The Imperial City of Western Qin.
A rare quiet haven, a small world away from the hustle and bustle.
In Yanfu Temple, in a pond that is not very large, the lotus flowers are already showing their pointed tips.
To the hurried passersby, everything here seems unchanged, yet it is a world apart.
Guided by Dingxiang, Xuanyuan Han spurred his horse and rushed to the place.
Finally, shortly after nightfall, under the dim light of an ancient Buddha statue in the temple, amidst the rhythmic sounds of a wooden fish drum, I saw that familiar figure.
Standing at the doorway, Xuan Yuanhan felt as if he had been transported to another world. He called out affectionately to the figure who was standing with her back to him, tapping the wooden fish on the table and muttering to herself, "Mother..."
Just three months later, Consort Chun's once black hair had turned completely white.
When she heard a familiar voice, her eyes suddenly opened, but then closed again.
He even thought he must be hallucinating, so he paused for a moment and then continued what he was doing.
Seeing this, Xuan Yuanhan felt extremely distressed!
So he stepped over the threshold and walked to his side.
Consort Chun stopped again, slowly raised her head, and looked at the face of the person who came beside her.
Unexpectedly, my emotions, which had finally begun to calm down over the past few days, suddenly became agitated again, and this time I almost lost my words.
Realizing she was about to get up, Xuanyuan Han quickly reached out and helped her up.
The Dowager Consort Chun reached out tremblingly, gently stroking Xuan Yuanhan's face again and again to confirm: "My son, it really is my son who has returned..."
Seeing that Consort Chun was already in tears, Xuan Yuanhan could no longer hold back his own tears, which instantly filled his eyes.
A man's knees are worth their weight in gold, yet at this moment, without a second thought, he knelt down with a thud.
He apologized to her: "Mother, I'm sorry, I've been unfilial and have caused you worry..."
Finally, Consort Chun came to her senses, shifted her gaze to a Buddha statue in front of her, and said with tears in her eyes, "Thank you, Buddha, for protecting my son who has finally returned safely!"
She then angrily punched Xuan Yuanhan twice and said, "You really scared your mother to death! I thought I would never see you again in this life! How could you bear to leave your mother alone and do such a dangerous thing yourself? That was obviously a trap that Emperor Jing deliberately set for you."
But then she tenderly stroked the spot where she had just been hit: "You are flesh and blood of your mother. Do you really think that by keeping quiet about what the people in the manor say, you can keep it from your mother?"
For a moment, the mother and son embraced and wept together.
After a long while, the two finally parted ways.
Consort Chun anxiously told him, "If it weren't for Yun'er this time, I'm afraid I really would have passed away!"
Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Han's eyes flashed with cold light, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Your Majesty, I already know everything. Dingxiang told me everything before we came here. It was my fault for being useless and failing to protect Mother. Mother, rest assured, Lu Tianjiao has been taken back by Lu Xian and his son and will be imprisoned on the cliff behind the academy until his last breath!"
Consort Chun was shocked upon hearing this: "Lu Xian, he really decided to do this?"
Xuanyuan Han nodded.
What he couldn't understand was that, despite such a major incident, Yi Shangyun hadn't mentioned it to him at all from the very beginning.
Upon closer reflection, he realized that he had already lost his memory at that time and did not even recognize her, who was right in front of him. He figured that even if she wanted to tell him these things, she probably expected that he would not respond.
Thinking about this, he felt even more regretful.
Fortunately, Consort Chun is safe and sound!
At this moment, Consort Chun suddenly apologized earnestly: "During this time, I have been diligently cultivating here and have come to understand many things. In the past, I was wrong. I shouldn't have worried so much and hindered you time and time again. In fact, what is more important than my son's happiness! Go and bring her back. I will never stop you again!"
Xuanyuan Han suddenly turned dejected: "She... is now the Empress of Dongning Kingdom, and will never come back in this life. It's all my fault. I accidentally lost my memory in Dongning Kingdom and forgot about her, which broke her heart."
