Chapter 225 Fever

Xie Qingran finally breathed a sigh of relief. This is how it is in large families like theirs. It takes outsiders quite a bit of effort to break in, but if their own people fall into chaos first, then they will truly collapse without a fight.

Zhou usually only likes to eat, drink and have fun, and rarely cares about the children's studies, so there must be someone else instigating this.

After thinking for a moment, Xie Qingran sent a letter to the palace requesting an audience with the Empress.

The palace responded quickly, and Xie Qingran was able to meet the Empress as she had wished.

Seeing Xie Qingran's pale face, the Empress felt a pang of heartache and said directly, "Your child is ill, why do you still want to see me? What is so important that you are in such a hurry?"

"It's really not a big deal."

"I just wanted to ask Your Highness, is the Lu family harboring any disloyal intentions?"

Xie Qingran got straight to the point, looking at the Empress with a face full of curiosity.

The Empress then came to her senses and hurriedly shook her head: "The Lu family is our relatives, how could they possibly have ulterior motives?"

"Husbands and children may have ulterior motives, so how could family members not?"

“Lu Jinzhi has been hanging out with Xie Hanyue all this time, I’m afraid he’s going to cause trouble.”

Xie Qingran sighed with worry and helplessness.

Xie Hanyue...

Hearing that name now ignited a nameless fire within the Empress. She said coldly, "This Lu Jinzhi is simply out of his mind. I don't know what's so good about Xie Hanyue. He's like he's bewitched. His Majesty clearly doesn't intend to acknowledge this daughter back, just to preserve the royal family's reputation. But he's doing this, hanging out with Xie Hanyue. He's really courting death."

Just as Xie Qingran had guessed, the emperor's selfishness had reached its peak. For the sake of his status and the face of the royal family, he was willing to die for the woman he loved most and turn a blind eye to his own daughter.

Indeed, those who can become emperors are no ordinary people.

Xie Qingran sighed helplessly: "Your Majesty, I don't understand the affairs of the palace, but if things really escalate, we should be careful. The Crown Prince has just ascended the throne, and it would be too dangerous if the people around him were unreliable."

Upon hearing this, the Empress immediately understood Xie Qingran's meaning. She smiled at Xie Qingran and then said, "You are quite an interesting child. You are young, but you are very thoughtful."

"I only hope that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is doing well, and I also hope that Her Majesty the Empress is doing well."

"Your Majesty, I have said all I need to say. My body simply cannot continue. I shall take my leave now."

When Xie Qingran stood up to bow, she swayed and almost lost her balance.

Seeing Xie Qingran like this, the Empress felt another pang of heartache. She quickly ordered her servants to send her away properly and also gave her a cartload of medicinal herbs to express the Empress's high regard for Xie Qingran.

Xie Qingran returned to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, exhausted and wanting to go to bed to rest, but Xie Zhaoye happened to arrive at that moment with some medicinal herbs.

"I know your heart meridian is damaged and you need to rest and recuperate. These are the best medicines, remember to take them."

Xie Zhaoye stood by the bed, looking at the pale and frail Xie Qingran, feeling somewhat unaccustomed to her appearance.

After all, Xie Qingran is usually lively and always going against him, this is the first time she has been so vulnerable.

Xie Zhaoye's concern was awkward, but Xie Qingran understood what he meant. She nodded and said, "The border is not behaving properly, so His Majesty wants to send some generals there recently. Would you be willing to go to the frontier to guard it?"

"You hate me that much?" Xie Zhaoye looked at Xie Qingran in disbelief. "You wish I would get out of the capital and never come back, never appear in front of you again, right?"

How did we end up here?

Seeing Xie Zhaoye's aggrieved look, Xie Qingran was both amused and exasperated. She sighed helplessly and said, "No, really, that's not what I meant. You... I meant that you should try to make something of yourself. Aunt Lian gave birth to a boy, and Father intends to make her his official wife. With Mother gone, where will you find a place in the Xie family in the future?"

Xie Zhaoye wasn't stupid; he knew all about these things. First, she lost her mother, and now even her father was unreliable. He understood Xie Qingran's helpless situation on the estate back then.

Hearing Xie Qingran say these things now, Xie Zhaoye felt a warmth in his heart, but he lowered his head and stubbornly asked, "Do you care about me or do you hate me?"

"Think what you want, I just hope you won't let your mother down." Xie Qingran turned her face away. She now realized that talking to this person was more tiring than farming.

Seeing her impatient expression, Xie Zhaoye felt wronged and said sullenly, "Mother is gone now, and it's just the two of us left in this world to depend on each other. Can't you talk to me properly?"

"Am I not speaking politely enough?"

"Your mother is gone, and we can't depend on each other for survival. Give up."

Xie Qingran's face was full of disdain.

Seeing this, Xie Zhaoye sighed helplessly and said sullenly, "A few days ago when I went home, my father scolded me, saying that I was ignorant and that you were an ingrate. But what about my mother? He didn't mention her once. I really feel sorry for my mother!"

Xie Qingran was somewhat surprised by these words.

She glanced at Xie Zhaoye and said, "If you continue to live such a pathetic life, when Aunt Lian becomes a lady, no one in this family will remember your mother. But if you become successful, your mother, as your birth mother, will also be granted an imperial title. At that time, not only the Xie family, but the entire capital will not forget our mother."

"If you really care, you should rely on your own abilities to achieve success, instead of complaining to me about your misdeeds." Xie Qingran sighed weakly as she spoke.

She subconsciously touched her forehead, and sure enough, it was burning hot again; she had a fever again.

"Baozhu, go and fetch a doctor."

Xie Qingran mumbled something in a daze, then collapsed onto the bed, her mouth opening and closing but unable to make a sound.

"Xie Qingran, what happened to you? How could it be so serious?"

"Didn't you say it was just a case of damaged heart meridians and fatigue? What happened?"

Xie Zhaoye finally realized the seriousness of the situation and hurriedly stepped forward to check Xie Qingran's condition.

Xie Qingran had no expression; she simply lay silently on the bed, her body burning hot, clearly having developed a fever.