Time passed as Chu Feiyang reviewed one memorial after another. The Youzhou officials present couldn't help but feel that the air pressure in the office was indeed too low. Some people could not bear the oppression of the air pressure and took out their handkerchiefs several times to wipe the cold sweat from their heads. Even Han Shaomian couldn't help but look at Chu Feiyang and Xie Yingping several times!
However, one of these two people is unfathomable and steady like a mountain, while the other is calm and peaceful like water. It is impossible to detect any emotional fluctuations in them. No wonder these officials can't stand it!
The rest of the officials could only keep their mouths shut and breathe quietly, so as not to offend the two people in front of them at the same time!
Xie Yingping kept looking at Chu Feiyang in front of her. Although he was reviewing the memorial in front of him with a calm expression, he ignored her. This made Xie Yingping feel unhappy. Even if the King of Chu was as powerful as everyone said, Chu Feiyang was the first person in Youzhou who ignored her!
However, Chu Feiyang was too calm at this time, which made Xie Yingping, who was always good at guessing people's hearts, a little unsure whether he was deliberately embarrassing her or competing with her?
Chu Feiyang sat upright behind the desk, his eyes calmly scanning the contents of the memorials, occasionally picking up his pen to leave comments on the side. Only after he finished reading the last memorial did he put down his brush, raised his eyes that were always as deep as the sea, and looked at Xie Yingping standing in front of him. He smiled lightly and said, "Patriarch Xie, you came to the posthouse today. What important matter do you want to redress?"
Chu Feiyang's words immediately dispelled the overly solemn atmosphere in the hall, but a hint of displeasure and surprise flashed in Xie Yingping's eyes!
No matter why the King of Chu ignored him just now, he was the first to speak at this time. Not only did he not give people a sense of weakness, but instead made people see his unrestrained and innate dignity!
What made Xie Yingping understand more was that the man she was facing at that moment was not a hero by success or failure, nor was he a winner by power. It was as if only the things that aroused Chu Feiyang's interest were worth talking about!
This made Xie Yingping's calm eyes suddenly stand up even deeper. He saw his cold eyes meet Chu Feiyang's smiling eyes, and slowly said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your sympathy! However, yesterday, Lord Han and General Lu seized the Xie family's goods and failed to properly guard them, resulting in the burning of the Xie family's goods. I dare to ask, Your Highness, how will the government explain this matter to the Xie family? How will the Xie family's losses be calculated?"
Chu Feiyang looked at Xie Yingping who asked him a difficult question. Seeing that his tone was firm and his expression was natural, he knew that this man was also used to giving orders. Especially when they entered the posthouse just now, the officials of Youzhou waited for the patriarch of the Xie family to enter first before they dared to take a step. It can be seen that if he had not come here on orders this time, Xie Yingping's status in Youzhou would probably be below Chu Pei and above all the officials!
Although Chu Feiyang is not a person who values etiquette, he is still somewhat unhappy about this phenomenon!
The money paid by the people supports these officials, but in the end, these officials actually serve families like the Xie family. How can Chu Feiyang not be heartbroken?
For a moment, a layer of ice gradually appeared in Chu Feiyang's smiling eyes. Although his expression was gentle, it was cold, which made people's hearts tremble slightly!
"Is Patriarch Xie settling the losses of the Xie family with me this time? Then I would like to ask Patriarch Xie, when General Hu Wei strictly ordered not to transport goods to Nanxun privately, why did the Xie family still transport goods to Nanxun at night? Whose power is the Xie family relying on? Or do you think that the emperor has no control over Youzhou and you can do whatever you want and ignore Chao Gang?" As soon as these words came out, the smile on Chu Feiyang's face disappeared, and his sharp eyes swept across all the officials below. With the sharpness of seeing through everything and the dignity of holding power, everyone immediately lowered their heads, not daring to look at Xie Yingping, let alone Chu Feiyang!
Chu Feiyang's question was flawless, and he directly pinched the Xie family for disobeying the imperial order and secretly heading south to transport goods! This crime not only disregarded the imperial power, but also contempt for the imperial power!
