Without hesitation, Su Yushan refused outright, “Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Jin’er is my own flesh and blood. I can raise her myself. There is no need for Your Majesty the Empress to do it for me.”

The Empress Dowager raised her long eyebrows slightly and declared with a cold laugh, "All the princes and princesses in the harem belong to the Empress. The Empress is their legal mother and naturally has the right to raise them. Su Yushan, don't be ungrateful!"

"I only care about my daughter, I don't need anyone's praise!" Su Yushan's attitude was firm, leaving no room for negotiation. Yu Ying walked to her side, looked at the little princess with gentle eyes, and coaxed her kindly:

"My dear child, it's your mother! I am your mother. Come here and let your mother give you a hug."

Yu Ying reached out to tease the little princess, trying to get her to come to her. However, the little princess stared at her for a long time without smiling, and then, frightened, buried her face in her mother's shoulder and started to cry.

"Mother, I'm scared! Let's go home, let's go home!"

The little princess cried and wanted to go home, unwilling to stay any longer. Yu Shan tried to take the child away, but was stopped by the Empress Dowager.

The guards stood in the doorway, looking troubled, and said, "Please, Your Highness, do not make things difficult for us. We are only acting under orders."

Normally, Su Yushan could understand them and wouldn't make things difficult for them, but today's situation was special. Anyone who tried to take her daughter was her enemy, and she would never give anyone face!

Consumed by rage, Su Yushan's eyes sharpened, and she shouted sternly, "Get out of here!"

The Empress Dowager's words could not be ignored, nor could the Imperial Noble Consort be offended. Just as the guards were at a loss for what to do, they suddenly heard Li Yu's voice coming from the palace gate.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, His Majesty has ordered me to escort the Imperial Noble Consort to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, as he has important matters to discuss with her."

The Empress Dowager frowned in displeasure. "I haven't finished speaking yet. The Imperial Noble Consort cannot leave!"

Li Yu feigned fear, saying, "The Emperor has given the order, and this servant dares not delay."

The Empress Dowager slammed her hand on the armrest in anger, "Do you dare disobey my orders?"

Li Yu observed the Emperor's attitude towards the Empress Dowager. Compared to the safety of the Imperial Noble Consort and the little princess, he was truly not afraid of offending the Empress Dowager.

"But what the Emperor wanted to discuss with the Imperial Noble Consort was Princess Hejing's return to Mongolia with her husband to visit relatives. This is a matter of state, Your Majesty, the harem must not interfere in politics..."

That final reminder left the Empress Dowager speechless. Watching Su Yushan and her daughter leave, the Empress Dowager gritted her teeth, thinking to herself that Li Yu, that old fox, was getting bolder and bolder, daring to even contradict her. He deserved to be taught a lesson!

After leaving the Cining Palace, the group headed to the Yangxin Hall. Su Yushan held her daughter in her arms, unable to calm down for a long time.

Li Yu apologized profusely, "This servant is late and has frightened Your Majesty!"

Yunfang took the little princess and held her in her arms. Su Yushan calmed herself down for a moment and said in a hoarse voice, "It's alright. You've come at the right time. Where is the Emperor? Is he busy?"

But Li Yu said, “Your Majesty, the Emperor already knows, but if he went to Cining Palace in person to say that the princess was a celestial maiden descended to earth, the Empress Dowager would definitely not believe it. That’s why he didn’t go there himself, but arranged for a high monk to say these words. The Empress Dowager trusts the high monk, so she will no longer have any doubts.”

The Emperor instructed me to wait in the outer hall to escort the Empress over. I waited for a long time but she didn't come out. I secretly went in to take a look and found out that the Empress wanted to snatch the little princess.

If I were to report to the Emperor again, the back-and-forth would cause trouble, and the little princess might suffer again. Therefore, I went in without permission, told a lie, and even dared to contradict the Empress Dowager. This was truly inappropriate.

Thankfully, Li Yu arrived in time; otherwise, the situation might have been uncontrollable, and the Empress Dowager might have actually tried to take him away! Su Yushan was grateful and comforted him:

“You have a good intention. The fault is not yours. I will explain this matter to the Emperor.”

Only after receiving the Imperial Noble Consort's promise did Li Yu feel somewhat at ease.

Upon arriving at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Hongli took his daughter from Yunfang's arms, let her sit in his lap, and gently stroked her little hand. Su Yushan was exhausted and too lazy to speak, so Changyue recounted the whole story.

Hongli thought that the matter of his daughter was settled, but unexpectedly, an empress suddenly appeared and tried to take her away!

Staring at her daughter for a long time, Su Yushan really couldn't see it. "Where does Rong Jin look like Bao'er? Why does the Empress seem to be possessed?"

Bao'er resembles Hongli, and Rong Jin also bears some resemblance to him. The two sisters only share a slight resemblance, but when the Empress suddenly sees a little girl who bears some resemblance to her daughter, she unconsciously amplifies that similarity. In fact, even Hongli himself doesn't think they look alike.

"It's the Empress's inner demons at work."

Although she escaped disaster today, there is no guarantee that the Empress Dowager will not cause trouble again, and Rong Jin's safety can never be guaranteed.

Seeing Yu Shan's deep worry, Hongli, who was holding his daughter, grasped her hand and said, "I will handle this matter. I will definitely not hand our daughter over to someone else to raise."

Yu Ying remained in Cining Palace, firmly believing that the little princess was the reincarnation of Bao'er. She repeatedly begged the Empress Dowager to help her and allow her to raise the little princess.

The Empress Dowager, feeling sorry for the Empress's plight, comforted her gently. However, since the Emperor did not come to her side, the Empress Dowager went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation herself to advise him.

"The Empress has lost her children one after another and has no one by her side, which is very pitiful. Now that she thinks Rong Jin is her precious child, then you should entrust Rong Jin to her to raise. Madam Su has five children, and she should understand the Empress's situation and give one to the Empress. The Empress will definitely treat Rong Jin as her own daughter and will not mistreat Rong Jin."

The Empress Dowager's so-called benevolence was only ever shown to others, but she was extremely cruel to Yu Shan. "Yu Shan's child was born from her hard pregnancy, and she has the right to raise the child on her own. What right does the Empress have to take it away? How did she educate Yong Lian back then?"

Being her man is suffocating; being her child is even more agonizing! Her excessive care will only harm the child's mind and body. If Rong Jin stays by her side, he cannot grow up happily.

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