During this period of time, Yuan Zhizhi felt more and more comfortable living in the Northern Qiang Palace.
Ever since Duota dealt with Murong Yue, no one in the entire palace dared to provoke her anymore.
With Xiaobai and Cangyuan accompanying her, and Duota also collecting various small gadgets for her, she didn't feel bored at all.
Jingyang would go to the palace from time to time to play with her for a while, and after returning, he would write a letter to Helian Yu to let him know that Yuan Zhizhi was safe.
At first she felt a little guilty and afraid of being discovered by Dota, but gradually, she realized that the king had always been aware of the correspondence between her and Helian Yu.
And the reason why she was allowed to enter the palace regularly seemed to be to let her deliver messages.
Jing Yang was also a little confused about Dota's intentions.
But being able to let her enter the palace to see Yuan Zhizhi is already good enough.
However, these days when she entered the palace, she often met Helan Xin.
Helan Xin was temporarily in charge of the harem and often came to visit Duota, so it was not surprising that she saw Yuan Zhizhi.
Unlike Murong Yue, her attitude towards Yuan Zhizhi is neither close nor distant.
Every time she came, if she saw Yuan Zhizhi playing nearby, she would just look at her a few more times with a calm look, neither disgust nor special concern.
This attitude made Dota quite satisfied.
He knew very well that Yuan Zhizhi would be known by everyone in the harem sooner or later, rather than being hidden under his wings forever.
Compared to being overly attentive or cold and rejecting, this attitude of maintaining an appropriate distance is the "self-awareness" he hopes for.
However, Helan Xin has always been like this.
She is neither hasty nor slow, neither too close nor too distant, and neither too indifferent to anyone or anything.
Because of this, she remained consistent in the harem, never competing for favor and never making mistakes. She seemed gentle and calm, but she was unpredictable.
It was because of this that Dota chose her among all the concubines.
On this day, when Jing Yang entered the palace and was playing in the back hall with Yuan Zhizhi, he happened to meet He Lanxin who came to review this month's expenses for Duota.
Yuan Zhizhi was also very curious about this beautiful older sister. She had recently been able to walk on her own, so she stumbled behind the screen and wanted to take a look at her.
Jing Yang followed and just happened to hear He Lanxin telling him about the expenses of each palace this month.
"Your Majesty, the Star-Picking Palace has been completed. The total cost is recorded in this account book. Please review it..."
Jing Yang was a little surprised. The Star-Picking Palace was finally completed? Who would live in it?
Dota took the account book, glanced at it, and handed it back. "I know."
Helan Xin nodded and was about to leave, but then she seemed to think of something and said, "Your Majesty... may I have a few words to say about the young prince?"
Dota looked up, and there was a hint of scrutiny in his eyes as he looked at her.
Helan Xin stood straight with a calm look, not afraid of Duota's gaze.
Dota put down the pen in his hand, raised his eyes slightly, and said, "Tell me about it."
"Since the King has already ordered the entire palace to address him respectfully as Young Highness..." He Lanxin said slowly, "Then for the sake of Young Highness's future..."
"Should we bring back the little prince's biological mother? Or should we adopt the little prince into someone else's family?"
When Jing Yang heard this, he looked down at the confused Yuan Zhizhi.
Helan Xin was not wrong in what she said.
Beiqiang is a country that attaches great importance to blood ties and clan lines. For more than a hundred years since the founding of the dynasty, bloodline has always been above everything else here.
Among them, the royal family is respected, the eight major tribes are the upper class, other tribes are middle and lower class, and the Central Plains tribes are the lowest class here.
Before the previous king, the court always followed this system of hierarchy, and most people in the court agreed and supported it.
Jing Yang had read history books. At that time, there were almost no Han people in the territory of Northern Qiang. If there were any, they were enslaved or driven.
If the Northern Qiang people and the Han people marry and have children, the children born will be even more intolerable.
They may even be strangled in their cradles at birth.
This situation continued until the reign of King Qian, who was ambitious and fought many wars with Dacheng.
During the war between the two sides, many refugees traveled back and forth across the border between the two countries, which also prompted the people of the two countries to start private trade exchanges.
Whenever there was a ceasefire, such exchanges became more frequent, and more and more people intermarried and had children.
The previous king was arrogant and licentious, and there were many Han palace maids in his harem that he favored.
At first, many children were aborted, but Dota was the exception.
Gradually, the court began to split into conservatives and liberals. The conservatives were extremely committed to the hierarchy of bloodlines, while the liberals believed that exchanges with neighboring countries should be strengthened.
The conservatives are mainly composed of eight major clans, which have been entrenched for many years and are very powerful.
The former king was unable to withstand the pressure from the conservatives, so he personally exiled Dota.
Now, more than ten years later, Dota not only came back alive, but also united various forces to break through the siege and seize the throne.
Moreover, with Duota's ascension to the throne, the open-minded faction represented by Helian Chang was able to begin to compete with the conservative faction.
But during this period, Helian Chang was caught in a whirlpool of public opinion, and his position as Grand Marshal was in jeopardy.
Duota offended the Murong clan again because of Murong Xin's affairs.
Conservatives are watching from all sides, ready to strike.
Now many people inside and outside the palace know that Dota brought back an "illegitimate daughter" whose biological mother is unknown.
But as soon as you see Yuan Zhizhi's appearance, you know that she must be born of Han Chinese.
If Dota were to welcome her biological mother as his princess now, it would surely cause a great uproar;
But if Duota takes this opportunity to adopt Zhizhi to the concubine of the eight major clans, then he can take this opportunity to win over the conservatives.
From Helanxin's perspective, this suggestion is indeed good for Yuan Zhizhi and Duota.
Jin Wan, who was standing by, nodded when he heard this.
The Helan clan is the leader of the eight major clans. It would be perfect if the little prince could be adopted by Madam Helan.
Anyway, since the king did not bring the little prince's biological mother back, there must be a reason why he couldn't bring her back.
Maybe the person is no longer here.
In this way, the little princess will have a prominent maternal family, which will be good for her future.
But behind the screen, Jing Yang felt a vague worry in his heart.
This... Zhizhi is not the king's child at all...
Yuan Zhizhi tilted her head, also thinking about something.
Duota's eyebrows moved slightly, his eyes fixed on Helanxin, his tone slightly deep,
"You mean...adopted by you?"
Helan was calm as usual, her eyes were clear, and she shook her head slightly: "I dare not have such extravagant hopes."
"I am just worried that if the young prince stays in the harem for a long time without any status or position, people will inevitably talk about him."
"The King dotes on the young prince, but he cannot always protect him. I believe that without his mother's protection or a legitimate status to rely on, the young prince would become the weakest pawn in everyone's eyes."
She spoke sincerely, as if she was really thinking about Yuan Zhizhi.
Upon hearing this, Duota frowned slightly.
His gaze rested on Helan Xin again, and he spoke slowly: "You make a lot of sense."
"But..." He lowered his head and said calmly, "Zhizhi's biological mother is still alive. She will be my princess."
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