But to Xie Yingping's ears, it had another meaning!
Chu Feiyang's words were nothing more than telling him clearly that it was impossible for the Chu King's faction to stand in the same camp with the Xie family. No matter what means they used to try to win them over, Chu Feiyang was firm in his attitude. He knew the difference between family and country clearly, and he would never do anything that was against his duty as a subject just for the sake of the marriage between the Chu and Xie families!
This made Xie Yingping's originally calm eyes lightly misty, with a hint of anger in his eyes. However, facing Chu Feiyang who also had a solemn expression, he suppressed his anger and quickly said, "Your Highness, you don't know that this batch of goods has the imperial court's approval documents and the seal of the frontier officials. It was also approved by Lord Chu himself before! All the procedures of the Xie family are carried out in accordance with the laws of the court. Is this also called ignoring the court? I don't know where the Xie family has offended the adults. Why are you making things difficult for the Xie family? We are just a family of merchants. Naturally, we understand the principle that people should not fight against officials! But when officials criticize officials, and when businessmen criticize business, there is also the concept of credibility in the business world. Although the Xie family is a family of humble people, we also know that we must complete what we promised to the other party. Otherwise, wouldn't we become people without credibility? How can we interact with others in the future?"
Although Xie Yingping had never been an official in the court, he had been engaged in business for many years. His eloquence was unmatched and his reaction speed was even more unmatched. Although Chu Feiyang posed a difficult problem to him, he was obviously well prepared. In an instant, he took out the approval document issued to the Xie family and the pass with Chu Pei's seal from his sleeve!
"Since reputation is important, why not make adequate preparations in advance? Moreover, this is a different time now. There is a misunderstanding between the two countries that has not been resolved. The Xie family keeps dissuading us from going to Nanxun rashly. Are we deliberately provoking the majesty of the emperor, or are we so bold because we think someone can protect the Xie family? You only think about your own reputation and interests. Have you ever thought that if Nanxun deliberately accuses Xichu of sending spies to Nanxun by using the Xie family to transport goods, thereby provoking a war between the two countries, can the Xie family bear such a crime? Or maybe the Xie family insisted on going to Nanxun because they wanted to send information about Xichu to Nanxun. This is not impossible! Patriarch Xie, you are a smart person and naturally understand the interests involved! If the Xie family is executed because of this incident, will you still be able to enjoy the money you earned!" However, the person Xie Yingping met today was Chu Feiyang!
Chu Feiyang was not frightened at all by the two documents in Xie Yingping's hand. He stared at the serious Xie Yingping in front of him as if he was watching a joke, with a sarcastic smile flashing in his black eyes. With a few words, he refuted the officials present and made them pale. Even Xie Yingping frowned. The calm and handsome face finally showed a different expression because of Chu Feiyang's analysis!
"My Xie family has always acted uprightly, so how can there be any accusation of collaborating with the enemy? Your Highness, please don't make unfounded assumptions and ruin the reputation of my Xie family!" Xie Yingping truly witnessed Chu Feiyang's eloquence. No wonder everyone in Western Chu regarded him as a legend day by day, and no wonder such a man could have such deeds and achievements in the court. The four words "not to be underestimated" are completely unable to describe Xie Yingping's mood and feelings at this moment!
"What made me say this is the previous behavior of the Xie family! If Clan Leader Xie still insists on shipping the goods to Nanxun, then don't blame me for doing my job impartially! And the reason why the Xie family's goods were burned this time has not been found out yet, but if the Xie family had not ignored the advice of General Hu Wei and others and violated the imperial order, such a misfortune would not have happened! Clan Leader Xie should think carefully about which is more important, the loss of goods or the loss of life! Shouldn't the court be asked to settle this account for the Xie family! I have said this, Clan Leader Xie, please go back!" Chu Feiyang glanced at Xie Yingping with cold eyes, then lowered his head again, took the official document beside him and took a closer look, but in his heart he was evaluating Xie Yingping. He was a capable person, but he was doing the wrong thing in a confused way!
