Lan Rong felt a sense of foreboding. She had only been there for a quarter of an hour, so how could the Emperor have arrived? Was it a coincidence? Or had someone informed him?

The Emperor's voice was clearly filled with anger. Lan Rong rose in a fluster and bowed. Since everyone was present, Su Yushan also stood up symbolically and curtsied to him.

Hongli walked to the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed), lifted his robe and sat down. He waved to the women, including Hai Changzai, and Xilan and Chen Lanxu returned to their seats. Lan Rong tried to sit down as well, but Hongli scolded her.

"I didn't ask you to sit!"

Lan Rongxin trembled and had no choice but to continue standing. She explained with a wronged expression, "Your Majesty, please calm down. I had no ill intentions. I just saw that the Empress Dowager was in a bad mood and wanted to ease the conflict between my sister and the Empress Dowager."

Hongli raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, "I often go to pay my respects, and I haven't heard the Empress Dowager complain about anything, but I have heard you stirring up trouble here!"

"Your Majesty, you misunderstand. I only meant well and didn't want you to have any worries, which is why I said those things to my sister." As she spoke, Lan Rong sobbed softly, pitifully lowering her eyes and wiping the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

Chen Lanxu, who was standing to the side, saw it all clearly. Lan Rong hadn't shed any tears at all; she was just putting on an act.

Hongli couldn't stand this kind of behavior; he would cry and act weak after just a few words.

"Whether you mean well or badly, you and Consort Chun are both concubines and have no right to control her. She is my woman, and I dote on her enough. Who are you to lecture me?"

The Emperor was wholeheartedly protecting Su Yushan, and Lan Rong knew that her reasoning was futile in front of Hongli, so she simply gave up.

"It was I who overstepped my bounds, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Lan Rong readily admitted her mistake, precisely because she was worried about being punished by Hongli. She thought the matter was over, but unexpectedly, Rong Yu suddenly got off the kang (heated brick bed), walked to her father's side, and slowly asked the question that had been bothering her.

"Father, this concubine just told me that I shouldn't call her 'concubine,' but 'mother.' Did I call her the wrong way? What should I call her?"

Su Yushan was quite surprised. She hadn't taught her daughter to say such things. Rong Yu was still young and probably wouldn't deliberately complain. She was likely just genuinely confused, which was why she asked.

Xi Lan smiled secretly, thinking that Yu's words were very timely. Upon hearing this, Hongli gently stroked his daughter's braids and said softly, "You didn't call me wrong. You only have one mother."

Before he could finish speaking, Hongli's gaze swept over Lan Rong. One glance was enough to frighten Lan Rong, who lowered her head and trembled as she clarified:

"Your Majesty, I was just chatting with you in accordance with palace rules. That's how it's always been in the palace."

"The rules I set are the new palace rules; there's no need to bring up the old ones."

Hongli even changed the rules for Su Yushan's sake! Lan Rong's reason was rendered invalid, yet she dared not disobey the Emperor's will and could only suffer in silence.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I know I was wrong and will remember Your Majesty's teachings."

A single word of admitting fault was not enough to quell Hongli's anger. He had come here for no reason to upset Yushan, and now he wanted to let it go. Wouldn't she be coming here every few days from now on?

Hongli would not let her off easily, and immediately ordered, "Consort Xian has overstepped her bounds and spoken out of turn. She shall be confined to her quarters for two months to repent and reflect on her mistakes in Xianfu Palace."

Throughout the entire process, Su Yushan remained silent. Why should she plead for someone who displeased her?

Lan Rong had hoped to impress the Empress Dowager, but unexpectedly, he shot himself in the foot and suffered a greater loss than he gained.

The emperor's decree had been issued, and no matter how unwilling Lan Rong was, he dared not object and could only obey.

After she left, Xi Lan and the others also got up to take their leave, not wanting to get in the Emperor's way.

Yunfang said she was going to take the princess out to play. Rongyu straightened up from her father’s arms and obediently followed Aunt Yun out of the West Warm Pavilion.

When they were alone, Su Yushan asked, "You arrived so just in time. Who informed you today?"

She asked this question because she saw Yunfang and Changyue in Jingren Palace. If it wasn't them, then who could it be?

Hongli did not hide anything from her and told her the truth: "After the Empress Dowager made things difficult for you last time, I was worried that something might happen to you again, so I gave Xiao Lu a token and told him that if there was any emergency, he could take the token to the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

He always thought of her in this way; he would silently arrange things she hadn't even considered. Su Yushan felt greatly comforted and filled with emotion.

"You've thought of everything."

If Hongli hadn't arrived in time, Su Yushan would probably have had to continue listening to Lan Rong's nagging. After all, Lan Rong was acting out of kindness, and if Yushan had given her attitude, she would have been seen as ungrateful.

If Lan Rong were to leave like this, and Su Yushan were to deliberately complain to Hongli later, Hongli might punish Lan Rong, but the meaning would be completely different.

Lan Rong must believe that she exaggerated and distorted the truth, and spoke ill of her in front of Hongli, which is why Hongli was so severe.

It would be better to let Hongli witness Lan Rong's aggressive demeanor firsthand today and punish him on the spot. Only then will Lan Rong understand Hongli's attitude and quiet down for a while.

While grateful, Su Yushan felt worried. "You must be busy with official business, right? Your trip for my sake is disrupting your work, isn't it?"

"Politics is important, but your affairs cannot be ignored either. Lan Rong is cunning and treacherous. Her sudden appearance here is definitely not for anything good, so I must come here in time to prevent her from harming you."

In the past, Emperor Qianlong had plenty of free time, but now that he has just ascended the throne, he has too many things to deal with, and apart from the evening, he is basically not free during the day.

He was willing to put aside his busy schedule and come to Jingren Palace. Such a man was indeed worthy of her reliance. Su Yushan was filled with mixed emotions and raised her fingers to grasp the back of his hand.

"You're so good to me, I always feel like I haven't been able to do anything for you."

She rarely took the initiative to pull him, so this gesture warmed Hongli's heart. He grasped her hand in return, his dark eyes brimming with tender affection.

“I don’t need you to do anything for me. I’m your man, so it’s only natural for me to be good to you. Besides, you’ve given me three children, which is a huge achievement. When I encounter difficulties, your understanding and support are also a great encouragement to me.”

Just as Su Yushan was feeling touched, Hongli suddenly changed the subject.

"Of course, if you really want to repay me, there's a chance. How about we do it again tonight as a reward?"

"..." The feeling of being moved that had just arisen was choked back by his words, and Su Yushan immediately changed her tune, "Never mind what I said."

At least try to discuss it first. It's not very kind of you to just refuse without even trying. "You said you wanted to repay me? Are you just trying to fool me?"

"Just take this as me trying to comfort you. Lately, you've been doing 'homework' every night, and it takes three-quarters of an hour each time. I can't even handle it once, let alone twice? No way!"

Having finally gotten a chance, but failing to reach an agreement, Hongli felt extremely frustrated and lamented:

"Alright then, since you feel tired, I'll stay at the Hall of Mental Cultivation tonight and won't bother you."

Su Yushan took it as a joke. When he got up and said he wanted to return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she thought he must have a lot of official business to attend to, so she didn't stop him.

However, that evening, as it approached midnight, Hongli still hadn't arrived. Su Yushan couldn't help but wonder if he was angry with her and really wasn't planning on coming.