Ruhuan's face was pale, with a few red marks on her fair and tender face. Her beautiful eyes were empty and lifeless, and her body was trembling like a frightened deer.
Hua Fushu felt a little distressed when he saw Ruhuan like this.
She took off her plum-red cloak, wrapped it around Ruhuan, hugged Ruhuan, and took her to Rongliyuan.
"Nanxing, go to Guanju Pavilion to see Yue Zheng." Hua Fushu said.
Nanxing turned towards Guanju Pavilion.
As soon as Ruhuan saw her mother, Madam Ouyang, she threw herself into her arms, crying loudly and calling "A'mother" over and over again.
Seeing her daughter crying bitterly, Madam Ouyang looked at Hua Fushu, as if asking him what had happened. Shouldn't Ruhuan be in the palace? Why did she leave?
Hua Fushu said, "Mother, I don't know what happened. Let's wait for Zelin to come over. As soon as I arrived at the mansion, Zelin asked me to bring Sister Ruhuan to you."
Madam Ouyang helped Ruhuan to sit on the pearwood couch, comforted her softly, and asked her why she left the palace. Ruhuan didn't say a word and just kept shaking her head.
Ye Shiheng heard from his servants that Miss Ruhuan had returned, and he sensed something was amiss. He realized that unsuccessful women should be sent home during the day, not at night, so he rushed over from Fengquexuan. Ye Yunlu was also coming over, so he asked Ye Shiheng to stay at Fengquexuan to take care of Dugu Lanxi.
Ye Shiheng wanted to ask Ruhuan, but Madam Ouyang stopped him, "Don't ask, wait until Lin'er comes over."
Soon, Ye Zelin arrived at Rongliyuan, and Ye Shiheng went straight up to ask questions.
"Father, don't worry. Let's wait until grandfather comes."
Ye Shiheng sat beside his daughter, looking at the red marks on her face, feeling distressed.
Ye Zelin summoned Madam Ouyang's maid and instructed her, "Cuizhi, go to Feiyuan and inform the old general that Miss Ruhuan has returned. Invite him to Rongliyuan and tell him that Miss Ruhuan wants to see him. If the old general asks why Miss Ruhuan has returned, just say that she was wronged in the palace. No need to say anything else."
Cuizhi Fushen responded and went to Rongliyuan.
Ye Zelin also instructed the maid A Yu to send away the servants from Rongli Courtyard and not allow anyone to approach the main courtyard.
Seeing that his son was so cautious, Ye Shiheng sent away the servants of Rongliyuan and asked his father to come over. He thought that something must have happened to his daughter in the palace.
Ye Zelin walked up to Ruhuan, half-knelt down, and said gently, "Don't worry, sister. Brother and father will make those who bully you pay the price they deserve."
Bully?
Madam Ouyang's face turned pale and she grabbed Ye Zelin's shoulders, "Lin'er."
Ye Zelin raised his head slightly and gave his mother a reassuring smile. He said, "Don't worry, mother. My sister was just frightened. There's nothing else wrong."
Madam Ouyang asked, "Really?"
Ye Zelin nodded.
Mrs. Ouyang breathed a sigh of relief, but when she looked at her daughter, her heart ached slightly.
Ye Zelin said, "Mother, my sister is too frightened. Please accompany her back to her room to rest."
He looked at Ru Ruhuan again and said gently, "Huan'er, why don't you go back to your room with your mother to rest?"
Ruhuan nodded obediently.
Madam Ouyang smoothed Ruhuan's messy hair, and she and Ayu helped Ruhuan back to the room.
The old general quickly arrived at Rongliyuan, accompanied by Ye Songyan. After hearing Cuizhi's words, the old general hurried over with Ye Songyan. When he didn't see Ruhuan in the house, he asked directly where Ruhuan was.
Ye Shiheng said, "Ruhuan was frightened, so I asked her mother to take her back to her room. I don't know exactly what happened to Ruhuan in the palace. It won't be too late for you to go see her after Lin'er explains everything."
