"Mother, do you say I'm not good-looking?" King Xuan said deliberately, "How can you talk about your son like that?"
The Empress Dowager laughed for a long time and said, "That's good. If... no matter what the news is, don't come back. Even if they call you in my name, don't come back."
King Xuan's expression changed, and he said, "Mother, it's not that bad."
The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "I don't understand these things, but I know that it's best for you to leave."
King Xuan moved his lips, but ultimately said nothing.
The Empress Dowager stopped talking about it and simply said, "I don't have anything to give you. I've given all my savings to Bao-jie."
“Mother, I don’t need it,” King Xuan said. “I can’t be by your side to take care of you…”
The Empress Dowager patted Prince Xuan's arm and said, "I don't need you at all. I'm surrounded by people now. I have several people to serve me water, and people keep me company and try to please me. You don't need to worry."
However, Prince Xuan understood that this was different. Originally, there was an empress accompanying the Empress Dowager, but now the empress was gone. Emperor Yan would have a new empress sooner or later, and in the end, the empress would be the one to speak in the harem. In fact, Prince Xuan was very worried that his mother would suffer.
The Empress Dowager seemed to see through Prince Xuan's thoughts and said, "I am still the Emperor's mother, so you can rest assured."
King Xuan knew that saying anything more would be useless.
The Empress Dowager said, "Don't think that you escaped on your own. I was the one who kept persuading the Emperor to let you leave. I regret that I didn't let the Empress leave back then. The Empress died of illness, but this illness... Zhili, tell me the truth, what really happened to Jiawang?"
King Xuan's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Why do you ask that, Mother?"
The Empress Dowager didn't look at Prince Xuan, and after a long pause, she asked, "Is it related to His Majesty?"
The sound was very soft.
Prince Xuan said solemnly, "Mother, Jiawang's death has nothing to do with His Majesty."
The Empress Dowager gripped Prince Xuan's arm tightly: "Then why does the Empress not want to live anymore?"
Prince Xuan felt the Empress Dowager's hand trembling, hesitated for a moment and said, "That's not how it is. Jiawang's death has nothing to do with Your Majesty. Your Majesty was unaware of it. It was only after Jiawang was gone that Your Majesty learned the truth. But because the situation was very... very close to success at that time, Your Majesty chose to remain silent and did not punish the murderer. However, you did avenge Jiawang later."
The Empress Dowager's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "Is it Consort Liu's family?"
King Xuan hummed in agreement.
The Empress Dowager sighed softly and said, "I understand."
King Xuan wanted to say more, but the Empress Dowager had already shaken her head.
The Empress Dowager did not tell Prince Xuan what she knew: "The Empress knows about this."
King Xuan said, "I didn't know at first, but I found out later."
The Empress Dowager hummed in agreement. If that were the case, with her only son gone and her husband in such a state, it was understandable that the Empress would not want to live.
King Xuan comforted her, saying, "Mother, don't think so much. Many things in the past were beyond our control."
The Empress Dowager looked at Prince Xuan, unwilling to discuss the matter, and simply said, "Alright, treat your wife well, understand?"
King Xuan said, "I know."
Yan Shujin first learned that Prince Xuan was going to the southwest, and then received Prince Xuan's letter. After reading the letter, she hesitated for a moment and asked someone to invite Sun Qiao over. If it weren't for the fact that Mr. Du had already gone to the south, Yan Shujin would have preferred to invite Mr. Du over at this time.
After hesitating for a moment, Yan Shujin had Han Jing invited over.
Once both of them had arrived, Yan Shujin showed them the letter from Prince Xuan and asked, "What do you think?"
Han Jing hesitated for a moment, then said, "I think General Shi could try to win him over. General Shi must know His Majesty's thoughts. However, if we don't offer him a way out, then General Shi will only have to comply with His Majesty's wishes."
Yan Shujin nodded and looked at Han Jing.
Han Jing continued, "What if we gave General Shi another choice?"
Yan Shujin said, "That's true. If we don't give him a choice, he can only follow His Majesty's wishes. But we've given him a new option, and there's a 50% chance he'll choose us."
Han Jing said solemnly, "Princess, I'll go."
Yan Shujin paused for a moment and then said, "Alright, Sun Qiao will arrange for people to protect the prince consort, but we need to be prepared for both possibilities. If General Shi doesn't listen to reason, then we'll force him to submit."
Sun Qiaogong agreed.
Yan Shujin fiddled with her fingers: "It must be in my father's hands. The southwest is not far from us, and it also involves Nanzhong."
Sun Qiao said, "Then I will make the arrangements."
Yan Shujin agreed.
After Sun Qiao left, Han Jing walked up to Yan Shujin and sighed, "I wonder if Huan-jie will not recognize me when I come back this time."
Yan Shujin held Han Jing's hand and said, "Be careful."
Han Jing held Yan Shujin's hand in return, rubbed it against his face, and said, "I will. Even for your sake, I will protect myself."
Yan Shujin said, "Although I think General Shi would never dare to let you encounter any danger, I'm just afraid something might happen."
Han Jing lowered his head and kissed Yan Shujin's fingers: "I will take care of myself, don't worry."
Author's Note: Bao Jie: I know what Emperor Yan is thinking, but Emperor Yan doesn't know what I'm thinking. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the [nutrient solution]:
10 bottles of Blue Eyes Like the Sea, Sophia?, Sugar-Free Little White Dove, and Little Blue Water; 6 bottles of Fragrant Tassel; 5 bottles of Talking to Myself;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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