Consort Chun painted earnestly: "My son, you are a piece of flesh that fell from your mother's body after ten months of hardship. As the saying goes, a mother and child are of one heart. Although I have not been by your side these years and have indeed missed many things, you are still my son. How could I not understand my own son?"
"Mother...I..." For a moment, Xuanyuan Han didn't know how to answer.
Just then, Consort Chun seemed to have finished her painting. She gently put down her brush, blew on the ink to dry it, and called Xuan Yuanhan over: "My son, come and see how your mother's painting is?"
Xuanyuan Han stepped forward and looked at him, and was instantly stunned.
Coming to her senses, she looked at her face in surprise and said, "Mother, you already went to see her last night?"
Consort Chun had merely drawn a portrait of the guardian's descendant that she had seen once in the palace many years ago, based on her memory. Seeing Xuan Yuanhan's flustered expression, she was understandably surprised: "It seems this Princess Yongning does indeed look remarkably like the guardian's descendant."
Last night, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, so she came up with this idea. Knowing that this had happened in the manor, she knew that Xuan Yuanhan would definitely come to report to her first thing this morning, so she could take the opportunity to test him. It seems that it really worked.
Consort Chun seemed to understand everything in an instant, but said, "Why is my son so nervous? Even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws sooner or later. Why should I be in such a hurry? Besides, the princess is still ill and is most afraid of being disturbed by outsiders. In addition, my health has always been weak. If she were to be exposed to her illness, wouldn't that just add a lot of burden to my son?"
Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Han finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Mother, that's not what I meant. I... I'm just not ready myself yet..."
Before Xuanyuan Han could finish speaking, Consort Chun hurriedly interrupted him, "Alright... I understand your thoughts. I'll say it again: as long as my son is happy, I'm happy too. I trust my son. I'm waiting, waiting for your good news."
"Your subject thanks Your Majesty," Xuanyuan Han said gratefully.
Consort Chun smiled and slowly walked towards the coffee table on the other side of the window.
Xuanyuan Han followed closely behind, and Consort Chun explained as they walked, "Actually, this painting was just something I casually painted this morning when I had nothing to do. I never expected that it would turn out that Princess Yongning, whom you are so obsessed with, looks exactly like this. She is indeed a beauty that can topple kingdoms! Your judgment is truly excellent."
Xuanyuan Han was half-believing and half-doubting, wondering what Consort Chun really meant by this.
Consort Chun sat down at the tea table, brewed tea with a pair of lotus-shaped ceramic teacups, and asked, "By the way, since returning to the Prince's residence, Mother has not had a chance to ask Your Highness. So many years have passed, I wonder if Your Highness has found any news of the Guardian's descendants?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuanhan's heart skipped a beat. He fixed his gaze on the object, wondering if his mother already knew something. After a moment's thought, he calmly asked, "Why did Mother suddenly ask about the descendants of the Guardians?"
Consort Chun handed a freshly brewed cup of tea to Xuan Yuanhan, smiling as she said, "My son, don't overthink it. Your mother was just asking casually. Ever since the descendants of the Guardian were lost many years ago, disasters have frequently occurred within the territory of Western Qin. I have also recently heard that there have been reports of an epidemic in the eastern border region, which is very worrying. I think if the Guardian were still here, he would surely protect the peace and prosperity of our Western Qin."
Seeing Xuanyuan Han reach out and take the tea she offered, Consort Chun smiled and said, "Over the years, on many nights, I have dreamt of your father. He said he regretted that he should not have listened to the court officials' advice and forced the descendants of the Guardians to enter the palace, which caused our Western Qin land to unexpectedly lose the power of the Guardians."
Consort Chun took a sip of tea, a worried look on her face. She said, "As everyone knows, the powerful force possessed by the Guardians is extremely mysterious, and whoever obtains this power will rule the world. The various kingdoms of Lingkong have always coveted the power of our Western Qin Guardians, never ceasing their efforts. They all suspect that the fate of the Guardians after their accident is still unknown. Naturally, they will send people to investigate and search in secret. If this power is seized by someone else, wouldn't our Western Qin be in imminent danger?"
Unexpectedly, Xuan Yuanhan seemed not to be listening to her at all, and was immersed in his own thoughts: "If Yun'er's identity as a descendant of the guardians of Western Qin is exposed, she will become a target for the world to plunder. In that case, even if she hates me, I would rather keep her by my side for the rest of my life. At least, she will be safe."
He then spoke with conviction, saying, "Your subject understands. Your subject will definitely send people to find the descendants of the guardians as soon as possible, so as to ensure that the land of Western Qin will be peaceful and prosperous for thousands of generations."
Seeing no flaw in Xuan Yuanhan's expression or demeanor, Consort Chun was truly puzzled: "Could it be that my son really doesn't know that Princess Yongning is the descendant of the lost guardian of Western Qin?"
