Chapter 71: Decision "Anyone can blame me and hate me, but you alone cannot..."

Concubine Xue looked away as if avoiding the viewer, and she didn't even notice that her fingertips had pushed aside the soft cotton cover of the sleeve stove. Her fingertips touched the hot stove directly, and she immediately gasped for air, frowned, and endured the pain without losing her composure.

When she had once again firmly embraced the sleeve stove, she gave a bitter smile, "Your Majesty has given me a difficult problem."

No matter how unwilling she was to face it, Concubine Xue knew that Concubine Yang's time was running out.

The best outcome would be for the princess to remain by her mother's side, a bond between mother and daughter that might even lead to a miracle. Otherwise, Concubine Jieyu's condition would inevitably worsen. Even if she ultimately passed away, she could then choose another foster mother for the princess...

But to the royal family, offspring are always more noble and more important than their mother. If Concubine Yang cannot take good care of the princess, she is not worthy of being the princess's mother.

You can't gamble the princess just for Concubine Yang.

Concubine Xue recalled kneeling outside Zhaoyi's room. Everyone had said back then that if anything happened to Zhaoyi's unborn child, she would die. So even if one was born into a noble family like Concubine Yang, even if she risked her life to give birth to a princess, could the emperor still treat her like dirt?

Somehow, tears suddenly filled her eyes. "I still hope that the princess can accompany Concubine Jieyu on her final journey. I now live in Guanju Palace and can help Concubine Jieyu take care of the princess on a daily basis."

"The last journey? What if the princess is sick?"

The emperor seemed to ignore the pitiful, pale face as it turned pale. He demanded, "Everyone knows that the Empress Dowager and I were planning to choose a birth mother for the princess. It was your advice that changed our minds. If Yang's hard work in raising the princess only worsens, will you be held responsible?"

"If she really is in danger someday, wouldn't it be natural for you to become her adoptive mother if you spend every day with the princess?"

"Or did you know that the Queen Mother favored Concubine Hui more and didn't want her to become even more powerful, so you discussed this plan with Zhaoyi?"

He was aggressive, taking a step closer with each question. Concubine Xue had no way of responding, not knowing what to say in reply. Her body went limp, and her waist bumped against the rosewood lattice partition behind her, which only stopped her from falling.

"I haven't thought about it that much, and it has nothing to do with Zhaoyi. I just want Sister Yang to be alive... Her heart towards Your Majesty is extremely sincere..."

The emperor did not move forward and said in a cold voice, "I just ask her to take care of herself and stay healthy."

When Concubine Xue returned to Guanju Palace, she was already floating like a paper lantern, her soul seemed to remain in Taiji Hall, and her steps were unsteady.

The palace maids in Huying Pavilion did not dare to tell Concubine Yang that the princess would soon be taken away, but Madam Yang knew about it. When she heard that Concubine Xue went to the imperial court today, she guessed that Concubine Xue went to plead for her daughter and the princess.

During this period of time, they had been jointly taking care of their daughter. She had long regarded Concubine Xue as a reliable junior. When Concubine Xue was about to return to the side hall west of Guanju Palace, she couldn't help but call out to her, "Child, it would be great if you could discuss this with me."

After Madam Yang inquired, she learned that the emperor actually intended to let Concubine Xue raise the princess. She thought to herself, "This is a great opportunity... Why did Concubine Xue refuse it? And Quexian... How could anyone else be as considerate as you?"

Concubine Xue lowered her eyelashes and said, "The Sparrow Fairy will definitely hate me. When it comes to being considerate, who can compare to my own mother?"

Madam Yang took her hand and said, "That's not what I meant. I have to say this with all my heart. The princess is my granddaughter after all. Of course I hope they can be reunited, but raising an heir to the throne is no easy task. There are so many intrigues in the palace. Once I leave, I'm afraid everyone in Huying Pavilion will be dependent on you to worry about it. Even Quexian alone may not be able to take care of it, so how can you protect the princess?"

She was not as naive as Concubine Xue. She knew that the emperor would never let the princess stay in Huying Pavilion. It was such a bad luck to be so sick that she couldn't get out of bed.

Besides, her daughter can't even do what the people under the restrictions do now, so how can the princess's safety be guaranteed... Raised by Concubine Xue, she is also willing to let the princess be close to her biological mother.

