With a cold face and gritting her teeth, Su An accompanied the nanny to meet the Empress Dowager.
Seeing her slightly red and swollen eyes, the Empress Dowager knew what had happened. She stood up from her chair and slowly walked to Su An, trying to take her hand, but Su An subtly avoided her.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager's eyes flickered, and she sighed with regret.
"What happened today was His Majesty's fault for being too outrageous, and I also blame myself for not teaching him well. However, the Northern Barbarians are rampant right now, and the court is full of good-for-nothings who are not worth relying on. Only the Prince of Zhenbei can protect the peace of Great Chu!"
"His Majesty did this for the sake of the country and its people, so please don't hold a grudge against him."
Hearing her advice, Su An felt only irony.
She gave a soft snort, her delicate brows furrowed, and looked at the Empress Dowager with a mocking expression.
“Fu Zhun has always been concerned about the Great Chu and has long regarded protecting the country as his own responsibility. If he had asked, Fu Zhun would not have refused, even for the sake of the common people. But he chose to use such despicable means.”
"Moreover, he colluded with the Northern Hu to try to kill Fu Zhun. How can I not hate him?"
"Your Majesty makes it sound so easy. If Your Majesty hadn't dodged that arrow just now, would you still be advising me like this?"
With just a few words, he silenced the Empress Dowager.
Su An is right. She herself cannot be without resentment, so how can she expect Su An to be the same?
A hint of guilt flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes as she apologized to her.
"My words may be biased, but in any case, the Prince of Zhenbei and the Northern Hu will eventually have a battle. He saved my life, and I should repay his life-saving grace both morally and logically."
She rubbed her nails, and continued with a wry smile.
"However, I am just a woman, and I am afraid I cannot be of any help to the Prince of Zhenbei in the war."
"But the Prince of Zhenbei must be most concerned about you. I can protect you from harm, as a way of repaying his life-saving grace."
Su An pursed her lips, not answering, and glanced out the window, as if trying to catch a glimpse of Fu Zhun through the layers of city walls.
Who needs his concern?
All she wants is for him to return safely!
In the days that followed, with the Empress Dowager's protection, Chu Yi did not mention again the matter of bestowing the title of Noble Lady upon Su An, and rarely came to Cining Palace to disturb her life.
Besides keeping busy in the kitchen every day, Su An also spent his time copying Buddhist scriptures in his room to pray for Fu Zhun's well-being.
Three months have passed in the blink of an eye.
For three months, no news has come back from the border, which is both a cause for joy and worry.
The good news was that there was no bad news, which meant that Fu Zhun had not met with any misfortune and should still be alive; the bad news was that the war was not over and everything was still uncertain.
Perhaps because he had been alone for a long time, Su An was much quieter than before.
Suddenly, snowflakes began to fall from the sky, covering the entire area.
She slowly raised her hand, watching the snowflakes fall into her palm and then slowly melt into a drop of colorless water.
"A letter has arrived from the border!"
A voice came from behind him.
Su Anxin lifted up and turned around abruptly to look at the person who had spoken.
Li Wanyue stood before me with a plain white hairpin in her hair, one hand supporting her waist and the other her belly, her expression complicated. At this moment, Li Wanyue's lower abdomen was already slightly protruding, and she looked much more clumsy.
Before Su An could ask, she patted her belly and gave a wry smile.
"The Prince of Zhenbei died on the battlefield, and his body was never found."
Every word drilled into Su An's ears, making her heart race and her eyes redden.
"Impossible! He was highly skilled in martial arts and adept at scheming. How could he possibly have died in battle? Li Wanyue, you've always liked to oppose me. Do you really think I'd believe you?"
After glaring at her fiercely, Su An jogged away.
As they brushed past each other, two lines of tears couldn't help but slide down her cheeks, and she murmured helplessly.
"No way, he can't be dead, I have to find him..."
Li Wanyue was knocked off balance and nearly fell, but fortunately a palace maid next to her helped her up and steadied her.
Watching Su An's departing figure, the palace maid frowned in annoyance and muttered something.
"The Empress kindly told her this news, but not only did she not believe it, she actually repaid kindness with enmity and tried to harm the child in the Empress's womb. She is truly wicked."
"Alright, whether she believes it or not is her own business. Anyway, I've already brought the storybook."
Li Wanyue frowned and gave a low shout to the palace maid, then nervously patted her stomach and left the place.
Meanwhile, Su An ran all the way out of Cining Palace and headed straight for the palace gate.
The Empress Dowager's bedroom.
The old woman rushed in and said anxiously.
"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Miss Su has headed towards the palace gate. Judging from her appearance, she must have learned about the Prince of Zhenbei's matter."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's hand holding the hot water bottle trembled, and her brows furrowed.
It seems I couldn't hide it from her after all.
Having spent so much time together, she naturally knew Su An's character, and now she was afraid she couldn't stop her.
She sighed, took her token from her waist, handed it to the old woman, and gave her instructions.
"Your Majesty and I have already wronged them enough. Now that she has made up her mind to leave the palace, you should take this token and help her out!"
The old woman hesitated for a moment, clutching the token tightly in her hand, and advised.
"But if His Majesty finds out about this, I'm afraid he'll lose heart towards you!"
Centrifugation?
If His Majesty truly loved her, he wouldn't have personally shot her in the first place.
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, sighed, and gave the order in a deep voice.
"Just do as I say, and I know the consequences."
Seeing this, the old woman didn't delay any longer and hurriedly chased after them towards the palace gate.
At the same time, when Su An was a few steps away from the palace gate, the guards at the gate crossed their spears and blocked her way.
"Who goes there? Do you have a pass to leave the palace?"
Ignoring everything else, Su An attempted to force his way in.
"I am the Princess Consort of the Prince of Zhenbei. Now that I am leaving the palace, who dares to stop me?"
As she spoke, she placed her hand directly on their spears, trying to force them apart and squeeze out.
"No one is allowed to leave the palace without His Majesty's order! Miss, please return, or don't blame us for being impolite."
The palace guards suddenly pushed her back with force, and then pointed their spears at Su An.
Just as they were confronting each other, the old woman rushed over.
She held up the token in her hand and said breathlessly.
"This old servant is ordered by the Empress Dowager to escort Miss Su out of the palace. Let her go at once!"
Nevertheless, her tone of voice could not conceal her authority.
Their gazes swept over the token, and the guards at the palace gate exchanged glances before hesitatingly speaking.
"But His Majesty has given orders that Miss Su must not be released from the palace without his permission, otherwise..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was forcefully interrupted by the nanny.
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