Consort Chun was shocked: "What did you say? Yun'er really became... How could this be?"
He had to face everything that Emperor Jing and the Empress Dowager had secretly done to him and his mother over the years.
This time, in particular, they put the lives of countless innocent people in Western Qin to the brink of disaster.
If Yi Shangyun hadn't succeeded to the throne in time and single-handedly turned the tide, Duan Duan dared not even imagine the consequences.
Finally, Xuanyuan Han gritted his teeth and made up his mind: "Mother, it's time!"
Consort Chun had considered this day, but upon hearing it, she still felt her heart skip a beat.
"But now you have nothing left? They all say that when you led your men to the border, your identity was exposed, you were hunted down by the Dongning Kingdom, and you fell into the sea and died. The Emperor then sent people to take away all the military power of the Prince's Mansion."
Consort Chun was extremely worried, but Xuan Yuanhan secretly clenched his fists and said with great determination, "This time, even if only I am left, I will never back down again!"
Seeing Xuan Yuanhan's determination, Consort Chun felt a mix of emotions.
Upon hearing that a new emperor had ascended the throne in Dongning Kingdom, the war between the two countries was postponed.
The Empress Dowager and her entourage were also filled with anxiety and unease, wondering how the situation had suddenly developed to this point.
At this moment, inside Yong'an Palace.
The Empress Dowager was muttering to herself, "I originally thought that once the war between the two countries broke out, the King of Qin would be the first to become cannon fodder and die in a foreign land. In such a crucial battle, Emperor Jing would surely lead the expedition in person. When he went to war, we would make sure he never returned to the palace alive. In this way, without lifting a finger, Western Qin would surely become ours."
After a pause, the Empress Dowager slammed her hand heavily on the table in front of her: "Damn it, absolutely damn it! I never imagined that the useless, ugly girl from the mere apothecary's household would actually be the legitimate princess of Dongning Kingdom who had been separated from her family for many years, and now she has even ascended the throne as Empress!"
Upon seeing this, Eunuch Shou immediately presented her with a bowl of freshly brewed lily bulb, white fungus, and lotus seed tea, and comforted her, saying, "The weather has been getting hotter these past few days. Getting angry is bad for your health, Your Majesty. Things have come to this point, and getting angry is useless. There will always be other ways. In this world, things that are united for a long time will eventually divide, and things that are divided for a long time will eventually unite. Of the four kingdoms of the Lingkong Continent, Beilie has already fallen, and the ruler of Nan'an is licentious and tyrannical, so its destruction is only a matter of time. The war between Xiqin and Dongning was inevitable long ago; it has only been delayed for a few days now. Your Majesty, please don't worry too much!"
"That may be true, but I just can't swallow this insult. Just thinking about how that brat was always right in front of me, how could I not have noticed at all? And she even became that slut's daughter-in-law! Luckily, that slut and her son were dealt with! If the King of Qin had gotten the support of the incredibly wealthy Dongning Kingdom, what would have happened?"
The Empress Dowager felt a chill run down her spine when she thought about it. She sighed heavily, took the bowl of soup, took a small sip, and wiped her lips with a handkerchief.
Then she suddenly remembered someone and asked, "What has he been busy with lately? It seems like it's been quite a while since I've seen him come to pay his respects."
"Young Master, he..."
Eunuch Shou was startled and covered for him, saying, "The matter has reached the final critical moment. Every time the young master leaves the palace, he is busy having tea gatherings with those officials, making final preparations, and daring not to slack off in the slightest."
The Empress Dowager, however, was somewhat skeptical: "Is everything you've said true?"
Eunuch Shou forced himself to remain calm and said with a smile, "Young master, you have indeed worked very hard. After so many years of preparation, the outcome depends on this one battle. We must not be careless."
Faced with such an answer, the Empress Dowager had no choice but to give up. She then asked, "By the way, has Yi Shangkun still not been found? If we had him as a hostage, he would surely be of great use in the future."
