That day, she blamed herself and said, "Ling'er, what I regret most is that I don't have the ability. Otherwise, I could have taken you out of this red-walled palace and we wouldn't have been separated. I'm sorry, child."
Xuan Ling was already twelve years old at that time. He already knew how difficult it was to survive. He burst into tears and said, "Mother, I don't blame you. Mother, please don't leave Ling'er, mother..."
Sheng Xiyan's legs and arms were numb from kneeling on the ground. She raised her head slightly and saw that there seemed to be a different light in the emperor's eyes.
Is the emperor thinking about the time when he was separated from his mother as a child? It seems that what Qi Yan told her was very effective. She can empathize with her. This is a good idea.
Xuan Ling pulled his thoughts back and looked at the woman in front of him. She was brave.
"You are a qualified mother, and I am very happy to be your child."
In order to make her empathy more effective, Sheng Xiyan burst into tears and was heartbroken.
When she cried, her face was as red as a pear blossom with tears in the rain, and her tears fell like pearls, crystal clear, sad and touching.
Xuan Ling stared at her and cried for a while, "Is Madam Qi using a self-torture trick or a beauty trap?"
Sheng Xiyan raised her eyes and met the emperor's, saying sadly, "Since Yanlang's death, I have no one to rely on in this world. I only have the emperor's grace to protect me."
"Yan Lang always said that the emperor was a wise ruler. He swore to be loyal to the emperor until his death. Although he is gone, this will be passed on by me. This life of mine will belong to the emperor in the future. Xi Yan is willing to go through fire and water for the emperor, even if it means death."
Xuan Ling curled his lips, the oppression and majesty of the emperor's power coming from him: "Madam Qi, do you know that the lives of all the people in the world belong to me? They are all loyal subjects."
"Your Majesty is right. You control the lives of the people of the world, and many are loyal to you. However, there are two kinds of loyalty: one is for power and wealth, and the other is to follow from the heart, without any regard for profit. I want to be the second kind."
"I never believed that anyone would not seek power and wealth. What do you want?"
"Your Majesty, I swear allegiance to you, my Lord. I have only one request: that you allow Jiangjiang to stay with me and be raised by me, and that he remain Yanlang's bloodline. I have no other requests in this life."
Her expression was firm, like a holy and tenacious lotus.
Emperor Xuanwu's sculpture-like face made it impossible to fathom his inner world, and Sheng Xiyan could only try her best to guess.
For a long time, the room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, and the scent of tuberose and ambergris lingered between the two of them.
There was a knock on the door, "Your Majesty, Prince Teng requests an audience."
Xuan Ling glanced at Sheng Xiyan and said, "Let him in."
Prince Teng came in, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, you must help Xi Yan."
Xi Yan? She called him so affectionately. Xuan Ling's dark eyes narrowed slightly, looking dangerous.
Sheng Xiyan didn't know why Prince Teng suddenly called her that, as he had been calling her Madam Qi these past few days.
"Prince Teng, tell me why I should help her?"
Prince Teng said, "Xiyan's love for her son is her shining point. She is a good mother. I beg the Emperor to come forward and explain this matter to Prince E's Palace, and make a decision on Xiyan's behalf, allowing her to raise Jiang Jiang herself."
Xuan Ling leaned back on the armchair and said solemnly, "Prince Teng, on what grounds do you beg me?"
Sheng Xiyan felt increasingly bewildered as she listened. Why was the emperor asking this? Could it be that he misunderstood her relationship with Prince Teng?
This won't do. If people continue to think that she escaped from Prince E's Palace because of Prince Teng, wouldn't that add another accusation of infidelity?
He hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty..."
Xuan Ling glared at her with his eagle eyes, "Shut up."
Sheng Xiyan lowered her head obediently, thinking that Prince Teng must make it clear that there was nothing wrong between her and him.
Prince Teng stared at her and mustered up the courage to say, "Because, because I am attracted to Xi Yan and want to marry her."
The emperor glanced at the beauty and said, "Madam Qi, do you also want to marry Prince Teng? Are you attracted to him?"
Sheng Xiyan almost fainted in shock, "No, Your Majesty, please understand..."
With an anxious look, he looked into the emperor's cold eyes and spoke incoherently with a guilty conscience.
Prince Teng hinted, "Xiyan, if you become my princess, I will talk to Prince E about having Jiang Jiang raised by our side."
Sheng Xiyan shook her head and said, "I appreciate Prince Teng's kindness, but I can't do that."
She knew that only the emperor in front of her could manage the family affairs of Prince E's Mansion. For example, today, Prince E snatched the child away and Prince Teng had no way to stop him. But when the emperor appeared, Prince E obediently returned the child to her.
Xuan Ling said sternly, "As far as I know, if a woman remarries after her husband's death, she cannot take the bloodline of her husband's family with her, is that correct?"
Sheng Xiyan nodded. After analyzing various possibilities, she came up with the idea that the only way out was to escape.
Prince Teng tried his best to argue, "Your Majesty is right, so I ask you to negotiate with Prince E. He will definitely not force Xiyan to give up the child."
Xuan Ling said ruthlessly: "I am not a kind person."
Prince Teng kowtowed and said, "But you are the ruler of the world, Xiyan and the child are your subjects..."
"Stand back."
The emperor issued an order to expel the guests, and Prince Teng and Sheng Xiyan kowtowed and stood up to leave.
"Not you."
The two turned around, Xuan Ling looked at Sheng Xiyan coldly, and Prince Teng understood and walked out.
Sheng Xiyan held her hands in her sleeves, feeling uneasy, but hope rose in her heart. The emperor must have other intentions in mind if he wanted to keep her.
Although the Prince of E had returned the general to her, what if the emperor left? What if he snatched her away again? This matter needed the final word from the emperor, and the Prince of E's palace would not dare to act recklessly again.
Xuan Ling stood up and said jokingly, "Madam, you are not as calm as you were that day in the palace. This is because you feel guilty about doing something bad."
An impenetrable wall suddenly appeared in front of Sheng Xiyan. He was taller than an ordinary man, seven feet eight inches, with broad shoulders and narrow hips, and a slender waist.
"Look up."
She raised her eyes with dignity, her face was like a lotus blooming in the beautiful clouds, her skin was firm and delicate, and stained with blush.
With a pitiful sadness and unfathomable eyes looking at the emperor.
Xuan Ling couldn't help but pinch her jaw lightly, and his bony fingers felt soft and tender like butter.
"Mrs. Qi—are you in a hurry to get married?"
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