The Eastern Palace.
"Greetings, Crown Princess."
Gu Qingxu held the tray in her hands, nodded slightly, looked in the direction her eyes were looking, and a trace of worry flashed in her eyes.
His Majesty's order for the princess to stay at home effectively affected the entire Eastern Palace, including her.
She didn't care about these things, but she was a little worried that His Highness would become discouraged because of them.
Collecting her thoughts, she lowered her head and entered the room. Yan Huai was sitting on a low couch playing chess. The weather was getting colder, and he was dressed rather thinly. Fortunately, although the Crown Prince was under house arrest, his subordinates dared not cut back on his supplies, and charcoal was still provided according to the allotted rations.
In the past, he used the finest silver wire charcoal, but now he only uses scraps mixed with other types of charcoal. When it burns, it always produces thick smoke, which is not pleasant to smell, and he coughs from time to time.
This kind of behavior of praising the powerful and belittling the weak has always been the case, but those people ultimately dare not go too far.
Gu Qingxu looked at his restrained appearance, and a pang of heartache flashed in her eyes.
Yan Huai spotted Gu Qingxu at the door and a smile appeared on his lips: "A-Xu, why are you standing at the door?"
She tiptoed forward, put down the tray, and handed him the soup bowl, saying, "Your Highness has been coughing these past few days, so I had the kitchen make some pear soup. Please drink it while it's hot."
Yan Huai did not refuse her kindness. He held her reddened fingertips and looked at them, his brows furrowing slightly: "These things can be left to the servants."
Gu Qingxu curved her lips into a gentle smile: "I have nothing to do in my spare time."
Yan Huai sighed, handed her a bowl of pear soup, and drank a few sips himself. His voice suddenly lowered: "Have you been wronged by following me?"
Gu Qingxu frowned subconsciously, put down the bowl, and said seriously, "Your Highness, I don't feel wronged."
He was the crown prince, and she knew from the moment she married him that her entire life, honor and disgrace, depended on him.
But her initial reason for marrying him was not because he was the crown prince, but simply because he was Yan Huai.
Moreover, after the two got married, Yan Huai did treat her very well. Royal family rules were numerous and not as easy as those of ordinary families, but he never made her suffer any grievances. The people below him were also very respectful of her.
The Crown Prince's palace couldn't have only her as his consort. There were always people trying to put others in, but he withstood the pressure and didn't take anyone else in. She saw all of this.
Yan Huai looked at her intently, then suddenly asked, "A-Xu, do you want to be the Empress?"
Gu Qingxu slightly opened her almond-shaped eyes, a flash of panic crossing them. She glanced around, then got up and closed the door. When she returned, her steps were somewhat hurried.
"Your Highness, such words are unacceptable; be careful, for walls may have ears!"
The Eastern Palace is not completely impenetrable; if word gets out that there are eyes everywhere, it will be disastrous!
Seeing her alert expression, Yan Huai smiled and pulled her down to sit: "Don't worry, no one will hear us here."
Without his permission, nothing that happens here can be told.
He paused, then pressed on, "You still haven't answered my question."
Gu Qingxu was taken aback. In her heart, whether or not she became empress didn't matter. Power often comes with responsibility. She didn't yearn for that supreme position. She was already content to be by his side.
Moreover, becoming empress meant that she had to generously share her husband with others. Although she had always been taught to do so, after experiencing his unreserved favoritism, she suddenly did not want to share that love with others.
But meeting Yan Huai's gentle gaze, she pursed her lips, her eyes full of trust: "I am willing to follow Your Highness and support all of Your Highness's decisions."
His crown princess was undoubtedly gentle, but this gentleness was not submissive; on the contrary, she was very opinionated.
Looking into her eyes filled with reliance, Yan Huai was deeply moved. He took her hand and kissed it, his voice slightly deep: "A-Xu, you've forgotten again."
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