Chapter 513 Xie Shang Takes the Initiative to Seek Peace
Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinyan broke out in a cold sweat and immediately knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty, Ruan Ruan... she's talking nonsense. She must have become stupid after giving birth."
"She's not stupid, it's me who's stupid, I've been completely fooled by her." Xie Shang chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Your sister doesn't even address me as 'Your Majesty' anymore. She used to be so well-mannered and knowledgeable about etiquette. She was so affectionate and gentle in front of me, making me feel so happy. Now she's given up and is just waiting for me to depose her!"
Seeing the Emperor speak so calmly, words that should have enraged him, Jiang Jinyan wondered to himself: Is the Emperor going to depose Ruan Ruan or not?
He felt like the sky had fallen. How could Ruan Ruan have offended the Emperor to reveal everything?
Seeing his expression, Xie Shang knew that Jiang Jinyan didn't really understand his sister either. "Whether your sister is a human or a ghost, go ask her yourself!"
Jiang Jinyan thought: Of course I have to ask.
He boldly asked, "Will His Majesty really depose Ruan Ruan?"
Even without the late emperor's edict, Xie Shang never considered deposing Jiang Fenghua from her position as empress. As it stands, the Jiang family has no ulterior motives, and Jiang Fenghua is the most suitable candidate for empress. Even if she deceived him, he still wants to keep her by his side for the rest of his life.
If he truly wronged her in his past life, and he makes it up to her in this life, would she be willing to love him?
"She is the mother of the child. If I depose her, I will not be able to explain to Yan'er, Hongyou, and Yuan'er." He has already issued an edict to name the fourth prince Xie Hongyuan, a name that Jiang Fenghua wanted.
"Just for the child? The Emperor didn't depose Ruan Ruan because he still loves her." Jiang Jinyan didn't mince words with him. The fact that the Jiang family still didn't know about the conflict between the Emperor and Ruan Ruan showed that the Emperor still wanted to maintain their relationship.
"Does your Jiang family want the empress's position?" Xie Shang asked in return.
Jiang Jinyan said calmly, "I have said before that as long as Ruan Ruan is happy, it doesn't matter whether she becomes empress or not."
"But she became empress only to protect your Jiang family," not because of him. That's what angered him the most. Jiang Fenghua was truly clear-headed.
None of the Jiang family members wanted Jiang Fenghua to compete for the Empress's position; they only wanted her to be happy.
Grand Tutor Jiang is solely focused on teaching and nurturing students. To date, he remains unaware of the affairs within Jiang Fenghua's harem, demonstrating just how tight-lipped Jiang Fenghua's inner circle is. Jiang Huai has remained serene and unconcerned about the harem's intrigues.
Jiang Jinyan composed himself. “Your Majesty, what’s wrong with Ruan Ruan? Or do you know why Ruan Ruan has such thoughts? She’s been like this since she was little. I’ve said it before, the Jiang family doesn’t need her protection.”
Xie Shang said, "She said she protected the Jiang family and changed their fate. Her heart is full of her family, while I have long been excluded by her."
Jiang Jinyan said, "If Your Majesty can protect Ruan Ruan for the rest of her life, I will be grateful. My fourth brother and I will risk our lives to protect the peace of the northern frontier for Your Majesty. I only hope that Ruan Ruan can be truly happy."
He paused, then said, "If Your Majesty makes Ruan Ruan sad and upset, and she is willing to leave, I will support her. This is the Jiang family's attitude. Your Majesty does not need to keep testing my loyalty."
After saying this, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "Your subject will take his leave now."
He guessed that Xie Shang must have done something to upset Ruan Ruan, which was why she said those things.
After Jiang Jinyan left, Xie Shang fell into deep thought. What exactly did Jiang Fenghua want?
Jiang Jinyan didn't catch up to Chenxi Palace. He had already anticipated Ruan Ruan's response: she would only tell him good news and not bad. Instead of asking her, he would ask someone close to her, such as Lin Yu.
Xie Shang finished dealing with state affairs very late, and Eunuch An handed him the green plaque again, "Would you like Consort Han to accompany His Majesty again today?"
Xie Shang glanced at it, "No green plaque for the Empress?"
Eunuch An was speechless and said, "The Empress is the empress, and there is no rule that the Empress should wear a green plaque."
Xie Shang said, "You may leave! I am going to visit the young prince and princess."
Eunuch An deliberately asked, "Which prince and princess does His Majesty wish to visit? Consort Song's second prince is in Jinghe Palace, and Consort Gao's second princess is in Yongle Palace."
Xie Shang glared at him coldly, "I think your work in the Imperial Household Department is too leisurely. Go to the servants' quarters!"
Eunuch An hurriedly said, "This servant is quite busy working in the Imperial Household Department. This servant will go to Chenxi Palace to inform Her Majesty the Empress and request that Her Majesty serve her tonight."
"The Empress is still in confinement, why would she serve the Emperor?" Xie Shang glared at Eunuch An and said, "Prepare the carriage for Chenxi Palace, I want to visit Xiao Yan'er."
Wu Xin and Eunuch An exchanged a glance. The Emperor's true intentions were not what they seemed!
Xie Shang went directly to Chenxi Palace. When Wang Mama and the others saw the Emperor suddenly arrive, they were startled and quickly bowed, "This servant greets Your Majesty. The Empress is reading in her bedchamber."
Xie Shang said, "I have come to visit the children."
Granny Wang was taken aback. "Should I have someone bring the princess and the prince over?"
"I shall go there."
Granny Wang hurriedly led the way, still somewhat unhappy, as it turned out she had only come to see the child.
As soon as Xie Shang went to the side hall, Wu Xin saw Lian Ye and pulled her aside, saying, "The Emperor has come to see the Empress."
"I just came out of the young prince's room. The Emperor came to visit the imperial heir, not our Empress. Besides, he already has Consort Han." Lianye didn't want the Emperor to disturb the Empress, lest she anger her.
Just as Lianye was about to leave, Wuxin leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Although the Emperor selected Consort Han's nameplate, he did not favor her."
Lianye said, "I know that the blood on the handkerchief sent by the Imperial Household Department is fake."
Lianye was really angry, so she went to Eunuch An to verify the matter. Eunuch An was a shrewd man, so how could he not know the trickery involved?
Jiang Fenghua also knew that Xie Shang had suddenly come to Chenxi Palace. She immediately bolted the door, thinking about the question he had asked her during the day. What did Xie Shang mean? It was something that happened more than ten years ago, and she had long forgotten about it.
Xie Shang didn't leave immediately after coming out of the side hall, but instead went to the entrance of Jiang Fenghua's bedroom.
At this moment, the candlelight inside suddenly went out. He glanced at the group of palace maids and eunuchs behind him and said in a deep voice, "All of you, step back."
Everyone quickly withdrew, even Granny Wang left. No one didn't want the relationship between the Emperor and Empress to be repaired, and Granny Wang was happy that the Emperor was willing to come.
Once everyone had left, Xie Shang pushed the door open, but after pushing it for a long time, he couldn't budge it because it was bolted from the inside.
He said, "Jiang Fenghua, open the door."
Jiang Fenghua hid by the door; she wouldn't open it. She had already made things clear, so there was no need to argue anymore.
“I know you’re behind the door. Open the door,” he said directly. “Chenxi Palace is my territory.”
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