A person who can't distinguish between the interests of the imperial court and his own is still dreaming of dominating Western Chu. It's simply a foolish dream! Even the Rong family, who is rich enough to rival a country, would not be so arrogant!
Xie Yingping had never expected that she would be rejected by Chu Feiyang. Not only did she fail to recover the losses of the Xie family, she was almost accused of treason!
This left him, who had always been shrewd, speechless for a moment. Although he was well prepared, Chu Feiyang put the interests of the people and the country first. When the loss of the Xie family was compared with the two, it suddenly became a drop in the ocean and disappeared in an instant!
"Your Highness, I have something to ask you!" But since Xie Yingping is the patriarch of the Xie family, it is impossible for her to be defeated so easily by Chu Feiyang. The Xie family has been rampant in Youzhou for many years, and the Xie family must have developed some royal habits. However, he forgot that he is facing a real prince at this time!
"Speak!" Chu Feiyang spoke in a good-tempered manner. His cold eyes left the official document and looked at Xie Yingping again to see if he had anything to refute!
"Your Majesty, could you please release the Xie family's servants?" Xie Yingping absolutely didn't think last night's incident was accidental. Besides, which official in Youzhou hadn't taken advantage of the Xie family? How dare they burn those goods behind the Xie family's back? Unless they wanted her to hand them over to the King of Chu!
Only General Hu Wei, King Chu and Han Shao Mian were officials who had just come from Kyoto. All three of them were against the Xie family shipping the goods to Nanxun. It was absolutely impossible for Xie Yingping not to suspect them!
Precisely because of his suspicion, he wanted to get his people back to avoid any more accidents!
After hearing his request, Chu Feiyang raised his hand and rubbed his chin. His shrewd eyes shot towards the group of Youzhou officials who had kept their heads down and remained silent. He said with a hint of a smile, "This matter is not within my jurisdiction! I can't just come to Youzhou and handle all the matters myself. Does the court still need to support so many officials?"
As soon as Chu Feiyang finished speaking, one of the officials stood up tremblingly, bent down to face Chu Feiyang, and whispered, "Your Highness, please rest assured. I will handle this matter! However, the Xie family's goods were burned, and the Xie family did not commit any other extreme acts. I think it would be enough to detain those people for a few days to teach them a lesson. What do you think, Your Highness?"
Although the official was speaking to Chu Feiyang, his eyes were gently looking at Xie Yingping. After he finished speaking, he lowered his head again!
"You are the official in charge of Youzhou, so naturally you should make the decision according to the laws of Western Chu! I will not interfere too much! However, this incident is of great importance. If the punishment is too light, it may not serve as a deterrent! I do have a suggestion. In order to prevent merchants from acting in this way in the future, we should deal with it severely this time. What do you think?" Chu Feiyang seems to be easy to talk to, but in fact he is difficult to talk to; he seems to push all the power to the officials of Youzhou, but in fact he is influencing their decisions!
However, every word he said made perfect sense, and it was impossible to find any fault with it. Everyone looked up at Xie Yingping, whose face had darkened slightly. Seeing the King of Chu with a faint smile and a glint in his eyes, they could only stand up and respond in a low voice under pressure, "We will follow the Prince's instructions!"
At this moment, Han Shaomian saw the guard outside the door winking at him, so he immediately stood up and walked out. He talked to the guard in a very low voice for a while outside the door, then returned to the hall and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, I have something important to report!"
Hearing Han Shaomian's serious voice, Chu Feiyang put away the smile on his face, waved his hand, and said majestically, "Everyone, please leave! If Patriarch Xie is free, you can go visit your servants!"
"I'll take my leave!" Everyone spoke immediately and quickly left as if they had escaped death!
Xie Yingping saluted Chu Feiyang with a sullen face, then strode out of the inn and immediately rode back to the Xie family on horseback!
"What's the matter?" Looking at the empty service room, Chu Feiyang turned to ask Han Shaomian!
