"Get out of here now!"
Xuanyuan Che roared angrily, like thunderclap out of the blue, exploding in everyone's ears. The guards were frightened by the cold light in his eyes, and no longer cared about the empress dowager's orders. They retreated like a tide, and the tense atmosphere dissipated a lot in an instant.
"Mother, please follow me."
Xuanyuan Che restrained his sharp edge, but his tone still carried unquestionable majesty. He turned and walked towards the inner hall, his steps steady and his back as straight as a pine tree.
Although the Queen Mother was still angry, she was also shocked by Xuanyuan Che's momentum. She took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in her heart, and followed Xuanyuan Che into the inner hall with some doubts and dissatisfaction.
Seeing the two people come in, Chen Xiaoru quickly stood up and bowed gracefully, her voice soft but neither humble nor arrogant:
"Your Highness greets the Queen Mother."
"Get up!"
The Queen Mother spoke in a cold tone, examining Chen Xiaoru with a scrutinizing gaze. The woman before her was elegant and refined, with a pair of clear, bright eyes like autumn water, skin as white as jade, and a slender figure. Even the loose palace dress couldn't conceal her beauty. She was indeed quite pretty, no wonder she captivated her son so much.
"Mother, Xiaoru is... pregnant with my child."
Xuanyuan Che walked to Chen Xiaoru, held her up with his hand, and spoke in a softer tone, but still with a certain seriousness.
"What did you say?"
The Queen Mother was stunned when she heard this. She frowned and said with a hint of disbelief, "Say it again, I don't understand."
Xuanyuan Che knew he couldn't hide this, and couldn't delay any longer. So he told the Queen Mother everything about how he'd met Chen Xiaoru and how he'd brought her into the palace. The Queen Mother's expression shifted unpredictably, like the sky before a storm, cloudy and uncertain. She stared intently at Chen Xiaoru's belly, her eyes a complex mix of shock, anger, and a subtle hint of... inquiry.
"Pregnant?"
The empress dowager sneered, her voice sharp and piercing, "Emperor, do you think I am as easy to fool as a three-year-old child? This witch has an unknown origin, who knows whose illegitimate child she is pregnant with!" As she spoke, her eyes swept towards Chen Xiaoru like a sharp blade, her tone full of disdain and contempt.
"Just her? Is she worthy of bearing royal blood?"
Chen Xiaoru's face turned slightly pale, and her body trembled slightly, but she still stood straight. She raised her head and met the Queen Mother's sharp gaze, her voice cold and firm:
"Your Majesty, I am a clean and honest woman, and I have nothing to fear from any slander. The child in my womb is naturally your Majesty's flesh and blood."
As she spoke, she subconsciously stroked her belly, her eyes full of maternal tenderness and determination.
"What a clean and innocent person! He has nothing to fear from his own shadow!"
The Queen Mother snorted coldly, obviously not believing Chen Xiaoru's words.
"Someone, call the imperial physician!"
Her tone was stern and unquestionable, "I want to see if this witch is really pregnant with a dragon seed!"
Xuanyuan Che's face darkened. He knew that the Queen Mother was going to verify Chen Xiaoru's pregnancy on the spot. This was a huge test for both him and Chen Xiaoru. He held Chen Xiaoru's hand tightly, feeling the coldness of her palm, and a surge of pity and anger surged in his heart. He looked at the Queen Mother and said in a deep voice:
"Mother, Xiaoru is too weak to handle this!"
"What? Your Majesty, are you feeling guilty?"
The Queen Mother raised an eyebrow and said in an aggressive tone, "Or are you afraid that I will find out something?"
"I have no guilty conscience!"
Xuanyuan Che's tone was firm, his eyes blazing, "It's just that I don't want Xiaoru to come to any harm! If Queen Mother insists on doing so, I have nothing to say, but I must make it clear in advance that if anything happens to Xiaoru and the child, I will never let it go!"
As he spoke, a powerful aura emanated from him, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath.
The Queen Mother was intimidated by Xuanyuan Che's aura and hesitated in her heart, but when she thought of the purpose of her trip, she gritted her teeth and insisted:
"Alright! I'll give you this favor! However, when the imperial physician arrives, I must immediately verify your true identity! If this witch dares to deceive me and the royal family, I will make her pay the price!"
Xuanyuan Che said nothing more, silently protecting Chen Xiaoru behind him, his eyes warily fixed on the Queen Mother, like a lion protecting its cubs. The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense and oppressive, as if the air had frozen. Only the Queen Mother's rapid breathing and Chen Xiaoru's soft sobs echoed in the silent hall.
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