"Prince Hai's momentum is getting more and more fierce!" After Xi Lin left, Yun Qianmeng slowly walked to the window near the lobby, stood beside Xiahou An'er, and spoke lightly.

Hearing Yun Qianmeng mention Hai Chenxi for no reason, Xiahou An'er felt a strange feeling in her heart. She then turned her gaze away from the outside and turned to Yun Qianmeng. Her heart tightened slightly, and confusion and doubt flashed in her beautiful black pupils, but there was also a hint of nervousness hidden inside.

Especially after seeing Yun Qianmeng's calm expression and eyes, Xiahou An'er couldn't help but retract her hands that were originally resting on the windowsill, slightly tightened the handkerchief in her hand, and her heart began to beat like a drum.

"An'er?" Although Yun Qianmeng looked out the window, her thoughts were always on Xiahou An'er.

Seeing Xiahou An'er silent at this time, a hint of confusion appeared on her beautiful face. Yun Qianmeng slowly turned her head and looked at her seriously, but did not continue to speak. She just quietly examined Xiahou An'er's expression.

Xiahou An'er felt a little embarrassed by Yun Qianmeng's overly calm gaze, and she turned away involuntarily, her eyes fixed on the window. She watched the lobby of Fugui Hall overflow with customers, and the waiter warmly greet every guest who came in. However, the coldness of Hai Chenxi's presence just now and Yun Qianmeng's words resurfaced in her mind. She slowly lowered her eyes, letting her long eyelashes obscure the expression in her eyes, casting a shadow on her face. Then she spoke softly, "I feel a little sorry for the Prince of Hai. Being bullied by the eldest son like this, if he shows too much weakness, I'm afraid he won't have a place in the Prince of Hai's mansion!"

In this light, Xiahou An'er felt somewhat sympathetic towards Hai Chenxi's situation. After all, after the conversation between Hai Chenxi and the Hai Yue couple, as well as Manager Meng's explanation, everyone understood that Hai Yue had been the first to bully them. If Hai Chenxi didn't fight back, he would surely be trampled under Hai Yue's feet in the future.

Yun Qianmeng noticed the change in Xiahou An'er's expression, pursed her lips, turned her head, and looked at the scenery outside the wing room. She continued, "Yes, in this world, the winners are kings and the losers are bandits. One wrong move and everything is lost! If you are too weak, you will become prey and be slaughtered at will! Prince Hai's mother, Concubine Qin, was once his most beloved concubine, but she was so beautiful and tragic that she left behind only her young son, which is why Prince Hai is in such a passive situation!"

"Cousin-in-law!" Hearing Yun Qianmeng actually bring up Hai Chenxi's family affairs, Xiahou An'er looked up in surprise, staring at Yun Qianmeng with astonishment, not understanding why her cousin-in-law would say such a thing to her. However, her heart was slightly shaken by Yun Qianmeng's words. As early as the first time she met Hai Chenxi, she had felt that this person was both good and evil, making him unpredictable. Could it be that because of Concubine Qin's incident, Hai Chenxi had become like this?

"An'er, the heart of the Sea King has gradually been revealed! Now the world seems peaceful, but in fact, beneath this calm there are hidden turbulent waves! In addition, the emperor is now wary and suspicious of the strength of all parties. Even Feiyang can't predict how the world will go in the future! If..." When she said this, Yun Qianmeng frowned slightly, but swallowed the rest of the words into her stomach.

"Cousin-in-law, do you mean to stay away from the people in the Sea Palace?" Xiahou An'er was clever after all. Even though Yun Qianmeng only said half of her words, she had already guessed the other half. Furthermore, Xiahou Qin had returned to Luocheng without informing anyone. Even though Xiahou An'er was a princess raised in seclusion, she had noticed something was amiss.

But after hearing what Xiahou An'er said, Yun Qianmeng neither nodded nor shook her head. She simply stared at Xiahou An'er for a long moment before speaking again, "How can you let go of the word 'love' just like that? Finding someone who understands and stays with you is a blessing and a gift, and it can't be forced! I'm not telling you this today, not to ask you to avoid anyone, nor to ask you to sever your ties of love! I just hope you can understand that if he's worth it, then give it a try. It's better than regretting it later!"

There were some things Yun Qianmeng hadn't made clear to Xiahou An'er. The Sea King was bound to be an enemy of everyone, and that naturally included the Chu Palace and the Chu Prime Minister's Mansion. If Xiahou An'er fell in love with Hai Chenxi, she would be the only one to be caught in the middle!

But as a woman, Yun Qianmeng always hoped that Xiahou An'er could be loved by her husband and spend her life with someone who shared her feelings. That was why she left her alone and said these words today.