Han Shaomian frowned slightly before telling the news he had just received, "News just came from Tongshangkou that the Princess and the Crown Prince of Nanxun Kingdom have sent someone to invite the Prince and Princess to the Nanxun Palace for a gathering! And just as this person arrived at Tongshangkou, the Prince Regent of Nanxun Kingdom also sent someone to invite the Prince and Princess to the Regent's Palace for a gathering!"
As he spoke, Han Shaomian had already taken out two different invitations and placed them in front of Chu Feiyang, waiting for Chu Feiyang's final decision!
"Oh? I'm so popular? I didn't expect that the princess, the crown prince and the regent would treat me so well! I guess General Hu Wei also knows about this!" But Chu Feiyang just glanced at the two invitations on the table, but did not reach out to take any of them. Instead, he asked about Lu Xin's situation!
"Yes! General Hu Wei's men are guarding the trade port, so they are naturally the first to know about this! It was he who ordered the two invitations to be delivered to the post station. I wonder what Your Majesty thinks about it?" Not to mention that Chu Feiyang did not reach out to touch the two invitations, even Han Shaomian felt that the two gold-plated red invitations were really hot. Accepting either one would offend the other party, and it was really difficult to choose!
"Of course I can't accept it! I came here on the emperor's orders, representing Western Chu. How could I accept their unilateral invitation? No matter which side's invitation I accept, the world will think that I am biased towards that side, and then Western Chu will be involved in the internal turmoil of Nanxun! How could I let them get what they want and plot against Western Chu? Minister Han, please return these two invitations and tell them that unless Emperor Feng Jing issues an invitation, I will never accept any invitation!" Chu Feiyang pushed away the two invitations in front of him with one hand at the same time. His eyes were cold and his tone was slightly chill, which made Han Shaomian's heart tighten. He was surprised by Chu Feiyang's cleverness and his clear judgment even though he was in the middle of the game!
If it were up to him to choose, he would probably pick one out of the two, which would not only bring trouble to himself, but also unimaginable disaster to Xi Chu!
When such a difficult problem fell into Chu Feiyang's hands, he made a wise choice in an instant. If we were to describe Han Shaomian's mood at this time, the only word that could describe it was admiration!
Immediately putting away the two invitations, Han Shaomian respectfully saluted Chu Feiyang, then turned around and went to the trading port in person!
At this time, Xi Lin had completed what Yun Qianmeng had asked him to do. He returned the jade token to Yun Qianmeng, then left the yard with a serious expression and stood guard outside the door, not letting anyone with ulterior motives approach!
"Princess, the sun is very strong now, you should go back to the house!" Mu Chun looked at the sun above his head which was getting more and more scorching, so he walked closer to Yun Qianmeng and reminded her in a low voice!
"No need. It's nice to stay cool under this big tree. It's more comfortable than inside the house!" Yun Qianmeng was sitting on the swing, holding the unfinished book in her hand, reading quietly!
It was noon at this time, and the sun poured down from the top of the head, shining on every inch of the earth without reservation. The flickering light could be seen sporadically among the intertwined leaves, as dazzling as stars, which made people dazzled and unable to let go!
As Chu Feiyang stepped into the South Garden, he saw Yun Qianmeng sitting under the emerald green banyan tree in a long purple gauze dress that trailed on the ground. A purple jade hairpin was simply yet elegantly pinned in her hair, and a few small hairpins were used to embellish her hair. Her fair, smooth face shone with pearly light under the starlight. At this moment, she wrapped her hands around the two ropes of the swing, her beautiful little face slightly half-drooped, staring intently at the scroll in her hands, her lotus feet touching the ground with the toes, lightly tapping the ground to gently swing the swing back and forth, and the hem of her skirt fluttering slightly with her movements. She was so beautiful that she didn't seem like a real person, and it made people feel like they were in a fairyland and couldn't leave!
Mu Chun sensed Chu Feiyang's approach and was about to salute, but Chu Feiyang waved his hand to stop him. He quietly walked behind Yun Qianmeng, firmly grasped the ropes on both sides with both hands, and gently pushed the swing in front of him...
