Upon arriving at Kunning Palace, Lin Yiran, having received the news, was already waiting at the palace gate. Seeing Rong Yuan approach, she quickly led the palace maids to greet him.
Just as he was about to bow, Rong Yuan grabbed his hand and stopped him.
"There are no outsiders here, so let's skip it."
Lin Yiran nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty."
Rong Yuan took the Empress's hand and slowly walked into the palace.
"Has Your Majesty heard about the haunting of Liuyun Palace?"
Upon hearing that the Emperor had inquired about the matter, Lin Yiran quickly apologized: "Yes, Your Majesty, I know, and I have gone to see her. Consort Li is indeed somewhat disoriented from fright. I have instructed the imperial physicians to take good care of her, and I have also instructed the chief eunuch in charge of the palace to investigate. It is all my fault for not managing the harem properly, causing Your Majesty so much trouble."
This matter pertains to the inner palace. Whether the Emperor blames her or not is one thing; she must first admit her negligence. Although His Majesty doesn't care about Li Wanyue, she is, after all, the mother of the Third Prince, and the Emperor will inevitably have to inquire about it.
Rong Yuan patted her hand: "Your Majesty, there's no need to apologize. I was just asking casually. Over the years, it's only Yi Ran who has stayed by my side from beginning to end, managing the harem so well for me. Your Majesty has worked hard. But there are always some people who are not so well-behaved. Your Majesty, you don't need to take it to heart."
"Let's leave it at that. Your Majesty need not investigate further. We both know who did it. However, the consequences of this matter are entirely Li Wanyue's own fault, and she has no one else to blame but herself. Let her spend the rest of her life in Liuyun Palace in a daze."
The Empress was startled upon hearing this. Was the Emperor also going to abandon Li Wanyue? Although Li Wanyue was currently insane, what if she were to regain her senses one day? She would surely cause a huge commotion. Or perhaps His Majesty already had another way to ensure she would never regain her senses? If so, what about the Third Prince…?
Seeing the Empress in a daze, Rong Yuan knew what she was thinking.
"Your Majesty need not worry. I have already considered all the possible scenarios. Rather than letting him and his mother go to such lengths to cause trouble, it would be better to take this opportunity to see what he can actually accomplish."
The "he" Rong Yuan was referring to was naturally the Third Prince, Rong Mian. Regardless of whether he was connected to Li Wanyue's scheme to have the imperial physician falsify the evidence, his previous actions—the assassination attempt, the disaster relief efforts, and his constant targeting of Rong Qi and Rong Xi—all indicated that he was dissatisfied with the status quo and wanted more.
"Your Majesty, I am only worried about your safety!"
Rong Yuan sat in the main seat and pulled Lin Yiran to sit down as well.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. The Empress doesn't need to worry about Xi'er either; just take care of yourself. However, I'd like to see just how much the Third Prince has grown over the years."
If he behaves himself, then she naturally won't implicate him because of his mother's affairs. But if he harbors any ill intentions because of Li Wanyue's matter, then she will have no choice but to be ruthless.
Lin Yiran nodded: "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will be fine."
Although she had lived in the inner palace for many years, she was no longer a young girl who had just grown up. Besides, she still had the Phoenix Feather Guard, an elite force that was loyal only to the Empress.
Rong Yuan served her some food: "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore, let's have lunch. By the way, Yi Ran, Xi'er is getting on in years, I wonder if the Empress has found a suitable candidate for Crown Princess for him?"
When the Empress heard Rong Yuan's words, her heart skipped a beat. What was the Emperor going to do? Was he going to choose a concubine for Xi'er? She didn't want her son to end up like his father, choosing someone he didn't like.
Thinking of what her son had told her a few days ago, Lin Yiran smiled gently: "Your Majesty, a few days ago Xi'er told me that he rescued a woman outside the palace. Although he doesn't know which family she belongs to, Xi'er can't forget her. I was thinking that since Xi'er likes her, we should find that girl first and see if her family background is good enough for our Xi'er. That way, we can fulfill Xi'er's wish."
Rong Yuan thought for a moment. It seemed that Xi'er had never liked a girl before. This time, it was rare for him to have someone he was interested in. He decided to wait and see what happened. He didn't want his son to find someone he didn't like.
"Yes, it's good that the Empress is concerned. Xi'er has never caused me any worry. However, the matter of the Crown Princess is also a matter of state, so we must not take it lightly."
Lin Yiran nodded: "Your Majesty, please put it down. I understand."
Lin Yiran breathed a sigh of relief. She'd stall for time; she couldn't pressure Xi'er about this. She hoped what Xi'er told her was true and that they could find out the girl's identity as soon as possible.
After having lunch at Kunning Palace, Rong Yuan returned to the Imperial Study to handle official business.
Watching the Emperor's retreating figure, Lin Yiran sighed. After so many years of marriage, she still couldn't understand Rong Yuan's thoughts at all.
Only after Rong Yuan's figure disappeared from sight did Lin Yiran turn around and return to the palace.
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