Consort Chun pondered for a moment, then let out a self-deprecating laugh, saying, "But even so, how many people in this world can be so magnanimous? Now that my son's obsession runs so deep, I fear that in the future..."
As the two were talking, Huan'er hurriedly came in to report: "Your Highness, His Highness has arrived!"
As expected, Xuan Yuanhan arrived at Zihexuan early in the morning, eager to make a scene.
Consort Chun and Granny Zhang then exchanged a glance.
Huan'er stepped forward and, together with Zhang Mama, helped Consort Chun to her feet. They then moved to the outer hall, where Consort Chun slowly sat down. The two women stood on either side of her, waiting to serve her.
At this moment, Xuanyuan Han walked in with steady steps, approached Consort Chun, stood in front of her, bowed and said solemnly, "Your subject greets Your Majesty!"
Consort Chun remained calm and composed, with a slight smile on her face, and asked, "Doesn't Your Highness have morning court today? Why have you come to Zihe Pavilion to pay your respects so early?"
Unexpectedly, Xuanyuan Han had no intention of exchanging a few words with her. As soon as he stood up, he directly questioned her: "May I ask Mother Consort, what exactly did you say to Yun'er yesterday that caused her to leave without saying goodbye and try to leave the Qin Prince's residence overnight?"
Although she was somewhat prepared for what was about to happen, Consort Chun was still taken aback when she heard the words come out of Xuan Yuanhan's mouth.
After a slight pause, he let out a cold laugh and slowly said, "So early in the morning, I never expected that my son would come to me in such a menacing manner to demand an explanation!"
All night long, Xuan Yuanhan tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, and was still angry, so he remained silent.
At this moment, a maidservant brought up a tea tray with both hands.
Huan'er quickly stepped forward and caught her, while the maid slowly retreated.
Granny Zhang lifted the lid, ladled a cup from Huan'er's tea tray, and handed it to Consort Chun.
He then poured another cup, walked to Xuan Yuanhan's side, winked at him, and said, "Your Highness, please sit down. Please also try the Five-Nut Milk Tea that this old servant personally brewed this morning. It can warm the lungs and moisten the intestines, nourish the liver and kidneys, beautify the skin, delay aging, and prolong life. It tastes quite good."
Seeing Zhang Mama constantly giving him meaningful glances, Xuan Yuanhan could only suppress his anger and sit down, lifting the corner of his robe.
Only then did Granny Zhang speak up: "Your Highness, you may not know this, but the Dowager Consort and Miss Yi are actually old acquaintances. Back in Peach Blossom Village in the south of the city, the two had already..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the stern voice of the Dowager Consort Chun: "Zhang Mama..."
Zhang Mama then looked at her mistress, only to see Consort Chun slowly put down the tea in her hand, wipe the residue from the corner of her mouth, compose herself slightly, and then raise her head slightly to speak in a righteous tone.
"My son is still unmarried, so I remain the mistress of this Prince Qin's residence. As the mistress of this mansion, do I need to ask my son's permission before greeting visiting guests? Or perhaps that girl has sown discord between us and said something to my son that has made him so agitated that he has come here so early in the morning to spout nonsense?"
Xuanyuan Han said, "Yun'er is kind-hearted by nature. Now she has nowhere to go and has no choice but to stay in the Prince's mansion as a dependent. She is of low status and her voice is weak. If she suffers any grievances, she will naturally not say anything! However, Mother should also know that I can know anything that happens in this huge Prince's mansion, big or small."
Upon hearing this, Consort Chun was undoubtedly shocked once again.
Unexpectedly, her son was now speaking to her in such a tone because of a woman, so she asked incredulously, "My son, are you really willing to let things fall apart between you and your mother for that girl?"
Xuanyuan Han thought for a moment and said without a doubt, "From childhood to adulthood, in my heart, I have always believed that my mother is the most important woman in my life, without exception."
Just as Consort Chun was still pleased with these words and eagerly awaiting his next words, she suddenly heard him say: "But one day, Yun'er appeared, like a ray of light, illuminating the dark world in my heart. From then on, my heart was no longer just cold, gloomy, and lonely."
As Xuan Yuanhan spoke, the unprecedented tenderness and happiness in his eyes made Consort Chun seem to see her younger self. Because of her beloved, she felt that her whole world had become beautiful. She murmured, "But her heart is not with you."
Hearing this, he felt a pang of sadness, but for some reason, his resolve suddenly hardened: "Even if her heart is not with me in this lifetime, I know that my heart belongs only to her!"
When Consort Chun heard her son's determination, her eyes widened in shock.
A moment later, she reminded him of the current reality: "But...but don't you know she's pregnant with another man's child? Don't you mind at all...?"
