Upon hearing of the sudden passing of the Princess Consort of Qin, the Qin Prince's residence had already begun preparations for the funeral. Before the messenger could arrive to announce the death, Xuan Yuanhan himself was soon summoned to the palace.
The Empress Dowager's Yong'an Palace still exudes a faint scent of sandalwood.
Emperor Jing, the Empress, and the Empress Dowager all took their seats.
Emperor Jing asked in utter astonishment, "Brother, what exactly happened? How could your princess suddenly..."
The Empress echoed in disbelief, "Yes, Princess Qin was in the prime of her life, and had just married the Imperial Uncle not long ago. How could she have died so suddenly?"
The Empress Dowager also said sternly, "Prince Qin, you really should give us an explanation for this matter! Although the Princess Consort of Qin is not from a prestigious family, she was still someone who was personally welcomed into our royal family with the full respect of the three letters and six rites. She cannot be treated like an ant and killed so easily!"
Xuanyuan Han hesitated for a moment. Of course, he couldn't tell them that Yi Shangyun had died in an accident while leading the people to control desertification, because he had secretly gone to Lu County against the imperial decree.
It wasn't the right time to talk about it yet, so he tried to lie: "The princess..."
After a pause, he suddenly remembered the time Yi Shangyun ran away from home before going to Lu County.
He has to admit that he still regrets it to this day.
So he said, "Your Highness, she ran away from home because of a disagreement with me on some matters. I searched for her constantly, but couldn't find her. Until..."
Looking back on everything that had happened since he returned from Dalu County, he felt a deep, agonizing pain in his heart.
He then took a deep breath and said, "Until the day of the torrential rain, Yi Shangkun came to the Prince's residence to report that the Princess Consort..."
Time and again, how could Xuanyuan Han bear to imagine Yi Shangyun's helplessness and despair before his death? He truly couldn't continue speaking.
Emperor Jing and Empress were still immersed in the pain of Xuan Yuanhan.
The Empress Dowager spoke first, but angrily said, "Nonsense, utter nonsense! As expected of a woman from a humble family, how could she be so petty as the wife of the King of Qin, running away from home at the slightest disagreement with her husband? Such a person is completely unworthy to be a daughter-in-law of my royal family!"
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's criticism of Yi Shangyun, Xuanyuan Han gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly.
However, seeing the melancholy and sorrow on Xuanyuan Han's face, the Empress said with concern, "The dead cannot be brought back to life. I hope that Uncle Qin will take care of himself!"
At this moment, Emperor Jing also asked, "I heard that Consort Chun has also fallen ill. Is it serious?"
Xuanyuan Han sighed softly and replied, "My mother is probably unable to accept the Princess's departure in the short term. It will take some time for her to recover."
After learning about the situation, Emperor Jing sighed and said, "A parent outliving their child, alas! Perhaps it is indeed the Princess Consort of Qin's fate that is unfortunate! Since it has already happened, there is no use in being sad. We must look forward and keep going."
At this moment, the Empress Dowager suddenly sighed and said, "The Empress Dowager is getting old and can't withstand any setbacks. She'll collapse at the slightest disturbance. But there has to be a mistress in this Prince's mansion, and the royal family needs Prince Qin to have more children."
Upon hearing such inappropriate words, the Empress asked in confusion, "I wonder what Your Majesty means..."
The Empress Dowager seemed to have already made up her mind, and blurted out: "I have heard that Lu Xian's daughter from the Western Qin Academy comes from a scholarly family and is quite knowledgeable and reasonable. She and the Prince of Qin were childhood sweethearts, inseparable since they were little. I have also heard that the child has admired you for many years and his love has never changed. I think it would be good to make her your principal wife and have her by your side."
These words were indeed unexpected by Xuan Yuanhan, causing him to freeze in place.
Even the Empress and Emperor Jing seemed to be completely taken aback, and they looked at each other with great confusion.
"As everyone knows, I have just lost my wife, yet the Empress Dowager is already so eager to put people around me."
"I just never expected it to be her."
"Sure enough, the two of them were in cahoots."
"It seems this old fox is already eager to show his tail."
"I'd like to see what you're really up to."
Xuanyuan Han was thinking hard.
Just as everyone was anticipating his choice, Xuanyuan Han said with a somber expression, "In this life, I have only had my deceased queen as my principal wife..."
Seeing that Xuanyuan Han had relented and had not rejected her idea, the Empress Dowager continued, "A concubine would also be fine; someone has to take care of you and your child."
Seeing the Empress Dowager's anxiety, Xuan Yuanhan became even more certain that there must be a conspiracy involved.
He continued, "However, the Queen has just passed away, and I am not in the mood to take any more concubines for the time being. This matter may..."
Before Xuanyuan Han could finish speaking, fearing he might suddenly change his mind, the Empress Dowager quickly interrupted him: "No rush, no rush. Marriage is a serious matter, not a child's play. Besides, the Lu family needs time to prepare. Perhaps..."
