Consort Lian sat in her room, listening to the crying coming from next door, her handkerchief almost torn in her hand.

Thinking of how her beloved son had just looked at her, his mother, with such a reproachful and disapproving expression,

And those lowly palace servants dared to look at him like that; he was so angry that he trembled uncontrollably.

What did she do wrong? Who was she doing all this for? Wasn't it all for the little princess? What did she do wrong?

The more I thought about it, the more I felt that my good intentions had been completely wasted, and a sense of bitterness and grievance welled up inside me.

Tears welled up and she sat alone in the room, silently wiping them away with a handkerchief.

It's unclear how much time passed, but the little girl's sobbing stopped, and a short while later, the door to Consort Lian's room was opened from the outside.

Helian Ci had a palace maid push him into Consort Lian's room. Consort Lian didn't speak or look at Helian Ci; she just took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears.

Helian Ci raised his hand, and the palace servants serving in the room bowed to the two of them before retreating and closing the door behind them.

"What are you doing here? Do you even care about your mother anymore?!"

As soon as the door closed, Consort Lian looked up at Helian Ci in his wheelchair, her eyes red as she scolded him, feeling even more aggrieved.

“Mother, when we left Ronghua Palace, we had nowhere to go. It was Sisi who took us in without a word of displeasure.”

Helian Ci's dark eyes fell on Consort Lian's face. He didn't answer, but calmly stated the matter in a soft tone.

The setting sun streamed in through the window, casting its light on the boy's slender, straight back. In his dark eyes, as deep as a still pool, lay a serenity beyond his years.

These words didn't enlighten Consort Lian; instead, they pierced her heart. After the Wen family's downfall and Wen Changle's death...

Having been pampered and spoiled during his time in Yongqing Palace, the last vestiges of his self-respect vanished. He rose from the pearwood chair, his emotions running high, and angrily reprimanded his servant.

"What do you mean by 'taking us in'?! My son and I are staying here with the Emperor's special permission. The little princess is the Emperor's child."

Ci'er, you are also the Emperor's child. How can the little princess be more precious than you? Besides...

"Mother sent the nanny to teach the little princess because she was thinking of the little princess's future. How has it become Mother's fault now? What has Mother done wrong!"

Looking at Consort Lian, who was emotionally agitated and nearly screaming herself hoarse, Helian Ci realized for the first time how unfamiliar he was with his mother.

"So Mother thinks that everything we have now is what we should be doing?"

"Yes!" Lady Lian answered almost without thinking.

The Emperor must care about her and Ci'er; otherwise, why would he have brought them out of that hellhole, Ronghua Palace?

Why did the Emperor destroy the Wen family? Why did he send Physician Liu to treat Ci'er's leg? All of this shows that the Emperor cares about the mother and son!

The reason we ignored it before was all because of that bitch Wen Changle; it was all her doing that prevented her and her son from seeing the Emperor.

Otherwise, how could she have suffered so much in that dilapidated courtyard of Ronghua Palace? And how could her beloved son still be unable to stand up?

All this luxury and extravagance should rightfully belong to me and Ci'er. No matter how much the little princess is pampered...

She's just a woman; the only one who will inherit the throne is her own son.

What did she do wrong? She did nothing wrong; all of this should have belonged to her and her son!