Chapter 194: Grudge
Emperor Tai'an glanced at Princess Yi'an.
In front of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, Princess Yi'an showed none of the arrogance she had shown when she returned to the Marquis of Weiwu's mansion. She immediately said politely, "Grandmother, I'm going back to my room to change my clothes. You and Father can chat slowly."
After Princess Yi'an left, the Queen Mother asked with a smile, "Your Majesty, is there something wrong?"
Emperor Tai'an looked embarrassed.
The Empress Dowager sat up straight and motioned the maidservant who was gently pounding her legs to leave. "Is there anything the Emperor cannot tell me?"
Emperor Tai'an put his fist to his lips and coughed, "I'm afraid my mother will beat me if I tell her."
The Queen Mother glanced at him and said, "You are already grown up, yet you are still playing tricks in front of me."
"Then promise not to be angry, son will say."
"Go ahead." The empress dowager smiled, but her heart sank.
Based on her understanding of her son, the way he spoke and what he was about to say would most likely hinder her, but would not have much impact on the court.
Emperor Tai'an laid the groundwork and began to speak: "This matter is related to Yi'an..."
The Queen Mother raised an eyebrow: "Is it related to Yi An?"
"Have you, Mother, heard that Princess Yu Liu was injured in Fuxiang Garden?"
"I heard about this. Why is Princess Yu Liu going to cause trouble for Yi An?"
"It's not that I'm looking for trouble with Yi'an. Princess Yu Liu's personality changed a bit after she lost her memory, and by chance she came into contact with Yang Zhe that day..."
After listening to Emperor Tai'an's words, the Empress Dowager remained silent for a long time.
Emperor Tai'an carefully assessed the Queen Mother's reaction and asked, "Mother, are you angry with your son?"
The Queen Mother's eyelids twitched, and her voice sounded much older: "Your Majesty, for the sake of the country, how could I be angry with you? But why didn't Your Majesty tell me about this matter first? After all, it is a matter of great importance to Yi'an's life."
Emperor Tai'an revealed a distressed expression. "Princess Yu Liu banged her head against the pillar right in front of her son. I couldn't stand her making such a fuss. If something really goes wrong, Yu Liu will definitely defect to Da Qi, or take the opportunity to make exorbitant demands, causing us to bear even greater losses."
The Queen Mother sneered: "Can she really commit suicide?"
Emperor Tai'an's eyes flashed.
The Queen Mother was really angry because of Yian.
"Even if it's fake, if she keeps making such a fuss, the story of the princesses of the two countries fighting for husbands will spread more and more, and it will become a hot topic among the people. This will also hurt Yi'an. What do you think, mother?"
The Queen Mother tightened her lips and let out a breath of cold air from her nostrils.
"Don't worry, mother. I will find a husband for Yi'an who is better than Yang Zhe." Emperor Tai'an picked up the lychees in the glass fruit plate, peeled them, and fed them to the empress dowager.
The Queen Mother turned her face away slightly and said calmly, "I am old and cannot eat anything too sweet. Your Majesty, please eat it."
Emperor Tai'an held up the crystal clear and plump lychee flesh for a moment, then put it into his mouth awkwardly.
"Mother doesn't like to eat anything too sweet. I'll have someone send some water chestnuts and lotus seeds over later."
The Queen Mother nodded, avoiding humiliating her son.
"Then you take a rest first. Your son will go back to take care of some things." Emperor Tai'an left the Cining Palace. The bright sunlight sparsely fell on his face, but it could not dispel the coldness deep in his eyes.
The Queen Mother eventually developed a grudge against him.
He had expected this, but he had to do it.
Thinking about the memorials about Northern Qi piled up on his desk, Emperor Tai'an sighed and quickened his pace.
In the Cining Palace, the Queen Mother had a blank expression and did not move for a long time.
The old nanny beside her advised: "Empress Dowager, please don't take it to heart. The Emperor is the most filial."
