Lanqin looked back at the two women with different expressions and postures, and then recalled Qing'an's appearance. Thinking of these three people, all the words in her heart finally merged into one sentence: There must be something hateful about a pitiful person, and something pitiful about a hateful person.
These three women, each behaving in their own way, are all because of one man. In this era where men are the masters of women, for women of power and wealth, being pampered and cared for is accidental; being used and schemed against is inevitable.
If it weren't for Fifth Master's planning and scheming behind the scenes, how could a lowly princess like Mei Gege and a rootless princess like Qing'an dare to act in this way?
They are all just pitiful people controlled by patriarchal and husbandly authority.
Although Qing'an usually appears to be filial and gentle, and seems to pose no threat whatsoever.
However, when Hongzhou mentioned Fifth Master's involvement to Lanqin that day, Lanqin immediately suspected her.
Why? For no other reason than the unbreakable bond between father and daughter.
She understood the flaws in this court, though she was powerless to change them.
Today, after testing the waters, Mei Gege revealed everything, confirming Lan Qin's suspicions. However, this did not bring Lan Qin even the slightest bit of joy, because she knew it was a tragedy.
Princess Mei knelt on the ground, pleading and weeping, enduring endless torment. The Fifth Prince's wife, though heartbroken, was probably no better off than Princess Mei. Both women arrived in sorrow, and were destined to leave in similar distress.
Lanqin said, "You all go back first, I will go to the Emperor myself."
"Qing'an..." Mei Gege's voice became hoarse from crying for so long.
"I will not tell the Emperor about Qing'an's matter, and the Emperor will never know that it was Qing'an who betrayed Changchun Palace," Lanqin promised.
"That's good..." Megge wiped away her tears and gave Lanqin a smile that was even uglier than crying.
Although the Fifth Prince's wife's heart had been burned to ashes, she still pretended to be calm and took her leave with a normal expression.
After seeing off Fifth Princess Consort and Princess Mei, Nianxia massaged Lanqin's shoulders and said indignantly, "Your Majesty is so kind-hearted and has been so good to Princess Qing'an, but Princess Qing'an is not only ungrateful, she has even betrayed Your Majesty!"
“Go easy on me. Do you think my shoulders are made of stone?” Lanqin shrugged and said helplessly to Nianxia, “Qing’an didn’t do it on purpose. She had no choice but to obey Fifth Master’s orders.”
Nianxia apologized to Lanqin and began to massage her shoulders earnestly. After a short while, she said angrily, "Your Majesty, I've thought about it a lot, but I still can't understand why Princess Qing'an, who was brought into the palace as a child and raised by the Emperor and you for so many years, is no longer Fifth Prince's daughter. Why does she still obey Fifth Prince's orders?"
Lanqin smiled gently: "She is, after all, someone else's daughter."
"Your Majesty!" Nianxia called out.
“Nianxia, you must remember what I’m about to say,” Lanqin said. “Everything in this world can be severed, but kinship and blood ties can never be broken.”
"Qing'an respects me, but in Qing'an's heart, only Princess Mei is her mother."
"Do you understand?" Lanqin asked.
Nianxia said, "In my heart, Your Majesty is more important than anyone else."
Lanqin smiled and shook her head.
"Alright, continue massaging my shoulders," Lanqin said.
She understood the deep affection children have for their parents, and the tender love parents feel for their children. Back then, the Fourth Prince brought the three of them into the palace and bestowed upon them the title of princess, precisely to prevent his own daughter from marrying into a family in the borderlands. To do so would be a desecration of that affection. Perhaps that's why she betrayed him today.
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