The Emperor immediately refused with a smile. “Let’s not do that. Ling’er is male and unmarried. It’s not proper to have him stay beside Mu Xiaojie.”
The Empress Dowager’s face turned cold and she was no longer polite. “Then are the two imperial doctors and guards female?”
“This?” The Emperor could not answer.
The Empress Dowager said impolitely, “Aijia knows what you’re thinking. Aren’t you afraid that if Ling’er marries the yatou Zi You, your younger brother and Old General Mu would become in-laws? They would be a threat to your imperial authority? Emperor, can you not be so suspicious? No matter who will turn against you, your younger brother will not. He and you both came out of Muhou’s belly. Muhou dares to guarantee with Muhou’s life that your younger brother will not do such disloyal and unfilial things.”
The Emperor’s face was unhappy as he replied, “Sisxth brother wouldn’t, but what about sixth brother’s sons and grandchildren? Muhou, Erchen knows you love sixth brother, but Erchen is also your son. Why can’t you put yourself in my place and think for Erchen’s sake?”
The Empress Dowager’s heart turned cold at her eldest son’s words. She couldn’t help but shed sad tears. “Don’t you have a guilty conscience saying those words? I know that you gave Née Su and Née Ning to your sixth brother as cefeis to monitor him. I acquiesced to that. For you to be at ease, I left Ling’er in the imperial capital and helplessly watch him turn into a dandy. For you to be at ease, I repeatedly suppressed six’s wife. Say it. What more do you want me to do? Kill Ling’er or kill your sixth brother? Forget it. If you really can’t be at ease, let your sixth brother go back to the capital and be an idle wangye. Don’t send him to guard the Xibei border. Send whomever you trust.”
The Emperor’s complexion turned a little better. He began to speak soft words, “Muhou, it’s Erchen’s fault for making you sad. Actually, Erchen is most worried about Muhou’s attitude towards Ling’er and sixth brother. Erchen always think that you favor them and neglect Erchen and your other grandchildren.”
The Empress Dowager shook her head and sighed. “I also carried your sixth brother for ten months before giving birth to him. Don’t I feel guilty treating him like this because of you? And what about you? You have everything. If the one to guard the bitterly cold Xibei border was you, I will also miss you. How can you not understand a mother’s heart?
A sharp light flashed in the Emperor’s eyes. His heart thought, ‘This is good too. Let’s test Shangguan LingRan and old man Mu to see if they have any intentions to betray Zhen.’
