Whether it was Ning Hongze, Ning Zixi, or Ning Changxi himself, they all felt somewhat uncomfortable with Song Zhuo's actions.

Song Zhuo clearly no longer likes Changxi.

What is the purpose of this deliberate act of intimacy?

When Song Zhuo was six years old, the late emperor entrusted him with the care of the young emperor.

From that time until now, he and Ning Changxi have known each other for thirteen years.

Ning Changxi is one year younger than Song Zhuo.

When Song Zhuo first met Ning Changxi, he took a liking to her.

His father's sudden death left him feeling panicked and helpless.

His father entrusted him to the Duke of Wei, and the only person he trusted in his heart was the Duke of Wei.

However, the Duke of Wei was very busy.

He was responsible for matters of state and for his father's funeral.

He took him directly back to the Duke of Wei's mansion.

When he cried because he missed his father, Ning Changxi's companionship gave him a lot of encouragement. She would cry with him when he was sad and wipe away his tears with a handkerchief.

I can sing nursery rhymes to him.

I'll dance for him—

They shared so many memories.

His aunt Zixi also took good care of him.

They are not that much older than each other.

However, every time, Ning Zixi would always have a stern face, staring at the two of them and forbidding them from doing anything dangerous—

He always felt that he and the Ning family would continue like this.

But unexpectedly, things took a turn halfway through.

It wasn't just his aunt and his seventh uncle who had problems; the same was true for him and Changxi.

"Changxi, why don't you come back to the palace with me?"

After hesitating for a moment, Song Zhuo finally couldn't help but speak.

“I—” She didn’t want to go back.

Just as she had told her father before, she had already regretted it.

There were many women in the imperial harem.

Several of them were bestowed by the Empress Dowager.

To be honest, Ning Changxi didn't really understand the Empress Dowager's thoughts.

It was the late emperor who insisted on entrusting the young emperor to her father.

However, the Empress Dowager was very unhappy, feeling that her father had stolen her opportunity to assist in governing the country.

She wanted to rule from behind the curtain, but unfortunately, the late emperor's dying edict had two parts: first, to entrust the young emperor to her father, making him almost a regent; and second, to forbid the empress dowager from interfering in politics.

If the Empress Dowager insists on interfering in politics, the Duke of Wei has the right to send her to the imperial mausoleum to guard the tomb.

Clearly, in the late emperor's mind, he trusted her father more than the Empress Dowager.

This made the Empress Dowager extremely dissatisfied with her father.

After she entered the palace, they made things difficult for her time and time again.

He kept giving Song Zhuo one woman after another.

It seemed that she felt happy as long as Song Zhuo ignored her.

Ning Changxi could guess some of the Empress Dowager's thoughts.

Isn't the goal just to humiliate her and upset her father?

She didn't really mind these things. As long as Song Zhuo didn't touch them, the Empress Dowager couldn't force him to touch those people.

As for corporal punishment, the Empress Dowager dared not do it.

Her father had so much power back then, and he was also a straightforward man who doted on his daughter.

As long as the Empress Dowager dares to physically punish her or lay a hand on her, her father will dare to abandon his responsibilities.

Later, the emperor had affairs with other women.

When Ning Changxi heard the news, it was as if a bolt from the blue had struck him.

In fact, she had already prepared herself mentally before she decided to enter the palace. This man was the emperor, and it was impossible for him to have only one woman by his side.

However, his performance over the past two years has been so good that it has given her some unwarranted expectations.

Now, those expectations have ultimately been dashed.

She was heartbroken for a day, but eventually she composed herself. She suppressed all the jealousy and expectations she shouldn't have had of the empress.

She will become a worthy queen.

Song Zhuo is surrounded by more and more women.

Her feelings for him gradually faded.

It was Su Yuan this time that made her unable to restrain herself.

Of course, it wasn't just for herself, but more so for her aunt.

She never expected that the Emperor would care about her so much that he would banish her to the Cold Palace.

The Empress Dowager was overjoyed.

While she was in the Cold Palace, she had already heard that the Empress Dowager's niece had entered the palace.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, she should be the next empress.

She always felt that the Emperor was probably a little unaccustomed to it for the time being.

After all, they've been together for so many years.

Before or after marriage.

Of course, aside from this point, Ning Changxi would not have any other idea.

For example, who—likes, loves—

If he truly loved her, how could he have crippled her and even imprisoned her in the cold palace over such a simple matter?

"Your Majesty, do you wish for me to return to the Cold Palace?"

Ning Changxi pondered for a long time before finally uttering these words.

"No, what I mean is—"

“Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has already chosen a new Empress for you.” Ning Changxi sighed. “Of course, I would also be willing to return to the Cold Palace if it were so that Your Majesty could let Eunuch Sanfu manage the Cold Palace and not starve me.”

Song Zhuo's face darkened completely.

"Ning Changxi, that's not what I meant."

Since he allowed her to return to the palace, it was natural that he intended for her to become empress again. No one had ever said that a deposed empress could not be reinstated.

“Your Majesty, this is my home, so I will say a few words to you as Ning Changxi’s father.” Ning Hong put down her chopsticks.

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