Shang Xiye handed the brocade cloth to Wuying, who then put it away. He raised his eyes and looked at the Empress Dowager indifferently: "Since the late Emperor had already left a will, why did the Empress Dowager only bring it out now and have the Emperor arrange the marriage between me and the Princess Consort first? Isn't this disregarding the late Emperor's wishes?"
"The matter of surrendering to the emperor was a sudden and opportune event, and besides, since you, Ninth Prince, have been away fighting for years, neither the Emperor nor I have had a suitable opportunity to bring it up. We just never expected that you and that bandit would be so harmonious and compatible."
"I was worried that Zhaoping would be treated coldly after entering the palace, so I showed this to you to calm your mind and make you understand that this marriage was not forced upon you by me and the Emperor. I hope you will treat Zhaoping well and not disappoint Lord Sun and the late Emperor." The Empress Dowager looked wooden, like a helpless old woman who was simply seeking happiness for her beloved descendant.
Shang Xiye's expression remained unchanged, and his voice was extremely cold: "I have already agreed to let Zhaoping enter the palace, and I will certainly not skimp on her food, clothing, or other necessities. As for the affairs of the inner quarters of the palace, there is no need for the Empress Dowager to worry about them. I am concerned about the Princess Consort, so I will take my leave now."
"You...!" The Empress Dowager was so angry she choked.
If it weren't for her leg ailment, which was only supposedly effective with acupuncture by that bandit, she wouldn't have needed to speak to him in such a humble manner.
He, on the other hand, was in such a hurry to leave before she could even play the emotional card!
"Ninth Prince, please wait!" The Empress Dowager couldn't bring herself to ask her to stay, but Aunt Sun shamelessly followed after her: "Ninth Prince, ever since this winter snow began, the Empress Dowager's leg ailment has been recurring, and medicine has been ineffective. She's in so much pain every day that she can't sleep. Could you please..."
"No!" Before Aunt Sun could finish speaking, Shang Xiye interrupted and refused.
Moreover, there are no other distinguishing words after "cannot".
He raised his right hand slightly, signaling Wuying to push him away.
Aunt Sun stood blankly at the door, staring at Shang Xiye's resolute and heartless demeanor, completely dumbfounded.
The Ninth Prince just left like that?
He doesn't care about or want any reputation for filial piety or righteousness at all!
As Shang Xiye returned to the vicinity of the banquet hall, one of Wu Shang's guards rushed over anxiously to report: "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The Princess Consort has been kidnapped by a mysterious man in black!"
"What!" Shang Xiye jumped up from his wheelchair in a panic. "Do you know who it was, how long they've been gone, and which direction they went?!"
"The identity of the villain is still unknown. The incident happened so suddenly that we didn't have time to react. Wu Shang led his men towards the Cold Palace, and Miss Xi Que and Miss Lin Shuang also went after them." The guard was also very anxious and didn't waste any words.
"Wu Ying, notify all the guards, both overt and covert, in the palace. Even if you have to turn the Cold Palace upside down, find the Princess Consort as soon as possible!" Before Shang Xiye finished speaking, he had already dashed away like an arrow.
The speed was so fast that the swirling snowflakes slammed into the soft snow, creating countless tiny pits and craters.
The guards waiting in place didn't even realize that Shang Xiye's men had already disappeared.
"Stop looking. You can't catch up with the prince. Push the prince's wheelchair back and hide it. Then help me notify the various forces to quietly go to the Cold Palace to find someone or wait for orders," Wuying said in a deep voice before turning around and leaving.
At this moment, Jiang Zhenning was tiptoeing back from somewhere in the Cold Palace.
He hid in a secluded alley, stripped off his black clothes, and a smug smile curled at the corner of his lips: "So your purpose is the same as Yun'er's. That's fine, it saves me the trouble. I'll just have that stupid girl bring her people over!"
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