With this thought in mind, the Empress Dowager Chun simply said, "That's good!"
The mother and son then sat together to continue enjoying their tea, each with their own thoughts on their minds.
After Xuan Yuanhan left, Zhang Mama, who had served in Lin Yuexuan all night, finally returned to Zihexuan.
Upon her return, she immediately rushed to find Consort Chun.
At this moment, Consort Chun is enjoying the flowers and feeding the fish in the garden, accompanied by her maid Huan'er.
Upon seeing Zhang Mama approach, the first thing she asked was, "How is she? Is that girl feeling any better?"
Zhang Mama said, "Your Highness, the young lady is much better now. She woke up before dawn. Perhaps she is not fully recovered and her body is still a little heavy. She fell asleep again after a short while."
"Is the person still in Lin Yuexuan?" Consort Chun asked, scooping a spoonful of fish food from the jar Huan'er was holding in her hands.
"I've already ordered someone to move it to Yunshui Pavilion," said Granny Zhang.
Seeing that the fish food in the jar was almost gone, Consort Chun handed the spoon to the maid beside her and said, "Take it away. Perhaps I'm getting old and can't stand the slightest breeze anymore. Remember to bring my cloak when you come back."
"Yes," Huan'er took the jar and slowly backed away.
So, Zhang Mama stepped forward to help her up. Only then did Consort Chun ask, "Are you sure it really is her?"
“This old servant is certain that the features and appearance are indeed those of the maid from the Yi household, and the sores on her face have indeed been cured,” Zhang Mama nodded, confirming.
Consort Chun thought for a moment and said, "This morning, my son came to Zihe Pavilion, and I also tried to test him."
"Testing His Highness?" Granny Zhang asked in surprise.
Consort Chun slowly left the fish pond, saying as she walked, "This morning I painted a portrait of the descendant of the guardian from my memories. Guess how my son will react when he sees it?"
Granny Zhang asked anxiously, "What did His Highness say?"
Consort Chun said, "My son actually thinks that I painted that girl, and he suspects that I secretly went to see her at night."
After passing through a circular archway, the two arrived at a garden.
All the flowers and plants here were planted by Consort Chun herself.
It's only been a few days since I last tended to them, and the seedlings have grown so rapidly in this suitable season. Before long, they've become lush and leafy everywhere, though they look rather messy.
So she picked up the scissors and, while trimming the hair herself, asked in confusion, "Do you think the prince knows that the girl from the Yi family is a descendant of the guardian?"
While helping out, Granny Zhang recalled the past few years, thought for a moment, and said, "This old servant thinks that His Highness seems to know nothing about this matter. Over the years, I have never heard anyone in the manor mention it."
Consort Chun pondered this all morning but couldn't figure it out. She felt something was off, but couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"Hiss!" Just then, Consort Chun suddenly made a sound.
"Your Highness, be careful!" Zhang Mama looked over and saw that Consort Chun's hand had been pricked by a thorn on a flower seedling. She took out a handkerchief and went over to bandage it.
Seeing a flower bud protected by thorns, Consort Chun suddenly seemed to realize something and said, "No, my son knows, he's known all along. He not only knows who the true descendant of the Guardian is, but he's also fallen in love with her, hopelessly in love. He knows that once this matter is made public, the powers of various countries will rush to seize it. And only when the Guardian is in harmony with the true Son of Heaven can he protect the peace of Western Qin. To give away his beloved is something my son can't bear; he wants to protect her, but he's torn."
Under the careful analysis of the Dowager Consort Chun, Zhang Mama finally understood as if waking from a dream, and hurriedly asked, "Then what should we do now?"
Consort Chun thought for a moment and said worriedly, "This matter must not be made public. If the palace finds out that the guardian's descendant has been found and is currently in Prince Qin's residence, then the world will truly be in chaos!"
Upon hearing this, Granny Zhang felt her mind in turmoil, muttering to herself, "There are so many people in the world, why her of all? What a wonderful girl! Why can't she just live a peaceful and stable life?"
As she pondered, Granny Zhang suddenly hesitated and said, "Your Highness, there is something else, but this old servant doesn't know how to say it?"
Consort Chun continued to carefully prune the flowers, saying, "What is it in the Prince of Qin's residence that makes it so difficult for you to speak?"
Granny Zhang has been in disbelief since last night: "Your Highness, that girl... that girl... she... she is already three months pregnant."
With a "click".
Suddenly, a delicate pink flower bud fell from Consort Chun's hand.
Consort Chun was completely stunned, hardly believing her ears. She stood rooted to the spot, staring at Zhang Mama's face, and asked, "What did you say?"
Once he came to his senses, he asked, "Do you know whose child she is carrying?"
Granny Zhang shook her head.
"It's been three months..." Consort Chun said, secretly calculating the days, but was startled...
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