"Why did you come back at noon today?" Yun Qianmeng, who had already noticed Chu Feiyang's arrival, raised the corners of her mouth slightly, and asked Chu Feiyang behind her in a low voice while continuing to flip through the book!
"The inn is really boring, so I came back to accompany my wife!" Chu Feiyang stared at the lotus pond in front of him, a smile appeared on his face, and he answered Yun Qianmeng's words in a low voice!
"Have you had lunch? I asked the kitchen to prepare some light meals today!" Yun Qianmeng closed the book in her hand and handed it to Mu Chun, asking her to go down and serve the meal. She turned her head slightly and looked at Chu Feiyang behind her. Her crystal clear eyes sparkled with a brilliance that was no less than the sun, which almost made Chu Feiyang indulge in it!
"Of course I will have dinner with my lady!" He took her hand and asked Yun Qianmeng to stand up. Then he took her hand and slowly walked towards the main house. On the way, he did not forget to tell Yun Qianmeng a joke about what happened in the inn just now to cheer her up!
"It seems like we've indeed been targeted by Nanxun!" After hearing Chu Feiyang's words, Yun Qianmeng chuckled, "I'm afraid the brother and sister in Jiangzhou are Nanxun's spies! However, they do have some skills. Despite General Hu Wei's tight defense, they not only set foot on the land of Western Chu, but also left Youzhou for Jiangzhou. They really are quite capable!"
Chu Feiyang's smile remained undimmed as he listened to Yun Qianmeng's praise. He then spoke, "They are indeed quite capable! By luring us to Youzhou, their purpose has been exposed! However, whether we will wade into the muddy waters of Nanxun Country is not up to them!"
As he spoke, Chu Feiyang's eyes flickered slightly, a cold light flashing in an instant, so fast that it made people think it was an illusion!
Yun Qianmeng nodded slightly upon hearing this. "However, if Emperor Feng Jing issues an invitation, I'm afraid we'll still have to go to Nanxun. After all, we're here to deal with this matter! Regardless of what the various Nanxun factions are planning, we still have to deal with this mess left behind by Lu Xin first! However, this Xie family is quite troublesome, openly trying to challenge the laws of Western Chu. Are they too confident or too foolish?"
Seeing Yun Qianmeng mention the Xie family, Chu Feiyang let out a sneer, then slowly said, "After today's incident, I'm sure the Xie family will be quiet for a while! This also happens to give the Rong family time to prepare!"
Speaking of the Rong family, Yun Qianmeng also recounted in detail what she had done today. "According to the schedule, they will be able to enter the city in four days! Since Xie Yingping mentioned the issue of goodwill today, their failure to deliver on time is naturally damaging to their reputation! When we open the clinic, we can also make countermeasures to the Xie family's failure this time. Even though the Xie family has a strong foundation in Youzhou, they are definitely not the only merchants in Youzhou. There are definitely many who do not obey the Xie family. We can then unite with other merchants to fight against the Xie family! This will not only reduce our risks, but also save a lot of time. It is better than running into obstacles everywhere in Youzhou where we are unfamiliar with the place!"
Chu Feiyang looked down at Yun Qianmeng as she slowly spoke of her plan, his eyes filled with doting. His Meng'er knew that this was more than just a little bit stronger! She also knew that the look on her face when she lowered her head and pondered a problem was the most attractive. Her calm and wise nature, which he never tired of watching, made him always willing to let her go and let her display her intelligence!
"Meng'er has already thought about it so carefully, and I, your husband, will naturally cooperate with you with all my strength!" Before it even started, he was already looking forward to the days to come. He believed that during their time in Youzhou, they would not be idle, or they might even create unimaginable brilliance!
Hearing Chu Feiyang's approval, Yun Qianmeng smiled, then asked her husband with a hint of confusion, "Rong Yunhe and others entering Youzhou will definitely attract Lu Xin's attention. If they stay in the inn, it might be dangerous!"
Especially since Rong Yunhe still has a head of white hair, it's hard not to attract other people's attention!
