The empress and the former dynasty are one, but not entirely one." Xuanye looked at Xiaozhuang seriously, "Yanlan and the others' fathers are always in front of my grandson. To be honest with Mama, seeing them is just like seeing their fathers."

Hearing Xuanye say this, Xiaozhuang couldn't help but smile and shook her head.

Xuanye added, "But Yu'er is different from them. My grandson likes her, so naturally he doesn't want her to have any major connections with the previous dynasty. As for Sanguan Bao, he's doing a great job as a lieutenant, guarding our ancestors' property outside the Great Wall. I'm also relieved."

"So you can just do whatever you want?" Empress Xiaozhuang sighed again. "Your Yu'er isn't someone you can get along with, but restraint is the key to success in life. Xiuyu is still young, but you're not! In the past, I never had to tell you a thing twice, but with Xiuyu, I've told you again and again, and you won't change! Do you have to suffer before you'll give up?"

Xuanye clenched his right hand into a fist, and after a long while, he said, "Ma'am, I like Yu'er. I've liked her since the first moment I saw her. This is clear to me. If I treat her the same as others, I will not only be wronging her, but also wronging myself. So, even if I have to hit a wall in the future, I will stand in front of her and bear the pain for her."

"You..." Xiaozhuang was so angry that she didn't know what to say. She smiled bitterly and said, "You are, after all, your Khan's biological son. You have made few mistakes in the important affairs of the previous dynasty. But in the harem...Xuanye, Mama hopes that you will not regret your decision today in the future, and that you and Yu'er can get what you wish for."

This time, Xuanye was surprised. In his mind, the Imperial Madam had always been resolute and decisive, her word was final. If you challenged her, you'd suffer. This was the first time in his life that he had confronted the Madam head-on. He had already made up his mind: no matter how angry she got, he would insist on being stubborn. But he hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. Could it be that the Madam was truly old? Had she lost her temper?

Seeing the change in Xuanye's gaze towards her, Xiaozhuang couldn't help but smile and said, "You, you're really benefiting from your father's help. Your father was Mama's 'failure', and the Qing Dynasty simply can't stand another 'failure' emperor. Besides, Mama is indeed old and can't take care of you any more."

Hearing Xiaozhuang's words, Xuanye immediately stood up and bowed, saying, "It is unfilial of your grandson to have angered Mama!" He then raised his head and looked at Xiaozhuang, smiling, "But your grandson believes that Mama is not old at all and still deserves the title of the most beautiful woman in Manchuria."

This time, Xiaozhuang was completely irritated by Xuanye and laughed. She pointed at him and said, "You! Mama really doesn't know what to say to you!"

"Grandmother and grandson don't know what to say. It's a good opportunity to try Princess Yu's cooking!" Su Moer brought in a plate of plum blossom cakes at the right time and placed them on the tea table between Xuanye and Xiaozhuang. She said with a smile, "I'm greedy and tried some in the small kitchen. Princess Yu's cooking skills are really not as good as even the imperial chef."

Xiu Yu, who was following behind Su Moer, immediately said modestly, "Madam, you are too kind. Speaking of craftsmanship, Madam, you are really good at making milk tea. I must teach Yu'er how to do it later."

Even though Xiaozhuang had just finished talking to Xuanye about Xiuyu, and the topic wasn't positive, seeing her, hearing her voice, and pondering her words, she still felt from the bottom of her heart that her grandson had good vision. Xuanye's question actually had an answer: Xiuyu was indeed the most suitable person to stand by his side.