Eunuch Shou shook his head: "I don't know where this group of people came from, but they acted so quickly. They were even no match for the Emperor's Imperial Guards. They managed to snatch the people from the Yi family and then disappeared without a trace, as if they had vanished into thin air."
The Empress Dowager then fell into deep thought: "Anyone who dares to snatch someone from the Emperor's hands... The King of Qin is dead, who else would be so bold?"
After Eunuch Shou left.
The Empress Dowager asked a guard in the palace in a soft voice, "How is the matter I ordered you to investigate going?"
The guard replied, "Your Majesty, the young master has indeed frequently left the palace these past few months, but he has rarely joined the officials for tea; instead..."
The guard hesitated for a moment, then continued, "When the young master leaves the palace, he usually goes to a residence he bought in the city. A woman and her grandmother live there, and I've heard..."
But the more he spoke, the more frightened he became. Faced with the Empress Dowager's stern gaze, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and finish: "I heard that woman used to be a courtesan!"
Sure enough, the Empress Dowager was stunned when she heard this: "What did you say? He's having an affair with a prostitute."
The guard continued, "We've confirmed the woman's identity; she's actually... the young master's daughter!"
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager flew into a rage: "You scoundrel!"
She paused, suppressing her anger, and immediately ordered, "Go and bring him back to me! Now! Immediately!"
The guard quickly acknowledged the order: "Yes!"
And just as they stepped out of the gates of Yong'an Palace.
Grandpa Shou shook his head, the more he thought about it, the more something seemed wrong.
Recalling the expression on the guard's face in the Empress Dowager's palace when she asked him about Long En's recent situation, he hurriedly ordered the eunuch behind him, "Oh no, something's happened! Quickly go and find the young master, hurry!"
Thanks to Yi Shangyun's treatment and Long En's meticulous care over the past few days, Lanxiang's body has been reborn and she has fully recovered.
The relationship between the father and daughter gradually improved, and they got along better and better.
From childhood to adulthood, Lanxiang has experienced so much pain in her heart, which seems to be gradually being healed.
It was late at night.
She sat alone in the pavilion in the corner of the courtyard, enjoying the gentle warm breeze, and murmured to herself to the brightest star in the sky, "Mother, these past few days, spending every day with him, his meticulous care for me, ignoring the strange looks from others, I feel like I've already forgiven him!"
At that moment, Long En, who was not far behind her, heard her muttering and felt a warmth he had never felt before.
Finally, all my efforts were not in vain.
She finally accepted him.
He paused for a moment, then stepped forward and draped a purple cloak over her shoulders, saying with concern, "You've just recovered, but you can't withstand the wind. It's chilly at night, so take care of yourself."
Lanxiang said calmly, "Thank you!"
Long En sat down beside him and suddenly said, "The person who saved you in the palace wasn't one of your childhood neighbors, was he? Because your mother had a child out of wedlock, they were afraid you would be looked at differently by others, so you've always lived alone since you were little."
Lanxiang was startled.
How did you know?
"Did your grandmother tell you?"
Long En thought for a moment and said, "Yes and no. She only told me that you were looked down upon since you were a child. That day in the palace, I only saw that woman's eyes, which were quite familiar, as if I had seen them somewhere before. But since you said that, I couldn't say anything more."
Immediately afterwards, Long En apologized earnestly: "I'm sorry, it's all my fault that you have to suffer so much pain that you shouldn't have to endure."
All the past events seem unimportant to Lanxiang, who has now been reborn. She said calmly, "It's all in the past. Since God has allowed me to live, I should look forward to a new life and not dwell on the past."
Long En said with certainty, "Lanxiang, believe me, this time, I will definitely protect you and never let anyone hurt you again!"
Lanxiang replied, "Okay!"
Just then, a knock on the door interrupted their conversation.
"Knock knock knock..."
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