What's more, the Rong family is wealthy and powerful, and everyone in Xichu knows about it. If Xie Yingping and others knew that Rong Yunhe had entered Youzhou, they would definitely be alert and might even take extreme actions. This is the scenario that Yun Qianmeng least wants to see!
"Don't worry, I will take care of this matter!" Chu Feiyang said lightly, and then he and Yun Qianmeng stepped into the main house together. Seeing that the maids had already prepared lunch, the two of them stopped discussing and savored the delicious food slowly!
In the palace of the Queen of Western Chu!
"Your Majesty, please eat something! You have eaten too little recently and you look much more haggard!" The palace maid looked at the almost untouched lunch on the table, and anxiously advised the queen to eat more!
But the queen waved her hand and said lazily, "Let's retreat!"
The emperor hasn't set foot in her palace for nearly a month, his own daughter has been taken away by Concubine Rong, and the two personal maids beside him are dead and miserable. Under such circumstances, how can the queen have the heart to eat!
The Queen stood up with one hand on the table and was about to enter her own chamber when she saw a figure quickly walk in from outside the door. The Queen's eyes lit up instantly and she immediately turned towards the figure and asked anxiously, "How is it? Has the Emperor asked to release me from my confinement?"
The figure who walked in looked at the queen with a happy face, but just shook his head with a gloomy expression and whispered, "To answer your question, Your Majesty, I have been waiting outside the palace for half a day today, but I didn't see the emperor. Later, I heard from the eunuch who was cleaning the dragon table in front of the emperor that after the emperor finished his morning court, he went to Ronghua Palace to visit the little princess and Rong Guifei!"
After saying that, the eunuch fell silent. He had been with the queen for a long time, so how could he not know about the things going on in the palace?
These ladies, no matter they are of high or low rank, are all competing for the emperor on the dragon throne, but there is only one emperor, and those who do not receive his favor will naturally be jealous and angry!
Poor Empress, not only did she lose two of her confidants, but she was also confined by the Emperor because of the mistakes made by a palace maid. Now even the little princess has been taken away from her. She is truly miserable!
However, after listening to the eunuch's report, the queen became extremely calm. Although her face was pale, she was extremely sober. She turned around with a gloomy expression and walked slowly towards her bedroom!
"Little Luzi!" After a while, the queen's soft call was heard from the bedroom!
When the young eunuch heard this, he immediately walked into the bedroom, bowed and stood beside the queen, and respectfully asked, "What do you want, Her Majesty?"
The Queen took out a few new thin jackets from the wooden box in front of her and handed them to Xiao Luzi. She then instructed, "Take these small clothes to Ronghua Palace for me! Tell them that I can't leave my palace, so I have no choice but to send you!"
"Your Majesty!" Looking at the small jacket with delicate stitching and exquisite workmanship in his hand, Xiao Luzi felt a little uncomfortable. If the Queen didn't miss the little princess so much, how could she use such a method?
"Your Majesty, no!" Unexpectedly, before little Lu Zi turned around, he heard another voice of obstruction from behind!
They both turned around in confusion, only to see the maid who had just persuaded the Queen to eat hurried in. She bowed upon seeing the Queen and then spoke, "Your Majesty, you've become so haggard. You must not be depressed any longer! If the little princess doesn't have her mother's support, even if Concubine Rong can't have her own children, how can she treat the little princess sincerely?"
What the palace maid said made sense, but her words touched the Queen's heart. The Queen's already pale face showed a hint of worry. She frowned and thought deeply. If she wanted to protect Yao'er, she had to stand up again in the palace, otherwise she would not be able to fight against Concubine Rong who was enjoying the emperor's favor!
"Your Majesty, I have a way, may I tell you?" Seeing that the queen fell into deep thought because of her words, the palace maid spoke cautiously!
"Tell me about it!" But the queen turned her gaze to the palace maid. Seeing that she looked as smart as her two former confidants, she nodded and let her speak!
But the palace maid was also smart. She scanned the bedroom with her eyes, then approached the queen and whispered her thoughts in her ear!
