Chapter 963 Stepping Forward
Just as Pan Qing uttered the words "to invite trouble," a commotion arose from ahead.
The emperor has returned to the Liangyi Hall.
Upon seeing the emperor's figure in the distance, Pan Qing couldn't help but shrink back. She took Chu Ruoyan's hand and whispered, "Madam, let's go before the emperor sees you!"
Chu Ruoyan was stunned, and was pulled back two steps by her.
But when Pan Qing continued to pull her away, she found that Chu Ruoyan stood still, hesitated, but still pulled her hand back.
“…!” Pan Qing stared at her in astonishment: “Madam?”
Chu Ruoyan bit her lower lip, glanced back at the approaching imperial carriage, and finally said with a determined look, "No, I promised the Princess I would help her, and I must help her!"
"But--"
"Pan Qing!"
This time, Chu Ruoyan's gaze was more resolute. She looked up at Pan Qing, who had always been by her side, loyal and devoted, and who had never thought of abandoning her even when the country was destroyed and her family was ruined. Although the worried and concerned look in her eyes foreshadowed how dangerous it was, it also became the confidence for her to face the danger. She said in a deep voice, "I am the concubine of the King of Qin. I share the same fate with them. We are one."
"..."
"This time, Princess Qin has been framed. If I don't lend a helping hand, what will happen to me in the future?"
"..."
"Moreover,"
She took a deep breath and said, "Yuan Gan is the eldest grandson of the emperor. He is as important to the emperor as he is to the Prince of Qin. If he is really harmed, the emperor will certainly blame someone, but the Prince of Qin's future will be difficult."
"..."
"His path is difficult, my path—do I have any other path?"
Upon hearing this, Pan Qing suddenly came to her senses.
She then realized her narrow-mindedness and broke out in a cold sweat. But there was no time for her to think it over. Yuwen Yuan had already reached the Liangyi Hall and could see the figures of the master and servant from afar.
His brow furrowed slightly.
He didn't really have any particular feelings of liking or disliking for this former princess. Back then, Yuwen Ye tricked him, exchanging Empress Dowager Jiang's statement for Yuwen Qian's title of Prince of Han. He understood that what Empress Dowager Jiang wanted was Chu Ruoyan's marriage and her peace for the rest of her life. This princess was indeed pitiful, but being born into the royal family meant that there were some things she was destined to bear. Therefore, Yuwen Yuan didn't interfere much when she became Prince Qin's concubine.
However, Jiang Chongen's feigned surrender last time almost cost Yuwen Yuan his life at Longmen Ferry, and also caused the death of one of the two dukes and injury to another. Yuwen Yuan was furious and wanted to punish Chu Ruoyan several times, but in the end, he was concerned about his status as emperor and did not want to stoop to the level of a young woman, so he let her go.
During those days, she didn't step out of Jinyuyuan even once, clearly out of fear of herself.
Unexpectedly, she has now come to the Liangyi Hall on her own initiative.
Yuwen Yuan stopped and asked, "Why are you here?"
Chu Ruoyan hurriedly led Panqing forward and bowed to him, but Yuwen Yuan waved his hand dismissively and said, "No need for formalities. Why aren't you staying in Jinyu Garden? What are you doing here with me?"
As soon as the words were spoken, a weak, whimpering sound, like a kitten whimpering, came from a side hall of the Liangyi Hall.
It is Xiao Yuangan.
Upon hearing the crying, Yuwen Yuan immediately frowned and said, "Let's go inside first."
After saying that, he turned and walked into the Liangyi Hall. Chu Ruoyan took a deep breath and hurriedly followed him in.
Upon entering the Liangyi Hall and settling in, Nurse Feng was led in by Eunuch Yu, along with Han Yuhui, who had stayed in the side hall to look after them. Little Yuangan was struggling and crying incessantly, his face flushed red. Yuwen Yuan frowned and immediately had Eunuch Yu bring the child to him. Seeing that his voice was almost hoarse from crying, he said with heartache, "Why are you crying again?"
The wet nurse, Feng, replied cautiously, "His Highness has just woken up."
"Have you eaten anything?"
"He...he won't eat."
"You won't eat?"
Yuwen Yuan's brows furrowed immediately, and Han Yuhui, seeing this, immediately said, "He must have been frightened last night. Children are too young to be frightened like that."
The wet nurse glanced at her but didn't dare to say anything.
When the topic of last night came up, Yuwen Yuan's expression darkened further.
Just as he was feeling both angry and heartbroken, Chu Ruoyan stepped forward and said softly, "Your Majesty, I have something to say."
Yuwen Yuan was already giving her a cold shoulder, and now he was even more impatient, saying, "Speak what you have to say."
Chu Ruoyan said, "Your subject has heard about what happened last night and knows that Sister Ruyi is confined to Chengqian Palace. Yuangan is crying and making a fuss now, which is probably not only because he was frightened, but also because he is not surrounded by someone he knows well, which makes him feel uneasy."
Yuwen Yuan frowned as he looked at her, but didn't say anything.
Chu Ruoyan took a deep breath and said, "Your subject wants to take Yuangan to Jinyuyuan to take care of him—until Sister Ruyi clears her name."
Upon hearing this, even Eunuch Yu looked at her with some surprise, while Pan Qing, standing behind her, dared not even breathe.
Yuwen Yuan's face remained expressionless. After listening to her words, he simply lowered his head and patted his grandson in his arms again. Whether it was because he heard her voice or because he was already exhausted from crying, Xiao Yuangan gradually calmed down, and his whimpering sounded particularly pitiful, like that of a kitten.
Yuwen Yuan was silent for a moment, then said, "You're going to take care of Yuan Gan?"
Chu Ruoyan hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I heard that Your Majesty has taken Yuangan to your side to take care of him personally. Originally, I had no right to say anything, but Your Majesty is, after all, the ruler of a country, and you are busy with many affairs every day. Taking care of Yuangan will inevitably distract you and make you tired. It is not good for Your Majesty's health, and it will affect the affairs of state, which is a very serious matter."
Yuwen Yuan's eyes flickered.
Just then, Han Yuhui chuckled softly and said, "Madam Chu is indeed very kind, but you have never given birth and do not know how to take care of a child. I'm afraid it would be difficult to entrust the young prince to you—"
Chu Ruoyan was taken aback by what she said and didn't know how to respond. Just then, a little eunuch ran in from outside: "Your Majesty, Consort Tao requests an audience."
Yuwen Yuan raised his head: "She's here too, let her in."
The little eunuch immediately ran out, and a moment later, Tao Wanyin entered the Liangyi Hall with the palace maid Qiaoshu. She seemed a little surprised to see so many people in the hall, but she still immediately stepped forward and kowtowed to Yuwen Yuan: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
Yuwen Yuan raised his hand and said, "Why are you here?"
Tao Wanyin smiled and said, "I heard that Your Majesty brought Yuangan to the Liangyi Hall, so I came here to visit him."
As he spoke, he walked to his side, looked down at the little Yuangan who was exhausted from crying and looked rather listless. Yuwen Yuan lowered his head and used his thick thumb to wipe away a tear stain on the child's chin, and then said, "You know about yesterday?"
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