"Cousin!" Xiahou An'er's pretty face flushed when she heard Yun Qianmeng speak so bluntly. She called out "Yun Qianmeng" in a sweet and playful way. Her heart was pounding, and she felt a little shy. She then denied it, "Cousin, you're overthinking it. I just felt that the Prince of Hai was a little pitiful!"

He is a pitiful man after all. Even though he has the Sea King who loves him and the title of Prince, he is under pressure from his biological mother and elder brother. I am afraid he will never be able to make a name for himself!

However, as soon as she finished denying it, the shy look in Xiahou An'er's eyes disappeared, and a hint of embarrassment and hesitation appeared. After a while, she seemed to mutter to herself, "If An'er really falls into this dilemma in the future, cousin, what do you think I should do?"

Ultimately, Xiahou An'er still felt something strange about Hai Chenxi. The man who had helped her in the snow, saving her from losing her composure in front of others, rarely even glanced at her. The man who had sneered at her in the Sea Palace, his eyes tinged with provocation, truly stirred her fighting spirit. She subconsciously searched for him in the crowd.

But my cousin's sister-in-law's analysis was also very correct. If the two royal palaces become enemies in the future, how should she choose?

"It's very simple!" Yun Qianmeng spoke lightly, looking out the window with a calm and peaceful expression, as bright as a mirror on a windless lake, yet revealing great wisdom, which made Xiahou An'er unconsciously raise her eyes and look at this cousin-in-law who has always been extremely intelligent.

"Follow your heart!" Yun Qianmeng uttered these seven words slowly, but she was still admiring the scenery outside. She didn't pay attention to the shock and surprise in Xiahou An'er's eyes, but just calmly stated her position and support for Xiahou An'er.

"Cousin-in-law!" Xiahou An'er choked up with sobs, her eyes slightly reddened, but she could no longer utter a word...

Imperial Palace, Fengxiang Palace.

"How is your health today, mother? I have been busy with government affairs recently and have been less frequently in Fengxiang Palace. I hope you will not be angry." There was nothing to do in the afternoon, so Emperor Yugan led the palace people to Fengxiang Palace. Seeing the empress dowager lying on the couch to rest, he quietly came to the empress dowager and sat down, greeting her in a low voice.

The Empress Dowager had already received the news when Emperor Yugan walked towards Fengxiang Palace. Hearing Emperor Yugan's voice, she wasn't surprised at all. Slowly opening her eyes, the Empress Dowager carefully examined Emperor Yugan before sitting up with Aunt Lan's support. She smiled faintly and said, "A lot has happened in the palace today. Your Majesty naturally has to prioritize state affairs. I have so many people serving here, how can I allow Your Majesty to come every day? But, are the people around Your Majesty not doing their best? Your Majesty seems to have lost a lot of weight. Could it be that the heavy workload of state affairs is exhausting?"

As she spoke, the Queen Mother hurriedly instructed Aunt Lan, "Hurry up and ask the Imperial Kitchen to send us some golden bird's nest and ginseng cakes!"

"Yes, I'll do it right away!" After paying her respects to the two honorable masters, Aunt Lan left Eunuch Qu and Eunuch Yu to serve them, and she personally led the other palace servants out of the main hall and headed towards the imperial kitchen.

"I heard that the emperor ordered people to look for Rong Rong's body. Is this true?" Seeing that only Emperor Yugan and her confidants were left in the main hall, the empress dowager asked.

The matter of Rong Rong had long been spread outside the palace, but although Emperor Yu Gan had ordered the death of Concubine Rong, he had not immediately taken action against the Rong family. This surprised the empress dowager, so she asked this question casually, waiting to see Emperor Yu Gan's answer.

"Yes, mother! After all, the Rong family has made great contributions to the country of Western Chu. I was angry at that time, so it is inevitable that I made some mistakes! And Concubine Rong has been doing her duty since she entered the palace. Now that she is dead, I have not deprived her of her title. If I just throw her in a mass grave, I am afraid it will cause criticism!" When Emperor Yugan heard the empress dowager mention this matter, he spoke calmly. There was no emotion in his calm eyes, which made people feel that the heart of the emperor was really unfathomable.

After listening to Emperor Yugan's explanation, there was no ripple on the empress dowager's solemn face. She just nodded slightly, agreeing with Emperor Yugan's approach.

"Some time ago, the Emperor asked the Crown Prince to go to the Sea King's Palace on his behalf. It seems that our Crown Prince has grown up and is now able to take charge!" Especially in recent days, Concubine De has been very popular in the palace. The fact that the Crown Prince has always been valued by the Emperor has added a lot of points to her. No wonder the Queen has seldom gone out recently. I think she must be unwilling to give up.

