Queen Wei chuckled and said to Yun Xiangye, "No need to be so polite, please stand up and take a seat."

Yun Xiangye stood up and answered, then sat down next to Xie Zhixuan.

After Empress Wei asked her female officials to draft an imperial decree for Ye Wanhe to leave the palace, she sent a eunuch to the Eastern Palace to announce the decree.

While waiting for Li Shanggong to arrive, Queen Wei discussed the matter of the Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace with Xie Zhixuan.

Yun Xiangye was listening on the side, and remembered that her cousin had mentioned two days ago that among the five noble ladies who wanted to marry Gu Yan, one was the Crown Princess's sister.

Empress Wei said, "Yan'er's daughter is already two years old, and Yun'er is two years older than Yan'er. The Crown Princess still has no children, so the Crown Princess' wedding date shouldn't be delayed any longer. I asked a Taoist priest yesterday, and he said that the sixth day of April is an auspicious date for the wedding."

Xie Zhixuan asked, "Doesn't the Fu family's daughter still have to observe mourning for a year?"

Empress Wei said, "She is my stepmother after all. I have been keeping her as my stepmother for two years, and no one will complain anymore. The Eastern Palace cannot remain childless forever. This palace has always been short of children. I think it would be better to welcome the Crown Princess into the palace in April."

The palace had already prepared everything needed to marry the Crown Princess, but Fu Qianran, who was named the Crown Princess, had been in mourning for five years, which delayed the process.

Xie Zhixuan said, "You are right, sister-in-law. Getting married in April is not a bad idea. After all, the Eastern Palace cannot remain without an heir."

Queen Wei smiled faintly and said, "I was so jealous when I saw the lovely Nuonuo the other day. I just hope I can have a grandson next year."

Yun Xiangye smiled faintly as she listened to Queen Wei praising Nuonuo.

"Mother."

Crown Prince Zhao Yun entered the room and saw Xie Zhixuan there. He bowed and said, "Aunt."

Yun Xiangye hurriedly stood up and saluted Zhao Yun, "Greetings, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhao Yun said, "No need to be so polite, sister-in-law."

Yun Xiangye saw that her cousin was following behind Zhao Yun.

Ye Wanhe was wearing the clothes of a senior palace maid. She lowered her eyebrows and saluted respectfully to the queen and the eldest princess.

Zhao Yun walked up to Empress Wei and said, "Mother, have you issued an imperial decree to have Aunt Ye removed from the palace?"

Empress Wei smiled softly and said, "What a coincidence! Wanhe is actually Xiangye's cousin. Wanhe is already 25 years old and old enough to leave the palace. Allowing her to leave before the New Year will also allow her to see her family sooner."

Zhao Yun frowned slightly and said, "But mother, Wanhe doesn't want to leave the palace."

Yun Xiangye looked at Zhao Yun. Why would Sister He be unwilling to leave the palace?

My uncle and aunt are waiting for Sister He to come home so that the family can be reunited.

Queen Wei looked at Ye Wanhe and said, "Really?"

Zhao Yun nodded and said, "Mother, Aunt Ye is now at this age. In the palace, she is a first-rank female official and the head maid in front of the East Palace. If she leaves the palace, she may not have a good future."

Yun Xiangye didn't care about offending Zhao Yun and whispered, "But my uncle and aunt have been looking forward to Sister He's return home so that the family can be reunited..."

Zhao Yun glanced at Yun Xiangye calmly, then turned to Ye Wanhe behind him and asked, "Wanhe, tell me, do you want to stay in the palace or leave?"

Yun Xiangye looked at Ye Wanhe with anticipation. If it weren't for the approaching New Year, her uncle and aunt might have followed her to Chang'an. Everyone in the family missed their cousin very much.

Ye Wanhe knelt down before Empress Wei and said, "Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for your grace in allowing me to leave the palace at an early date."

Ye Wanhe raised her eyes to glance at Zhao Yun, who had a gloomy expression, and bowed her head and said, "It's just that I don't want to leave the palace. I am willing to continue to stay by my master's side and serve him."

Xie Zhixuan smiled and said, "You are indeed a loyal person, but there are rules in the palace that women can leave the palace when they reach the age of twenty-five. You have family at home waiting for you to reunite with them, so you should go home and reunite with them."

Ye Wanhe lowered her eyebrows and said, "Your Highness has been very kind to me over the years. I am willing to continue serving you..."

Zhao Yun breathed a sigh of relief and said to Xie Zhixuan, "Aunt, since Wan He is willing to stay in the palace, there is no need to let her leave."

Yun Xiangye looked at her cousin kneeling on the ground. She didn't believe that her cousin was staying in the palace voluntarily.

Although my uncle's family is not rich, they are a small merchant family. Although they are not wealthy, they still have maids to serve them at home. My cousin would not give up her job as a young lady to become a slave just for the sake of loyalty.

My cousin clearly said today that she wanted to leave the palace, and the Empress Dowager and the Princess Royal would help her leave.

Xie Zhixuan looked at Ye Wanhe who was kneeling on the ground and asked, "Why do you smell like medicine?"

Ye Wanhe hurriedly said, "Your Highness, I've been feeling unwell these past few days, so I took some medicine."

Xie Zhixuan said to Ye Wanhe, "Stand up and come over to me."

Ye Wanhe slowly stood up and walked to Xie Zhixuan's side.

Xie Zhixuan reached out and held Ye Wanhe's wrist.

Seeing Xie Zhixuan checking her pulse, Ye Wanhe hurriedly said, "Your Highness, I dare not let you check my pulse..."

Xie Zhixuan took Ye Wanhe's pulse with her fingers, frowned slightly, glanced at Zhao Yun, let go of Ye Wanhe's wrist, and wiped her hands with a handkerchief beside her.

Yun Xiangye saw Xie Zhixuan's worried look and asked softly, "Mom, is my cousin okay?"

"It's nothing serious." Xie Zhixuan said lightly.

Ye Wanhe bowed and said, "Thank you, Princess, for taking my pulse."

Xie Zhixuan glanced at Zhao Yun, then turned to Queen Wei and said, "Sister-in-law, you just said that the Crown Prince would get married on the sixth day of April. Now is the time to announce it to the world."

Queen Wei chuckled and said, "Well, after discussing with the previous dynasty, we will announce to the world that the wedding will take place in April."

Zhao Yun's face showed no joy at the prospect of marrying. He simply bowed and said, "Mother, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

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