"It's probably too late for me to change my mind now." Concubine Xue looked at Madam Yang's tearful face and felt a little regretful. "Unless... I go and ask Concubine Ying for help, but I don't know if it will be of any use."

There are always good things happening in this world. After noon, Concubine Xue was still hesitating whether to go to Chengluan Palace, so Concubine Ming invited Qingzan to have tea first.

The person who loved tea the most in the palace was Ming Zhaoyi. Ming Zhaoyi once told Qingzan that tea has a pure aroma, and whether you smell it or taste it, adding anything else to it will usually cause something unusual.

Qingzan didn't know whether Zhaoyi really loved tea or was seeking peace of mind in the palace.

In short, I drank tea brewed by Zhaoyi herself. The process of brewing the tea was even more beautiful than a magic trick. The teacup was thrown up and fell steadily into Zhaoyi's hands.

Seeing the man's stunned expression, Ming Zhaoyi was very flattering and said, "That's nothing. I can also show off my skills. But when it comes to making tea, you used to be a servant, so your skills are not inferior to mine, right?"

"I wasn't a tea server before, and I had no interest in it, so I couldn't muster the energy and energy that Zhaoyi has." Now that Qingzan had asked her to talk about the past, she finally felt somewhat relieved. However, she couldn't help but think of the old lady. A while ago, except for the missing eldest son, everyone else in the Yongning Marquisate had been "invited" to the temple. The old lady must have had a hard time.

Ming Zhaoyi was in high spirits today. When she saw Suoying behind Qingzan, she felt she looked familiar, but she said something completely different: "The maidservant who came with you today looks a little unfamiliar. Where's that girl Doukou?"

Qing Zan said, "A new group of birds has arrived in Yulin Garden. She said she wanted to go see them a couple of days ago, but I wasn't very motivated, so I just sent her off on her own."

Then he remembered that Suoying had done something for Zhaoyi before, and worried that Suoying would feel uncomfortable, so he let Suoying leave first.

Ming Zhaoyi teased, "Don't spoil your servants. The things in this garden are for the masters to enjoy. If others knew that a servant was interested in the masters' things, I'm afraid she would not be forgiven easily."

Qing Zan also realized that what she said was inappropriate, so she changed her words and said, "It's just that I've been a little absent-minded recently and said a lot of nonsense. It's because I'm interested in those birds that I asked her to go and help me identify them first."

Ming Zhaoyi said with understanding, "You're pregnant, so this is inevitable. That's just how it is in the palace; everything is a little more formal. But I've long considered you one of my own, so it's okay to tell me the truth."

With the position of Empress still vacant, Ming Zhaoyi's enthusiasm was even greater than before. Qingzan knew she was eyeing the Empress's position, hoping her son would rise to the throne in the future. As for who would become the favorite concubine, she believed she had the magnanimity to make it work.

But if Zhaoyi knew that His Majesty had once asked her about the position of Empress, would she still tolerate her? I'm afraid the first thing they would do would be to dethrone her.

Thinking that the good rock tea here had lost its flavor, he said goodbye to them with a dull look on his face.

Outside, Concubine Xue was waiting for Qingzan to finish talking with Zhaoyi so that she could entrust her with the princess's affairs. However, she was always shy and afraid of causing trouble to others, so she hesitated. When she saw Suoying coming out, she felt like she had seen a savior.

After all, he was the one who was rescued by his own hands, and the two of them still had some friendship from the past. So he pulled Suoying to the corner of the corridor and told her all the heavy thoughts that were weighing on his mind.

Suo Ying bit her lip and said, "It's difficult, but I'd better tell Qing first... tell our master about it, right? If the master doesn't think it's appropriate, then let it go."

Concubine Xue thanked her warmly, "That's wonderful! If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't know how to find your concubine."

The two waited for a while, and soon they saw Qingzan coming out wrapped in a cloak. Suoying went to greet her. Master Xuepin had already reminded her that there was no rush to talk to Sister Qingzan about this matter slowly after returning to the palace, so she did not speak.

Concubine Xue stood on the corridor connecting Guanju Hall to Huying Pavilion and nodded to Qingzan from a distance.

So they just nodded to each other and passed by. Qingzan took a look and felt that she looked even thinner and more simply dressed, with few weighty gold and jade hanging down her body. She looked like an autumn leaf helpless in the wind. She thought it was because she had been taking care of Concubine Yang for these days and had exhausted all her energy.

