"How could Your Majesty, as my birth mother, be so heartless as to harm my offspring?" Shu Chengfeng asked.
"I've already said it wasn't me! Someone framed me! Instead of investigating the truth, you keep slandering me. Are you even my son?" the Empress Dowager said angrily.
"In Mother's heart, isn't it only my eldest brother who was born to you?" Shu Chengfeng suddenly asked.
The Empress Dowager was stunned and couldn't utter a word for a long time.
Shu Chengfeng was also filled with disappointment when he saw the Empress Dowager like this.
Even if I wanted to argue with her, I didn't want to anymore.
He turned and left Ruining Palace.
In the afternoon, the Empress Dowager went to the Ye family to deliver a message, requesting to see Duke Ye.
Such matters within the palace could not be kept secret from the Duke's mansion outside.
Duke Ye pondered all night, but still went to the palace the next day.
After paying her respects, the Empress Dowager said sadly, "Father, I never imagined... that the Emperor would be so cruel to me now."
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger and take care of yourself." Duke Ye is no longer young.
He sighed, "It seems His Majesty has always been unhappy about Eleventh Girl entering the palace. This time, the Empress has no concrete evidence. Such a thing happening in front of the imperial family is truly embarrassing for His Majesty, so his anger is understandable."
"Even if she were furious, she could have indiscriminately punished Ye Xiaoyi..." The Empress Dowager couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Your Majesty, think about it, what if His Majesty sent that bowl of medicine to the Imperial Concubine?" Duke Ye asked.
The Empress Dowager was speechless.
“Your Majesty, although Yue’er is foolish, she is not a bad person. From the manor to the palace, even though she is not favored, His Majesty treats her well. His Majesty is different from the late Emperor. He saw through the late Emperor’s entire life and will no longer rely on the Ye family.”
"But I only... wish the Ye family to be better," the Empress Dowager said.
"Your Majesty desires it, and so does I. But... Your Majesty knows His Majesty's temperament. A daughter of the Ye family is destined not to be Empress. The Ye family is still His Majesty's maternal family. Even if this generation cannot be Empress, there will be the next. His Majesty will always remember the Ye family. Why must Your Majesty be so insistent?"
"The Empress has no son, and given her health, it's uncertain whether she can conceive. Even if she does, would she want the Ning family to be superior to the Ye family? All I want is for one of them to give birth to a prince. If he can become the Crown Prince, the Ye family's daughter will be noble regardless of whether she marries into the palace," the Empress Dowager sighed.
"His Majesty is still young. Who can predict what will happen in the future? Consort Ye is doing well and will have children eventually. Although His Majesty is ruthless, he is not heartless. Your Highness need not be too anxious," said Duke Ye.
"Father is right, but I don't know who plotted this. The Emperor won't listen to my explanation. I'm truly heartbroken," the Empress Dowager said.
"I will go to see His Majesty later and will naturally speak up for Your Highness. I also urge Your Highness to remain calm. If there is any discord between you and His Majesty and your son, others will take advantage of the situation," said Duke Ye.
The Empress Dowager agreed, and the father and daughter exchanged a few more words before the Duke of Ye took his leave.
Once outside Ruining Palace, Duke Ye's face remained expressionless.
Those who serve cannot tell anything.
But in his heart, Duke Ye sighed deeply.
Although his sons were not good for anything, they were cautious and always had some way of surviving.
But it was precisely these two people...
The late emperor was ungrateful and tormented her repeatedly, almost causing the Empress Dowager to collapse. She wasn't ruthless or decisive enough, dragging things out year after year. Fortunately, His Majesty is capable and has stood up for their mother.
When the late emperor asked to marry a woman from the Ye family, he agreed without refusing.
In retrospect, it would have been better if he had refused in the first place.
If they hadn't gotten involved with the royal family, the Ye family might be in a completely different situation now.
Yue'er is stupid and clumsy; she managed to get pregnant but couldn't keep the pregnancy.
But now it seems she was a bit slow-witted, but she possessed a rare, pure heart. I only hope she stays this way; perhaps Heaven will take pity on her and grant her a better outcome.
After Duke Ye spoke with Shu Chengfeng, Shu Chengfeng had someone deliver a pile of things to the Empress Dowager.
It roughly means reconciliation.
This matter has now been completely resolved.
As for how much His Majesty believed, only His Majesty himself knows.
When the women of the harem were taking her pulse, Consort Xiang's pregnancy was revealed.
It took about forty days.
This time, the entire palace was truly shocked, especially the Empress and Consort Ye.
Originally, none of them had their own biological children, so they were quite balanced.
The Empress is the central figure, Consort Ye is the daughter of the Ye family, and Consort Xiangxian is favored.
Now that she is pregnant, this balance is about to be disrupted.
The Empress is fine, but Consort Ye is in an awkward position.
Shu Chengfeng ordered a reward and went to Wanchun Palace that very night.
If this child is born, and he is a prince, he will be the most honorable prince in the world.
"Tsk tsk, what a spectacle. One bomb dropped, and two kids were blown out. The person behind this must be furious by now," Yan Nangui laughed.
“Yes, Consort Xiangxian is pregnant, that’s quite something. She’s already favored, and this child… I’m afraid even the Empress will be worried sick,” Jiangxiang said.
In Fengxiang Palace, the Empress was indeed in a very bad mood.
She had always thought that Su might not be able to have children, so her sudden pregnancy caught her off guard.
She touched her belly, her anxiety overwhelming her, and she had no one to confide in.
“Your Majesty, please don’t be anxious. No matter when, you will always give birth to a legitimate son, who will be more noble than any other child,” said Granny He.
The empress remained silent.
Even if it's prestigious, it still needs to be born.
One thing after another, she lost confidence in herself.
Many people didn't sleep well that night.
As for Shu Chengfeng, he truly did his best to dote on Consort Xiang.
The following day, Wanchun Palace was also bestowed with gifts. This caused quite a stir throughout the palace.
"What's that saying again? Being the center of attention means being the center of resentment. Maybe it wouldn't have been like this before she had children, but now that she has, the road ahead probably won't be easy," Yan Nangui said with a smile.
At that moment, she had just finished washing her hair and was drying it.
“Your Majesty is quite right. In my opinion, His Majesty may be sincere, but he also seems to be doing it on purpose. I’m afraid he hasn’t finished getting revenge on the Empress Dowager yet,” Jiangxiang said.
"This fight between mother and son has caused trouble for others," Yan Nangui shook his head.
Ye Xiaoyi just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time; things that are forcibly delivered are definitely not good, and she was the first one to suffer.
Consort Ye must have been implicated as well.
However, after the incident, she never went to see the Empress Dowager, which shows she was heartless.
I guess the people who serve her don't want to ask her to go either.
The once-prosperous Ye family has now split into factions. I wonder if this cousin can stand on her own two feet and forge her own path.
However, no matter what, the kinship within the royal family is quite weak.
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