Chapter 172 Not Letting Go

Xie Qingran did not get up, but simply kowtowed respectfully.

"Yes, it's all my fault. Yesterday, the Imperial Concubine sent three beauties to the Prince, but I sent them away."

Xie Qingran did not deny what she had done; on the contrary, she openly admitted it.

It would have been better if she hadn't admitted it, but now she's just admitted it outright...

The imperial concubine's face also turned very ugly.

She gritted her teeth: "Xie Qingran, what nonsense are you talking about!"

"Yes, it's all nonsense from this humble woman."

Xie Qingran didn't refute, but instead pretended to be scared, her body even trembling like a leaf.

"Your Highness is far too arrogant!"

"Why would you send a beautiful woman as a wedding gift? Besides, you know A-Jue's health condition. You're just deliberately humiliating him!"

"Your Majesty! You must stand up for Qingran, for Ajue, and for the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion!"

The Empress knelt down again, each word stained with blood and tears.

Now, the emperor's expression changed. He really hadn't expected that the Consort had become so immature over the years, nor had he expected that the Empress, who had always been unassuming, would hold onto this matter so firmly.

He thought for a moment and looked at Xie Qingran: "In the end, you are the one who suffered the most in this matter. What do you think?"

"Your Majesty, I believe that harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things."

"Your Highness is only doing this for the good of the Crown Prince. As long as Your Highness is not angry, I dare not say anything more."

Xie Qingran lowered her head, clenched her fists, and suppressed all the hatred in her chest.

The Imperial Concubine is now not only the most powerful woman in the harem, but also deeply entrenched in the court. Under such circumstances, the dilapidated Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and the unreliable Xie family are no match for her.

What good will it do to seize upon these trivial matters? They'll just pass by without any real impact.

However, if these minor issues are temporarily shelved, they will become evidence of her numerous crimes when the bigger issues retaliate later.

A thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole, and water dripping on stone can wear it away. One day, Xie Qingran will get all of this back!

Seeing this, the emperor was naturally very satisfied with Xie Qingran, but he looked at the Consort with some dissatisfaction: "Alright, alright, let's just let this matter go. I'll act as a peacemaker, and you won't have to worry about Ajue anymore. He's fine as he is now."

These words were not only to protect Xie Qingran, but also to tell them that Xiao Jue was not allowed to take any more concubines.

Xie Qingran understood the emperor's implication of retreating, so she kowtowed and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the Fifth Prince walked in.

After entering, he quickly bowed and said, "Your subject greets the Emperor and Empress, and pays respects to the Noble Consort."

"Why are you here?" The emperor was not particularly fond of this son, so he looked indifferent when he saw him.

The fifth prince knew that his father did not like him. He smiled and said, "Father, I have something I want to discuss with you."

"Oh? What is it?" The emperor found it rather intriguing.

This son usually treats him like a mouse before a cat, so why does he now have things to discuss with him?

The fifth prince blushed slightly and rubbed his hands together: "Father, I'm old enough to be engaged."

The Empress immediately understood the Fifth Prince's meaning and said with a smile, "If you say that, you must have a girl you like, right?"

"Your Majesty is wise; it is... the second young lady of the Xie family."

"What! What did you say?!"

The teacup in the concubine's hand was knocked to the ground, scalding her wrist until it turned bright red.

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

Yinshuang was quite frightened and quickly stepped forward to take a handkerchief and wipe the tea off the concubine's hands.

Seeing the Consort's reaction, the Empress finally understood that the message Xiao Jue had secretly given her was true!

There's definitely something fishy about the Sixth Prince!

This realization thrilled the Empress. After so many years, after waiting for so many years, she had finally found the Consort's fatal weakness!

As long as we seize this fatal flaw and attack relentlessly, she will surely die without a burial place!

"What's wrong, Your Highness?" The Fifth Prince looked at the Consort with a puzzled expression. "Your Majesty, I only like the second young lady of the Xie family. Is there... is there anything wrong with that?"

The imperial concubine belatedly realized that she had been too excited.

She took a deep breath, awkwardly forced a smile, and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, it's...it's like this, the Sixth Prince also said before that he liked the Second Miss Xie, so...as the older brother, he can't compete with his younger brother for her, can he?"

Xie Qingran looked at the Imperial Concubine with some doubt and asked, "But the Sixth Prince has always been very close to the Third Miss of the Gu family, and the two have even gone out together. What? Does the Sixth Prince actually like my sister?"

"Insolence! Shut up!"

"What business is it of yours what the prince's marriage is? How dare you interfere!"

The imperial concubine rebuked her sharply, looking at Xie Qingran with displeasure, as if she wanted to devour her alive.

Xie Qingran took a step back and watched the show silently.

She truly felt it was a pity that Xiao Jue wasn't there; if he could have witnessed it with his own eyes, it would have been even more satisfying.

Once this marriage was announced, the Imperial Concubine couldn't care less about Xie Qingran's trivial matter; all she could think about was how to stop the marriage.

The Empress looked at the Consort with displeasure: "Regardless of who the Sixth Prince likes, it was my son who expressed his liking for the Second Miss. What, is the Consort trying to steal her away too?"

If it were any other girl, the Imperial Concubine would naturally not have tried to snatch her.

But this person is Xie Hanyue. Anyone can marry the Fifth Prince, but she can't, she can't!

"Your Majesty is too kind. We are all mothers. I just can't bear to see my child sad." The Imperial Concubine sighed, her eyes red, and said softly, "Your Majesty, Xiao Liu has been frail and sickly since he was a child. Please, Your Majesty, show him more love and care."

"Your Highness, I can give up anything, but I cannot give up my marriage, nor can I give up the woman I love."

"Father, from childhood to adulthood, I have never asked anything of you, I only ask that you grant me and the Second Miss our wish!"

The fifth prince immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily.

He usually had little presence in front of the emperor, and the only time he made a request was for a romantic relationship, which the emperor had no excuse to refuse.

However, seeing the Consort's anxious eyes, he couldn't just agree on the spot. He could only rub his temples and say, "Alright, alright, stop talking. I'll think about it carefully."

"Princess Consort, you should go back."

The emperor was already in a state of utter chaos, but he still remembered to send Xie Qingran back first, clearly not wanting to air his dirty laundry in public.

Xie Qingran did not linger; she simply bowed, turned, and strode outside.

As for the outcome of the entanglement, Xie Qingran didn't care. The Empress had suppressed her anger for so many years, how could she let it go so easily now!