After a moment's thought, the Empress Dowager said, "How about six months? By then, you should have recovered enough to get married. What do you say?"
Xuanyuan Han pretended to think for a while, and finally stood up and agreed, "I will follow Mother's arrangements."
At this point, everyone present displayed their own expressions.
Each of them was immersed in their own thoughts and calculations...
We left Yong'an Palace.
Upon hearing that the Empress Dowager had once again bestowed a marriage upon her master, Cheng Liang had many questions he wanted to ask.
But upon seeing Xuan Yuanhan's face, which had never been so gloomy before, she seemed too frightened to speak anymore.
I could only follow silently behind him, glancing at the road ahead unintentionally as I walked.
Suddenly noticing something unusual about what he was looking at compared to the past few days, he murmured to himself, "Why are the gates of Changning Palace open again?"
Upon hearing the sound, Xuan Yuanhan suddenly came to his senses and looked in the direction Cheng Liang was looking.
Seeing a maid sweeping at the entrance, Cheng Liang glanced at his master.
After receiving her instructions, he hurriedly stepped forward and asked the maid, "Why is the gate of Changning Palace open? Where is the emperor's new advisor who lives here?"
"They've all left!" the palace maid replied.
"They've all left?"
"What does 'all' mean?"
Clearly, Cheng Liang was quite puzzled by this.
The palace maid seemed quite dissatisfied with her work under the scorching sun, and said impatiently, "Those who are dead are dead, those who have left have left, and now there is no one left in Yongning Palace!"
"Who died?" Cheng Liang was startled.
"The man, of course," the palace maid said.
"And what about the other one?" Cheng Liang asked again.
"The woman has left!" the palace maid replied.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Liang's eyes widened in shock: "What did you say... she's really a woman?"
The palace maid seemed to realize she had let something slip and hurriedly explained, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I don't know anything, I don't know anything..."
After saying that, he grabbed the broom and ran away as fast as he could.
Upon returning to his master's side, Xuan Yuanhan, who had overheard their entire conversation from a short distance away, fell into deep thought.
"Who exactly are they? What is Emperor Jing hiding?"
Suddenly, Xuanyuan Han silently murmured a name: "Zhang Zhiyuan..."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Liang immediately understood: "Zhang Zhi must be lying!"
Before Xuan Yuanhan could finish speaking, he hurriedly left.
It was evening.
Upon returning to his residence, Xuanyuan Han went straight to Yunshui Pavilion.
She moved slowly, gently caressing everything around her, as if even her presence still lingered.
How long is the sky? How long is the earth?
Memories flashed before my eyes.
The vows of eternal love we made still echo in my ears, but the beauty that once captivated me has now turned into a pile of bones.
Except for the fact that she can no longer be seen here, nothing else has changed.
How could he accept this fact when he felt it so vividly?
"Yun'er..."
"Yun'er..."
Each heartfelt cry sounded so pale and powerless.
"You agreed?"
Just then, a sound suddenly came out.
It turned out that after learning that Xuan Yuanhan had been granted another marriage upon entering the palace today, Consort Chun, despite her extremely weak body, was helped to Yunshui Pavilion by Zhang Mama, wanting to find out the truth.
Upon hearing the sound, Xuanyuan Han turned around abruptly.
But a loud slap landed hard on his face.
The mother and son looked at each other, and Xuan Yuanhan did not speak, which meant he tacitly agreed to the matter.
Consort Chun said angrily, "Don't you love Yun'er very much? Why are you so eager to let that poisonous woman take Lu Tianjiao into the family before even her funeral is over?"
At this moment, Xuan Yuanhan, who had been enduring all this time, seemed to finally be awakened by this slap and gradually relaxed.
Tears still glistened in his seemingly deep eyes: "This torrential rain not only took away Yun'er, but also my second child, almost destroyed the entire Western Qin, and almost destroyed my son, but..."
Even his voice was choked with emotion. He paused for a moment, then continued, "But I myself don't know why I should live, why I should live such a agonizing life. Without her, what meaning does my remaining life have?"
Upon hearing this, Consort Chun was greatly surprised.
"What did you say?"
"What, a second child?"
"You mean Yun'er, she..."
"God, what have I done wrong that you have to punish me like this again and again?"
When she slowly came to her senses, Consort Chun seemed unable to stand any longer, and Zhang Mama quickly helped her sit down.
"Your Highness, please don't get agitated."
The room was silent.
Both mother and son remained silent for a while.
Consort Chun spoke again: "But you know that, for you, Lu Tianjiao is not a suitable match. She is wicked and is worlds apart from Yun'er... I really don't know what the Empress Dowager is thinking with this move?"
At this moment, Xuanyuan Han said, "Does Mother also think the Empress Dowager is up to something?"
Upon hearing this, Consort Chun instinctively realized that her unintentional remark might actually be true.
At this moment, it seemed as if he suddenly realized something: "Could it be that, my son, you are doing this for..."
Xuanyuan Han secretly made up his mind and said through gritted teeth, "From now on, I will have no weaknesses. It's time to end all of this!"
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