The queen's eyes lit up after hearing this, but then dimmed again. She said with a hint of uncertainty, "No, this is too dangerous! The emperor has already blamed me for not taking good care of the little princess. Even if I do this, I'm afraid the emperor will not suspect Concubine Rong!" Especially after the previous incident, the emperor suspected that she dared to use her own daughter to win favor. If such a thing happens again, I'm afraid she can't wash off this crime even if she jumps into the river!
"Your Majesty..." The maid frowned in embarrassment when she saw that the Queen had rejected her idea. She casually told the story of what had happened in Ronghua Palace recently. "Your Majesty lives deep in the palace. You must not know that Concubine Rong has been ill and bedridden for many days. Not only did she not take care of the little princess, she even let the little princess live in a side hall of Ronghua Palace! Every time the Emperor goes to Ronghua Palace, he only visits Concubine Rong, but is very cold to the little princess! The little princess is the apple of your Majesty's eye. How can she be treated like this? Besides, in the palace, which of these servants doesn't flatter the powerful and bully the weak? I'm afraid the little princess has been treated badly for a long time!"
As she spoke, the palace maid began to sob, as if she was feeling sorry for Princess Yao'er, or as if she couldn't bear to see such a young child suffer!
But these words touched the queen's heart. Even though the princess was a girl, she was also a piece of flesh and blood of the queen. Now that her daughter was living such a life, how could she not feel pain and sadness?
But the queen is always the queen. The fact that the little princess has been healthy and well in Ronghua Palace these days is enough to show that even though Concubine Rong did not treat the princess well, she did not abuse her!
Moreover, after the incident involving her two confidants, the Queen no longer trusted anyone completely. Her sharp gaze swept across the maid in front of her, and she said coldly, "You may withdraw first! Little Lu, you must personally deliver the clothes to Concubine Rong. No one else may pass them through your hands!"
"Yes!" Little Lu Zi glanced at the palace maid, and then the two of them left the bedroom at the same time!
And at this time in Ronghua Palace!
Emperor Yugan looked at Concubine Rong, whose face was gradually regaining its vitality, and a look of admiration appeared in his eyes. He sighed in his heart that the Rong family was really good at hiding people. If Rong Rong had not been sent to the palace long ago, who would have known that the Rong family actually had such a peerless beauty hidden?
"Your Majesty, the state affairs are so busy, why do you come here every day? I am fine, it is really not worth your worry!" Concubine Rong was able to walk around. At this time, she was accompanying Emperor Yugan after lunch. The two of them walked towards the side hall where the little princess was staying temporarily. But when she saw Emperor Yugan staring at her cheek, she found an excuse to divert his attention and spoke!
"My beloved concubine, do you not want to see me?" Sensing Concubine Rong's resistance to him, Emperor Yugan's eyes turned slightly, a gloomy air floating in his eyes. Although the corners of his mouth were smiling, his tone was already a little unhappy! As an emperor, the last thing he needed was to read other people's faces, and yet a subtle expression from him could scare a group of ministers to death!
Noticing that Emperor Yugan's tone was somewhat displeased, Concubine Rong immediately lowered her eyes, using her thick eyelashes to block out the light in her eyes. She remained calm and said with the compliment that Emperor Yugan wanted to hear, "I dare not. I am just worried about your Majesty's health. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"
As she spoke, Concubine Rong was about to kneel down, but a strong hand held her arm!
The body was lifted up easily. Emperor Yugan was dissatisfied with the weight in his hands and ordered Eunuch Yu behind him, "Tell the imperial kitchen to serve more nutritious dishes. Don't treat my concubine badly!"
Eunuch Yu followed closely behind Emperor Yugan, so he naturally heard the conversation between the two. After Concubine Rong rejected the emperor several times, she was still treated well by the emperor. This was enough to prove that Concubine Rong had indeed aroused the emperor's interest at this time!
"Yes, I will ask someone to do it right away!" Eunuch Yu agreed immediately, turned around and told the eunuch behind him to go to the imperial kitchen to give instructions on this matter!
