Su Yushan knew that the Empress Dowager's gaze could kill, so she did not turn around to look. Instead, she leaned on Hongli's shoulder and let him carry her out.

After leaving Cining Palace, she intended to get down, but he carried her directly to the imperial carriage.

Su Yushan felt extremely uncomfortable and hurriedly said, "This is Your Majesty's imperial carriage, I cannot sit on it."

If the Empress Dowager finds out, she will surely scold her for not knowing the rules, and she doesn't want to cause any more trouble.

However, Hongli insisted that she sit down, saying, "What's mine is yours. Sit down and relax. If anyone dares to gossip, I'll rip out their tongue!"

Upon hearing this, the palace servants fell silent, bowing their heads and not daring to look at him again.

After Hongli sat down, Li Yu shouted "Let's go!" and the palace servants slowly lifted the imperial carriage and headed towards Jingren Palace.

With outsiders present, Su Yushan remained silent. Hongli held her hand tightly the entire way, and even without words, she could sense his emotional fluctuations.

Upon arriving at Jingren Palace, Hongli personally carried her to his bedchamber in the rear hall. Su Yushan worried that he would be tired, but Hongli smiled indifferently.

"You're so light, how could I feel tired?"

Even at its lightest, it weighs nearly 100 pounds. Carrying it that far must be quite a journey.

Su Yushan wanted to say more, but the two had already arrived at the bedroom.

After carrying her into the tent, Hongli ordered someone to fetch the imperial physician, but Su Yushan said it was unnecessary, "There's no need to call the imperial physician for such a small matter. There's a blood-activating and stasis-removing ointment in the room; you can apply it yourself."

Chang Yue found some ointment and was about to apply it to her master when the emperor took it from her.

Seeing that the emperor waved his hand, Chang Yue bowed respectfully and led the palace servants out.

After everyone left, Hongli personally rolled up her trouser legs to her knees, and worried that her calves and feet would be cold, so he covered her with a thin blanket, leaving only her knees exposed, and personally applied medicine to her.

Her skin was delicate, and after kneeling for so long, her knees were already red and swollen. Even the slightest touch caused her unbearable pain. Knowing that she was suffering, Hongli was extra careful.

Hearing her deliberately suppressed soft hiss, Hongli felt even more guilty.

"It's all my fault. I failed to protect you and caused you to suffer."

"No one expected the Empress Dowager to suddenly keep me here, so this is not your fault." In fact, even Su Yushan did not expect the Empress Dowager to be so extreme.

"Next time she makes things difficult for you, just pass the buck to me and tell her to talk to me."

Su Yushan pouted slightly and sighed pitifully, "I did tell her! But the Empress Dowager said I was too presumptuous and ordered me to kneel down and reflect on my actions."

The moment the two met, the Empress Dowager wanted to cause trouble. To prevent Yu Shan from being bullied again, Hongli immediately spoke up.

"From now on, you no longer need to go to the Cining Palace to pay your respects."

Is it really okay not to go? "But the Empress Dowager requires everyone in the harem to go and pay their respects. If I don't go, the Empress Dowager will say that I am not following the palace rules."

"Just say you injured your leg and need to rest, so you can't walk."

Her legs did hurt, but not to the point that she couldn't walk. "Isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill?"

"If she dares to punish you, you can use that as an excuse." Seeing how cautious she was, Hongli shook his head and chuckled.

"You used to be so unrestrained in front of me, why are you so cautious and timid in front of the Empress Dowager now?"

If it weren't for Hongli's sake, why would she have to swallow her anger? "Isn't it because she's your mother? If I have a conflict with her, wouldn't you be caught in the middle and put in a very difficult position?"

Her suffering was all because of him; "I'm so sorry you had to suffer!"

With a sigh of self-reproach, Hongli reflected on the events of the past few months since entering the palace, realizing that life was not as smooth as he had imagined.

"I used to think that I could make my own decisions after I ascended the throne. Now that I have finally ascended the throne, I am closer to the Empress Dowager. She always tries to interfere in our affairs and is always causing me trouble. But she is my mother, and I can't do anything to her. It's really frustrating!"

Yes! No matter what, she is still his mother. As a son, he can't punish his mother, can he? Otherwise, he would be criticized by everyone.

Su Yushan knew his position was difficult, and she didn't intend to ask him to do anything. There was only one thing she had to make clear.

"The Empress Dowager may dislike me, and she may ignore my child, but she cannot give my child away to someone else. I do not need anyone to help me raise my child, not even the Imperial Concubine or the Dowager Consort!"

Her stance was firm, and Hongli had always known this. "I understand. I will not allow the Empress Dowager to separate you and your son. Don't worry!"

After applying the ointment and letting it air dry for a while until it absorbed into her skin, Hongli lowered her trouser legs, covered her with a brocade quilt, and helped her lie down.

"You should rest well and don't need to pay your respects to the Empress Dowager for the time being. There's no need to worry about the Empress Dowager having any objections. I will send someone to speak to Cining Palace."

Since Hongli said he would handle it, Su Yushan decided to leave it to him. She secretly rejoiced that she could finally sleep in, and that she no longer had to worry about the Empress Dowager's mood or socialize with others.

After recounting this, Su Yushan asked curiously, "Why did you go to Cining Palace just now? Could it really be a coincidence?"

Hongli shook his head. "Yunfang informed Li Yu that you had been left alone in Cining Palace, which is why I rushed over there in time."

Otherwise, she would probably continue to suffer. Hongli praised Yunfang for her cleverness and said she deserved a reward.

Later, when Su Yushan gave Yunfang a reward, Yunfang said that it was not her doing.

"It was Consort Chen who reminded Consort Hai that the Empress Dowager might make things difficult for you, so Consort Hai instructed me to go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to ask Li Yu for help."

It was only because Chen Lanxu and Xi Lan were alert that she was spared from suffering.

Su Yushan was deeply grateful and wanted to visit him in person, but Hongli asked her to feign illness, so she couldn't go to Yonghe Palace. Instead, she sent someone to deliver some gifts.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!