The Queen Mother looked at the confidant who had been with her for most of her life and said, "Do you also think that I shouldn't have offended the Emperor just now?"
"The emperor is also in a difficult position when encountering such a thing--" the old nanny advised in a gentle voice.
"Yes, I know he's in trouble." The Queen Mother reached out and pinched a bright red lychee. The rough lychee shell rubbed against her palm, which was still soft despite her age. "But no matter how troubled he is, he should have told me first."
If she doesn't show any unhappiness today, then to the emperor, she will just be an old mother who only serves as a show of filial piety to him.
That's all.
"Go call Yi'an."
The old nanny agreed and walked to the door and whispered instructions to the palace maid.
Not long after, Princess Yi'an walked in briskly, smiling before she spoke: "Grandmother is looking for me."
The Queen Mother beckoned: "Come and sit next to me."
Princess Yi'an walked over and sat down. The Queen Mother patted her hands and said, "Yi'an, I have something to tell you."
"What's going on?"
Looking at Princess Yi'an's smiling face, the Queen Mother felt even more depressed. She opened her mouth several times before she could tell the story of Princess Lingque and Yang Zhe.
Princess Yi'an was shocked. "Grandmother, what did you say? Yang Zhe became Princess Lingque's consort?"
"Yian, the emperor has no choice but to do this. You must understand the emperor's difficulties—"
"Impossible, I don't believe it, I don't believe it!" Princess Yi An shook her head and stepped back, then turned around and ran out.
"Yian!"
The Queen Mother stood up, but Princess Yi'an had already disappeared, so she had no choice but to order the palace maids to pass on the message and stop Princess Yi'an from leaving the palace.
Princess Yi'an ran back to her room in one breath, crying and kicking the tables, chairs and bed, venting her emotions that were about to explode.
Under the intentional suppression of the royal family, the news that the top scholar changed from the consort of Princess Da Zhou to the consort of Princess Yu Liu did not spread much, but it soon became known to everyone in the circle of officials and nobles.
Han Baocheng took Yang Zhe and the others out for a drink. At the end, with tears in his eyes, he grabbed Yang Zhe's hand and apologized, "Brother Yang, this is all my fault. If I hadn't called you over that day, you wouldn't have fallen into the hands of that foreign witch."
Wen Feng coughed lightly and reminded: "Brother Han, you've drunk too much."
The matter has been settled. Han Baocheng called Princess Lingque a witch, which hurt Yang Zhe's heart.
"I'm really feeling bad. I haven't been able to sleep these past two days."
Yang Zhe smiled and said, "Brother Han, there's no need to be like this. Even if that day doesn't come, there will be other times when we meet. What is bound to happen cannot be avoided."
"Are you really not feeling bad?" Han Baocheng opened his eyes wide and looked at his calm friend.
Yang Zhe lowered his eyes, his slender fingers resting on the white porcelain wine glass, his tone as light as smoke blown away by the wind: "It's not that hard."
"Brother Yang——"
Wen Feng raised his hand and placed it on Han Baocheng's shoulder: "Brother Han, have a drink."
Lin Hao was strolling in the garden when she heard about this. She had already put the idea of opening a scented dew shop on her agenda. Besides the common rose and osmanthus dews, she also wanted to find out what other flowers would be suitable for making scented dew.
After hearing this, she was stunned for a long time, looked around, and walked towards the wall.
This change is too big, she must discuss it with Qi Shuo.
"Miss, are you looking for your uncle?" Baozhu asked from behind.
"Yeah." Lin Hao rubbed her hands on her dress and jumped up.
Let’s see if Qi Shuo is there first.
Holding onto the wall with both hands, she leaned her head out.
On the other side of the wall, a young man in a plain green robe raised his lips, with surprise in his eyes.
"What a coincidence, I just wanted to take a look." Lin Hao laughed dryly.
Qi Shuo stretched out his hand: "Be careful when you come down."
Lin Haoli jumped towards him swiftly.
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