Seeing the Queen Mother mention the Crown Prince, Emperor Yugan smiled slowly and nodded, saying, "Haotian is a very thoughtful child. He didn't bring shame to our royal family when he went to the Sea Prince's Palace. This is also very gratifying to me!"

Seeing Emperor Yugan's proud expression as a father, the Queen Mother nodded with a smile. But then, a hint of worry flashed across her eyes, and she changed the subject, "Haotian is fourteen already, and it's time for him to marry a Crown Princess! National affairs are certainly important, but the Crown Prince is also the foundation of Western Chu. Your Majesty should keep an eye out for the most virtuous young lady and arrange a good marriage for Haotian as soon as possible! That way, the child can focus more on serving you, his father, and relieve you of your worries!"

Hearing this, a cold glint flashed across Emperor Yugan's half-closed eyes. He reached out and picked up the teacup on the table. He took a slow sip of tea, carefully savoring the sweetness and bitterness on the tip of his tongue. After the tea temperature dissipated, he swallowed it and replied, "What my mother reminded me of is that Haotian is indeed not young anymore. I should find a candidate for a Crown Princess for him! Concubine De has always been well-behaved, and her family is loyal and righteous. We can consider selecting one from the loyal and brave marquis families!"

After he finished speaking, Emperor Yugan stared at the empress dowager's expression with his clear eyes, waiting for her answer.

When the Empress Dowager heard Emperor Yugan mention Concubine De's family, she immediately denied it in her heart, but she remained calm and said, "Concubine De is already of high rank, her son is the Crown Prince, and her family is a prominent family. If you choose another from her family as the Crown Princess, I'm afraid no one in the harem can compete with Concubine De, and the Emperor's throne will become precarious! The Emperor has always been cautious, so why did he make such a mistake today? The Crown Prince is no match for the Emperor. At that time, Concubine Ruan Shu was deceased, so everything naturally needed support! The Ruan family rarely had legitimate daughters, so they chose a daughter from a branch of the family to be the Empress, so that the Emperor could control it! But the Crown Prince is different. His mother is powerful, and the Crown Prince himself is quite capable. If he chooses a Crown Princess from his mother's family, I'm afraid..."

"Your Majesty is right. I'm just too impatient! Why don't you recommend a few people? If they have good character, they'll naturally have a chance to become the Crown Princess!" Emperor Yugan naturally didn't really want to choose a Crown Princess from Concubine De's family. His throne was hard-earned, so how could he let others take advantage of it? Even if this person was his son, it was absolutely unacceptable!

How could the Empress Dowager not understand Emperor Yugan's thoughts? But now she wanted to follow Emperor Yugan's words and say, "Your Majesty also knows that my niece, Feiqing, is now in her prime, three years younger than the Crown Prince! As the saying goes, a woman three years older than her husband is a treasure! She is a perfect match for the Crown Prince!"

After all, the Queen Mother wanted Qu Feiqing to become the queen of the next monarch!

After hearing what the Queen Mother said, Emperor Yugan fell into a long silence, as if he was thinking about the feasibility of this matter.

The Queen Mother was not in a hurry either. She picked up the teacup beside her and sipped it slowly, waiting for Emperor Yugan's reply.

After a long moment, Emperor Yugan raised his eyes, looked indifferently at the Queen Mother, and spoke calmly, "The Crown Prince's marriage is a major event. If we hastily arrange it, I'm afraid it will be criticized by the court officials! Why not follow the ancestral system? As long as the women of official families meet the requirements, they can be selected. Mother, do you think this is okay?"

Hearing Emperor Yugan's words, the Empress Dowager took a sip of hot tea, which immediately formed a blister on the delicate inner wall of her mouth. However, under Emperor Yugan's close gaze, she could only swallow it down. The leisurely look on her face gradually faded, and her calm expression was slightly cold. She said rather coldly, "Everything is naturally decided by the Emperor!"

Emperor Yugan pretended not to notice the Empress Dowager's changed expression and smiled faintly, "Since that's the case, I'll discuss this matter with the ministers upon my return! I've heard the past few days that my seventh brother didn't send anyone to check on Concubine Yuande after she left for the Imperial Mausoleum. Is this true?"

The Empress Dowager had just been rejected and was in a very bad mood. How could she have the leisure to discuss Yuande Concubine and others with Emperor Yugan? She said in a somewhat unpleasant tone, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten that it is the Empress who holds the Phoenix Seal? How can an old woman like me care about these things?"

Emperor Yugan, however, didn't seem to care. He spoke in his usual tone, "When my father was dying, Concubine Yuande and my mother were the last people to see him. I wonder if my father had any other instructions?"

－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－

The physical book of "Princess of Chu" will be on the market in two weeks. After more than half a year of hard work, mixed with my blood, sweat, and sweat, the physical book is finally going to be on the market!

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