Suoying is a person who can't keep secrets. Qingzan noticed something on the way and asked Suoying about it, but Suoying just said mysteriously that she would talk about it after returning to the palace.

But just as they were leaving Guanju Palace, with the red pillars and ochre walls still within their reach, a young eunuch came swiftly over, his feet like wheels treading, delivering the emperor's decree to all six palaces: "Your Majesty has decreed that Concubine Hui raise the little princess!"

Suo Ying drooped her head and said with a sad face, "There's no need for me to say anything now!"

*

Recently, the emperor has become accustomed to staying overnight in Zhaoshui Palace. Although he arrived a little late today, the palace servants still knew to keep the door open to prevent any more misunderstandings that would make the emperor wait outside.

After Concubine Xue left, the emperor spent the entire day reviewing memorials. This year's autumn taxes had been collected. Since last year, taxes had been categorized more meticulously, with varying degrees of reductions and exemptions depending on the circumstances. However, no one at the top wanted to lose out on this, so the accounting was more complex and elaborate than before, requiring the emperor to personally review it.

So it was already merciful of him not to kick Concubine Xue out today.

Even Xu Delu only had time to speak to the emperor on the way to Chengluan Palace: "Your Majesty, what do you think of Concubine Yang..."

He hesitated to speak, and after a few breaths he continued, "Your Majesty, today, to Concubine Xue..."

He saw it all clearly when Concubine Xue was secretly wiping her tears when she left.

I thought the emperor was more popular among the mortals than before, but I didn't expect that he was still the same to others.

"Do you know what I hate the most?" The emperor didn't care that he was hesitant and couldn't explain clearly, he just thought he was cruel.

He said in a deep voice, "I hate it most when people hold people's lives hostage. Everyone has their own life. Today one person is dying, and tomorrow another one is crying bitterly."

According to Concubine Xue, if he took the princess away from Yang, it would be like taking Yang's life.

He just doesn't buy it.

As soon as the decree was issued that afternoon, the palace maids in Huying Pavilion were in a state of mourning. Later, the imperial physician was called in, and the situation became chaotic. Concubine Hui even decided to bring the little princess back to her place the next day and let her stay with Concubine Yang for another day.

No one specifically told the emperor about these things, but he still heard a lot of them.

It can be seen that the news has spread throughout the palace.

The emperor thought of something and hesitated for a moment when he got off the sedan chair and walked into Chengluan Palace. The palace servant who was holding the lamp had almost walked away, so he hurried back with a bow.

The emperor stood in the night wind, and Qingzan happened to see him from the window. Although he had said many times that she didn't need to come in, seeing that he was standing still, she turned around and left the hall, lifted her skirt, walked down the stairs, and walked towards people with a graceful gait.

The charcoal fire in the hall was emitting hot smoke day and night. Of course, the clothes she wore were thin, and she came out without saying goodbye. By the time the palace maid holding the cloak chased her out, the emperor had already met her and held her hand.

Xiao Fang: "Why are you wearing so little?"

Qing Zan smiled nonchalantly and said, "It's only two steps away."

Xiao Fang had no choice but to pull her into his fur coat. Fortunately, she didn't gain weight quickly during her pregnancy. She was so small that he could easily wrap her up.

Suddenly he asked, "Do you think I'm cruel?"

He never cared about how she viewed him. Even though he had already developed a strong interest in her at that time, he just felt that having her by his side, relying on him, accompanying him, and belonging to him was enough for him.

But he soon discovered that people are greedy.

It is human nature to be greedy and insatiable, and even kings are not immune to this.

They are a perfect match, a loving couple, so of course she needs to love him with all her heart and soul.

Qing Zan was a little confused: "Your Majesty, why do you ask this? I don't think so. Is it because of Concubine Yang's matter?"

Xiao Fang did not answer, but solemnly said to the others again: "Don't think about it. Anyone can blame me and hate me, but you, Qingqing, cannot."

Qingzan was buried in his fur coat, the lower half of his face hidden by the lush fur of his collar. His expression was lost for a moment, and only a muffled laugh could be heard: "That depends on your Majesty's performance."

"Promise me."

The emperor was extremely serious, so serious that the listeners instinctively sensed something unusual in his words.