"Rong'er, you are so light, but you really need to take good care of your body and don't be careless!" At this time, Emperor Yu Gan had already let go of Concubine Rong's arm, and instead took her hand and continued to walk forward!
"Your Majesty is considerate of me. I will take good care of myself for Your Majesty! But Your Majesty, the Empress has been under house arrest for a full month. I hope Your Majesty can lift the ban for the Empress. I'm sure the Empress must miss the little princess very much!" Seeing her hand being tightly held by Emperor Yugan, Concubine Rong felt a little uncomfortable in her heart. If she pulled her hand away at this moment, she was afraid that it would anger Emperor Yugan, and then it would implicate the Rong family!
Hearing Concubine Rong pleading for the Queen, Emperor Yugan did not pause at all, nor did he reply to her words. Instead, he slightly increased the strength in his hands, pulling Concubine Rong, who had always kept a distance from him, closer to him!
"Father..." A clear and tender voice was heard at this moment, and a small pink and yellow figure flew into Emperor Yugan's arms like a young swallow!
Emperor Yugan immediately released Concubine Rong's hand and opened his arms to catch Princess Yao who was running towards him. He immediately picked up the lovely little princess and then weighed her. He freed one hand to touch the little princess's delicate nose and jokingly said, "Yao'er has gained weight recently. Father can hardly hold you anymore!"
But the little princess stretched out her arms to hug her father's neck, put her pink cheek against Emperor Yugan's, and said coquettishly, "Father hasn't come to see Yao'er for a long time! Mother hasn't come to see Yao'er for a long time! Don't father and mother want Yao'er anymore?" As she spoke, Princess Yao's clear big eyes looked at Concubine Rong who was following behind Emperor Yugan with resentment!
Rong Rong looked at those innocent big eyes, which were filled with a maturity that did not belong to her age. She suddenly understood something, but did not feel too much sympathy!
In this deep palace, while giving you a noble status, it is natural to take something away from you!
The little princess is the apple of Emperor Yugan's eye and has been loved by him since she was young. However, she was born and raised in the deep palace and is surrounded by palace maids with complicated minds. How can she be simple?
Now that the Queen's house arrest has expired, everyone must be ready to take action!
Listening to the little princess's dejected voice, Emperor Yugan kissed her forehead and then said lovingly, "How could your father not want Yao'er? Your mother is busy these days, so let her come to see Yao'er another day, okay?"
"Yao'er misses her mother and wants to live with her! Father, is that okay?" Unexpectedly, Princess Yao frowned at this moment, her big eyes showing a pitiful look, and the tears in her eyes slid down her face like pearls from a broken string. Seeing this, Emperor Yugan felt distressed and immediately took out a yellow handkerchief to wipe her tears, but he did not immediately answer the little princess's request!
After all, with the previous incident as an example, Emperor Yu Gan naturally couldn't bear to put his beloved princess into a dangerous environment, and Rong Rong was considered the most intelligent woman in the palace, and the Rong family had never fought for power. Looking at the entire palace, Rong Rong, who was considered infertile, was the only one who was no match for him. Even if she was beautiful, she still posed no threat!
Therefore, placing the princess in Ronghua Palace is the best choice!
"Dear Yao'er! Your mother has been busy these days and may not have time to take care of you. You just stay here with Concubine Rong. When your mother is free, she will come to accompany you, okay?" Emperor Yu Gan sat down with the little princess in his arms, holding her in his arms and patiently coaxing the crying little princess!
After hearing Emperor Yugan say the same words again, the little princess gradually stopped crying, sobbed and raised her tear-stained little face, and wisely stopped saying anything that would anger Emperor Yugan!
Seeing her so understanding, Emperor Yugan gently wiped the tears from her face, then raised his head and looked at Concubine Rong standing beside him and said, "You should sit down too!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Concubine Rong calmly looked at the little princess who had stopped crying, but did not interrupt the conversation between the father and daughter!
"Your Majesty, the Empress has sent Xiao Luzi to deliver clothes to the princess!" At this time, Eunuch Yu stepped into the side hall and respectfully reported what was happening outside!