Xuanyuan Han lowered his head and remained silent for a while, then raised his head again to meet the eyes of Consort Chun and said, "Mother, do you still remember what I told you? Even if we are destined to be entangled in this life, even if we hate each other, I will keep her by my side. Only in this way can I be at peace. If I let her go, I'm afraid the whole world will..."
Seemingly realizing he had said something he shouldn't have, he slowly lowered his eyes and changed his words, saying, "Regarding that child, now that things have come to this, I do not believe that the child has nothing to do with me?"
Consort Chun asked, puzzled, "What...what do you mean by that?"
Xuanyuan Han looked at Yi Shangyun's actions and felt increasingly uneasy. He then firmly said, "On the matter of the child, I believe that no one knows better than me whether he is my child or not... Regardless of whether she admits it or not, when the time is right, the truth will be revealed."
Consort Chun seemed to have guessed Xuanyuan Han's thoughts and hurriedly asked, "My son, do you want to..."
But as soon as she opened her mouth, she didn't dare to think any further. She said with extreme worry, "But the child in her womb is growing bigger every day. Living in the Prince's mansion like this, without any clear arrangement, is ultimately unreasonable. Even if you, my son, are fearless, she's a young woman, and she'll inevitably be pointed at and gossiped about in the future. Besides, ultimately, she is of noble birth..."
Xuanyuan Han withdrew his gaze and said slowly, as if deep in thought, "I will not let her stay by my side in an ambiguous manner or suffer any grievances. Of course, I cannot let her live here in a way that is not proper. So let me make her rightful."
Consort Chun thought for a moment, then asked doubtfully, "Could it be that you intend to..."
Suddenly realizing what was happening, she exclaimed in surprise, "No... this is impossible! She is a princess from an enemy country. In the past, there might have been a sliver of hope. But now, the three countries of the Lingkong Continent are all stirring up trouble, and war could break out at any moment. The two in the palace would never agree to you welcoming a princess from an enemy country into your family."
"There will be a way!" Xuan Yuanhan said thoughtfully, clenching his fists in front of his knees.
Seeing that Xuanyuan Han was in such a predicament because of Yi Shangyun, Consort Chun felt extremely distressed.
The room was silent.
The mother and son both quieted down and sat there quietly, with only wisps of light smoke rising from the incense burner.
After a while, Xuanyuan Han pleaded, "Your Majesty, I beg you not to disturb Yun'er again until I come up with a solution. Let her stay here quietly by herself."
Consort Chun nodded seriously, and only then did Xuan Yuanhan get up to take his leave and move away from Zihe Pavilion.
Only after his figure disappeared from sight did Granny Zhang ask, "Your Highness, what can His Highness do?"
Consort Chun pondered for a moment, then sighed heavily: "Yes! What else can he do? The trip to Dongning was a disaster, and the Prince and those two in the palace have probably exhausted all the little affection they once had. Just a few days ago, I personally arranged for Princess Yongle of Dongning to be dismissed, and now they want to welcome Princess Yongning into the family. It's all fate's cruel joke. Getting them to agree to the marriage will be even more difficult..."
As she spoke, she pondered for a moment, and finally said helplessly, "But since my son is determined to have no other woman than her in this life, even if it means going through fire and water, I can only fulfill his wish."
Confused, Zhang Mama asked, "Does Your Highness mean..."
Looking at Zhang Mama's face, Consort Chun said earnestly, "I only hope that my son can live a happy and joyful life. If so, whatever I do will be worthwhile."
Flowers bloom, filling the garden with fragrance; a beautiful woman in this mortal world is like a dream.
The next day at daybreak, Yi Shangyun went out alone and once again came to the peony flower sea on the small island behind the Prince's Mansion.
She lay quietly among the peonies, the air filled with their fragrance, feeling the free spirit of the wind. Perhaps it was a normal reaction during pregnancy, or perhaps it was the comforting scenery that made her drift off to sleep.
After an unknown amount of time, suddenly, a pair of strong and powerful arms lifted him up from the ground.
Suddenly, Yi Shangyun snapped out of her daze, opened her eyes, and upon seeing who it was, struggled and cried out in alarm, "Your Highness, what are you doing? Put me down quickly!"
The person who came was Xuan Yuanhan. He picked her up and carried her to the swing so that she could sit down comfortably. Then he bent down and stared intently into her panicked eyes, warning her: "The ground is cold. I have said that you are not allowed to harm my unborn child. Otherwise, you will not be able to bear the consequences."
Suddenly, Yi Shangyun was stunned by such gentle eyes and handsome features.
After a moment, she suddenly came to her senses and retorted, "What do you want me to say for you to believe that this child really has nothing to do with you?"
Unexpectedly, Xuanyuan Han ignored her and said, "Don't waste your time anymore. No matter what you say, I will not believe you anymore."
"But……"
Just as Yi Shangyun was about to say something, Xuan Yuanhan suddenly grabbed the back of her head and sealed her lips with a kiss...
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