Chapter 540: Were you telling lies and nonsense in front of the Empress Dowager?
Mo Yifan rolled his eyes at him angrily. "What's all the fuss? I've been to my uncle's residence more than once or twice. Why don't you hurry up and arrange for the imperial carriage? What are you dawdling about? I want to bring the Empress Dowager back to the palace."
"Yes, yes, yes! I obey your order! I'll go right away!" Little Leo quickly retreated and started to make arrangements.
Soon, the emperor's carriage marched out of the palace in a grand procession and arrived at the majestic and solemn Regent's Palace without any hindrance.
The palace's chief steward had already received the news and led the crowd to stand respectfully outside the vermilion lacquered gate.
Seeing the imperial carriage stop, the butler immediately trotted forward and kowtowed deeply: "This old servant pays homage to the emperor. Long live the emperor!"
Mo Yifan stepped down from the imperial carriage swiftly and waved his hand casually, "Stand tall." His eyes were like lightning, scanning the area. He lowered his voice and got straight to the point, "Where's the little imperial aunt? Where is she now?"
The butler understood what he meant, leaned close to the emperor's ear, and whispered a few words very quickly in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
Mo Yifan's originally tense mouth corners curved up almost imperceptibly after hearing the butler's words, and a hint of appreciation and a relaxed smile flashed in his eyes.
He secretly praised: "The little imperial aunt is really a wonderful person! She knows how to temporarily avoid the sharp edge and not confront the imperial grandmother head-on. This method of retreating to advance is really clever! Good, very good!"
He said no more, straightened his robe, and strode straight into the mansion and headed towards Jingfeng Pavilion.
Inside Jingfeng Pavilion, the air was filled with the scent of sandalwood, but the atmosphere was even more stagnant and depressing than the green smoke rising from the incense burner.
When Mo Yifan entered the main hall, the palace maids and eunuchs standing in the hall hurriedly knelt down and said in unison: "Your Highness."
Mo Yifan walked straight towards the Empress Dowager who was sitting in the main seat without looking around, and bowed according to etiquette: "Grandson pays respects to the Empress Dowager."
The Queen Mother sat on the rosewood carved phoenix chair at the top, wearing a dark purple palace dress with phoenix pattern, her silver hair combed meticulously, and a set of kingfisher feather headdress, looking elegant and luxurious.
She looked at her grandson who had suddenly barged in. Her face showed no emotion, but a hint of displeasure flickered across her weathered eyes, and her brows furrowed imperceptibly. "Emperor?" Her voice was low, but it carried the natural pressure of someone who had held a high position for a long time. "You are now the Emperor of Dongyao Kingdom, the supreme ruler. Why are you running to the backyard of this palace instead of handling state affairs and reviewing memorials in your own palace?"
Mo Yifan didn't seem to feel the displeasure. He sat down on the guest seat beside him, putting on a perfect, somewhat dependent "filial grandson" smile on his face: "Grandmother, of course your grandson is here to take you back to the palace! You see..."
He complained in a coquettish tone, "How long has my grandson been on the throne? The harem is empty, without even a queen. How can such a large harem function without someone in charge? I don't know who to ask for help on many matters. After much thought, I think it's best for you, the Imperial Grandmother, to return to the palace and take charge. Please help me choose a virtuous queen so that the royal family can have more children soon, right?"
As he spoke, he secretly apologized to his distant uncle in his heart: "Little uncle and little aunt, in order to help you out, I even gave up my own life as an excuse! You two must remember my kindness!"
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's well-kept brows furrowed even deeper, leaving deep vertical lines between them. She raised her phoenix eyes slightly, examining her grandson. Her voice was calm and unyielding, "Emperor, you have only recently ascended the throne, and your foundation is not yet stable. Maintaining a stable court, expanding your harem, and expanding your family are indeed urgent priorities."
Mo Yifan was delighted, thinking that there was room for maneuver. He quickly followed the lead, his face filled with an eager smile, and nodded rapidly, "Yes, yes, what your Royal Grandmother said is absolutely right! This is exactly what your grandson meant! Look, your grandson has already ordered the Taiyi Palace to be meticulously renovated, just waiting for you to return to the palace and take charge of the overall situation. The scenery there is elegant and the halls are spacious. It is the perfect place for you to spend your remaining years in peace and also convenient for you to select a sutra for your grandson. Royal Grandmother, there is no time to lose. Why don't you return to the palace with your grandson now?"
However, the Queen Mother's expression remained unchanged. Instead, she slowly shook her head, her gaze like a sharp blade tempered with ice, as she said firmly, "Now? Not yet."
She spoke each word slowly, her voice low but filled with a heart-pounding paranoia and coldness, "Wait until I... see with my own eyes that evil Lan Xiyue breathe her last, leaving no trace of her body! Only then will I be able to let go of this worry, and then... I will return to the palace."
"What?!" Mo Yifan's eyes widened instantly, he could hardly believe his ears, shock and disbelief were clearly written on his young face, "Grandmother! What...what did you say? You want...you want the little aunt to die? How on earth did she...how did she offend you? You actually have to kill her?!" His voice rose with excitement, with a rare loss of composure of the young emperor.
The Queen Mother snorted a very cold laugh, like a shattered ice spike, her eyes filled with stubbornness and an almost crazy vigilance: "How did you offend me? Ha! Can't you see how Yuan'er obeys her every command? I'm afraid... I'm afraid that Lan Xiyue is scheming and cunning, and she has given Yuan'er some unheard-of poison that controls people's hearts! As long as this woman is not eliminated, and Yuan'er is at her mercy, my heart will never be at peace!" Her skinny fingers tightly grasped the armrests of the phoenix chair, and her knuckles turned white.
Mo Yifan's eyes widened. "Grandmother, who told you that? The little uncle truly loves the little aunt. How could he have been poisoned by a mind-controlling Gu? That's sheer nonsense."
The Queen Mother looked at Anya. Mo Yifan narrowed his eyes dangerously and followed the Queen Mother's gaze to Anya. His eyes were cold and scrutinizing, and his voice became deeper. "It's you! Anya! Are you... spreading lies and misleading people in front of the Empress Dowager?!"
Anya shuddered at the Emperor's piercing gaze, the color draining from her face in an instant, a mixture of embarrassment and panic taking hold. Hastily bending to her knees, her voice trembling slightly as she waved her hands, hastily defending herself, "Your Majesty, please calm down! It's not me... I've only heard that there are indeed some strange medicines and strange techniques circulating in the martial world that can bewilder the mind... Besides, my sister, the Princess, is a master of medicine, and her poison techniques are even more unfathomable..." Her words gradually faded, her head lowered, not daring to meet the Emperor's wrath.
Mo Yifan snorted coldly. This woman was indeed not a good person. He didn't know why the Empress Dowager fell in love with her.
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