The old general then looked at Ye Zelin and asked, "What happened to Huan'er?"
Ye Zelin asked Ye Songyan to help the old general sit down. After the old general sat down, Ye Zelin told him about Ruhuan's experience in the palace.
After the news of His Majesty's selection of a royal bride spread, Prince Qinghe often visited the palace to accompany the Queen Mother, wooing her with sweet words and even gifting her with rare treasures to please his cousin, the princess. One day, the Queen Mother, delighted, asked Prince Qinghe if there was anything he desired, offering to grant it.
The Prince of Qinghe said that he longed for the love that lasted until old age like that of Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun, and hoped that he could also be with his beloved girl day and night, supporting each other. He said that he had been in love with Ye Ruhuan for a long time, and asked the Queen Mother to grant him and Ye Ruhuan a marriage.
Princess Xinyang had long known that her cousin liked Ye Ruhuan. Since she had received so many gifts from the Prince of Qinghe, she naturally spoke in favor of her cousin.
The Queen Mother was deeply moved by the deep affection of the Prince of Qinghe for Ruhuan. In addition, Princess Xinyang spoke well of the Prince of Qinghe, so the Queen Mother immediately agreed to ask His Majesty to arrange a marriage between the Prince of Qinghe and Ruhuan.
The prince was overjoyed and kowtowed to the Queen Mother to express his gratitude.
The Queen Mother told His Majesty that she wanted to arrange a marriage between the Crown Prince and Ye Ruhuan, but His Majesty refused.
His Majesty also said that the Prince of Qinghe could marry any girl except the daughter of the Ye family.
The Queen Mother did not understand that Prince Qinghe and the late Emperor were born of the same mother, and the Crown Prince was Your Majesty's cousin. He did not agree even when his cousin wanted to marry a girl he liked.
His Majesty said to the Queen Mother, "The Ye family has military power, and the Emperor's uncle also has military power."
The Queen Mother suddenly realized that the marriage between the Ye family and the Qinghe Palace would definitely cause controversy in the court and the public and affect the political situation.
The Queen Mother sighed softly, "Mother saw that Ajue was deeply in love with Ye Ruhuan, so she wanted to help them get married."
His Majesty said, "Mother, I am first the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, and only then the elder brother of my brothers."
The Queen Mother relayed the Majesty's words to the Prince of Qinghe. The Prince simply assumed that the Queen Mother and the Majesty disagreed with the marriage, so he swallowed his dissatisfaction and left the palace.
A few months ago, Prince Qinghe asked for Ye Ruhuan in marriage on his behalf, but General Ye Shiheng refused. If he asked again now, General Ye would probably not agree. His Majesty and the Queen Mother were unwilling to grant the marriage, and the Crown Prince had no other choice but to feel depressed.
Upon returning to the Qinghe Palace, the Prince of Qinghe learned that the Crown Prince's request for a marriage was rejected. Furious at the Crown Prince's reckless behavior, the Prince of Qinghe slapped the Crown Prince in the face, pointing at him and cursing, "You worthless creature! For a woman, do you want to ruin the reputation I've painstakingly cultivated for decades? I'm warning you, you'd better give up. Ye Ruhuan can be married to anyone except you!"
King Qinghe looked at his unfilial and evil son and walked away.
The prince is deeply in love with Ye Ruhuan and his heart is as firm as a rock. He dreams of marrying Ye Ruhuan. King Qinghe's words completely arouse his rebellious psychology.
He said, "If Your Majesty doesn't marry Ye Ruhuan, then who else in Tokyo can afford to marry Ye Ruhuan except me, Zhao Jue? Daddy, even if you don't let me marry Ye Ruhuan, I will marry her anyway. I want her to be the future Princess of Qinghe!"
A curve appeared on his lips, and he said meaningfully: "If you become mine, father and General Ye will have to agree even if they don't agree."
The prince made up his mind and took action immediately.
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